One Came Home- May 24th

Grade: A

We were feelin' a bit nostalgic for somethin' along the lines of True Grit (the Charles Portis version NOT the John Wayne movie). When we came across One Came Home, we knew we'd found exactly what we were lookin' fer.

In the town of Placid, Wisconsin, in 1871, Georgie Burkhardt is known for two things: her uncanny aim with a rifle and her habit of speaking her mind plainly. But when Georgie blurts out something she shouldn't, her older sister Agatha flees, running off with a pack of "pigeoners" trailing the passenger pigeon migration. And when the sheriff returns to town with an unidentifiable body—wearing Agatha's blue-green ball gown—everyone assumes the worst. Except Georgie. Refusing to believe the facts that are laid down (and coffined) before her, Georgie sets out on a journey to find her sister. She will track every last clue and shred of evidence to bring Agatha home. Yet even with resolute determination and her trusty Springfield single-shot, Georgie is not prepared for what she faces on the western frontier.- summary provided by Amazon

We think Georgie has to be distantly related to Mattie (True Grit) in that she too was determined, stubborn, and wasn't about to be told to stay home and be a good little girl. It's always refreshing to see a female character in a western who isn't a school teacher, lonely pioneer, or a soiled dove. It's a great read if you're looking for a western adventure/mystery.

Next up: Catherine by April Lindner- May 31st

Spirit and Dust- May 17

Grade: B

Spirit and Dust brings us back into the paranormal realm of the Goodnight family. This time we are introduced to Daisy Goodnight, college student by day and missing persons consultant for the FBI- whenever they pull her out of class. Like all members of the Goodnight family, Daisy too has a special talent- for speaking to and locating the dead.

Whisked away from chemistry class to assist in locating a missing mob-boss daughter, who may or may not be deceased, Daisy soon becomes missing herself. Bound by a witch on retainer by the mob-boss, Daisy must evade the FBI, uncover the sinister plans of the Black Jackal, and locate the missing daughter... or else.

Unlike the funny and charming Amy Goodnight in Texas Gothic, Daisy Goodnight is a bit annoying. Kudos to all of the cool Egyptology and museum action, but ultimately, not as entertaining of a read as Texas Gothic. Think more along the lines of Night At The Museum, but evil... kind of.

Next Up: One Came Home by Amy Timberlake, May 25th

Nevery Fall Down- May 10

Grade: A

Another solid historical fiction (but not so fictional) novel from Patricia McCormick.

When soldiers arrive at his hometown in Cambodia, Arn is just a kid, dancing to rock 'n' roll, hustling for spare change, and selling ice cream with his brother. But after the soldiers march the entire population into the countryside, his life is changed forever. Arn is separated from his family and assigned to a labor camp: working in the rice paddies under a blazing sun, he sees the other children, weak from hunger, malaria, or sheer exhaustion, dying before his eyes. He sees prisoners marched to a nearby mango grove, never to return. And he learns to be invisible to the sadistic Khmer Rouge, who can give or take away life on a whim. -summary provided by Amazon

You'd have to have a heart of stone to not be thinking about this one long after the last page. Like all of her books, McCormick takes the brutality of the world and turns it into a triumph of the human spirit. Highly recommended!

Next up: Spirit and Dust by Rosemary Clement-Moore, May 17
 

Beta- May 3

Grade: B

Continuing on with the dystopian craze, Beta tries to bring something new to the table with their cloned teens.

16 year old Elysia was created in a laboratory. A replicant of a human girl who once lived, Elysia is an experimental model designed to serve the people of Demesne. This island paradise has had everything bio engineered for it's perfection and only the wealthiest of humans can live there. Of course not everything is as perfect as it seems. Elysia notices that the humans still yearn for things and the clones are not happy. This is a very dangerous observation because she is supposed to be a soulless drone who should not be affected by such emotions. If her feelings are discovered, the consequences will be terrible and swift.

There are a few twists, a required romance, and a promised sequel. The writing is fine, the story is fairly engaging... we just didn't really see anything new here. If you've read all of the popular titles in the dystopian line and you still need more, give Beta a try.

Next up: Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick- May 11

Scowler- Apr. 26

Grade: B+

Our first introduction to Daniel Kraus was through his incredibly original, creepy-gross, yet fascinating Rotters. When Scowler was announced, we automatically added it to our reading/review list.

Nineteen-year-old Ry Burke, his mother, and little sister scrape by for a living on their dying family farm. Ry wishes for anything to distract him from the grim memories of his father's physical and emotional abuse. Then a meteorite falls from the sky, bringing with it not only a fragment from another world but also the arrival of a ruthless man intent on destroying the entire family. Soon Ry is forced to defend himself by resurrecting a trio of imaginary childhood protectors: kindly Mr. Furrington, wise Jesus, and the bloodthirsty Scowler. -summary provided by Amazon

 

Although we did not enjoy this story as much as Rotters, the writing is solid, as is the plot construction. We really think that Kraus is excellent at crafting characters whose mental states make for intriguing reads. It may have been the addition of the meteorite that felt odd, but odd seems to be a huge piece in both of Kraus' novels. Mature readers who are looking for original story lines, intense characters, and books that you will ponder long after the final page, should add both Rotters and Scowler to their reading list.

