A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

Summary: A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford takes paranormal romance in a new direction and I love it.  This is a book that I read and wished I had written myself because there is so much potential for continuing the story of these characters and the world they inhabit. And, to my great joy, it is a series!

Eden is a normal teenage girl, if being ignored by everyone and pondering suicide is normal.  Standing on the beach considering her options, she meets Az.  He sees her like no one else does, and she is immediately drawn into his world. 

Az is attracted to her from the moment he sees her; he is even more intrigued when she is unimpressed by his opening line. It takes almost no time at all until the pair become inseparable, shadowed by Az’s friend Gabe.

But Az & Gabe have a secret. A secret that truly is a matter of life or death for Leah.  And the only way for Eden & Az to truly be together will take Eden in a direction she was already headed.  But can she still love Az after he pushes her over the edge?  Can she trust anyone? And why, even in a world where some suicides have seemingly eternal life, is she different in a terrifying way?

Wow.  Really, wow.  It was so hard to write a good summery of this book without giving away the awesome twists and surprises within! My paragraphs do not do it justice – but I don’t want to ruin it.  I must get the next in the series!

Themes:
Death
Grief
Love
Courage
Betrayal

Age Appropriateness:
14 and up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: mild
Nudity/Adult Content: mild
Violence: moderate

The Siren Song by Anne Ursu

What do you get when you mix Rick Riordan with Lemony Snicket? Anne Ursu’s wonderful but sadly overlooked Cronus Chronicles Series! Mythology in the modern world with witty asides and laugh-out-loud wordplay makes this series fun and engaging, perfect for advanced readers.

Summary: The Siren Song is the second book in the Cronus Chronicles series by Anne Ursu.  In the first book, The Shadow Thieves, Charlotte & her cousin, Zee, find themselves travelling to the Underworld to save humanity from a demigod, Philonecron, who wants to rule the world and is building an army of shadows to accomplish his goal. 

In The Siren Song, the pair have returned safely home, but not to a heroes’ welcome.  After all, they can’t just tell everyone that the Greek gods are real.  So Charlotte is grounded – “ultramegagrounded,” actually, while Zee’s parents are treating him as if he might break. 

You would think that being under the constant watch of her parents would guarantee Charlotte some peace and quiet.  Unfortunately, Philonecron wants revenge on the mortal children who stopped his plans for world domination, and he has found the perfect way to get it – ask his grandfather, Poseidon, for help. 

And so, Charlotte finds herself fighting against the (second) most powerful god of the Greek pantheon on his own turf.  But she also finds allies, including a giant squid who used to be a British gentleman.  The one ally she needs most, Zee, is dealing with his own problems, including being kidnapped.  Can these two mere mortals defeat Poseidon and his minions, or are they and those they love doomed?

Themes:
Family
Friendship
Courage

Age Appropriateness:
10 and up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Summary: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is one of the 2012-2013 Sunshine State Books in Florida.  I originally read it when it first came out in hardback, as I am a huge fan of Gaiman’s work.  I picked it up again to re-read after the Sunshine State book list came out, and loved it just as much the second time around.

On a dark misty night, a man moves soundlessly through a house leaving a trail of death behind him.  A man, a woman, a little girl; all left motionless in his wake.  But somehow, by some twist of fate, a baby escapes and ends up in a nearby graveyard, where the resident ghosts take on the task of raising him and keeping him safe.

Thus begins the story of Nobody Owens, an orphan raised within the safety of the graveyard by the deceased, with help from his guardian, Silas, who is neither living nor dead. Nobody’s education consists of more than reading and writing; he must also learn to Fade, disappearing from the sight of the living.  His friends range from colonial children to a young witch, and his teachers have centuries of knowledge to share.  Unfortunately, none of it is from the current century.

Despite their best efforts, his ghostly parents and protectors cannot keep him safe forever.  Nobody longs to see the world outside the graveyard, even if it means drawing the attention of the man who killed his family; the man who is still looking to kill him as well.

The Graveyard Book is full of action and introspection.  Nobody is a character that I quickly became attached to, even when he was acting childish (he is, after all, a child) and making the wrong choices.  The end of the book is satisfying, but also makes me wonder… the perfect combination for me as a reader.

