What Joa is Reading & Other Stuff

Book reviews...from picture books to adult books, as well as books-to-movie info, and other stuff I think is interesting. Note: Not all books reviewed or recommended are appropriate for all ages.

Category: sequels

OCTOBER 10, 2011
Third book by Kristen Cashore announced

As a huge fan of Graceling, I was excited to see the announcement that the sequel, Bitterblue, is scheduled to be published in May, 2012. If you haven't yet read Graceling, and you enjoy fast-paced action/adventure stories featuring a strong female character (along the lines of Hunger Games), I'd highly recommend it (see past review for more info.)

Just FYI, even though Fire was published AFTER Graceling, it is actually a prequel, so Bitterblue will be the first book to continue on the exciting plotline of Graceling.

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Categories: sequelsFantasyFYI

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MARCH 25, 2011
Finally! Paolini's new book to be released...
For those who have been waiting and waiting (I've had a reserve list for years, now!) for the conclusion to Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle, the wait will be over soon.

The series that began with Eragon, which Paolini started writing at the age of 15, continued with Eldest and Brisingr.

The last book is Inheritance and is scheduled for release on November 8. You can get on the reserve list now, by emailing me at mtownlibrary@yahoo.com

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Categories: FantasyFYISequels

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AUGUST 25, 2010
Sequel keeps the suspense going

I just finished reading the teen book, Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink, which is the sequel to Prophecy of the Sisters, about twin sisters in an ancient prophecy where one is the guardian and one the gate. If you haven't read the first book...this review might ruin some of the suspense of the first book. 

Lia, who is determined to save the world from the unleashing of "the Souls," is trying to find a way to end the prophecy, while her twin, Alice, wants to see the evil prophecy fulfilled.

The sequel keeps the suspense going, and introduces a new character Dimitri, which also introduces a romantic "Twilight-like" feel to the story. I actually found the "romancy" scenes distracting from the action, but some readers might see it as a plus. The ending wraps up the current book, but also leaves enough unresolved to guarantee a sequel.

While Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty series is a higher on my own personal list of recommendations, I think that fans of Bray's books (as well as those looking for some of the same kind of suspense and romance of Twilight) would enjoy this series.

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Categories: FantasysequelsScary/Horror

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MAY 5, 2010
Third in Magic Thief trilogy published!
If you met author Sarah Prineas this past fall when she visited Marshalltown, you might be excited to know that the third book in the Magic Thief trilogy is out. Here is an interesting piece of trivia from Prineas' website:
'
Here's a funny thing about the three Magic Thief books: their first lines.

The first line of The Magic Thief is:

A thief is a lot like a wizard.

The first line of The Magic Thief: Lost is:

A wizard is a lot like a pyrotechnist.

And the first line of The Magic Thief: Found is:

A wizard is a lot like a thief.

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Categories: FantasySequelsBattle of the Books

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OCTOBER 12, 2009
Diary of Wimpy Kid #4 is here!

Lots of people have been waiting for Dog Days, the fourth book in the The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. We have four copies, so check yours out (or place a hold) today!

Also, browse through our display on the table near the orange reading pavilion "If You Like Diary of a Wimpy Kid...You Might Like:"  with lots of other funny book choices (including The Dork Diaries, Wayside School books, Frankie Pickle, Alvin Ho series, Moxy Maxwell series) that you might want to check out.

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Categories: sequelsFunny Stuff

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JANUARY 20, 2009
Diary of a Wimpy Kid #3 just released

Fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney will be excited to know that we just added two copies of the third book in this series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw.

This series combines diary-like entries with "stick people" style comic art for a funny book about a middle school boy, Greg Heffley. They are fast to read, and would be recommended for someone who enjoys funny books, like Captain Underpants.

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Categories: Funny StuffJoa Recommendssequels

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SEPTEMBER 25, 2007
Spiderwick Chronicles coming to theaters February 2008!

Just a "heads up" to all the fans of the Spiderwick Chronicles...a movie will be in theaters February 2008!

Also, there is a new series (just arrived to our library, currently being cataloged) that takes place in the Spiderwick world: The Nixie's Song (#1 in Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles.)

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Categories: Movie Tie-inssequelsFantasy

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JUNE 20, 2007
A great series to read

Okay...at the risk of "gushing" I am going to again say: READ THE UNDERLAND CHRONICLES (which I call the Gregor books because the main character is a boy named Gregor who is 11 or 12.)

I just finished the last of the five book series, Gregor and the Code of Claw, which fits in really well with our Get a Clue Summer program because Code of Claw is an encrypted code that must be cracked (I can't say more without giving away the direction of the storyline.) I am VERY sad that the series is finished with five books...but I also thought it was great...each book just as good as the last. We have multiple copies of the first book as I would like to do a book discussion in July.

On Thursday, June 26 at 1:00 I will be "booktalking" the first book, Gregor the Overlander, so if you want to know more about it, come then, or stop by youth anytime and check out your copy to read and we'll get together to discuss it sometime in July.

