Hallowed

In the second installment of the Unearthly Trilogy (after Unearthly), teenaged Clara Gardner is learning more about her abilities and obligations as an angelblood, a human who is part angel by birth. She and her mother and brother, all angelbloods, had moved to Wyoming because of the fiery visions Clara was having and the wildfire had, indeed, occurred. In a departure from what she believed she was destined to do, Clara had rescued a fellow student, Tucker, rather than Christian, another angelblood. Now, Clara is confused, being unsure of what her true purpose might be and torn between destiny and free will. She’s becoming very sure of one thing, though—there is going to be a death and someone she loves will not be at the graveside service.

Adding to Clara’s fear is the unwanted attention of a fallen angel, known as a Black Wing, a being who has tried to kill her and her mother and who creates an aura of overwhelming sorrow whenever he’s near. Unable to tell Tucker everything because of the danger full knowledge would bring, Clara’s main source of comfort is all the other angelbloods in her community and there are quite a few. Maggie, Clara’s mom, has her own secrets and begins to divulge them to Clara and her brother, Jeffrey, culminating in two major revelations.

Angels are the theme of more and more dark fantasy or paranormal books these days, especially in the young adult arena, but Hand brings a fresh perspective to the angelbloods of her trilogy. The religious aspect is handled lightly but with enough depth to convey understanding and the expected rollercoaster of feelings of those just learning what they are—confusion, anger, fear, joy, guilt, shock, sadness, peace—are shown to the reader as though there really is not much difference between angelblood and human teenagers when it comes to emotions. That in itself is unusual and very welcome in this subgenre. The author also gives Maggie a complexity that is often ignored in young adult novels and it’s refreshing to have a parent play such a central role.

The trouble with a really good book is having to wait so long for the next in the trilogy or series. The third Unearthly novel cannot come too soon and Hallowed is the first book I’ll be putting on my list of favorites in 2012.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, January 2012.

Incarnate

Eighteen-year-old Ana has spent her entire life abused and reviled because she is a nosoul, born without a past into a world in which everyone else has been continually reincarnated for 5,000 years. Those who are reborn remember all their past lives and those of other people.  Ana was born when Ciana died and not reborn and most people believe she stole Ciana’s rebirth.  Ana has left the uncaring Li, the mother who hates her, setting out to find the answers about who and what she is and why she was born. She must go to Heart, the city where all but a few live, and it is a journey filled with bitter cold and the deadly attacks of sylphs whose burns never heal.

Ana meets a young man, Sam, who saves her life and shares with her a love of music while not seeming to be overly concerned about who she is. Sam leads her to Heart, a city with a huge temple and soaring white walls that pulse with heat and perhaps life. There she finds enemies and friends and those who would fight dragons and she begins her search to answer the questions that obsess her. Why was she born? Did she steal Ciana’s life? Is she the only nosoul—or newsoul—or just the first and what will happen to her when she dies? Will she be allowed to stay in Heart or is solitary exile her destiny?

Incarnate is the first entry in the Newsoul trilogy and is based on an intriguing concept, that of endless reincarnation and memory. It’s difficult to define, really, as it has elements of dark fantasy and science fiction as well as romance but that is not a flaw because it will have crossgenre appeal. Ms. Meadows develops her characters nicely and, at the end of the book, I found myself wanting to know what will happen to them all, not just the “good” ones. An odd thing happened as I didn’t always care very much for Ana, becoming rather tired of her self-pity, but that feeling faded soon after I finished and I now believe she is a character who will stay in my mind for quite a while.

One last note—the cover of Incarnate is one of the most striking I have seen in all my years as a reader and a bookseller and I’m pretty sure  booksellers in brick & mortar stores will shelve this face-out and in their windows for maximum effect.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, January 2012.

Ashes

Three young people, strangers to each other, band together along with a dog named Mina for survival in the Waucamaw Wilderness after an electromagnetic pulse has destroyed all electronic devices. Unknown to them, billions of people have died but teenaged Alex, eight-year-old Ellie and Tom, just back from Afghanistan, are faced with other horrors—wild dogs and crazed humans—as they hike in search of help.  Not everything is horrific, though, as Alex has regained her sense of smell, which she had lost to a brain tumor, and that sense has an unusual quality, one that has saved them multiple times. As days and then weeks pass, it becomes more evident that their world has changed permanently and not for the better.

