Take Me To The River by Will Hobbs

                Dylan has spent the past few years looking forward to his first trip to Texas to join his uncle and cousin, Rio, on a river trip down the Rio Grande on the border of the United States and Mexico. Practice at summer canoe camps has given him the skills he needs to make the trip – at least, that’s what he and his parents believe.  His trip gets off to a rocky start when no one is waiting to greet him at the bus station and a note from his cousin tells him to hitchhike the rest of the way. When he finally arrives in tiny Terlingua Ghost Town, he discovers that nothing is going according to plan; his uncle has gone to Alaska leaving only Rio to join him on the trip and a hurricane may be headed their way.  The two teens decide to take to the river anyway and find that Mother Nature isn’t the only thing working against them. Already pushed to their limits by the increasingly dangerous hurricane-fueled rapids, their trip takes an even more deadly turn when they find themselves at the mercy of a Mexican gangster on the run from authorities on both sides of the border.  Can the boys protect themselves and the gangster’s other victim, the kidnapped young son of a Mexican judge, from the dangers of both the river and a criminal on the run?

                Take Me to the River is an exciting adventure tale for students from upper elementary age and beyond.  Some students may have difficulty with some of the specific vocabulary within the book dealing with types of rapids and other river features such as eddy or class three, but context clues are provided through much of the text to support students unfamiliar with these terms. Although familiarity with river rafting will add to the reader’s understanding and enjoyment of the story, it is not necessary.  Fans of other wilderness adventures such as Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet and Roland Smith’s Storm Runner, as well as Hobb’s other titles will enjoy the action and suspense in Take Me to the River.

Themes: Courage
Friendship
Survival

Age Appropriateness:
10 and up

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

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

Delirium by Lauran Oliver

Dystopia – it’s what’s hot. There is so much YA dystopian lit out right now that it almost seems unavoidable. I know – I’ve read a lot of it. And I’ve loved much of it, but I’ve been a fan of dystopian lit since I read Brave New World in high school. So now the question when I read another entry into the genre is this: what makes this title different?


Summary: Delirium by Lauren Oliver asks the question: What if love were curable? Would you choose to live without it?

Lena has always lived in fear of it; love killed her mother and made her an orphan. If not for her aunt & uncle taking her in, she and her older sister would have ended up working in a state-run orphanage with no chance of ever making a good pair. Amor deliria nervosa is the most dangerous of diseases and all adults are surgically cured to prevent its spread.

Lena has looked forward to her procedure for years; looked forward to the time when the sadness of the past will fade away and she will lead a comfortable life, paired with an acceptable man to spend the rest of her life with. Living without love means living without pain and sadness, living in a safe, protected world where she can fit in.

With only days left until she will be forever free from fear of the disease, Lena meets Alex. He is different – he makes her feel things she has been warned against feeling. He has infected her with the delirium. Will she reject all she has been taught to keep the happiness she has found with Alex? Will she fall victim to love, the deadliest disease of all?

Although Delirium feels slightly like some of the other dystopian books I've read (the Uglies series was the first that popped into my mind), it is different enough to be intriguing and manages to stay unpredictable in its twists and turns.  I was rooting for Lena and Alex, even though I knew their story probably wouldn't end well. 

Themes:
Coming-of-Age
Being Yourself
Freedom
Love

Age Appropriateness:
14 and up

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

Alibi Junior High by Greg Logsted

Summary: Cody has lived a life that many kids would think is really cool; travelling the world as his dad’s partner in undercover CIA operations. He speaks multiple languages, can defend himself whether armed or unarmed, and knows how to handle himself under pressure. Then everything changes….


The danger surrounding Cody & his dad gets to be too much and Cody is sent to stay with his Aunt Jenny, who he hardly knows,  in a small town in Connecticut. Cody may know how to blend in and survive in many situations, but Junior High isn’t one of them. He’s never had a normal friendship with anyone his age, never had a crush on a girl, never had to follow a class schedule. In short, he’s never been prepared to lead a “normal life.”

