Hello,
Most of you know that I (Hannah Berry) the teen librarian at the Main Library read a lot. 
Well I just checked my www.Goodreads.com account for this year and it says I have read 116 books in 2011. I’m in the middle of a few that I hope to finish before the 31st, but still that’s a big number. So I’ve decided to give you my Top 10 in 2011 (books that I have read this year). Theses are just my favorites!
This is not my normal reading materiel, but it made me laugh and I remember this book as a fun lighthearted read.
Zombie Apocalypse! Need I really say more?
Sequel to “If I Stay.” This is one sequel that may actually stand up to the wonderfulness of the first book.
Local author! Have to love this book! Futuristic society divided into factions that divide the populace. One test decides what faction you belong in.
12 Dancing Princesses retold in a new and interesting way that makes the story come alive.
Demons and Angels and a teeth collector! A love story and a battle between two races. Really this one had me from page one hangging on every word.
Newest book in Percy Jackson’s life! I couldn’t not read this. This series grabs you and wont let you go. Unlike most series that seem to go on forever this is one I wont get board of. The adventures are always entertaining and take me to a place that I hadn’t expected.
This is book 3 in a series. Book 1 is “The Demon King” & Book 2 is “The Exiled Queen.” I will admit that this series was slow to start, but I kept at book one and fell in love with this series. Book 3 was just as great as the first 2.
The last book in the Strange Angels Series. This book finished of the series in a really great way. I hadn’t expected the ending I got , but it worked and I loved it.
Set in an alternative past during World War 2 The British have fabricated animals together to create weapons of war, while the Austrians & Germans have created mechanical machines that walk and fly. This story follows two really interesting characters and makes for a really good start to the series.
What are your top 10 of 2011?
Tags: Hannah, top ten of 2011
D.J. is a cow. Or at least that what she thinks after Brian Nelson, the QB of Holly’s football team, teases her that she will probably even go off to die like a cow following every order without complaint. D.J. has been taking care of all the farm work since her two older brothers went off to college and her dad skipped getting the surgery done to fix his hip. If she hadn’t stepped in to do the hard work then they surly would have lost the farm. But her stepping in has had some pretty big consequences. She failed Sophomore English because she couldn’t get the papers written and take care of the farm. She had to quit track and basketball, thus she lost any chance of being able to afford college by way of a scholarship. With the whole family not talking about what needs to be talked about D.J. has done the hard work because it had to be done and she was the likely choice over her younger brother and her mom, then Brian Nelson came into their lives. Holly’s football coach is like an Uncle to D.J. so when he asks her to train his QB, who only seems to blame everyone else for his mistakes, she really dosen’t want to because Brian is a jerk. After spending most of the summer with Brian and football D.J. decides to get back to high school life and her new passion for football by signing up to be on the boys team at her school in Red Bend (Holly’s Rival). But will she make the team? How will Brian react? Will her parents stop talking to her like they did to her brothers?
This book deals with far too much to put into a review without giving everything away. There is a jealous best friend, a very silent little brother, the dad is ashamed that he cooks instead of his wife, the mom is dealing with two jobs and hiding a pretty big secret, plus this is a bit of a romance as well as a coming of age. I really enjoyed this even though the last time I was on a cow farm I was five. I think even if you don’t know about farming you might like this book. it proves that girls can do anything that boys can do and sometimes they can do it better.
Tags: Book Review, Catherine Gilbert Murdock, dairy queen, Hannah's Reviews
BOOK 2 ! Read the first book called I AM NUMBER FOUR first.
Number four (or John as he is sometimes called) is on the run with number Six, his friend Sam, and his chimera Bernie Kosar. They are wanted not only by the Mogadorians, but also by the FBI. Four is now considered a terrorist and must be found. Meanwhile in Spain number Seven, who goes by Marina, is living in a convent with her Cepan. Her legacies have started to develop, but her Cepan, Adelina, has acclimated to being a woman of God and wont begin her training. When Marina believes that the Mog’s have found them Adelina wont believe it. How can these numbers find one another when they are on different sides of the world? And more important will Sam, a human, be able to keep up with the numbers of the Garde?
Loved Book two. I have to say what I remember of book one comes mostly from the movie. I know I read the first book and I liked it. I know that I wrote a review for it and put it on this blog! And I know it was different in many ways from the movie, but after having seen the movie… that is what I remember from the first book. When I picked up this one I had forgotten that Four was fireproof not Six (unlike in the movie). That was the only thing that bugged me…those little differences between a book and movie that stand out when you continue reading a series. Overall this was great! It didn’t go where I expected it to and that made it even more fun to read.