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Categories: SequelsJoa RecommendsStuff to Do

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MAY 4, 2007
Movies based on books coming soon
These three books into movies tidbits come from Walden Media:

Dark Is Rising, a movie based on author Susan Cooper's Dark Is Rising series is coming to theaters September 2007. The movie/book tells the story of Will Stanton, a young man who discovers he is the last of a group of warriors dedicated to fighting the forces of The Dark. Traveling back and forth through time, Will discovers a series of clues which lead him into a showdown with forces of unimaginable power. With The Dark rising, the future of the world rests in Will’s hands.

The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep is coming to Theaters December 2007. Based on Dick King-Smiths acclaimed story, The Water Horse tells the magical story of a lonely boy in Scotland who finds a mysterious egg on the shore of a loch. When the egg hatches, what emerges is a water horse, a mythical sea monster of Scottish legend. But as the rapidly growing beast becomes harder to conceal from those who see it as a threat, the boy must find new ways to protect the misunderstood creature.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Coming to Theaters May 2008 Prince Caspian finds the Pevensie siblings pulled back into the land of Narnia, where a thousand years have passed since they left. The children are once again enlisted to join the colorful creatures of Narnia in combating an evil villain who prevents the rightful Prince from ruling the land. For more info visit this website.

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Categories: sequelsMovie Tie-insFantasy

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MARCH 22, 2007
"There Will Soon Be 7"
"There Will Soon Be 7" is the soon to begin national media campaign in preparation of the 7th--and last--book in the Harry Potter series, which has broken all kinds of publication records. Click here to see another record that the 7th book will make due to the publisher's commitment to print the 784 page book with environmental considerations in mind.

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Categories: FYIFantasySequels

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FEBRUARY 1, 2007
Last Harry Potter book release date set
The release date has finally been announced for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the 7th and last Harry Potter book in the series by J.K. Rowling. The book will come out on July 21st. The library will be getting multiple copies, and reserves are already being accepted. We will also get an audio version, released the same day. As has been our tradition with this popular series, we will hold one copy back from the reserve list and have a special Harry Potter event on the release morning where we will draw one name to be the first person to check-out.

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Categories: SequelsFYI

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JANUARY 10, 2007
New books in popular series
Several books have come in lately that fans of those series will be excited to know about. We now have Princess Diaries VII: Princess on the Brink by Meg Cabot (two copies, both checked out so call and get on the holds list) and the fourth Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants book should be here any day now (you can place holds ahead of time by calling the youth desk). Also, just checked out today was a new (for us) companion book to the Alex Rider books by Anthony Horowitz called The Gadgets featuring descriptions & "blueprints" of all futuristic Batman-like gadgets used in the books. We now have four volumes in the "Bloody Jack Adventures," a lesser known, but great historical action-packed series by L.A. Meyer. Finally, a new addition to the picture book room is based on Eloise, a character that is funny enough for all ages. Eloise in Hollywood, is based on the original series written by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight.

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Category: Sequels

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DECEMBER 21, 2006
7th Harry Potter Title announced
J.K. Rowling has announced that the seventh and last installment in the Harry Potter series will be titled "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." She is not yet finished writing it, but has said that she is now writing and re-writing scenes she has planned for 12 years. The Marshalltown Library will be hosting a discussion on the series sometime in the new year, including the chance for participants to make predictions about what will happen in the last book in the series. We will then re-convene later on--most likely August or September of 2007--after reading the final title to see how close we were. Watch for more information about this discussion, open to Harry Potter fans of all ages, in winter or spring of 2007.

Movie-wise, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the 5th book, will be in theaters in July, 2007.

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Categories: FantasySequels

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DECEMBER 4, 2006
Lemony Snicket's new CD
Lemony Snicket fans might be interested to know that there is now a CD, "Tragic Treasury," that "goes with" the 13 book series, featuring the musical talents of Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket)and a friend, with accordion background music. Along the same dark comedic lines as the series, the CD features songs like "Scream and Run Away." I heard an interview with Snicket on National Public Radio on Sunday, December 3, so more information can be found on their website npr.org

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Categories: FYIsequels

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NOVEMBER 1, 2006
Popular sequels out lately
Many people know that the 13th and the last of the Series of Unfortunate Event books, The End, by Lemony Snicket came out on Friday, October 13th. We have three copies and last time I checked there were 10 reserves, so fans of that series may want to call to get their name on the holds list.

Tamara Pierce fantasy fans will be glad to know that we now have the first book, Terrier, in the author's newest series Beka Cooper. We have also recently received the latest Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony.)

For younger chapter book readers, we have added four copies of The Blizzard of the Blue Moon, #36 in the hugely popular Magic Treehouse series. It has a blue sparkly cover, as well as a sneak peek at the not-yet-released #37 title, The Dragon of the Red Dawn.

I also just ordered today the first new Bunnicula (the vampire rabbit) book to be published in years, Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow.

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Category: Sequels

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