The Cove

 The Cove by Ron Rash is a haunting, powerfully moving novel, set in the rural backwoods of North Carolina near the end of World War I. The gripping plot, Gothic atmosphere, and striking descriptions, in particular of the dismal cove, The Cove would is my recommendation for a great romantic suspense read.

Description:  Living deep within a cove in the Appalachians of North Carolina during World War I, Laurel Shelton finally finds the happiness she deserves in Walter, a mysterious stranger who is mute, but their love cannot protect them from a devastating secret.

Review: In the Appalachians of North Carolina near the end of WWI, lonely Laurel Shelton lives with her brother, newly returned from the war, in a forbidding place known as the cove. Shunned all of her life by the townsfolk of Mars Hill because of a large purple birthmark which they believe is mark of her witchcraft, Laurel despairs of ever making a life for herself. Believed to be doomed to a life of solitude and loneliness in an isolated and presumably haunted cove, Laurel stumbles upon a stranger who plays the flute beautifully. Stunned that a person would actually volunteer to be near the cove, Laurel is drawn to the possibility of human contact. She momentarily flees and chides herself that it was only an illusion until she sees same flute player the next day, but only this time he isn't playing his beautiful music but is shaking from the cold and many bee bites. Laurel makes a rapid decision to heal the stranger and nurses him back to health.
  The stranger is later revealed by a note in his clothes claiming his name is Walter and that he is mute. Walter, however, is hiding his true identity because he is well aware that it would place all the lives he has come across in grave danger. As Walter recovers from his injuries, he is able to help Laurel and her brother on the farm as his thanks for their assistance in sheltering and providing for him. Slowly, Walter and Laurel form a bond of trust, friendship, and soon much more. There are not overt gestures of love exchanged between Laurel and Walter, but the romance is clearly evident in the quiet times they spend together. For Walter, Laurel presents an opportunity to forget his past and get a fresh start. For Laurel, Walter is her hope for normalcy and a chance of having to live her life in reality rather than in her dreams. Unfortunately, Laurel and Walter have to face uncertainty and test their relationship as Walter's real identity is revealed. While readers could easily have figured out who the real Walter is, I was more engrossed in how Rash effortlessly summons the rugged Appalachian landscape as well as the small-mindedness and xenophobia of a country in the grip of patriotic fervor, which I don't think is a coincidence considering our politics today. Each character that Rash has created is three dimensional and fully realized. Though the book's ending broke my heart and made me wonder if that cove is truly haunted, I thought the story was powerful and was satisfied that the social commentary stayed at the subtle yet at the same time profound level. I look forward to reading more books by Rash.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language including racial slurs, a brief scene of implied rape, and sexual situations that are not explicitly described. Recommended for older teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: This Rock by Robert Morgan or Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell

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Wonder

 Wonder by R.J. Palacio has been one of the most popular middle grade book released in 2012. I really think it is a strong contender for the Newbery Award. It has already received several starred reviews along with strong reading recommendations from libraries as well as booksellers.

Description (from Goodreads): I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
  August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

Review: I think I did a disservice to reading Wonder after I read Sharon Draper's phenomenal Out of My Mind, one of my favorites from 2012. Both books have a similar theme of children being ostracized by their peers due to their disabilities. Out of My Mind is a grittier and realistic portrayal of the hardships endured by the main character while Wonder has a much more upbeat tone.
  Wonder is the story of a boy named August Pullman's, commonly called Auggie among his family and friends, first year at school. Auggie is a ten-year-old boy born with a facial anomaly that has required him to undergo countless operations, which have restored his physical features normally. His physical deformity has instantly made him an outsider with the outside world. Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents, but now they feel it is time for him to be acclimated with normalcy and thus enroll him in middle school. Wonder is book about journeys. Of course it highlights Auggie's personal struggle, but it is also shows his family's journey of slowly loosening their grip on Auggie and trying to be hands off as much as possible even though it breaks their hearts to see him in so much pain.
  Auggie's story is surprisingly told from six different perspectives. Auggie's point of view is a lot cheerier than I expected. He knows he is being isolated by his peers and how frightening he can look, but he doesn't let these problems drag him down too much. He is a lot more stoic than I could imagine being at that age. To be honest, I didn't feel like his point of view was realistic and had a bit too much of an after school special tone to it though I do admire his optimism and I can sympathize with him.
  In addition to Auggie, we also have his older sister Via, her boyfriend Justin, her friend Miranda and Jack and Summer, two kids August befriends at school. We clearly have both male and female perspectives as well as varing ages ranging very young to older teens, but I thought all these voices very much sounded a lot alike. While I liked knowing what the outside of Auggie, I felt that some points of view didn't really add to the story.

  Like a lot of readers, the only voice that struck a chord with me is Auggie's sister, Via. Funny enough, the voice that got to me the most wasn't August's but his sister Via's. Some may call her selfish or petty, but her plight of always living in the shadow of her little brother made her real to me. I felt her voice with nuanced with guilt and shame for wanting attention from her parents and giving her brother a reality check. Hearing from Via made her a real, memorable, three dimensional character. I kind of wish the author had used only her voice and juxtaposed it with Auggie throughout the story, the book would have been stronger and the tone would have been a bit more balanced. 
  In general, the writing is kept simple, fitting and true to the ten-year-old responsible for most of the narration, but I did cringe with the heavy use of the word "dude" which really got on my nerves. I think that's just a personal pet peeve as I hear it every day at work. The parents were just a bit too nice and the villains were a bit too obvious and well, mean.

   I don't think Wonder is a perfect book, but I do believe it would lend itself to some great discussion. I would highly recommend it especially for parents looking for a bright, upbeat contemporary novel for young readers.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: This is a relatively clean read. There are some incidents of bullying and there is a brief mention of seventh graders smoking, but nothing that you wouldn't see on TV. Recommended for Grades 5 and up.

If you like this book try: Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, Angel in My Pocket by Ilene Cooper, Firegirl by Tony Abbott, Larger-than-life Lara by Dandi Daley Mackall

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The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3)

  While the Heroes of Olympus is a spin off series of the Percy Jackson, I highly recommend that readers read the Percy Jackson series first in order to get a proper introduction to Camp Half-Blood and several major characters that are from the prior series as well as the first two books in the Heroes of Olympus series. Otherwise readers may feel like they are dropped into a middle of a series and be a bit confused as to what is going on. The review below does not contain any spoilers for The Mark of Athena.

Description (from the publisher): In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Halfblood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six--who will complete the Prophecy of Seven?

   The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophecy remains a mystery. . . .

With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan.