After some missteps, Cody starts to make friends and even becomes a sort of mentor within his school, his love of and talent for martial arts serving as a tool to help him overcome the "new kid" stigma.

Just as he starts to feel like he is getting the hang of being a suburban teen, he begins to fear that his father’s problems have followed him – he is sure he is being watched. With the help of a disabled vet, Cody has to face this challenge to save the life he has come to enjoy and to protect the people he has come to love.

Alibi Junior High is a 2011-2012 Sunshine State Book. I really wish I had read it sooner. I truly enjoyed it. It was sometimes funny and sometimes tense, striking the balance between the two in a way that made me want to keep reading about Cody even after the story was over.

Themes:
Courage
Responsibility
Family
What is normal?

Age Appropriateness:
11 and up

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

Drought by Pam Bachorz

Dystopian fiction is a big seller right now, and Drought by Pam Bachorz is a worthy addition to the shelves of dystopian fans looking for another read to sate their need. The premise is unlike any other novels I can remember recently, coming closest to Haddix’s Running Out Of Time. Drought, however, adds a level of suspense that kept me turning the pages and wondering how the story would end.


Summary: Ruby has lived all her life as part of the Congregation, gathering Water for Darwin West under the cruel and watchful eyes of his Overseers. Despite the passing of over a century, she and the others still live as if the year was 1812, the year they all came to the wilderness hoping for freedom, only to become slaves.

Ruby’s mother is the Reverend for the Congregation. She has always taught Ruby to be patient and accept her suffering. But Ruby isn’t content to accept the way her life is. She dreams of freedom and happiness. But her dream isn’t possible, because Ruby has a secret; it is her blood which makes Water so special. Without it, her community will die. So Ruby continues to sacrifice and keep her secret.

When a new Overseer, Ford, comes to the community, Ruby is drawn to him. He is different from the others; Ruby can see his kindness. When Ford asks her to run away with him, to leave and live a normal life, Ruby is faced with a terrible choice: reject love and freedom to keep her people alive or condemn them to death for her own chance at happiness.

Themes:
Survival
Courage
Responsibility
Family
Freedom



Age Appropriateness:
12 and up



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

Strings Attached by Judy Blundell

Summary: Judy Blundell’s Strings Attached is a great combination of mystery, suspense, and romance set in the early 1950’s during the time when gangsters were big news and McCarthyism was in full swing.


Kit is one of the famous Corrigan triplets, raised by her alcoholic father and her strict, seemingly unfeeling Aunt Delia. After a blow-up with her long-time boyfriend, Billy Benedict, Kit moves to the city to try and fulfill her dream of becoming a Broadway star. Although it isn’t easy, it is helping her keep her mind off of Billy and her brother, Jaime, who both joined the Army. Kit’s fortunes take a turn when Billy’s father, Nate, an attorney with rumored ties to a notorious gangster, sets her up with a good job and a nice apartment to live in. All she has to do is help Nate out by letting him know when she hears from Billy.

But Kit soon finds out that there are more strings attached to Nate’s gifts than she realized. Is Nate really involved in murder? Is her Aunt Delia one of his victims? And how will she face Billy, knowing what she does about his father?

I enjoyed Strings Attached more than Blundell's last novel, What I Saw & How I Lied.  The plot was solid and had enough twists to keep me guessing without becoming too confusing or unrealistic.  I found myself sympathizing with Kit throughout the novel, and hoping that she would achieve the success she was hoping for without Nate's help.  A good read for those who like a little suspense mixed in with their romance.

Themes:
Trust
Love
Independence



Age Appropriateness:
13 and up


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

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

The Presence by Eve Bunting

Summary: The Presence by Eve Bunting is an intriguing ghost story with twists and turns that keep it from being too predictable. The characters are believable and it is easy to empathize with Catherine, the main character.


Catherine is spending the Christmas holidays with her grandmother while her parents take a vacation in Europe. Everyone who loves her is hoping that getting away will help Catherine deal with the accident that killed her best friend; the accident she feels responsible for.

