Rutabaga's Reads 2012: Part 4

This is Part 4 of Rutabaga’s Reads 2012. Now that this is posted, I consider myself “caught up” on books I’ve read thus far this year and want to summarize/review. Please remember to leave a comment or two if you want to weigh in on a book or have come across a title that piques your interest. And also, please let me know of any books you’ve read lately that you enjoyed, whether it was fiction, nonfiction, children’s, etc.

Beastly (Oct. 2, 2007) by Alex Flinn.

In a contemporary version of “Beauty and the Beast,” Kyle Kingsbury is the “it” guy. His dad has money, he’s attractive, and he attends an exclusive school. In other words, he’s practically perfect. Except he’s not, because he’s vain, selfish and arrogant. In other words, he’s ugly on the inside. And no matter what you look like on the outside, what matters is what’s on the inside, and Kyle finds this out the hard way when he crosses the wrong witch, named Kendra. She transforms him into a Beast and gives him an allotted amount of time to find someone who loves him for him. Only then can the curse be broken. He becomes intrigued by Linda “Lindy” Owens, who is his potential Beauty.

            For anyone who enjoys a modern take on a beloved story, this is a story for you. It blends fantasy and realistic fiction so well. And for those of you who like a good story with a happy ending, you won’t be disappointed. I think that this book would appeal to both guys and gals, because sappiness is not the focal point of this story.

City of Lost Souls (May 8, 2012) by Cassandra Clare.

This is the fifth book in Clare’s The Mortal Instruments series. I am a fan and have read the previous books in this series. In this installment, Clary is desperate to find Jace (her boyfriend) who’s been kidnapped by Sebastian, a young, rising evildoer. Most have quit trying to locate Jace, but she still has the help of Alec (Jace’s best friend/adopted brother), Isabelle (Alec’s sister), Simon (the “Daylighter”, former mundane a.k.a. human, and Clary’s best friend), and Magnus (Alec’s warlock boyfriend). They discover that Jace and Sebastian are bound -- cut one and they both bleed, kill one and they both die. Can the secluded Iron Sisters forge a weapon to undo the bond? If not, what can be done? And when Clary decides to follow her own plan, will the results be favorable? Or is Jace lost beyond reach?

            Fans of this series will surely want this one on their bookshelf. Clare’s prose is rife with the humor of her previous novels and told from multiple perspectives. Some readers may find Sebastian’s romantic interest in Clary to be unsettling (you’ll understand why if you read the books), but considering his lack of emotional range or empathy, it is not surprising. When reading Clary’s perspective, I sometimes found her all-for-Jace stance to be annoying since she is essentially choosing him over the safety of the planet. But alas, young love!

Clockwork Angel (Aug. 31, 2010) by Cassandra Clare.

Clockwork Prince (Dec. 6, 2011) by Cassandra Clare.

Meet the rare Tessa Gray, newly of England and formerly of New York. In Clockwork Angel she goes to London (where her brother is), but winds up a captive of the Dark Sisters, members of a secret club called Pandemonium, which is run by the mysterious Magister, who wants Tessa’s power. She is rescued by a group of Shadowhunters, warriors who strive to rid the world of demons and rogue Downworlders. Along the way, she finds that she possesses Shadowhunter gifts, and by force of the Dark Sisters, she has learned that she also has the ability to shape-change. She is Eidolon, but bears no demon’s mark like other shape-changers do. She is rare indeed. But not so rare that she can escape love. Her heart will suffer great loss when one she loves dearly betrays her.

            Tessa and the Shadowhunters – volatile and gorgeous Will Herondale, gentle and delicately handsome Jem Carstairs, scornful and ridiculously pretty Jessamine Lovelace, and the Branwells (heads of the Institute) – are trying to outwit the Magister but aren’t having much luck in Clockwork Prince. He seems to know their every move. Meanwhile, Charlotte Branwell is under fire by certain members of the Clave and her position as head of the Institute is in question. As a major protector of Tessa, Charlotte’s potential undoing could rip away any safety net that Tessa has at the Institute. But there is work to be done amidst the chaos. They learn more about the Magister and encounter more of his clockwork creations.

