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

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:

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."

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

The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige

Title: The Wicked Will Rise
Author: Danielle Paige
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Rating: 5/5

Cover Impressions:  I love the entire concept of this cover.  Very dark and gritty.  The cut out showing storm clouds is fantastic and I love the shade of green for the title font.

The Gist:
In this dark, high-octane sequel to the New York Times bestselling Dorothy Must Die, Amy Gumm must do everything in her power to kill Dorothy and free Oz.

To make Oz a free land again, Amy Gumm was given a mission: remove the Tin Woodman’s heart, steal the Scarecrow’s brain, take the Lion’s courage, and then Dorothy must die....

But Dorothy still lives. Now the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked has vanished, and mysterious Princess Ozma might be Amy’s only ally. As Amy learns the truth about her mission, she realizes that she’s only just scratched the surface of Oz’s past—and that Kansas, the home she couldn't wait to leave behind, may also be in danger. In a place where the line between good and evil shifts with just a strong gust of wind, who can Amy trust—and who is really Wicked?
 
Review:Having failed to assasinate Dorothy, Amy Gumm is on the run.  Alongside her is princess Ozma, former ruler of Oz and current space case.  All she has to go on is the Wizard's assurance that she can succeed in her task once she has collected the three most powerful objects in Oz.  With the tin man's still beating heart squirreled away in her satchel, Amy sets out to find the rest her compatriates, collect the Lion's courage and Scarecrow's brain, and finally kill Dororthy.

For those people new to the story, this is not the Oz we grew up with.  It is much grittier and features some truly dark characters.  There are gruesome deaths (usually at Amy's hand) and some scary moments that are not for the faint of heart.  This creates an action-packed plot that is near impossible to put down (even when it is past midnight and you know that your 3 month old will be waking in a few hours!) 

In this second book in the series, Danielle Paige has expanded to cast of characters and moved beyond those we may be familiar with.  We meet LuLu, the monkey queen with a past close to the crown, Bright, a beautiful but cowardly young man and Polychrome, the rainbow fairy who appears to have a great deal more going on beneath the surface.  Of course our old favorites reappear and we get to see a developing relationship between Amy and Nox.  Amy experiences a great deal of growth within this novel as she learns more and more about the magic of Oz and balances the line between good and wicked.  She is not your simpering, goody-two shoes character who whines about her lot in life and she never hesitates to do the dirty work - even when that involves beheadings!

We follow Amy and Ozma through several new, enchanting lands and get a glimpse of what Oz could have been without the influence of Dorothy and Glinda.  These worlds are truly magical and I only wish the book had been longer so that we could spend more time in these incredible places.  We also get to see a twisted, macabre version of the Emerald City and discover that the liberation of Oz has become even more complicated than we had previously thought.  In the end, we are left on a cliffhanger that had me thinking about the book all night long and pining for the release of the next in the series (2017? Say it ain't so?!)

If you haven't already, do yourself a favor and pick up this book.  And while you are at it, grab the novellas as well. They add an interesting dimension to the story and allow you to immerse yourself in Oz just that little bit longer.


Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age:  13 and up
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Knifeplay, Swordplay, Death by Beheading, Death by Strangulation
Inappropriate Language: Fuck, Dick, Shit,
Substance Use/Abuse: Smoking

The Witch's Boy by Kelly Barnhill

Title: The Witch's Boy
Author: Kelly Barnhill
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Release Date: September 16, 2014
Rating: 5/5 

Cover Impressions: The cover is super cute.  I love the tiny figures with huge shadows.  I worry that the colors are not bright enough to make it stand off a shelf and hope that it doesn't stop kids from picking it up.
I love the fairy tale feel of the book blurb and the fact that the main character's mother is a witch - which is a nice divergence from the traditional tale. 

The Gist: When Ned and his identical twin brother tumble from their raft into a raging, bewitched river, only Ned survives. Villagers are convinced the wrong boy lived. Sure enough, Ned grows up weak and slow, and stays as much as possible within the safe boundaries of his family’s cottage and yard. But when a Bandit King comes to steal the magic that Ned’s mother, a witch, is meant to protect, it's Ned who safeguards the magic and summons the strength to protect his family and community.

In the meantime, in another kingdom across the forest that borders Ned’s village lives Áine, the resourceful and pragmatic daughter of the Bandit King. She is haunted by her mother’s last words to her: “The wrong boy will save your life and you will save his.” But when Áine and Ned’s paths cross, can they trust each other long enough to make their way through the treacherous woods and stop the war about to boil over?

Review:

Having lost his twin brother in a drowning accident as they ventured out to find the sea, Ned never feels completely whole and is unable to do many of the things that he had previously taken for granted.  He has been plagued by the assumption that his father had saved the wrong boy.  His mother is a witch who uses dangerous magic and Ned is constantly faced with the townspeople who love her when they need her and loathe her when they don't.  He retreats into himself, rarely speaking and avoiding interaction with anyone, even his grief-stricken parents.  When his mother's magic is threatened by outside forces, Ned is the only one who can protect it and he is sent on a perilous journey to save himself, his family, and his village. 

The Witch's Boy is written in a beautiful style that is reminiscent of classic fairy tales.  The author displays a unique and clever sense of wit that kept me smiling to myself. 

King Ott; benevolent ruler of the Kingdowm of Duunin (of course he was benevolent! It said so on banners and placards and all of the money! He even required his generals to tattoo it on their forearms with an outline of his smiling face hovering above), was in a bit of a snit. 

There is an exchange between the bandit king and the king of Duunin, as the later calls the executioner and the former merely smiles, that had me in stitches.  At the same time, the author regularly comments on the magic, delight and power of words which is bound to warm the heart of any lover of books and reading. 

A word is a magic thing.  It holds the essence of an object or an idea and pins it to the world.  A word can set the universe in motion.  

