The Kill Order

Dashner, James. The Kill Order. Book 0.5 of the Maze Runners series. 2012. 347p. ISBN 9780385742887. Available at FIC DAS on the library shelves.

When sun flares struck Earth, the climate became unbalanced, millions of people died, and the world changed forever. Following the flare came a disease so contagious and effective that even more people died, but not before becoming violent lunatics who have completely lost their humanity. Now it’s a race against time for survival.

Mark and Trina are two of these survivors trying to remain alive in a sea of diseased folks. First present in New York City when the flares struck, they managed to hole up in a building when the tsunami hits and wiped out most of the city. Captured by pirates, they escape and are hunted down by people in flying Bergs.

They discover that the flare, as the disease is becoming known, is not a naturally occurring disease but rather was engineered by someone to bring humanity to a more manageable population level. Unfortunately, the disease has mutated and now threatens to destroy all of humanity. When they come across a child name DeeDee who appears to be immune to the flare, they realize that they hold the fate of humanity. But how much is DeeDee’s life worth?

This book sets up nicely the universe of the Maze Runner and provides a brilliant introduction to the flare and its effects on people. Those who enjoyed Thomas’ adventures will love finding out how they came about. Meanwhile, Thomas' story before the Maze appears in The Fever Code.

Medical Serial Killers

Latta, Sara L. Medical Serial Killers. Part of The Psychology of Serial Killers series. 2016. 144p. ISBN 978-0-7660-7296-1. Available at 364.15 LAT on the library shelves.

There have always been people who kill others for thrill, power, lust, or greed. Individuals who kill three or more people at three or more different times in different locations are labelled serial killers by the FBI. Of all the serial killer types, the medical serial killer is by far the most chilling kind, for doctors and nurses are dedicated to preserving life, not ending it. Medical serial killers act within the confines of hospital, hospice care, and retirement facilities and are able to hide their dastardly deeds behind an environment that is often affected by death.

This book examines the most prolific medical serial killers in the United States and around the world. A profile of each killer is presented, along with how they eventually were caught and what the consequences were on the families of their victims and on themselves. These creepy individuals will make you think twice about going to the hospital.

Other books in the series include Cannibal Serial Killers, Female Serial Killers, Historical Serial Killers, and Modern-day Serial Killers.

Vampire Mountain

Shan, Darren. Vampire Mountain. Book 4 of the Cirque du Freak series. 2002. 199p. ISBN 9780316605427. Available at FIC SHA on the library shelves.

Six years after the death of Murlough in Tunnels of Blood, a Vampaneze who had been sucking dry humans, Darren hasn’t shown much aging. As a vampire he ages very slowly so he still very much looks like a teenager even though Evra, the snake boy and Darren’s best friend, is now in his early twenties and more interested in women than hanging out with someone who still looks like a teen.

When Mr. Crepsley announces that they are setting off to Vampire Mountain so that Darren can be introduced to the Vampire Princes, Darren is not surprised. Vampires gather in the mountain once every twelve years, and Mr. Crepsley does not want to wait another twelve years before he faces his peers and account for what he did to Darren. Mr. Tiny, however, tells Mr. Crepsley that he is to take two of his little men with him, as they are to deliver a message to the Vampire Princes.

Vampires maintain old traditions, and one of them is that they must walk to Vampire Mountain. Thus, a trip to the wilderness that would have taken less than a week stretches out for a month. Along the way Darren encounters wolves and an angry bear he must fight, and they meet an old friend of Mr. Crepsley. They also discover that the vampaneze are lurking around the mountain. Once inside, Darren feels much better, and he finally encounters the pomp and tradition of vampire life. That is, until he appears in front of the Princes. Their decision on Darren’s status will literally mean his life, or his death ...

This story continues in book 5, the Trials of Death.

Speak

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Speak. 1999. 198p. ISBN 978-0-374-37152-4. Available at FIC AND on the library shelves.

Melinda has always been engaged with her friends and family. During the summer before 9th grade, however, she attends a barn party with her friend Rachel, has too much to drink, and is raped by an incoming senior who attends Merryweather High. In pain and in a panic, she called 911 but was not able to speak in the phone due to shock. Her friend Rachel found her and realized that she had called the police. The party broke up and everyone ran away, including Melinda. Now she’s the only one, along with her aggressor, that knows what the real reason for the 911 call was. Her friends all think she simply wanted to ruin everyone else’s fun.

Ostracized by her friends and feeling like damaged goods, Melinda must find a way to survive her freshman year at school. Art is the only subject that offers her a ray of sunshine in an otherwise tedious and depressing day. Even her parents have noticed the change in her, but don’t know how to reach her. Melinda refuses to communicate her problems and her needs, and the only friend she makes, Heather, eventually drifts away as well. As the year progresses, will Melinda rediscover her own voice?