Then they hear about a place where “normal” people have found refuge. Heading to the town called Rule appears to be the best solution, particularly after a violent encounter with a roving band of thieves. Rule, though, may not be the sanctuary it seems to be and Alex will have to find her own way back to sanity.

Post-apocalyptic fiction can be disturbing, fascinating, frightening, heroic and enlightening, regardless of the cause of the disaster, but Ms. Bick has brought a fresh element to this EMP-caused event. Readers are accustomed to the destruction of all things electronic but here we have direct effects on the humans who survive. The idea that there are essentially three classes of people—those with special senses, those who have turned extremely violent and all those who fall between—is very interesting and the author has done a nice job of creating and maintaining a high level of tension.  She also upends the reader’s grasp of the storyline by having a major event take place midway through the book and some readers will be discomfited by the sudden change while others will find it increases the stress and drama and makes the tale even more provoking. The book is longer than many young adult novels but the length is necessary for the story and my reading through the night is because of my own need to know what would happen next, always a sign of a good tale.

Ashes is the first book of a trilogy, to be followed by Shadows and Monsters, and this reviewer hates having to wait till next August or September for Shadows.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, October 2011.

The Shattering

Summerton is a lovely resort town on the west coast of New Zealand, a town that’s perhaps a bit too perfect. While other small towns struggle to remain vibrant and appealing and they watch their residents, especially the younger ones, move away in search of better lives, Summerton just continues to attract tourists in greater numbers and few of its inhabitants ever leave for good.

Seventeen-year-old Keri is struggling to understand why her beloved older brother, Jake, would have committed suicide, never having indicated that anything was wrong. One of the worst things for Keri is that she always had plans for every contingency, no matter how unlikely, and that made her feel safe; Jake’s death, this way, was something she had never even considered. She found him and, although she has blocked out the memory, the pain of not understanding is intense and she takes little comfort from the family gathering for the Maori celebration of his life.

Then, an old childhood friend, Janna, approaches her one day and asks if she would like to know who murdered Jake and Keri immediately senses that this may not be a wild idea. Janna tells her a boy from Auckland, Sione, is on his way to town to show her his research indicating a string of suicides over a period of years, all older brothers living in scattered areas of the country but who had all been in Summerton on New Year’s Eve. Sione has identified a number of other odd patterns in these deaths and the three teens set out to find the killer and exact revenge.  The perfect town of Summerton, though, may not let that happen.

I’m a big fan of young adult dark fantasy and I’m always on the lookout for something a little different. The New Zealand setting of this story was what first attracted me but the first page hooked me thoroughly. I immediately “felt” who Keri was , what drove her, and Janna and Sione took equal billing. That’s partly because of the author’s style in having each chapter be from the perspective of one of the three but there’s more to it than that. All along, I believed these characters and experienced their emotions, their physical pain and their moments of happiness—even in the midst of great sorrow and anger, there will be happiness. I couldn’t help thinking I’d like to know these teens. Put quite simply, Karen Healey has created a mesmerizing tale and is a writer to watch.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, September 2011.

Ashfall

Alex, a fifteen-year-old living in Cedar Falls, Iowa, is alone for the weekend, having browbeat his parents into letting him stay home while they take his little sister to visit relatives in Warren, Illinois. He’s looking forward to doing his own thing (mostly geek stuff) for a few days but, after several hours of online questing on World of Warcraft,  Alex’s life changes forever.

Nine hundred miles away in Yellowstone Park, the supervolcano has exploded and Alex’s house is shattered by what feels and sounds like incoming artillery. Digging himself out, he struggles to escape the blaze and finds shelter with neighbors. The noise, the continuous explosions, the fear of the unknown are nearly overwhelming. All telephone communication is out so Alex has no way to reach his family.

