Another of Marilyn's fabulous reviews - this one for Grave Mercy

A story of vengeance, assassins and high drama! Ismea's hard life becomes unbearable when she's thrown into a hasty marriage to Guille a brute with a nasty temper. Aided by the same priest who married her mere hours earlier, she escapes to the convent, St. Mortain - hoping to hide. St. Mortain abbey serves the saint of death, Mortain, where novices train to become assassins. Ismae's undeveloped talents and thirst to learn make her a perfect candidate. Here she learns the subtle arts of poisons and techniques to kill enemies in any situation.

Ismae's assignment is now at the royal court in Brittany. She will act as the mistress of Gavriel Duval, whom she dislikes on first meeting; the feeling is mutual. Her difficult start with Duval will make her time at court more perilous, as she must act as Duval's chatty new lover while stealthily searching and eliminating threats to Ann, young Duchess of Brittany. There are many enemies at court seeking to grab the power base of Brittany. Time is running out and it's Ismae's actions that can save the Duchess and hope to save Brittany from the hungry clutches of France. This gripping story has it all - royal intrigue, murder, spies and ruthless assassins and I love it!

here's Marilyn's review of 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad, which looks so good I think it has to be my next read. Have you read it?

"Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1st moon landing, NASA has announced it will be sending a new mission to the moon; and if you're a teenager, you could win a spot on this mission! Work alongside scientists and astronauts....." Billboards around the world play video ads day and night in every language: win a trip...172 hours on the moon...trip of a life time...be part of history.....

Of the three teens chosen, only Antoine is excited about the moon trip. Mia and Midori look at it as a way to jumpstart their lives in the U.S. where endless possibilities await when they return from space.

After months of rigorous training, conditioning and media interviews the launch is in countdown mode: it's go time. Of course there are great risks in space but they all feel excited and proud to be part of this moon mission as they land in the Sea of Tranquility. But within hours of landing, the power source fails abruptly, wiping out all communication. Very soon they all know Something or Someone does not want humans here...

Can they survive and get back to earth? Can they survive long enough for a possible rescue mission? The moon will never look the same to you after you finish reading this chilling story...

Still talking about our YA Extravaganza (Gayle Forman, Stephanie Perkins, Nina LaCour, and Jess Rothenberg) on April 18th and this time focusing on Gayle Forman's wonderful book, If I Stay

Mia is happy: she is a talented cellist who has just auditioned for Julliard, she is dating Adam, the lead singer in an up and coming band, and has a happy home life with supportive parents and an adorable kid brother. The only thing bothering her is whether to follow her musical dreams or stay closer to home to be with Adam.

But an unforeseen snowstorm leads to a snow day, a family trip to see friends, and a terrible accident. And while in a coma, she watches herself and those who come to visit - her family and friends, and of course Adam who goes to desperate measures to get in to see her.

Events taking place in the hospital are juxtaposed with flashbacks of Mia's life as she thinks about all she's lost (can she go on without them?) and all she has left (and what her leaving will mean to them). This heart-wrenching story is romantic yet uplifting, poignant yet never maudlin. It's a book about love, friendship, family and the choices we make. It is beautifully written and lingers well past the last page.

Because Stephanie Perkins is coming to Kepler's on April 18th as part of our YA Extravaganza I went looking for my review of the book and realized i haven't posted it. SO - better late than never! However, can we say EXCITED!



Paris is a magical city so who wouldn't be happy at the thought of spending a year abroad studying there? Well, it turns out that Anna would prefer to stay in Atlanta with her friends, her crush, her job, and her family. But Anna's father thinks this will be good for her so Anna finds herself in the American school in Paris, all alone, speaking no French, and homesick. Fortunately she meets some new people who force her to leave her room and discover the beauties of the city. The film buff in her is dazzled by how many cinemas there are in Paris - and then there is Etienne St Clair...

This is such a feel good book, soaked in the sights and smells of Paris and falling in love. It is light-hearted, joyous, and adorable.