At her grandmother’s church, Catherine meets Noah. He’s handsome, young, and tells her that he can help her contact the spirit of her dead friend and obtain forgiveness. Catherine is hopeful – if she could only know that Kirsty forgave her, she could move on and stop having the nightmares.

But something about Noah doesn’t seem right. No one else seems to notice him, even when he is standing right next to them. An old lady warns Catherine to avoid the church. And girls who look like Catherine have been disappearing over the years. Could it all be connected? And what can Catherine do? Should she meet him in spite of her misgivings?

The story is told from two perspectives – Catherine’s and Noah’s. The two together give the whole story, and the switches are well done. Whereas Catherine wants forgiveness, Noah wants love and companionship. Despite being the antagonist, he is not a strictly evil character, and this made him much more interesting than the usual ghostly bad guy.

My favorite character in this book is Catherine’s grandmother. She’s a spry old lady who loves her romance novels and enjoys playing matchmaker for her granddaughter. She’s the kind of grandmother that would be wonderful to have in real life – supportive and just nosy enough to show that she cares.

If you enjoy a good ghost story, pick up The Presence. Its blend of romance and mystery makes it an enjoyable read.

Themes:
Secrets
Grieving
Forgiveness

Age Appropriateness:
12 and up

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

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Summary: The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson was much more thought-provoking than I expected. A little more than a day after I finished reading it I am still pondering the implications and the questions brought up by this teen sci-fi read.


Jenna wakes up from what her parents tell her is a lengthy coma with little memory of who she is. All her parents will tell her was that she was in a horrible accident and that she is still recovering. But there are things that just don’t seem right – like why are they living in California now instead of Boston? Why does her father rarely come visit them? Why does her grandmother, Lily, seem unhappy with her “miraculous recovery?”

As Jenna’s memory starts to come back and connect the holes in her past, she finds herself with even more questions - questions that no one wants to answer. Who is Jenna Fox? What is she? Is she even human?

The Adoration of Jenna Fox can be enjoyed as a great read (which it is), but for those who enjoy a little deeper thought, it also brings up issues and questions that are important today, and could be even more so in the future.

One of the characters, Allys, is a victim of one of the many untreatable diseases that run rampant throughout the world of this novel. These diseases are blamed on the unchecked use of antibiotics – a problem that is already a reality. Allys has multiple prosthetic limbs due to the drastic measures that had to be taken in order to save her life. Could these antibiotic resistant diseases become the problem they are in the book? (Or is a better question “When will they become the problem they are in the book?”)

Organ transplants in the world of Jenna Fox are more accessible and less dangerous than in our world, but a limit is put on how much a single individual can have transplanted. Each organ or body part is deemed worth a certain number of points, and each person can only have so many points within a lifetime. Will this happen in our world?

The Adoration of Jenna Fox reminds me somewhat of another book that raises many of the same issues, Unwind by Neal Shusterman. (If you haven’t read it, you really must! It is amazing!) Like Unwind, The Adoration of Jenna Fox raises the question: What makes us human? What part of a human contains the soul, that essence that makes us who we are? It’s an unanswerable question, but one that is always worth pondering.

Themes:
Secrets
Friendship
What makes us human?
What is acceptable use of technology?

Age Appropriateness:
10 and up

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

The Stone Child by Dan Pablocki

The Stone Child by Dan Pablocki is creepy! It made me want to turn on more lights while I was reading, and that isn’t something that happens to me very often. I’ll have to read something light and happy before I go to bed tonight to get this story out of my head, otherwise I’m afraid this book will invade my dreams. So, if you’re easily scared or prone to nightmares, do not pick up this book. REALLY! If, however, you enjoy a book that makes even the brightest room seem slightly oppressive and has you looking over your shoulder because you feel like you are being watched….enjoy!


