Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Summary
The long-awaited companion to New York Timesbestsellers Graceling and Fire.  Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisers, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck's reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle--disguised and alone--to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past. Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.


Mrs. Lassley's Review
I will be honest with you, I have been waiting for this book to come out for many years. The title has been known since Fire came out, I had been watching Amazon and Barnes and Noble for a release date. So my expectations were high!


Overall I was very happy with the book, as most readers are going to be. Although a little slow getting started, the author does a great job of setting up these worlds that transport you to Bitterblue's kingdom. You get a chance to catch up with old characters, as well as meet some new ones. As I said before, it is slow getting started, but about 200 pages in it will be hard for you to put the book down and by the end you will be wanting more. (And there is room for more.) :-)


(Disclaimer: The book will not be at the Stafford Library until next fall.)

To reread or not...that is the question!

So many times I have students who come in, see what I am reading, then say, "But haven't you already read that?!" I proceed to tell them, yes, I did, but I liked it so much that I am rereading it. This is usually met with a stunned silence.

Hi! I am Heather Lassley and I am a rereader! When a book is great, which so many are, they become part of my life. Whether it be like an old friend, a parent, or an adviser, books help shape who I am. Let me give you an example...

Growing up, I was had a love for books, but what solidified my obsession with books, was in middle school. I was a library aide and I needed something to read. After looking around I found Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I fell instantly in love with it and flew through the entire series. When I was done, I was very sad to have to leave the world of the pioneer days, but their impact on me lives on. Every summer I reread the series in order to bring back that feeling.

Today, I am sad to say that I do not have as much time as I wish I had to reread. With so many YA books coming out, I am doing everything I have just to keep up. There is one exception....

I had to reread this because I had this in my hands....

I knew to get back into the messed up future that Divergent created, I had to visit it again. And in the process I met up with old friends from many factions and will maybe learn to be Brave. :-)

TLA 2012 = Awesome Week!!!

Sorry for the lag in blogging! I was in Houston for TLA and could not get a good enough Wi-Fi connection to actually post a blog. But here we go...

Authors, Authors, Authors!!! That was all I could think about as I went into TLA for my first time. I had my schedule set, I had already scoped out the Exhibition Hall, and I knew what I wanted. And let me tell you, I saw, I got my books signed, and I learned some amazing things!!! 

First off, check out my ride!!!

Because of my bad knee, there was no way that I was going to be able to walk on the crutches, so I rented this awesome scooter to get me around. Let me just say, this thing can move! I was going very fast!

On Wednesday Brad Meltzer was our keynote speaker. I actually had not read any of his books, but he is an AMAZING speaker. He had written two books, Heroes for my Son and Heroes for my Daughter, and I bought them each for my kids and he signed them. I do plan on also buying them for the library. 

After get that signed I went to a session that had Rachel Hawkins, Jennifer Ziegler, and Maggie Stiefvater. They were talking about the writing process and all of that. 

Then I went and met Rachel Hawkins, author of the Hex Hall. series. I love this series!!! (She also told me that she is going to be writing another series around Hex Hall. 

Right after that I went and met Forgive My Fins author Tera Lynn Childs. Another amazing author who I got the second book of her Sweet Venom series. So much to read! 

On Thursday, I went to a session where Neal Shusterman and Veronica Roth were talking about dystopian fiction. After that I was able to get a copy of Divergent signed by Veronica Roth and I got a copy of Insurgent (Book 2) all thanks to a fellow librarian. 

A fellow librarian also got a copy of Bitterblue, the third book from the Graceling series. She was nice enough to let me borrow it and I am reading it right now. 

I did go to some education sessions but because I want to share these with my fellow librarians this summer, that will have to wait. 

Overall, it was an amazing week and I am so excited to share with my students all this great literature!

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Summary

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era! Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon &- the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.


Mrs. Lassley's Review

I have been reading some amazing books lately, but this one tops all of them. I am not normally someone who likes to read about time travel, but I will definitely be reading this series. For those of you who do not know, the author, Kerstin Gier, is from Germany, and all of the books have been published in that country. Ruby Red came out this year in the U.S., and we are waiting, some of us not patiently, for Sapphire Blue to come out in October. And as I finished this book, I am thinking I need to learn German so that I can finish this series. :-)

Who Do You Think You Are?

Last night on Pinterest I was looking around and found this. I feel in love not only with the video but with the song. I used to teach in Cy-Fair ISD (school district of Cypress Ranch) and I am so proud of this group of students. This is AWESOME!

Checking the List and Checking it Twice

http://www.hannonhill.com/news/blog/2012/publishing-problem-checklist.html

I cannot believe it is already April. Okay, I can because my allergies have been driving me crazy, but still, this year seemed to fly by. The library has been a very popular place this year. I do not know if this is because the 6th and 7th graders have now come to trust me as a librarian or if there is just such great literature out their they cannot help themselves...I personally think it is the amazing books. And no, that does not hurt my feelings. :-)

As we do near the end of the year there are a few things that the students and parents here at Stafford need to know:

• We have some students who have books out that have been out for awhile. I am going to be talking to many of these students over the next week to help them remember to get these book in. 
• Next week, April 17-20, I will be gone. Mrs. Goins will be keeping the library open and helping students in any way she can. 
• Last day to check out a book will be May 11th.
• All books must be turned in by May 18th. 
• The library will not be opened May 14th-18th so that inventory can be taken. 

I know that one of my resolutions as a librarian was to blog two times a week, but, as many students can tell you, it has been a mad house here in the library lately. I am hoping to get back to a better schedule in the next couple of weeks. 

Mrs. Lassley

Spring is in the Air!

bluebonnet-field-at-dusk-creditLarry-Urqhart_med.jpg

It is spring again. Birds are out, grass is green, and everywhere you look here in Texas there are bluebonnets. I came from Oklahoma and did not really get into the bluebonnet thing until last year. I guess I just did not get what the big deal was. Then last year I decided to take pictures of my son in the bluebonnets. I realized that since I did it then, I am going to have to do it every year now. They are beautiful and my kids love it!

With Spring comes romance, and in turn, I move away from my dystopian fiction and move into my girl fiction. It is just what the doctor ordered and I will tell you Sara Zarr is the best at it. I read How to Save a Life this weekend and it was so good that I stayed up until 1:00 finishing it. (Looking at the cover, I know, is not exactly springlike, but the story will melt any winter heart.)

Summary
Jill MacSweeny just wishes everything could go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she's been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends--everyone who wants to support her. And when her mom decides to adopt a baby, it feels like she's somehow trying to replace a lost family member with a new one. Mandy Kalinowski understands what it's like to grow up unwanted--to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, one thing she's sure of is that she wants a better life for her baby. It's harder to be sure of herself. Will she ever find someone to care for her, too? As their worlds change around them, Jill and Mandy must learn to both let go and hold on, and that nothing is as easy--or as difficult--as it seems. Critically acclaimed author and National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr delivers a heart-wrenching story, told from dual perspectives, about the many roads that can lead us home.(Taken from Titlewave.com)


Mrs. Lassley's Review
I will say at first I struggled with this book because I wanted to slap the main character, Jill. She was so mean to everyone; her mom, her boyfriend, her friends. But at that point I knew I was reading a great book...the author had me wanting to slap the main character...not many writers can create that environment. The other side is Mandy, the girl whose baby is being adopted by Jill's mom. Your heart goes out to her because she is so naive it will make you cringe. Add in a few secondary characters that help lead both characters to a final decision and you have an amazing book that will leave you think.