I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest

Title: I Am Princess X
Author: Cherie Priest
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: May 26, 2015
Rating: 3/5

Cover Impressions: Love the cover art.  The princess looks amazing (I am a big fan of the chucks). 

The Gist:

Once upon a time, two best friends created a princess together. Libby drew the pictures, May wrote the tales, and their heroine, Princess X, slayed all the dragons and scaled all the mountains their imaginations could conjure.

Once upon a few years later, Libby was in the car with her mom, driving across the Ballard Bridge on a rainy night. When the car went over the side, Libby passed away, and Princess X died with her.

Once upon a now: May is sixteen and lonely, wandering the streets of Seattle, when she sees a sticker slapped in a corner window.

Princess X?

When May looks around, she sees the Princess everywhere: Stickers. Patches. Graffiti. There's an entire underground culture, focused around a webcomic at IAmPrincessX.com. The more May explores the webcomic, the more she sees disturbing similarities between Libby's story and Princess X online. And that means that only one person could have started this phenomenon---her best friend, Libby, who lives.

Review:

As young girls, May and Libby bonded over the creation of Princess X.  May wrote the stories, Libby drew the comics.  Both girls lived vicariously through the Princess' adventures until the day Libby died.  Supposedly.  For years, May dreams of her friend misses the days they spent creating a world for themselves.  Until the day she discovers a sticker that looks remarkably like their Princess X.  This leads her on a search throughout the city for more proof and she quickly realizes that there are just too many parallels for the comic to be coincidence.  With the help of her neighbor and hacker (with slightly criminal leanings) Trick, May begins to delve deeper into the world of Princess X and realizes that Libby's death may not have been as real as she had believed.  She is still out there, and she has left clues so that Libby can find her and bring her home. 

I Am Princess X is a really unique blend of graphic novel and traditional storytelling.  Sprinkled throughout the book are pieces of a graphic novel that features a princess trying to escape her captor and find several items of power in order to save her kingdom.  The illustrations are beautiful and the story of Princess X melds with the mystery of the missing girl in a really interesting way.  I do wish my review copy had included more of the illustrations, but I will definitely be picking up a finished copy when it is released.  

I enjoyed the characters but I do wish there had been more development and that they had been more consistent, for example Trick is given the backstory of having made some poor decisions, losing his scholarship and doing whatever he can in order to earn enough money to pay for school himself.  However, once he meets May, he drops all of that in order to run around the city looking for clues to Libby's whereabouts.  I was pretty happy with the complete lack of a romantic storyline.  That is downright refreshing in a YA novel and I felt that May had a pretty realistic relationship with her parents.  

Unfortunately, I Am Princess X suffered from that same old issue when writers who are used to writing for an adult audience make the foray into young adult.  They just don't seem to give young readers enough credit.  This leads to a strange style of writing where they appear to "dumb things down", as if the writer thought she had to make it easier in order for a teen to "get it".  This meant there was lots of repetition of things that we already knew (like the fact that she went to Libby's funeral or that she prefers hot chocolate to coffee), bland statements of facts and recaps of events, with little to no nuance to the mystery itself.  It also made reference to tech and social media in a very "look, I'm a cool adult, I know what twitter is" kind of way.   

Ultimately, I am Princess X is a suspenseful story about a missing girl.  And it does this very well.  May searches for clues in the comics and then those translate into real life adventures to find the "keys" Libby has left behind.  There is a real sense of danger as the bad guy is your Criminal Minds type kidnapper with an intelligent manner of planning and some serious tech savvy skills that keep the kids running.  

It is a great read for those interested in a quick mystery and it will really appeal to fans of graphic novels who want to explore how the genre can work within a traditional story.   

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 12 and up
Sex:  None
Violence:  Kidnapping, Drowning, Gunplay
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

This and other reviews can be seen on Young Adult Books Central

Rook by Sharon Cameron

Title: Rook
Author: Sharon Cameron
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Rating: 4/5

Cover Impressions:  Dark and foreboding.  I love the image of Paris in ruins and the iconic Eiffel tower decimated.  The fact that the only things in color are the title font and the tip of one feather add interest and call attention to those elements.  The rain of feathers is a beautiful way to fill the sky. 

The Gist:
History has a way of repeating itself. In the Sunken City that was once Paris, all who oppose the new revolution are being put to the blade. Except for those who disappear from their prison cells, a red-tipped rook feather left in their place. Is the mysterious Red Rook a savior of the innocent or a criminal?

Meanwhile, across the sea in the Commonwealth, Sophia Bellamy’s arranged marriage to the wealthy René Hasard is the last chance to save her family from ruin. But when the search for the Red Rook comes straight to her doorstep, Sophia discovers that her fiancé is not all he seems. Which is only fair, because neither is she.

As the Red Rook grows bolder and the stakes grow higher, Sophia and René find themselves locked in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse.

Review:
The only hope for Sophia's family to maintain their ancestral home and escape debtors prison is for her to marry Rene Hasard and have him pay for the privilege.  However, unknown to all but her inner circle, Sophia spends her nights creeping about prison halls releasing those who would face the Razor for nothing more than being on the opposite side of someone more powerful than they.  As Sophie, she must allow others to determine her fate, but as the Red Rook, she is the master.  As she tried to meld her two lives, the cruel and determined LeBlanc is coming ever closer to discovering the identity of the Rook and everyone Sophie loves is coming closer to the Razor.

"The heavy blade hung high above the prisoners, glinting against the stars, and then the Razor came down, a wedge of falling darkness cutting through the torchlight."

From the very first line, we are introduced to the darkest of atmospheres.  A polar shift has caused the world's technology to fail and satellites to fall from the skies.  Humanity found themselves unable to cope without the machines they had come to rely on and thousands died.  Eventually, the people of Paris turned their backs on the evils of technology and engaged in hyper-vigilance, watching their neighbors for any sign that they were disobeying the new laws put in place by a government who punished whole families by putting them to the Razor, an even more terrifying weapon than the guillotine of the past.  This results in a strange and fascinating blend of modern architecture and remnants with a return to historic style of dress and the subordination of women.  There are descriptions of how inventions like cars and elevators have been re-purposed without the use of machinery.  These add an interesting layer to the story and result in some truly unique world building.

Sophia is a strong, independent woman in a world that requires her to submit to the will of the men in her life.  Despite this, she maintains a secret life and an attitude of self-reliance that makes her an engaging main character.  She is smart and witty when she is angry and even more so when she is fighting.  Sophie is set up for a love triangle between her childhood best friend, Spear and her new fiance, Rene.  However, refreshingly, this never truly materializes.  Sophie has been blind to Spear's interests and, once she discovers them, remains uninterested and tells him so.  Spear appears to represent the man who presents himself as a "nice guy" but has his own ideas for Sophie's life, ideas he has never consulted her about.  He becomes incredibly controlling, always believing that he knows best and that he can manipulate the situation to his own benefit and that, eventually, Sophie will thank him for it.  As I got further into the novel he become more and more controlling and I was very happy to see that Sophie was not falling for his "I have your best interests at heart" act.

