Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson

Title: Walk on Earth a Stranger
Author: Rae Carson
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Release Date: Sept 22, 2015
Rating: 4/5

The Gist: Gold is in my blood, in my breath, even in the flecks in my eyes.

Lee Westfall has a strong, loving family. She has a home she loves and a loyal steed. She has a best friend—who might want to be something more.

She also has a secret.

Lee can sense gold in the world around her. Veins deep in the earth. Small nuggets in a stream. Even gold dust caught underneath a fingernail. She has kept her family safe and able to buy provisions, even through the harshest winters. But what would someone do to control a girl with that kind of power? A person might murder for it.

When everything Lee holds dear is ripped away, she flees west to California—where gold has just been discovered. Perhaps this will be the one place a magical girl can be herself. If she survives the journey.

The acclaimed Rae Carson begins a sweeping new trilogy set in Gold Rush-era America, about a young woman with a powerful and dangerous gift.

Review:

Walk on Earth a Stranger is, ultimately, a story about how Leah learns to trust people and finds a new family.  After her parent's brutal murder and the loss of the gold she had been collecting for years, Leah finds herself the target of their murderer, a person who will stop at nothing to gain control of her gift.  With very few possessions and even less money, Leah begins the arduous trek to California to find her fortune along with so many other Argonauts.  The journey is not an easy one, and certainly not a safe one for an unescorted young lady, so Leah becomes Lee - a young man setting out on his own, and gets hired on by a family also headed West. 

While I found the plot to be a little less exciting than I would have preferred, the novel really shines in its character development.  Throughout the journey, we get to see many sides not only of Leah, but also of the many companions that she meets along the way.  By the end, she has learned to trust again and created a new family of her own.  She has also learned just what she is capable of not in spite of, but because of, being a girl. 

I was a little disappointed that the whole 'gold sense' didn't play as much of a role as I had expected, however, I also thought that this was a stand alone and not the beginning of a series.  I am hopeful that Leah's gifts will play a greater role in the next book.  The same can be said of the villain of the story.  He book-ended the story with parts at the beginning and the end, which was slightly disappointing as he was dealt with rather quickly at the end.  I will be much happier if he plays a larger role in the second book and adds and extra sense of tension. 

There is also a theme of feminism that runs through the novel.  This was refreshing and interesting as we watched Leah live as herself and disguised as a boy.  As Lee, she was able to see how differently people treated her when she was in pants rather than skirts and as Leah she became more and more frustrated with the way that men, even those who care about her, tried to control her.  I loved this aspect of the plot and look forward to even further development in the next book.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 13 and up
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Hunting, Murder by gun
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

Other Issues: Death from exposure, illness, childbirth

The Girl with the Wrong Name by Barnabas Miller

Title: The Girl with the Wrong Name
Author: Barnabas Miller
Publisher: Soho Teen
Release Date: Nov 3, 2015
Rating: 4/5

The Gist: Seventeen-year-old Theo Lane has been hiding half of her face from the public ever since “The Night In Question,” a night that left her with a long, disfiguring scar, an unquiet mind, and no memory of what happened. An aspiring documentary maker, she uses her camera to keep the world at a safe distance, shooting hours of secret footage with a hidden button cam on her jacket collar. But when Andy Reese, a forlorn and mysterious “Lost Boy,” wanders into her frame, he becomes the unknowing star of her latest project. Her unhealthy obsession with him tears her from that sheltered life behind the camera, pulling her into a perilous, mind-bending journey through Andy’s world. But is it really Andy’s world she’s investigating? Or is it her own?

Review: 

Two months ago, on "The Night In Question" something horrible happened to Theo Lane, leaving her with a long jagged scar down the side of her face.  No one seems to talk about it and even Theo doesn't seem to know what happened.  Having distanced herself from her friends, Theo begins obsessing over a mysterious boy at a coffee shop, the subject of her new project.  Breaking the first rule of documentary film making, she involves herself in her subject matter when she is unable to ignore Andy's sadness any longer.  The two set out to find the mysterious Sarah, the love of Andy's life who never showed up to meet him.  As locating her becomes more and more difficult, Theo and Andy fear that something terrible may have happened and as the coincidences between Sarah and Theo's life compound, she begins to fear that she may be more involved than she ever expected. 

I was really surprised how many twists there were in this novel.  It was slow going at first, and I actually contemplated tossing it on the DNF pile as it seemed to be just another "search for the elusive 'perfect' girl leads boy to see what was right in front of him all along" story.  However, I'm very glad I didn't as this is definitely NOT that kind of story.  As more and more secrets are revealed we find that there is something far more sinister going on here and Theo is smack in the middle of it.  Along with her, we question what we are seeing and what the truth really is.  This leads to a very suspenseful and exciting conclusion and while some plot twists were easy to ascertain, it also held some genuine surprises.  

One place where this novel fell off was in characterization.  Theo was defined almost solely by The Night In Question and, by the end, there was a real question about how much of her personality was her own and how much was borrowed from somebody else.  Andy was harder to pin down.  At times he seemed like a typical lovesick teenager and at other times he became something darker, and more sinister.  The minor cast featured Theo's mother, stepfather, and her friends Lou and Max.  They were less interesting and mostly served as Theo's sounding board.

Bottom Line: The Girl With The Wrong Name is a suspenseful thriller that will appeal to any mystery fan. 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 15 and up
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Rape, Murder by fire, 
Inappropriate Language: Shit, Slut, Bitch, Fuck,
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage Drinking, Prescription Drug Abuse

Need by Joelle Charbonneau

Title: Need
Author: Joelle Charbonneau
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Release Date: Nov 3, 2015
Rating: 2/5

The Gist: "No one gets something for nothing. We all should know better."

Teenagers at Wisconsin's Nottawa High School are drawn deeper into a social networking site that promises to grant their every need . . . regardless of the consequences. Soon the site turns sinister, with simple pranks escalating to malicious crimes. The body count rises. In this chilling YA thriller, the author of the best-selling Testing trilogy examines not only the dark side of social media, but the dark side of human nature.

Review: 

 

Need is a website that promised Nottawa High School students their heart's desire in exchange for completing the tasks that it sets forth.  At first, this involves sending invites to other students, then a simple task like delivering a box of cookies.  Very quickly, however, things turn sinister as these tasks lead to the very real deaths of students and adults and Kaylee must find out who is behind the website, before it frames her for murder.

 

Need has an interesting premise, but it is based in a couple of unrealistic assumptions:

 

1) Teenagers are selfish idiots who are willing to do anything to get what they want, regardless of the consequences.  In order for Need to work, the students have to be willing to complete tasks.  That they would do this is somewhat believable when the payoff outweighs the cost.  However, once they are able to see that these seemingly inconsequential tasks are actually leading to the death of other people, it is just not realistic to expect that they would continue.  IF this plotline had lasted a little longer, with the kids completing assignments that didn't REALLY hurt anyone and got them what they wanted, it would have been a much more enjoyable plot

 

2) Adults and people in positions of authority never believe students.  Kaylee's mother gives her NO credit and believes she is making up everything.  I get it, she has a history, but you can't tell me that none of the other kids tell their parents and none of those parents believe them either.  Also, a website leaves footprints, even when it is taken down for a short time.  There would be a way to trace it back.  Finally, there is no way that police would not investigate claims of a website setting up murders, especially when MULTIPLE people have died and MULTIPLE kids are telling them the website exists. 