I love middle grade stories that do not shy away from important themes and deep symbolism.  The Witch's Boy is one of these.  There is a continuous thread throughout the novel the reminds of there could not possibly be NOTHING on the other side of the mountain (in fact nothing is a very important word and becomes a refrain repeated by several characters).  The author does a beautiful job of extending this metaphor to show that there is never "nothing", even in death.  The soul never disappears, it simply moves to the next place - the other side of the mountain.

"There is no death," the Stone said.  "There is only the next thing.  A mountain gives way to a river and becomes a canyon.  A tree gives way to its rot and becomes the ground.  We will let go of our unnaturally elongated lives and embrace something else."

The characters also have a magic all their own.  By the end of the novel, we see such remarkable growth in Ned as he learns his own power and the strength of his own desires.  The magic itself also makes for a very fun character.  It has a fantastic voice as it speaks inside Ned's head.  It doesn't seem to have the same sense of morality or guilt that a human character would, which makes it much more unpredictable and enjoyable to read.

(Having been asked to heal a bandit) 
We are certain that you meant to say, "painless death."  We can say it together: "painless death." Or painful, if you prefer.  It's up to you.  Please tell us that you simply misspoke.

The plot moves at a decent pace, and is helped along by the changing of viewpoints from Ned to Aine to the King, to the Bandit King, to the Stones and so on.  There is a great deal of action that will keep any reader interested and a beautiful thread of friendship that will keep them satisfied.

Bottom Line: The Witch's Boy is wonderful.  A phenomenal addition to any middle grade library and well written enough to be enjoyed by older audiences as well.       

Teaching/Parental Notes:

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

The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma

Title: The Walls Around Us
Author: Nova Ren Suma
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Release Date: March 24th, 2015
Rating:  5/5

Cover Impressions: The style is interesting, and I can appreciate the symbolism more after having read the book, but this cover wasn't quite as interesting as it could have been.  The blurb however, is really well written.  The whole idea of two voices, one of which is in a girls' detention center, was what really grabbed me and it is one of the elements that really makes this novel work. 

The Gist:

The Walls Around Us is a ghostly story of suspense told in two voices—one still living and one long dead. On the outside, there’s Violet, an eighteen-year-old dancer days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement. On the inside, within the walls of a girls’ juvenile detention center, there’s Amber, locked up for so long she can’t imagine freedom. Tying these two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls’ darkest mysteries.

We hear Amber’s story and Violet’s, and through them Orianna’s, first from one angle, then from another, until gradually we begin to get the whole picture—which is not necessarily the one that either Amber or Violet wants us to see.

Nova Ren Suma tells a supernatural tale of guilt and innocence, and what happens when one is mistaken for the other.

Review:
I will admit, I was trepidatious going into this one.  I wasn't a big fan of Imaginary Girls and I thought this author just wasn't for me.  But wow, this one blew me away.  The writing style is really unique, it features a dual narrative that switches between ghost and girl, past and present but also has a strange time overlap.  I was skeptical about how well this would work but, once I got used to it, it really did.  There are actually three real main characters, Amber, a girl convicted of murder but widely believe to be innocent, Ori, a girl convicted of murder and widely believed to be a stone cold killer and Violet, a ballet dancer widely believed to be a massive bitch.  Amber is a very sympathetic character and Violet is decidedly, not.  I applaud the choice of Amber as narrator.  The obvious choice would have been Ori, with Amber as a mildly interesting side character, but I don't think that would have had the impact that Amber did.  Vi is a pretty dispicable character.  She is driven by her desire to be a dancer, at any cost, and seems willing to push aside and stop on anyone who gets in her way.  She is standoffish at best and downright mean at worst. Through both narrators, we get a fascinating view into their sense of guilt and the impact that it does (or doesn't) have on the psyche of a young girl.  

The Walls Around Us holds two big mysteries.  Interestingly enough, we learn the ending of both of them fairly early on.  The rest of the novel is spent discovering the how and why which could have become tedious and boring, but didn't.  I actually spent most of the book enthralled in both plotlines and created various theories as to the motivation behind the events.  Through the story, we also glimpse a fascinating world of institutionalism and the impact that it can have on young people.  I am a big fan of the Netflix show Orange is the New Black and couldn't help drawing parallels between the two. 

The ending did a number on my head.  I have spent the last few hours thinking through the events and trying to get them straight in my head.  I still haven't decided if I like things turning out the way they did or if I would have preferred something a little more cut and dry - but, if it had been, I probably wouldn't still be thinking about it, so there is that.  The magical realism comes to a head and the reader is left trying to decipher what is real and what is a lie.   

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age:15 and up 
Sex: Oral Sex
Violence: Several murder, Child Abuse
Inappropriate Language: Bitch, Fuck, Slut
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage Drinking, Drug Use

Unanswered Questions: Um, what just happened?

First Frost

Title: First Frost
Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: January 20, 2015
Rating:  5/5

Cover Impressions: Pretty, Pretty, Pretty.  I got an advance ecopy of this book but the cover makes me want to run out and buy one for my shelf.  I LOVE the colors, the lights in the background, the light dusting of frost on the apple - SWOON!  I am a huge fan of covers that become more and more interesting as you read the novel and start to understand the meaning behind each image and this is definitely one of those books. 

The Gist: It's October in Bascom, North Carolina, and autumn will not go quietly. As temperatures drop and leaves begin to turn, the Waverley women are made restless by the whims of their mischievous apple tree... and all the magic that swirls around it. But this year, first frost has much more in store.

Claire Waverley has started a successful new venture, Waverley’s Candies. Though her handcrafted confections—rose to recall lost love, lavender to promote happiness and lemon verbena to soothe throats and minds—are singularly effective, the business of selling them is costing her the everyday joys of her family, and her belief in her own precious gifts.

Sydney Waverley, too, is losing her balance. With each passing day she longs more for a baby— a namesake for her wonderful Henry. Yet the longer she tries, the more her desire becomes an unquenchable thirst, stealing the pleasure out of the life she already has.

Sydney’s daughter, Bay, has lost her heart to the boy she knows it belongs to…if only he could see it, too. But how can he, when he is so far outside her grasp that he appears to her as little more than a puff of smoke?

