How can I describe this series? Slightly twisted… alright, very twisted. In a school run by the grim reaper kids are trained to collect the souls of evil-doers by fighting with special weapons that 'eat souls'. The strange twist is that these deadly weapons are actually characters in their own right and can transform into people at will. You with me? The pairs get sent off on missions to stop the bad of the bad. Soul Eater is definitely for mature teens with all the demented action you might expect of a horror/combat series run wild. But, for those looking for something with as much attitude as action, soul eater is a series that's hard to ignore. Check out the anime or the manga.

Looking for some classics that are relatively short and aren't, well, boring. Most of these are around 200 pages or less and packed with adventure, humor, and drama. Check them out:

The glass menagerie by Tennessee Williams; introduction by Robert Bray

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson; supplementary material written by Anna Maria Hong; series edited by Cynthia Brantley Johnson

The importance of being Earnest: a trivial comedy for serious people by Oscar Wilde; edited by Samuel Lyndon Gladden

Older teen boys looking for historical fiction with a bit of action might want to check out the Jack Absolute series. Jack is the self centered sort who may secretly read Shakespeare but ultimately spends most of his time drinking, gambling, and/or wenching. Enlisted by the British Army to work as a spy during the American Revolution — yet sympathetic to the patriot cause — Jack spends most of his time just looking out for himself. This is a straight up adventure story that reads like an 18th century version of James Bond, complete with a bevy of dangerous women and ridiculous chase scenes. Over the top? Certainly. But, never, never boring.

Want a little romance with your crime sleuthing? Here's a list of books, both modern and historical:

Bad kitty by Michele Jaffe

A spy in the house by Y.S. Lee

Rose cottage by Mary Stewart

Heist society by Ally Carter

Three short stories about three magical, mostly disastrous kisses, Lips Touch Three Times oozes the kind of creative, madcap energy that reminds me of authors like Neil Gaiman or Charles De Lint. Deliciously wicked and inventive, from one-eyed fae who hunt by the smell of hair to demons that move their shadows. This has everything that a fairy tale / fantasy fan could want.

The anime classic Neon Genesis Evangelion has gotten a remake, and it's stunning. Evangleion 1.11 is the first of three planned movies set to 'retell' the original. The major difference this time around is that it has improved animation and a slightly streamlined plotline. It looks sleeker than ever, and with the quicker pace the beginning of this classic has only gotten better. Check out this old series remade new.

Funimation has come up with a new contest this summer: make a video proving you're the biggest Fullmetal Alchemist fan and you could win a free ride to Comic-Con International (San Diego)! Check out how to enter. Also, this summer, Tokyopop is touring across america to find "America's Greatest Otaku," which they will be filming reality-tv style. If you think you might be that "greatest otaku" and want to get on film then check it out!