I remember reading this on in H.S. and thought it would be a good book to start with.
Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But when he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known.
This book was banned and challenged because of sexual content, profanity, violence, alcohol/smoking/drug usage, blasphemy/religious viewpoints, suicide, and abortion.
Gold Dust, by Catherine Assaro, is the second Dust Knights novel. This is an exciting standalone story with a large cast of characters that centers around the Undercity kids who have joined the Raylicon Olympic team and their teammates. There is Bhaaj, a retired and decorated military officer turned private investigator and track and field coach. Mason, the city of Cries coach who discovers that the Undercity people are athletic prodigies. Angel, a strong psychic from the Undercity who is constantly underestimated by her city instructors. Ruzik, Angel’s husband and a great distance runner. Dice, heir to the Undercity’s Vakaar crime syndicate. Shiv, heir to the Undercity’s Kaja crime syndicate. Tam, a talented trans Undercity runner who is targeted multiple times because of her origin. Kiro, an incredibly strong empath from a wealthy and privileged family in the city of Cries. Hyden, an arrogant runner from another wealthy family who scorns all Undercity runners as beneath him, and Zee, Lamp, and Strider, Undercity runners who are drawn to Kiro and accept him into their family.
These kids just want to run, (and get food and clean water for their families) but are hit with prejudice and obstacles at multiple turns. Everyone “knows” that people from the Undercity are all no good, lazy, and stupid criminal thugs. At almost every race, the Undercity athletes are underestimated and ridiculed, accused of cheating when they win.
But this story is about more than that. There are surprising twists and revelations, power plays between two major corporations, all with family ties, interstellar intrigue, and a pair of star-crossed lovers. Can the city athletes look beyond their preconceived notions? Can the Undercity athletes overcome their many disadvantages and find acceptance? You’ll need to read to find out. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to more in this series.
Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.
Especially when your powers can get you killed.
Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.
Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.
Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.
Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history.
Young Maya bears the mark of the moon goddess, a sign that would doom her to be sacrificed in her village where the death god is revered. Forced to dye her golden eyes dark, Maya lives in constant fear of discovery. To save her family and the village’s future, she must find the courage to stand up to the high priest before he can bring the death god into this world.
Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.
But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.
Teen; Young Adult Fiction; Youth Room 347-348, Thu. 1:30–2:30 p.m.
Come meet the writers who are crafting the stories for you! A selection of YA and middle grade authors are available to answer questions and talk about stories.
Marta Murvosh (M), A. L. Kaplan, CJ Hosack, Kate Ristau, L.J. Melvin, Shana Targosz
It’s been out of print since my previous publisher went out of business last year. The road to re-publishing entailed extra editing and reformatting. I love the way it looks.
It’s hard to be who you are meant to be.
Especially when your powers can get you killed.
Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.
Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble. Will Tatiana flee or stay and fight for the new life she has built? Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.
“A unique and finely crafted novel, the characters touched my heart as I was drawn into their plight and compelled to finish!” — New York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder
“Star Touched is fast-paced with well-defined characters and dialog that snaps. The ravaged, post-technological American society is depicted with sure strokes. The story draws one in and keeps one reading. And that’s exactly what one wants from a book.” — A. L. Sirois, author of THE BOHEMIAN MAGICIAN
“A great YA dystopian novel exploring the challenges of being different, acceptance, maturity, and friendship.” — Steven Southard
The Seastead Chronicles is a nice collection of stories all connected by underwater cultures and communities. Steven Southard has created a rich undersea culture with varying beliefs and traditions. Even the language and music are water centric.
The stories range from mysterious islands that rise and sink, to smugglers in ships that mimic whales. There are war mongering dictators and religious fanatics along with goodhearted people and nods to racism and overcoming hate. It just goes to show that no matter where it lives, humanity suffers the same faults and weaknesses along with the unending resilience to do more than simply survive. To grow, learn, and defeat obstacles.
Some of my favorite stories were Eyes of Blue, which was about a whale poacher, and Gazelle’s Last Run, an exciting story concerning a smuggler. I love the way that the first story, Arrow of Life, comes full circle with the last story, The Whole Fish.
Exciting debut novel. Placed in 1923 London, this alternate history blends dragons with fantasy, civil unrest, a budding romance, and a corrupt government.
In an oppressive society split into three classes, Viv is racked with guilt over getting her best friend sent down to Third Class. Now her biggest worry is getting a summer internship to study dragon languages and keep her little sister safe. But her life takes a sharp turn when her parents and cousin are arrested and a civil war breaks out.
S. F. Williamson does an excellent job creating multiple dragons and dragon cultures, weaving them seamlessly into a world where dragons and humans have a tenuous peace. I look forward to reading the next book.
The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland, is an intriguing story about a group of five dragonets that have been raised in isolation so they can fulfill a prophecy that they end the war.
Clay is a mudwing dragonet, but he knows next to nothing about his own people and how they live. He is determined to protect his friends and prove that he isn’t the vicious killer their guardians believe his is. When the dragonets leave the safety of their cave, they are thrust into a cruel world where the different dragon species are divided behind the three sister dragons vying to be crowned the ultimate ruler.
The different types of dragons and their cultures in this book are fascinating. I loved the interactions between the dragonets and how Clay keeps them together. There were several twists and revelations. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
If you are looking for a print version, I have the last two copies. Otherwise, you’ll need to wait until 2025.
It’s hard to be who you are meant to be.
Especially when your powers can get you killed.
Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.
Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble. Will Tatiana flee or stay and fight for the new life she has built? Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.
“A unique and finely crafted novel. The characters touched my heart as I was drawn into their plight and compelled to finish!”
— New York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder
“Star Touched is fast-paced with well-defined characters and dialog that snaps. The ravaged, post-technological American society is depicted with sure strokes. The story draws one in and keeps one reading. And that’s exactly what one wants from a book.”
— A. L. Sirois, author of THE BOHEMIAN MAGICIAN
“A great YA dystopian novel exploring the challenges of being different, acceptance, maturity, and friendship.”
— Steven Southard
Star Touched was originally published in 2017 by Intrigue Publishing.
Plagued by memories not her own, a young hummingbird struggles to decipher the visions and powers that set her apart from her fellow birds. But the road to awareness is fraught with danger that could doom her to repeat history.
