Van Alen Legacy

De La Cruz, Melissa. The Van Alen Legacy. Schuyler is tired of being on the run, traveling Europe in the wake of the death of Lawrence, of which Schuyler is accused by the Conclave. When she tries to seek help of the European Blue Bloods, she is found by Jack and persuaded to come back to New York. Mimi is also traveling, as a Venator, mining the memories of people to solve the murder of Jordan. Bliss has troubles too, being possessed by Satan and trying to exist in her body with him as a Visitor. Despite all of the upheaval, Mimi and Jack agree to go through their bonding ceremony, and things come to a head, preparing us all for Misguided Angel, which comes out on October 5, 2010. Also out soon is a short story collection, The Keys to the Repository. As always, I was reluctant to pick this one up (more vampires- yech!), but once I did, I was hooked.

Hutson, Shaun. (Graves, Damien) I Can See You.
In this installment of Scholastic's The Midnight Library, we find out that it's a bad idea to run around at midnight in the fields of a farmer who died exactly 100 years ago; if you to strip 50 year old wallpaper and it reveals a mural of people who look like your missing relatives, you might want to be careful; and if a one-fingered flea market vendor tells you that you don't want that mood ring, you should listen! These are always pleasantly creepy tales for students who enjoy Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. They are available in prebinds for a good price, and circulate well.

For other horror books, I just found The Monster Librarian, which has some good lists.

Hunter, Erin. Forest of Secrets. (Warriors #3)
*Sigh* I always feel bad mentioning these, because the authors who write as Erin Hunter seem such nice ladies, and the students adore these books. My problem? This volume started out with a list of about 60 different cats and then had a map. I made it through the first chapter with full understanding (two rival clan kittens are abandoned and brought to a mother cat who agrees to raise them), but then was plunged into the litany of cat names set against the same problems: mean cats from other clans attack/take their food/want their land. Voles are eaten. I have bought all of these titles as well as the Codes of the Clan and the Cats of the Clan because they make my students happy.