The antagonist of Rook is truly mad and through his obsession with fate the novel makes an interesting point on fanaticism and blind faith.  LeBlanc puts his trust in rituals of his own creation and asks the same question again and again until he receives the answer he was looking for.  He then uses this to justify horrific evils and to advance his own position.  His unpredictability leaves the reader on the edge of their seat as we never really know what he is going to do or how much he really knows.  

The first half of the plot is, admittedly, a little slow.  There is a large cast of characters to get to know and I found myself losing track of who was playing what role.  The second half, however, makes up for it.  Just when you think you know who to trust, Cameron changes the entire game and leaves the reader guessing.  She has a fantastically clever way of switching between characters, using short paragraphs and ending each with a word or phrase that is repeated in the next.  This adds a sense of urgency and suspense and allows the writing to flow beautifully.  

Rook explores a world that is no longer able to rely on technology.  It is a fascinating view into what society might devolve into when stripped of the things we have come to depend upon and features some wonderfully strong, independent and noteworthy characters who fight for justice and humanity. 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age:  16 and up
Sex: Kissing, allusion to intercourse
Violence: Beheadings, knifeplay, swordplay, attempted strangulation
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: Drinking

This and other reviews can be seen on Young Adult Books Central

Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Title: Mark of the Thief
Author: Jennifer Nielsen
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: Feb 24, 2015
Rating: 3/5

Cover Impressions:

The Gist: When Nic, a slave in the mines outside of Rome, is forced to enter a sealed cavern containing the lost treasures of Julius Caesar, he finds much more than gold and gemstones: He discovers an ancient bulla, an amulet that belonged to the great Caesar and is filled with a magic once reserved for the Gods -- magic some Romans would kill for.

Now, with the deadly power of the bulla pulsing through his veins, Nic is determined to become free. But instead, he finds himself at the center of a ruthless conspiracy to overthrow the emperor and spark the Praetor War, a battle to destroy Rome from within. Traitors and spies lurk at every turn, each more desperate than the next to use Nic's newfound powers for their own dark purposes.

In a quest to stop the rebellion, save Rome, and secure his own freedom, Nic must harness the magic within himself and defeat the empire's most powerful and savage leaders.

Review:

Working in the mines and obeying orders (at least the ones that aren't stupid), Nic has one goal - to free himself and his sister.  When the men discover a mysterious cave one doesn't come out, and the other will never be the same again.  Forced to enter the cave himself, Nic encounters a fearsome Griffin and an ancient Bulla (an amulet given to male children in Rome).  Stealing both, he ends up on the run from a general who has darker plans for Rome and finds himself at the center of a plot to overthrow the emperor and a world of magic that he never dreamed existed.  Now, Nic must fight for freedom, his sister, the empire and discover who can be trusted in a world of intrigue.

Nic is a very reminiscent of Sage from Jennifer Nielsen's The False Prince trilogy.  He is clever and witty.  He is always willing to deliver a scathing retort - even when he probably shouldn't.  I was a little disappointed that his inner monologue was not nearly as interesting as Sage's was, and I found myself skimming those parts to get to the action.  Nic has a great frenemy in Aurelia.  She is determined, single-minded, and great with weapons.  Nic and she have a very love-hate relationship, but I don't really see this going the romantic route.  More, they will continue to gain respect for one another and become strong allies.  We only see a little of Livia, Nic's sister, and I am really excited to see what type of role she takes on in the next book.

I knew very little of Ancient Rome coming into this book and the author did an excellent job of describing the architecture, politics, and methods of entertainment.  The magic of this world is really well incorporated into the Roman belief system.  I was a particular fan of Nic's new found power to talk to animals.  I can see this having fantastic implications as the series continues.  I also loved that where most media concentrates on the gladiator fights that took place in the colloseum, this one features the animal fights.  It was interesting to see a different side of these events. 

The plot is fast paced and fun.  There are very few moments of downtime as Nic attempts to escape the consequences of stealing the Bulla.  For the first half, he spent a great deal of time simply reacting to the situations unfolding around him and I began to get frustrated with his inability to concoct a plan.  As we reached the middle of the book he took on a more controlling role and started to meet challenges head on, rather than attempting to run from them.  This developed his character further and allowed me to engage more with the plot.   

Mark of the Thief is a fun and exciting start to a promising new series. Young readers will love Nic's adventure and the historic elements on which the plot is built.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 10 and up
Sex: None
Violence: Knifeplay, Swordplay, Death of animals, Death by magic
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

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 Shadow Throne by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Title: The Shadow Throne
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: Feb 25, 2014
Rating: 4/5

Cover Impressions:  It fits nicely with the rest of the series, with a stand out color and one main symbol.  I am not a huge fan of the title as it seems a little generic and variations on that title are pretty common among fantasy novels.

The Gist: Jaron faces the biggest challenge of his less than easy rule.  Carthya is under attack from the neighboring kingdoms.  Imogen has been captured and Jaron will have to use every ounce of cleverness and wit to ensure her safety and to save the throne he worked so hard to reclaim.

Review:

As The Shadow Throne opens we are thrown into the action quite quickly.  I could have used a touch of backstory to remind me what happened in the last book but I understand that we have a limited amount of time in order to wrap up a considerable number of lose ends and to wage an entire war.

Jaron (Sage) is just as clever and calculating as ever.  My favorite plot points involved Jaron being a little shit, ie: talking shit, pulling pranks, being cocky in the face of tremendous adversity.  I often describe him to my students by saying "you will both love him and want to strangle him all at the same time."  In this novel, Jaron continues to have some of the greatest lines.  A particular favorite was "This is my offer.  I'll let you hang me twice.  I won't even put up a fuss the second time."  These wonderfully humorous quips remind me of my first reading of Harry Potter when he broke out the serious sass (sadly almost all of these were cut out of the movies). 

We get to experience some character growth with Jaron coming to understand the travesty of war and to emphasize with the choices of his father.  I think this will truly make him a better equipped king.  I was particularly pleased his coming to understand the role of women in his kingdom.  The book features a few scenes in which women come to the rescue and Jaron states "It would take entire lifetimes for the men of Carthya to deserve their women."  I thoroughly enjoy seeing this in writing, particularly in middle grade writing. 