 

Next up: Beta by Rachel Cohn- May 4th

Going Vintage- Apr. 19

Grade: B-

After seeing the cover and reading the summary, we quickly added it to our "to review" list.

Mallory's boyfriend, Jeremy, cheats on her with a cyber girlfriend (she's real, they just meet online). Mallory, hoping to distance herself from the fallout and avoid future disappointment, decides to "go vintage" after stumbling across her grandmother's 1962 to-do list. Unfortunately, giving up all of the modern trappings is much more difficult than she first believed it would be. Not to mention the fact that she still has to deal with Jeremy who is interested in reconciling and his super cute cousin Oliver who is becoming... well, interesting.

We loved the concept, really enjoyed the blossoming romance between Mallory and Oliver, and appreciated the ending. We did feel like the long, lost daughter storyline felt a bit contrived even though we understand it was done in order to show that things were not all rosy for teens in 1962. Ultimately, not a bad choice for a weekend read.

Next up: Scowler by Daniel Kraus- April 26th

Every Day- Mar. 12

Grade: B

David Levithan has been a favorite of our patrons since we opened in 2007 and when we read the summary of the Every Day, we couldn't wait to add it to our collection.

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl. There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. 'A' has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere. It’s all fine until the morning that 'A' wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which 'A' has been living no longer apply. Because finally 'A' has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day. summary from Goodreads

Well written, as always, with an interesting concept that is ultimately about acceptance. Our only complaint, is that we don't really get to know about what happens to A. We understand that the author doesn't have to tell us everything, but we really wanted some more info.

Next Up: Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt- April 19

Strands of Bronze and Gold- Apr. 5

Grade: D

Yes, we're a bit late with this post, but it's taken us awhile to recover from our disappointment. After waiting for months to read a new take on the Bluebeard folk tale (that could have been based on a real serial killer), we eagerly jumped in, only to drown in 300+ pages of so-so development and boring events.

After the death of her father, Sophia receives an invitation to live in the plantation manor house of Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, a friend of the family. Due to the financial strain that her father's death has put on her siblings, not to mention the fact that Monsieur Bernard is very handsome, she accepts. But soon after her arrival, Sophia learns that she may be part of a familiar and deadly pattern culminating in the mysterious death/disappearance of his past wives.

Nickerson sets her re-telling in the Pre-Civil War South, complete with plantation slaves and a mention of the Underground Railroad. The writing is fine, we just struggled to get through the set-up to the final reveal. Sophia is as forgettable as is her family (who make a cameo-like appearance). She interacts with a few of the slaves in order to establish setting characteristics, but there is little to no development of the secondary story line. Ultimately, it just feels like there were grander plans that were never fully realized. We really did want to like this one.

Next up: Every Day by  David Levithan- Apr. 12th

Origin- Mar. 29

Grade: C

Origin by Jessica Khoury will put the reader in an under-used setting with an over-used plot. Now having said that, we did quite a bit of review checking to see if we were alone in our opinion. Unfortunately, it seems as though many others fell victim to the hype as well. It's not a waste of your time, but don't read it for the "science" or the setting. However, if you like Avatar (the blue people, not the air-bender boy), this might appeal to you.

Pia has been designed to be the perfect human. Raised in a secret laboratory, hidden in the Amazon rainforest, she is expected to be the prototype for the new human race. On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Pia sneaks out of the laboratory (away from the evil scientists) into the wilds. She meets Eio, a boy from a local Amazonian tribe who helps her navigate the world outside of the compound. And of course, they are madly in love with each other after only three days...

We love our Sci-Fi, but we are finding it more difficult to be patient with the automatic-love plots. And there really is something VERY Avatar about this book. Not to mention some questionable themes of ownership versus actual relationship. There are also some pretty uncomfortable animal experimentation passages as well. The writing isn't bad and the characters are fine, but we didn't see anything new here. Geez, now it sounds like we really didn't like it at all. As always, check it out for yourself and tell us what you think.

Next up: Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson- Apr. 5th

Out of the Easy- Mar. 22

Grade: A

Out of the Easy is the second historical fiction young adult novel from author Ruta Sepetys. We hope she keeps 'em comin'! This time Sepetys leads us through the French Quarter of New Orleans during the 1950's. With perfect attention to detail and endearing characters, we know you will find this to be a fascinating read.

