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Recommended for Teens

The Power of the Dark Crystal

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The Power of the Dark Crystal
Format: eBook, Book
Who it’s for: Teens, Adults

If you’re a fan of the classic Jim Henson film The Dark Crystal and/or the Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance you will be pleased to know the story of The Dark Crystal does not end (or begin*) there.

The Power of the Dark Crystal graphic novels are a sequel to the film. Jen and Kira have ruled the mystical world of Thra for a great many trine [off and on] but their hard-earned peace lies in jeopardy when the fireling Thurma, arrives from a subterranean world and threatens to crack the Crystal of Truth and release the evil Skeksis upon the land once more. Thurma has only one ally, the gelfling Kensho, who trusts that together they can save both their worlds from destruction. Much like the original film, this series is a story about love, overcoming obstacles, and the importance of environmental stewardship.

If you enjoy The Power of the Dark Crystal, Kensho and Thurma’s saga continues in the graphic novel series Beneath the Dark Crystal.

And if you really can’t get enough of The Dark Crystal you might try J.M. Lee’s YA series of novels about Thra, starting with Shadows of the Dark Crystal, which features several characters from The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance and seems to take place concurrent with the TV show.

*There is also The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths shedding light on how the world of Thra began. Witness the birth of Aughra, and her son Raunip, the arrival of the urSkeks, as well as the Great Division, among other “historical” events.

See everything The Dark Crystal in our catalog.

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Big Questions from Tiny Mortals about Death

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Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Big Questions from Tiny Mortals about Death by Caitlin Doughty
Formats: Book, eBook
Who it’s for: Adults and Teens

Ever wonder what happens to people’s bodies after they die? Well, so do most kids…and the kids aren’t shy about asking those questions out loud!

Caitlin Doughty, founder of The Order of the Good Death and the Ask a Mortician web series, isn’t shy about answering them either. Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? contains her candid and witty replies to questions ranging from the practical (What would happen if you died on a plane?) to the ultimate practical joke (What would happen if you swallowed a bag of popcorn before you died and were cremated?)

To learn the answer to whether your eyeballs look like tasty morsels to your favorite furry companion after you die, find it in the catalog.

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

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The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
Format: Book
Who’s It For: Teens and Adults

Amelia van den Broek stood out like a sore thumb compared to her beautiful and polished cousin Zora. Broken Tooth, Maine was worlds different from Baltimore, Maryland in 1889. Yet at a gathering, Amelia felt an instant connection to her dinner partner, Nathaniel Witherspoon. An impoverished artist, Nathaniel was paid to even out their party. Was he drawn to Amelia too or was this just how he was earning his wage? Although Nathaniel was below her social circle, Amelia admired his dark looks and witty repartee. “May I call on you?” he queried, “Or will you call on me?” Amelia reluctantly declined, yet opened the door after he departed. How did he disappear so quickly?  Amelia continued to run into Nathaniel  with her cousin and her circle of friends: at the park, near the theater. Was this just a coincidence?

One day, Amelia saw a golden vision at sunset. Her cousin was dancing in a particular dress with her beau at a ball. To her cousin’s delight, this did happen.  Zora’s friends wanted their futures foretold too. Eventually Amelia’s predictions had tragic results. Was the “Mystic from Maine” the cause of these events or just the messenger? And since Amelia didn’t have visions of Nathaniel or her own future, would he be in it?

This book grew on me. I enjoyed the historical setting. The fantasy aspects gave the story a provocative twist. The characters were creatively and clearly delineated. The domino effect of events built suspense. And “vesper” means both prayer and evening, such as Amelia’s sunset visions.  I found myself re-reading the book and liking it more each time. Romance and fantasy fans, unite!

And it’s the first book in a series!

Star Wars: Thrawn

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Star Wars Thrawn-Timothy Zahn.png

Star Wars: Thrawn
Author: Timothy Zahn
Format: Adult Fiction
Who it’s for: Adults

Our novel begins with the discovery of an alien, unknown except to legend and myth, a Chiss. Agents of the Empire find themselves completely outmatched by the strategy and capabilities of a single castaway, leading to him making his way into the ranks of the Empire in short order. Thrawn is a character well known to fans of the Star Wars universe, a book series in the 90’s. He takes a page from characters such as Honor Harrington and Horatio Hornblower in that the future Grand Admiral is not a character of great action, but more of plans and tactics. He possesses the keen gift of being able to analyze a society through it’s artistry, giving insight on tactics and processes of his opponents. The novel details the beginning of his imperial career and his feats of prowess, while dragging Ensign Eli Vanto along for the ride becoming one of the only ones capable of understanding and learning the intriguing man’s ways. Interestingly though he is an antagonist in other novels and in the Star Wars Rebels tv series, the books show that he lacks the cruelty and ambition of other Star Wars villains, instead doing the minimum to ensure victory and going out of his way to minimize losses. Thrawn is a fascinating character and the other two novels in the trilogy show an adventure of his and Darth Vader while exploring their shared past, and the third bringing involvement of his species into the fray where he’s pulled on opposite sides of his loyalty. I think if you’re looking to get into the newer Star Wars materials, Thrawn is a fantastic place to start and gives a look at the Empire and all of the background struggles between characters and politics of the setting.

Find it in the catalog.

The Last Namsara

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The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli
Format : Book
Who it’s for: Teens

This fast paced, world building novel draws you in at the very start of the story. We meet Asha, an Iskari and the most feared dragon slayer in Firgaard. Between chapters, the author lays out the deep history and myth of the world, explaining not only Asha’s backstory but that of the belief system of the characters who inhabit the world. Ciccarelli does a wonderful job of keeping these sub-chapters short to the point and immensely enjoyable.

Asha has the ability to give dragons their fire, which is poisonous, by telling them the Old stories. Such stories were banned generations ago when the dragons betrayed the inhabitants of Figaard. Yet Asha uses these stories to lure and kill the dragons, presenting their heads to her father, the Dragon King of Figaard. Though she is greatly feared, she is betrothed to the sadistic commandant, who has little regard for her prowess. Only by defeating the most powerful dragon, the one who scorched the side of her face with his fire, can Asha find her freedom. In her quest, she discovers there is far more truth in the ancient stories than she ever dreamed.

Find it in the catalog.

The Beholder by Anna Bright

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The Beholder by Anna Bright
Format: Book
Who’s It For: Teens and Adults

Selah was devastated when Peter publicly rejected her proposal to make him her prince, her husband.  Didn’t he know how much she cared for him?  Before her private tears were dried, Selah’s stepmother Alessandra, whom she silently dubbed her “smother,” had a plan laid out for the Council.   Selah would leave her home and her ailing father.  With a company of protectors and advisors, Selah would set sail across the Atlantic to meet four potential suitors from very different lands.  She had to choose wisely to make a good political alliance.  Would love even be a possibility?  Would Selah ever return home?  Was her dear father dying?  Selah realized the gravity of her pending decision. It would impact her, her family, her country.  And what secrets was her crew hiding about her ship, The Beholder?  Was there more at stake than met the eye?

I enjoyed this historical fantasy.  It often paralleled fairy tales and mythology, such as Cinderella, Snow White, and The Odyssey.  I’m looking forward to its sequel, The Boundless, in 2020!

Read all about it!