Review: Thus far all of Rick Riordan's mythology/adventure books have followed a simple formula: a group of heroes are given incredibly ominous and vague prophecy and in order to understand the prophecy and to avert the end of the world they must go on a quest. Riordan's formula is no different from the original Greek or Roman myths, but he brings a new angle in The Mark of Athena, the third book in his Heroes of Olympus series.
  The Mark of Athena is full of expected adventure and humor along with connections to classic myths, but we are also given an opportunity to witness character and relationship growth of the key characters involved.  The demigods embarked on the dark, twisty, and complex prophecy first mentioned in The Lost Hero, are from two camps, Camp Half-blood for the Greeks and Camp Jupiter for the Romans, who don't have very good diplomatic relations (and that's an understatement). Not only do these demigods have to work together, but they have to build trust, a working relationship, and eventually friendship in order to complete their quest. Riordan builds upon the great foundations of the characters in his other two installments of the Heroes of Olympus series. He successfully achieves this as the demigods also have to complete several mini-quests in addition to the large over-arching adventure.
   The mini-quests not only brings our heroes closer to solving their riddle, but the readers get a great opportunity to zero in on the characters.   This is further amplified when the narrative is once again from multiple point of views, which I didn't find difficult in following at all. We find each character alone and are able to feel their fears, frustrations, and insecurities when they are forced to be in the spotlight instead of on the outer fringes. For example in the Percy Jackson series, Percy is aptly the star hero and though Annabeth was a very strong secondary character, she remained so for the entire series. In The Mark of Athena, we finally get a chance to be in her shoes and see how she uses her trademark wit, smarts, and wisdom to be a heroine.
  I really enjoyed how The Mark of Athena forces our heroes to question themselves. Riordan spends time asking readers what it means to be a hero, to be selfish, and whether or not the gods (major and/or minor) acted out the right way in some of the popular myths, particularly in the case of Athena and Hercules. It's nice to know that even though these characters have divine blood in them, they also retain their very human aspects, which is why I think so many readers are able to connect with them on many levels.
  Though the book is at a hefty tome, less than 600 pages, you can't help but devour it. I finished in less than a week because I needed to know what happened next. Readers will most likely be so immersed in the story and action that they probably wouldn't notice the page length. I do have to warn you that the book ends in a very clever yet cruel cliffhanger. The next book, House of Hades, does not come out until next year. It's going to be a long hard wait to find out what happens to our favorite heroes and heroines.

Rating: 5 stars

Curriculum Connection: English and Social Studies

Words of Caution: There are some scary, fantasy violence that is PG rated. I think this book is appropriate for Grades 4 and up.

If you like this book try: The House of Hades (Book 4 of the Heroes of Olympus series, available Fall 2013), Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan, Gods of Manhattan by Scott Mebus, The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh, Shadow Thieves by Anne Ursu

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Team Human

  Can't get enough of the paranormal romance genre? Or are you wishing that this genre will disappear and never come back? Both lovers and loathers of teen paranormal romances will love the satricial take on the genre featured in Team Human by Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan.


Description (from the publisher): Just because Mel lives in New Whitby, a city founded by vampires, doesn't mean she knows any of the blood-drinking undead personally. They stay in their part of town; she says in hers. Until the day a vampire shows up at her high school. Worse yet, her best friend, Cathy, seems to be falling in love with him. It's up to Mel to save Cathy from a mistake she might regret for all eternity! On top of trying to help Cathy (whether she wants it or not), Mel is investigating a mysterious disappearance for another friend and discovering the attractions of a certain vampire wannabe. Combine all this with a cranky vampire cop, a number of unlikely romantic entanglements, and the occasional zombie, and soon Mel is hip-deep in an adventure that is equal parts hilarious and touching.

Review: Typical paranormal romance heroines yearn to become immortal like their romantic counterparts, but Mel is not one of them. She loves being human and that's exactly how she would like it to be. While she might not exactly have her own life figured out, she is always available to help her best friends, Cathy and Anna, with their problems. Mel takes comfort in her routine. She even indulges in Cathy's passion for history, ruins and her romantic notions of anything old in general; that is, until Francis Duvarney, a vampire, enrolls in their high school.
  Vampires are not uncommon in Me's town. In fact they are out publicly and regarded as a legally tolerated minority while some may see them as a tourist attractions. Vampires can hold jobs such as teachers, police officiers, etc. Vampires don't bother Mel as long as they stick to their side of the community and are far away from her and her friends. Francis, with his mesmerizing good looks, old fashion manners, arrogance, and British accent is irresistible to an old soul like Cathy. Meanwhile, Anna sees Francis as an unbearable reminder of the collapse of her parents' marriage. Mel is stuck in the middle and determined to help Cathy and Anna. She has a set plan: prove that Francis is up to no good and she thinks she can take on the risk of venturing into the city's terrifying vampire district, the school's rat-infested basement, or even the arms of a cute guy who actually wants to become one of the dark ones.
  The highlight of Team Human is its humor, an affectionate jab of the paranormal romance genre while makes its own niche in the same genre. Humor is not an easy task to accomplish in writing, but it comes across so effortlessly and naturally in Team Human. I laughed out loud in several parts, particularly of the back and forth conversation about Francis between Cathy and Mel.  The prose is also sprinkled with clever allusions and snark, while highlighting some of the reasons why characters and readers are attracted to paranormal romance. In addition to the laughs, the book also celebrates love on a much broader scale as it features crushes and spouses, parents and children, brothers and sisters, families born and created, and, above all, friends tested and true. There is also a sad side of the story as Anna's family story unravels. I'm also extremely grateful to find an Asian American heroine who isn't regulated to the flat, secondary character but rather a headstrong protagonist that you can't help but root for. If you are looking for a story filled with heart, humor, and can stand the sight of vampires in yet another teen book, be sure to pick up Team Human.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language and disturbing images. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Paranormalcy by Kirstein White, Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst, Vladmir Chronicles series by Heather Brewer, Fat Vampire by Adam Rex

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Karma: A Novel in Verse

  I had originally planned on reading and reviewing Cathy Ostlere's debut novel, Karma, for my Southeast Asian Reading Challenge last year. Due to some glitches and a very busy schedule towards the end of 2011, I wasn't able to get to Karma until now. If you're looking for a great read about India, be sure to pick up Karma as it embraces the light and dark aspect of the nation's history. For full disclosure, I was provided a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest opinion. 

Description (from the publisher): It is 1984, and fifteen-year-old Maya is on her way to India with her father. She carries with her the ashes of her mother, who has recently committed suicide, and arrives in Delhi on the eve of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi s assassination - one of the bloodiest riots in the country s history. Then Maya is separated from her father and must rely upon the help of a mysterious, kindhearted boy, Sandeep, to safely reunite them. But as her love for Sandeep begins to blossom, Maya will have to face the truth about her painful adolescence . . . if she's ever to imagine her future.