Themes:
Family
Friendship
Coming-of-Age
Safety

Age Appropriateness:
12 and up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: moderate

Bloggers note:  I have created a novel guide for The Graveyard Book which includes comprehension and extension/discussion questions, vocabulary, test questions, essay prompts, and other activities.  It can be purchased on Amazon  or through CreateSpace.

Radiance & Shimmer by Alyson Noel

Summary: Alyson Noel made waves with her series The Immortals and now has a new series focused on Riley Bloom. The first two books, Radiance and Shimmer are well-written and beautifully paced with a main character who is likable in spite of her flaws, making the entire book relatable and enjoyable.


After an accident kills everyone in her family except for her sister, Ever, Riley Bloom hung around on Earth for a while. But she has finally moved on and crossed the bridge to Here, joining her parents and her dog, Buttercup. Although she still harbors some bitterness about her short life, Riley is anxious to see what the Here (where the time is always Now) holds for her.

When she’s finally given her assignment, she finds that she will be a Soul Catcher, returning to Earth with her mentor, Bodhi, to convince other souls who are clinging to Earth that it is time to cross the bridge into Here and leave their old life behind.

In Radiance, Riley & Bodhi head for an old English castle that has been haunted by a young boy for centuries. He has resisted the efforts of many Soul Catchers to convince him to move on, but Riley is not going to give up easily.

Shimmer follows Riley & Bodhi on a well-earned vacation that turns into a challenge that could trap both Riley & Bodhi, along with the ever-present Buttercup, in the twisted fantasy world of a young girl who was murdered during a slave revolt in the 1700’s. Can Riley help Rebecca forgive those she blames for her death or will Riley end up like the rest of Rebecca’s victims, trapped in her own worst memories for eternity?

I’m looking forward to reading more Riley Bloom books. Despite the main character’s circumstances, the books manage to avoid wallowing in self-pity and instead show a young girl who, despite her untimely end, is continuing to grow and mature in her outlook. Beautiful images and imagery with a beautiful message written in a way that will make the reader root for Riley.

Themes:
Coming-of-Age
Acceptance
Letting Go

Age Appropriateness:
12 and up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

Neal Shusterman is one of my favorite YA authors, and I have recommended his books to many of my students, from reluctant readers (who devour his Dark Fusion series) to my gifted readers (for whom his novel Unwind is a mind-bending read). Bruiser has been sitting in my pile of books to be read for a while, & I wish I had read it sooner. Wow! I loved it! I will be adding this to my recommendations for students, from the reluctant readers to those who need a challenge, as it is a great story that any student will become engrossed in, and it has Neal’s trademark twists and unexpected turns which will leave the reader thinking long after they have finished the story.


Summary: Tennyson and Bronte are twins living a comfortable, if not exactly happy, life with their parents, college professors whose marriage is in a dull and quiet stasis caused by unforgiven past wrongs and continuing mistakes. When Bronte starts dating the school outcast, a boy named Brewster (called Bruiser by most), Tennyson is determined to split them up. He is convinced that Bruiser is bad news, and he goes to great lengths to try and scare Bruiser away...until he gets to know both Brewster and himself better.

Bronte has always had a soft spot for the abandoned, orphaned, unloved creatures she comes across. Brewster is no exception. She is determined to get past Brewster’s protective shell and truly get to know the boy hiding beneath that untouchable exterior. Tennyson’s initial bullying and interference only increases her determination. There is more to Brewster than anyone else at school realizes…but she is determined to help him make friends and be accepted.

As the twins weave themselves more into Brewster’s life, they discover the reason he stays removed from the world and avoids making friends. When Brewster’s whole world falls apart, how far will Bronte and Tennyson go to help their new friend? Is their help only causing Brewster more pain? And what do you do when you realize that you’ve allowed someone else to take on your burdens – do you keep living the easy life or do you step up and take responsibility?

Told from the perspectives of Tennyson, Bronte and Brewster himself, Bruiser kept me riveted. I couldn’t wait to see how it would end, but also dreaded reaching the end because it would be over. This is a book I will definitely be re-reading!

Themes:
Bullying
Friendship
Love
Selflessness
Responsibility


Age Appropriateness:
12 and up


Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: mild
Violence: mild

The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley

Summary: I love fantasy novels with strong female characters, and The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley definitely fits that description. This Newbery Honor book is an inventive and interesting adventure with characters that are well fleshed out and sympathetic.


