The Midnight Thief

Book talk: Stealing is a way of life for Kyra, and she doesn't have much pity for the corrupt, rich people that she steals from. So when she gets a job offer that will pull one over on them, she takes it. But when she discovers the hidden motivations behind the job, she starts to question everything. Tristam is a loyal knight who is willing to sacrifice himself for the realm. He's always had faith in the palace and the unwavering moral rightness of his cause. But when he witnesses the brutal death of his best friend, it sets him on a path to discover the hidden corruption and brutality at court. A thief and a knight may make a strange pair, but in a world that no longer makes sense unlikely alliances may be the only answer.

Rave: I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I thought it was going to be another cliched fantasy thief story but it consistently defied this expectation. There were plenty of characters to root for and, refreshingly, there were psychological consequences to the violence they witness. I'm so used to reading books filled with violence where it's glorified and people just shrug it off that I really appreciated seeing characters responding to it in a realistic way. There are multiple groups playing against each other and none of them is entirely good or evil and some individuals in a group may be honorable while others are corrupt. I found this refreshingly realistic too. Blackburne does a wonderful job painting a portrait of a complex world where there aren't a lot of clearly good choices. Characters make mistakes and allegiances change as first impressions turn out to be wrong. I'd highly recommend it to fans of fantasy.

Every book its reader: I'd give this to fans of high fantasy 7th & up.

Topics and trends: fantasy, medieval times, thieves, knights, werecreatures

Source: School library

Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne: buy it or check it out today!

Brief Reviews Spring 2016

I really enjoyed the setting of this novel in late 19th century Sweden. There were aspects of the plot that probably had more tension for me than intended because I have very little knowledge of Swedish history. The plot was intricate with plenty of political intrigue and many characters to follow. If you like plot-focused books I think this would appeal to you. Unfortunately I'm more of a character-focused reader and there weren't any characters that I felt particularly attached to. Still, it was a fun read and I found the tarot and fan aspects fascinating. I particularly appreciated the emphasis on women's roles behind the scenes during that era. The Stockholm Octavo by Karen Engelmann


This was a great countryside mystery. The detective is an academic from America who happens to be in Scotland doing some appraising work on an old estate when a murder is committed. The characters were all drawn very well and the setting was a lot of fun. I enjoyed traveling back to Scotland via book. The mystery itself was engaging to piece together (although I figured it out pretty early on). I really enjoyed spending time with the characters and I'll be interested in reading the rest of the series. A fun, light vacation read. Pride and Predator by Sally Wright




I'm not usually a big fan of memoir but I found this account of a resident surgeon's life fascinating. He focuses on different issues facing medicine and provides insight in an approachable way. Gawande's writing style is clear and eloquent and I learned a lot. Far from the stereotype of the arrogant surgeon he's surprisingly willing to admit both his own shortcomings and those of the profession in general. I'll be reading his other works and I'd recommend it to those interested in the subject. Complications by Atul Gawande




** spoiler alert ** I definitely enjoyed parts of this novel and it had me chuckling quite a bit. With its short chapters, lovely illustrations, and sense of humor I think it would be particularly good for struggling readers. I didn't personally enjoy the novel as a whole as much as I thought I would though. It starts as a humorous realistic story about a kid whose dad owns an amusement park. Then it flirts with the supernatural as there's a possible werewolf. Then it suddenly turns into a tear jerker as Augie's best friend unexpectedly dies. That is hardly dealt with before the supernatural angle comes back on strong. The werewolf plot is finally tied up when his friend comes back from the dead as a ghost and hijinks ensue. The whole book was scattered and I couldn't get settled into it. Very little time was spent on character development and I sometimes even had difficulty keeping all the characters straight because they blended together. I'm sure the way the plot jumps around will be engaging for some readers, but it wasn't my thing. Return to Auggie Hobble by Lane Smith

 I really enjoyed this book and I like the way it concluded the trilogy, which is important to me because I've become so invested in these characters over the course of the series. But I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first two. The plot wasn't as intricate and there weren't as many meaty moral conundrums. The first two books I read in a sitting staying up late because I simply couldn't put them down. This book I enjoyed but read it over the course of several days and didn't have trouble stopping when it grew late. Still, if you've read the first two books you'll definitely want to finish up the series with this installment. The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski



This is a fun fantasy series if you want some light reading but it doesn't really stand out from the pack and the plot doesn't stand up to much scrutiny. The writing is full of cliches and hard to pronounce made-up names for people and places. The world and the characters never felt authentic to me. First off, the whole premise of the book that the king would give that much power to a champion chosen from a group of people with such questionable backgrounds and loyalty is odd to me. Even the idea of the castle made of glass seems absurdly ill-advised. Secondly the characters don't seem to have authentic responses to their situations. The main character is a highly trained assassin who was orphaned at a young age, suffered abuse at the hands of her adopted father figure, and spent a year being brutalized in what is described in the book as a 'death camp.' And yet not long after being released from it her main concern is whether or not she can attend a ball? There are some references to the trauma she's suffered but overall she seems to have recovered incredibly quickly and well. Don't even get me started on the people telling her that she looks prettier when she smiles. (Because,you know, after all she's been through it's her responsibility to make the people at this corrupt court feel better when they look at her and as an assassin looking pretty should be her main priority.) In fact a large proportion of the narrative is devoted to her looks and how pretty she is and how handsome the prince and oh my goodness no one can resist them on account of their beauty! I'm also not sure how the captain of the guards for such a cruel king seems so inexperienced at killing people and just generally naive. How did he get that position? None of the characters are particularly nuanced. The main driving force of the plot is the love triangle and just as much time is spent on flirting as the tests for the champion. If you're looking for a light fantasy romance series, this will do the trick but if you're looking for an adventure about an assassin I'd look elsewhere. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass

This is a frothy, light-hearted historical romance with some shape shifters and a coup plot thrown in for good measure. The story revolves around two New York socialite cousins at the end of the 19th century. They're sent to Romania to meet their mothers' family. One is outgoing and leaves a series of scandals in her wake while the other is more reserved. When they finally make it to the old family estate they discover a secret that their proper upbringing in no way prepared them for. It's a bit predictable and some of the characters are pretty one-note but that's in fitting with the light tone of the novel. There's excerpts of the girls' diaries and letters woven throughout the text and the relationship between them is my favorite part of the book. They have romantic subplots but the most important relationship in the plot is the friendship between them, which is refreshing. I particularly enjoyed how they both handle the news of their family secret differently and the more reserved cousin gets a chance to find her inner strength and thrive. Silver in the Blood by Jessica Day George

 This touching novel in verse is told from the perspective of conjoined twins. Grace and Tippi (named for Hitchcock actresses) have been sheltered and home-schooled their whole life, but a change in the family's fortune means that they have to attend school for the first time. They're understandably nervous about how the other kids will treat them, and are relieved to find two good friends. But just when they finally get settled into their new routine, things take a turn for the worse. This novel is a quick and emotional read and I loved getting to know Grace and Tippi. I wish the novel had a broader focus though. At the beginning it's revealed that their father is an alcoholic, their sister is anorexic, and Grace develops a crush on a boy at school. I thought the book would explore these sub-plots more but instead the second half focuses almost exclusively on medical issues around being conjoined. Especially considering how much Grace laments in the text of the novel how people see them as nothing more than conjoined twins I was disappointed at how much of the novel focused exclusively on this aspect of their lives. I wish the fact that they were conjoined was just one of many aspects about who they are that was explored in the novel instead of the main focus. All the other subplots I previously mentioned just get dropped once the medical issues arise and are never really resolved. I'd be interested to read a sequel that fleshes out the characters further. Still it is a moving novel with memorable characters and a very quick read if you'd like to try it.  One by Sarah Crossan

 This was mostly satisfying as a conclusion to the series, but I didn't like it as much as the other books. There were a lot of strange plot threads and characters to tie up. This meant that the focus was more on the plot than in the previous books where we got to spend a lot of time just getting to know the characters and exploring their relationships. One thing that was consistent across the books was the gorgeous language. There were so many striking passages that I gave up keeping track of them. There were a few things left vague at the end and I would have preferred more explanation, but overall I was happy with it. The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

Six of Crows

Book talk: The Barrel is the part of town controlled by warring gangs. The part people avoid if they can afford to, unless they have illegal tastes and nefarious intentions. Kaz came to the barrel as a broken child, but now he practically rules it. His path to the top wasn't pretty and he's done a lot to earn his reputation as a monster. When a richly rewarding job is offered to him, he sees the possibility not just to become wealthy enough to leave the barrel behind, but to slake his long-nursed thirst for revenge. The job is impossible, of course, so if he has any chance of succeeding and surviving he'll need a crew that's the best of the worst: “A gambler, a convict, a wayward son, a lost Grisha, a Suli girl who had become a killer, a boy from the Barrel who had become something worse.” “Six people, but a thousand ways this insane plan could go wrong.”