Review: After reading a slew of mediocre reads, Karma felt completely original and the captivating story sucked me in right way. This epic tale unfolds through the pages of alternating diaries from October 28th through December 16th, 1984. The deceptive simplicity of the passages contains many layers with its few words, unveiling a sometimes painful history, both personal and on a national level, beneath the story's surface.
   Fifteen-year-old Maya, half Hindu/half Sikh, has lived her entire life in rural Canada. Her family's religion and ethnicity set them apart from their community, but also from one another. Naming Maya signifies the tension between her parents, lovers who gave up their families, pride, etc for each other, but who have lived in different states of mourning and regret ever since. Her father insists on calling her a Sikh name, Jiva or "life," yet her mother defiantly calls her a Hindu name, Maya or "illusion," as an insult to her Sikh father. Maya begins her story in the typical fashion of a coming of age tale detailing her plight of fitting in with her surroundings.
 Heartache and loss lead Maya and her father back to India at the time of Indira Gandhi's assassination. You may or may not know but on October 31, 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated in her garden by two of her Sikh bodyguards as revenge for the attack on the Sikh's holy "Golden Temple." This in turn led to riots where many (the numbers are not very clear) Sikhs were brutally murdered by Hindus to avenge Gandhi's death.
  Karma takes place during the riots where the city erupts in chaos. Through a sequence of horrifying events, father and daughter are separated, and Maya is left alone in a violent foreign country where she must rely on the help of strangers to reach safety. Maya's sense of otherness escalates dramatically as she is forced to consider it on virtually every aspect of her life as well as on a larger, broader scale. In her journal, she pours her uncertainties and her fears especially of never returning to her once mundane, peaceful world in Canada. She records the atrocities she has witnessed and her guilt of not helping those around her. 
   The middle diary belongs to blunt yet charming Sandeep, with whom Maya experiences love, tragedy, ancestry, and loyalty at an intimate yet physically innocent level. Sandeep is the balm of Maya's wounds yet he himself isn't immune by the riots. He too suffers from pain and it was interesting to compare how these two characters approached pain and sorrow differently. I loved how the romance between Maya and Sandeep quietly bloomed and didn't overtake the important introspection from the book. Their romance, which may or may not be doomed depending how you look at it, offers hope, even in its slightest glimmer.
  Despite its tome like appearance, Karma reads fairly quickly. The book's pace and tension compelled me to read quickly, but I did have to stop and reread a few passages to really appreciate the richness of the language, imagery, and the subtle meanings behind the surface of the words. Ostlere uses the verse format to her best ability in relaying an important story with just the right amount of words and emotions. There is nothing superfluous in the book. The various themes such as shame, retribution, war, religious fanaticism, the will to live, suffering, suicide, ignorance, not fitting in, love, loss, grief, second chances, and many more left me thinking for quite sometime after I finished the book. Part coming of age, part historical fiction, part self discovery, and part romance, Karma has something to offer for various readers. I'd highly recommend picking this one up in you are at all curious about India or Indian history/culture.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Curriculum Connection: Asian Studies

Words of Caution: There is some strong violence, disturbing rioting scenes, language, and crude humor. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Keeping Corner by Kashmira Sheth, Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman

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Out of My Mind

 I've heard and read nothing but fabulous reviews of Sharon Draper's Out of My Mind. I had the book on my to be read pile for quite sometime but didn't get an opportunity to read it now because it has been placed on Illinois' reader's choice award lists. I'm so glad that I finally sat down and read it because it was absolutely marvelous! 

Description: Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her, and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom- the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she's determined to let everyone know it...somehow.

Review: Unflinching, eye opening, heartbreaking, and yet uplifting, Out of Mind forces readers to confront their own misconceptions about the disabled by placing us in the shoes of one. Melody is a vibrant, brilliant, feisty eleven year old but most people wouldn't notice that about her. She is most commonly defined by her condition, cerebral palsy, that inhibits her ability to walk or talk. I couldn't help but think about Morrissey's song, November Spawned a Monster, which shockingly and candidly describes how one would react if he or she saw Melody. These these lyrics from the song struck a chord with me:

 One November
Spawned a monster
In the shape of this child
Who later cried :

"But Jesus made me, so
Jesus save me from
pity, sympathy
And people discussing me
A frame of useless limbs
What can make good of
the bad that's been done?"

   Unlike the person in the song, which ambiguously doesn't identify the monster, Melody doesn't need sympathy or pity, but starves for normalcy and a chance to showcase her intelligence. When inclusion classrooms are introduced in her school, Melody's heart bursts with hope. She gets a chance to interact with children other than those in her special-needs unit. While we would like to see Melody be embraced by her classmates, Melody is the unspoken "other," and they are mostly uncomfortable with her sounds and jerky movements. Like every child growing up, normal problems of school friendships are present, but magnified, which isn't to say that they are overly dramatic but acute because it targets, punctures, and wounds us at our most sensitive and intimate part of ourselves. There were many times throughout the book where my heart would break, leave me teary eyed, guilty and embarrassed of things that I've known to do. I appreciate Draper to not sugar coat the difficulties that Melody and her family face.
  Out of My Mind isn't a Disney movie where there are fireworks and everyone realizes their mistakes, apologizes, and ends with a song from a Top 40er who croons about overcoming adversity. Descriptions of both Melody's challenges, which we perform without a second thought such as going to the bathroom, putting on clothes, and the insensitivity of some are poignant, honest, and real. Yes, there are moments where I pumped my fist in the air in a congratulatory manner, but like life there are also disappointments and heartbreak.
  All of the characters, from the main cast to the secondary roles are realized and fully developed. I admire Melody and I hope I can be as strong as her resilient spirit. Rich in detail and eye opening experience of recognizing the essential normalcy and the difficulties of a young person with cerebral palsy, Out of My Mind is a must read for all ages and would be a wonderful book discussion. I can't recommend it enough and I honestly think my five star rating, which I don't give out easily, is not enough for this book.

Rating: 5 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for strong Grade 3 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Anything But Typical by Nora Baskins, and for a grittier read try Terry Trueman's Stuck in Neutral.

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The Wicked and the Just

  It is often said that history is written by the victor, but what happens when you are given two sides of the same story. Who is the winner and who is the loser? In J. Anderson Coast's debut novel, The Wicked and the Just, which details the occupation of Wales in the Middle Ages, the answer isn't simple.

Description (from Goodreads): Cecily’s father has ruined her life. He’s moving them to occupied Wales, where the king needs good strong Englishmen to keep down the vicious Welshmen. At least Cecily will finally be the lady of the house.
  Gwenhwyfar knows all about that house. Once she dreamed of being the lady there herself, until the English destroyed the lives of everyone she knows. Now she must wait hand and foot on this bratty English girl.
  While Cecily struggles to find her place amongst the snobby English landowners, Gwenhwyfar struggles just to survive. And outside the city walls, tensions are rising ever higher—until finally they must reach the breaking point.

Review: The Wicked and the Just brings in a fresh voice to the historical fiction genre. Majority of the historical fiction that I've read usually paints the time period of their setting in a romantic light with the emphasis on ambiance, clothes, and mannerisms. While there is some of that in Coat's debut novel, there is also a stark reality of what really happened. Instead of given the voice of a victor, we are given two unapologetic voices that forces us to choose who is bad and good.
  Readers looking for an action packed book, may be disappointed with The Wicked and the Just. Though there is action, especially in the second half of the book, it's mostly off the page. The book's pacing is relatively slow and then quickly crescendos to its climax, allowing the reader to fully feel the realities of the time period. The book is clearly character driven and what made this book, in my opinion, shine.
 The center of our story are two girls of polar opposites who are unwillingly brought together by the English conquest of Wales. The English Cecily who is in a tizzy becase she has to leave her home and relocate to the Welsh frontier. She seeks consolation that she will become the lady of the manor when her father will soon take a borough in Caernarvon, which was recently conquered by Edward I. I had a very strong aversion to Cecily at first. She reminded me a lot of Scarlet O'Hara, a character that I absolutely detest. Cecily is spoiled, superficial, and puts importance of hosting the right parties, ignorant of the atrocities that are happening around her. Not only does Cecily hates Caernarvon, she also abhors its natives, especially Gwinny, the servant girl who doesn't obey, and the young man who stares at her. While Cecily's characterization may seem simplistic at first, it starts to take on depth as her dismissal of the Welsh as subhuman slowly changes to sympathy and then something entirely in between.
  While Cecily informs us the comfortable lifestyle of someone fortunate in the Middle Ages, we are confronted by the cruel, cold world of Gwenhwyfar, who struggles to make ends meet for basic survival. Gwenhwyfar's fierce parallel story was much more appealing to me as a reader. While her section was terse, it cut straight to the chase without sugar-coating anything. It's hard not to warm up to her at first, however, I'm not so sure how I felt about her in the end.
  Speaking of the ending, I thought it was so brutal and unexpected. It threw my already conceived notions and feelings about the characters into a blender as it forced me to think harder about identifying who was wicked and who was just. Without coloring the book with her own opinions, Coats re-creates the occupation of Wales from the eyes of both opposing sides.
 Since I don't know much of the Middle Age time period, I can't comment on how historical accuracy of the book. I would definitely recommend this book to readers who like historical fiction with depth are interested in this time period.