Harry Crewe is an orphan who is left in the care of her older brother, Richard, a soldier in the Homeland military. When he brings her to Damar, a desert frontier area, to live with Lady Amelia and Sir Charles, she is relieved and intrigued by this new land, much different from the lushness of Home. Damar is an area held in an uneasy truce with the Free Hillfolk, a secretive group who, it is rumored, have magic that the people of Home do not understand.

Corlath is the king of the Hillfolk. When he comes to the Outlander outpost to seek assistance against in impending attack from the savage armies of the North, he is angered by the response he receives. He is also stunned by his first sight of Harry; his kelar, his magic, tell him that this girl is important. She will become Harimad-Sol, bearer of the Blue Sword which has lain unused for generations.

Harry doesn’t know why Corlath has taken her from her home in the night and brought her out into the desert. But once she begins to understand the ways of the Hillfolk and to feel the pull of her own kelar, she realizes that she is as much a part of the desert as those who have roamed its dunes all their lives. Can she accomplish a seemingly impossible task and save her people, both Hillfolk and Outlander, from the coming army which seeks nothing less than total destruction?

Themes:
Courage
Friendship
Determination
Self-Confidence


Age Appropriateness:
10 and up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: moderate

Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor

This year’s Sunshine State Book list is more action packed than I have seen it in a few years. I’ve been impressed with many of the books this year, but Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor hits a base that I haven’t seen so well-covered since Whisper in the Dark by Bruchac was one of the selections. Killer Pizza is creepy and action packed! It kept me tense and worried about the characters, and I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in the series, which is already out!


Summary: When Toby Magill gets a job at the new local pizzeria, Killer Pizza, he sees it as the first step towards his dream of becoming a famous chef. It’s a step away from just watching great chefs on TV to taking over the spatula someday, even if the food he makes at work has names like Mummy Wraps and Creature Double Feature. Little does he know what he and his new coworkers, Strobe and Annabel, have really signed up for!

Killer Pizza is an amazing pizzeria. But it has a more important purpose: behind the scenes, it’s a monster-hunting organization, and Toby, Strobe, and Annabel are the newest recruits in the organization. The trio quickly finds themselves fighting gargoyle-like creatures called Guttata who have settled in their town and are behind a string of missing persons cases.

Annabel and Strobe quickly prove themselves to be able fighters and quick thinkers under pressure. Toby isn’t sure he fits in with the group – he just wants to cook, after all. But can he walk away now that he knows what really lurks in the night?

Themes:
Courage
Friendship
Determination


Age Appropriateness:
11 and up


Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: moderate & scary

Jolted: Newton Starker's Rules for Survival by Arthur Slade

Summary: Jolted: Newton Starker’s Rules for Survival is another great book on the Sunshine State list for this school year. It’s a fun read with an interesting main character who, even though his problem is a bit out of the ordinary, readers will be able to associate and sympathize with.


Newton Starker’s family has been dealing with a curse for generations – most of them die after being struck by lightning. His mother is the most recent victim of this family peculiarity, and Newton is determined to beat the odds and not become another tabloid oddity.

In order to boost his odds for survival, he has enrolled at the Jerry Potts Academy for Survival in Moose Jaw, Canada. The school is not your average boarding school. All the students wear kilts and carry knives, classes include culinary arts and survival skills, and the major tests consist of lengthy outdoor camping/survival trips.

Newton plans not only to survive, but to land a spot in the hallowed Hall of Heroes at Jerry Potts Academy. He wants to be the best, and to be remembered for it forever. His biggest competition comes from Violet Quon, a spitfire of a girl who seems determined to make Newton’s life miserable. But Newton Starker has tricks up his sleeve, including an unexpected friend and a pig with an amazing talent.

Big on laughs and on heart, this book had me hooked from the very beginning. Newton’s desire to be the best and beat the odds keeps the story moving at a quick and enjoyable pace.

Themes:
Family
Courage
Achieving vs. Overachieving
Teamwork


Age Appropriateness:
10 and up


Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild

Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson

Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson is, hands down, my favorite Sunshine State Book of the year. This book is just fun and perfect for middle grades and teen readers! The humor in it is tinged with adolescent sarcasm, and has Lemony Snickett-esque warnings and asides to the reader sprinkled throughout the story. I will definitely being looking for more books from this author, and I hope that the series will continue to be as enjoyable as this first book.