 

Need just wasn't realistic in its treatment of teenagers.  One thing that bothered me to no end is that the kids seem to have no idea how to take screenshots.  I would expect every kid over the age of 10 knows how to take screenshots.

 

There was also a problem of too many narrators.  We changed POV constantly and most of the characters just didn't have unique enough voices for this approach.  I found myself constantly trying to figure out which character I was following - is this the one who wants the concert tickets, or the one with the over-protective parents, and was that the same love interest the last guy was talking about or is that someone completely different? - it was exhausting.  While the plot was suspenseful, the multiple narrators kept removing me from the plot and the ending was just silly.    

The Last Ever After by Soman Chainani

Title: The Last Ever After
Author: Soman Chainani
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: July 21, 2015
Rating: 5/5

The Gist:
In the epic conclusion to Soman Chainani’s New York Times bestselling series, The School for Good and Evil, everything old is new again as Sophie and Agatha fight the past as well as the present to find the perfect end to their story.

As A World Without Princes closed, the end was written and former best friends Sophie and Agatha went their separate ways. Agatha was whisked back to Gavaldon with Tedros and Sophie stayed behind with the beautiful young School Master.

But as they settle into their new lives, their story begs to be re-written, and this time, theirs isn’t the only one. With the girls apart, Evil has taken over and the villains of the past have come back to change their tales and turn the world of Good and Evil upside down.

Readers around the world are eagerly awaiting the third book in The School for Good and Evil series, The Last Ever After. This extraordinary conclusion delivers more action, adventure, laughter, romance and fairy tale twists and turns than you could ever dream of! 

 

Review: 

I have adored this series from the very first book.  The world is lush and detailed with classic fairy tale characters who pop up unexpectedly and add an extra layer of whimsy.  It is also a world that can be dark and scary and where there are real consequences (ie. characters dying) that you don't often find in middle grade novels.  I really just want more of this series and would probably do unspeakable things in order to get a spin off featuring Hester, Anadil, and Dot.

In The Last Ever After, Sophie, Agatha, and Tedros must find a way to win their Happily Ever After and close their storybook for good.  While Agatha and Tedros try to find a way to be happy with one another, Sophie struggles to decide between fighting for Tedros, the boy who may never love her, and Rafel, the evil school master who claims that he always will.  Ultimately though, it is a story of two friends.  Sophie and Agatha must choose a world where they each find love, or a world where they find each other. 

The one detriment to this series, in my eyes, has been Tedros.  At the beginning of this novel he continues to be spoiled and insufferable.  However, there is a great deal of growth for him in these pages and, by the end, he is at least tolerable.  Sophie and Agatha continue to be wonderful, complex, and well-rounded characters.  Each is equal in this fairy tale, with their own desires and insecurities.  We also get to meet a plethora of classic fairy tale characters in this book, both heros and villains.  I won't say WHO because Spoilers, but I loved seeing how their lives ended up after their Happily Ever After and the role that they still played in this world. 

I loved seeing the school under the Rafel's control.  In each book it has taken a physical transformation as the management has changed and this is the darkest theme yet.  With the School for New and the School for Old we see Evers and Nevers learning evil side by side, or suffering the consequences.  I did miss some of the humor of the previous books that came from seeing the students interacting in the schools and in classes but I was quite glad to see the coven at work again - though, as I said, it will just never be enough for my taste!

There is no shortage of excitement in The Last Ever After.  We have some terrifying villains, some great twists and turns and there was not any point where I really felt I knew how this plot was going to turn out.  We finally get answers to the great mysteries of this series and the threads hiding just below the surface that tie past and present together and teach our characters more about themselves than they ever expected.  This allows for some fantastic character development and lends to the theme of Old and New that runs through this final book. 

The ending is satisfying and heartwarming, despite the very real loss that occurs in this book.  It is one of those conclusions that leaves the reader thinking about those characters and where life might take them, long after the book has been closed.  Thank you Soman Chainani for such a rich and wonderful series.  Now, what's next?! 

Bottom Line: A fantastic conclusion to a fantastic series. 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 10 and up
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Swordplay, Death by Axe
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon - The Debrief

What I Learned:

1) My children suck.  Well, not really, but they do make reading REALLY HARD.  Since the Husband is away, all the needs of the Heir and the Spare fall to me.  And boy, were they ever needy.  The Heir was constantly complaining about food and toys and the Spare decided it was the perfect day to rebel against all naps.

2) Choose shorter books.  I started with Uprooted by Naomi Novik because it has been on my TBR list for the longest and I was really excited to read it.  BUT it is over 400 pages and I started to get discouraged when I saw other people posting that they had finished one or two books already before I was even halfway through.  Next time, I will check page counts before compiling my list so that I can feel like I accomplished more. 

3) Choose different books.  I saw lots of people reading graphic novels like Nimona and I think next time I will take the readathon as an opportunity to add a little spice to my reading life with something that doesn't make up the bulk of my normal reading (YA, Fiction).

4) Buy books.  I read a lot of ebooks, mostly because that is the format I usually get review copies and it is just so damn convenient to carry an entire library in my purse.  BUT there is something so satisfying about closing the cover on a physical copy or just in being able to see how far you have gotten.  I also think, since I normally purchase ebooks, it would be nice to make the readathon extra special by buying books that will sit on my shelf and remind me of that great day.

5) Plan better food.  I came to the readathon late (I found out about it just a couple days ago) so I didn't take as much time as I could in planning meals and snacks.  Around lunchtime I found myself distracted from my book thinking about what to feed my children that would take the least amount of time.  I usually meal plan dinner, but I ended up throwing the plan out the window and went to pick up a pizza (which the heir didn't mind at all!)

All in all, it was a really fun experience.  I loved interacting with people on Twitter and completing some of the challenges.  I can't wait for the next one in April and I REALLY hope that the Husband is home then so I can do a better job of ignoring my children! 

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon - Closing Survey

Which hour was most daunting for you?

Hour 14.  Since I have kids who rise at the crack of dawn and my husband is away, I had to pack it in to get some sleep

Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

I saw someone reading The Thirteenth Tale.  It is a great mystery and the way the narrator talks about books will really speak to the type of person who would participate in a readathon

Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

Maybe provide some Gifs and Banners to add to our own blog posts.  And I think it would be great if we had a way to connect people who will be reading the same books.  Perhaps through Goodreads?  That way we could be reading/discussing at the same time - like the ultimate book club!

What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?

The twitter presence was so much fun and I loved having lots of challenges across many social media platforms.

How many books did you read?

Just one, over 400 pages

What were the names of the books you read?

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?

Very!

And my own question:

What would you, personally, change next time?

I think my biggest challenge was the fact that I was single parenting.  I tried to involve the kids, but they are too young for any sustained reading time and it seemed like they were EXTRA NEEDY.  I'm really hoping the Husband will be home for the next one so I can hide away with my books.