Josie Moraine, a bright young woman, has dreams of getting out and going to college. Eager to leave the Big Easy and her reputation as the daughter of a local prostitute behind, Josie works to save up tuition and keep out of the dealings of the New Orleans underworld. But when a wealthy tourist traveling through the French Quarter ends up dead, Josie's mother becomes a prime suspect. Josie must decide whether it is time to save herself or continue to be drawn in to the temptations of the Big Easy.

The characters, the setting, the relationship, the plot- FANTASTIC! Our only complaint- that the story eventually ends. We wanted to continue along with Josie and see her go on to... well let's not give it all away. If you are at all curious about this one (and you SHOULD BE), pick it up! You won't be disappointed. Just like her first masterpiece, Between Shades of Gray, Sepetys doesn't use a heavy hand with the history, but relies upon her characters to flesh out the story.

Sepetys even has a great video where she talks about her inspiration behind the story and her research  (www.outoftheeasy.com). This is YA historical fiction at it's very best!

Next up: Origin by Jessica Khoury, Mar. 29th

Keeping the Castle- Mar. 15

Grade: B+

Fans of Jane Austen should probably head to the shelves for this one.

Althea and her family live in the crumbling, leaking, haphazardly built faux castle in the town of Lesser Hoo. In order to keep their humble abode and make the necessary repairs, seventeen-year-old Althea must marry well. Of course the eligible area bachelors leave much to be desired. It isn't until Lord Boring arrives with his business manager, Mr. Fredericks, that there is any real possibility of a suitable match.

It's a fast, cute read, but ultimately offers nothing new. If you're really looking for some twists, try some of the latest Classic or Fairy Tale mash-ups. However, if you're looking for something to tide you over until the next season of Downton Abbey, this might fit the bill.

Next up: Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepety- Mar. 22nd

The Madman's Daughter- Mar. 8

Grade: B

We know some of you are tired of the "pretty dress" covers, but we were drawn to this one because it seemed as though she may be a bit mad herself.  Megan Shepherd is a first time YA author who has chosen to put a new spin on a classic. This is becoming quite a trend and we are excited to see many authors going beyond the expected Austen or Bronte selections.

The Madman's Daughter begins in London where we meet Juliet Moreau. Yes, as in Dr. Moreau- the one with the island filled with mysterious creatures brought to life by a scientist trying to play God. After being abandoned by her father in the midst of a scandal and orphaned by her mother, Juliet is trying to keep a low profile working as a maid at the medical college. One evening after work, she accompanies some new friends into the facility where she witnesses a gruesome operation. Recognizing the procedure as one of her father's experiments, Juliet is convinced that he is in the area and she is determined to find him.

Tracing clues to a local tavern, Juliet discovers not her father, but instead Montgomery James a childhood friend who has become Dr. Moreau's assistant. Try as he might, Montgomery is unable to convince Juliet that life in London is better than with her father on a remote island. Juliet has questions about the scandal, her mother, and herself that only her father can answer.

While sailing to the island, they rescue a cast away named Edward Prince. Half dead and unable (or unwilling) to share his tale, the three eventually arrive at the mysterious island where Juliet is reunited with her father. The doctor is not exactly welcoming and as Juliet begins to investigate what he has been working on, she realizes that the rumors of her father's madness are true. To further complicate things, her infatuation with Montgomery and new found interest in Edward, will cause her to disregard her own intuition as she tries to choose between the two.

Her arrival disrupts her father's experiments and control of the island causing a mutiny among the creatures. Abandoning her desires to understand her father's work, Juliet tries to convince Montgomery to leave the island.

This is the first in a trilogy and it has quite a cliff-hanger ending. We wanted to give it an 'A' grade, but we can't get past the switch from tough survivor to Bella esque like character that Juliet becomes for a good portion of the book. We also couldn't understand why Shepherd felt the need to spend sooooo much time on the ship to get to the island. We still think this one is worth your time regardless of whether or not you have read H.G. Wells's Island of Dr. Moreau. No rush- book two won't hit our shelves until January 2014.

Next Up: Keeping the Castle by Patric Kindl- Mar. 15th

I Hunt Killers- Mar. 1

Grade: A

We've had this one on our shelves for awhile and after hearing from several of our patrons, we thought we'd try it out- so glad we did.

Jazz is the son of a convicted serial killer, living in the same town where his father was apprehended. It's also particularly interesting to note that Jazz assisted his father with the storage of the trophies that he would take from his victims. His father taught him everything and Jazz is afraid that he will eventually become a killer too. When a murder occurs in the small town bearing the characteristics of his father's handi-work, Jazz sets out to prove to himself that he is not the killer and that his father is still safely behind bars. Aided along the way by a few loyal friends and a protective police chief, Jazz will use his father's lessons on victim selection, police evasion, and crime scene staging to hunt down the real killer.

Lyga does a great job of getting the reader to sympathize with Jazz's predicament. It's suspenseful and a fast-paced murder mystery that had us constantly changing our mind about who is the real killer. Fans of Dexter and The Following will enjoy this one.

Next Up: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd, Mar. 9th