Summary: Alcatraz Smedry has spent his life shuffling from one foster home to another thanks to his uncanny ability to break things. In his latest home, he has just caught fire to the kitchen when some even more shocking and destructive events suddenly take over his life.

Alcatraz escapes a man attempting to kill him and joins forces with a crazy man who claims to be his grandfather in order to claim his inheritance, which he had both received and had stolen in the same day. Alcatraz discovers that he is one in a long, distinguished line of Smedry family members who are Oculators (a job that involves wearing some very powerful glasses) with Talents, and the family business is….well, it’s a little hard to explain.

Basically, the world as you, dear reader, know it is ruled by a vast librarian cult who controls the populace by controlling the information we have access to. Librarian-controlled lands are, appropriately enough, called the Hushlands. The Smedry family, along with other freedom fighters, is working to prevent the librarians from taking over the remaining Free Kingdoms.

Alcatraz’s inheritance, a bag of very special sand that his father has painstakingly collected over the years, must be retrieved from the librarians before they can create lenses with it – for the lenses created could have untold powers! Can Alcatraz, his grandfather, and a few other brave souls infiltrate the library and recover the sands before they can be used against the Free Kingdoms? Are dinosaurs really British? And what is up with the random repetition of “rutabaga?” And how can being late be considered a life-saving talent? Read Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians to find out!



Themes:
Courage
Family
Self-discovery


Age Appropriateness:
10 and up


Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: moderate

Ruined by Paula Morris

Summary: Ruined by Paula Morris is a suspenseful historical mystery/ghost story set in modern-day New Orleans. The main character, Rebecca, is shocked when her father sends her to New Orleans to stay with a family friend while he works in China. Since her mother died, Rebecca and her father have been nearly inseparable. But suddenly he is sending her to stay with Aunt Claudia and her daughter, Aurelia, where she will attend a private prep school in New Orleans’ Garden District.


Rebecca knows she doesn’t fit in. Unlike the top social tier within the school, she doesn’t have an old family name and fortune to impress her classmates. And unlike the other students, she wasn’t impressed by old family names and fortunes. Only Anton Grey, a member of the New Orleans elite, shows any interest in Rebecca, but she is unsure if he has other reasons for his attentions to her.

Rebecca is fortunate enough to make one real friend. Lisette lives in the Lafayette Cemetery, where she knows everything and everyone. Rebecca is able to talk to Listette, sharing her loneliness and her memories of home. Unfortunately, friendship with Lisette is not so simple – she is a ghost and her spirit is trapped at the cemetery where her body was hidden.

In Ruined, Rebecca is faced with many secrets and mysteries that have more to do with her than she realizes. Why can she see Lisette? What is Lisette’s true goal?

Themes:
Family
Secrets
Racism

Age Appropriateness:
11 and up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: very mild
Violence: very mild

Interworld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves

Summary: Interworld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves is an awesome sci-fi/fantasy adventure. The authors mix science and magic together in a setting that includes an infinite number of worlds. I’ve been a Gaiman fan for a couple of decades now, and Interworld is a worthy addition to the Neil Gaiman shelf of my library.


Joey Harker is just a guy – he’s nothing special. He has no real talents or skills. He even gets lost in his own house sometimes! But one day, Joey gets more lost than usual – he walks into another dimension and finds himself in the middle of a war. Armies of science and armies of magic are both fighting to take over as many different dimensions as possible; trying to rule over the thousands of possible Earths that exist. In order to stop them, Joey finds himself part of a third army dedicated to keeping the balance – an army that is made up entirely of different versions of himself from the different Earths.

Unlike many of the other Harkers, Joey gets a choice – go home to his own Earth, where he can live out his life in safety or stay and fight until the end. What will he do? And how many rules will he break in the process?

I would love to see more stories about Joey and the other Harkers – this could make an excellent series, especially since only one enemy is really faced in this book.

Themes:
Balance
Loyalty
Persistence
Survival
Teamwork


Age Appropriateness:
10 and up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild

Forbidden Sea by Sheila A. Nielson

Summary: Forbidden Sea by Sheila A. Nelson is a wonderful fairy tale with just the right mix of mystery, hardship, and tough choices. Even though it is set on the middle ages, the characters are easy to relate to, from their personalities to their dreams and despairs.


