The Be First Reading Club by Alexandra Kroeger - Sunday, May 15, 2011 at 2:59pm

This last year we've been trying something new with our teen book clubs: instead of reading and discussing books that have been out for a while, we've decided to read and discuss books that haven't even been published yet. Upon signing up (it's free!), every teen gets an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of a book, and at the appointed date they come to the store and discuss what they've just read with our friendly neighborhood bookseller Margaret. Thus far, the response has been fantastic!

The next session will be on Thursday, May 24th at 7:00 pm. We will be reading Grim by Anna Waggener.

Here is a listing of the books the Be First club has read so far, as well as our teen readers' reactions to them. These are now available at a McNally's near you!

If you're interested in taking a look at more books that haven't been released yet, check out our Two Thumbs Up review program.

Kill Switch by Chris Lynch

All Daniel wants to do is spend one last summer with his grandfather before he moves away for college and his grandfather's dementia pulls them apart. But when his dear old Da starts to let things slip about the job he used to hold - people he's killed, countries he's overthrown - old work "friends" show up to make sure he stays quiet. Was his grandfather really involved in a world of assassinations and coups, or are the stories just delusions of a crumbling mind?

"Very surprising! This book leads you in a direction you don't expect" - Shayna

"This book had good character development for the story of a boy and his grandfather" - Sarah

"This book makes you question reality over and over until the shocking ending" - Grace

"An odd spin on situations we face everyday" - Sarah

Rachel's Secret by Shelly Sanders

Rachel is a Jew living in Kishinev, Russia. At fourteen, she has dreams of being a writer. But everything is put on hold when a young Christian man is murdered and Rachel is forced to keep the murderer's identity a secret.

"Shocking truth about a period of untold history. A must read!" - Grace

"I enjoyed the historical fiction weaved in with a great storyline" - Sarah

"Shocking realism that makes you face the issue of the violence against Jews" - Keeshan

"An eye opener to the past. A story that places you back in history" Sarah

Ripper by Stefan Petrucha

Adopted by famous Pinkerton Agency Detective Hawking in 1895 New York, 14-year-old Carver Young hopes to find his birth father, but when he becomes involved in the pursuit of notorious killer Jack the Ripper, Carver discovers that finding the truth can be worse than ignorance.

"This book took Jack the Ripper to a whole new level. It sheds new light on a horrific story we all know." - Maddie

"A clever twist on a well- known story. Meet this version of Jack the Ripper! I loved it!" - Sarah

"This was a gripping adventure filled with Steampunk gadgets." - John

"Re-vamps true historical facts into a fresh and exciting murder mystery." - Kayla

"Ripper was a well-developed story that successfully incorporated different genres like Steampunk, mystery and horror." - Sarah

Dark Eden by Patrick Carman

Fifteen-year-old Will Besting is sent by his doctor to Fort Eden, an institution meant to help patients suffering from crippling phobias. Once there, Will and six other teenagers take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares - with the help of the group facilitator, Rainsford, an enigmatic guide. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night's experiences. But each person soon discovers strange, unexplained aches and pains. . . . What is really happening to the seven teens trapped in this dark Eden?

Patrick Carman's Dark Eden is a provocative exploration of fear, betrayal, memory, and - ultimately - immortality.

There you have it! Keep checking back for information on our next meeting.

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