I also think I will buy physical copies of the books I plan to read.  I usually buy ebooks and I think spending the extra money to have physical copies will make it a little more special and every time I look at the book on my shelf I will remember the readathon

I also need to plan snacks better.  I found out about the Readathon a little late and didn't get to the snack side of things but now I can see how important they are!  I usually do meal planning for the week, but I ended up scrapping the dinner plan yesterday and just ordered pizza because I didn't want to take time out to cook.  

Readathon: Mid-Event Survey:

Mid-Event Survey:

1. What are you reading right now?

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

2. How many books have you read so far?

Still working on the one - my children have taken more than their fair share of my time today.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall by Katie Alender.  I love Alender's books and saved this one as a spooky October read

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

So. Many. Interruptions.  The Heir kept coming to me with demands (usually for food) and the Spare decided that naps just weren't for him today.  

5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

How much I would love for my husband to be here so that I could pawn the children off on him and go hide with my book.

Readathon Mini Challenge: Cover Escape!

Readathon Mini Challenge: Cover Escape!

The Challenge

Dig through your shelves and share with us a book cover you'd like to escape into! Doesn't matter if the subject, plot, or genre isn't typically your thing; in this case, we're totally judging the book by its cover!

 

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is probably the first book I ever really escaped into.  I always loved this amazing world that C.S. Lewis had created and I re-read this book at least once a year. 

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon - Introductory Meme

In an effort to help you get squared away before GO TIME! here is the Introductory Meme for you to fill out if you wish! Post to your blog (and link up below!), here in the comments, or wherever else you may be participating!

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? 

Nova Scotia, Canada
 
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

Uprooted by Naomi Novik - It has been on my TBR list for ages and I have been waiting for the "RIGHT" time.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

CHEESECAKE! Homemade and chocolate!

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

I am a military wife who is single parenting right now.  I have two boys, ages 4 and 10 months who are going to make this day a challenge for me (one is currently complaining about food and the other is begging to be picked up, COME ON NAP TIME!)
 
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

It is my first read-a-thon.  I am most looking forward to connecting with others while they are reading.

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon: The Plan

I am going to attempt Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon for the first time.  If you don't know about it, this is a twice annual event where participants pledge to do their best to read for 24 hours.  There is an online communal component with cheerleaders, games and prizes.

THE CHALLENGES:

1) I have children.
2) The Husband is on the other side of the world right now
3) Due to the combination of #1 and 2, I tend to fall comatose at about 10pm each night

THE PLAN:

1) Involve the children.  Or at least the Heir (he's 4 now).  On Saturday morning, I'm going to take him book "shopping" on the bookshelf where I keep the special children's books (which is basically anything that I don't want him to tear to shreds) and have him pick out some books that we can read together.  Also, I always read a book to the Spare before bed, but I am going to add in a book before each nap as well.

2) Ignore the children.  As I mentioned, the Spare still takes two naps during the day.  That gives me a considerable chunk of time in which I can read uninterrupted, that is, if it wasn't for the Heir.  Since I realize his "reading" time will mostly be me reading to him, in order to get any reading time to myself I am going to have to take drastic measures.  That means unlimited tablet time (gasp!) and so much kids Netflix that I will be singing the Rescue Bots theme song in my sleep.

3) Quit when I have to.  I honestly don't know how I'm going to pull off the late night portion of this event.  I figure I can probably make it to 11 or 12, but by then I'm going to have to give up in order to prepare for the Spare's 6am wakeup time.  BUT because of the time change here, that means I will still have around 3 hours until the end of the challenge! So I'm going to try and squeeze in some last minute, early morning, reading time to end off on a strong note.

THE LIST:

I decided to compile a list of possible books for reading and then see how I feel about each choice when the time comes to pick it up.  So far, here is the list I have compiled:

I didn't really want to chose ARCs that I have for review since I like to write my reviews RIGHT AFTER finishing and then I wouldn't be able to just move onto the next book, which sort of ruins the spirit of the readathon.  So I chose books that have been on my TBR list and I just haven't gotten to them yet.


Anyone else participating? Do you have a plan of attack?  Any books I should add to my list?

We'll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean

Title: We'll Never Be Apart
Author: Emiko Jean
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Release Date: Oct 6, 2015
Rating: 2/5

The Gist:  

Murder.

Fire.

Revenge.

That’s all seventeen-year-old Alice Monroe thinks about. Committed to a mental ward at Savage Isle, Alice is haunted by memories of the fire that killed her boyfriend, Jason. A blaze her twin sister Cellie set. But when Chase, a mysterious, charismatic patient, agrees to help her seek vengeance, Alice begins to rethink everything. Writing out the story of her troubled past in a journal, she must confront hidden truths.

Is the one person she trusts only telling her half the story? Nothing is as it seems in this edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller from the debut author Emiko Jean.

Review: 

Ok, non-spoilery part first:  Alice wakes in the mental ward; a place that is not unfamiliar to her.  She learns that the fire that burnt her also killed her boyfriend and that she is being charged.  She knows that it is her sister, Cellie, that set the fire and that she must be in the D wing, the only part of the hospital that Alice does not have access to.  She also knows that the only way to be free of Cellie's madness is to kill her.  She seeks out the aid of another patient, one who seems to know how to acquire the things she needs, and is cute to boot.  As she seeks out her sister and unravels her past, Alice comes to know far more than she ever realized about who Cellie is, and who that makes her.

The characters are interesting and there is a spark between Alice and Chase that is fun to watch.  The side characters are rather one dimensional (Alice's roommate is constantly described based on two things that she said on Alice's first day) and the Doctor has no personality whatsoever.  The narrative alternatives through the present and the past, using Alice's journals to tell the story of her, Cellie and Jason and how their lives brought them together and, eventually, into the hands of the law.  The story in the past is far more compelling than the present as the three bounce from foster home to foster home (some horrible, some tolerable, none "home") and how Cellie and Jason seem to have a dark connection to violence and fire.

The plot moves at a steady pace and does not lag in any particular areas.  HOWEVER, nearly all of this is completely negated by one, glaring, mistake:

SPOILERS AHEAD:






I FEEL LIKE I HAVE READ THIS BOOK A HUNDRED TIMES.  If you didn't guess it from the first few pages, or even the synopsis: Cellie doesn't exist.  Yes folks, we have another "my violent twin sister is actually my alternative personality and I have NO FREAKING IDEA" plot twist.  I spent the entire book just hoping beyond hope that I was wrong.  Because I actually liked the rest of the story, I didn't want Jean to have gone down the SAME road as so many authors.  In fact, this is my third time this year writing a rant like this about the exact same plot! Come on! Give your readers some credit.  And publishers, give me a break.  There is no way that YOU haven't read this same plot before.  Stop publishing this crap and expecting readers to just forget that they have seen this time and time again. 

Bottom Line: Been done.  Don't bother.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 15 and up
Sex: Kissing, Sex between teenagers
Violence: Arson, Child Abuse, Animal Abuse
Inappropriate Language: Asshole, Cocksucker, Snatch, Bitch, Dick, Christ
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage Drinking, Marijuana Use

A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis

Title: A Madness So Discreet
Author: Mindy McGinnis
Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books
Release Date: Oct 6, 2015
Rating: 3/5

The Gist: Grace Mae knows madness.