            For fans of Clare’s The Mortal Instruments (TMI) series and/or fans of fantasy, this is a must-read. These two books are the first in Clare’s The Infernal Devices trilogy, a prequel to TMI. The third book isn’t published yet, so no big issues are resolved, but there’s another love triangle. Will Tessa choose the brooding Will or the doomed Jem? Clare’s world of Shadowhunters and Downworlders is a book world that would be exhilarating to live in!

Crossed (Nov. 1, 2011) by Ally Condie.

A sequel to the buzzed-about book “Matched,” “Crossed” follows Cassia Reyes as she makes her way in the Outer Provinces trying to find Ky Markham, her accidental-on-purpose match, although he is an Aberration, and it’s said they cannot be matched. The Society has taken him away, surely to his death, but hey! – he escaped. Even as Cassia runs off to find Ky, she doesn’t go without the thought of Xander Carrow, her best friend and official match. While Xander isn’t present much in this book, he does have a major secret. What is it? And will it affect Cassia moving forward? As Cassia runs through and explores the Carving with new comrade, Indie, pieces that pose more questions will arise, and the threat of the Society is always nearby.

            While the boy-loves-girl-who-loves-a-different-boy triangle can get old, “Crossed” provides another platform of continual adventure, however bleak the environment, with vivid writing that is easy to take in, even when the going is harsh. If you enjoy dystopian fiction, you will want this on your bookshelf. The trilogy’s final book comes out in November, and I don’t plan to miss it.

The Help (Feb. 10, 2009) by Kathryn Stockett.

I’m guessing many of you have read the book and/or seen the movie, but here are my two cents on the book anyway. “The Help” is told from the vantage points of three women. Aibileen Clark is an African American maid who is known to take orders quietly. She exudes compassion, but bitterness has seeped into her life. Her good friend, Minny Jackson, is another African American maid who has a tendency to run her mouth, which hurts her employment status. Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan is a young, Caucasian college graduate who’s unlike her female peers in Jackson, Mississippi. She wants to be a writer; she’s not ready to settle down and secure a husband, much to the despair of her ailing mother, Charlotte. Those three women are the main contributors to the book which causes a stir.

            Reading “The Help” felt like I’d been pulled into another time; my mind even adopted a Southern accent as I read the book (ha!). I rooted for Skeeter, Aibileen, Minny and the other maids and mentally scowled at Hilly Holbrook, Elizabeth Leefolt and many of the other Junior League members. I laughed at the hilarity of Mrs. Walter (Hilly’s mom), cheered on Celia’s kindness toward others and felt saddened by Constantine Bates’ (former maid for the Phelans) story. Go read this if you haven’t yet, especially if you saw the movie!

If I Stay (Apr. 2, 2009) by Gayle Forman.

Mia is a talented cellist who’s recently auditioned at Juilliard and has a very bright musical future. Her present isn’t too shabby, either, with committed boyfriend, Adam, and a loving family. But then Mia’s life literally comes to a crashing halt. Her physical body is critically injured, and she finds herself in a spirit-like form, though she’s invisible to everyone else. The story is told from Mia’s point of view through both present-time perspective and meaningful reminiscences. She has a tough decision ahead, too. As one of her nurses points out, it is Mia’s decision. Will she stay? Or will she leave?

            Faced with the choice to fight to live or let go, she has an exceedingly tough choice ahead. There are traces of humor (there’s also mild foul language), and Mia can come across as the teen she is, albeit a very talented, musically-inclined one. This book won’t be for everyone, but what book ever truly is? If you want action and adventure, this book will seem slow to you. But if you want something poignant and don’t mind if it’s tough, then you should read this. It is tragic yet beautiful intertwined with classical music.

Magic Under Stone (Feb. 28, 2012) by Jaclyn Dolamore.

Seventeen-year-old Nimira is a “trouser girl” (dancer and singer) from Tiansher who was in Lorinar, where she had been residing with A. Hollin Parry, a young sorcerer, who owned a pianoforte played by an automaton who turned out to have the trapped soul of a long-lost fairy prince contained within. The story takes off from the first book, “Magic Under Glass.” Nimira and the automaton, Erris Tanharrow, are off to locate a sorcerer whose specialty is necromancy.  They come across Ifra, a jinn, who has ties to Erris’ relatives, the Graweldin clan. There are other supporting characters, both new and old as well, from Annalie to an unexpected relative to the Green Hoods. What will the outcome of all these meetings be? What will happen to Erris?

