Fortnite read-alikes

I found this fun display idea online at the Skinner Middle School Library website and related MinervaReads blog.  Fortnite is a big hit with our MS/ES students so we decided to copy their display idea.

Here's our new display:

And here's a close up of the books we have.  Unfortunately, we don't have all of them from the book list Skinner Middle School provided, but still a good selection!

Warcross by Marie Lu

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down Warcross players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty-hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. To make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

In this sci-fi thriller, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu conjures an immersive, exhilarating world where choosing who to trust may be the biggest gamble of all.

Why you should read this book:

• If you are a gamer, you will find this book very interesting.
• It's on the YALSA Teen Top Ten List for this year- teens voted for Warcross to be on this list.
• Even though it is Sci-Fi/Dystopian, it seems like it could be a realistic future as gaming and virtual reality evolve.
• Warcross is the first of a two book series.  I am looking forward to reading the next one, Wildcard.  I hope it ends how I want it to. (No spoilers please! 😀)
• For me (not being a gamer) it was a slow start, but Warcross really hooked me in after a few chapter. Stick with it and you'll love it.

Find Warcross in our library at: SCI-FI F LU

Denton Little's Still Not Dead by Lance Rubin

This is the sequel to Denton Little's Deathdate.  Read my review for the first book here.

You only live once—unless you’re Denton Little!

Denton Little lives in a world exactly like our own except that everyone knows the day on which they will die. The good news: Denton has lived through his deathdate. Yay! The bad news: He’s being chased by the DIA (Death Investigation Agency), he can never see his family again, and he may now die anytime. Huh. Cheating death isn’t quite as awesome as Denton would have thought. . . .

Lance Rubin’s debut novel, Denton Little’s Deathdate, showed readers just how funny and poignant imminent death could be. Now in this sequel, he takes on the big questions about life. How do we cope, knowing we could die at any time? Would you save someone from dying even if they were a horrible person? Is it wrong to kiss the girl your best friend is crushing on if she’s really into you instead? What if she’s wearing bacon lip gloss?

Why you should read this book:

• It is laugh-out-loud funny.
• Made me think (when I wasn't laughing) about what it would be like to know your death date.
• This is a YA book with high school boy situations and humor.
• The author, Lance Rubin, is an actor and also writes sketch comedy.  You can watch some video clips at his website: http://www.lancerubin.com/videos/

Find Denton Little's Still Not Dead in our library at: SCI-FI F RUB

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

(Image from: Amazon.ca)

I am a bit ashamed to admit that I've never read The Handmaid's Tale before.  My husband read it in high school and enjoyed it because it was "risqué" at the time.  It was never required reading for me and I did not get around to reading it until it was...for my book club!

This is an interesting dystopian novel about the role of women in a new, seemingly ultra-religious society sometime in the future (perhaps soon after present day given that it was written in 1986.). What was once the USA has fallen into various wars and one society that emerges puts women into separate groups.  Some are breeders, as the main character is.  Some are wives, cooks or housekeepers.  All have assigned tasks and all are completely covered.  This is to keep away temptation and try to change society "for the better."  Citizens are often imprisoned or killed for not agreeing with the government.  I couldn't put this book down and especially liked the "Historical Notes" at the end.

I know that the TV series is popular, but I can't download it in Dhaka (legally) so have not yet seen it.  I'm excited to watch it because I'm interested in comparing it to the book.  I've read several news articles about the show "mirrors reality."  I'm not convinced the book does this, so I'm curious if the TV series has been adapted in any way.

Find The Handmaid's Tale in the library at: SCI-FI F ATW or ask us to borrow a copy from the textbook room.

Denton Little's Death Date by Lance Rubin

(Image from Amazon.com)

Halloween is coming so how about a creepy, but funny, sci-fi read?  Denton Little's Death Date by Lance Rubin, was not a novel I thought I'd like at first, but I was surprised how engaging it was.  Even though the title sounds morbid, this book kept me laughing.  I'll definitely be reading the sequel, Denton Little's Still Not Dead

This summary is from Amazon because they say it so much better than I do:

Denton Little’s Deathdate takes place in a world exactly like our own except that everyone knows the day on which they will die. For Denton, that’s in just two days—the day of his senior prom.

Despite his early deathdate, Denton has always wanted to live a normal life, but his final days are filled with dramatic firsts. His anxiety builds when he discovers a strange purple rash making its way up his body. Is this what will kill him? And then a strange man shows up at his funeral, claiming to have known Denton’s long-deceased mother, and warning him to beware of suspicious government characters. . . . Suddenly Denton’s life is filled with mysterious questions and precious little time to find the answers.

Find Denton Little's Death Date in our library at: SCI-FI F RUB 

The Selection by Kiera Cass

(Image from Amazon.com)

Over the summer, I read the first three books in The Selection series by Kiera Cass.

In this dystopian romance, thirty-five girls are chosen to enter The Selection for the opportunity to escape the caste system in what was formerly the United States. The girls live in a palace and compete in a reality show for the heart of Prince Maxon. 

America Singer did not want to be Selected because she's not interested in being a queen and it means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her.

And as the Amazon summary says so elequently: 

"Then America meets Prince Maxon—and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined."

If you liked The Hunger Games series, I think you'll like The Selection series.   Find the whole series in our library at: ROMANCE F CAS

There are five books in The Selection series.  I have only read the first three so far.  The last two in the series take place 20 years later.

"Heart of the Storm" by Michael Buckley

(Amazon.com)

I began reading the Undertow Trilogy by Michael Buckley when it was first released and was hooked.  I put myself on the wait list at my library back home for the final installment, Heart of the Storm, before it was even released.  Undertow is a dystopian trilogy about a teenager named Lyric Walker who observes the arrival of a race of sea creatures, the Alpha, on the beach near her home in Coney Island, NY.  Though the Alpha are initially considered the enemy and ostracized by society, it turns out there is something much worse in the water.  I loved this trilogy!  There is non-stop action, suspense, a bit of romance, and great parallels to be drawn between the storyline and current/past world events; an all around good read!

The entire Undertow Trilogy is coming to your library soon.  You can bet it will be on Mrs. Doyle's "Books I Loved" shelf!