TeenZone Blog

If you like reading creepy, gruesome horror stories, you definitely have to pick up The last apprentice series by Joseph Delaney. In this series, Tom, the seventh son of a seventh son, begins working for the village spook. Being the village spook doesn’t mean that Tom goes around pretending to be a ghost. He actually does the opposite–protects others from witches, boggarts, and other creatures of the “Dark.” So far I’ve listened to every book in the series on CD, but I definitely want to pick up the actual books–I hear there are pictures that will get your spine tingling.

In Attack of the fiend the latest book in the series, Tom’s family is being held hostage by a clan of malevolent witches determined to raise the Fiend (otherwise known as THE devil). In order to save them, Tom will have to face a legendary assassin witch who enjoys snipping her victims to pieces and a hooved creature that can not only see the future, but also loves the taste of blood. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart! I’m listening to it on CD right now and I’ve had to stop a couple of times because it was just getting too stressful! I can’t wait to see how it ends…I just hope I can make it until then.

“Are you a gifted child looking for Special Opportunities?” Answering a newspaper ad that asks this very question sends Reynie on a path that begins with passing several mind-bending tests and ends with his recruitment into a very special group of children. His fellow recruits include a shy guy with a photographic memory, an ex-circus performer who never goes anywhere without her trusty bucket of stuff, and a girl who is very contrary. Their mission? To go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened and find out who has hijacked the airwaves to send subliminal messages to the world. It is sure to take all of their skill, daring, ingenuity, and bravery. Will they accomplish their task? I’m about halfway through the book and I can’t wait to find out!

If you are a fan of books like Chasing Vermeer, The Westing game or the Series of unfortunate events, you have to got to pick up The mysterious Benedict society!

Imagine a future in which drugs have not only cured all diseases but grant people with everlasting life as well. Imagine what happens when people don’t die and babies continue being born. That’s right. The world slowly becomes overpopulated. To stave off the depletion of resources, “The Declaration” has been passed prohibiting those who have taken longevity drugs from having children.

Anna is a “Surplus”–a child born in violation of The Declaration. Like all Surpluses, she has been raised to believe that her parents were selfish people for having her. Groomed for life as a servant, Anna is convinced that the only way to make up for her existence is to become the most Valuable Asset to come out of Grange Hall.

I just started listening to The Declaration on CD. A brand new Surplus named Peter has just arrived on the scene and I just know that he’s going to be the one who turns Anna’s world upside down. I won’t tell you any more but as you can tell, I’m already hooked.

Okay, I have a confession to make. I’m deceiving you. I’m ALMOST FINISHED with this book…not in the middle of it as implied. But that just shows you how riveting it is.

Battle for Skandia picks up where The icebound land leaves off. I can’t write any more about it without giving it all away so I’ll just say this: Ranger’s Apprentice fans, you’ll LOVE it. It’s chock full of battles, . If you haven’t read any of this series, you may be a little lost so I recommend starting withThe ruins of Gorlan.

I am a HUGE Scott Westerfeld fan. I loved Peeps and all the books in the Uglies series. Right now I’m listening to Extras on CD and so far I think it is my MOST FAVORITE Westerfeld book yet. It’s not just because of the cool Japanese gadgets, the hot guys, and the high speed train surfing, it’s the story itself.

It’s been a few years since the Mind Rain and, in Aya’s city, fame is everything. Every one has a popularity ranking. The higher your ranking (also known as “face”), the more privileges you get. How do you get more face? By doing things that get people saying your name.

Aya Fuse, with a ranking of 451,369, is an no-face Extra. When she tracks down the Sly Girls—an elusive clique of girls that strives to remain as far down the ranks as possible, Aya knows that “kicking” their secret will get her more face for sure. Hanging with the Sly Girls thrusts Aya into a thrill seeking world that she’s not quite ready for. How far will she go to become famous?

If you’re an Uglies fan, I’m sure you’ve already read Extras so DON’T TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS! If you’re not an Uglies fan and are intrigued, you have to give this book a try. This book is great because it stands on its own AND will make you want to go back and read the rest of the series.