Curricular Connection: Social Studies

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong violence, which mostly happens off the page, but are talked about in the book. There are a few scenes of attempted rape, and some language. Recommended for strong Grade 8 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Catherine, Called the Birdy by Karen Cushman, The King's Shadow by Elizabeth Adler

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Blood Lie

  There are some events in history and in our lives that we can't wrap our heads around. One of the puzzling things for me is understanding why humans hurt one another. Where does the hatred come from and how does it start? Shirley Vernick's novel The Blood Lie zeroes in a dark period in American history where ignorance and prejudice collide.


Description (from the publisher): September 22, 1928, Massena, New York. Jack Pool's sixteenth birthday. He's been restless lately, especially during this season of more-times-at-the-synagogue than you can shake a stick at. If it wasn't Rosh Hashanah, then it was Yom Kippur, and if it wasn't Yom Kippur, it was the Sabbath. But temple's good for some things. It gives him lots of time to daydream about a beautiful but inaccessible Gentile girl named Emaline. And if she isn't on his mind, then he's thinking about his music and imagining himself playing the cello with the New York Philharmonic. Yup, music is definitely his ticket out of this remote whistle-stop town--he doesn't want to be stuck here one more minute. But he doesn't realize exactly how stuck he is until Emaline's little sister Daisy goes missing and he and his family are accused of killing her for a blood sacrifice.

Review: The Blood Lie is a very slim novel that packs a lot of information and food for thought in less than 150 pages. The reader is taken back to 1928. Unlike the glitz and the glamor of the flappers, mobsters of the Jazz Age, our setting is a quiet, provincial Massena, New York. Jack Poole is 16 and  wants nothing more than to leave his small, insular upstate town to study music in Syracuse. Not only is Jack's dream, but also a welcoming distraction from his forbidden crush, Emaline, a girl he can never be with because he is Jewish and she is Christian.
  With the exception of Emaline's family who accepts the Poole's as friends and looks beyond their different religious affiliations, the town simmers in anti-Semitism. The depth and strength of the town's prejudice is revealed when Emaline's sister, Daisy, goes missing and presumed dead. When a libel starts that Jews use human sacrifice as part of their Yom Kippur celebrations, Jack is accused of Daisy's murder as he was last seen with the child. Investigators assume that Yom Kippur involves human sacrifice and the use of children's blood for religious ceremonies is correct and starts to target the Jewish community. Vesnick does a good job in keeping the reader in suspense about Daisy. We are given several scenes of a search team trying to find her but come up empty. The plot twist does come in much later as the mob hysteria grows to a feverish pitch.
  I found the plot twist improbable, but I was fascinated to read in the afterword that the book is closely based on an incident that occurred in the author's hometown of Massena, NY., which proves the often saying that life is indeed stranger than fiction. The dialogue and details about the characters' social world are given importance and seem carefully researched. Though the setting and period may seem distant to us, we can identify with the characters' universal desires and feelings.
  My main issue with The Blood Lie is its brevity. The action is extremely compressed, which makes for a fast but unsatisfying. The novel is clearly plot driven and doesn't give us enough time nor space to get a deeper, more-nuanced knowledge of the characters. I also had a problem with some of the Hebrew words, which weren't translated. I had hoped there was a glossary that was included in the book, but there wasn't. Still, Vernick reminds us how terrifying intolerance, prejudice, and ignorance can be.

Curriculum Connection: Social Studies, Religious studies

 
Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There are some violent images mentioned in the book and some language. I would be comfortable in recommending it to Grades 8 and up.


If you like this book try: Witness by Karen Hesse

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Deadly

 Have you heard of Typhoid Mary? Did you think it a woman who carried the disease with her and purposely transferred and killed many people? I did but after reading Julie Chibbaro's Deadly I realized that I didn't know Mary's story at all. 

Description: Sixteen-year-old Prudence Galewski takes a job in the early 1900s as assistant to the head epidemiologist at New York's Department of Health and Sanitation, who is trying to discover how a seemingly healthy woman can be spreading typhoid fever.

Review: Deadly is an absorbing read that weaves historical fiction, coming of age, and medical mystery seamlessly together. The year is 1906 and our heroine and narrator, Prudence is 16 years old and in her final year at a school for girls where cultivating the skills and charms are considered classes and instead of a degree with your name on it, you get a financially secure husband as a reward for your completion. The school does, however, allow senior students to seek part-time secretarial work.
  Unlike most of her classmates, Prudence isn't interested in being a "lady" and desires more for her life. Prudence is an outsider in more ways than one. She's always been scientifically curious, particularly regarding the nature of infection and disease. She's seen way too much ugliness growing up among the impoverished tenements of New York City and assisting her midwife mother. She finds the typical lifestyle of a woman of her time to be confining and boring. Instead of seeking comfort, Prudence wants to make a difference and have a purposeful life. When she lands a position as assistant to an epidemiologist working for the Department of Health and Sanitation, she believes she has gotten the opportunity of a lifetime. She quits school completely to help investigate the microbial mystery of Mary Mallon, an immigrant cook and suspected "healthy carrier" of typhus.
  Deadly is entirely composed of Prudence's diary entries. Instead of a just being a record of what she did or the people that she interacts, they are deeply personal and insightful as Prudence pours out her insecurities and doubts on paper. As a female working in a "man's job" she is faced with discrimination, from men and women alike, and at times harassment, but Prudence stays strong and pushes forward in order to pursue her dreams.
  The diary entries are pretty short and the pacing speeds up quite nicely when we the investigation surrounding an outbreak of typhoid begins. All outbreaks seem to stem from Mary Mallon, a poor Irish immigrant who works as a cook. Mary seems to carry the typhoid disease yet has never been sick herself. She adamantly denies she's been unwittingly infecting a series of employers' families and instead insists she's the victim of anti-Irish discrimination. As Prudence delves into the investigation, she is torn between her medical rationality and her compassion for the woman's untenable situation. It was interesting to watch the struggle between rational science and popular opinion as shaped by a sensational, reactionary press. By the way, it was the press who dubbed Mary Mallon as Typhoid Mary and started the urban legend.
 Prudence may be ahead of her time, but I think she fits just nicely in ours. I would definitely recommend Deadly to readers who are interested in a great historical fiction story, curious about science or likes TV shows such as CSI.

