Staff Review - Mind Games

Mind Games

By Kiersten White

This book is a thrilling chase in the life of a girl just trying to survive. Young Fia dreams of having the life other girls her age take for granted, but instead she is forced to spy, steal, and even kill all to protect her sister. This book is literally riveting, and it will keep you on the edge of your seat and eager for more.

Review by Sashary White

Deathnote Volume 1 - Review

Deathnote - Volume 1

Written by Tsugumi Ohba

Art by Takeshi Obata

Deathnote may be one of my all time favorite books. It definitely is one of the most influential ones at least. This series (with a little help from Fullmetal Alchemist) is what reignited my interest in reading. I first read the series while I was a sophomore in high school, and it was the first time that I can ever remember not physically being able to put a book down. Deathnote is all about a college aged boy who finds a Shinigami's notebook (aptly titled a Deathnote) that has the ability to instantly kill anyone whose name is written in it. While this premise may sound a little crazy, it is one of the most well developed mysteries I have ever read. Taking twist and turns throughout, the series always keeps you on your toes and guessing at what is happening. What is even better about the book is the ethical questions it brings up within yourself. The whole book is placed in the areas of moral ambiguity, and you constantly have to decide which side is the "right" and "wrong". Deathnote is also one of those series that you get something new from every time you read it. Ive read through the series three or so times, and I've felt differently about the characters (and myself) every time I pick it up.

Deathnote Black Edition is a compilation of the first two volumes of the manga (of twelve total) and it is currently available in our YAF MANGA section. Come in and check it out!

Review by Levi Matheis

 

The Book of Mormon Girl

By Joanna Brooks

This was an interesting story of growing up Mormon and her conflict with her feminist ideas and rejection of the church. She goes through a transformation into living in a larger world yet continuing to love the values she learned in her church upbringing.

Review submitted by Anonymous Patron

The Book of Mormon Girl is available at the Marshall Public Library. It is located in the Biographies section. Come in a pick it up for a great read!

Dead In The Water - Patron Review

Dead In The Water

By Stuart Woods

I thoroughly enjoy Stuart Woods' Stone Barrington novels. Even though this is an older book in the series, it holds up just as well as the new ones. It's a great read because it feels like a real mystery - one where you truly don't know what will happen until the end. The book is set in St. Marks, where there has been a death at sea, and Stone Barrington represents the spouse accused of their involvment in the death. It focuses on the injustice of the court systems in the St. Marks area. Pick the book up on a relaxing day, and you just won't be able to put it down. For that matter, you won't be able to put down any Stone Barrington novel you pick up.

Rating: 4/5

Review by: Lori M.

Dead in the Water is not currently available at the Marshall Public Library, but it is readily available through our consortium. Just place a hold online or give us a call and we can get it for you!

Locke and Key Volume 1: Welcome to Lovecraft - Review


Written by Joe Hill

Art by Gabriel Rodriguez


Locke and Key is easily one of my favorite book series' of all time. Its fast paced, action packed, and impossible to put down. The first volume of this series isn't a slow introduction either - it picks up quick. The story follows around the Locke family as they live in an old mansion (Lovecraft) in Massachusetts. The mansion isn't just a typical house though, its has hundreds of keys that do hundreds of magical things.The idea is that every key unlocks something - whether it the ability for your soul to leave your body, to grow stronger, and many more things that are revealed in later volumes. The three main characters of the story are all very well developed. The more time you spend with each one, the more you love them and sympathize with them; especially Bode, the youngest of the Locke family. The volumes of this series get better and better with each one, never leaving you disappointed after opening it up.

Joe Hill, the author of this series, is an outstanding comics writer as well as novelist. Hill has had previous works such as Horns and A Heart Shaped Box, both of which were award winning, and outstanding in my own opinion. Hill is a horror writer at heart, but not in the way that you would typically think. His stories aren't just made to gross you out and scare you to death, its more of a real life horror. Much similar to The Walking Dead in horror feel - its not the monsters that are scary, its the people.

Gabriel Rodriguez is also another key force in this book. His art embodies this story perfectly, and I cant imagine this series without him (and luckily, throughout the entire series he's never had to take a break!). This is the first work I've personally seen by Rodriguez, and I'd love to see more after this series is over.

Overall, this is a must read for anyone. This book alone got me back into comics, and made me fall in love with the art of storytelling all over again. To put it simply, this book should not be missed

Rating: 5/5

Review by Levi Matheis

Locke and Key is a six volume series, and is currently publishing its sixth and final book. The first two volumes are available at the Marshall Public Library in our Adult Graphic Novel section, and the rest are available from the Evergreen Consortium and Inter-library Loan. Stop by and check it out!

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles) - By: Marissa Meyer



 (4 1/2 out of 5 stars)

Reading level: Ages 12 and up

400 pages

Loved it! The only reason I didn't give it 5 out of 5 stars is because it's the first book in a series and some parts of the book were exceedingly drawn out to explain the back story. I was also frustrated when I read this book and realized the second installment would be a long wait (Feb. 5th).

At first this book appears to be a revised Cinderella story; however it is so much more. With a strong heroine who not only is treated like an animal by her step family, but is also revered as a monstrosity by society because she is a cyborg. This book depicts a future society, not unlike our own, which is seeded with prejudices and oppression of individual thought. The most thought provoking question this book addresses is that of, "Are you strong enough to be yourself when no one else wants you to be?"

For more teen books check out the Library's Teen Blog!

Animal Man: The Hunt - Review

Animal Man: The Hunt
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Travel Foreman

What an outstanding and surprising book this was! I first read this book based off the fact that I'd heard some people say it was pretty good. I had some expectations going in, but those were surpassed in every single way. Animal Man was easily one of the best graphic novels/comics I've read all year, next to the Locke and Key series. For a character that was essentially solely defined by Grant Morrison's 1980s/90s Vertigo run on the title, Lemire has decided that he wanted to carve out a place in those mythos for himself. Lemire's always been a great writer, but generally its been geared more towards inspirational and emotional storytelling. In this book he shows off just what a great storyteller he is, as this book is a complete 180 from his norm; this is horror. Travel Foreman's art is a tour de force as well, and this book wouldn't be what it is without it. At first glance, you'll probably doubt Foreman's ability (because is rather scratchy and unusual), but by the fifth page in you'll be in love and can't get enough of his art style. With all this fantastic writing and art going on, the story at the center of this book is of course stellar. It's heart wrenching, exciting, scary, and all about the ties that hold a family together amidst tragedy. To conclude, Animal Man: The Hunt is easily one of my favorite graphic novels at the moment, and I suspect it will stay that way for a long time.

Review by Levi Matheis

Animal Man: The Hunt is a new book currently available at the Marshall Public Library. It's call number is GRAPH ANI, so you can find it, or ask a librarian to help you out!