When a mysterious stranger shows up and challenges the very heart of their family, each of them must make choices they have never confronted before. And through it all, the Waverley sisters must search for a way to hold their family together through their troublesome season of change, waiting for that extraordinary event that is First Frost.

Review: All right, get prepared for gushing.  I LOVE Sarah Addison Allen.  I have read everything that she has written and am pretty sure that I will soon be embarking on a re-read because I loved this book so much.  She is a master at creating worlds where a touch of magic is just accepted.  Which is total genre kryptonite for me.  I love when magic just IS - the family that is just a little bit odd, on edge of society but relied on by even the most noteworthy and standoffish citizen in their time of need.  My love is doubled with this also includes a beautiful old house that has been in the family for generations and holds a magic all of its own.

Speaking of the house.  First Frost has a house that is actually one of my favorite characters.  It runs hot and cold depending on its mood, it locks people out and responds to threats of violence.  It has a remarkable apple tree that blooms during the first frost and throws apples at those people who fall out of its favor.  Sarah Addison Allen has a remarkable way of creating a home that makes me long to crawl through the pages in order to live there.

The characters are wonderful.  We first met them in Garden Spells.  Now, Bay is a teenager and the sisters (Sydney and Claire) are struggling with a whole new set of problems.  The family is so sweet and loving that I could read about them for the next 10 novels.  (How about it SAA?  Can I have 10 Waverly novels?)
As always, the writing is just lovely and it has some of the most beautiful imagery.  Even the villain of the novel has a story that steals your heart.  A must read for fans of the author or lovers of magical realism.   

Notable Quotables: Simmering soup on a cold day was like filling a house with cotton batting.  The comforting scent of it plumped and muffled and cuddled.

Tear You Apart by Sarah Cross

Title: Tear You Apart
Author: Sarah Cross
Publisher: Egmont
Release Date: January 27, 2015
Rating: 5/5 

Cover Impressions: Love the image of the bloodied apple - perfect for an even darker adaptation of Snow White.  I wish they had chosen a more sustantial title font and perhaps changed the background color to make the apple stand out a little more. 

Review:

I am officially adding Sarah Cross to the list of authors that I want to chain in my basement in order to make her write faster.  In Beau Rivage she has created a world that beautifully blends classic fairy tales with a modern world.  I loved the introduction in Kill Me Softly and was thrilled to find out that this follow up would feature Viv - one of the awesome side characters in the first book.  I love when authors stay in the same world but expand on the stories of interesting characters and am seriously hoping that there will be more novels that do the same (fingers crossed for Jewel and Freddie!)

Twisted fairy tales are a real love of mine.  Sarah Cross has a wonderfully unique take on them.  In Beau Rivage children and teens are cursed to play out their role in a fairy tale.  Sometimes they know who the other players are, sometimes they don't.  In Tear You Apart, Viv is the Snow White Princess just waiting for her not-always evil stepmother to order her death.  Viv has spent her entire life preparing for the inevitable strike.  What she was not prepared for, however, was for her best friend and boyfriend, Henley to be chosen to play the role of the Hunter.  With her fate left in his hands as she waits for him to choose whether or not to carve her heart from her chest, Viv pushes him away and seeks any means of escape, even if that escape comes in the form of a dark underworld and mysterious prince.

I enjoyed Viv's tough exterior in Kiss Me Softly and loved getting to see behind that facade in Tear You Apart.  The relationship between Viv and Regina was wonderfully complex and we got to see the real motivation behind not only the heroine but also the villianess.  The one thing that really bothered me was the constant bickering between Viv and Henley.  They were constantly seeking out new means to hurt one another despite clearly being in love and it was difficult to watch Viv push away the one person who really loved her.

Tear You Apart expertly weaves three fairy tales together while giving them a modern twist.  The plot moves at a steady pace and holds one or two surprising twists.  There are also a few scenes that are downright difficult to read due to their cruel brutality.  This is not a story for the faint of heart or someone without an understanding of the nature of the original (non-disneyfied) fairy tales.
As soon as I finished Tear You Apart, I immediately went to Sarah Cross' website to read After the Ball as well as downloading her novella Twin Roses.  

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 15 and up

Sex:  Kissing, Veiled references to sex between teenagers
Violence: Beheading, Knifeplay, Several very violent deaths
Inappropriate Language: Bitch, Shit, Bastard, Whore, Slut
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage Drinking

ARC Book Review: The Cracks in the Kingdom by Jaclyn Moriarty

Title: The Cracks in the Kingdom
Author: Jaclyn Moriarty
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Rating: 5/5

Cover Impressions:  The digital image really doesn't do this one justice.  In the physical copy, the colors are so vibrant and the raindrops and lightning keep your eye moving across the image.  It fits beautifully with the first cover in this series, but I am still wishing for the parking meter to be featured on a cover - here's hoping for #3!

The Gist: Madeleine and Elliot's communications through a mysterious crack between their worlds have been fun and exciting, but now their notes must take on more purpose.  The royal family is missing, presumably transported to The World and Madeleine and Elliot have been charged not only with finding them, but with determining the science governing the cracks so that they can bring the family home.  As if that weren't enough, Elliot must also travel Cello with the Royal Youth Alliance and endure tours and parties while trying to discover where in The World to start looking for the missing royals. 

Review:
I shouldn't like this book. The characters are strange and some are completely unrelatable, there are long scientific diatribes that make little sense and the "rules" of the fantasy kingdom are near impossible to discern. I shouldn't like this book, but I do. In fact, I love it.

It has a strange charm that drew me in and I ended up closing the book wishing for just one more chapter.  Please, Ms. Moriarty, Just. One. More. Chapter.

The writing in this series is beautiful and unique.  All of the characters have a remarkable strangeness about them that draws the reader in.  At first, I balked against the strangeness but, once I had accepted it, I was able to see the beauty in each character and the wonderful role that they played in the story.  Madeline continues to be a wonderful and whimsical character but, this time, without the morose obsession with an absent father that brought her down in the last novel.  Elliot is a brave and strong protagonist whose flaws keep him interesting.  There are a plethora of side characters who flesh out the story and provide some interesting color.  I particularly liked Samuel who was slowly revealed to have much more strength of character and determination than had ever been expected of him and the young prince, whose story in The World damn near broke my heart.