Curriculum Connection: Science and Social Studies
 
Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 6 and up.

If you like this book try: Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper, Fleshmarket by Nicola Morgan

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Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1)

 I've been in a post-apocalyptic and dystopian slump for quite some time. After reading a slew of books in this genre, where every story and characters felt the same. I figured I was just burnt out from the genre and took a break. After reading several rave reviews, I was glad I took a chance on Veronica Rossi's debut novel, Under the Never Sky, to help me get out of my genre rut. Thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for an advanced reader's copy of the book.

Description (from Goodreads): Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse. Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.
   A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Review: I'm not exactly sure which genre fits Under the Never Sky the best, but from what I've learned about the book's world I'm leaning towards post-apocalyptic. Regardless, it is a compelling account of characters searching for truth, love, and identity in two separate worlds. Aria has grown up in a Pod, where every aspect of life is highly regulated by technology and things can immediately happen just by thinking about it. Dwellers such as Aria lead sheltered, insulated lives in the Pod, enjoying protection from the often treacherous, unpredictable weather. They live their lives vicariously through their devices and really reminded me of the people glued to their chairs in the movie Wall-E. Peregrine lives outside of a Pod, an Outsider, in what the Dwellers consider perilous wastelands where humans live without the technology the Dwellers depend upon. The Outside world is very similar to what we would call the Stone Age where hunting, using ones survival skills are the only ways to guarantee your will survive.
  Aria and Peregerine's world intersects when ruling authorities banish Aria from the Pod and Peregrine loses something very valuable to the Dwellers. The two characters struck up an unlikely alliance as they help one another on separate quests that turn out to have unexpected connections. While the plot of Under the Never Sky isn't groundbreaking and uses common tropes of the genre, I really liked the characters and the traditional use of an epic journey that entails action, romance, and humor.
 Using alternating points of views, we are able to get to know the main characters intimately. I thought Aria's chapters were cold, whiny, and removed at first, which exemplifies her Dwelling lifestyle. She has grown accustomed to getting what she wants immediately just by voicing her desires and quickly moves into a fetal position when she's thrown out of her comfy home (not that I don't blame her). I loved her development from a passive to a strong girl who can fend for herself and roll with the punches. Her transition isn't immediate and does mess up but her determination is admirable. Unlike Aria's chapters, I instantly connected to Peregrine's as his voice was filled with real, raw, emotions. While he may be commonly seen as a 'cave man' to Aria, we quickly learn how much he cares about his family and his fears of becoming the leader of his tribe. Aria and Peregrine not only strike up a rocky friendship, but they slowly dispel their stereotypes of one another, gain mutual respect and admiration. Their romance slowly burns and for the most part a bonus to their story as they never lose sight of their original mission.
  Rossi establishes her world building in creating a unique language for her characters, which add texture to their respective regions. As a reader you plunge head first into the action with very little explanation. Thankfully, I was aware of this before reading the book and it didn't hinder my enjoyment too much as I expected it. I did, however, grow a bit frustrated in trying to figure out what exactly are the Aether storms and how the weather helped mutate the Outsider's genetics as they are known to have special powers, which are repeatedly mentioned. I also didn't like the book's abrupt ending. I hope these issues are addressed in the next book, which I'll definitely will be reading. Rossi has got me hooked and I can't wait to see what happens next in her offbeat and mesmerizing series.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong violence, a few scenes of underage drinking, and a few allusions to sex. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: Blood Red Road by Moira Young, Graceling by Kristin Cashore

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Children Mini-Reviews Featuring Animal Heroes

  I realized that I still have some children's books that I didn't get a chance to review yet from last year. Though the mini-reviews are brief, I think they cut to the chase and let you know my impressions about the books. Today I'll be reviewing: Animal Heroes by Sandra Markle, Kira, Kira by Cynthia Kadohata, and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor.

Description (from book's back cover): A guide dog leads its owner to safety down seventy-seven flights of stairs in the World Trade Center before the building collapses. A female gorilla in a zoo picks up and protects an unconscious toddler who falls into her enclosure. An elderly dog named Frisky keeps his owner awake and alive when Hurricane Katrina floods the house. Winnie the cat saves her owners from carbon monoxide poisoning. Animals, both wild and domestic, have become heroes when they've come to the rescue of humans. In these heartwarming, true stories, Sandra Markle shows how dogs, cats, cows, monkeys, and even dolphins use their normal senses or special training to help people in trouble or in need all over the world.

Review: Animal Heroes is a juvenile nonfiction book that contains lots of colorful pictures and information. As the title suggests, the book features numerous animals who have rescued humans, either their own owners or complete strangers caught in a dangerous situation. Rescues from 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina as well as more obscure disasters are included. One of my favorite stories was about a gorilla at a zoo who helped keep a child, who accidentally slipped into the cage, safe. The stories are remarkable. The stories also contain informative panels that further explain the situation in scientific terms such as the animals habit, what it means to have frostbite or hypothermia. An extensive bibliography, including a few website links, and a glossary is included along with further reading suggestions.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are some photos and details of the 9/11 attack especially of the building crumbling and on fire which make be a bit scary for young readers. As an adult, I know I felt a bit uncomfortable. Recommended for Grades 3 to 6.

If you like this book try: Shelter Dogs by Peg Kehret



Description (from book's back cover): Glittering. That's how Katie Takeshima's sister, Lynn, makes everything seem. The sky is kira-kira for the same reason. And so are people's eyes. When Katie and her family move from a Japanese community in Iowa to the Deep South of Georgia, it's Lynn who explains to her why people stop them on the street to stare. And it's Lynn who, with her special way of viewing the world, teaches Katie to look beyond tomorrow. But when Lynn becomes desperately ill, and the whole family begins to fall apart, it is up to Katie to find a way to remind them all that there is always something glittering - kira-kira - in the future.

Review: Kira, Kira won the Newbery Award in 2005. It's one of those books that make you scratch your head and wonder why it was awarded. The writing is quite good and the plot is ok, but there's nothing really remarkable about it. It moved at a snail's pace kinda like a movie you thought was finished but only to find another scene pop on the screen. I liked knowing Katie's family and the Japanese culture. I was a bit confused, however,  as to what ailed her sister Lynn. There are hints about a terminal illness, which I thought was cancer but the illness was never explained. In the end Kira, Kira really didn't do anything for me and had it not win the Newbery I wouldn't have picked it up.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There are some racial slurs and PG language in the book. Recommended for ages 12 and up.

If you like this book try: Return to Sender by Julia Alveraz


Description: A black family living in Mississippi during the Depression of the 1930s is faced with prejudice and discrimination which its children do not understand.