She keeps it locked away, along with her voice, trapped deep inside a brilliant mind that cannot forget horrific family secrets. Those secrets, along with the bulge in her belly, land her in a Boston insane asylum.

When her voice returns in a burst of violence, Grace is banished to the dark cellars, where her mind is discovered by a visiting doctor who dabbles in the new study of criminal psychology. With her keen eyes and sharp memory, Grace will make the perfect assistant at crime scenes. Escaping from Boston to the safety of an ethical Ohio asylum, Grace finds friendship and hope, hints of a life she should have had. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who stalks young women. Grace, continuing to operate under the cloak of madness, must hunt a murderer while she confronts the demons in her own past.

Review: 
Grace Mae, pregnant and broken, has been locked away in an asylum by the family that is supposed to love and protect her, but which has done neither.  She endures the abuse and neglect of the asylum until she meets Dr. Thornhollow, who performs surgery on the more violent offenders.  She concocts a scheme which will allow her to escape both the asylum and her family and which leaves her in the care of the doctor as his assistant.  Under his tutelage, she begins to learn the science of profiling and seeking out murderers.  As they get closer and closer to the serial killer they are trailing, Grace's past comes back with a vengeance and she creates a trap to punish her abuser, and save all those who might become his victims. 

A Madness So Discreet explores the emerging science of profiling.  Dr. Thornhollow and Grace study crime scenes in order to create a picture of the murderer and narrow down the pool of suspects until they are able to locate their prey.  Unfortunately, this meant Grace received regular "lessons" in which Dr. Thornhollow droned on about profiling.  If this is new information for the reader, it would be interesting.  However, I feel like profiling has become such a big plot point for so many movies and TV shows now that all of this information seems like something everyone knows already; that murderers like to revisit the crime scene, that they are often impotent, that they have overbearing mothers etc.  Since I was pretty familiar with all of this, these scenes were rather tedious and slowed down the plot.

The plot is can really be broken into three parts: the Boston Asylum, Grace's Instruction, and Grace's Revenge.  The first section is a great read, but is full of triggers.  The treatment of patients in the asylum is deplorable and, as a mother, I found certain scenes very difficult to get through.  However, this sets the tone for a very creepy novel about madness and the treatment of the insane, but that is not the book that we get.    Once she escapes, the tone changes completely and the plot slows considerably as Dr. Thornhollow teaches Grace the basics of profiling and she acclimates to her new hospital.  Things become interesting again in the final part as we start to see a whole new side of Grace.  By this point, she has received enough instruction to be able to operate capably on her own and has finally begun to take control of her own life.  This makes her a much more interesting character.  At this point, the plot moves much more quickly and we get to see just how devious, and forward thinking, Grace can be. 

The novel was hit and miss when it came to the characters.  Some, like Grace, were interesting and well developed while others, like Dr. Thornhollow and his sister were flat and unbelievable.  Thankfully, there were no romantic elements as would often be expected in this type of novel and I was quite glad that the only part of Grace's body that the doctor seemed interested in was her mind.  There are also characters that, while enjoyable, did deplorable things that were applauded.  Overall, there was a theme of women gaining revenge against the men who wronged them, however they often did it in ways that I simply couldn't stomach.     

Bottom Line: Solidly in the "Meh" category.  It wasn't bad, but there wasn't anything that I LOVED about it. 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 15 and up
Sex: None
Violence: Sexual Abuse, Abuse of a patient, Murder
Inappropriate Language: Bitch, Bastard, Whore
Substance Use/Abuse: Smoking

The Rest Of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

Title: The Rest of Us Just Live Here
Author: Patrick Ness
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: Oct 6, 2015
Rating: 4/5

The Gist: What if you aren’t the Chosen One?

The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?

What if you’re like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

Even if your best friend is worshiped by mountain lions.

Review: 

 

Mikey is a completely normal guy; at least he seems to think so.  In his world you are a normal, or an Indie.  The Indies are the chosen ones.  When the world comes crashing down and aliens invade or vampires take over the school, it is the Indies who save the day.  It is also the Indies who die, a lot.  Mikey and his friends are just trying to get to graduation.  To get into good colleges far away from their home town and leave the messy parts of their lives behind.  However, Mikey suffers from anxiety and OCD, things that got really bad during his mother's last campaign and after his sister nearly died from and eating disorder.  He thinks he has things under control but when mysterious blue lights start showing up in town and Indie kids start disappearing he fears the worst - another end-of-the-world showdown and he and his friends may not escape this time.  

 

The worldbuilding here is wonderful.  Through the chapter titles we are told a parallel tale of the fight between Satchel, an Indie kid, and The Immortals, strange beings bent on taking over the world, one host at a time.  

"Chapter the Second, in which indie kid Satchel writes a poem, and her mom and dad giver her loving space to just feel what she needs to; then an indie kid called Dylan arrives at her house, terrified, to say a mysterious glowing girl has informed him of the death of indie kid Finn; Satchel and Dylan comfort each other, platonically."

 

There are also mentions throughout the text of things like 'that time the kids were all dying beautifully of cancer' or how Indie kids never seem to use the Internet and are always flipping through the card catalogue.  The only complaint that I have is that I wanted MORE!  Intense break up scenes in the restaurant every night, a new kid moving in once a week and falling in insta-love with the least likely person, wildly inappropriate declarations of love in public places, groups of teens obsessively waiting on the next big trend and arguing the merits of vampires vs werewolves vs zombies.    

 

Against this backdrop, we have the quirky, but fairly normal story of Mikey and his friends as they just try to survive the latests attack and figure out where they stand with each other as the prepare to separate for the first time.  Mike not only has to deal with his feelings for Henna, but also the arrival of a strange new kid who seems to have divided her attention.  While Mike is certainly not the kid of character we LOVE, he is the kid of character we root for and he is real.  One of my favorite parts of the novel was the exploration of Mikey's anxiety and OCD.  He speaks about getting stuck in loops, doing something over and over again until he gets it 'right' (even though even he can't say what 'right' is).  He also talks about how scared he is and how going back on medication feels like a failure.  There are far too few novels that show the reality behind mental illness and that it is not just something that can be worked through by the end of the book.  Mikey is really afraid of his illness and what it might cause him to do and he talks about it, he seeks help and he makes steps towards getting better. 

The romance between Mike and Henna is sweet, but where this book really shines is in the group dynamics. They are such a great cast of characters and they mesh so well together than they make me wish I had friends like that in high school (albeit I could skip the whole apocalypse every couple of years part).  I do wish that we had alternating narrators between the four main characters as I would have loved to see their take on this world as allow for the female characters to be fleshed out a little more as they did tend to fall a little flat compared to Mike and Jared.

Bottom Line: The Rest of Us Just Live Here has a fantastic premise and executes it fairly well.  The story it tells is not the exciting I-Saved-The-World story, but it is an interesting and important one.  Here's hoping little sister Meredith has her own story to tell in another book. 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 15 and up
Sex: Kissing, Sex between teens (not described), talk of masturbation
Violence: Car crash
Inappropriate Language: Dick, Pissed, Bastard, Shit, Fuck
Substance Use/Abuse: Smoking, Underage Drinking

September Round-Up and First Lines.