Rave: I loved everything about this book from the rag-tag crew of misfits to the daring heist plot to the setting in the familiar world of the Grisha. The characters were fully developed and diverse including different races, sexual orientations, and physical abilities. An author's note at the end explains that she has to use a cane on occasion much like the character of Kaz and I really appreciated her thoughtfulness in the approach to all her characters. Most of them have gone through trauma and while that clearly affects them and isn't downplayed they still get the chance to change and grow and prove that they're survivors. The shifting perspective really allowed me to get a sense of each character and their struggles and made them feel very real and dear to me. It also helped create suspense because each character's knowledge was incomplete so seeing who knew what allowed me to piece together the plot in a way that was fun. Highly recommended, especially for fans of the Grisha trilogy (although you don't have to read that to understand this book.)

Every book its reader: I'd give this to fans of fantasy and heists. Think Ocean's Eleven crossed with Lord of the Rings. There's some pretty intense violence at times so I'd say 8th and up.

Topics and trends: Heists, fantasy, diversity, multiple perspectives, disability, LGBTQ

Extras:
There's a strong fan community for this book, you can find its wiki here: http://thegrishaverse.wikia.com/wiki/Six_of_Crows

There's a lot of great fan art too, like this drawing of all the characters by Kevin Wada

Quotes:

“When everyone knows you’re a monster, you needn’t waste time doing every monstrous thing.”

“She wouldn't wish love on anyone. It was the guest you welcomed and then couldn't be rid of.”

“the only law that applied to her was gravity, and some days she defied that, too.”

“You wouldn't know a good time if it sidled up to you and stuck a lollipop in your mouth.”

“There was no part of him that was not broken, that had not healed wrong, and there was no part of him that was not stronger for having been broken.”

Source: school library

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo: buy it or check it out today!

Weight of Feathers

Book talk: Two families of traveling performers, alike in dignity, meet in a small town. The Palomas have a mermaid act and the Corbeaus perform tight-rope acts up in tall trees. They put on costumes for the audience, but there's more truth to their acts than people realize. Both families have unique genetics that set them apart, and both are proud and insular and cling to tradition. One of those traditions is the feud that breeds a deep-seated hatred of the other family into their bones. When a son and daughter of these warring families fall in love, it threatens to tear both of their families apart.

Rave: A classic Romeo and Juliet with magical realism flair. The story revolves around two rival circus families each imbued with a special gift over air or water. The two families speak French or Spanish and a saying from each language opens every chapter to designate perspective. The language is beautiful and if the plot is a bit predictable it's still completely satisfying.

Every book its reader: I'd give this to students looking for romance with a magical flair. 6th & up.

Topics and trends: Star-crossed lovers, magical realism, French, Spanish, circus performers, feuds, diversity

Extras:



Bonus Quote:
“He thought the feud was live ash a boot heel could stomp out. He didn't notice it burning down both their houses.”

Source: school library

The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore: buy it or check it out today!

Tiny Pretty Things

Book talk: Ballet is a delicate and graceful dance, but the dancers are strong, hard, and fiercely competitive. Nowhere is this more true than at the American Ballet Conservatory. The top ballet academy attracts dancers that are more concerned with being the best than being happy. They will push their bodies and their relationships to the limits to get the lead, and if they have to take someone else down to get to the top, so be it.

Rave: Make no mistake, this is a soap opera in novel form--high drama full of frenemies and betrayal. It is highly entertaining though, and the characters are well-rounded enough that I cared about their struggles even though they were far from perfect. I enjoyed taking some ballet for fun when I was younger, but I can't imagine what it must be like to have this kind of dedication and focus as a teenager. After reading this book, I'm glad I was a lazy dance student!

Every book its reader: I'd give this to students looking for female-centered drama 8th & up.

Topics and Trends: ballet, diversity, drama, queen bees

Extras:



Source: school library

Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton: buy it or check it out today!

Rook

Book talk: “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. One solid thump, and four more heads had been shaved from their bodies.” In a post-technological age where the past is all but forgotten, a rebellion is stirring. The nobility are being captured and executed. Their only hope is the mysterious red rook who keeps sneaking into prisons and freeing people, leaving a red-tipped feather behind. 

Rave: I adored this re-imagining of The Scarlet Pimpernel! The dystopian setting provides a perfect background and gender-swapping the main character creates a more modern feeling. There's the perfect mix of action, world-building, and romance. 

Every book its reader: I'd give this to fans of swash-buckling adventure stories and characters like Robin Hood. 8th & up

Topics and trends: adventure, romance, french revolution, re-tellings, dystopian, gender-swapping

Extras:

Sharon Cameron has tons of cool extras on her site about everything from the science behind her extrapolations to create her future world to the art of swordplay. http://sharoncameronbooks.com/books/rook/

Check out the trailer:

Bonus Quotes:

“He thought she was someone who could break the pattern of history. And he was offering to break it with her.” 