Review: I didn't realize that Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry was part of a series by Mildred Taylor. While I didn't feel lost reading the book, there's not much of a plot to the story. The book does a good job in showcasing the family's struggle against prejudice and racism. I loved learning about the members of the Logan family and was inspired by their tenacity to stand up to the injustice they are faced. My main problem with the book is how the adults, particularly the mother of the Logan family,  tries to shelter her children about what is happening around them such as the terrorism caused by the KKK. While her reasoning is understandable, I think it does a disservice to her children and I found it unbelievable. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry was awarded the Newbery Award in 1977.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: The "n" word is used quite frequently, but it does serve a purpose. There is also some violence in the book too. Recommended for strong Grade 5 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Logan family series by Mildred Taylor, Guardian by Julius Lester

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The Reel Shelf Presents: Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

  Welcome to The Reel Shelf, a new weekly feature here at Books in the Spotlight where I imagine what's on my favorite TV/Movie character's book shelves. Today I'm highlighting a beloved character that is loved by many: Buffy Summers, the leading heroine in Joss Whedon's phenomenal TV series based off on his original movie, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BVS). I wasn't a big Buffy fan at first only because I watched an episode here and there, enjoyed it, but I didn't fully understood its brilliance. Last year, I started watching the show on DVD right from the beginning and then it clicked. BVS is funny, light-hearted, but also had its share of darkness and seriousness along with a great characters. The main draw for me, however, was spotlighting a female heroine who is strong in every sense of the word yet vulnerable, approachable and that's why this post is dedicated to the epitome of girl power: Buffy Summers.

Image and Quote from IMDB

Buffy: So here's the part where you make a choice. What if you could have that power, now? In every generation, one Slayer is born, because a bunch of men who died thousands of years ago made up that rule. They were powerful men. This woman is more powerful than all of them combined. So I say we change the rule. I say my power, should be *our* power. Tomorrow, Willow will use the essence of this scythe to change our destiny. From now on, every girl in the world who might be a Slayer, will be a Slayer. Every girl who could have the power, will have the power. Can stand up, will stand up. Slayers, every one of us. Make your choice. Are you ready to be strong?

  At the young age of 15, Buffy Summers was chosen to hunt vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness. After the ordeal at Hemery High, Buffy Summers moves to Sunnydale High in hopes of starting fresh. Along the way she finds finds, love, and a Hellmouth full of evil that never seems to stop. Joined with Willow, Alexander "Xander" Harris, and her watcher/mentor Giles, Buffy fights the challenges of High School and saves the world...a lot.
  While watching the show, there were times where I wished I was Buffy. A character who is resilient, physically powerful, a natural born leader, not to mention pretty with a good snarky attitude. It's only when the hard challenges arose, the complete elimination of normalcy, a forced destiny came up did I realize that I could never really be her. I was glad that I didn't have to shoulder the responsibility of the world on my shoulders. The most important thing, however, is that her character showed the world that a woman can be powerful, strong, aggressive (all traits usually assigned to males) while retaining femininity. And for this reason, I will always be grateful of Joss Whedon's creation.
  Please note that the following books contain various definitions of "strong" and by no means a complete list of books. This post would be very, very long if I had to include all of them. I'm always on the lookout for strong female heroines. So if you see glaring holes, please feel free to include them in the comments. The usual site that I use to compose this list is currently out of order so I will try my best to list them here.

The Reel Shelf Presents Buffy Summers

Buffy the Vampire Season 8 (graphic novel) by Joss Whedon and an assortment of writers. The highly acclaimed TV show continues now in the 8th season in graphic novels. I believe there are 8 volumes in this season. The first book in the series is called The Long Way Home which takes place right were the TV show ended Buffy and the gang are facing a new evil called Twilight. (Amazon)

 

Archangel by Sharon Shinn- The fate of the world rests in the voice of an angel. An age of corruption has come to the planet of Samaria, threatening that peace and placing the Samaritans in grave danger. Their only hope lies in the crowning of a new Archangel. (Amazon)

The Declaration by Gemma Mailey- It's the year 2140 and Longevity drugs have all but eradicated old age. A never-aging society can't sustain population growth, however…which means Anna should never have been born. Nor should any of the children she lives with at Grange Hall. The facility is full of boys and girls whose parents chose to have kids--called surpluses--despite a law forbidding them from doing so. These children are raised as servants, and brought up to believe they must atone for their very existence. Then one day a boy named Peter appears at the Hall, bringing with him news of the world outside, a place where people are starting to say that Longevity is bad, and that maybe people shouldn't live forever. Peter begs Anna to escape with him, but Anna's not sure who to trust: the strange new boy whose version of life sounds like a dangerous fairy tale, or the familiar walls of Grange Hall and the head mistress who has controlled her every waking thought? (Amazon)

The Gate to Women's Country by Sherri Teppers- Tepper's finest novel to date is set in a post-holocaust feminist dystopia that offers only two political alternatives: a repressive polygamist sect that is slowly self-destructing through inbreeding and the matriarchal dictatorship called Women's Country. Here, in a desperate effort to prevent another world war, the women have segregated most men into closed military garrisons and have taken on themselves every other function of government, industry, agriculture, science and learning. The resulting manifold responsibilities are seen through the life of Stavia, from a dreaming 10-year-old to maturity as doctor, mother and member of the Marthatown Women's Council. (Amazon)

Kindred by Octavia Butler- Dana, a modern black woman, is celebrating her twenty-sixth birthday with her new husband when she is snatched abruptly from her home in California and transported to the antebellum South. Rufus, the white son of a plantation owner, is drowning, and Dana has been summoned across the years to save him. After this first summons, Dana is drawn back, again and again, to the plantation to protect Rufus and ensure that he will grow to manhood and father the daughter who will become Dana's ancestor. Yet each time Dana's sojourns become longer and more dangerous until it is uncertain whether or not her life will end, long before it has even begun. (Amazon)

Tithe by Holly Black-Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces the sixteen-year-old back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms -- a struggle that could very well mean her death. (Amazon)

Eon by Goodman- Also Known As: Two Pearls of Wisdom, Eon: Rise of the Dragoneye, and Eon (All the same book just published with different publishers)
Eon has been studying the ancient art of Dragon Magic for four years, hoping he'll be able to apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune. But he also has a dark secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been living a dangerous lie for the chance to become a Dragon-eye, the human link to an energy dragon's power. It is forbidden for females to practice the Dragon Magic and, if discovered, Eon faces a terrible death. After a dazzling sword ceremony, Eon's affinity with the twelve dragons catapults him into the treacherous world of the Imperial court, where he makes a powerful enemy, Lord Ido. (Amazon)

 The Naming by Alison Croggon-Maerad is a slave in a desperate and unforgiving settlement, taken there as a child when her family is destroyed in war. She doesn't yet know she has inherited a powerful gift, one that marks her as a member of the noble School of Pellinor and enables her to see the world as no other can. It is only when she is discovered by Cadvan, one of the great Bards of Lirigon, that her true identity and extraordinary destiny unfold. Now, she and her mysterious teacher must embark on a treacherous, uncertain journey through a time and place where the forces of darkness wield an otherworldly terror. (Amazon)

Stray by Rachel Vincent- I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds. Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked. I'd been warned about Strays—werecats without a Pride—constantly on the lookout for someone like me: attractive, female and fertile. I fought him off, but then learned two of my fellow tabbies had disappeared. This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back…for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I'm no meek kitty. I'll take on whatever—and whoever—I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays—'cause I got claws, and I'm not afraid to use them….(Amazon)

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong- After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home.
  At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behaviour. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either…(Amazon)

Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow- Dru Anderson has what her grandmother called "the touch." (Comes in handy when you're traveling from town to town with your dad, hunting ghosts, suckers, wulfen, and the occasional zombie.) Then her dad turns up dead - but still walking - and Dru knows she's next. Even worse, she's got two guys hungry for her affections, and they're not about to let the fiercely independent Dru go it alone. Will Dru discover just how special she really is before coming face-to-fang with whatever - or whoever - is hunting her? (Amazon)