            I am a fan of fantasy, and I enjoyed reading this book and its predecessor. My understanding is that the story of Erris and Nimira is wrapped up with this book. Though the characters were not always as complex as I felt they could be, the story was still a fast read. If you like fairies and sorcerers or fantasy in general, try Dolamore’s reads, but begin with the first book in this YA duo.

The Night Circus (Sept. 13, 2011) by Erin Morgenstern.

The hype surrounding this book is what prompted me to read it. That, and the jacket copy captured my interest. In a nutshell, two competitive men (Prospero the Enchanter and Alexander) pit their young trainees (Celia Bowen and Marco Alisdair) against each other in a “game” of magic. It is centered on a traveling circus that only appears at night “without warning.” The trick is that the young rivals don’t know the rules or what determines victory. The illusionists are, essentially, on their own in a battle of fantastical wits and illusions set within a wondrous venue.

            I LOVED reading this book! It is dazzling, gorgeously creative and totally enchanting. Morgenstern created the type of circus that I wish I could visit wherever in the world it was located because of its depth and richness and mystery. It is pegged as adult fiction, but is so intriguing that YA readers would likely enjoy it, too. I  highly recommend this book. Are you ready for the greatest of circuses? To read of the best young illusionary rivals of two of the greatest illusionists in the book’s time? If so, then Welcome to the Night Circus.

Spell Bound (Mar. 13, 2012) by Rachel Hawkins.

In this conclusive YA novel, Sophie Mercer has accepted her remarkable supernatural powers as a demon right about the time she has them put in lockdown mode by the Prodigium Council. They haven’t truly been stripped, for they are still there within her, but they cannot surface. She’s gotten away from the Council and has located the Brannick clan, though they’re no longer much of a clan, and were long considered enemies of all supernatural creatures. The Brannicks hunted them. Now reunited with her mother at the Brannick compound, the women there (for it is only women) work to piece a plan together to undo the Casnoff women and their evil. Cal, Archer and Elodie the Ghost are still around, along with other faces, both familiar and new.

            The first two books in the trilogy are “Hex Hall” and “Demonglass.” I enjoyed reading all three books and hope you will as well if you’re a fan of fantasy and the supernatural. It isn’t a dark book, though there are rough spots, and Sophie is a very likeable character with her smart remarks. The book moves along at a speedy clip and will keep readers engaged until the bittersweet end.

Rutabaga's Reads 2012: Part 3

This is Part 3 of Rutabaga’s Reads 2012. My aim in Part 3 is to include books which the male populace might find to be interesting also, as I realize many of the books I read lean toward female-interest. Please pass these book titles along to any upper middle-grade and young adult (YA) guys that you know (or guys in college or in general, for that matter)!

Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Sept. 27, 2011) by Laini Taylor.

What if the girl next door spoke multiple languages – not all of them human – and her hair was naturally blue in its current state? If you lived next to Karou, she’d be that girl. Karou is a seventeen-year-old living in Prague taking up art at The Art Lyceum of Bohemia, a private high school, and collecting teeth for Brimstone, the closest she has to a parent, and he’s also a chimaera. There are black handprints on doors and an unfriendly encounter with Akiva, an angel. Both of them have turbulent pasts, though Karou is initially unaware of this.

            Intriguing. Mystical. Strong. These adjectives describe the book for me. The book was buzzed about, and I can see why. This YA book is a supernatural romantic fantasy. There is forbidden romance and a war between races: the angels versus the chimaeras (demon-like to the angels). Yes, I mentioned romance, but it’s a story about more than just love and is much more interesting than just a sappy romance. This book is wonderfully imaginative, and I am looking forward to the next installment.

Divergent (May 3, 2011) by Veronica Roth.