Tags: Book Review, Hannah's Reviews, i am number four, pittacus lore, the power of six
This is book 1 in the Trilogy!
It’s 1914 in an Alternative History! A global war is about to break out and there are two type of people in the world…Those that favor Darwin and his experiments that have let to fabricated beasts that can carry men into the sky and be used as weapons of war, ships, balloons, voice activated messengers, and much much more. Then there are those that favor Machines. Huge 6-8 legged machines that are maneuvered by pilots and run off engines.
When the prince of Austria is murdered along with his wife, their son must go into hiding. Running for his life with two of his teachers and two men loyal to his father in a four legged walker the boy realizes just how much he can give away about himself without meaning to .Meanwhile in England a young girl has disguised herself as a boy so she can be an airman in the army. When on her first day as a cadet she is set loose attached to a beast that is meant to be tied down. On her runaway beast she is picked up by the Leviathan, an airship like no other. She soon take on a role for the Leviathan and becomes one of the best midshipman they have. When the two find each other all kinds of craziness breaks loose.
This was the great start to a story! I love how Scott Westerfeld can craft a story so that by the time you finish book one you have to read book two right away to know what happens next. This alternative history is really fantastic. Very Steam-punk with the machines vs. beasts and the Boffins! He uses a lot of British language in the book, but after a while it becomes second nature to understand what the characters are saying. I can’t wait for book 2!
Tags: Alternative History, Book Review, Hannah's Reviews, Leviathan, Scott Westerfeld
Possessions, Volume 3
Ghost, spirits and possessed objects have been collected for many years by an old woman and her butler. Gurgazon is the newest addition to the collection and this pit demon is fed up with being trapped and has devised a plan of escape, but first Gurgazon must call in a favor. There is just one person who can stand in the ghosts way. But can the butler be outwitted and can the ghosts defeat his traps to make it out of their prison of mockery?
I love this series! I met the author at C2E2 (a convention in Chicago) and honestly didn’t know about his books, but when I read the first two books after buying them for myself, I had to buy them for the Main Library as well. I was lucky enough to get a digital copy of book 3 from NetGalley so I can review it for you before it comes out. This Graphic Novel is short always fun. This third volume is just as good as the first two and should defiantly be picked up by anyone who likes graphic novels and a good ghost story.
Tags: possessions, Ray Fawkes
For those who don’t know the series, this is book 4.
Low down on book 1 (sorry if I spell some names wrong): Eragon grows up on a farm with his cousin and uncle and finds an egg in the woods which hatches into a dragon. Eragon becomes a dragon rider with the help of Brom who was a dragon rider, but his dragon was killed. Galbatrox the evil king of the land is a dragon rider, but he has a twisted mind and wants to find & kill both Eragon and his dragon. Eragon makes a deal with elves and dwarfs to work with both as well as a group of people known as the Varden to kill Galbatrox.
When I read Eragon I loved the book. When I read Eldest I couldn’t remember what had happened in Eragon until I was about half way into Eldest. When I read Brisingr I had no clue what had happened in Eldest, but I had watched the Eragon movie and remembered bits of it where different in the book, but didn’t think the differences mattered much. Now with Inheritance I’ve forgotten Brisingr, but remember Eldest. What is it with this series that its so hard to recall those that came before? I will admit that my interest in these books has waned as time has gone on waiting for it to end. I actually only read the first few pages of Inheritance and then skipped to page 700. Paolini has always written in far too much detail for me. I don’t know if its because I grew up reading books that were no more then 200 pages but these are just too long. Then the end of the story had to drag on forever. I know its supposed to be an epic tale like Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones, but this just made me upset. Maybe I’m not meant for epics, but that can’t be true because I haven’t given up on Game of Thrones yet. Did anyone love this book/series? I know I started off loving it but I kinda feel the opposite now.
Tags: Book Review, Christopher Paolini, eragon, Hannah's Reviews, inheritance
What is a Book Trailer? = It’s like a Movie Preview for a book!
How do I make one? = Sign up to be part of the Teen Videographer’s Club!
Tags: book trailers, programs
After my encounter with the wonderful author Tamora Pierce, I’ve been re-reading the Alanna series she wrote. I have to say I love them now as much as I did then. I have re-read these 4 books almost every year for about 10 years. They are fun fantasy books that appeal to the tomboy in all of us girls. These books show that if you are determined to succeed at something then you will succeed. There are some who would think that they are only for older teen readers, but I think girls of all ages will enjoy them, maybe even some boys.
Tags: alanna, song of the lioness, Tamora Pierce
Tags: countdown, Hunger Games, movie, release
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