Nobody's Princess by Freiser- She is beautiful, she is a princess, and Aphrodite is her favorite goddess, but something in Helen of Sparta just itches for more out of life. Not one to count on the gods—or her looks—to take care of her, Helen sets out to get what she wants with steely determination and a sassy attitude. That same attitude makes Helen a few enemies—such as the self-proclaimed "son of Zeus" Theseus—but it also intrigues, charms, and amuses those who become her friends, from the famed huntress Atalanta to the young priestess who is the Oracle of Delphi. (Amazon)

Rampant by Diana Peterfreund- Astrid had always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend—thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to the prom—Astrid finds herself headed to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries. However, at the cloisters all is not what it seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from the crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to—perhaps most dangerously of all—her growing attraction to a handsome art student ... an attraction that could jeopardize everything. (Amazon)

Nomansland by Lesley Hauge- Sometime in the future, a lonely, windswept island is populated solely by women. Among these women is a group of teenaged Trackers—expert equestrians and archers—whose job is to protect their shores from the enemy. The enemy, they’ve been told, is men. When these girls come upon a partially buried home from the distant past, they are fascinated by the strange objects—high-heeled shoes, teen magazines, make-up—found there. What are they to make of these mysterious things? And what does it mean for their strict society where friendship is forbidden and rules must be obeyed—at all costs? (Amazon)

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder- I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution. (Amazon)

Intrinscial by Woodland- Sixteen-year-old Yara Silva has always known that ghosts walk alongside the living. Her grandma, like the other females in her family, is a Waker, someone who can see and communicate with ghosts. Yara grew up watching her grandmother taunted and scorned for this unusual ability and doesn't want that to be her future. She has been dreading the day when she too would see ghosts, and is relieved that the usually dominant Waker gene seems to have skipped her, letting her live a normal teenage life. However, all that changes for Yara on her first day at her elite boarding school when she discovers the gene was only lying dormant. She witnesses a dark mist attack Brent, a handsome fellow student, and rushes to his rescue. Her act of heroism draws the mist's attention, and the dark spirit begins stalking her. Yara finds herself entrenched in a sixty-year-old curse that haunts the school, threatening not only her life, but the lives of her closest friends as well. Yara soon realizes that the past she was trying to put behind her isn't going to go quietly. (Amazon)

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon- No one wanted Ai Ling. And deep down she is relieved—despite the dishonor she has brought upon her family—to be unbetrothed and free, not some stranger's subservient bride banished to the inner quarters. But now, something is after her. Something terrifying—a force she cannot comprehend. And as pieces of the puzzle start to fit together, Ai Ling begins to understand that her journey to the Palace of Fragrant Dreams isn't only a quest to find her beloved father but a venture with stakes larger than she could have imagined.
  Bravery, intelligence, the will to fight and fight hard . . . she will need all of these things. Just as she will need the new and mysterious power growing within her. She will also need help. It is Chen Yong who finds her partly submerged and barely breathing at the edge of a deep lake. There is something of unspeakable evil trying to drag her under. On a quest of his own, Chen Yong offers that help . . . and perhaps more. (Amazon)

The Fray by Joss Whedon - Hundreds of years in the future, Melaka Fray learns she has a great destiny that may unite a fallen city and save mankind from a demonic plot to destroy the world. (Amazon)


First Test by Tamora Pierce - In the medieval and fantastic realm of Tortall, Keladry of Mindelan is the first girl to take advantage of the decree that permits females to train for knighthood. (Amazon)

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendra Blake - Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead. So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
   When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home. But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life. (Amazon)

Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien -  In the Enclave, you scars set you apart, and the newly born will change the future. Sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone and her mother faithfully deliver their quota of three infants every month. But when Gaia’s mother is brutally taken away by the very people she serves, Gaia must question whether the Enclave deserves such loyalty. (Amazon)

Foiled by Jane Yolen -  Aliera Carstairs doesn't fit in any of the cliques in her high school. The only place that makes her feel special and important is her fencing class, however, she seems to be in the spotlight for the handsome, new student Avery Castle. Aliera knows something is not right. Her ordinary and used fencing foil with a large ruby on the hilt that her mother found at a sale is trying to tell her something about Avery and the world around her. What is Aliera's weapon trying to tell her? Who is Avery and why is he so interested in Aliera? (Amazon)

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Dracula

  Bram Stoker's masterpiece, Dracula, has captured the imaginations of many and have spawned an endless fascination of vampires in our pop culture. I really don't think you can call yourself a vampire lover without reading the book. I read Dracula for the first time this year during Halloween and really enjoyed it.

Description: When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula purchase a London house, he makes horrifying discoveries about his client and his castle. Soon afterwards, disturbing incidents unfold in England: an unmanned ship is wrecked at Whitby; strange puncture marks appear on a young woman's neck; and a lunatic asylum inmate raves about the imminent arrival of his 'Master'. A battle of wits between the sinister Count and a determined group of adversaries ensues with the safety of England is at risk.

Review: I only knew a few things about the original story of Dracula, mainly the names of the characters involved and a good sense of the book's plot. What I didn't know, however, is that the book is solely composed of journals, letters, telegraphs, newsletter clippings, etc from a variety of characters' points of view. I found the structure of Dracula to be absolutely fascinating more so than the book's plot.  
   Dracula as a narrative is deeply embedded in the cultural consciousness. The main male characters have larger sections of the book that details interesting tidbits about the setting and specifically trying to understand the human psychology. With the minor exception (but not all that much) of Mina Murray, the other women in the book are one dimensional either portraying the overly sexed female or the virtuous Victorian female who is easily seduced by the dark side. Though Dracula is the title character of this masterpiece, he doesn't appear very often in the book. We aren't really given any background information about him at all, which would usually annoy me but it works for this book. Dracula becomes more than a character. He is an allegory of all what the Victorians feared: sexuality (specifically women's sexuality), paganism, and the paranoia of the "other". Often times it is hard to distinguish the character's personalities from the Count himself, creating the doppelganger of the character's evil/dark side.
  Gothic and darkly atmospheric, Stoker plays with his audience, manipulating the multiple perspectives of the characters in his novel to play the reader's knowledge and recognition of danger against the character's obliviousness. The different narrative voices are for the most part distinctive from one character to the next and the telling of the story through primarily diary entries as well as letters and newspaper articles is used to its benefit. After reading Dracula, I can now understand why certain vampire characteristics are so commonly used by writers today.  Dracula could be read as a Gothic pulp thriller or an examination of the phobias of the Victorian time period, regardless of how you read it you can't deny its everlasting impact on our culture today.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are some disturbing scenes in the book. Sex is indirectly mentioned by the use of euphemisms and other literary devices. Recommended for mature teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, Dracula, My Love by Syrie James, Dracula in Love by Karen Essex, Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

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Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus #2)

  If you've been reading my blog, you know how much I love Greek Mythology and have been recommending the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan to everyone. Luckily, Percy fans don't have to say goodbye and can enjoy another epic adventure. Riordan has a spin off series called The Heroes of Olympus which will contain five books that feature new and old characters as well as figures from both Greek and Roman mythologies. You can read my review of the first book in the series The Lost Hero here. While it's not necessary to read the Percy Jackson series first, I think readers will miss out on important character development, references, and inside jokes found in this series. The Son of Neptune is the second book in the series and one of the hottest children books that is checked out from my local library.