The worldbuilding in The Cracks in the Kingdom is like nothing that I have ever read before.  There are elements based on concepts of physics, but they are twisted in such a magnificent way that they become strange and wondrous.  The idea of color storms that turn the world upside down (sometimes literally!) is incredibly unique and allows for an element of excitement, beauty and danger. 

The plot unravels slowly, drawing the reader into its subtle nuances.  There were moments where I was frustrated by the lack of forward movement but, just as quickly, my patience was rewarded with a jaw dropping moment where I was completely surprised by a plot twist that I never saw coming.  The last quarter of the book is very fast paced.  It switches between several points of view which adds to the tension.  The ending itself allowed for the tying up of some loose ends while also leaving the reader breathless in anticipation of the next book in the series. Speaking of which, can we get on a release date for that? Anyone?

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 13 and up - Requires a patient reader
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Gunplay
Inappropriate Language: Piss
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage Drinking

ARC Book Review: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

Title: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
Author: Leslye Walston
Publisher: Candlewick Books
Release Date: March 25th, 2014
Rating: 5/5

Cover Impressions:  Just beautiful.  The design of the feather is incredible and I love how the title was incorporated.  The colors work really well together.  Gorgeous.

Review:
This book is so incredible, yet so difficult to describe.  It is told through the eyes of teenage Ava Lavender, born under the strangest of circumstances and possessing a pair of dappled wings.  The story follows her great grandparents as they immigrate to America anticipating an easy life and streets paved with gold.  It continues through the life of Ava's grandmother Emilienne and tells the tale of her 4 great loves, all of whom came to a disastrous end.  The torch is then passed to Ava's mother, Viviane who experiences the loss of a beautiful love and is left with a pair of twins: Ava with the wings of an angel and Henry who rarely emerges from the world in his mind.  The entire family is both blessed and cursed with an ethereal strangeness that follows from one generation to the next.  It is a story of heartbreak, but ultimately one of love.

Leslye Walton's writing style is simply magical.  When I venture into the world of adult books, it tends to be in the genre of magical realism like Sarah Addison Allen's books.  It is not a genre that I tend to encounter often in YA novels and I was surprised to see how well it lends itself the novel.  That being said, there are some elements that made me wonder if this should really be considered YA.  There are descriptions of women's breasts, male masturbation, sex between teens and rape that might make some younger readers (and their parents) uncomfortable.    

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender features some of the most unique characters that I have encountered.  Nearly all of them, including the side characters, are well developed and easy to fall in love with, or easy to pity.  Ava served as our omniscient narrator and was wonderful in this role.  There is a sweet sadness in the characters that is not easy to accomplish.  None of the characters wallowed in self pity, forcing to reader to lose patience, it was clear that they were in pain, but they eventually pushed forward with life.  A particular favorite of mine was Gabe, the stoic man who stood by Viviane and helped raise her strange and wonderful children in the hope that she might one day turn her head his way and realize that he had been there all along. 

Throughout the novel, we see love found and love lost and the impact that it can have.  The novel features young love in its sweetest and most heartbreaking of forms.  We watch as these characters, with whom we ourselves have fallen in love with, suffer the pain of a broken heart and, eventually, discover that, despite their scars, love is still waiting.  With this phenomenal debut novel, I am officially signing up for anything else Leslye Walton has in store for us.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 16 and up
Gender: Both, probably more appealing to the girls
Sex: Sexual Language and Description of female breasts, Kissing, Sex between teenagers
Violence: Animal Mutilation, Rape
Inappropriate Language:
Substance Use/Abuse: Smoking, Underage Drinking

Fog Magic by Julia L. Sauer

Title: Fog Magic
Author: Julia L. Sauer
Publisher: Puffin
Release Date: 1943
Rating: 5/5

Cover Impressions:  This is my favorite cover of this book and the one that I remember.  It gets the old fishing village just right and has the beautiful, soft and ethereal quality of the fog.

Review:
When I was a little girl I discovered this book on the shelf of my tiny school library.  I read it at least twice a year for the rest of my time at that school.  It was my go-to book when I was feeling sad or lonely (which, to be honest, was quite often) and I was the perfect book for a foggy, Newfoundland day.  Recently, while perusing the shelves at my favorite second hand bookstore, I came across Fog Magic and just about squealed in delight.  I am so happy to get to read this wonderful story again.

Fog Magic is the Newberry Award Winning book of Julia L. Sauer.  It is set in rural Nova Scotia in a tiny fishing village.  The main character is an eleven year old girl named Greta.  Greta has always had an unexplainable fascination with the fog.  From the time she could walk, her mother was constantly trying to stop her from wandering off into the mist.  While walking one grey, foggy day, Greta discovers that the fog doesn't simply hide her from the world, it also reveals a new world to her.  The fog allows her entrance to Blue Cove, a place that holds only remnants of a community in the bright sunshine but is alive with the hustle and bustle of life within the fog.  

I always love the magic behind Fog Magic.  I grew up in the fog, I saw how it will creep and sneak along the ground one day and roll in as if swallowing you up the next.  I loved the idea that you could walk into the mist and come upon something that was never there by the light of the sun but could exist in that liminal space that fog can create.  Sauer does an excellent job of describing the mystery of the fog and the rules of this world are fairly well defined.  The fact that Greta can only reach Blue Cove through the fog and that time is different there allows the story to move quickly through a year without being bogged down with day to day details.

The story is a simple one, but is enchanting in its simplicity.  We are able to see some of the key events in the lives of the people at Blue Cove and can really feel Greta's sense of other-worldliness in having prior knowledge of the outcome of these events but no way to change them.  She develops a simple and sweet friendship with Retha and becomes close with her family, who appear to know more about this mystery that Greta does herself.  I do wish that some of the minor mysteries, like what happened to make everyone leave Blue Cove or who Anthony really is, were answered as these are the questions that keep me wondering and wishing there was a sequel to this book. 