“She was clever, and beautiful, and hard as burnished bronze.” 

Source: school library

Rook by Sharon Cameron: buy it or check it out today!

Under a Painted Sky Review

Book talk: One day Samantha had a happy, stable life running a dry goods store with her father and dreaming of moving to New York to play violin. The next her father and her home are lost in a fire, and when their land lord tries to take advantage of her, she kills him in self defense. Of course, no jury is going to side with a Chinese girl who killed a White man, so she's forced to flee or face the noose. Together with a runaway slave, Annamae, Samantha sets her sights on the freedom of the west. Traveling as two girls wouldn't be safe, so they disguise themselves as Sammy and Andy. The trail holds more surprises than they anticipated, including two cowboys they team up with for safety. But will the four of them be able to make it out West, and what will happen if the boys discover their secret?

Rave: I confess that I love a good Western and it was nice to find one with POC leads. The characters are well drawn and the tension delicious as they start to develop crushes while being forced to maintain their gender masquerade. There's all the excitement you'd expect to find on the trail as well as interesting commentary about the times that you wouldn't find in a white-washed western. To top it all off, the prose is a beautiful.

Every book its reader: I'd give this to students 7th and up looking for historical adventure and gender swapping tales.

Topics and Trends: gender swapping, westerns, people of color, #weneeddiversebooks, #ownvoices, romance, musicians, violin

Bonus Quotes:

“No one ever injured an eye by looking at the bright side.”


“Maybe life just tastes sweeter after you’ve licked death.”

Source: school library

Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee: buy it or check it out today!

The Scorpion Rules Review

Book talk: When the UN gave responsibility for world peace over to an artificial intelligence, it came up with a solution that no one anticipated. Instead of using atomic bombs for deterrence it works on a smaller, more personal scale. Every world leader is required to give a child over to be raised and taught in the prefecture. All of their needs are seen to, they get a wonderful education among the elite, and if their parents declare war on another country, they are executed. Those in power have always been willing to send other people's children off to die in wars, but they are far more hesitant to sacrifice their own. The system worked. Until the sacrificed children decide to fight back.

Rave: This book has a lot of meaty moral questions to dig your teeth into, but the pace is never slowed by them. The diverse cast was created with care and they each shine in their own way. The AI running the place is perhaps the most interesting character of all. I absolutely adored this.

Every book its reader: I'd give it to students 8th & up looking for a science fiction adventure.

Topics and Trends: politicians, royalty, AI, dystopia

Extras:



Bonus Quote:

“Did you know, the man who invented the atomic bomb once said that keeping peace through deterrence was like keeping two scorpions in one bottle? You can picture that, right? They know they can't sting without getting stung. They can't kill without getting killed. And you'd think that would stop them...But it doesn't."

Source: school library

The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow: buy it or check it out today!

The Trouble in Me Review

Book talk: Jack is sick of life. He's sick of moving. He's sick of being bullied by his classmates and father. He's sick of feeling weak and powerless. Then his new neighbor gets back from his second stint at juvie. Gary Pagoda is everything that Jack isn't: tough, cool, openly rebellious, and utterly fearless. Jack doesn't care where Gary leads him, as long as it means getting as far away from his old life as possible. Soon Gary has Jack lying to a parole officer, performing stupidly dangerous stunts, and feeding his inner pyromaniac. It will be a summer Jack will never forget, if he survives it.

Rave: This novel is based on events in the author's past and certainly provides a different perspective than your average YA novel. Reading about Gantos's exploits was horrifying and fascinating. It explores a crossroads in his life and the path he chose would eventually lead him to a federal prison. The events are rough, but the prose is beautiful and there are many poignant and sensitive moments in the novel, "I’d slink back to my room and curl up on the bed like a fish-hook and cry until I was rusty." That image hit me like a punch in the gut. This novel at the right time with the right teen could really change their life.

Every book its reader: I'd give this to students 7th and up looking for a misfit story with edge. It's a quick read with a powerful punch.

Topics and Trends: criminals, pyromania, memoir

Source: school library

The Trouble in Me by Jack Gantos

Shutter Review

Book talk: Fighting vampires is in Micheline's blood. It's been the family business ever since Van Helsing fought Dracula, and her bloodline gives her a distinct advantage: the ability to see the aura of the undead. For her, exorcising ghosts and shooting vampires is just another day in the office. Micheline and her crew respond to emergency calls armed to the teeth with weapons both mundane and specialized, including a modified camera that can capture the spiritual energy of ghosts. But for Micheline a bad day at the office doesn't mean a paper jam. It results in her and her crew getting infected with a soulchain that will kill them in a week or less, unless they can exorcise the ghost that cursed them. With new purpose and higher stakes than ever before, Micheline does what her family has been doing for centuries: she hunts.