The Shadow Throne does suffer from a little lag around the middle.  This section involves tons of talking and traveling. It became difficult for me to follow, or care, where all the soldiers are and battles are. I much preferred the intrigue of the first book to the war plans of this one.  It got to the point that I was actually skimming the dialogue because I just wanted to get back to the action.  Luckily, the pacing gets much better in the last third when we get back to Jaron's scheming and secret plots being revealed.  I was a little disappointed with the predictability of one of the major plot points (Spoiler: The number of people who were supposed to be dead but weren't really dead made this slightly reminiscent of a Moffat script.)  The ending also came out pretty much as expected, but it was pleasant nonetheless.

Overall, I was pleased with the conclusion to this trilogy, even if it was a tad predictable.  I loved the character of Jaron from the first book to the last and I anxiously await whatever Jennifer Nielsen has in store next. 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 12 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing
Violence: War, Torture, Death by sword, arrow, drowning.
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

ARC Book Review: Manor of Secrets by Katherine Longshore

Title: Manor of Secrets
Author: Katherine Longshore
Publisher: Point (Scholastic)
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Rating: 3/5

Cover Impressions:  Pretty girl in a pretty dress with a pretty staircase in the background.  Nothing that stands out at first glance.  The tagline (on my ARC) is "Upstairs.  Downstairs.  Drama."  Which sends me into Downton Abbey territory - which I love.  The cover model even looks like a younger version of Lady Mary.

The Gist: Charlotte lives a life of luxury.  Sheltered in the manor by a cold and distant mother, she longs for a life of adventure.  Janie works in the kitchen under the tutelage of her mother.  Having spent a tumultuous childhood wondering where her next meal is going to come from, she clings to the only place that she has ever felt secure.  As the girls' paths cross their lives are thrown together.  Charlotte sees a manner of escape, Janie sees a lonely girl who has never known love.  Together they begin to learn more about each other, and themselves and seek to unravel the secrets of the Manor.

Review:
I will admit it.  I, Zabet Reading, am a Downton Abbey Junkie.  With the show off the air until next season, I was excited to read a book that seemed to follow that type of world quite closely.  In fact, I couldn't help but picture the characters and set from Downton Abbey.  (Of course, Charlotte was Lady Sybill despite the cover model's clear resemblance to Lady Mary.)  Manor of Secrets doesn't quite hold up to Downton, but then that is a pretty high bar to reach.  On it's own, it was an interesting story and a quick and easy read. 

The setting was beautiful and the author clearly delineated between the opulence and quiet of the upstairs and the simplicity and chaos that came downstairs.  Personally, I preferred the drama and quarrels of the servants' quarters to the cold and oppressing formality of Charlotte's world and could completely understand why she would want to escape it.  I would have enjoyed seeing a bit more of the "downstairs" back-story - particularly why Tess and Mollie hated Janie so much.  Had we had an opportunity to learn a little more about this history, I think the events in the second half of the book would have had more impact.  The first half of this novel was much stronger than the second.  In the first half we watch a sheltered young woman begin to break out of her shell and a romance that was clearly going to cause a great deal of turmoil.  By the second half, most of the secrets had been revealed and the reader was left to watch as the two girls tried to decide which path to take.    
 
I did find the plot a little bit predictable but it moved fairly quickly and the only moments of lag came from some eye-rolling dialogue near the middle.  The relationship between the two girls developed rather quickly for my taste.
The main characters seemed rather true to form: Charlotte was the clueless aristocrat who had no idea how much trouble she could cause for her servants in simply seeking a bit of "adventure" and Janie was trying to be kind to a lonely girl while still protecting her livelihood.  The side characters were interesting but not quite as fleshed out as I would normally prefer.    The men were all rather bland and I found Andrew's loyalty after Charlotte's scandal, to be a little hard to believe.  I think the book could have benefited from featuring a smaller cast, so that we could get to know each one a little better.
 
This is my first foray into Katherine Longshore's writing, though I am familiar with her previous books.  I am putting her on my "search for" list in the hopes that I come across her earlier work in a second hand bookstore. 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 12 and up
Gender: Female
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Fist Fighting
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

ARC Book Review: Defy by Sara B. Larson

Title: Defy
Author: Sara B. Larson
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: Jan 7, 2014
Rating:2/5

Cover Impressions: The cover does not stand out particularly well.  The blade is interesting - but doesn't appear to have any significance to the story.  I like the faint impressions of leaves in the background that link to the jungle setting but the color of the title font is throwing me off - it just doesn't appear to "go".  

The Gist: Alexa Hollen is a natural born fighter.  She has spent years training with her father.  When the war reaches their home and her parents are killed in a Sorcerer's fire, she and her twin brother must flee.  In order to avoid the breeding houses where orphan girls are sent to bear sons to become soldiers, Alexa cuts off her hair and becomes Alex, prize fighter and guard to Prince Damian.  

Review:
Defy is the debut novel for Sara B. Larson, and you can tell.  The story is not particularly well conceived and, despite having a female main character who is prized for her fighting skills, it reeks of sexist attitudes.  A major plot point revolves around the existence of "breeding houses" for young girls.  Orphans are brought here and repeatedly raped in order to produce soldiers for the King's army.   Alexa avoids this fate by disguising herself as a boy and becoming a soldier and eventually guard to the prince.  Even though she has achieved a level of proximity to the king and prince that most assassin's would dream of, and a reputation as a fearsome fighter, Alexa does not actually DO anything to stop these atrocities until fate forces her hand.

The author appears to have some issues around "male behavior" and "female behavior".  The story draws some very clear lines around what is believed appropriate for each sex.  I realize that this story is MEANT to challenge those norms - but it doesn't.  In fact, when another character guesses that Alex is actually a girl, Alexa herself claims that she hadn't been acting like a girl "I'd carried Tanoori with three other men without complaining once for days.  I helped set up the tent, I took it down, I did everything every other man here did."  Am I meant to believe that only a girl would complain about trying to save another person's life or that only men are capable of setting up and taking down a tent and that Alexa should be considered "manly" for doing so with only her weak feminine muscles to help her?  In fact, it appears that every time Alexa is hindered in doing her job she blames it on the "female" part of her, particularly, emotions and desires.  She also seems incapable of resisting the attention of any man and spends a great deal of time describing their physique. To the detriment of my eyes which have begun to tire from the number of times they are spent spinning in my head. 

We also have to deal with a very weak love triangle which, I assume, is going to be the basis of some inner turmoil for Alexa as the series (there is at least one more book planned) goes on.  I actually held particularly high hopes for Alexa when I was introduced to the young girl who had bluffed her way into the Prince's guard and rose to become their best fighter - however, as soon as that fact is established and very shortly before it is revealed that her secret was not so secret after all, Alexa becomes the damsel in distress who needs constant rescue from the two men who are now fighting for her attention.  