This book will always be a favorite of mine and it makes me happy simply to see a copy resting on my shelves, awaiting the next grey, foggy day.

Notable Quotables:
"Most of us live in two worlds - our real world and the one we build or spin ourselves out of the books we read, the heroes we admire, the things we hope to do." 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: Middle Grade
Gender: Both
Sex: None
Violence: None
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

ARC Book Review: Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher

Title: Ketchup Clouds

Author: Annabel Pitcher
Publisher: Brown
Release Date: November 12th, 2013
Rating: 5/5

Cover Impressions:  I was not aware until just now, but this appears to be a novel that was published in the UK and now is being released in North America.  The top image is the original and the bottom is the new cover (as far as I can tell).  I have got to say, they certainly got it right with the second cover.  It is really unique and interesting.  I love how it almost looks like one of those weird baby-posed-as-if-he-is-standing photoshoots.

The Gist: Ketchup Clouds begins with a letter to an inmate on death row.  Zoe (real name withheld) is writing to Stuart Harris - convicted killer of two - in order to confess her crimes to someone who might understand the depths of her betrayal.  Through her letters, she reveals how she became involved with two brothers and the consequences of her playing with a pair of hearts.

Review:
I was first intrigued by Ketchup Clouds because the synopsis offered an interesting persepctive - that of a teenage girl, writing a convicted killer in order to confess her own role in a tragedy.  The letter format is interesting and the narrator's voice is unique.  She speaks very matter-of-factly, even though she is clearly burdened by her secret.  Naming herself Zoe, the main narrator shifts backward and forward in time in order to describe her present guilt and her past transgressions.  This roundabout way in which Zoe tells her story adds suspense in a very natural way, without interrupting the flow of the narration.

As a character, Zoe seems like a typical teenage girl.  She feels oppressed by an overbearing mother and burdened by the constant fighting between her parents.  In an effort to gain some independence, she begins lying to her parents and this theme permeates the book as more and more untruths get Zoe into more and more trouble.  I very much enjoyed the realistic portrayal of a modern-day family.  Zoe has two younger sisters, one who is deaf and enjoys the bulk of her mother's attention and one who is not and has begun acting out.  The parents argue over some very serious issues, but we do get to watch them work together to create some sense of harmony.  I did feel that this particular portion of the story was a little too easily solved and I am not sure that, beyond the scope of this story, the family would remain intact.

There was also a character whose behavior gave me serious pause.  Sandra, Max and Aaron's mother.  Throughout the "presentday" portion of the narration her actions become more and more erratic and alarming.  She called Zoe far more often than is appropriate and would show up unannounced.  I realize that she is being portrayed as the grieving mother, but I simply could not understand why Zoe's parents did not step in and deny her access to their child.  I also found it incredibly creepy that Zoe was writing this story to a convicted murderer on death row.  It was particularly upsetting when she began describing her sexual exploration.  I couldn't help picturing this grown man and how he would react to these descriptions of sexual play among teenagers.  It was more than a little unsettling for me, particularly because I teach teenagers Zoe's age.  

I really enjoyed Pitcher's writing style and the unique idea behind this particular story.  Sign me up for her next book!

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 13 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing, Heavy Petting
Violence: Fighting, Death by Drowning
Inappropriate Language: Tits, Bitch, Bastard, Slut,
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage Drinking,

Book Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Title: Anna Dressed in Blood
Author: Kendare Blake
Publisher: Macmillin
Release Date: September, 2011
Rating: 5/5

Cover Impressions:  Love it so much I am pretty sure this is going to be my Halloween costume.  The bright spots of red in an otherwise monochromatic image are phenomenal and I love that you get this great image of Anna's house (once you finally tear your eyes away from the lady herself).

The Gist: Cas Lowood hunts ghosts.  With the death of his father, he took up the family blade and is preparing himself for the ultimate battle - with his father's killer.  Along the way he is intrigued by the story of Anna Dressed in Blood, a ghost who died under mysterious circumstances and brutally murders anyone who dare enter her house.  As Cas investigates, he finds a ghost that is far beyond anything he has faced before.  With the help of his new friends, Thomas and Carmel, he tries to get to the bottom of Anna's murder and discover what makes her so special.

Review:
This is actually my second time reading Anna Dressed in Blood.  The first time was before I really got into blogging and so I didn't write a review.  This time, I chose it as the season opener for my student book club.

I love the feeling of this book.  Blake doesn't shy away from amazingly brutal scenes and it engages the reader in a way that a more censored version never could.  This novel is not for the faint of heart.  There are some truly gruesome and horrific scenes.  One of my favorites involves the first time we meet Anna - the ghost who changes everything.  There is very little lead up.  We stop only for a short visual description before Anna unleashes her terrifying power.  Anna walks a tightrope in between all powerful evil goddess and sympathetic character who we root for.  The author has done an incredible job of letting us see all of the facets of her character. 

I enjoyed watching all of the missteps as Cas develops friendships for the first time ever.  I found myself smiling or laughing each time he would lament how much easier it was the deal with the dead rather than the living.  The characters of Cas, Anna, and Thomas are decently well developed and interesting but I never really get a feel for Carmel.  She doesn't seem to add anything significant to the plot other than playing the girl in their Scooby Doo Gang.

Anna Dressed in Blood is a veritable "This Is How You Do It" when it comes to the balance between suspense and action.  Blake does a wonderful job providing enough action to keep the plot moving very quickly while also allowing for some relationship building and character development.

