Saturday, May 2, 2015

What's New? Stacking the Shelves


StS is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Hop on over there to ogle what other bloggers got this week.

Purchased: Oh my. I had a good run where I was so good about not spending any money on more books that I might not read. But...



The Pretty App by Katie Sise. 342 p. Balzer + Bray/ HarperCollins Publishers, April, 2015. 9780062195298.

Publisher synopsis: The delightfully smart and funny companion to The Boyfriend App, about a mean girl who changes her ways. Author Katie Sise spins another fully loaded tale of technology, secrets, and big-time romance in this story of what it takes to be #trulybeautiful.
Poor Blake Dawkins! She's rich, she's gorgeous, and she's the queen bee of Harrison High. But it turns out Blake's life is not so perfect—just talk to her dad, who constantly reminds her that she's not up to par, or to her ex-bff, Audrey, who doesn't even look her in the eye.
Then every high school in America becomes obsessed with posting selfies on the ubiquitous Pretty App. Next: Leo, an adorable transfer student, arrives at Harrison and begins to show Blake that maybe being a queen bee doesn't mean being a queen b*tch. And though Audrey suspects somebody's playing foul, Blake finds herself catapulted to internet fame after being voted one of the prettiest girls in the country. She's whisked away to star in a reality show—in Hollywood, on live TV. But she doesn't know who to trust. Because everybody on the show wants to win. And nobody is there to make friends.
Grounded: the adventures of Rapunzel. Tyme #1. Arthur A. Levine Books/ Scholastic Inc., April 28, 2015. 9780545638265.

Publisher synopsis: "Think you know Rapunzel's story? Think again, because the tower was only the beginning..." -- Jennifer Nielsen, New York Times bestselling author of THE FALSE PRINCE
In all of Tyme, from the Redlands to the Grey, no one is as lucky as Rapunzel. She lives in a magic tower that obeys her every wish; she reads wonderful books starring herself as the heroine; her hair is the longest, most glorious thing in the world. And she knows this because Witch tells her so---her beloved Witch, who protects her from evil princes, the dangerous ground under the tower, even unhappy thoughts. Rapunzel can't imagine any other life.
Then a thief named Jack climbs into her room to steal one of her enchanted roses. He's the first person Rapunzel's ever met who isn't completely charmed by her (well, the first person she's met at all, really), and he is infuriating-- especially when he hints that Witch isn't telling her the whole truth. Driven by anger at Jack and her own nameless fears, Rapunzel descends to the ground for the first time, and finds a world filled with more peril than Witch promised ... and more beauty, wonder, and adventure than she could have dreamed.
I bought this one with a particular student in mind. She just loves fairy tale reworkings.



X: a novel by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon. Read by Dion Graham. Unabridged audiobook on 1 MP3-CD. 8 hours, 56 minutes. 9781491502617.

Publisher synopsis: Co-written by Malcolm X’s daughter, this riveting and revealing novel follows the formative years of the man whose words and actions shook the world.
I am Malcolm.
I am my father’s son. But to be my father’s son means that they will always come for me.
They will always come for me, and I will always succumb.
Malcolm Little’s parents have always told him that he can achieve anything, but from what he can tell, that's nothing but a pack of lies—after all, his father's been murdered, his mother's been taken away, and his dreams of becoming a lawyer have gotten him laughed out of school. There’s no point in trying, he figures, and lured by the nightlife of Boston and New York, he escapes into a world of fancy suits, jazz, girls, and reefer.
But Malcolm’s efforts to leave the past behind lead him into increasingly dangerous territory when what starts as some small-time hustling quickly spins out of control. Deep down, he knows that the freedom he’s found is only an illusion—and that he can't run forever.
X follows Malcolm from his childhood to his imprisonment for theft at age twenty, when he found the faith that would lead him to forge a new path and command a voice that still resonates today.

The Contract by Derek Jeter. Read by Jesse Williams. Unabridged audiobook on 4 compact discs. Simon & Schuster Audio, September, 2014. 9781442375437.

Publisher synopsis: The debut book in the Jeter Publishing imprint, The Contract is a middle grade baseball novel inspired by the youth of legendary sports icon and role model Derek Jeter.
Derek Jeter is a legend in professional sports and a role model for many youth around the country. While leading the New York Yankees to five World Series Championships and achieving a myriad of milestones and accomplishments on and off the field, including thirteen All-Star nods and membership in baseball’s exclusive 3,000-hit club, Jeter has established a reputation of unparalleled character, credibility, dedication, and excellence. When Jeter was a boy, he had the dream of becoming the shortstop for the New York Yankees. Inspired by his childhood, this start to a middle grade series is about a boy who sets high goals for himself and makes his dreams come true through hard work, teamwork, and determination.

Hit & Miss by Derek Jeter. Read by Jesse Williams. Unabridged audiobook on 4 compact discs. Simon & Schuster Audio, April, 2015. 9781442376519.

Publisher synopsis: Inspired by Derek Jeter’s own life, this middle grade novel is about what it takes to be a champion on and off the field.

That's what's new with me. What's new with you? Leave a link in the comments.

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