I also wish the author had made some different choices around the timing of the story.  If it had started earlier in Alexa's life we could have gotten attached the Alexa's parents and brother.  As it is written - their deaths did not have any emotional impact and Alexa's belief that she has to appear stoic and "manly" (insert eye roll) mean that we do not see much of the impact that it has on her character either.  Some earlier development would also have allowed for some back story into why this war was being fought and avoided some issues with "telling" letter on.  Instead, once we get to the reveal-the-whole-plot part of the story we have long explanations of years worth of intrigue and secrets.  This appears to be the author's way of compensating for the fact that there is very little action in this book.   

I understand that there are several other one star reviews coming from people who simply could not bring themselves to finish the book, and I can respect that.  I did, however, see some redemption by the end.  Alexa manages to start making some decisions on her own and does show some character growth (though not nearly as much as I would like) which allowed me to raise my rating by a star.  I sincerely hope that the author is able to take care of some of the sexist issues before the publication of the second book and that Alexa is allowed to grow into her own as a character, rather than simply spending the book bouncing from one love interest to the other.    

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 15 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Use of "Breeding Houses" that feature the repeated rape and pregnancy of young girls, Swordplay, Death by Arrow, Death by fire, 

Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

ARC Book Review: Marie Antoinette Serial Killer by Katie Alender

Title: Marie Antoinette Serial Killer

Author: Katie Alender
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Rating: 3/5

Cover Impressions:  I like this one a lot.  The piercing blue eyes draw you in and the blood splatter elevates it from the "pretty girl in a dress" typical fare.  I do wish there was something in the background; a room, a palace, even the Eiffel tower.  Also chuckling at the tagline. 

The Gist: Colette's life has fallen apart.  Her parents are separated, she has had to move into a tiny apartment and, despite being able to stay at her fancy prep school, she can't tell her snotty friends or they will ditch her.  BUT, there is one shining hope - a class trip to Paris that Colette hopes will change her life.  Upon landing, however, she discovers that there have been several gruesome murders in the city, and that they may have something to do with the mysterious family heirloom that she discovered in a long forgotten box. 

Review:
I am a huge fan of Katie Alender's Bad Girls Don't Die series.  So, naturally, I was all in when I found out that she was releasing a new book.  I don't know a great deal about Marie Antoinette, but the premise seemed really interesting.  The thought of the famous queen hunting down and decapitating those who had wronged her made me giggle and the promise of a Parisian setting had be intrigued.  I loved following the characters through some famous sites and hearing tidbits of history (punctuated by the appearance of a few dead participants!).  The plot is fun and unfolds at a brisk pace.  Once the mystery is laid bare, there is a real sense of urgency that kept me reading late into the night. 

I did have a little difficulty connecting with the main character.  Even though Colette is the better of her friends, she is still pretty shallow and vapid.  I had a hard time taking her seriously and I kept rolling my eyes at the very "teenagerness" of her every thought and comment.  I remember not being particularly fond of the main character in the Bad Girl's Don't Die series, but Alender had three books in which to let her grow and mature, this (as far as I know) is a stand-alone and Colette's transformation is a little too quick.  It was nice to watch her finally make some good choices when it comes to her friends.  The other characters are fun, but not particularly well developed.  Audrey didn't have much personality other than being the complete opposite of Hannah.  Brynn seemed completely unnecessary.  Hannah was completely heinous - Regina George would be proud of this one and I honestly felt bad for Pilar, she seemed so sweet and talented and kept putting up with Hannah's abuse.

The love interest is sweet, but doesn't overtake the plot.  This is not the story for someone looking for passion in Paris!  Jules is cute, sweet and respectful.  He is the complete opposite of Armand, who had developed a strange fixation on Colette and gave me a serious case of the heebie jeebies (also, I completely pictured him as Gaston from Beauty and the Beast).  I did really enjoy getting to see the relationship between Jules and his family, but the way it impacted Colette's own relationship with her brother was a little unrealistic.  By the end, Colette is a completely changed person.  She stands up to her friends, is generous with her mother and kind to her brother.  If this had happened at the end of a series of books, it could have felt like a genuine change, but the fact that it all occurs in 10 (I think) days, makes me doubt that it would last beyond the first few days at home.  Overall, the ending is a little too clean and easy.  All the loose ends are tied up, everyone is safe, Hannah is alone, Colette is a better person and everything goes back to normal.

I am definitely an Alender fan.  I will stick around for any other books that she writes, but here's hoping that she goes back to the series format that allows for some realistic character development.


Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 12 and up
Gender: Female
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Death by decapitation
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

ARC Book Review: The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Dream Thieves
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: September 17, 2013
Rating: 4/5

Cover Impressions:  I love love LOVE the artwork for this series and I am so glad that the publishers decided to continue with this color scheme.  The Dream Thieves is not quite as drool-worthy as The Raven Boys but we still have the stunning brushwork that makes me just want to touch it.  I can't wait to see this one all decked out in the finished copy.

The Gist: Adam's sacrifice at the end of The Raven Boys has had further reaching repercussions than any of the boys realized.  Adam is haunted by an inexplicable "otherness", Gansey is struggling to piece together the clues on his quest and Rowan is falling deeper and deeper into the dream world.  Dangerous elements have been awoken and the someone, or something, is hunting in the dark, putting everyone at risk.

Review:
The Dream Thieves is a solid addition to this surprisingly interesting series.  I am the first to admit, I LOATHED Shiver, and I thought after that debacle, I would never pick up another Stiefvater book again.  When Scholastic sent me The Raven Boys for review, I had thought, at the least, I would get a ranty, gif filled review out of it.  But, I am also the first to admit that I was whole-heartedly wrong.  I loved The Raven Boys and thoroughly enjoyed The Dream Thieves.  While TRB started out a little slow and then gained momentum towards the middle of the book, TDT has a much more steady pace.  It is a slow burn in which the story unravels leisurely and we get to see much more of the characters than in the previous novel.  I do wish there was more forward action on the over-all plot.  We see quite a bit of character development and many events are put into place for the action of the third book, but mostly the problems that are solved are new ones, not the lingering questions from The Raven Boys.

One of the strengths in this series lies with the character development.  Each of the boys (and Blue) have their own issues and their own, distinct, voice.  We get to follow inside each character's head for a while, which allows the reader to build deep and meaningful connections.  I do wish that there weren't quite as many peripheral characters as it became difficult to keep track.  We have 4 main characters, then each of their families, then friends and enemies, which adds up to a lot.  There also isn't a whole lot of detail provided to jog your memory.  I, for one, have read a LOT of YA novels in between TRB and this book and find it difficult to recall certain characters or aspects of the storyline.  For example, at one point a chapter opens with Helen operating a helicopter.  There is no preamble describing who Helen is and she has not been mentioned up to this point.  It took me AGES to remember that she was Gansey's sister and my confusion took my attention away from that particular section of the plot.

