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A Librarian Reads Kamisama Kiss

Friday, February 17th, 2012

Kamisama Kiss by Julietta Suzuki

Nanami, a high school student, suddenly finds herself homeless after her father abandons her when he can longer pay his gambling debts. While lamenting her situation in a nearby park she comes to the aid of a man chased up a tree by a dog. He knows right away that she has no where to go and offers her a place to stay. He gives her directions, a note vouching for her, and strangely enough, a kiss on the forehead.

She follows his directions and discovers that she has been sent to an old shrine. She finds the stewards of the shrine but there are not people like you or me, but kami (spirits). And they welcome her as their new master.

They quickly tell her that the man she met was the tochigami of the shrine, but he passed on his responsibilities to her with his kiss. Now she is the new tochigami and is in charge of listening to petitioners prayers and making the shrine flourish. So, in essence, she is the new local deity!

But since Nanami doesn’t know how to be a god she gets into all sorts of trouble. Soon she finds herself needing protection, but the shrine’s protector, Tomoe (who is a fox demon), has left because he is no longer bound to the shrine once Nanami becomes tochigami.

How will she get Tomoe’s help? Will she ever succeed at being a god? And how can she get her homework done in her new life?

Kamisama Kiss is a fun lighthearted adventure with just a dash of romance. If you are fans of shojo manga you should give this one a try. Appropriate for ages 12 and up.

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A Librarian Reads The Fault In Our Stars

Monday, February 6th, 2012

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Hazel has terminal cancer, except the terminal part has been put on hiatus due to an experimental drug. Now her body and her cancer have created a status quo where Hazel is continuously sick but won’t die immediately. Her cancer is in her lungs so she carries an oxygen tank with her and wears that plastic tubing that goes up her nose. Not being able to fully breathe she must stop every so often when walking to catch her breath. Also, her lungs collect fluid which sometimes needs to be drained. Her biggest goal in life is to somehow minimize the grief that she will leave her family once she dies.

But one day she meets Augustus at a cancer support group. He has lost a leg to his cancer and is in remission. He only attended to support his friend Isaac who is about to lose another eye to cancer and so will soon be blind.

Augustus and Hazel hit it off and begin a whirlwind romance, or as much as one that two products of cancer can manage. Hazel quickly gets Augustus hooked on her favorite novel, An Imperial Affliction, which is the lone novel written by an aloof author who has secluded himself away from the public. In between consoling Isaac after losing her vision, Augustus and Hazel jump from one life affirming and romantic moment to the next until it culminates into fulfilling Hazel’s dream of meeting the author of An Imperial Affliction.

And this is where reality sets in for the couple. The things with which you have the highest expectations for often let you down and life never turns out the way you hope. Life still has a few curve balls for Hazel. And this is where life really begins to start for Augustus and Hazel; on that downward slope after a peak, leading to an inevitable end.

The Fault in Our Stars is a beautiful book about life, death, cancer, grief, and romance. The only fault in the book is that sometimes Augustus and Hazel suffer from Green’s hyperrealistic narrative style. Everything is infused with emotion and the teens are both extremely intelligent and incredibly witty. Dialog between the two characters is a joy to read yet falls within that uncanny valley where the characters become unrealistic because they strive to be too realistic. Despite this nitpicking this is an extremely enjoyable book. I highly recommended it for all readers ages 14 and up.

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A Librarian Reads Unforgettable

Sunday, December 4th, 2011

Unforgettable by Loretta Ellsworth

Baxter Green had an accident when he was young that caused him to have a photographic memory. He remembers everything from facts to conversations as if he had just heard them moments before. This has caused him to be the odd child at school since he can answer any question and recall any lecture at will. And people have used him for is gifts as well. His mother’s boyfriend, Dink, used him to steal credit card numbers. Baxter even had to testify to put Dink in prison.

Now years later Baxter is going to start high school, but he and his mother have been forced to move. Dink has been released from jail early and Baxter is scared that Dink will seek retribution. So Baxter had his mother close her eyes and pick a random place on the map to move to. Except he moved the map while she wasn’t looking. Baxter wants to move to a particular place, where the girl he liked in kindergarten, Halle,  had moved to long ago.

This also gives Baxter the opportunity to reinvent himself. He promises himself he won’t be a know-it-all. So when he gets a C- on his first quiz he gets sent to at tutor who happens to be Halle. He can tell she doesn’t remember him and so he keeps their history s secret. But he desperately wants her to like him because he still has feelings for her. But will Baxter’s new identity land him the girl of his dreams? And then there is Dink. He hasn’t forgotten about Baxter. Can Baxter’s new identity protect him from an ex-con?

Unforgettable is recommended for those who like coming of age stories with plenty of romance, humor and just the right amount of excitement. Appropriate for all ages.

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A Librarian Reads 13 Little Blue Envelopes

Thursday, November 17th, 2011

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Ginny always loved visiting her Aunt Peg in New York when she was younger. Aunt Peg was an artist and would take Ginny on different adventures that would expose her to all the different types of art in the city. Aunt Peg was also the opposite of her sister, Ginny’s mom. So Ginny didn’t grow up in an adventurous home. Ginny was expected to be normal, study hard, and go to college.

But Ginny’s sheltered life is thrown out the window when she gets 13 little blue envelopes from Aunt Peg. Unfortunately these letters are all she has left of her aunt, who died suddenly. Upon opening the first letter Ginny discovers that Aunt Peg has set up one last trip to New York. Upon completing the task in each letter she can open the next. Once in New York she discovers that Aunt Peg plans for her to visit London. Now Ginny is on one last adventure with her Aunt Peg. An adventure that will lead her on a whirlwind tour of Europe and make her question her studious, stodgy life. She may even find a cute boy too! ;)

13 Little Blue Envelopes is a quick, fun read that shows how, sometimes, being pushed out of your comfort zone is okay, and even exciting. Recommended for readers who need a bit of adventure and whimsy. Appropriate for ages 14 and up.

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A Librarian Reads Will Supervillians Be On The Final?

Monday, October 3rd, 2011

Will Supervillains Be On The Final? Liberty Vocational Volume 1 by Naomi Novik & Yishan Li

Leah Taymore has abilities beyond mere humans. She can rearrange matter; for instance turning cement into water. Her abilities have landed her a spot at the prestigious  Liberty Vocational College. At Liberty Vocational she will learn how to be the best superhero she can be.

Unfortunately Leah is hapless and whenever she uses her powers for good the consequences are nothing but bad. On her first day she traps the senior class after turning the field they were using for an exam into cement. Next she floods her dormitory. And she never seems to make it to places on time. Although Leah has great potential she might be kicked out of school before her first week even ends!

Bu not everything is as it seems. A fellow student is secretly the son of a major supervillain and he has been manipulating Leah’s hijinks. His plan is to use her to help destroy Liberty Vocational.

Can Leah survive her first week? Will she be kicked out? You need to read this excellent first volume to find out. I’d recommend this series to anyone who likes superheroes, manga, or who needs a fun light read and it is appropriate for all ages.

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