I'm very belatedly posting Amanda's review of Die for Me because it appears I forgot to post it beforehand and because I'm reading Until I Die at the moment (le sigh)

Still grieving from the tragic death of her parents, Kate Mercier barely registers the world around her. Now living in Paris, she escapes into her books and museums--content to be alone. But then she meets the beautiful and mysterious Vincent and falls in love. Of course, Vincent is not all that he seems. He is a "revenant," an immortal, fated to sacrifice himself in the act of saving others. As Kate witnesses the violence and death surrounding Vincent, she must decide if her heart can bear to be a part of Vincent's destiny. Is he the love of her life, even in death? Not at all your typical zombie book, Die For Me brings to life a new twist in paranormal romance.

Here's Marilyn's review of The Catastrophic History of You and Me. And best of all she'll be at Kepler's on April 18th at 7.00 with Gayle Forman, Stephanie Perkins, and Nina LaCour. Really. So, so excited. Panel will be moderated by Heidi Kling. It is sure to be a blast.

Seriously, four words did it; ripped Brie's heart in two. Four words; I.Don't. Love.You. No one could save her - not her brilliant cardiac surgeon dad, her BFFs, or God.

Brie, newly dead has all eternity to be dead. Wow - this is way harder and a lot more strenuous than her active life was as a living, breathing almost 16 year old teen! Brie sees her memorial with all her weeping stunned family, friends and school; takes the weird bus ride (for one) to the funky old pizza place where cute but annoying Patrick welcomes her to the afterlife. Brie has an E T E R N I T Y to learn the steps she must take before she can actually R.I.P. No other words can be as terrifying for her to hear.

**Spoiler alert, I can only tell you this book is hilarious - take Brie's trip with her, you'll be glad you did.

And don't forget to join us Aptil 18th!

Everyone here at Kepler's are such fans of Michael Grant's Gone series. So we couldn't wait to get our hands on his newest book, Bzrk. Here's Antonia's revew and it's definitely going to be my next read.

What ever you do don't spend too much time researching nanobots - you may never sleep again. Its not cute like that Dennis Quaid movie - yeah, yeah, I'm dating myself - these suckers are creepy. And I don't do parasites. Have I mentioned that?

Michael Grant however, does. Parasites, that is. And nanobots are basically parasites, and they run into organic parasites when they in or on the human body, and that's the bit that creeps me out. But this one at least I could read (I had to put Plague down and find out from a friend what happened. Peeps too, but I'm not going to go into that.) In fact, not only could I read it, I loved it! This is pure thriller (and I guess the parasites having human motivations makes me less squeamish than the mindless eating variety) in two worlds macro (our real world) and nano (so tiny it is sub-microscopic). The bad guys are the same, the only difference is in the way that they meet. Michael Grant is a master of page-turning awesomeness, and this one does not disappoint.

Ally Carter is one of the most charming women I have ever met. I love her books (both series) and I love her. And she is coming to Kepler's on

MARCH 21
at 7.00

so anyone in the Bay Area should mark it on your calendars and make sure you come and hear her talk about her newest Gallagher Girl book, Out of Sight, Out of Time

Background: With more than a million Gallagher Girls books sold, a legion of fans have fallen in love with the New York Times best-selling spy-girl series, and the fifth book delivers the most nerve-wracking, high-stakes adventure yet.

The book: The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, her memory is a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie's summer vacation are the bruises on her body and dirt under her nails. All she wants is to go home. But even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers as Cammie and her friends face their most difficult challenge yet. With only their training and a few clues to guide them, the girls go in search of answers on the other side of the world. But the Circle is hot on their trail and will stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

see video:



and join us!

Hazel Grace meets Augustus Waters at a cancer support group. Hazel has thyroid cancer, carries around an oxygen tank, and feels like she is living on borrowed time. Gus has osteosarcoma and has had a portion of a leg removed. As they get to know each other Hazel shares her favorite book, An Imperial Affliction (that I googled because I SO wanted it to be real). They are both witty and perceptive, charming and incredibly likeable, which makes the book all the more heartbreaking.

But what could have been a very depressing book isn't at all. It's about two people meeting their match and finding out how precious life is, determined to live undeterred by their diagnoses. As Hazel herself says, "cancer books suck" but although this is a very real picture of how they deal with their illnesses and their friends illnesses, it is also full of hope. The book leads to a trip to Amsterdam, there's lots of humor, and yes, it made me weep. But it is beautiful, touching, and full of empathy. I was deeply affected by this book and find it still lives with me. John Green is a very talented writer and this, for me, is his best work. It deserves every prize I am sure it will win.