It is very interesting to read a series in which we knew the ending, from the very beginning.  Blue's vision shows us that Gansey is to die and the prophecy about her first kiss tells us a lot about where their relationship eventually leads.  Nonetheless, I continue to watch, breathlessly, for the plot to get there.  All the while, hoping for a loophole that will lead to a different eventuality.  Either way, I will certainly be hanging in there for the next two books!

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 13 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Knifeplay, Gunplay, Kidnapping
Inappropriate Language: Dick, Fag, Bastard, Fucking, Shit, Jesus Christ,
Substance Use/Abuse: Cocaine use, Underage Drinking
Other Issues: Child abuse

ARC Book Review: Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg

Title: Openly Straight

Author: Bill Konigsberg
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: May 28, 2013
Rating: 4/5

Cover Impressions:  This cover is ADORABLE.  I love the choice of tiffany blue for the background and the emoticon choices.  I think this one will stand out on a shelf and is unique enough to intrigue potential readers. 

The Gist: Rafe's entire life has been colored by the fact that he is gay.  He is comfortable with who he is, and is proud of what he is accomplished, but he really wants a chance to see what life would be like without the label.  He gets his opportunity when he transfers to an all-boy boarding school in New England.  Suddenly he is able to fit in with the popular jocks and experience a side of life he never realized he was missing.  As Rafe begins to fall in love with one of his newfound friends he must face the predicament in which he has put himself - a lie allowed him to develop a beautiful relationship and the truth may destroy his love and his friendship.

Review:
Openly Straight featured a unique perspective.  Rafe is "out" and in the public eye.  His parents support him, he is an equal rights advocate at his school and even speaks to other youth on what it is like to be a gay teen.  But, he often feels that this label places a barrier between him and his peers.  He plays sports, but doesn't feel like part of the team.  Other students and teachers constantly turn to him to provide "the gay point of view" and, despite his being out and available, he still doesn't have a boyfriend.  With his entry to a new school, he finally has a chance to get rid of the label and remove the barriers - but it means leaving a big part of himself behind.  I loved getting a chance to see the challenges that can be faced by a teen even if he is supported by his family and is part of a (fairly) liberal school.  

This novel featured a lot of fun and unique characters.  Rafe and his friends are smart and witty and their comments and conversations often left me smiling, if not laughing.  These are the types of characters that could easily carry a novel of their own and I often found myself wondering what they were doing when they were not with Rafe.  My absolute favorite scenes were those with his parents.  they were fun and quirky and wonderful examples of supportive parents - which is refreshing in a genre where absentee parents have almost become a cliche.  I was also quite pleased that Openly Straight showed (if not featured) several gay characters and did a great job of breaking stereotypes.

Openly Straight is not a book with a particularly strong plot.  It follows a "will they, won't they" love story that was often sweet and romantic.  Rafe did have a tendency to live in his own head and the introspection slowed the story considerably.  This was really noticeable in the last 1/3rd of the book and resulted in an ending that was much more of a whimper than a bang.  I also wish that it didn't contain quite as much swearing and sexual behavior as this limits me in which students I can recommend the book to.  However, I really enjoyed the unique perspective that this novel provided and I was entertained by the fun cast of characters. 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 16 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing, Masturbation, Sex between Teenagers
Violence: None
Inappropriate Language: Lots and Often: ass, shit, dick, shit, faggot, piss, bitch, fuck, retard, whore, slut, prick, cock
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage Drinking

Book Review: Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality by Elizabeth Eulberg

Title: Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: March 1st, 2013
Rating: 3/5

Cover Impressions:  The cover is cute, though a bit simplistic for my taste.  I might prefer if it had something in the background, like a mirror that the lipstick was scrawled on...

The Gist:  Lexi has spent years catering to her 7 year old sister turned pageant princess.  She sews, she primps, she meets the ever-increasing demands of her overbearing mother.  She is known as the girl with the "great personality" and she is ready for a change.  When her best friend challenges her to put some serious effort into her personality, she reluctantly relents, if only to prove that she is a hopeless case.  Armed with perfectly coifed hair and fabulously fake lashes, she receives more attention than she ever dreamed, including one very cute guy - even if it isn't really the guy she wanted.  As her world changes, she begins to doubt which Lexi is the real one: the beautiful girl, or the one with the great personality?

Review: Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality was a fun read with a few flaws.  I loved the premise and the glimpse into the world of the sister of a pageant princess.  Lexi had an interesting voice and I loved that she didn't buy into the whole pageant world.  She was a but too whiney for my taste and she constantly lamented her lack of beauty (which was easily solved by a modicum of makeup - really, you're hideous and a touch of concealer fixes everything?  I don't think so.)  I thought the sometimes rocky but always backed by love, relationship between the sisters was pretty realistic.  Even though it was sometimes painful to read about, so was the relationship between the divorced mother and her daughters.  The mother was truly damaged and looking for validation in all the wrong places.  At one point, she made a move so heinous that I was left feeling shocked and betrayed along with Lexi and it amped up my feelings of disgust and re-engaged me with the plot of the novel.  Unlike the familial relationships, I didn't feel any real connection with either of the love interests but, to be fair, I don't think Lexi really did either.  They mostly served as a backdrop against which she could make new discoveries about herself.  Her friends, however, had a lot of unrealized potential.  They were interesting, but fell flat and undeveloped while we followed Lexi through the "popular" world. 

The thing that irked me about this novel was the way in which Lexi preached to pageant parents at the end.  Being in a profession where I, occasionally, come across entitled, know-it-all children, I found her lecturing to be very off-putting.  Her experiences with her sister and mother give her an insight into the beauty and ugliness of the pageant world, but they do not make her an expert on each family's situation not do they give her the right to judge parents who have twice (or more) her life experience.

Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality is, ultimately, a cute novel with a good message about self-love that would be enjoyed by most teenage girls.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 12 and up
Gender: Female
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Teen gets slapped by parent
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage Drinking

Book Review: A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty

Title: A Corner of White
Author: Jaclyn Moriarty
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: April 1st, 2013
Rating: 4/5

Cover Impressions: At first glance, this cover looks like just another contemporary romance but, after finishing the book, I can appreciate the little touches.  Madeline's outfit is exactly as described in the book - a whimsical plethora of colors.  I also love the sparkle and light that gives an ethereal quality to the letter and the wonderful colors reflected in the falling leaves.  The one thing that I do miss is a reflection of Elliot, but perhaps that is just because I preferred his side of the story to Madeline's.  It is also worth taking a look at the actual hardcover underneath the book jacket - it is covered with the colors of Madeline's jacket and boots and is imprinted with the image of the umbrella and falling leaves.  These touches are beautiful and unexpected. 