I am a fan - reading everything Kendare Blake writes for the rest of her life.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 13 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Graphic Supernatural Violence
Inappropriate Language: Bastard,Shit, Fuck, Dick, Ass, Douche, Pussy, Bitch, Whore
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage Drinking, Smoking
Other Issues: Scary scenes - may give younger readers nightmares

ARC Book Review: Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn

Title: Another Little Piece
Author: Kate Karyus Quinn
Publisher: Harper Teen/Harper Collins
Release Date: June 11, 2013
Rating: 5/5

Cover Impressions:  I like the cover image and the muted shades.  The font is well done and reflected just slightly in the pink of the cover model's tutu skirt.  I do think it reads as fairly contemporary and worry that it may be missing out on the primary audience.  Paranormal fiction readers may simply pass this one by on a shelf and contemporary fiction readers may be disappointed upon discovering that their mystery has taken a very strange turn.

The Gist: Annaliese Rose Gordon has been missing for a year.  When she emerges, she has no memory of her life, her parents or where she has been.  As her memories begin to emerge, they are more gruesome than she ever expected and feature the faces of other missing girls, girls whose blood is on her hands.

Review:
Confession time: I do not read book blurbs.  Well, that's not exactly true, When I discover a book name or cover that piques my interest, I read the blurb in order to confirm or disprove my first impression.  However, there is usually a span of a couple of months in between requesting an ARC for review and actually reading it.  In that time, I tend to forget anything that the blurb said other than the most basic facts.  I also actively avoid re-reading the blurbs as they set up undue expectations or leave me waiting for a particular even to happen and ruin my entrenchment in the first part of the novel.  Not reading the blurb is usually not a problem.

In Another Little Piece, however, I was expecting a very different novel.  The first few chapters had me settling in for a contemporary fiction/mystery novel about how an abduction victim re-gains her memory of the horrific events of the year she disappeared.  When the paranormal elements took over instead, I was pretty much blindsided.  I went back several times to re-read the passage and make sure that I was not missing something.  That is not to say that I was disappointed.  Quite the contrary.  The change, while unexpected, led to an incredibly unique story that examined the blurry line between good and evil and the desperate lengths to which the soul will go in order to maintain self-preservation.

I love that Anna was a self-proclaimed monster.  I really enjoy reading books that turn the reader's idea of evil upside down and leave you siding with, essentially, a murderer (I'm looking at you Anna Dressed In Blood!).   In recovering her memories, Anna discovers that she has been the perpetrator of some truly gruesome deaths and that she has made selfish choices time and time again.  Despite this, and perhaps a little bit because of it, I loved her.  I could see the great potential in the character and the horror of the choice that she is faced with.

In a YA novel with a great female lead, I am often disappointed by the boy(s).  But not here my friends.  There was a great connection between Anna and Dex, who had his own super-special stuff going on.  I also really appreciated that the OTHER BOY, Logan was just a great guy and that, despite this, it was clear from the beginning that he was not the one for Anna.  No love triangle here folks!  I did feel like the choice to keep Frankie in child's body for most of the book made him a little laughable and not the frightening character that he could have been.  This did take a little of the tension out of the story.

I am not sure if this book will lead to a series set in this world, but there is certainly room for expansion.  There are a couple of side characters who could easily lead their own novel and I would love to see more of the mysterious Physician who acts as puppeteer behind the scenes.

A note on content: this one is gruesome folks.  Blood, bodies and cannibalism just to start.  There are also a couple of scenes that feature sex between teenagers, though nothing is really described graphically.

Highly recommended, buying it in hardcover, putting it in my classroom and highly anticipating anything else by Kate Karyus Quinn!

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 15 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Multiple instances of sex between teenagers
Violence: LOTS OF BLOOD! Cannibalism, Physical Fighting, Attempted Rape
Inappropriate Language: Shit, Fuck, Whore, Fag, Bastard
Substance Use/Abuse:  Smoking, underage drinking, alcoholism

Book Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why

Author: Jay Asher
Publisher: Penguin
Release Date: October 18, 2007
Rating: 5/5

Cover Impressions:  This cover is interesting in its contradictions.  The background image had a romantic feel to it with the soft colors and lace.  The foreground, however, features black tape and a stark font and red elements that stand out.  I really enjoyed how the quote from Sherman Alexie feels almost like a piece of grafitti on the wall. 

The Gist: Clay Jensen, all around nice guy, is surprised by a mysterious package containing thirteen cassette tapes.  When he begins listening to them, he is shocked to discover that they contain a message from Hannah Baker, his crush who recently committed suicide.  Hannah has recorded thirteen tapes, for thirteen people and they must each listen and then pass the tapes on or a second copy will be made public.  In listening to the thirteen reasons that Hannah took her own life, Clay learns more than he ever dreamed about Hannah and about the other 12 people on the list. 

Review:
Thirteen Reasons Why was chosen by my students as a book club book.  I set the schedule back in January unaware that it would become so topical.  Just this past week, a local teen made worldwide headlines when she committed suicide.  Rehtaeh Parson was allegedly raped by four of her peers while at a party.  She spent the next two years being tortured by her classmates while her alleged rapists walked off scott-free.  Rehteah attempted suicide and was placed on life-support, eventually being taken off by her heart-broken parents.  Her death has shocked the world and led to a call to action for police, lawmakers, teachers, and parents.  

Thirteen Reasons Why tells a very important story: that of a girl who feels alone and without hope and that of the people left behind wondering what they could have done.  It is important to note that there were no big tragedies in Hannah's life.  Her suicide was the result of rumors, innuendo and "the snowball effect" that made her feel unloved and unwanted.  Those of us on the outside often find it difficult to recognize this and are unable to see the impact that a thousand small actions can have on a person's life.  Through this story, we are prompted (without preaching) to be better people, to consider the impact of our words and actions and to truly see the lives of those suffering around us.

Thirteen Reason's Why features a dual narrative that seemlessly blends Hannah's story with that of Clay as he spends one painful night making his way through the tapes and through Hannah's life.  This writing styles was risky, but it plays very well and each character is able to add events and elements to create a seamless story that compels the reader forward.  The reader walks with Clay, and with Hannah, willing each person mentioned in the tapes to act differently and change the outcome, pleading with them to take notice.  As a teacher this was both painful and thought-provoking. 