Description:  In The Lost Hero we discovered a new blood-chilling quest:

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

Who are the other four mentioned in the prophesy? The answer may lie in another camp thousands of miles away, where a new camper has shown up and appears to be the son of Neptune, god of the sea.

Review: While reading and enjoying The Lost Hero, I couldn't help but wonder what happened to Percy Jackson, a character I've come to love for five books. Surely, Riordan couldn't return to Camp Half-blood and not include him. The Son of Neptune answers all of our nagging questions that The Lost Hero generated.
    In last book we learned that Percy had disappeared and there were only vague vague hints of what could have happened. In The Son of Neptune, Percy returns as one of the main characters but can't remember anything. At the very beginning of the novel we find Percy Jackson being hunted by two gorgons. He encounters Juno in the form of an old lady, who gives him a choice: he can regain his memories but go to the Roman half-blood camp where he will be lead to a treacherous journey or stay where he is and be assured of his safety.
   Percy's decision to accept the challenge and go to the Roman camp allows the reader to be introduced to the Roman demigods, the Roman way of life, and discover a new quest. The Roman camp named Camp Jupiter (Jupiter is the roman name for Zeus) is fascinating. Unlike the laid back attitude of Camp Halfblood, Camp Jupiter is organized and has rules that everyone seems to follow. Lares (house gods) saturate the area and the demigods are divided into legions similar to those of the Roman army. Riordan does a great job in introducing his readers to the various aspects of Roman culture. I loved comparing the differences between Greek and Roman mythology.
   The Son of Neptune introduces us to new demigods, Hazel and Frank, who come from very interesting backgrounds and have special powers that we haven't seen before. I don't want to go into their details in fear of giving a lot of the story away, but I'm always stunned how Riordan creates new fascinating characters that are ethnically diverse. I had absolutely no trouble in embracing these new heroes and I'm glad they were able to work together so well with Percy. 
   The Son of Neptune picks up nearly all of the key threads that were started in The Lost Hero. We get further hints as to the meaning of the prophecy about the seven half bloods. It's very possible that we've already met the seven demigods, but like readers of mythology, we all know that prophecies aren't always what they seem. Unlike the plots of the Percy Jackson series, where readers can guess which famous Greek hero stories Riordan uses for inspiration, The Heroes of Olympus is much more complex and intricate. We get a better understanding of what troubles the gods are having and why the Greek and Roman demigods must work together. If the Percy Jackson's overall lesson is to learn and accept family then the Heroes Olympus lesson seems to teach its characters and readers to challenge and not accept prejudices. The brooding tone of the book foreshadows the tough choices and sacrifices our heroes will make throughout this series.
   Unlike in the Percy Jackson series, which was written entirely in the first person, The Son of Neptune continues with the third person narrative, giving us the perspectives of Percy, Frank and, Hazel. This style feels more mature in many ways, especially since the characters are at different points in their lives. Percy has definitely grown since we last saw him, but he still holds on to those endearing characteristics that made readers love him. Just a warning: the book ends with a cliffhanger and I'm very anxious to see how things unfold in the next book. It's just too bad that we have to wait another year for the next book.

Rating: 5 stars

Curriculum Connection:  English and Social Studies

Words of Caution: There are some scary, fantasy violence that is PG rated. I think this book is appropriate for Grades 4 and up.

If you like this book try: The Mark of Athena (Book 3 of the Heroes of Olympus series, available Fall 2012), The Red Pyramid and Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan, Gods of Manhattan by Scott Mebus, The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh, Shadow Thieves by Anne Ursu

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Strings Attached

  I really enjoyed Judy Blundell's debut and National Book Award winning novel, What I Saw and How I Lied, and was excited when her book was released this year. Strings Attached returns to themes of lies and secrets. Unlike many historical fiction novels, String Attached takes place in the less written era, at least in the YA realm, of the 1950s.

Description: When she drops out of school and struggles to start a career on Broadway in the fall of 1950, seventeen-year-old Kit Corrigan accepts help from an old family friend, Nate Benedict, a lawyer said to have ties with the mob. Kit isn't all that surprised that Nate asks her to do some favors for him, but she never thought he would ask her to keep tabs on Billy, Nate's son and Kit's former sweetheart.

Review: Everything changes for Kit Corrigan on November 1950 in New York City. Kit drops out of out of high school in Providence to pursue dancing and acting on Broadway and ends her relationship with Billy Benedict, a college boy and the son of a powerful mob lawyer. A fraternal triplet whose mother died in childbirth, Kit has been raised by a working-class father with the sometime help of his sister, Delia. Her brother, Jamie, and Billy have enlisted in the Korean War. In New York, Kit's talent and gorgeous red hair help land her in the chorus of a quick-to-close Broadway show. Her money begins to dwindle and an offer from Mr. Nate Benedict conveniently shows up to offer a deal that she can't ignore: a cozy apartment and an audition to be a Lido Doll, a member of a exclusive night club, as long as she does little favors for him. Nearly homeless and barely living from one small paycheck to the next, Kit doesn't see what harm those favors could be and accepts. Soon she finds out that the on-goings at the club get increasingly sinister and Kit almost immediately regrets her decision but is unable to prevent a future tainted by heartache, deception, and murder. The web of lies that Kit finds herself entangled in go beyond the nightclub and is somehow correlated to the disappearance of Aunt Delia. The past and present collide as Kit tries to find out the truth.
  Blundell vividly describes the life and times of the 1950s era. I immediately found myself immersed in Kit's world. The dialogue, attention to clothes, fashion, and music are perfectly and expertly detailed. There is no denying that Blundell loves history. Fans of history and theater will find a lot of things to appreciate here, but other readers may become a bit bored with the overly descriptive narrative as the story circles back and forth through the years of Kit's life including her Great Depression childhood and her family's bootlegging past. Sometimes the narrative became a bit too wordy for me, paragraphs  are written where a few sentences could suffice. In fact a lot of the twists and turns in the story were actually anti-climatic as I predicted them before they were revealed.
  Besides Kit, the feisty, ambitious teen who wants to rush into adulthood head on, I had a hard time connecting with the other characters. I like to picture myself as a character in the book and to actively participate in the story, with Strings Attached however, I always felt like a stage director watching the scenes unfold from a large distance. The romance between Kit and Billy was there, but I didn't feel it. I liked that Blundell addressed the prejudices of the time especially with the Irish American community and the beginning of the Red Scare, but this angle wasn't explored as much as I would have liked. I found myself putting down the book quite a lot and completely forgetting about it.
  I actually think Strings Attached would work more as a movie than as a book. Perhaps it would be easier to see the characters and background scenes play out on the screen instead of reading them thus making it a bit more personal and approachable. Nonetheless I would recommend this book for fans of historical fiction and those who love an old fashioned family drama out of the 1950s. I liked this book, but I enjoyed What I Saw and How I Lied much more.
  

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is some mild language, a few allusions to sex, and a few scenes of underage drinking. Recommended for Grades 9-12.

If you like this book try: Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen, What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell, Two Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher

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