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!

Wildcard by Marie Lu

Emika Chen barely made it out of the Warcross Championships alive. Now that she knows the truth behind Hideo's new NeuroLink algorithm, she can no longer trust the one person she's always looked up to, who she once thought was on her side.

Determined to put a stop to Hideo's grim plans, Emika and the Phoenix Riders band together, only to find a new threat lurking on the neon-lit streets of Tokyo. Someone's put a bounty on Emika's head, and her sole chance for survival lies with Zero and the Blackcoats, his ruthless crew. But Emika soon learns that Zero isn't all that he seems--and his protection comes at a price.

Caught in a web of betrayal, with the future of free will at risk, just how far will Emika go to take down the man she loves?

In this explosive sequel to the New York Times bestselling Warcross, Marie Lu delivers an addictive finale that will hold you captive till the very last page.

 Why you should read this book:

• I finished Wildcard in two days.  If you know me, you know I am a slow reader.  Two days means I was enthralled (and also on winter break!)
• The ending surprised me.
• If you haven't read Warcross (Book 1) yet, read that first!
• I never thought I'd enjoy a book about gaming.  This series proved me wrong.
• This series would make a great movie.  I hope they decide to make them into one, or two!

Coming soon in our winter book order!
Find Wildcard in our library at: SCI-FI F LU

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

YALSA Teens' Top Ten List

Find the titles in our library!

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green                                    Call Number: REALISTIC F GRE
One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus                                   Call Number: MYSTERY F MCM
Warcross by Marie Lu. G. P.                                                          Call Number: SCI-FI F GRE
Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo                           ON ORDER
Caraval by Stephanie Garber                                                         Call Number: FANTASY F GAR
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds                                             Call Number: REALISTIC F REY
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez  Call Number: REALISTIC F SAN

Paper Hearts by Ali Novak                                                             ON ORDER
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor                                             Call Number: FANTASY F TAY
Once and For All by Sarah Dessen                                               Call Number: ROMANCE F DES

Every Day by David Levithan

Image from: Amazon.com

I recently finished Every Day by David Levithan.  This book hooked me from the start.  "A" is a mind (soul, maybe?) that changes bodies every day.  Each day is a new life that A can only stay in for the day.  One day A meets Rhiannon and wants to continue to see her.  From then on,  the life of whatever body A ends up in is disrupted by A trying to be with Rhiannon.  This story was intriguing and I look forward to reading Someday, which is expected to publish later this year.  Book 2, Another Day is written from the point of view of Rhiannon.  I will likely not read this one just yet because I'm more excited to see how the story continues rather than reading the same story from another perspective.

Find Every Day in our library at: ROMANCE F LEV

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 

"Airhead" Series by Meg Cabot

I just finished reading the last two books in the Airhead series by Meg Cabot.  (See my post about the first book, Airhead, here.)

                 (Image from: Amazon.com)                                     (Image from: Amazon.com)

I loved this series!  I thought is was a perfect mix of sci-fi, mystery and romance.  Being Nikki continues the series about what life is like for Em Watts now that her brain has been transplanted into the body of a supermodel.  The mystery of her operation gets even more mysterious when she finds out Nikki's mother is missing.  Runaway concludes the series....all the mysteries will be solved and you know how I love happily every after endings!

A highly recommended trilogy.  Find the first two books, Airhead and Being Nikki in our library.  Runaway, the third book, will be coming to our library soon. I purchased it for myself in eBook format because I couldn't wait to see how the series ended!

Call number:  ROMANCE F CAB

"Airhead" by Meg Cabot

(Image from: Amazon.com)

We just returned from April break and my reading list consisted of books about being famous.  I've had a few students ask for these types of books and I wanted to be able to recommend a few.  Plus, who doesn't like to read about the trials and fun of famous people?!

I picked up Airhead by Meg Cabot based on a Goodreads list for this topic and became hooked enough that I plan to read the next two in the series. Em Watts is your average tomboy.  One day, after a strange accident she ends up in the body of famous supermodel Nikki Howard.  How did this happen and what will Em do?  Can a former tomboy be a supermodel?  Read and find out!

Airhead is a bit sci-fi, a bit mystery and a bit romance.  It is classified under our romance fiction section, but I may move it once  I see how this series turns out because I think it appeals to a broader audience than just romance lovers!

Find Airhead in our library: ROMANCE F CAB

"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!

"Wayfarer" by Alexandra Bracken

(Image from Amazon.com)

I've been waiting for the sequel to "Passenger" to come out for a year and put myself on the hold list for the ebook at my local library back home as soon as it was available.  "Wayfarer" did not disappoint! Filled with history, romance, time travel, and a bit of magic, this book kept me up late to finish it.  I wish I could read more about the travels of Etta and Nicholas, but sadly, this is the last book in the series. You can find the first book, "Passenger," at our school library.  Wayfarer will be available in our library in August 2017.