 

September was a bit of a rocky month, reading wise.  My husband left for an extended deployment and that left me taking care of my 4 year old and 9 month old without any help from family (since none lives nearby).  While that leaves me lots of time for reading in the evenings, sometimes the loneliness is more than I can take and I need to invite friends over (or at least turn on the tv so that I can hear another person's voice).  There is also the never ending battle with the Heir about bedtime and is ever growing list of "Just One Thing"s that he uses to delay my favorite part of the day - when he is asleep!

I did manage to fit in 6 books (and The Witch's Daughter was super long so that has got to count for 2); one phenomenal, and a few "meh". 

The first words you read can often set the tone for the entire story.  I thought it would be fun to keep track of the first lines of the books I read each month and share them with you.  Below are the first lines for all the books I read in September.

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

"All the best things in my life have started with a Dolly Parton song."

This was my favorite first line this month.  It just tells so much about the character in that one little line.  This was also my favorite read for the month.  I know it is super hyped right now, but if you haven't yet given this one a shot, do.  It is a great story with fantastic characters and shares a very important message, that everyone is beautiful and that everyone struggles with insecurities.  

The Suffering by Rin Chupeco
"I'm no hero, believe me."

A solid opening, if a little boring.  The Suffering is an awesome read for October, in fact I really wish it has been released next month instead of this one.  Incredibly creepy but with a bit of heart.

The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore
"The feathers were Lace's first warning."

Interesting first line but not as compelling as I had hoped.  That goes for the rest of the book as well.  Good, but not great.  Disappointing for someone who is as big a fan of magical realism as I am.

The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston
"Bess ran."

B-O-R-I-N-G.  Worst first line of the month.  The book wasn't as bad, but for a character who had been around for hundreds of years it sure took Bess a long time to figure out the obvious. 

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
"On the day we're the last people to see indie kid Finn alive, we're all sprawled together in the Field, talking about love and stomachs."

Runner up for best line.  Loved the concept of this book, I just wanted MORE.  Even though living in a world of heroes was interesting, it didn't really impact the plot and, if it weren't for that gimmick, I'm not sure I would have bothered to read the book.

A Madness so Discreet by Mindy McGinnis
"They all had their terrors."

This book had a lot of potential but the lackluster characters just couldn't pull it off.  Trigger warning on this one - the first few scenes in the Boston asylum are pretty disturbing.

UP NEXT:

In October I have review copies of:

We'll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean
The Devil and Winnie Flynn by Micol Ostow
Walk on Earth A Stranger by Rae Carson (a leftover from Sept)

I am also looking forward to the releases of:

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
The Rose Society by Marie Lu
Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink

And I am really hoping to fit in a few books that I missed out on this summer:

Uprooted by Naomi Novik
The Last Ever After by Soman Chainani
Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

We are expecting some serious storm weather over the next couple days so I am hoping to jump start my October list on those dark, rainy nights.

That's it from me this month.  What titles are you looking forward to? 

The Weight of Feathers by Anne-Marie McLemore

Title: The Weight Of Feathers
Author: Anne-Marie McLemore
Publisher: Thomas Dunne
Release Date: Sept 15, 2015
Rating: 3/5

The Gist: For twenty years, the Palomas and the Corbeaus have been rivals and enemies, locked in an escalating feud for over a generation. Both families make their living as traveling performers in competing shows—the Palomas swimming in mermaid exhibitions, the Corbeaus, former tightrope walkers, performing in the tallest trees they can find.

Lace Paloma may be new to her family’s show, but she knows as well as anyone that the Corbeaus are pure magia negra, black magic from the devil himself. Simply touching one could mean death, and she's been taught from birth to keep away. But when disaster strikes the small town where both families are performing, it’s a Corbeau boy, Cluck, who saves Lace’s life. And his touch immerses her in the world of the Corbeaus, where falling for him could turn his own family against him, and one misstep can be just as dangerous on the ground as it is in the trees.

Review:  

Cluck and Lace come from performing families that have been feuding for longer than either of them have been alive.  Each holds a touch of magic and a fear and hatred towards the other.  The families each carry with them a list of crimes committed by the other tracing back to a mysterious flood that took a member from each side.  The fued has been going on for so long that the younger generation doesn't appear to have any idea what it stems from, they simply continue to perpetrate crimes against each other as taught by their elders.  

 

In the middle are Cluck and Lace.  An unfortunate accident throws them together, though neither knows the background of the other, and they are forced to confront generations of hatred and misinformation.  As their love for one another grows, they seek out the truth behind the flood and an end to the violence.  

 

The magical families and their history was the most fascinating part about The Weight of Feathers.  Each family creates an air of mystery during their performances, but still take great pains to hide those things that are truly magical about them.  While the Paloma's dance in the water, the Corbeau's dance in the trees, each building fears and superstitions regarding the realm of the other.  Throughout the novel, we piece together parts of history to create a narrative them speaks of terrible tragedy and disasterous decisions. 

 

While the families themselves created an enthralling universe, unfortunately, the main characters did not.  Cluck and Lace had no real sense of chemistry and nothing in common.  Despite Cluck claiming passion and excitement at Lace's mere touch, it did not come across on the page.  I was interested in the mystery of them, in the mystery of their families and in what the future would bring for them, I just couldn't root for them as a romantic couple.

 

The plot is a slow and steady burn towards the truth which culminates in the families having to face the reality of their circumstances, however, nothing really seems to change for anyone other than Cluck and Lace.  I really did LIKE this book but, while the writing was lovely and the magical elements were wonderful, there was simply too much riding on a lackluster romance for me to love it.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 15 and up
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Fist Fighting, Familial abuse
Inappropriate Language: Bitch
Substance Use/Abuse: None

The Suffering by Rin Chupeco

Title: The Suffering
Author: Rin Chupeco
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Release Date: Sept 8, 2015
Rating: 5/5

The Gist: It’s been two years since Tark Halloway’s nightmare ended. Free from the evil spirit that haunted him all his life, he now aids the ghostly Okiku and avenges the souls of innocent children by hunting down their murderers. But when Okiku becomes responsible for a death at his high school, Tark begins to wonder if they’re no better than the killers they seek out.

When an old friend disappears in Aokigahara, Japan’s infamous ‘suicide forest’, both must resolve their differences and return to that country of secrets to find her.

Because there is a strange village inside Aokigahara, a village people claim does not exist. A village where strange things lie waiting.

A village with old ghosts and an ancient evil – one that may be stronger than even Okiku…

Review:

We rejoin Tark and Okiku two years after the events of The Girl From The Well.  The pair are still hunting for spirits and chasing down murderers.  Their relationship has grown into something even closer than friendship but that means that Tark doesn't have much of a social life either.  Okiku has agreed to hunt by his rules, until she decides to prevent a murder rather than punishing one.  This leads Tark to question whether they are the good guys after all.

When I saw this title come up for review I clicked right away and didn't even read the synopsis.  As such, I had no idea that it was going to be about Aokigahara - Japan's "Suicide Forest".  That fact alone sets us up for some serious terror.  If you haven't heard of this place go ahead, google.  I'll wait.