Books like this are the reason that I am coming to love YA Contemporary Fiction.  They jump start conversations and critical thinking.  It is my sincere hope that, in reading this book as a group, my book club will be able to open the lines of communication and help each one of them to understand the importance of treating each and every person they meet with kindness and compassion.  And if one of those students truly understands how Hannah feels, I hope this book, and our discussion, will help them find one person who can positively impact their life.  It is time for an open dialogue in schools and this is a fine place to start. 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 16 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Voyeurism, Masturbation, Petting
Violence: Rape, Suicide
Inappropriate Language: Slut, Ass, Dick, Bitch, Pissed, Shit
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage Drinking

Book Review: Dark Triumph by R.L. LaFevers

Title: Dark Triumph

Author: R.L. LaFevers
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Release Date: April 2nd, 2013
Rating: 5/5

Cover Impressions: I really like the covers for this series.  Grave Mercy had a beautiful scarlet color, but I think the muted colors here are much more fitting for Sybella, as is the background of a dark corridor rather than a grand castle.  Her work is better suited to the shadows.

The Gist: The His Fair Assassin series continues with the story of Sybella.  Having escaped the fear and madness of her father's house, Sybella finds a new home at the convent of St.Mortain.  Having been trained in the deadly arts, she is just beginning to find her way back to herself when the political ambitions of her father forces the convent to send Sybella back into his arms.  The brutality and unpredictable rage of her father, coupled with the unhealthy obsession of her brother threatens to drive Sybella mad until she embarks on a mission to free an important prisoner and, in doing so, finds an unlikely ally.

Review: Admittedly, I was underwhelmed by Grave Mercy.  I loved the premise of assassin nuns trained in the deadly arts, but was turned off by the breadth of the political intrigue and Ismae's accursed conscience.  In the wings, however, waited Sybella.  She was such a mysterious and interesting character that it made me long for the release date of Dark Triumph.  I am happy to say, Sybella does not disappoint.  She is certainly bloodthirsty, (and one point she even mutters "I am in desperate need of killing something.") and she does not often worry about the moral implications as Ismae did.  While Ismae faded a little when the love interest was introduced, Sybella railed against him, taking every opportunity to comment on how ugly he was.

The romantic angle in Dark Triumph was much more palatable for me than it was in Grave Mercy.  Beast and Sybella seem equally well matched and neither comes to love the other easily.  There was a point at which Beast seemed to have developed an unhealthy desire to rescue Sybella, but that passed and they were placed on equal footing once again.  For his part, Beast opened Sybella to a world of compassion that her upbringing had denied her and I really enjoyed how she developed in his presence. 

This book featured much less political maneuvering than its predecessor and this makes for a much faster paced plot.  Beast and Sybella's lives have been closely intertwined for many years and the revelation of her secrets adds an air of mystery to the story.  There are also a number of exciting battles and the introduction of an interesting new cast of characters.  While this book moves the overall plot along and sets up for the final in the series, it also provides a satisfying ending to Sybella's personal story.

I will definitely be waiting with baited breath for the final installment in the His Dark Assassin series for more of Sybella but, as I remember very little of Annith, I am also excited for a story that follows her and one that finally reveals the secrets of the convent.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 15 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing, Allusion to incest, one instance of consensual sex - not explicit
Violence: Torture, Rape, Swordplay, Knifeplay, a number of murders including one disturbing (for me) scene featuring the death of an infant
Inappropriate Language: Whore, Piss, Bastard
Substance Use/Abuse: Drinking

ARC Book Review: If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

Title: If You Find Me
Author: Emily Murdoch
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: March 26, 2013
Rating: 5/5

Cover Impressions: The cover is not particularly attractive and I don't feel it will stand out on a shelf.  This is unfortunate, because the story that is held within it's pages would never blend in and deserves to be highlighted appropriately.

The Gist: As a child, Carey was spirited away by her meth addicted mother to a camper in the woods.  Suffering abuse, mal-nutrition and the ever-aching cold, she manages to carve out an existance for herself and her sister, Jenessa.  When two strangers enter the woods and claim that their mother has left them for good, the two girls are brought back to society and must learn a whole new way of life.  As the girls attempt to put the past behind them, Carey finds she cannot escape not only what was done to her, but the horrific things that she has done.

Review: 

In If You Find Me, we are introduced to Carey and Janessa.  Carey has spent most of her life attempting to survive in the most awful of circumstances and raising Janessa in the absence of their mother.  Carey has one of the most incredible voices that I have encountered in quite a while.  As the narrator, Carey's speech patterns are authentic, using colloquialisms and speech patterns, without becoming gimmicky and distracting.  Her sister also plays a very important role in the narrative.  Neglected and suffering from selective mute-ism, Janessa still manages to steal the hearts of everyone that she encounters - readers included.  Though, I must admit, I found it a little hard to believe that a child born and raised in the woods would not find this new world at least a little overwhelming.  Rounding out the cast are Carey's father, his wife, Melissa and her daughter, Delaney.  The relationships of the entire family are well written and realistic.  Carey and Delaney certainly do not get along right away and there are some moments where I wanted to strangle the spoiled princess, but, eventually, we do get a glimpse of the situation through Delaney's eyes and are able to see how Carey's kidnapping has impacted the lives of all of those left behind. 

Carey and Janessa's story is a heartbreaking one that is often difficult to read.  Having had a child, I find these books hit me much harder now than they ever did before.  They also remind me to think about the secret struggles that my own students might be dealing with at home.  The book begins with the girls "rescue" and their history is only revealed through references and flashbacks.  I found this style very effective as it starkly compares the struggles of Carey's new life (trying to fit it, bullying and homesickness) with those from her old life.  I was very glad that the author chose to portray Carey's longing for the woods and her desire to run back there as a result of the human condition to find beauty in almost any situation and the fact that it was the only home Carey had known for such a long period of her life.  

