Esther's Gift: A Mitford Christmas Story by Jan Karon

Esther's Gift: A Mitford Christmas Story, 37 pages

This is the follow up book to The Mitford Snowmen.  This is a great Christmas read.  Esther Bolick is making her orange marmalade cakes to give to friends in the town of Mitford. But when her husband, Gene, calculates the cost of each cake, Esther has to cut back her cake giving list.  But in the spirit of Christmas, Esther decides what is really more important.

MSCHMITT--Kat's Mystery Gift Jon Scieszka 22

 MSCHMITT--Kat's Mystery Gift Jon Scieszka 22
Kat has a mystery gift and everyone is guessing what it could be. While everyone anxiously awaits Kat's gift…Kat decides that she in fact likes the mystery of an unopened gift and drives off leaving everyone in Trucktown to wonder what exactly that mystery gift is!

Messenger by Lois Lowry

Messenger by Lois Lowry - 169 pages

Matty has lived in Village six years ever since he left his community.  He's now the messenger both in town and to the other nearby communities.  He is one of the few able to go through the Forest.  But now the Forest is starting to worry him and the Village has decided to close and not allow any more new refugees in.  It is up to Matty to let the other communities know and to travel back to his original home to bring back his friend Kira before the town's wall closes forever.  He didn't realize that the Forest would attack them and not let them back.  It will take Kira's gift, the Leader's gift, and most importantly his gift to save the Forest and Village.
This is the obvious sequel to Gathering Blue and third book in The Giver series.  While no names are given, it is obvious that characters from The Giver are in Messenger.  I really liked this book.  It was a good sequel to Gathering Blue.  In my opinion the books in the series are becoming more traditional fantasy with each new book.  This book deals mainly with "gifts" and the fight between good and evil - both very traditional fantasy elements.

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore - 563 pages
(Sequel to Graceling, Companion to Fire)

Ten years have passed since King Leck was killed making Bitterblue queen of a country traumatized by Leck's mind control, kidnappings, murder, and brutality.  She finds herself starting to question whether her country is really recovering as she's been told it has.  As she starts to sneak out of her castle at night and meet some of the citizens she realizes that there is a great conspiracy to cover up some of Leck's most brutal crimes.
This is the third book in the Graceling series and a great addition.  I loved reading about favorite characters from Graceling and finding out how the characters from Fire would fit into the story.  Another must read teen fantasy book.