Adrianne Keynnman’s family once enjoyed a comfortable life on Windwaithe Island, where her father was the Master of Horses for Lord Durran, who rules over the island. But an accident took him away and the family lost everything – a loss that Adrianne takes the blame for. Now Adrianne, along with her mother, her sister, Cecily, and her Auntie Minnah, live in a small shack where the women do mending for the islanders to make a meager living.  Adrianne does what she can to help her family, but nothing she does ever seems to please her aunt, who greatly favors Cecily, and the girls' mother shows little courage, allowing Auntie Minnah to run the home.

When Adrianne saves Cecily from the Windwaithe mermaid, a creature Adrianne had thought to be a legend, life begins to take unexpected turns. The mermaid marks Adrianne and her days and nights are filled with the haunting sounds of the mermaid calling to her.

When the other islanders discover that the mermaid has marked Adrianne, it becomes dangerous for anyone who chooses to protect her. Should Adrianne just give herself up to the mermaid to save her island? Or is there more going on than anyone truly knows?

One of my favorite aspects of this story was the romance between Adrianne and Denn, the boy who has been her friend since childhood. Adrianne loves him dearly but doesn’t feel that she is good enough to catch his eye compared to the prettier and wealthier girls of the island. Her interactions with Denn and his younger siblings (who adore her) make for some great moments that anyone who has ever experienced a crush on someone they feel they can’t have will understand.

Themes:
Family
Persistence
Loyalty
Love
Self-esteem

Age Appropriateness:
11 and up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: very mild

The Summer of Moonlight Secrets by Danette Haworth

I had the opportunity to meet Danette Haworth at the NCTE convention in the fall and came back to school excited about the possibility of having her come speak to our students.  That plan is still in the works (ah, the joys of committees - LOL) but in the meantime, I am picking up her books to prep for the (hopefully) inevitable visit.  I gave away a few copies of this book to students at the end of the school year, and I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did!

Summary: The Summer of Moonlight Secrets by Danette Haworth was an excellent follow up to The Folk Keeper in my reading queue. Both have the same mythical creature in a central part of the story (not telling which – that would be a spoiler!). Both have an air of mystery and magic woven throughout. But where The Folk Keeper focused on one character’s perspective, The Summer of Moonlight Secrets switches between the thoughts of three characters.


Allie Jo Jackson loves her home, The Meriwether, an old and once high-class hotel built on Hope Springs in Florida. She knows all its secret passages and hidden hiding places, all its history and secrets. She spends her days enjoying life and helping out at the hotel, polishing brass railings and eating chef’s delicious blueberry pancakes.

When Tara mysteriously emerges from the springs one morning, Allie Jo is stunned and intrigued. Who swims fully clothed? Where did she come from? Who is she, really? And what or who is she hiding from?

Allie Jo and her new friend, Chase, a guest at the hotel, set out to discover the truth and end up finding answers they never dreamed possible. Can two modern day kids believe in magic, or is Tara just a disturbed runaway? What do you do when you have a secret you have to keep from everyone – even your parents who you’ve always shared everything with? How do you know who to believe when no one is telling the same story?

This is a great book – fun, suspenseful, and magical. Each year, the Florida Department of Education chooses recent books to be featured on the Sunshine States Young Readers program list, and The Summer of Moonlight Secrets would be a great addition to that list for next time. I’ll have multiple copies of this book on my shelf next school year!

Themes:
Secrets
Friendship
Family
Doing what is right

Age Appropriateness:
8 and up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild

The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsly

Summary: The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsly is a beautiful fairy tale that sometimes reads like a Victorian Gothic novel. It has many of the elements of the latter: an orphan, a bleak orphanage, a mysterious benefactor, and a rich manor shrouded in secrets. Billingsly adds an element of magic with the addition of The Folk, magical creatures that live beneath the human realm and must be kept satisfied through the efforts of a Folk Keeper.


Corinna is one such Folk Keeper. Masquerading as a boy, the young orphan has found her way into an acceptable life, keeping the voracious and sometimes evilly mischievous Folk of Rhysbridge quiet so they don’t ruin the crops or curdle the milk. She records her activities in her Folk Record, as all good folk keepers do, and it is this record that holds the story itself. Corrina is the queen of her domain, protected by the knowledge that everyone else fears the folk and will not enter her cellar unless there is a dire need.

When a mysterious man makes a deathbed visit and whisks her away to the remote manor of Marblehaugh Park, Corinna discovers questions about her own origins and abilities she was unaware of. She also finds herself in the middle of a plot to get control of the manor which puts her and one she loves in great danger.