Then the ash begins to fall. And the darkness comes with it, along with a sulfurous stench. Two days later, water flow is gone. Finally, the first looters come and the resulting terror and devastation give Alex the resolve to find his family no matter what it takes. The journey ahead will be long and fearsome, a nightmare Alex will face alone until he meets 17-year-old Darla who has a maturity far beyond her years. Will these two survive the journey or will this nightmare prove to be too much?

I have a particular fondness for post-apocalyptic and disaster-related fiction and have, I think, developed a discerning taste over many years of reading such novels. Ashfall is one of the very best I’ve read and is more remarkable because it’s Mullin‘s first book. His descriptions of the conditions, environmental and human, that will most certainly follow such a cataclysmic event have the ring of truth and he maintains a level of intensity and despair, as well as strength and hope, that are difficult for many writers to convey without being “over the top”. It’s a compelling tale with dystopian elements and what could be an overpoweringly dark story is alleviated by flashes of humor and a bit of romance. In fact, the way Mullin handles the developing relationship between Alex and Darla was especially appealing to me as it is realistic and tasteful. Parents should not be concerned when their teens pick up this book—it was written with them in mind.

Ashfall is the first of a trilogy and I’m looking forward to Ashen Winter in October 2012. In the meantime, I’m waiting till Ashfall is released so I can buy a copy for my bookcase and I’ll be including it in my list of Top Five favorite books for 2011. I strongly recommend it to adults and teens alike.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, August 2011.

The Hunger Games

Katniss Everdeen is a survivor. A reluctant heroine in a terrifying, post-war former North America, Katniss is 16 years old and has taken responsibility for her family after her father died. Every day she risks her life to hunt for food to sell and consume, the only thing saving her from persecution is the fact that she had the smarts to sell to local authorities. Her world falls apart when she is forced to volunteer for a horrifying, inhumane reality TV show.

A game to the death, The Hunger Games is reminiscent of Gladiator battles of old, with honour and glory bestowed upon the winner. None of the participants – one from each district of Panem – are volunteers, though those from the richer districts are more blood thirsty than their lesser competitors. Katniss is from District 12, the last and poorest district of her native country. She makes a splash pre-games and receives much attention, thanks to her stylist who seems to genuinely want her to win.

The games begin after much pomp and ceremony, and we are thrust into the action-packed, run to the death horror that are the Hunger Games. While the country watches on the television, these children (you have to be under 18 to participate) are forced literally to kill or be killed. Not only do they have to fight each other, they also have to counter the rules and deathly obstacles put in the “arena” by the Capitol – the oppressive government of the country.

This book, recommended to me by our own Lelia Taylor, had me on the edge of my seat (literally) and I can honestly say that Katniss Everdeen is the first hero or heroine I’ve really loved since Harry Potter gripped my heart 10 years ago. Like Harry, she is a reluctant hero, she does what it takes to survive and tries her best to keep her integrity in tact by living up to her own principles in a temporary world that goes completely against them. Don’t be put off by the fact that Stephenie Meyer is quoted on the cover. For all her authorial faults, she clearly has great taste in what she reads.

Suzanne Collins has given us a strong, sympathetic female teenage lead and a world that reminded me often of bloodthirsty, disgustingly rich and horrifically poor historical Europe. I absolutely can’t wait to read the last two books in the trilogy, as I have no idea where they’ll go. I just know I’m going to enjoy the ride.

Reviewed by Kate Ernst, November 2010.

Montooth and the Canfield Witch

Carty Anderson and her “Crew” give the readers a peek into life in the fifties in Winter Free, Florida.   Carty (Catherine “Carty” Andersson) is a 14 years old girl who has learned a lot from spending time with her Dad.  Her friends Blake Holmes, Hale Wending and Maximilian “Mack” Stein make up the group known as “The Crew”.

Carty had agreed that she would help her Aunt Lilly with the housework since Aunt Lilly had fallen and broken her arm.  It was a seven-mile ride on Carty’s bicycle from Aunt Lilly’s home to Carty’s house and she had stayed a little too long.  Aunt Lilly told Carty of a short cut between Duck Luck and Morose Swamp so Carty decided to take the short cut, which Aunt Lilly said, would take her out by the old Hostetter’s house.  The house had been vacant since the death of Cora Hostetter.  Aunt Lilly also told Carty about Sally Canfield, the woman who lived next to the Hostetter property.   People in the area thought that Sally Canfield was a witch.  Carty reminded her Aunt Lilly that it was 1950 and there just weren’t any witches around.  At least Carty did not believe that there was a witch living nearby.