Rave: This is a fantastic horror story. It pays homage to Dracula while creating its own world. The explanations of the science behind the supernatural elements is satisfyingly detailed instead of the typical hand-waving and explanation of "because magic".  The horror elements are truly terrifying and the plot fast-paced, except for a few passages of backstory. I particularly enjoyed that it's set in the SF Bay Area.

Rant: The narrative got a bit overly dramatic at times and there were some cliched elements, but that's to be expected in a horror story.

Every book its reader: The book is pretty intense, but it should be perfect for horror fans and I don't know why someone who doesn't like horror would read it anyway. 8th grade and up.

Topics and Trends: SF Bay Area, Horror, Vampires, Ghosts, Supernatural,

Extras:
The wonderful Naiomi Bates has made a trailer for the book:


I found this great image with a quote:

Bonus Quotes:
“Bloodlines and last names didn't make a man extraordinary — the extraordinary existed in what we did in life, not in who we were.”

Source: public library

Shutter by Courtney Alameda

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Book talk: Simon has a major crush, the only problem is he doesn't know who he's crushing on. After a pseudonymous post about not being openly gay in his high school, he met Blue. Blue and Simon have been messaging ever since, and Simon can't get enough of him. When another student discovers their e-mail conversations, everything is put in jeopardy. Simon is blackmailed with the threat of having not only his secrets revealed, but Blue's as well. How will he keep their secrets safe while staying true to himself? How far will the blackmail go? And most importantly, who is Blue?

Rave: I was a goner the moment I read the exchange ending in "I think you're cute and grammatical, too." I didn't know I could be so invested in a fictional relationship with a mystery crush. All the characters are fleshed out from the kid blackmailing Simon to his embarrassing but loving parents. The play brought me back to my own high school theatre days and the ending was simply perfect.

Every book its reader: I can't recommend this book enough. I've given it as a present and shoved my library's copies into plenty of hands. Great for those looking for a high school romance 8th grade and up.

Topics and Trends: LGBTQ, romance, school stories, high school theatre, secret admirers

Extras:

I'm not surprised this book has inspired a lot of people to make fan art & tributes, including this trailer:



The publishers made these two quote images to promote the book:

Bonus Quotes:

“He talked about the ocean between people. And how the whole point of everything is to find a shore worth swimming to.”

“Really, though, there are only two kinds of weather: hoodie weather and weather where you wear a hoodie anyway.”

Source: public library

Simon vs. the Homo Spaiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli: buy it or check it out today!

Dumplin' Review

Book talk: “I hate seeing fat girls on TV or in movies, because the only way the world seems to be okay with putting a fat person on camera is if they’re miserable with themselves or if they’re the jolly best friend. Well, I’m neither of those things.” Willowdean goes by Will to her friends and Dumplin' to her ex-beauty queen mother. She is unafraid to wear her swimsuit and if people stare, then that's their issue, not hers. But when she enters a beauty pageant with some other unlikely contenders, her mother is horrified. First kisses, broken friendships, Dolly Parton, drag queens, beauty pageants, and self-discovery. This is one year Dumplin' will never forget.

Rave: I cannot get enough of Will's bold and sassy voice and her defiant attitude. She is a character worth rooting for, even when she makes mistakes along the way. It was refreshing to read about body image issues that are prevalent in society but rarely discussed--especially in such a nuanced and honest way. Those aren't the only issues that receive such a frank treatment either. Evolving friendships, romantic relationships, grief, and mother-daughter relationships all get the same funny and insightful treatment. Plus there's Dolly Parton. What more could I ask for?

Every book its reader: I'd give this to teens looking for a funny, realistic book 8th grade and up.

Topics and Trends: body image, beauty pageants, drag queens, romance, friendship, mother-daughter relationships, grief, the South

Extras: 

Check out these great images from the publisher:

You can find more quotes in this video:

Bonus Quotes:

“There’s something about swimsuits that make you think you’ve got to earn the right to wear them. And that’s wrong. Really, the criteria is simple. Do you have a body? Put a swimsuit on it.”

“All my life I’ve had a body worth commenting on and if living in my skin has taught me anything it’s that if it’s not your body, it’s not yours to comment on.”

Source: public library

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy: buy it or check it out today!