On an annually appointed day, all sixteen-year-olds must choose the faction they wish to devote the rest of their lives to. For Beatrice “Tris” Prior, that day has come. The factions are based upon virtues: Abnegation (the selfless – she grew up in this faction), Amity (the peaceful), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave) and Erudite (the intelligent). Tris’ decision will surprise not just herself and her family, but her entire faction. But very few know Tris’ secret. She is Divergent, for she displays equal aptitude for more than one faction. When she chooses, she finds herself thrust into a dangerously competitive initiation. At times downright ugly, it is hard for her to know who her friends really are and who means her harm or undoing. For example, is Four a frustrating friend or calculating foe? And when Tris figures out what is going on with a power-hungry faction, will she be able to stop it? Or will she be too late?

            There is more than one dystopian summary/review in this batch, and “Divergent” is one of them. Of all the dystopian novels I’ve read since “The Hunger Games,” this trilogy-to-be ranks right up there. Romance is not the key to this story. “Divergent” can be twisted and violent, so beware if you don’t like books on that order. In her debut, Roth creates a masterful and edgy dystopia, which is no small feat in a world currently digesting dystopian tales en masse.

Elsewhere (Sept. 9, 2005) by Gabrielle Zevin.

Fifteen-year-old Elizabeth “Liz” Marie Hall dies and finds herself in an afterlife unlike any other. Here, the deceased age backwards (like Brad Pitt’s character in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”), but when they reach infancy, they don’t die again, but are sent on the River to be reborn on Earth. That is the case with animals, too. Despite all the things Liz missed this time around on Earth, she finds love, new friends and gets to meet her grandmother for the first time in Elsewhere. And just because she’s dead doesn’t mean she’s lost her ability to throw a tantrum or find her way to the forbidden Well.

            This YA novel is fascinating, and I enjoyed the concept of aging backward and, eventually, starting anew again. Death is not something to be taken lightly, but in a book that isn’t only meant to be weighted down with the serious enormity of it all, Zevin includes some good humor. I recommend this book to anyone looking to read something that’s a little different, even for fiction.

Everlost: Skinjacker Trilogy #1 (Aug. 22, 2006) by Neal Shusterman.

After a car accident, previous strangers Nick and Allie are on their way to “the light” when they collide with each other and veer off course to Everlost. Call it what you will, be it purgatory or an in-between world, but Everlost is a “shadow of the living world, filled with all the things and places that no longer exist.” In this limbo realm, Allie and Nick still encounter dangers, including the McGill, who’s the monster of all monsters in this book. It is also in this limbo realm that Allie discovers she’s a Skinjacker and that she really can’t stand Mary “Queen of Snots” Hightower, self-professed know-it-all of Everlost and its inhabitants, the Afterlights. Allie and Nick are Afterlight Greensouls (new arrivals).

            This book is an imaginative and highly quirky-in-an-interesting-way read. The two books that round out the trilogy are: “Everwild” (Nov. 10, 2009) and “Everfound” (May 3, 2011). Death can be such tricky subject matter, but Shusterman adroitly handles it in a very vivid, unique way with splashes of humor. I recommend this to anyone, but especially to reluctant male readers.

I Am Number Four (Aug. 3, 2010) by Pittacus Lore.

John Smith is an alien on Earth, but he looks like us, and he talks like us. He is one of nine Garde who escaped from their home planet of Lorien, along with their Cêpan, and scattered here. But the first three have been found and killed by the enemy Mogadorians. John Smith is Number Four. Through his Legacies, he is learning more of the history of his home planet (including its destruction) and also coming into his supernatural powers. He and his Cêpan, Henri, must often be on the run, and John is tired of it. He is happy in his newest place in Ohio. He’s made a friend, Sam, and has a beautiful girlfriend, Sarah. But his desire to stay in Ohio leads the Mogadorians to him and puts them all in danger. Can they all make it out alive? Or is Four’s time up?

            This is a very good read if you like sci-fi/fantasy, action and some suspense. There is a small bit of teen love, but nothing to bog down the excitement of the story. There is minimal foul language, but it shouldn’t stop anyone from reading this book. It contains good action. The next two books in the series are also available: “The Power of Six” (Aug. 23, 2011) and “The Rise of Nine” (Aug. 21, 2012).

Incarceron (Jan. 26, 2010) by Catherine Fisher.

Sapphique (Dec. 28, 2010) by Catherine Fisher.