On her way home using the short cut Carty spotted Sally Canfield in her yard.  She also noticed two men who seemed to be watching Sally.  Carty managed to sneak away after she scared the two men and the men wound up being chased by a giant gator.

Back at school, the next day Carty’s teacher Mrs. Tryon explained a field exam that would constitute 50% of the credit on their botany final exam.   The students were to divide into groups and the groups were to find specimens of native Florida vegetation.   Carty and her crew determined that they would have the best luck searching through the swamp.  So began the adventure of Carty and her crew.

The search led them close to the Canfield house and the group met up with Sally Canfield who had many stories to tell the group.  The men that Carty had spotted in the swamp earlier were still lurking around.  It seems the men felt that Sally Canfield had a fortune hidden somewhere on her property.

Montooth and the Canfield Witch is an exciting tale that brings out a lot of history of the area and brings to light old legends.  The one I enjoyed the most was the tale of Green Duck.  The references to times in the 50’s prompted the author to place “End Notes” in the back of the book explaining many phrases not heard often in current times.  One example is the word Mercurochrome.  Mercurochrome used to be used for any scrape or bruise but mercurochrome was removed from distribution in the United States due to its mercury content.

Although this book is primarily a young adult novel, readers of any age group can enjoy the story.

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, January 2011.

Prisoners in the Palace

Elizabeth (Liza) Hastings has not gotten over the recent deaths of her parents in a carriage accident when the family solicitor writes to tell her that her father left her penniless. He’s managed to secure a position for her with Princess Victoria. Liza knows this is her only chance–if she doesn’t get the position, she’ll be out on the street.

Court! Liza and her Mother have always dreamt of Court! When Liza arrives; however, she discovers the position is not the Lady in Waiting job she’d dreamt about, but a personal maid. Nonetheless, she has no other prospects and does her best to win the position. She manages to do so based upon the fact that she knows German. However, she is instructed not to allow Victoria’s mother or her companion, John Crowley, know this.

Thus, Liza enters two very risky roles, the maid to the Heir Apparent of England and a spy in her household. She quickly learns that all is not well in Victoria’s camp. Newspapers are saying the girl’s not ready for the Crown and King William’s in perilous health without another heir. Victoria’s distant mother is being controlled by Sir John Crowley, whose unwelcome interest alarms Liza.

But, all is not as the newspapers depict. Liza sees a different Victoria and works to help the young Princess gain the ear of the press. This is a doubly dangerous role. Sir John Crowley wants control over the crown and he’s already harmed Liza’s predecessor.

Liza’s determined to help Victoria and with the help of the Inside Boy, a street urchin who’s found a hideaway to live in Kensington Palace, she’s made a friend with the press.

Liza Hastings is a construct of the author’s. While not being completely historically correct, Prisoners of the Palace does depict Victorian times with excellent accuracy. The story of a young orphaned girl and the virtually orphaned Princess are compelling character studies. This is a fascinating coming-of-age story for young women who are interested in British history.

Reviewed by Rebecca Kyle, October 2010.

Ghost Town is the ninth book so far in the Morganville Vampire series. The basis is Claire Danvers, girl genius, who wanted to go to MIT on early entry, but her parents sent her closer to home to Texas Plains University (TPU) in Morganville, TX. After all, what could happen in a small Texas town? A lot, so far. You see, the town’s owned by vampires and the college is just a front to keep up the blood supply. Morganville’s a lot like the Hotel California in that you can “check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.”

Every book so far has left me wondering. “Ghost Town” had me up until 2 AM last night turning pages as fast as I could. The story starts out typically enough with a college town rave. Claire’s friend and roommate from the Glass House, Eve, is going along as a big sister to a younger college student. Claire, who’s more into reading marathons than raves, opts for a night at the drive-in with her boyfriend Shane.