The Girl at Midnight Review

Book talk: “Not the truth, but close enough. Maybe she ought to make that her life motto”  Echo is a runaway and a thief. She lives in a secret room in a library and survives on the edges of two societies: the one we know, and the society of the Avicen. The Avicen are a proud and ancient race of people who grow feathers instead of hair. Some might find this disconcerting, but they're the only family Echo has ever known. So when a threat to the Avicen emerges, Echo is determined to risk everything to help.

Rave: What's not to love: a girl who lives in a library, an alternate world full of magic and strange creatures hidden behind the one we know, a thief with a sarcastic wit but a strong moral compass. This book is firing on all cylinders. I'll even admit to enjoying the love triangle, as cliched as it may be. It's not the most original book I've read, but it was certainly a fun ride!

Every book its reader: I'd give this to fans of Daughter of Smoke and Bone  and other fantasy romances 8th grade and up.

Topics and Trends: urban fantasy, moral thieves, fantasy creatures, romance

Extras:

Bonus Quotes:

“The young always think they’re invincible, right until the moment they learn otherwise. Usually, the hard way”


“If war had taught him anything, it was that it took the people who deserved long and happy lives and gave them short, brutal ones instead.”

“The was something about churches that she found unsettling. Everything seemed overly concerned with death, as if someone had forgotten that the basis of the religion for which they'd been built was a rebirth.”

Source: school library

The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey: buy it or check it out today!

The Fixer Review

Book talk: Hardwicke Academy: the school of choice for the children of the DC elite. It's exclusive, it's secure, and it's about to be completely rocked by its newest student. Tess Kendrick is the younger sister of infamous political fixer Ivy Kendrick. Caught in a messy affair? Need to make a story disappear? If you're lucky, and you can afford it, you'll hire Ivy to take care of all your needs and keep your secrets. Tess grew up on a farm with her grandfather, about as far away from political intrigue as you can get. But her sister's reputation has preceded her and it isn't long before Tess is fixing problems for students on campus. Their parents are major power players, and their problems go beyond school drama. Soon, Tess has uncovered a major scandal that even her sister might not be able to fix. With her life on the line and her world turned upside, she needs to decide where her loyalties lie and what she's willing to risk.

Rave: This fast-paced political thriller for a YA audience delivers House of Cards style drama to a younger set. The plot is relentless and full of betrayals, twists, and high stakes. Tess is a very sympathetic character as she's thrust into a world she's completely unprepared for and tries to do her best.

Every book its reader: I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good thriller. 8th grade and up.

Topics & Trends: fast-paced, political intrigue, private schools, school dramas

Extras:

You can learn more about the book in this interview with the author:


Source: school library

The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: buy it or check it out today!

Shadow and Bone review

Book talk: Alina has always hidden her magic. She knew that her powers would set her apart. They'd take her away from her best friend, Mal, and the closest thing to family she had left. So she pretended to be normal, and she had everyone fooled. Until the day Mal got injured and only she could save him. Suddenly she's thrust into a world of magic and politics for which she was never prepared. With her country's fate in the balance, Alina needs to decide where her loyalties lie: with Mal and the other common soldiers, or with her fellow magic-wielders led by the mysterious Darkling.

Rave: Alina is a compelling protagonist and the choices she faces are complex and thrilling. The characters make mistakes and change and grow and people aren't always what they seem to be. The world is a fantasy one, but rooted in Russian mythology which makes for a refreshing change of pace. There's many different factions at play which make for a complicated political situation as alliances are formed and broken and corruption is discovered in various guises. So many characters want Alina to advance their own causes and watching her defy all of them to fight for herself and what she believes to be right is inspiring. An excellent series from start to finish!

Every book its reader: I'd give this to fantasy fans grades 6 and up.

Topics and Trends: Magic, Russian Mythology, Political Intrigue

Extras: You can find lots of extras over at http://www.grishaverse.com/

Source: kobo ebook

Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo: buy it or check it out today!

Brief Reviews Summer 2015 part 1

 
I appreciate the inherent humor of a wizard living in modern times and I always love a good detective story. The main appeal for me here though is that the audio books are narrated by James Marsters (who you may know as Spike from Buffy.) The plot was well-paced and the mystery intriguing, although I found the main character's attitude towards women concerning at times. I'm not sure that I'd continue reading them as regular books but I'll keep listening to the audiobooks as long as Marsters is narrating them! Storm Front by Jim Butcher: buy it or check it out today!

This book was just as delightful as the first. There was a bit more emphasis placed on romance than family this time around but it was still a pretty good balance of the two. Once again her family is fun to read about and the boys are endearing as they vie for her affections. I particularly enjoyed Lara Jean's volunteer work setting up dances for the retirement home and the game she revived with her former friends. My favorite aspect of the story was they way it explores bullying as rumors circle campus about the ski trip from the previous book and she's forced to confront the girl who started them and learn more about her perspective. Humor, heart, and fully realized characters make this a satisfying read on multiple levels. P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han: buy it or check it out today!