The Gist: Madeline and her mother have run away from their privileged life for one of struggling to make ends meet in Cambridge.  Elliot lives in the mysterious Kingdom of Cello and is on a desperate search to find his missing father.  The two begin communicating through letters that they fit through a rare gap between the worlds and weave their two lives together in ways they never imagined possible. 

Review:

I will admit, A Corner of White was almost a did-not-finish for me.  This book got to a very slow start.  Almost the entire first half was a sluggish slog.  At about this point, I went back to the reviews on Goodreads and saw that most reviewers had commented on this and said to hang in there.  So I did, and, I am so happy for it.  In the beginning, the writing style took some getting used to and the characters were quirky if a little too well informed for their age.  This type of book will require a patient reader and not all teens will fit this bill, however, the payoff in the end is entirely worth it.

Moriarty's characters endear themselves to you slowly.  At the beginning I wasn't particularly fond of Madeline and I didn't entirely see the point of Jack and Bella.  By the end, I enjoyed their strange obsession with aura's and horoscopes and could see the important role that they played in Madeline's growth and development.  Incidentally, I really hope that their peculiar interests are incorporated into Cello's world in further books.  Even Madeline had outgrown her whining and become a character that I could continue to follow through this series.  I enjoyed Elliot from the very beginning.  He was strong and independent while holding an important place within his community.  I was very glad that the relationship between him and Madeline never crossed into the romantic and I hope that is something that does not change further into the story. 

Jaclyn Moriarty is certainly an author who shows rather than tells.  While this is an admirable trait among writers it also means that it takes quite a while to get a clear understanding of the way that the world of Cello works, particularly the threat of Colors.  She occasionally pushes our understanding forward through the inclusion of newspaper articles, books or police reports.  I will admit, I still don't quite understand the mechanics behind catching and using spells, but I assume this will be revealed in the next installement.  One thing that I did love to see was the incorporation of scientific knowledge and history into the storyline.  It would be interesting to see the reactions of my grade 8 students were they to read this book while studying our Optics unit which covers light and colors.  A Corner of White also featured an unexpected twist or two that were refreshing and kept me engaged for the second half of the book.

As I noted previously, this novel gets off to a slow start but ends with a resolution that is satisfying while also successfully setting up for the next book in the series.  Unfortunately, I cannot discuss too much of what makes it such a good ending without spoiling the entire plot, I only wish to tell you that if you are reading this review while in the middle of the book, as I did, keep going.  If have not started yet, remember to let the story develop around you - it is worth it. 

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 13 and up (readers must be patient enough to get through the slow beginning)
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing
Violence:  "Color" attacks that maim/kill
Inappropriate Language: Ass
Substance Use/Abuse:  Underage Drinking, Smoking, Discussion of Alcoholism

Book Review: That Time I Joined The Circus by J. J. Howard

Title: That Time I Joined The Circus
Author: J.J. Howard
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: April 1, 2013
Rating: 4.5/5

Cover Impressions: This cover is so pretty.  I love the backdrop of stars and the slightly blurred image of the circus.  The colors are muted and add to the ethereal quality of the image.  I'm not usually a fan of the almost pencil thin font, but in this case I think anything bigger would have covered too much of the night sky. 

The Gist: Lexi Ryan has lost everything, her best friend, her father, her home and her future.  She spends her last few dollars tracking down the last known whereabouts of the mother who abandoned her - a traveling circus.  Once there, Lexi works hard to make a life for herself with jobs that range from cleaning cages to telling fortunes.  Just when she is starting to settle in, a piece of her past shows up out of the blue and Lexi must finally face the demons that thought she had left behind. 

Review: 
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed That Time I Joined The Circus.  It is a wonderful coming of age story that was surprisingly poignant.  Lexi is dealt a seriously devastating blow.  She loses her father, her best friend and her home all in the same night.  Facing a remarkably different future than the one that she expected, one would expect her to wallow in self pity, but Lexi Ryan is not that type of girl.  She is strong, independent and determined.  She sets off on a journey to find her mother, unsure of the outcome or destination.  When she finds that her mother is not at the circus as she expected, Lexi pulls up her boots and finds a way to be useful.  She does have a tendency to be self-deprecating, but it never bothered me in the way that it does with most characters.  Perhaps because she is never whiny about it and is willing to work hard to support herself rather than to rely on others.  There are also some great secondary characters who, and I hope the author is thinking along the same lines that I am, could support their own stories in upcoming books. 

This is not a particularly fast-paced story and there is very rarely a sense of urgency, but, for some reason it kept me enthralled from the very first page.  I think the setting played a strong role in that.  The backdrop was beautiful and whimsical.  I have read a few books set in circus' before, but none made it feel like a home for the characters in the way that this one did.  The constant musical references added charm and character.  By the end, I was searching each song on youtube and listening to it for the entire chapter.  In fact, if you check out the author's website, you will find a chapter by chapter playlist as well as one that includes all the music played outside Lexi's fortune teller trailer - have I mentioned how I LOVE when authors include these little extras?

Full disclosure: YES, ladies and gentlemen, this story did have multiple love interests.  BUT, they did not form your typical love triangle and the resolution felt right and very mature.  The one thing I do wish is that there had been more development of Lexi's relationship with her father.  If I had gotten to see a little more of their home life I think that the rest of the events in the story would have had a little more of an emotional impact.

I have to give cudos to J.J. Howard for writing a book that involves late teenagers, relationships and some (possibly) sexual behavior, but without including anything that would make me pull it from my classroom shelves.  From one teacher to another, thank you.

Given the beauty of this debut novel, I will be sticking around for anything and everything Ms. Howard writes in the future.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 13 and up
Gender: Female
Sex: Kissing, Allusion to more
Violence: Fist Fighting
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

ARC Book Review: The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson

Title: The Summer Prince
Author: Alaya Dawn Johnson
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine
Release Date: March 1, 2013
Rating: 1/5

Cover Impressions: Pretty.  Yay, no whitewashing.  Natural hair on a woman of color!

The Gist: Summer king gets elected, summer king gets killed - still don't understand why.  June is spoiled brat who causes trouble and calls it art.

Review:

WARNING: This will be ranty.  If you don't like swearing, please move on to another review - this one is not for you.

This book broke me.  And not in the "oh my god this is so good nothing will ever compare" kind of way.  More in the "reading has become a huge disappointment and I will now spend my time watching reality tv instead" kind of way.

I hated every minute that I spent with this book and, now that I have finally quit, I don't even want to read anything else.  I am that annoyed.