Incarceron is a prison, but it’s not just any prison housing inmates. This prison is alive. It constantly watches the activities of those who dwell within. Finn is one of those trapped in Incarceron. He cannot remember his childhood, but he believes the tales of Sapphique, about the only prisoner ever to escape Incarceron to the Outside, and he’s determined to be the second with the help of a crystal key and Claudia Arlexa. Claudia is the daughter of Incarceron’s Warden and resides on the Outside, but she wants Finn’s help, too, as she is desperate to escape an arranged marriage to Caspar, the Crown Prince of the Realm. She doesn’t like him at all.

            In Sapphique, Finn has escaped to the Outside and is with Claudia, but he worries of the friends that are still trapped in Incarceron. The Outside is not at all what he expected. Though harsh and violent, the prison was technologically advanced. Outside, where the people are adhering to Protocol, technology is not allowed to be used by the general populace, now including him. Most are poor. The Outside feels like another kind of prison to Finn. Inside, his friends are trying to find a way out on their own, but to do so they are in search of a magical glove, which legend says Sapphique used to get out. But they’ll have to fight Incarceron, because the prison wants it, too. Can those on the Outside overthrow Queen Sia? How will it end for the people? And for Incarceron?

            These YA novels are both well-written and move quickly. Though the Outside looks older than our time, it is a future world, a dystopian one. It is not intensely violent like “The Hunger Games,” but it is set in a negative, anti-utopian world. Despite both books running between points of view in Incarceron and on the Outside, I never felt lost, for Fisher lays out the story and the characters quite well. It is complex. Read this if you enjoy science fiction, fantasy and/or dystopias and begin with “Incarceron.”

Inheritance (Nov. 8, 2011) by Christopher Paolini.

At 849 pages, this concluding book in the “Inheritance Cycle” reaches epic length. This saga follows Eragon Shadeslayer, a Dragon Rider, and Saphira Bjartskular, his dragon. They aim to conquer Galbatorix’s fearsome reign and restore peace to their homeland of Alagaësia. Already the duo have felt the triumph of battles won and endured the agony of painful losses, but they are not done yet. There are more battles to fight, including the finale with Galbatorix. Eragon will also have to make a great decision at the end. How will he fare in battle? What will he choose in the end? The story is told from multiple viewpoints: Eragon, Roran (his cousin), Nasuada (leader of the Varden) and, on occasion, even Saphira.

            If you’ve kept up with this saga over the years, I would enjoy hearing your comments on what you thought of the conclusion. My feelings were mixed. On the one hand, there were things resolved that I would expect to be, but the ending wasn’t as satisfactory as I would have expected at so many pages. Still, I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of fantasy and/or a fan of authors like Tolkien, as the world of which Paolini writes is reminiscent of other worlds and strange languages, elves and dwarves. Should you be considering reading this saga, prepare for the long haul, as you will need to start with book one if you don’t want to be lost in the land of Alagaësia or within all the characters.

Legend (Nov. 29, 2011) by Marie Lu.

Both fifteen years old, June Iparis and “Day” are from opposite sides of the track. And the track is the western coast of what used to be the United States and is now called the Republic. It is at war with its neighbor, known as the Colonies. June is a prodigy of intellectual and military grade. She is being groomed for success as she and her brother, Metias, were born into an elite family. Day was born in the slums of the Republic’s Lake Sector, and he is already a wanted criminal. Mostly his acts look to be anti-war-effort. Then he’s accused of killing Metias. June wants her revenge and will track him down, but Day just wants to save his family. The two will discover shocking truths about their Republic and the twisted way it goes about keeping its secrets.

            Told from the viewpoints of June and Day, Lu gives them each a distinctive voice with layers to their characters. She creates visual imagery in the story that plants rich pictures in the minds of the readers. The purported first book in a trilogy, this is a YA dystopian novel to pick up if you read “The Hunger Games.” I am looking forward to the next installments.

The Scorpio Races (Oct. 18, 2011) by Maggie Stiefvater.

Capaill uisce. This term refers to the water horses that come out of the sea and which residents (and a few brave outsiders) on Thisby Island catch and train to race in the annual Scorpio Races. They also hope to not die. These horses aren’t sweet little water sprites or a pet. No. These horses are drawn to the salty sea. And flesh. And drowning that flesh so they can consume it. Nice picture, huh? But the book is also a story about Sean Kendrick and Kate “Puck” Connolly. Sean is the brooding returning champion, while Puck is the first female registrant and a very determined young woman. Sean has his reasons for being who he is, and Puck just wants to save her family’s farm and keep her siblings together.