Done? Right, so just the name gives me the shivers and I don't think I would ever be one of those brave souls willing to enter.  Of course when their old friend, Kagura, goes missing, Tark has no other choice but to walk into one of the most haunted places on the planet.  To make matter worse, the spirits in the forest are connected with Earth, which has a serious advantage over Okiku's water based ones.  Tark has to take on a much stronger role in order to compensate for the fact that Okiku is often out of commission.  

Inside the forest we find the mysterious lost village.  Something dark and horrifying has happened to the residents of the town and one man's greed has led to some of the most terrifying ghosts that Tark has ever encountered.  The story itself is very fast paced and creepy in a way that will definitely appeal to horror fans, especially those who love the Japanese take on the genre.  There are terrifying ghosts, heart-pounding scenes, and a mystery which all add up to a read that you won't want to put down (unless it gets dark out and you are home alone and you can't take it anymore - I mean, I wouldn't know anything about that......)

The Suffering also holds an underlying thread of love and friendship.  In the years since the events of the first book, Tark and Okiku have grown closer and have built a life together.  Through the ending of this novel, we get to see just how dedicated Tark is to their relationship and just how far he will go to maintain their connection.  It really develops the characters and their relationship and gives me high hopes for their being another book in this series as I am just not ready to let them go yet!    

Bottom Line: I liked it even better than the first.  Give me more!

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 13 and up
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Fist fighting, Ghost attacks - sometimes bloody, 
Inappropriate Language: Asshole, Bitch, Whore, Shit, Bastard, 
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage drinking

Great For Readers Who Loved:

Interview with Julie Murphy and a chance to win one of three copies of Dumplin'!

What's that?  You've read and loved Dumplin'?  Or you heard about it and want to see what the hype is about?  Or maybe you just love free stuff and would kill to have your very own copy of Dumplin?

Well seek no further.  Over on Young Adult Books Central, you can check out my interview with Julie Murphy AND have a chance to win one of three copies of Dumplin that we are giving away.

Check out my interview HERE!

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

Title: Dumplin'
Author: Julie Murphy
Publisher: Balzar and Bray
Release Date: Sept 15th
Rating: 5/5

The Gist: Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine— Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

Review:

Dumplin' is one of those books where I feel woefully unqualified to write a review.  How can I possibly do justice to the brilliant, sweet, heart-wrenching and, ultimately, triumphant book that is Dumplin?  Julie Murphy has created a cast of characters that are so real and well-developed that I often felt they could walk right off the page.  Every character is shown as being multi-faceted.  Ever. Single. One.  I loved watching their hidden sides emerge alongside Willowdean, especially the girls who joined the pageant with her.  Aunt Lucy plays a fantastic role, even though she has passed on before the events of the book, and it is heartbreaking to watch Will struggle to find her place in the world without Aunt Lucy in her corner.  This plays into the incredibly realistic relationship that she has with her mother, and while it is clear that they love each other, neither seems to quite understand the other. 

Willowdean herself has a tough and confident exterior, but the author does a phenomenal job of showing how even girls that appear to have it all together can have crippling insecurities.  Throughout the novel we watch Will as she fights her own demons and struggles against the messages that the world is constantly pushing at her; that she isn't good enough, that she should be ashamed of her body, that someone her size doesn't deserve happiness.  Sometimes she falters, which makes this novel all the more relatable, but she gets back up again and comes out stronger than before. 

Dumplin' features a not-so-typical romance between Will and Bo - the last guy she ever expected to be interested in her.  There is a touch of a triangle, as another suitor tries to garner her affection, but it never actually ventures into the been-there-read-that territory of the literary trope.  The reader is never quite sure of Bo's intentions and, for most of the novel, we get wrapped up in the mystery of him right alongside Willowdean.  It is heartbreaking to watch (but oh so relatable) as Will stiffens at his touch and wonders if she is good enough or if he is being honest. 

Dumplin' is not just a story about a self-proclaimed fat girl finding her place in the spotlight.  It runs deeper than that.  Through Willowdean's internal struggle and the revelations of the other girls in the pageant, we see how everyone suffers with insecurities, no matter their shape or size.  The overwhelming message, however, is that we not allow the internal monologue of "not good enough" to hold you back from wonderful and important life experiences.

Bottom Line: Dumplin is a book that I would recommend to anyone and especially one that all teenagers should read.  It now sits on a special shelf in my classroom (at least it would if it wasn't being read so often!)

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age:13 and up
Sex: Kissing, Discussion of sex between teens (not described)
Violence: Fist Fighting
Inappropriate Language: Shit, Douche, Asshole, Fuck, Jesus Christ, Bitch, Dick, Whore
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage drinking

Notable Quotables:

"I sit down to eat and liberally spread salad dressing across my plate, because on the eighth day God created ranch dressing."

"It's not that I don't like new people.  It's just that, in general, I do not like new people."

The Shadow Behind The Stars by Rebecca Hahn

Title: The Shadow Behind The Stars
Author: Rebecca Hahn
Publisher: Atheneum Book for Young Readers
Release Date: Sept 1, 2015
Rating: 3/5

The Gist: Heed this warning, mortal: stay far away from the three sister Fates. For if they come to love you, they might bring about the end of the world…

Chloe is the youngest. Hers are the fingers that choose the wool, that shape the thread, that begin it. The sun smiles upon her. Men love her without knowing who she is. She has lived forever and will live forever more. She and her sisters have been on their isolated Greek island for centuries, longer than any mortal can remember. They spin, measure, and slice the countless golden threads of human life. They are the three Fates, and they have stayed separate for good reason: it is dangerous for them to become involved with the humans whose lives they shape.

So when a beautiful girl named Aglaia shows up on their doorstep, Chloe tries to make sure her sisters don’t become attached. But in seeking to protect them, Chloe discovers the dark power of Aglaia’s destiny. As her path unwinds, the three Fates find themselves pulled inextricably along—toward mortal pain, and mortal love, and a fate that could unravel the world.

Review: 

The Shadow Behind the Stars features the three fates of Greek mythology.  On a desolate island the sisters spin, measure, and cut, shaping the lives of humans they were sure to never meet.  Until Aglaia appears on their doorstep and forces them to once again engage with the human world.  While many books will feature encounters with the fates, this is the first time I have read one where they are the main characters.  I loved the concept and the humanization of such epic characters.  With only a handful of details written about the sisters in Greek mythology, it allows a wealth of opportunity to expand their story and imagine their world.  Hahn capitalizes on this in the best way possible, creating characters that are interesting and intricate with thousands of years of experience to motivate their actions. 

As with her previous book, A Creature of Moonlight, Hahn's writing is beautiful and haunting.  She keeps true to the spirit of the old Greek tales and also makes a nod to Shakespeare with the inevitability of death that features so prominently in Macbeth.  However, The Shadow Behind the Stars is not a particularly fast paced novel and does require a patient reader who can appreciate the beauty of the writing and forgive the sometimes slow crawl of the plot.

I loved this book almost all the way through, but it did take a downturn in the ending.  After the novel was over, nothing really seemed to have changed for the characters.  I don't think life after the story would have been all that different for the sisters if Aglaia had never shown up in the first place.  As such, I'm not sure what the point of the entire adventure was.

