Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton

Long ago, the town of Three Graces made a deal.  Every seven years during the Slaughter Moon they must sacrifice a young man of the town to the devil in the forest.  In exchange, the town suffers no ill -- illness, famine, premature death.

But something has changed. 

It's only been three years since the last Slaughter Moon. 

Now sacrifice Rhun, witch Mair, and outcast Arthur will learn the secrets behind the deal and what must be done to restore balance.



This is a fascinating fantasy novel for teens.  You find yourself pulled into the story and connecting with the characters -- their relationships, their beliefs, and their feelings when betrayed.  I would highly recommend this to teens who enjoy fantasy or even dystopian fiction.

Romances for Teens

Even though Valentine's Day has passed, it's still a great time to read a romance.  Here are a few of my favorite teen romances . . . .

Top Ten by Katie Cotugno
Ryan McCullough and Gabby Hart are the unlikeliest of best friends. But somehow their relationship just worksAs they try to figure out what they mean to each other and where to go from here, they make a top ten list counting down the top ten moments of their friendship.

That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E.K. Johnston
In a near-future Toronto where the British Empire never fell, Helena, August, and Margaret are caught off-guard by the discovery of a love so intense they are willing to change the course of the monarchy to keep it.

Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories by Stephanie Perkins
Maybe it's the long, lazy days, or maybe it's the heat making everyone a little bit crazy. Whatever the reason, summer is the perfect time for love to bloom. Featuring stories by Leigh Bardugo, Cassandra Clare, Tim Federle, Stephanie Perkins, Veronica Roth, Jon Skovron, Jennifer E. Smith and more.

Night Music by Jenn Marie Thorne
Ruby and Oscar are caught up in a romance despite very different backgrounds and her having given up on music, while he is the protégé of her father, a renowned composer.


More Teen Romances --
Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider
Fan Art by Sarah Tregay
The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough
The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love by Sarvenaz Tash
Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan
If I'm Being Honest by Emily Wibberley
The Impossibility of Us by Katy Upperman
The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily by Laura Creedle
Love Scene, Take Two by Alex Evansley
Meant to Be by Julie Halpern
P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard
Rebel Seoul by Axie Oh
The Romantics by Leah Konen
Something Like Gravity by Amber Smith
Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Unlovely by Celeste Conway
We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra
The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore

Check these books out on display at the Arnold Branch through March 6, 2020.

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

Gen can steal anything -- at least that's the boast he's made in every winehouse in the capital city.  It's this bragging that has landed him in the king's prison.  He even bragged at his trial that he could steal his freedom.

So when the king's Magus comes with a proposition that he will be released if he steals an item of legend, Gen can't refuse. 

What he doesn't know is that this won't just change his life, but will change the course of several countries.



This is the first book in the Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner.  This is a wonderful fantasy quest story with lots of intrigue.  It is a great introduction to the world of Eugenides that just gets more detailed with each book in the series.  I would recommend this to those who like fantasy or political intrigue.

Reading a Winter Wonderland

This week, I am sharing chapter books featuring a winter setting.  Here are a few of my favorites . . .

The Last Polar Bears by Harry Horse
Letters from Grandfather, who has gone on an expedition with his little dog Roo, to find the last polar bears at the North Pole.

Dogsong by Gary Paulsen
A fourteen-year-old Eskimo boy who feels at odds with aspects of modern life takes a 1400-mile journey by dog sled across ice, tundra, and mountains seeking his own "song" of himself.

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder
After an October blizzard, Laura's family moves from the claim shanty into town for the winter, a winter that an Indian has predicted will be seven months of bad weather.

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
Hazel and Jack are best friends until an accident with a magical mirror and a run-in with a villainous queen find Hazel on her own, entering an enchanted wood in the hopes of saving Jack's life.


More Books --
Anna's Blizzard by Alison Hart
Blizzard's Wake by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
The Mystery at Snowflake Inn by Gertrude Chandler Warner
North by Donna Jo Napoli
The Tale of Rescue by Michael J. Rosen
Twelve Kinds of Ice by Ellen Bryan Obed
The Winter Pony by Iain Lawrence

Check these books out on display at the Arnold Branch through February 28, 2020.

These Are the People in My Neighborhood

If you are like me, when you saw the heading of this week's list you immediately started singing the Sesame Street song "These Are the People in Your Neighborhood".  So this week, I am sharing stories of community helpers and workers.  Here are a few of my favorites . . . .

Miss Nelson Is Missing! by Harry Allard
The kids in Room 207 take advantage of their teacher's good nature until she disappears and they are faced with a vile substitute.

The Astronaut Handbook by Meghan McCarthy
Journey aboard the "Vomit Comet" where the students of an astronaut school learn what it is like to do this exciting job by experiencing weightlessness, getting their measurements taken for a space suit, and performing a space walk.

The Police Cloud by Christoph Niemann
A small cloud that has always dreamed of becoming a police officer discovers that he might not be suited to the job.

Farmer Brown Shears His Sheep by Teri Sloat
Farmer Brown shears his sheep and has their wool made into yarn, but after they beg to have it back he knits the yarn into sweaters for them.

Trashy Town by Andrea Zimmerman
Little by little, can by can, Mr. Gillie, the trash man, cleans up his town.


More Books --
Before We Eat: From Farm to Table by Pat Brisson
Bug Patrol by Denise Dowling Mortensen
Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do by Kathryn Heling
The Construction Crew by Lynn Meltzer
A Day at the Police Station by Richard Scarry
Dig! by Andrea Zimmerman
Doctor De Soto by William Steig
Drive by Nathan Clement
Fire Engine No. 9 by Mike Austin
Food Truck Fest by Alexandra Penfold
Here Comes Doctor Hippo by Jonathan London
Job Site by Nathan Clement
A Letter for Leo by Sergio Ruzzier
The Library Dragon by Carmen Agra Deedy
Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
The Little Fire Truck by Margery Cuyler
My Teacher Is a Monster! (No, I am Not) by Peter Brown
On the Farm, At the Market by G. Brian Karas
Out and About at the Hospital by Nancy Garhan Attebury
Out and About at the Post Office by Kitty Shea
Out and About at the Supermarket by Kitty Seha
People by Blexbolex
Police: Hurrying! Helping! Saving! by Patricia Hubbell
Police Officers on Patrol by Kersten Hamilton
Ready, Set, Build! by Meg Fleming
Stanley the Farmer by William Bee
This Is the Firefighter by Laura Godwin
Traffic Pups by Michelle Meadows
Whose Hands Are These? A Community Helper Guessing Book by Miranda Paul
Winter on the Farm by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Check these and more books out on display at the Arnold Branch through February 28, 2020.