Book Shop Blog
We're blogging reviews and more. Why not sign up for the blog rss feed so you don't miss any?
Reviews are every Monday, Wednesday, & Friday, from staff, local writers, and from our fantastic Teen Picks reviewers. Our Teen Pickers are doing their best to stay on top of the Advanced Reading Copies we get, so we can give you reviews the second the book comes out!
Check out their favorite books on GoodReads here: Clare, Chase, Jenny, Marybeth, Kathryn, and Cynthia.
They're doing a super job staying on top of the freshest new books out there.
Our other reviewers can also be found on GoodReads, and they include local writers K. Bird Lincoln and Tina, former SHBS owner Luanne, and of course, other staff picks from the St. Helens Book Shop.
Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt, reviewed by Tina
New Release!
A fun book for 10 and up about a girl who suddenly gets the chance to be a substitute princess. After a silly wish on a fish tank, a magic bubble pops open and reveals a woman who offers Desi the chance to sub for princesses in need of a break. Desi is gangly and awkward in her real life, but she finds that when she steps into someone else's shoes, she can do good things to help her fellow teenage princesses. Of course, she also makes some crazy mistakes too, as she learns that being royal is trickier than it looks.
Light and fun.
Michelle's Picks for 6th Graders
More of educator Michelle's picks for 6th Graders! This time she recommends The Van Gogh Cafe (by Newbery medalist Cynthia Ryland), Also Known as Harper (about an aspiring poet), and Anything But Typical (a smart book about an autistic boy, NEW in paperback). Click on the books to read more about them.
New information on site - Signed Books, & Shipping & Handling
Last day of rounding up the new information on the website. You all already know that we carry Signed Books from local authors. Well, here's a new picture for you of some of the signed Chuck Palahniuk books, and while we're at it there's two more pages to see. Our Shipping & Handling page now explains that process in detail, and the mis-inscribed Chuck Palahniuk page has a small selection of books addressed to the wrong person, now half-price. Who knows -- your name could be among them!
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, reviewed by Tina
New Release!
Entertaining clean teen read about a girl witch who is sent in disgrace to attend Hex Hall, a school for witches, fae, and shapeshifters who used their powers once too often where humans could see. Sophie runs afoul of three beautiful but dark witches who want her to join their coven, has a vampire (read: unpopular freak) for a roommate, and crushes on the most popular boy in school, another warlock.
But worse than that - murder is stalking Hex Hall, and Sophie's only friend is being blamed. She'll have to face her history and reassess her friends and enemies before it's too late.
New pics on the site - Journals, Bags, Booklights.......
We have some interesting gift-y items in at the store! Check out our gift page and see our journals, T-shirt, and more. And just look at these new adorable booklights!
Three recs from Luanne: The Help, Henrietta Lacks, & Hornet's Nest
About "The Help", Luanne says: Set in the early '60s, deep south, with the voices of three women. Page-turning, comical, touching, suspenseful and very enjoyable.
Luanne raved about "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks", about which Publishers' Weekly said: The first immortal human cells, code-named HeLa, have flourished by the trillions in labs all around the world for more than five decades, making possible the polio vaccine, chemotherapy, and many more crucial discoveries. But where did the HeLa cells come from? Science journalist Skloot spent 10 years arduously researching the complex, tragic, and profoundly revealing story of Henrietta Lacks, a 31-year-old African American mother of five who came to Johns Hopkins with cervical cancer in 1951, and from whom tumor samples were taken without her knowledge or that of her family.
And she's onto the third of the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series, which will be out in May. Lu says: "even better than the first two....!"
Spell Hunter by RJ Anderson, reviewed by K Bird Lincoln
4 of 5 stars
Bryony/Knife is a young fairy of the Oak who longs to explore outside her tree-defined world despite the Queen's edict and the fear of crows and humans.
She proves her worth and suceeds in going outside, only to meet a human, Paul, and embroil herself in an illicit relationship that nonetheless seems to be making things better in the Oak where other fairies are going into a coma-like "Silence" and noone has produced an original dress or painting or song in living memory.
A little bit of romance, a plucky youngster out to prove her strength, questioning authority, and likable characters.
Very nicely done.
This Book's Food Rating: Cinnamon rolls, for a basic, comforting sweetness in all it's layers.
New pics on site - Jewelry
New pictures on the website! Today we're featuring jewelry. We carry several handmade lines from local designers, so check it out.
Before I Fall, recommended by Tina
New Release!
This is a beautifully-written book with an intriguing premise. High school senior Samantha dies on Feb 12th in a terrible accident. But then she wakes up the next morning -- on Feb 12th. As in Groundhog Day, Sam ends up living her last day over and over -- 7 times in all.
This book does reference sex and drinking, though no more than the typical teen comedy movie. The main focus is on Sam's character -- she is popular and careless of the damage that she and her group might be doing to others. As she relives her last day on earth, she learns a lot about herself, and we learn a lot about the group's secrets. These aren't soap opera secrets like covering up a murder - no, just the ordinary secrets we all try to keep hidden - the lies we tell ourselves.
Booklist says: "Samantha grows from an entitled, popular, yet insecure girl to one with the compassion and guts to make the right decisions. This is a compelling book with a powerful message that will strike a chord with many teens."
New pictures on the site! - Games, Puzzles, Toys!
We've got some new pictures on the site, and we'd like to show them off! So we'll feature a new page this Tues & Thurs, and next Tues & Thurs.
Today is Games, Puzzles, and Toys. Just go here to check out a sampling of all the fun activities we have in the store!