I hated this world.  It was futuristic and fucked up and nothing made sense.  To go along with the nothing making sense was the fact that the author chose not to explain anything.  I made it 3/4 of the way through the book and I STILL have no idea why the hell they choose a summer king or why the hell they kill him some years and not others.  And you know what? I don't fucking care.  That is how little these characters affected me.

The kids were spoiled and entitled.  June spent most of her time glorifying a father who committed suicide and blaming her mother for this, despite any evidence that she did anything to cause it.  When she wasn't being a heinous daughter, she was pulling pranks making art for some weird ass contest to which no one ever explained the rules.  Oh, and did I mention that any other free time she had was spent at lavish parties?

That was the gist of the plot, no danger, no immediate cause to work towards, just an episode of The Hills set against the backdrop of an alternative future.

Despite all these issues, I might have managed to get past it.  However, then came the sex.  I understand the desire to have sexual situations and language in a young adult novel, I really do.  I do not, however, enjoy the way that this author chose to use sex in such a casual manner.  June actually told us of how she and her best friend took care of their "virginity problem".  We hear of the Summer King sleeping with anything and everything that moves and then, to take the literary cake, June strips off OUTSIDE, masturbates, is revealed to have had an audience to her little show and then acts as if it meant nothing.  No.  NO NO NO NO NO!

I can't even.

The fuck?

If I gave this book to one of my students, I would end up fired.
Fuck this.  I'm out.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 16 and up
Gender: Female - I guess.
Sex: See review - this shit's fucked up.
Violence: Fist fighting.  Knifeplay
Inappropriate Language: Whore, Shit, Ass, Bastards
Substance Use/Abuse: drug use

Book Review: Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters by Suzanne Weyn

Title: Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters
Author: Suzanne Weyn
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: January 1, 2013
Rating: 3/5

Cover Impressions: The cover has a little bit of an old school feel.  It reminds me of ghost stories that I would have read in elementary school.  The colors are pretty and the setting is ominous.

The Gist: Giselle and Ingrid have discovered that they are the daughters of the brilliant and wealthy Dr. Frankenstein.  As his only heirs, they inherit his castle in the Orkney Islands and set about making it their own.  While Giselle renovates and plans an elaborate party, Ingrid becomes lost in her father's journals and begins to take her own steps down his dark and dangerous path. 

Review:
I love new takes on old classics and was excited to read this interesting spin off of the classic Frankenstein tale.  The story is told through the diary entries of both girls.  While this style works well in the beginning, it becomes a little cumbersome as the action starts to pick up.  There are also a few repetitive issues such as the constant speaking to the diary and informing the reader of when each girl had time to write in the diary.

The girls themselves are a little bland and stereotypical.  Giselle is the pretty one, obsessed with dresses and parties while Ingrid is the smart one, fascinated by science and experimentation.  Giselle is more the more interesting of the two as her exploits seem to constantly put her in danger.  Ingrid, for her part, develops an infatuation with a man whom she must save from a debilitating disease, and we get to see a shadow of the obsession that marked her father's demise.

The plot was a bit predictable and could have been shaken up with a surprise ending.  There was some eye-rolling at the number of men who seemed to want to harm Giselle (she cannot possibly been so beautiful that every man she encountered felt the overwhelming urge to consumer her) and Ingrid's escapades sneaking into university lectures dressed comically as a man. 

Overall, Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters did not wow me, but I would still recommend it for those who love the classics and, perhaps, to inspire those young readers to pick up the original.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 12 and up
Gender: Female
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Murder by strangulation, attempted rape, scientific experimentation, body snatching
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse:  None

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 Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

Title: The Dead and Buried
Author: Kim Harrington
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: Jan 1, 2013
Rating:

Cover Impressions: This is the second cover for The Dead and Buried.  The first showed a shadowy figure descending a staircase.  It fit well with the storyline and added an extra creep factor.  This cover, however, is less impressive.  The cover model looks like she is sleeping, not dead, and it doesn't stand out from the other YA books on the shelf.

The Gist: Jade has finally gotten her wish.  She has moved to a new house, in a bigger town and with a better school.  Shortly after moving in, however, Jade starts to feel odd cold sensations throughout the house and her little brother, Colby, describes a glimmering girl that visits him in his room.  Jade discovers that the teen queen of her high school, Kayla, had lived in her house and that she had died there under mysterious circumstances.  When Kayla threatens Jade's brother, Jade must worm her way into the inner circle in order to try and find a killer.

Review:  This is my second foray into the world Kim Harrington.  I read Clarity, which I enjoyed, but not enough for me to rush out and buy the sequel.  I feel much the same about The Dead and Buried.  I was really excited for it when I saw the original cover.  I love ghost stories (see my reviews the Dead Girls Don't Die series) and TDAB fits that bill.  However, there were some aspects where it was lacking.

The premise is one we have all seen before, teenager moves into new house, weird stuff starts happening, he/she discovers the house is haunted and endeavors to find the killer and set the soul to rest.  There wasn't really any new ground broken in this book.  I was hoping Kayla would possess Jade and try to win back her old life - but no.  I never really felt like Jade was in any danger.  Yes, Kayla possessed her brother, and yes, those moments were a little tense, but I don't think we saw enough of a relationship with him in the beginning to make these moments really hit home for me.  Even throughout the novel, it seemed like Colby was always out of the picture, and when he did appear, he had very little personality. 

The rest of the interactions between Jade and her family seemed a little too unreal.  She never fights with her father and her arguments with her stepmother are pretty tame.  I did enjoy Jade's friendship with Alexa.  She was quirky and it made me happy whenever Jade chose her over the popular kids - putting substance ahead of flash.  I was disappointed when Alexa basically disappeared in the second half of the book.  As soon as Jade begins to develop a relationship with the boys (Donovan and Kane) her interactions with Alexa seem to fall off.  I found both the boys to be rather boring and didn't really see the appeal of either of them.

Had The Dead and Buried ended with some huge twist that I never saw coming, I probably would have enjoyed it a great deal more.  It was a pretty quick read and it was well paced.  Unfortunately, the minute a particular character was introduced, I had a strong feeling that they were the killer and my suspicions were confirmed with one of the least exciting reveal moments that I have ever read. 

Overall, The Dead and Buried was underwhelming.  It is fine as a quick read, but didn't have a whole lot of substance.  

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 12 and up
Gender: Female
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Murder by pushing down stairs
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

Book Review: Undead by Kirsty McKay

Title: Undead
Author: Kirsty McKay
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: Sept 1, 2012
Rating: 3/5

Cover Impressions: Prior to reading the book, I kinda liked the cover.  The contrasting colors worked well together and I liked the image of the cheerleader/zombie killer.  However, having read the book, I don't like that the cover image doesn't feature the main character.  The cheerleader character is anything but kick-ass, and doesn't really deserve cover billing. 