Bottom Line: The Shadow Behind the Stars is beautifully written and, despite some pacing and plot issues, will surely be a hit with readers who love Greek Mythology.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age:16 and up
Sex: None
Violence: Rape, Murder
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

A Curious Tale of the In-Between by Lauren DeStefano

Title: A Curious Tale of the In-Between
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: September 1, 2015
Rating: 4/5

The Gist: Pram Bellamy is special—she can talk to ghosts. She doesn’t have too many friends amongst the living, but that’s all right. She has her books, she has her aunts, and she has her best friend, the ghostly Felix.

Then Pram meets Clarence, a boy from school who has also lost a parent and is looking for answers. Together they arrive at the door of the mysterious Lady Savant, who promises to help. But this spiritualist knows the true nature of Pram’s power, and what she has planned is more terrifying than any ghost.
Review: 

I love a good first line and A Curious Tale of the In-Between certainly has it.

"Pram died just before she was born"

Is that not a great line to open a new series about a young girl who sees ghosts?  I haven't really loved anything of DeStefano's I have read up until this point but that first line pulled me right into this story.  The writing style continues in this fashion.  It is delightfully whimsical and perfect for a middle grade novel.

Pram is a wonderful new character.  She is curious and sweet but very cautious and will definitely appeal to young readers, especially those who might prefer the company of books to people (as I did as a child).  As an orphaned child raised by her spinster aunts, she questions her place in the world and begins searching for a trace of the father she never knew.  Pram is joined by Felix, the ghost boy who lives outside her home and has watched her grow up and Clarence, her first real, living friend.  Clarence is still reeling from the death of his mother.  He and Pram set out to find her ghost and, along the way, encounter Lady Savant, a medium who takes an unhealthy interest in Pram.  When she lures Pram away with promises of messages from her long dead mother and information on the father she has never known, the story takes a dark turn and Pram must push her powers to lengths she never dreamed of, or give them up forever. 

The first half of this novel is extremely charming, introducing us to Pram and her world.  I loved that she sees the ghosts not only of people but also animals and insects.  This small detail added a whimsical new layer to an old theme.  We are also treated to a sweet, age appropriate romance.  The second half of the novel is exciting and a little bit scary.  There are points where I really feared for Pram's well-being and a few surprises that I didn't see coming.  Lest you think this is just another straight-forward, middle grade novel, there is also a great deal of introspection as Pram sees exactly what motivated Lady Savant and proposes that even the villain of the story has more to her story.     

Bottom Line: A Curious Tale of the In-Between is a promising start to this new series.  I can't wait to read more about the little girl who talks to the dead. 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 10 and up
Sex: None
Violence: Murder by drowning, kidnapping
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

Secondhand Souls by Christopher Moore

Title: Secondhand Souls
Author: Christopher Moore
Publisher: Harper Collins
Release Date: August 25, 2014
Rating: 4/5

The Gist: In San Francisco, the souls of the dead are mysteriously disappearing—and you know that can't be good—in New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore's delightfully funny sequel to A Dirty Job.

Something really strange is happening in the City by the Bay. People are dying, but their souls are not being collected. Someone—or something—is stealing them and no one knows where they are going, or why, but it has something to do with that big orange bridge. Death Merchant Charlie Asher is just as flummoxed as everyone else. He's trapped in the body of a fourteen-inch-tall "meat" waiting for his Buddhist nun girlfriend, Audrey, to find him a suitable new body to play host.

To get to the bottom of this abomination, a motley crew of heroes will band together: the seven-foot-tall death merchant Minty Fresh; retired policeman turned bookseller Alphonse Rivera; the Emperor of San Francisco and his dogs, Bummer and Lazarus; and Lily, the former Goth girl. Now if only they can get little Sophie to stop babbling about the coming battle for the very soul of humankind...

Review:

I was so incredibly excited when I saw this book was up for review.  I am a big Christopher Moore fan and Dirty Job was the first of his books that I ever read (I fell completely in love after I discovered the cover glowed in the dark).  The story stayed with me and I always wondered whatever became of the little girl who was the big bad death.  Secondhand Souls picks up about a year after the first.  All has been quiet on the soul collecting front, Charlie remains stuck in the body Audrey created for him, Sophie continues to think he is dead and the death merchants persist in their trade - except when they don't.  As the forces of darkness rally behind a new leader, those on the side of good must once again pick up their sword-canes and fight for the the souls of San Fransisco.

Secondhand Souls has everything that makes Moore fans keep coming back: dark and dirty humor, madcap adventure and just a touch of depravity.  The plot was occasionally bogged down with diatribes about Buddhism and the state of the soul but otherwise moved quickly, especially once the main characters were brought back together.  There were unexpected twists and turns sprinkled liberally throughout the plot and I particularly enjoyed watching the Squirrel People reach further depths of creepydom. 

I was a little disappointed in how little there were of the things that made me giggle in the first book, namely, Sophie (and her potty mouth), the grandmothers (with personalities big, like bear) and the indestructible and irreplaceable Goggies.  I loved checking in on my favorite characters once more, but I wasn't all that interested in the newer characters.  The expanded cast made it difficult for any one or two characters to truly shine.  It also wasn't quite as funny as the first.  It was still humorous, but often left me smiling rather than guffawing as I had reading Dirty Job

Bottom Line: Secondhand Souls is a fun read and a great addition to the Christopher Moore library, though if you are a first time reader you might want to jump into Dirty Job or Lamb first. 

Daughter of Dusk by Livia Blackburne

Title: Daughter of Dusk
Author: Livia Blackburne
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: August 4, 2015
Rating: 3/5

The Gist: After learning the truth about her bloodlines, Kyra can’t help but feel like a monster.

Though she’s formed a tentative alliance with the Palace, Kyra must keep her identity a secret or risk being hunted like the rest of her Demon Rider kin. Tristam and the imprisoned assassin James are among the few who know about her heritage, but when Tristam reveals a heartbreaking secret of his own, Kyra’s not sure she can trust him. And with James’s fate in the hands of the palace, Kyra fears that he will give her away to save himself.

As tensions rise within Forge's Council, and vicious Demon Rider attacks continue in surrounding villages, Kyra knows she must do something to save her city. But she walks a dangerous line between opposing armies: will she be able to use her link to the Demon Riders for good, or will her Makvani blood prove to be deadly?

In this spellbinding sequel to Midnight Thief, Kyra and Tristam face their biggest battle yet as they grapple with changing allegiances, shocking deceit, and vengeful opponents.

Review: 

Daughter of Dusk picks up shortly after the events of Midnight Thief.  Kyra is working for the council and struggling to keep her birthright a secret.  In this second book, a former background character steps forward as the big baddie.  His aims go far beyond the destruction of the Makvani race and Kyra must discover his secrets before both sides suffer tragic losses. With one foot in both worlds, Kyra is the only one who can prevent a war and save those she cares about.  