Can Corinna save the day while also discovering the truth about who she really is? Will she have to choose between two homes once the truth is discovered?

Themes:
Secrets
Self-discovery
Individuality

Age Appropriateness:
10 and up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild

House of the Star by Caitlin Brennan

Summary: The war between Ymbria and Caledon has been a problem throughout the worlds for generations, despite a treaty and numerous marriages between the royal houses of the two worlds. As a princess of Ymbria, Elen has been brought up hating all those of Caledon, her enemy. When her mother tells her she is to be sent to Earth, to the House of the Star, she is furious. As much as she would love to go to the House of the Star, a horse ranch in Arizona, she knows that the real purpose for sending her there is to set her up with a Caledonian prince; it’s what has always happened. Marriage is not her dream; if she goes to Earth, she wants to train to become a worldrider and travel the roads between the worlds as a messenger.


Elen tries to run away, but finds herself practically herded to Earth by a worldrunner, one of the mystical horses that can travel the faerie roads, one of the very beasts that Elen has always dreamed of riding. But how can she enjoy being at the ranch knowing that her dreams will not come true?

Her preconceptions are put to the test when she arrives and meets the other campers at the House of the Star. The camper from Caledon is not a boy, after all, but a young girl who is very much like Elen herself; a girl named Ria whose main dream is to become a worldrider, a girl who loves horses as much as Elen does. But old prejudices are hard to shake, and Elen finds herself at odds with her Caledonian roommate, believing that she has come to the House of the Star for some other underhanded purpose. When her instincts turn out to be somewhat true, Elen and her friends set out to save Ria and a small herd of worldrunners.

This is a fun story and will be a hit with any girls who are fans of fantasy and/or horses. There is very little down-time in the story, but the characters are still developed enough to escape being flat. I wouldn’t mind seeing further books about Elen and Ria and their journey to becoming worldriders.

Themes:
Overcoming prejudice
Friendship

Age Appropriateness:
Grades 5 & up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild

Dreamdark: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor

The first book by Laini Taylor, Dreamdark: Blackbringer, is an action-packed story that rejects many typical trappings of fairy lore to create a race of fairies that are strong and not at all girly. I really enjoyed reading Blackbringer and will be picking up the next book in the series!


Summary: Magpie Windwitch is a fairy like no other. First of all, her grandfather is the West Wind, and her best friends and travelling companions are crows. But what really makes Mag different is that she travels the world capturing escaped demons. While most fairies stick close to home, avoiding the outside world full of humans and other dangers, Magpie and her crow family chase danger.

When the greatest evil known escapes from its imprisonment, Magpie is the only one who can stop it – just like her hero, Bellatrix, Mag is fated to be a champion of the Djinn, the great beings whose dreams created the world and the creatures within it. But first, she must convince the Djinn king, The Magruwen, to awaken and take an interest in his creation once more.

Along the way, Magpie reconnects with old friends and discovers new allies. Her childhood friend, Poppy, is the first fairy in generations to be able to speak to plants. Talon, a fairy prince, is unable to fly due to his undersized wings, but he can craft items from magic; an ability that rivals that of the Djinn themselves! All three young fairies possess abilities that can help revive the lost magic within the fairy race – if the Blackbringer doesn’t destroy all of creation first!

This book is full of great battles, suspense, treachery, and even a touch of romance. The characters are likable and seemed very real to me as I was reading – even Magpie has her imperfections and doesn’t always do what she probably should, which makes her more interesting. The twists within the book, along with the mythical world developed within, make for great reading for anyone who likes adventure. I look forward to seeing these characters and their realm developed more as the series continues!

Themes:
Good vs. Evil
Overcoming limitations
Friendship

Age Appropriateness:
Grades 6 & up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

It took me months to read this book, and I first attributed that to it being boring. But on further thought (and after finally finishing it) I don’t think boredom was a factor. Read on and I’ll give you my ideas on why this book was a long-haul read for me and why that shouldn't stop you from picking it up.


