Unreliable Narrators

For many, trust (or the ability to trust) is a very important factor when it comes to interacting with both strangers and the people they know. So why should it be any different with characters in books? Particularly when it comes to first-person narrators.

Because the alternative makes for a more interesting story. Thus, the popularity of the Unreliable Narrator.

Sometimes these narrators are being intentionally dishonest and the truth is revealed as the story unfolds. Other times, the narrator themself is in the dark about what's going on around them and must uncover the mystery along with the reader. Either way, such narrators make for real page-turners that often come paired with jaw-droppingly shocking endings!

Because these sort of books are so awesome, we've set up a whole display to spotlight them. This can be found along the top of the "New" book shelf.

Some of MY personal favorite books with Unreliable Narrators are:

Going Bovine, by Libba Bray: Cameron is diagnosed with Mad Cow Disease, a fatal sickness that will eat away at his mind and body until he eventually bites it. While languishing in the hospital, he is approached by a pink-haired angel who assigns him the task of saving the universe. Accompanied by a neurotic dwarf and cursed Norse god, Cameron embarks on this grand quest.

We Were Liars, by E. Lockhart: Two years ago, Cady was in some sort of accident that caused amnesia and terrible migraines.  All she knows is her friends, the Liars, were somehow involved. No one will tell Cady what happened. Not her family, not the Liars, not her own mother. They all say the same thing, that she must remember on her own. When she finally does remember, nothing is the same.

Chime, by Franny Billingsley: Briony is a witch. Her step mother told her as much just before she died. This is why her sister is the way she is, why her father's home was almost swept away in a flood--and then half destroyed by a fire. Briony must hide the truth about herself or else be hanged. It is only when a handsome stranger comes to stay with her family does Briony start to question her step mother's claim. Because witches can't cry. Or love. 

The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary Pierson: Jenna can't remember anything about her life before the accident that claimed the lives of her two best friends. All she has is a box of old home movie videos. As Jenna watches, she learns about her life. But it isn't until she views the last movie, the one that her mother hid from her, that she learns who--or what--she really is.

--AJB

Hit the Road!

Road Trip Books--the next best thing to actually going!

The weather is (finally) warming up--just in time for the long Memorial Day weekend. What better time of the year to hop in your car (or your friend's car) and drive wherever the road takes you?

Ok, so maybe taking an impromptu road trip isn't within the realm of possibility. Many of you are, likely, still in school, gas is expensive, and most parents wouldn't be cool with turning their teen loose on the open road (I know mine would have freaked out at the mere thought!). So why not do the next best thing: Stop by the library and check out one of our Road Trip books! We've got a display featuring several titles, which is set up on top of our Fiction Shelf. Be sure to stop by the Teen Area and check it out.

What's there, you ask?

For example:

Reunited, by Hilary Graham: Alice hasn't spoken to her two best friends since that BIG falling out years earlier. But when the girls' favorite band announces a one-time-only reunion concert, Alice takes a chance and buys three tickets. Soon, she and her ex-BFFs are hitting the road to catch the show. But not without drama.

Going Bovine, by Libba Bray: Terminally ill Cameron has received a divine mission: To find a missing scientist, close a deadly wormhole, and save the world. Accompanied by a paranoid dwarf and a Norse god trapped in the body of a yard gnome, he accepts this challenge. He dodges fire giants, has a run-in with a smoothie-chugging Happiness Cult, and meets the greatest band who ever lived. But can he accomplish his mission before time runs out.

Safekeeping, by Karen Hesse: Radley returns home from overseas to find a country immersed in civil war. Now a fugitive on the run, Radley must make it across the Canadian border if she hopes to find safety--or locate her missing family.

Wanderlove, by Kirsten Hubbard: Following a bad breakup, Bria hopes to escape her life--and reinvent herself--by going on a Central American tour. Once there, she finds the tour populated by senior citizens. After a chance meeting with a mysterious backpacker boy in the marketplace, Bria leaves the tour and blazes her own trail. There may even be a chance for romance! But first Bria must learn to trust herself again if she's to truly trust anyone else.

--AJB 

Wallflower Read-Alikes

Ever since word got out that Stephen Chbosky's edgy teen novel Perks of Being A Wallflower was being adapted into a film, it's been impossible to keep the book on the shelf (much less the movie). Now, by popular demand, are some read-alikes to check out while you patiently wait for your turn to read this classic novel:

Looking for Alaska, by John Green: Miles (a.k.a. "Pudge") leaves his predictably boring life for Culver Creek Boarding School. Here he makes friends with a quirky bunch of troublemakers and misfits. But none stick in his mind more than the doomed Alaska Young.

13 Reasons Why, by Jay Asher: Clay comes home to find a box on his front porch. A box from classmate Hannah, who committed suicide a few days earlier. Could the box hold a clue about why Hanna did it? And did Clay play a role in her demise?

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, by Rachel Cohn: Two teens, both recovering from bad relationships, meet by chance and discover they have much in common. But first this potential couple must survive an unforgettable night.

The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton: If you haven't read this classic coming-of-age novel, you need to! Ponyboy and his greaser friends are at constant odds with the town rich kids. But when his best friend kills a rival in self-defence, the two must flee or face the consequences.

Going Bovine, by Libba Bray: Cameron is content to coast through life--until he is given only a few weeks to live. But with this diagnosis comes an otherworldly ultimatum: Save the world, and you'll be cured. Can Cameron ditch his slacker ways for this? Funniest! Book! Ever!

Hold Still, by Nina LaCour: Caitlin's best friend, Ingrid, commits suicide, leaving Caitlin aftaid to make new friends or even experience anything fun. Then Caitlin discovers Ingrid's journal and learns what was going on with her friend. Eventually Caitlin opens herself back up to the world--and learns to heal.

Still not finding what you want? Stop by the Teen Desk and ask the librarian on duty for more recommendations--AJB

A Ghostly Killer. A Haunting Mystery

Evie has a secret special talent: She can tell you all your deepest, darkest secrets just by holding a personal object of yours. After she uses this ability to shame her small town's golden boy, Evie is shipped off to stay with her Uncle Will in New York City for a few months until things blow over. Evie thinks this sentence will be nothing but parties, shopping, and fun. Sure Uncle Will is a boring old bachelor who runs a creepy museum housing supernatural artifacts, but Evie can overlook this. Then a rash of ritual murders break out, and, because of his knowledge of the paranormal, Uncle Will is asked to assist in the investigation. Evie is thrown into the middle of the danger when she accidentally touches something belonging to one of the victims and learns the killings were committed by Naughty John Hobbes, a fanatically religious madman who was hanged for murder 50 years earlier. Naughty John is back from the grave to complete a deadly ritual said to bring on the apocalypse. Evie thinks she can use her powers to stop Naughty John from completing his agenda. But is she strong enough to end the evil that has been unleashed?

Weighing in at nearly 600 pages and dealing with some decidedly creepy topics, The Diviners is not something to pick up for light reading (literally or figuratively). But expert character development, detailed settings, and exciting plot twists make this one a quintessential page turner. You won't be able to put down! In a word, it's awesome! True, the ending leaves several loose ends, but The Diviners is the first in a planned trilogy. So if you like it, there's more to come. --AJB