I stopped and started Daughter of Dusk a couple of times as the beginning was quite slow.  There is a little too much political drama and too little action. Kyra spends a great deal of time contemplating whether or not she is a monster and has a difficult time coming to terms with who she is.  This is not necessarily a BAD thing as it makes for good character development, but I was pretty anxious to see her meld both sides of her heritage and kick some serious butt.  Things picked up at about the halfway point when circumstances demand that Kyra leave Forge and come out of hiding as half-human and half-Makvani.  During this time we also get to learn more about Kyra's family history and there are one or two interesting surprises.  

The characters are enjoyable and I was particularly happy that we got to see another side of Flick.  I was quite pleased that he never became a serious love interest and thrilled that he found his own match (can we get a story about them please?)  The romance between Kyra and Tristam continues to be teased as both realize their stations make a serious relationship impossible.  While I like these two characters together and we got to see a deeper side of Tristam as he struggles with his own prejudices towards the Makvani, I didn't feel a great deal of chemistry between them, so that part of the plot fell a little flat.  

Daughter of Dusk has a satisfactory end that leads me to believe it is the last in the series (at least the last that tells Kyra's story) but there are still stories to tell.  We may see these in novella form or in additional books set in this world, but concentrating on other characters - at least that is what I am hoping. 

Bottom Line: Daughter of Dusk is a solid second book in a series with potential for more. 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 13 and up
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Swordplay, Knifeplay, Violence towards a child
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

Pointe by Brandy Colbert

Title: Pointe
Author: Brandy Colbert
Publisher: Penguin
Release Date: April 10, 2014
Rating: 5/5

The Gist: Theo is better now.

She's eating again, dating guys who are almost appropriate, and well on her way to becoming an elite ballet dancer. But when her oldest friend, Donovan, returns home after spending four long years with his kidnapper, Theo starts reliving memories about his abduction—and his abductor.

Donovan isn't talking about what happened, and even though Theo knows she didn't do anything wrong, telling the truth would put everything she's been living for at risk. But keeping quiet might be worse.

Review:

Just after I read Pointe I had a family emergency that took me away from home for a few weeks.  As a result, this particular review got left by the wayside.  I normally write my reviews within a few days of finishing a book, and since several weeks have now passed, this will be a little different from most of my reviews.

 

First of all, I LOVED Pointe.  I am usually drawn to books that feature the darker side of ballet (a sort of gritty, behind the scenes look) and that is what I was hoping for in Pointe.  It is not what I got, but I wasn't actually disappointed.  Our main character, Theo is terribly broken.  She has suffered an eating disorder, the disappearance of her best friend and horrible guilt over her involvement.  She creates falsities that she convinces herself are true and makes terrible decisions.  When Donovan suddenly reappears, she is forced to confront her role in his disappearance and the awful circumstances that led to it.  There is a great deal of internal struggle as Theo tries to decide not only whether she will tell her side of the story but also come to terms with what happened to her as a child.  Looking back through more mature eyes, she is able to see things she never realized as a young girl and finally confront the past that has haunted her.

 

Pointe covers A LOT of ground.  We have a ballet competition, an eating disorder, a missing friend, rape, drugs, and a cheating boyfriend.  In the beginning, things are a little slow as the plot appears to concentrate mainly on Theo's burgeoning love interest, which is pretty boring.  Things pick up once we get into the meat of the story and we learn more and more about what happened to Theo and Donovan.  Through flashbacks we learn more about the circumstances of the disappearance.  Theo doesn't seem to have any idea how horrific this thing that happened to her is and we watch in silent horror and pity ans she self destructs under the weight of her story.  The plot continues at a slow burn until the climax.  

Bottom Line: I loved the pacing and character development in Pointe and will definitely be picking up Brandy Colbert's next book.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 16 and up
Sex:  Sex between teens
Violence:  Kidnapping
Inappropriate Language: Asshole, Pussy, Shit, Bitch, Fuck
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage Drinking, Smoking, Marijuana Use

Other Issues: Stuatory Rape

A History of Glitter and Blood by Hannah Moskowitz

Title: A History of Glitter and Blood
Author: Hannah Moskowitz
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Release Date: August 4th
Rating: 3/5

Cover Impressions: Meh. Moskowitz has had much better.

The Gist: Sixteen-year-old Beckan and her friends are the only fairies brave enough to stay in Ferrum when war breaks out. Now there is tension between the immortal fairies, the subterranean gnomes, and the mysterious tightropers who arrived to liberate the fairies.

But when Beckan's clan is forced to venture into the gnome underworld to survive, they find themselves tentatively forming unlikely friendships and making sacrifices they couldn't have imagined. As danger mounts, Beckan finds herself caught between her loyalty to her friends, her desire for peace, and a love she never expected.

Review:

I have a love/hate relationship with Hannah Moskowitz.  I love her creative settings, enthralling characters and well paced plots.  I hate how very, very, very, dark her books are.  A History of Glitter and Blood was no exception.

The reader was treated to a book in progress.  Scrap writes about events as they unfold, with a back and forth between before Cricket's death and after.  The tenses change to differentiate between the two and helps keep the reader on track.  The idea of reading the events as they happen gives a unique sense of suspense as we are never quite sure where the story will go or if it will end abruptly.  It also adds an interesting element as Scrap is clearly not the most reliable of story tellers.  He self-edits as he goes, leaving chastising notes for himself and also writes about events for which he clearly could not have been present.  The text itself is sprinkled with additional elements like pictures and pasted in parts from other books.  This adds beautiful visual interest and my only complaint is that I wanted more! I was left really longing for more photographs, particularly of the trio and the different races.
 
Moskowitz creates a really intriguing world in this novel.  Fairies that live, not flitting about in forests but anchored in a city with real jobs.  I was really fascinated by the idea that the fairies never really died.  Instead, they can lose pieces of themselves, but they will always feel them.  No one really knows at what point the fairies stop existing - if they every do.  The plot is evenly placed but, other than the final few scenes, does not have a great deal of excitement.  Rather, it spins a steady tale in which we learn the history of the war and its eventual end.

As always, Moskowitz's world is strange and dark.  She always seems to feature some type of sexual exploitation, especially with young characters and I think it is this inclusion, more than any others, that make me uncomfortable in reading her books.  Perhaps it is being a teacher of teenagers, or having children, but I just find this part of her writing very difficult to get through.  In this book, she explores prostitution.  Beckan, Scrap, and Cricket sold their services to the Gnomes in exchange for food.  However, it is written about in a very strange way.  The characters seemed to revel in their work, despite the very dangerous situations they were placed in and the fact that it had already resulted in the "death" of their friend.  I think it is this that made it so difficult for me to connect to the characters.  I found that I had much more sympathy for the character that was already "dead" than for any of the ones I was supposed to be left rooting for.

Bottom Line: Though this novel didn't quite work for me, it certainly had a unique world and an interesting style of storytelling.  It will be a fantastic read for those readers who are already fans of Moskowitz and those who wish to delve into a dark fantasy with an unreliable narrator who will leave you questioning most of what he writes.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 16 and up
Sex:  Sex between teenagers
Violence: Gunplay, Knifeplay, Eating of other creatures, Loss of limbs
Inappropriate Language: Fuck, Bitch, asshole, Whore, Bastard
Substance Use/Abuse: Smoking

Other Issues: Prostitution