Summary: Phoebe is your typical gothy high school girl – listening to bands whose names sound like the titles of Victorian-era gothic romance novels, dressing in all black, and hanging out with the undead. Okay, so maybe that last part isn’t SO typical. It’s a result of Phoebe living in a world where dead teens have started coming back and re-joining the world of the living, even if they aren’t exactly living, but the usual definition. These “differently-biotic” teens are a mystery, and the theories abound as to why they come back, and why only some kids come back. Some of them seem almost alive, walking and talking like any other teen; others seem more like Hollywood zombies, with jerky movements and halting speech patterns.

Navigating this brave new world with Phoebe are her two best friends. Margi is Phoebe’s goth other half, but is still reeling from the death (and subsequent return) of their friend Colette. Because of this, Margi is less comfortable with the “dead kids” and this causes friction in the relationship between Phoebe and Margi.

Adam is Phoebe’s next-door neighbor and other best friend. The two are a strange pair; he’s a football player, seeming a polar opposite to Phoebe. But the two are united by a shared childhood, Phoebe’s understanding of Adam’s home difficulties, and by the fact that each cares strongly for the other in a way that neither will admit.

Now throw Tommy into the mix. Tommy is a “differently biotic” student who decides to join the football team. This causes a variety of responses, and brings a firestorm of media attention on Oakvale High. Should a zombie be allowed to play with the living kids?

This attention brings in the Hunter Foundation, a group whose stated aim is to help the “differently biotic” become more accepted in society. They set up an elective/work co-op at the school to encourage a dialogue between the living and the dead. Phoebe, Margi, and Adam all join, as does Tommy. It is within the group meetings of this class that some of the most poignant (yes, I do mean that word!) moments of the book come about. But it also has moments that could be taken from any support-group meeting.

How will the group deal with each other, their own feelings, and the danger posed by those who are less than understanding? That is the question in this, the first book in a series.

Review: I think one of the things that initially turned me off this book was how predictable it was to me. The goth girl stock character seems to be the new “it girl” of YA lit. There is almost always a popular, handsome, and athletic boy who has a crush on her but doesn’t let her know until a pivotal moment in the book. Margi is the typical best friend who is also goth, and they have a disagreement that alienate them for a while in the story. It’s very formulaic in that way.

What made me keep reading? Well, at first it was the prompting from one of my students who was somewhat patiently waiting for me to finish reading. Then I started looking at the novel differently. It is a novel with an important theme: hate and the results of that hate. Throughout the novel, the characters deal with those who hate the “differently biotic” for the simple reason that there are there. There are attacks, both verbal and physical, on characters both living and dead. The dead characters are, overall, shown in a very sympathetic light. But just like in real life, there are characters on both sides of the issue that keep adding fuel to the fire of conflict.

After I finished reading, I couldn’t stop wondering about some of the issues from the novel. How would people react in a situation like this? Would we find ourselves in the middle of the next Civil Rights movement? Would there be people out there who would make it their goal to send all these reanimated dead back to their graves? Even the issue of citizenship is addressed – are you still a citizen once your death certificate has been filed? Do you have any rights? These are the type of unanswerable questions that make a book stick in my mind, and thanks to this, I will be buying the rest of the series, just to see how the author addresses these issues.

I suppose, when it comes right down to it, this is a book I will be recommending to my students because, despite the formulaic elements of the plot, it will make them think! If they find themselves wondering about even a fraction of the questions I was left with, it will be a win. I’m all for a book that will have them wondering long after the last page has been read.

Themes:
Hate/Racism (is it racism – is being dead a race?)
Individuality
Standing by personal convictions

Age Appropriateness:
Grades 7 & up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: mild
Nudity/Adult Content: very mild
Violence: Mild

Jane Slayre by Charlotte Bronte & Sherri Browning Erwin

I can’t say enough how much fun I am having with all the classic mash-ups that have been coming out. I’ve read a bunch of them, including Little Vampire Women (reviewed in an earlier post) as well as Pride & Prejudice & Zombies (the book that, I feel, started the genre on its successful spiral). So when I saw Jane Slayre at a bookstore, I knew I had to have it.


Summary: As in the original Jane Eyre, Jane is an orphan being raised by her wealthy but cruel aunt Mrs. Reed. However, Mrs. Reed, in Jane Slayre, is a vampire – as are her spoiled children. Jane is forced to keep their hours, sleeping during the daylight hours and rising only after dark. After a punishment for a “misdeed” almost results in her death, Jane is relieved to be sent away to school where she will no longer have to worry about being consumed by one of her cousins as a midnight snack.