 I didn't always know what was happening in this book, but I did enjoy the ride. It's a very atmospheric novel and reminds me of gothic literature. The language is absolutely beautiful and I appreciated that it focused around a girl and her female ancestors. At times it felt like a regular contemporary novel with the protagonist worrying about her twin getting ahead of her in school and regular issues with friends and relationships. Then the novel would just go completely sideways as she talked about the strange house and spells and her compulsion to eat chalk. It was an occasionally bumpy ride but a fun one! White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi: buy it or check it out today!



This novel read a bit like a cross between a western and a hard-boiled detective novel. The setting was well depicted and the author's knowledge and love of the outdoors is clear. The characters were diverse and fascinating and the mystery took a lot of interesting turns. I haven't read the other books in the series, so I was at a bit of a disadvantage at times. I muddled through but I'd recommend reading them in order. The only part of the book that I didn't like was the way it enthusiastically embraced the kinky librarian stereotype. For obvious reasons that particular stereotype gets on my nerves and I'd like to see it put to rest. The subplot that revolved around that stereotype wasn't my favorite part of the novel, but the rest more than made up for it. Crazy Mountain Kiss by Keith McCafferty: buy it or check it out today!

 I like westerns and I was excited to read this gritty book with a female lead. I enjoy writing in dialect so I thought the narration was fun. I didn't mind the slow-burning romance either. The portrayal of native peoples left me uncomfortable though. It switched from the bloody warriors to the nobles savages stereotypes without much nuance. The book in general seemed to rely on tropes a bit too much and didn't have the depth I wanted it to have. I appreciated that Bowman included a native character in her main lineup, but I wish a bit more care and thought was put into her character and especially the overall portrayal of native cultures. Still, if you're just looking for a quick, gritty western this should satisfy you. Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman: buy it or check it out today!

The Art of Secrets Review

Book talk: Saba never imagined as she watched her apartment go up in flames that it would be the beginning of a grand mystery that would change her life for the better. Her school community rallies around her, led by two new kids who seem eager to make their mark. Saba's family moves into a luxurious apartment and an auction is organized to raise money for them. When the donation of a weird piece of art found in an alley turns out to be the work of a famous artist, tensions rise. Who should keep the money: Saba's family? The kids who found the art? The school? And just who set the fire in the first place? Read a series of notes, articles, and testimonies, put together the clues, and find out for yourself!

Rave: I am a complete sucker for epistolary novels, so I naturally loved the format of this book! I find it especially effective in mystery narratives where not all the characters can be trusted and you have to be on a sharp lookout for red herrings. The characters are wonderfully diverse and layered and even the teachers are portrayed like real people--shocking I know! A major subplot of the book involves outsider art, an area that I found fascinating and was compelled to further research on my own. The final conclusion was perfect and a completely satisfying ending to a compelling mystery.

Every book its reader: I'd give this to students 6th grade and up looking for a good mystery novel.

Topics and Trends: Chicago, outside artists, epistolary novels, mysteries, diversity

Extras: The author has his own website with more information about the book and links to websites about outsider and folk art.

Source: school library

The Art of Secrets  by James Klise: buy it or check it out today!

More than this Review

Book talk: Seth feels the impact of a rock against his head as the waters close in around him and he drowns. He dies in America, but he wakes up again in his childhood home in England. His neighbors' houses are exactly how he remembers them, except that nobody's home. He ventures into town for supplies and finds that nature has begun to reclaim the town with wild plants and animals. It's like nobody has lived there for years. He thinks he's in his own personal afterlife until he finds two others like him and a mysterious enemy that is hunting them all down.

Rave: I always go into Patrick Ness novels expecting death, so I was actually a bit relieved when it came at the very beginning. I had hoped that would remove some of the suspense and eventual emotional devastation--oh how wrong I was! I think talking too much about the plot will just ruin it for people who haven't read it yet so I'll just say that I love the diversity of the characters, their layers that are revealed as the plot progresses, and the mind-trip that was the ever-twisting plot.

Every book its reader: I'd give this to fans of both plot-focused science fiction like the Matrix and fans of realistic books about teens dealing with surviving all-too-real trauma. It can get pretty intense at times so I'd say 8th grade and up.

Topics and Trends: death, abuse, trauma, science-fiction, immigration, guilt, post-apocalyptic, thriller, diversity

Extras:
There's a website for the book and a couple of great videos





Bonus Quote:
“Know yourself and go in swinging.”