The Gist: During a school trip rest stop, Bobby hides out on the bus in order to avoid her heinous new classmates.  When they are emerge craving brains more than burgers, Bobby and a handful of survivors must fight to escape and to get to the bottom of the this strange outbreak.

Review: I will admit, this is an odd choice for me.  I love recieving review copies from Scholastic, but this is one that I definitely would not have chosen on my own.

You see, I have issues with zombies.  I don't generally watch movies or tv shows or read books about zombies because they make me uncomfortable.  I know, that is kind of the point.  But, I find that I cannot relax with this type of fiction because I am constantly waiting for the next attack and I spend a great deal of time yelling at the characters to "keep moving", "look behind you" or "stop talking and pick up a freakin weapon!".  For the sake of a book that isn't all that bad, I will try to put my personal issues aside.

Undead opens with Bobby, who has just returned to the UK from living in the US for several years.  Her parents thought it would be a great idea to send her on a pre-school trip to get to know her new classmates.  Instead, Bobby has spent the trip counting the minutes until it is over.  When those same students mysteriously die and are raised as zombies, she is forced to cooperate with a cheerleader, an uber-geek and a delinquent in order to fight for survival.  Bobby is strong willed and determined.  She will take risks and has a very take charge attitude.  The other characters don't add a whole lot and were pretty one dimensional and forgettable.   

The plot featured some odd twists and turns.  There were times of flat out action, followed by lots of lag.  I also couldn't understand why these kids weren't better prepared.  Surely they have seen a zombie movie or two, so why weren't they grabbing food off the shelves and making weapons instead of wasting time having EVERYONE gather around to watch video feedback?  The storyline also featured an odd conspiracy theory that is never clearly explained - I was left with more questions than answers.  The humor in the writing just didn't work for me and the constant fighting among the teens got old fast. 


As with most Zombie books, this one suffers from a severe case of "anything that can go wrong - will".  I personally, find this incredibly frustrating.  I am left rolling my eyes and yelling "oh COME ON!".  It also featured the typical: Thank God we are safe - oh wait, we really aren't" type ending.

Clearly zombie books are just not for me but I can see where this would appeal to other readers, especially teens looking for something exciting.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 16 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing
Violence: zombie attacks
Inappropriate Language: None, Pseudo-Swears
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage drinking

Book Review: Ungifted by Gordon Korman

Title: Ungifted
Author: Gordon Korman
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: August 21, 2012
Rating: 3/5

Cover Impressions: The cover is super cute.  The colors are great and the image of the robot is fun.  I can see where this would appeal to kids.

The Gist: Donovan Curtis doesn't know why he does the things that he does.  He just gets an itch and before he knows it, he is in a world of trouble.  When his biggest mistake yet inadverntantly leads to a mix up that gets him labeled as "Gifted", Donovan is thrust into a world of the super-smart and the super-geeky.  As he struggles to fly under the radar, he becomes more involved than he ever thought he would and starts to see the Academy Geeks in a whole new light.

Review: 
Ungifted is a well-written middle grade novel.  It is a fun, light story that is perfect for young readers and easy enough for reluctant readers.  The plot progresses steadily and has some very light hearted moments.  I enjoyed watching Donovan as realized that the gifted kids were fun and interesting and that they were his true friends.  Some of his actions left Donnie a little unlikeable, but he did manage to grow by the end of the novel.

The other characters are cute, if a little stereotypical.  I enjoyed Noah the most and was amused by his constant yearning to be expelled from the Academy.  Chloe was also a cute character, but I felt the romantic element a little unnecessary and distracting.
  
I wasn't a big fan of the alternating narrative.  Perhaps if it had been less random and had a little more development among fewer characters, I would have enjoyed it more.  I also noticed an odd undercurrent of public school bashing.  Admittedly, as a Canadian, I am not fluent in the issues plaguing the American school system, however, as a teacher, I felt a little insulted.  We do the best we can with what we are given and I felt that the author wasn't giving that process credit.

I can see this book appealing to boys (as most of Gordon Korman's books do) and being an enjoyable read for those reluctant readers.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 10 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: None
Violence: Bullying
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None

Book Review: The Ghost of Graylock by Dan Poblocki

Title: The Ghost of Graylock
Author: Dan Poblocki
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: August 1, 2012
Rating: 3/5

Cover Impressions: This cover is super-creepy  I love the image of the girl and the fact that her face is almost completely covered in shadow.  The colors are reminiscent of the lake that plays such a large part in the story. 

The Gist: Neil and his sister, Bree have been sent to spend some time with their aunts while their father chases his dreams and their mother gets treatment for depression.  Attempting to escape the pain of his family life, Neil emerses himself in the tale of Graylock Hall, a local asylum where three patients drowned and a nurse was blamed for their murder.  When the kids and their new-found friends visit the abandoned building, they encounter a fearsome entity and vow never to return.  That is, until they discover that whatever they found, refused to be confined by the walls of Graylock and followed them home.

Review:

The Ghost of Graylock is an engrossing, fast-paced read that is perfect for October.  I didn't quite make a connection with the characters, and there really isn't much in the way of their development, but I did enjoy the plot.  I actually found myself putting the book down at one point because I was at home alone and was getting creeped out.  Poblocki manages to create an air of mystery and suspense throughout this entire novel that is punctuated by moments of horror that keep the reader jumping.

While the plot was not dead-on predictable, there were some moments where I really couldn't believe that the kids hadn't figured this out yet.  For example, even upon seeing the ghostly figure and being able to describe her dress, it took them an incredibly long time to realize that there were not looking at the adult nurse in crisp, white uniform but instead at a teenage girl in a floaty, white dress.  It was also a little unbelievable that the aunts were not more concerned with the whereabouts and activities of their niece and nephew.

As I mentioned, the characters are fairly typical teens, but I feel an opportunity was missed for character development.  Neil is struggling with his fears about his own capacity for mental illness but this issue seems to be largely ignored as we reach the end of the book.  Bree seems inconsistent in her attitude towards the ghost hunt (at one point I thought this was hinting toward a possession - I wish that had been the case) and I started to get annoyed with her.  For their part, Wesley and Eric seem to serve only as local informants or transportation and they do not add anything to the story.

Barring its faults, The Ghost of Graylock is a fun, quick and spooky read that is perfect for Halloween.  It does not feature any issues that make it inappropriate for a middle grade audience and has enough of a plot and creep-factor to draw in kids that are a little older as well.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: 12 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: None
Violence: Drowning
Inappropriate Language: None
Substance Use/Abuse: None
Other Issues: Discussion of Mental Illness