At Lowood, the school to which Jane is sent, all seems better at first. Granted, the food is not much and the conditions aren’t first rate, but it is a charity school. Jane is simply glad to be away from her family’s cruelty; even more so when she makes her first real friend, Helen. Unfortunately, not all is well at Lowood and Jane finds herself being trained in the art of zombie slaying by Miss Temple, her mentor. The man who runs the school, besides being very stingy with funds for food and clothing, is reanimating girls who die and turning them into zombie servants (An idea Jane was already familiar with, as her Aunt Reed had one, and now Jane knows from whence she came). Jane & Miss Temple work together to free the corpses of these girls from their slavery and to end these horrible experiments.

The mash-up continues to follow the original plot through the remainder of the story, with the addition of vampires to fight and an additional affliction for Mr. Rochester’s first wife, Blanche. If you were a fan of the original (but not a purist) you will enjoy Jane Slayre. If you didn’t enjoy the original, but you like a good monster tale, then I also suggest you give Jane Slayre a try.

Themes:
Personal Courage
Love
Independence

Age Appropriateness:
Grades 7 & up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: Mild

Clarity by Kim Harrington

Clarity, the debut novel by author Kim Harrington, gives teen girls a great mix of romance, action, and suspense with a touch of the supernatural thrown in. I enjoyed this novel and look forward to more offerings from this author – I think that the characters in this book could support a series.


Summary: Clarity “Clare” Fern is used to being considered a freak in the Cape Cod tourist town where she lives with her mother & brother. They all have special abilities; Clare is a psychic who can touch an object and sense the thoughts and feelings attached to it. Her brother can communicate with ghosts. Her mom reads minds. They do readings together out of their Victorian house during the busy tourist season.

But this particular summer will not be the usual boring tourist season. A murderer is on the loose in Eastport and Clare has been asked to (unofficially) help work the case with the new police detective’s very handsome son, Gabriel, and her ex-boyfriend, Justin, whose Dad is running for re-election as mayor. As the bodies start to pile up and Clare’s brother, Perry, becomes the prime suspect, Clare finds herself torn between two very attractive guys who are distracting her from finding the real killer.

Add to all this a splash of high-school mean girl tormenting, snobby upper-crust townies, and another psychic competing for the tourists’ business, and the Fern family is in for a bumpy ride! Can Clare solve the case? It will take more than just her abilities to do so; fortunately she’s also got common-sense and a big heart.

For fans of the recent spate of supernatural mystery fiction for young adults, Clarity is a treat to be enjoyed. The characters are pretty well developed, and again I feel that a series centered around Clare and her family could develop them even further and build a good fan base.

Themes:
Loyalty
Friendship
Love
Being different

Age Appropriateness:
Grades 7 & up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: very mild
Nudity/Adult Content: mild
Violence: mild

Sorcery & Cecilia by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer

I realized this week-end that I have five (yes, five) books sitting around in various states of half-read sadness. So, I picked one up & made it my quest to finish it. The result – a very cool and fun read that I will probably go through again to catch what I missed. Sorcery & Cecilia was written by two authors who took turns writing the letters between the two main characters without discussing where the story was going. A very fun & challenging idea, and an activity I would love to try with my students to stretch their writing.


Summary: It is time for another London season, and cousins Kate and Cecy find themselves woefully separated, with Kate in London under the watchful eye of Aunt Charlotte with the goal of landing a well-to-do husband while Cecy remains at home in Essex with her father & Aunt Elizabeth. The novel consists of their letters to one another, and through these letters the reader sees a mystery develop.

In the world of Sorcery & Cecelia, magic is very real and wizards/witches are well-trained and respected members of society. Kate finds herself caught in a case of mistaken identity when a witch tries to poison her while she attends a ceremony at the Royal College of Wizards. Kate finds herself entering into a sham engagement with the Mysterious Marquis, both for her own protection and to save him from entering into any dangerous entanglements. Cecy, meanwhile, is trying to discover the true motives of their wizard neighbor, Sir Hilary, all the while learning to use her own magical skills.

The story is full of romance, intrigue, suspense, and polite society. If Jane Austen and J.K. Rowling had written a novel together, this might be the result. Any fan of Austen’s mannerly fiction will enjoy this, and those who have a soft spot for magical escapades will find themselves drawn in as well.

Themes:
Love
Good vs. Evil

Age Appropriateness:
Grades 5 & up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: none