Melinda provides a contrasting response to a very traumatic event than Hermione did in Exit, Pursued by a Bear. Both teens are strong in their own ways, but Melinda interiorizes her assault and does not possess the confidence to actively deal with it and the rumors that swirl around that fateful evening. But in the end she finds her voice and, like Hermione, is able to talk about it. Readers who appreciated Melinda’s strength should also look up Naked, the story of a teenage prostitute who ran away from home and is now trying to reintegrate school two years later.

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

Sijie, Dai. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress. 2002. 184p. ISBN 9780385722209. Available at FIC DAI on the library shelves as well as an audiobook on Overdrive.

In the 1960s, China underwent a convulsing period of its history called the Cultural Revolution. Chairman Mao unleashed legions of fanatics determined to uproot bourgeois and counter-revolutionaries throughout the country. Those who had the misfortune to be educated or better off than the average were forcibly made to present excuses and to apologize. They were also oftentime sent away for re-education into Communist ideas.

The narrator of this story, along with his best friend Luo, are children of professional families. Luo’s father is a famous dentist and even worked on Mao’s teeth. The narrator’s mother is a famous doctor. Having been declared enemies of the people, they are sent to a mountain to work as peasants in the local fields, where their re-education will instill in them pride in their Communist heritage. Arriving on site, they discover that the peasants are backwards and uncultured. The narrator almost loses his violin, his only possession, but Luo manages to convince the village headman that it is used to play music to glorify Mao.

The two of them settle into a hard working routine, until their talents as storytellers are discovered. Suddenly, they are dispensed from work to attend movies in the closest town, two days’ travel away, and then return to the village to retell the story to everyone. One of the most highly sought person in this region is the seamster, who comes around and creates clothes for the residents. His daughter, also a seamstress, is said to be beautiful. Luo and the narrator eventually meet her and they fall desperately in love.

During one of their trip to town they meet with Four Eyes, who is also on the mountain to be re-educated. His mother is a famous poet, and Four Eyes has made the cardinal sin of taking books with him. Though he has tried to keep them hidden, the boys discover them and eventually badger Four Eyes into lending them a thin book by Balzac. Luo and the narrator decide that they will read this book to the Little Seamstress.

By consuming these foreign and illegal novels in China, they are doing more than corrupting their ideas. They are opening their souls and their sight to other worlds beyond their desperate circumstances. And once out, it is hard to tame desire back into its cage. As the three of them grow ever closer, hard choices will have to be made, and not everyone can live happily.

Air Gear, Vol. 2

Oh! Great. Air Gear, Vol. 2. 2006. 224p. ISBN 9780345492791. Available in the Graphic Novels section of the library.

In Air Gear, Vol 1 Itsuki Minami found his true calling in Air Treck skates. equipped with new Air Treck skates, Itsuki feels on top of the world. Needing to repair his skates, Ikki follows Mikan takes him to the mall where he meets Simca, the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. He begins stalking the mall, hoping to catch another glimpse of her. When he sees her being chased by members of the Rez Boa Dogs gang, he doesn’t hesitate and he intervenes, defeating the gang members. Unfortunately for Ikki, this earns him the irk of the gang leader, Inuyama.

Ringo and the rest of the girls in the Sleeping Forest watch as Ikki begins to fight to protect the Red Boa Dog tag Simca had previously stolen from Inuyama. Suddenly, the confrontation becomes very real. Either Ikki will triumph and earn a special reward from Simca, or he will die in the attempt.

The story continues in Air Gear, Vol. 3.

The Last Star

Yancey, Rick. The Last Star. Book 3 of the 5th Wave trilogy. 2016. 338p. ISBN 9780399162435. Available at FIC YAN on the library shelves.

The Last Star picks up where The Infinite Sea left off. Captured by Vosch, Ringer was enhanced with the 12th system. She escapes from the base and runs in the wilderness for a while, until she realizes Vosch has another plan for her. Cassie, Zombie, Dumbo, Sam, Megan and Evan are holed up in the local silencer’s house after they dispatched her. The house is filled with supplies, but when Ringer left to save Teacup the deal was if she wasn’t able to return they would escape to the caves.

As Vosch moves his forces of 4th Wave humans throughout the countryside, the small group of humans reluctantly led by Cassie try to stay one step ahead. Vosch is after Evan, for his training obviously malfunctioned and he fell in love with Cassie. Ringer is the key to this plan. She will head to the caves where they were supposed to rendez-vous. Accompanied by another silencer, they will work together to kill the resident silencer, an old priest, then set an ambush for Evan.

Ben Parrish wants to find Ringer so he and Dumbo leave Sam, Cassie, Evan and Megan behind. They head to the caves, but another encounter with a silencer costs Dumbo his life. Ben and Ringer are reunited and they return to their home with the other silencer, only to once again live through a face off. Evan is captured by Vosch, but Cassie and her crew manage to escape

As Vosch’s pieces move on the chessboard and as the 5th Wave of bombings that will devastate the planet is in a mere day, Cassie, Ringer, and Ben all need to rescue Evan from Vosch’s clutches, but for different reasons. And sometimes, the hardest part of a relationship is letting go. The climatic ending to this trilogy will be sure to leave the reader breathless.