Summary: Eddie doesn’t really mind when his parents decide to move to the small town of Gatesweed. He doesn’t have any friends anyway, except for books by his favorite author, Nathaniel Olmstead. But the family move becomes less routine when they crash the family car into something; his parents think it might have been a bear, but Eddie knows it was a monster, like in one of Olmstead’s books. Then he looks across and sees the house – Nathaniel Olmstead’s house! What could be cooler than moving into your favorite author’s hometown, seeing the house he lived in before he disappeared thirteen years before? Eddie also finds an unpublished Olmstead manuscript, written in code, which could explain the author’s mysterious disappearance.

But Eddie also sees other things – the monsters in Olmstead’s books are very real, and Eddie must use his knowledge of his favorite books to fight them while also getting help from his two new friends, Harris and Maggie, to solve the mystery of Olmstead’s disappearance and keep the most dangerous monster of all from escaping into Gatesweed.

The Stone Child is full of bump-in-the-night chills that will keep you reading.

Themes:
Choices
Responsibility
Friendship


Age Appropriateness:
10 and up

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

The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen

Summary: The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen is a tense and suspenseful page turner, much like her previous book, The Compound. The tagline caught my attention immediately: “This greenhouse…grows humans.”


Mason’s life is quiet but imperfect. He & his mom manage to get by on her meager salary from Haven of Peace nursing home. He’s used to strangers staring at him thanks to his gargantuan size and the huge scar on his face from a dog attack when he was young.

Mason’s life becomes much more exciting when he digs into his mom’s papers and finds that she’s been keeping secrets from him – more secrets than he had imagined. Determined to know the truth about his mom and to discover who his mysterious father is, Mason sneaks into Haven of Peace to demand answers. Instead, he gets a mystery more intriguing than he had counted on.

Mason ends up on the run with a resident of Haven of Peace; a girl his own age who doesn’t know who she is. Their pursuers not only include the typical "men in black" types, but also more residents of Haven of Peace; teens just like her.  Solving her mystery may lead Mason to all the answers he has sought. But is he ready? And what will he do once he knows the truth?

The science-fiction elements in this book inspired me to do my own research and see how much of the background in the book was true. I love it when a book can get me so interested in a topic that I have to know more.

Themes:
Courage
What is right? (morality)
Secrets

Age Appropriateness:
Grades 7& up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: 2 instances
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

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

The Haunting of Derek Stone by Tony Abbott

I don’t often review a whole series together, but The Haunting of Derek Stone by Tony Abbott is the kind of series that really needs to be read all together. Although the author gives a quick review in each book in case you are picking up the middle of the series, these snipets of information also make the reader want to go back and see how Derek reached this point, if they haven't read the previous book(s). The flow of the action is so quick in this series that you really must keep reading – there is almost no down time in the entire series!


Summary: Derek Stone used to be an average, slightly overweight, fourteen-year-old boy living in New Orleans. That was before he discovered that the evil dead are coming back into the world of the living to try and take over. That was before his father and brother died in a train crash and were both translated – their bodies taken over by dead souls. Derek’s brother, Ronny, is now Virgil, a good soul that has come back to fight the forces of evil. It’s a good thing, too; Derek can use all the help he can get!

The action in this series is non-stop. Every time you think Derek and his companions are going to get a break, the Legion catches up with them and the havoc begins anew. As the story continues and the walking corpses multiply, Derek gains more allies and learns the truth about himself. Who is he & how can he stop the Legion from destroying the living world? What will he have to sacrifice in order to save a world full of people who don’t even know they are in danger? Can he stop The First & close The Rift? Will he survive? And can his life ever be normal again?

If you’re going to start this series, make sure you have all four books. They are quick reads, and each leaves you wanting to know what happens next!

Themes:
Good vs. Evil
Courage
Lotalty


Age Appropriateness:
Grades 6 & up


Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: Yes. Many battle sequences.

Playing For Keeps by Joan Lowery Nixon

This week I reached into my huge pile of books to be read and pulled out Playing For Keeps by Joan Lowery Nixon, whose mystery The Séance I read a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed. Playing For Keeps was just as good; suspenseful and tense with pretty good character development for a YA mystery offering. It was also a quick read which I was able to finish in one sitting.


