msjamgochian'sinfinitebooklist

Gritty, tough, and inexplicably attractive, Parker gets his revenge in the graphic adaptation of what some call Donald E. Westlake 's best work. Don't miss Ken Tucker's review .

Natalie is new to Canton Academy, a prep school in Baltimore. It's her senior year and she's used to moving and being alone. As a matter of fact, she likes it. Jonah, who was dubbed Ghost Boy in Grade 7 by a team of unpleasant goons, sends her a message from her future self via paper airplane. It reads: TO: BEATRICE FROM: FUTURE BEATRICE 1120 AM. MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. BEATRICE OF THE FUTURE WILL THANK YOU. And so their friendship begins. A unique look at a relationship between two misfits.

Earthgirl starts out with a humorous incident: sixteen year old Sabine Solomon is riding her bike the wrong way down a one way street when she's pegged in the face with fast-food take out remnants thrown from the window of an SUV (or S.U.X, as she calls them). Sabine has it out with the driver, goes home, and becomes a minor celebrity when the whole scene is posted on youtube. Sabine starts blogging as earthgirl, becomes an eco-activist, and is embraced by the online community. She also meets and falls in love with Vray Foret (no - it's not his real name), a cute and cuddly guy in a band who also happens to be an eco-activist. Sabine's blog postings are authentic, with links to sites of interest to anyone curious about eco-activism. Her relationship with Vray has all the predictable turns and twists of any first love teen romance without being sappy or overly cliche. A fun, fast-paced read for fans of romance and/or environmental fiction. Don't miss Sabine's blog .

Deanna Lambert is imprisoned by her past; at the age of thirteen her dad caught her having sex in the back of a car with Tommy, a much older friend of her brothers. Her father has never forgiven her, Tommy told the whole school about the incident, and as so often happens in small towns, no one has forgotten it. Now fifteen, Deanna suffers from low self esteem but keeps herself going with dreams of leaving home and the small beach town she lives in. Her brother Darren and best friend Jason offer moral support. When she gets a job in a pizza place the summer before her junior year, an opportunity for change presents itself and things start to fall into place. Ultimately, Story of a Girl is about the complex nature of forgiveness.

Sister Wife takes place in Unity, a community where polygamy, purity, and obedience are the norm. The story is told in alternating chapters by three young women who have very different perspectives on life within The Movement. Celeste is repulsed by the idea of marrying an old man and having children at fifteen. When she meets John, the opportunity to escape presents itself, and she is torn between her faith and her desire to live her own life. Tatiana is living in Unity after several years on the streets. Nanette, Celeste's younger sister, is ready to marry at thirteen. The thoughtfully written story is never predictable and offers insight into cult life beyond the news headlines. You'll cheer for the girls as they take control of their lives and make their own choices. Grade 8+

The Van Alen Legacy picks up where Revelations left off; Schuyler and Oliver are city-hopping in an attempt to hide from the Blue Bloods who think Schuyler had something to do with Lawrence Van Alen's death. Bliss Llewellyn's body is inhabited by The Visitor, alias Lucifer, and he's telling her to do very bad things. Allegra finally wakes up in the hospital. Yes, it sounds like a soap opera, and it is, but a well-written, entertaining, and interesting one. Melissa De La Cruz deftly weaves in enough historical and setting details to please more serious readers without losing the fast pace that sets this series apart. Look for Misguided Angel, Book 5, next year. Grade 7+

Far Arden is an unpredictable and hilarious adventure story, rife with mad scientists, jilted lovers, swashbuckling explorers, and one man-eating polar bear. Cannon's prose and drawings are similar to Tony Millionaire's - but without the kitsch. Not to be missed by fan of adventure fiction. Click here for a video of Kevin Cannon discussing the book. Grade 8+

Torn To Pieces was shortlisted for the 2009 Edgar prize - and deservedly so. You'll be completely engrossed! Anne's mother is away on 'business' most of the time; she is a travel writer and journalist. When she fails to return from one of her 'trips,' Anne has to solve the mystery, which involves cute boys, robbery, near-death beatings, and a variety of other unpleasant situations. The plot twists and turns up until the satisfying ending. Thriller and mystery fans won't want to miss this one. Grade 7+

The Lovely Bones is one of my FBOAT, so I was looking forward to Alice Sebold's third book, hoping for something I could recommend to a large group of readers. Sadly, The Almost Moon isn't nearly as good as The Lovely Bones , or even Lucky , her second book. I did finish it, but I didn't like Helen, the protagonist, and I spent most of the book trying to figure out what her mother had done to deserve being smothered to death. Sebold never delivers a plausible (or comprehensible) reason. Read The Lovely Bones or Lucky instead.

Richard Sala's simple but captivating illustrations enhance a plot full of ancient secrets and hidden clues. Great fun for any graphic novel fan - especially if you enjoyed The War at Ellsmere .

A gaggle of contributing authors and artists make this detailed history of the Beat movement enjoyable. In particular, Joyce Brabner's piece, Beatnik Chicks, sheds light on an oft skipped over topic: Beat women and the issues they faced. She describes beat men as "self-styled Odysseans whose abandoned children grew up angry like Jan Kerouac." Harvey Pekar's section (art by Ed Piskor) on Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Burroughs is illuminating, even for someone who has extensively studied the Beats. A must read for anyone interested in the subject.

This sequel is a fun treat for all Pride and Prejudice fans. The writing wasn't as good as Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies, but I enjoyed not knowing what was coming next, and I had always wondered how the honeymoon went. Turns out our Mr. Darcy has a big, bloody surprise.