If You Find Me is not an easy read, but it is one worth the effort.  If you are considering it for a younger audience, please take note below - this novel contains some disturbing descriptions of child abuse and rape and needs to be read with a certain level of maturity. 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 16 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing, Sex between teenagers
Violence: Child Abuse (physical, emotional and sexual), Neglect, Kidnapping, Rape, Gunplay.
Inappropriate Language: Ass, Shit. Bitch
Substance Use/Abuse: Meth use, Underage Drinking, Smoking

ARC Book Review: The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Title: The Runaway King
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: March 1, 2013
Rating: 5/5

Cover Impressions: I enjoy the covers in this series, they are clean and simple.  The font works very well and I love the colors (blue, now green, hopefully red for number 3?).  My only complaint is that they don't see to stand out as much - in my classroom, I don't see The False Prince getting chosen very often unless it is because of my recommendation. 

The Gist: Jaron has barely warmed his new throne when an assassination attempt alerts him to the danger that his kingdom is in.  The murder of his family has left him with a council that harbors deceit and an army that is ill prepared for any attack.  In order to secure the safety of his people, Jaron must abandon the throne and seek out this new threat head on.  In returning to the world as Sage, he must ask if he is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save his kingdom.

Review: 
I loved loved LOVED The False Prince.  See my review and my Top Books of 2012.  So there were some pretty high expectations for The Runaway King.  I was not disappointed.  I recently had a favorite student of mine as for a book recommendation.  I handed her The False Prince and told her that "You will love Sage and want to strangle him all at the same time - that is what makes him such a wonderful character".  This remains true in The Runaway King.  I am 100% behind Sage, and because of this, I often cringe, shout or throw an all out temper tantrum to rival my 1 1/2 year old, whenever he makes a decision that I feel will put him in more danger.  Sage never takes the easy way out.  He is always willing to throw himself off a cliff (often quite literally) in order to do what is right for others.  Now, that is not to say that he is completely selfless.  The boy is one of the most arrogant characters I have ever read and he will often make grandiose statements that only seem to garner him more trouble.  But, this is what makes him all the more likeable and enjoyable to read about.  Sage is kind, clever, witty and stubborn.  He captivates the reader and is easily one of my favorite characters in any series.

I was a little worried about where this book was going when Imogen left the storyline.  I always loved the connection between her and Sage and was disappointed to see her disappear so early.  But have faith ladies and gentlemen, she re-emerges!  The tension between these two characters adds an extra element to the storyline without delving into the romance sphere.  I enjoyed the fact that both of them are faced with a very difficult decision and that there is no easy way out.

In this novel, we also saw the expansion of some old characters and the addition of some interesting new ones.  Jennifer Nielsen just doesn't do bland, one dimensional characters and each person that we meet, adds a little something special to the plot.  Oftentimes, the characters that we might have overlooked or dismissed at first - turn out to be the most important in the end. 

This author continues to astound with her ability to seamlessly weave details together to create a plot that is rich and full of surprises.  Having many years of reading experience under my belt, it is often all to easy for me to notice the foreshadowing of what is to come.  Things that seem obvious to me (I am discovering) my students have often overlooked - leading to them being surprised at the plot twist and me having figured it out from the 5th page.  This is the one series where I can depend on my being just as surprised as my students.  In both books, I have been taken aback by the way pieces that appeared to come from several different puzzles finally dropped into place to create one complete, and beautifully detailed, picture.

Yet again I need to commend Jennifer Nielsen for creating a series that contains enough danger and suspense to keep readers of all ages interested, but without approaching the issues of violence that would be inappropriate for a younger reader.  Teachers and parents take note: THIS IS A BOOK THAT APPEALS TO BOTH GIRLS AND BOYS!  Let's get those (sometimes reluctant) boys reading!

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 12 and up (though there are no real issues with giving this book to a younger reader if they can handle the reading level)
Gender: Both
Sex: None
Violence: Swordplay, Knifeplay, Whipping
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

ARC Book Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Title: The Darkest Minds
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: Dec 18, 2012
Rating: 5/5 (Quite possibly the #1 pick for 2012)

Cover Impressions: Very nice cover.  Dark colors that portray the overall mood of the book and eye-catching imagery.  Can't wait to see how this theme continues through the rest of the series (Dear God, please let this be the first in a series). 

The Gist: When children begin to die from a mysterious disease, it is discovered the those survivors are left with dangerous and frightening powers.  A new special forces is quickly formed and the children are rounded up for "rehabilitation".  At the age of 10, Ruby enters Thurmond and witnesses unspeakable horrors.  When she escapes at the age of 16, the is quick to realize that it is not just the camps that had been the setting of these atrocities, but that the entire country had transformed into a dark and dangerous place. 

Review: I can see already that this is going to be one of those reviews where I simply cannot do justice to the fabulosity of this book.  Just a few chapters in, I found myself exclaiming "holy crap this is good!" and that didn't cease until the last page was turned.  I am beyond excited for the upcoming release date and cannot wait to get a copy for my classroom.  The Darkest Minds transcends issues of gender and genre preferences in the same way that The Hunger Games did.  It is exciting, fast-paced and full of genuine emotion. 

The world of this novel is horrible, but all too possible.  Terrifying parallels can be drawn between the rehabilitation centers and concentration camps during WWII.  It seems that danger lurks around every turn and almost no one can be trusted.  The world building is intense and details are slowly unraveled as we move forward in the plot. 

The characters are wonderfully well written and developed so that the reader comes to love them, but also recognizes that they are flawed in a very realistic way.  Their relationships are so genuine and the romantic angle is weaved into the plot so that it supports the action, rather than stealing center stage.  The villains (about whom I cannot give many details without spoiling the storyline) are equally well written and aided the plot in becoming one of the more exciting and horrifying ones that I have read this year.  

I do not even know what else I can say.  I am still reeling from the ending and wishing I was able to spend more time with these characters.  Books like The Darkest Minds, are the reason I continue to love YA and why I get excited about bringing titles like these to the attention of my students.  Alexandra Bracken, the YA world awaits news of the next release with baited breath - please hurry!

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 15 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Gunplay, Knifeplay, Mind Control, Concentration Camps, Execution, Possible Rape
Inappropriate Language: Asshole, Shit, Piss, Bullshit, Fucking, Bastard
Substance Use/Abuse: None