Summary: Just when Rosie thinks she is going to end up grounded for the rest of her life by her mom, her paternal grandmother, Glory, shows up needing a roommate for a Caribbean cruise. Leaving unfinished business with her mother at home, Rosie finds herself whisked aboard ship where she discovers that her grandmother’s real purpose was to get her to spend time with a friend’s very nice grandson, Neil, who is clearly not Rosie’s type with his Hawaiian shirts and knowledge of trivial facts.

Before the trip can become a total failure, though, Rosie finds herself in the middle of an international mystery involving a retired Cuban baseball player and his nephew, Ricky, a refugee fleeing his island home.

In order to keep Ricky from being sent back to Cuba where he will be punished for fleeing, possibly even killed, Rosie gets help from Neil and her new friend, Julia, whose parents fled Cuba many years before. Together, the four teens must manage to outsmart a Cuban policeman, the ship’s security crew, and their own families to make sure Ricky gets the chance to make it to American soil and ask for political asylum.

The story involves romance, espionage, and a lot of tense situations. There is murder, suspicion, and lots of situations where the reader and the characters aren’t sure who can be trusted. Rosie’s guilt about her fight with her mother is also laced throughout the story, and as she realizes what other people face (through Ricky’s plight) she comes to regret her previous choices somewhat. Playing for Keeps is a satisfying story with a fun ending that doesn’t leave any glaring loose ends.

Themes:
Freedom
Morality (What is right?)
Standing up for your beliefs


Age Appropriateness:
Grades 7 & up

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

House of Dark Shadows - Dreamhouse Kings Book 1 by Robert Liparulo

I was travelling this past week, so I depended on my Kindle for my reading fix. (Really, it is amazing just how fast you hit the airline weight limit when you pack a few books!) I had picked up the first three books in Robert Liparulo’s Dreamhouse Kings series at a Scholastic warehouse sale, but hadn’t dug far enough into the pile to retrieve them. Then I just happened to download one on my Kindle, and here I go! Another awesome YA series for me to introduce my students (and readers) to!


Summary: If I had to describe House of Dark Shadows in a few words, it would be these: creepy, tense, surprising. Xander is less than thrilled with his family’s move from Los Angeles to Pinedale, a small town in the middle of nowhere. Then the family finds their dream house – a Victorian that needs some fixing up, but has lots of possibilities. The house and the area around it give Xander and his siblings, David & Toria, plenty of room to explore.

The children soon discover that there is something about the house that simply isn’t normal. Odd footprints appear in the dust, sounds seem to travel from the wrong direction, and a linen closet transports David to a locker in a local school. Xander & David soon discover that the linen closet isn’t the only magical door in the house and they begin their adventures in earnest, traveling to exotic and dangerous destinations. But the house has even more secrets, and some of them will change the lives of Xander, David, & Toria much like it once did the life of someone they love.

This book kept me turning the pages. It is an excellent horror/adventure book for young adult readers, and even tweens. I admit to reading it in well-lit rooms, as there were parts that creeped me out. I am ready to dig into the next two books in this series!

Themes:
Family
Secrets & Honesty

Age Appropriateness:
Grades 5 & up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: moderate – scenes of death in the Coliseum, etc.

Sapphique by Catherine Fisher

Sapphique, the follow up to Incarceron by Catherine Fisher, is a worthy finish to the series. As with the first novel in the pair, Sapphique is full of twists and turns and avoids being predictable at all. The characters from Incarceron are back and face new challenges, both inside the prison and out. New characters bring some fresh conflict to the story. Overall, an excellent read, makings this series one I will suggest to fans of other dystopian series such as The Hunger Games.