Claire’s so innocent, she’s thinking at first they’ll be watching the movie. Their passion’s interrupted by a phone call from Eve. Claire hears her friend’s voice along with a lot of screaming.

They call the Morganville police, but know they’ll get there quicker. What they see when they arrive is a fight between frat boys and vampires. Silver stake at ready, they wade in. Unfortunately, Claire kills a vampire. It’s self defense, but the penalty for her crime in vamp-run Morganville is death.

Instead, she’s sentenced to helping Myrnin, the resident mad genius vampire, to rebuild the machine which provides Morganville’s defenses. The Council rules that Claire cannot sleep until this is done which may in itself be a death sentence particularly since the last machine to perform this function was powered by the human brain of Myrnin’s previous assistant, Ada.

Somehow, the two get the machine up and running. Claire returns home to the Glass House to sleep off forty plus hours of nonstop work only to waken to a nightmare. Her housemate, Michael, doesn’t recognize her. Soon, she discovers all the residents of the town are suffering some form of amnesia and violent behavior. She’s got to turn the machine off, but can she get the help she needs when even her friends do not remember her?

While Ghost Town is a stand-alone book, I strongly recommend that readers start with Glass House and move through the series. Rachel Caine‘s storytelling is well worth the effort!

Reviewed by Rebecca Kyle, October 2010.

To Hell in a Handbasket by Beth Groundwater was good, but if you’re looking for a crafty mystery, this isn’t the one to pick. Now if you’re a skier or a mom with a daughter that’s leaving the nest, then this book might be for you. Claire Hanover is a gift basket designer and the mother of two grown children. In this book, Claire is on a ski vacation with her husband and daughter. Her daughter’s boyfriend and family are also vacationing at Breckinridge. When the boyfriend’s sister dies while skiing, Claire feels the need to learn more in order to protect her daughter.

Overall, the book was good. I thought it was slow at times and that the daughter could be annoying, but it kept me reading until the end.
Reviewed by Bonnie Platner, October 2010.

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The Viognier Vendetta
Ellen Crosby
Scribner Book Company, 2010
ISBN 1439163863
Hardcover (ARC)

Virginia vineyard owner,Lucie Montgomery,has lunch with an old college friend who later disappears. When Rebecca’s clothes are found the next morning in a boat on the Potomac,Lucie tries to find out what happened to her. The answer eventually involves many of Lucie’s friends and threatens her own happiness.

I liked the book because much of it took place away from the winery which was different from the other books I’ve read in the series. Also, Lucie’s accident and her damaged leg weren’t mentioned as much.

Reviewed by Anne Reaves, September 2010.

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I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic,1912
Lauren Tarshis
Scholastic Press, 2010
ISBN 0545206871
Hardcover (ARC)
Also available in trade paperback

This historical fiction novel for 7-10 year olds is told by 10 year old passenger,George Calder. It is very accurate and has facts about the Titanic at the end. It is a very good introduction to the Titanic tragedy.

Reviewed by Anne Reaves, October 2010.

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Worst Case
James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge
Little, Brown and Company, 2010
ISBN 0316036226
Hardcover (ARC)

I enjoyed Worst Case by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge.  It was an entertaining, thought provoking read that had suspense, humor,  romance, and a few good plot twists.  In it Michael Bennett, New York police detective, is back and working with Emily Parker who’s an Abduction Specialist with the FBI.  In this case, the killer is abducting teens from the wealthiest families and testing their knowledge concerning things like world poverty and the environment.  An incorrect answer is deadly.

Even though the book was darker than what I usually read, and there were a few things that struck me as improbable, I would still give it a thumbs up.

Reviewed by Bonnie Platner, October 2010.

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Touch Blue
Cynthia Lord
Scholastic Press, 2010
ISBN 0545035317
Hardcover (ARC)

Tess and her family live on an island off of the coast of Maine. When the state plans to close their school because of the low number of students, the islanders decide to take in foster children in order to increase their numbers. Tess’s family takes in Aaron. The adjustment is hard for everyone.

I enjoyed the book. It was very well written and showed how change is sometimes inevitable.

Reviewed by Anne Reaves, October 2010.