Source: kobo ebook

More than this by Patrick Ness: buy it or check it out today!

Brief Reviews Spring 2015 part 2

This book is a masterful piece of literature and I enjoyed reading it.  There were passages of great beauty and I found it completely absorbing to be wrapped up so completely in the mind of the nameless whiskey priest at the center of the novel. It painted a complicated psychological portrait of the man. I wish that complex characterization was extended more to the various Mexican characters in the novel as well. Still, as an artifact of its era it provides plenty of insight and it has a message that even modern readers can get behind: "Hate was just a failure of imagination." The Power and the Glory by Graham Green: buy it or check it out today!



The premise of this novel is that a private boy's boarding school hosts famous authors throughout the year and the students must compete for the honor of meeting them by submitting their own writing samples. The writing about the school children felt very layered and rang true to me, but when it came to describing the visiting authors (Frost, Rand, and Hemingway) Wolff tended toward caricature. I found the way the main character felt about Ayn Rand and how it changed hilarious. My favorite parts were reading about how literature had impacted these boys' lives. I was not a big fan of the ending, in particular the big time leap. I wish it had ended with the school year and not shown us the boys' futures. Still, it's an enjoyable read for fans of American literature and English teachers' pets. Old School by Tobias Wolff: buy it or check it out today!

 Meghan has always felt different, especially since her father disappeared in front of her eyes when she was a child. But she's a pretty average girl going to school with her best friend who loves playing pranks. Then one day she discovers that surprise, surprise her missing father is a fairy king and her best friend is actually the infamous trickster Puck in disguise. Suddenly, the weight of an entire kingdom rests of her shoulders as she has to navigate a world she never knew existed right underneath her ordinary one. If this plot sounds familiar and predictable it's probably because it mostly is (I haven't even mentioned the inevitable love triangle!) While I was reading I kept getting deja-lu feeling like I've read this before. It was fairly enjoyable while it lasted, even if it didn't leave a big impression on me when it was over. If you're looking for a quick read set in a fairy kingdom this book should satisfy you. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa: buy it or check it out today!

This book is a Regency romance with magic and an extra dose of feminism added in. If that summary sounds amazing, then pick it up! You will enjoy it. If that doesn't sound appealing to you, then you probably won't enjoy it. This is a book that does what it says it will, and it does that very well. Personally, I absolutely loved it. How could I not when it combines two of my favorite genres? I will definitely pick up the other books in this series! Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal: buy it or check it out today!





 This comic is a breath of fresh air and I inhaled it in a single gasp. Kamala Khan is an excellent addition to the super hero cannon. She's fresh and hilarious and I like the way she transitions from fan girl to dealing with powers of her own. She's completely charming and relateable and she'll do a wonderful job introducing many readers to a culture that they might be unfamiliar with and finally providing a positive mirror in comic books for readers who are also Muslim.  I particularly liked how she dealt with aspects like her costume in a way that honors super hero traditions while being true to who she is. I'm looking forward to reading more about her adventures and I'm excited to share it with students as well! Ms. Marvel: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona: buy it or check it out today!

 These deliciously creepy stories remind me of some of the bloodier fairy tales I've read. They'd be creepy enough on their own, but when combined with Carroll's black, white, and red illustrations they're positively chilling. I'm more than a bit behind in reviewing so it's been over 6 months since I've read this comic, but some of the images from it still readily spring to mind (for better or for worse, they're gorgeous but terrifying.) I enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone with a taste (and the stomach) for the macabre. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll: buy it or check it out today!


 This ancient Greek historical fiction is based in part on the story of The Tempest. I always enjoy new takes on classic stories and Diane Stanley does a wonderful job painting complicated characters who are faced with heart-breaking situations. I cried at several points during the novel. However, for a book that's billed as a retelling of The Tempest they take a while to get to the island. The plot is rather sprawling and felt a bit meandering at times. I was also not a bit fan of the present tense narration style. Still, if you stick with it, it does a wonderful job exploring the themes of forgiveness and fate and provides a lot to think about and discuss. The Chosen Prince by Diane Stanley: buy it or check it out today!


 This comic is everything I've come to expect from Gene Luen Yang: funny and engaging with great characterization and a subtle handling of complicated issues.  This comic is a great superhero origin story on its own with the Green Turtle's overbearing mother thrusting him into the superhero limelight.  But if you know the history of the original Green Turtle comics, it's even more fascinating.  The artwork does a great job paying homage to the retro superhero comics while still seeming fresh. Highly recommended!  The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang & Sonny Liew: buy it or check it out today!