Summary: Finn has escaped the prison, Incarceron, with the help of Claudia, the Warden’s daughter. But Outside is not the paradise Finn had hoped for – now he is faced with proving that he is, indeed, Prince Giles. He is not the only one trying to make that claim – another young man has stepped forward; one who has all the right answers and knows things that Finn’s amnesia keeps secret from him. If Finn cannot prove that he is Giles, both he & Claudia face death.

Within the prison, Keiro and Attia continue fighting for their lives as they search for their own way out. Part of their plan involves finding a magical glove said to have belonged to Sapphique himself. But they are not the only ones who want the glove – the Prison itself also wants the glove, and the escape that it could offer. The Prison itself wishes to escape to Outside, which would mean certain death for the prisoners within.

These two major conflicts are woven together into the story and lead to a conclusion that surprised and pleased me. It was an excellent ending that was satisfying without being “too easy.”

Themes:
Loyalty
Choice
Freedom
Friendship

Age Appropriateness:
Grades 7 & up

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

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

I ordered Incarceron months ago and it has been sitting in my pile of “to be read” books ever since. At the NCTE conference, I picked up an advanced reader copy of Sapphique, the second book in the series, and that pushed me to finally pick this one up. I am so glad I did! What an awesome read – unpredictable, suspenseful, and engrossing.


Summary: Incarceron is the story of two young people; Claudia, a pampered young woman who lives “outside” with her father, the Warden of Incarceron, and Finn, a prisoner within Incarceron who has no memory of how he became a prisoner, but knows in his heart that he came from “outside.” When the two find themselves in contact, Claudia becomes convinced that she knows who Finn is and they work together to help Finn escape the prison.

However, many obstacles stand in their way. Claudia’s father is determined to marry her off to a self-centered prince, the Queen (her fiance’s mother) is a scheming sorceress, and the Prison itself is impossible to find. Claudia’s one asset, besides her own persistence, is her mentor, Jared, whose wisdom and faith in Claudia keep him at her side throughout the story. Claudia has to try to solve the mystery of Incarceron while also navigating the murky waters of political intrigue that surround her engagement.

Finn’s biggest enemy may be the prison itself, which works actively to prevent escapes with its red eyes always watching its prisoners. Then there is Finn’s oathbrother, Keiro; brave, resourceful, and highly untrustworthy, even with an oath to bind them. Finn’s mentor, Gildas, dreams of escaping Incarceron, and believes that Finn is the one who will help him accomplish that – but Finn feels more like he is a tool to Gildas, not a person. Finn has visions – visions of the world outside – which Gildas believes to be messages from Sapphique, the only man to ever escape from Incarceron.

This novel is another great dystopian story – many layered without being confusing, compelling in its mystery.

Themes:
Freedom
Friendship
Loyalty

Age Appropriateness:
Grades 7 & up

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

The Gift by James Patterson & Ned Rust

Back in July, I wrote a summary/review of Witch & Wizard by James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet. I finished the review looking forward to the next book in the series, which was said to be on its way in October. Well, it is a little late, but worth the wait! The second book, The Gift, will hit stores on December 13 but I was lucky enough to pick up an advance reading copy. Let me tell you, it does not disappoint!


Summary: Whit & Wisty Allgood are still on the run from the New Order and its leader, The One Who Is The One. These two teens have come a long way since they were first taken from their home and parents, since they were first accused of being a witch and a wizard. As crazy as the accusation sounded at first, it has turned out to be more true than anyone could have known.

In this second book of the series, our heroes get to know their enemy better. The One personally takes an interest in the Allgood children, determined to be the only source of power in the world. As Whit & Wisty continue searching for their parents and taking part in a revolution, The One works tirelessly to trap them in his web, using their parents and friends as bait.

As in the first book, Witch & Wizard, the Allgood siblings find themselves using powers they still cannot understand or control to get out of tight scrapes and work to undermine the totalitarian regime that has split their family.

Again, I am left waiting for the next book in the series. Please, Mr. Patterson, don’t take too long!

Themes:
Family
Friendship
Courage
Freedom & Oppression

Age Appropriateness:
Grades 7 and up

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