            This YA book is captivating. Exhilarating. A little bit fearsome (no capall uisce for me - *shudder*). This is the first book I’ve read by Stiefvater, though I know she is renowned for her “Shiver” trilogy. Subtle romance only, so guys shouldn’t feel the need to stay away from this book. There’s one particularly tough scene involving a capall uisce. For sure, this read isn’t for the greatly tenderhearted. But for those who like any of the following – Celtic myths, a story well-imagined, strong visual descriptions – and can stomach reading some violence, you may become a fan of Stiefvater, too.

The Serpent’s Shadow (May 1, 2012) by Rick Riordan.

In the final book of The Kane Chronicles, Carter and Sadie Kane are back to [hopefully] send Apophis, the Chaos snake, deep into the Duat where he belongs and restore Ma’at – order – to the world. As with the other two books, this one is alternately told by Carter and Sadie. Khufu is around, and Walt’s fate will come to pass. A crazy-pathological-liar-ghost-magician named Setne has entered the picture to offer “help,” and many others are in this book helping or hindering the beat-Apophis effort, both human and Egyptian god alike, familiar and maybe not so much.

            Rick Riordan’s books have been my replacement reads for Harry Potter (not that it can ever truly be replaced). Like Harry Potter, they are geared toward the same age group, but read enormously well at any age. They are fun and witty, and each novel takes you on an exhilarating adventure that’s filled with tough choices, tricky business, danger and the sort of timid attraction that comes in the oh-you-don’t-actually-have-cooties-and-are-rather-cute stage. As with his other books I’ve read, this one is vivid and tremendously imaginative. This is a must-read if you haven’t already introduced yourself to Riordan yet, but start with the first book (called “The Red Pyramid”). Or, if you’re more familiar with Greek mythology, begin with his Percy Jackson & the Olympians series.

Rutabaga's Reads 2012: Part 2

This is Part 2 of Rutabaga’s Reads 2012. I would enjoy reading your comments on any of these books you have also read. What did you like or not like about the book? Or if you haven’t read the books, tell me which one captures your interest. And definitely clue me in on any books that you’ve read that have captivated you or really made you think.

13 Treasures (Apr. 12, 2010) by Michelle Harrison.

In this middle-grade fantasy novel, debut author Harrison introduces readers to Tanya, a 13-year-old with the second sight. She can see fairies, but not the adorable pixies we’d expect in Tinker Bell’s world. No, these fairies are mischievous and sometimes downright mean. She is sent to live at her unfriendly grandmother’s place, Elvesden Manor, the wooded area around it which is replete with fairies. After an unplanned, but still forbidden, trek into the woods with the groundskeeper’s son, Fabian, Tanya and Fabian become interested in the identity of the “ghost” they encountered. With the help of Red, a girl who also has the second sight to see fairies, and Mad Morag, who many in the town deem to be a witch, Tanya learns more about the mystery of Hangman’s Wood and a fifty-year-old story.

            While I did not love this story, I still found it to be an interesting take on fairies. Harrison creates a masterful world around Elvesden Manor, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys upper middle-grade fantasy works. Maybe wear some red, though …

Bad Girls Don’t Die (Apr. 21, 2009) by Katie Alender.

In this YA supernatural thriller debut from Alender, Alexis Warren is a typical angst-y teen who’s anti-social and anti-cheerleader. She likes to dye her hair (pink makes a good statement) and wreak minor havoc (like stage an anti-fashion show during a school club’s fashion show). She feels she can go full steam ahead in her own way and on her own time by herself. But when she notices strange glowing light around their house, and her sister, Kasey’s, blue eyes occasionally go green, she knows that she can’t handle this on her own. She gains the help of two people she’d never purposely plan on crossing social paths with: Megan Wiley, cheerleading captain and [covert] class clairvoyant, and Carter Blume, class vice president and … potential boyfriend?

            While there were moments when the book felt very obviously contrived, for the most part, it was a solid supernatural read for the YA set. Alender gives Alexis an authentic teenaged voice, which is also humorous. This book would be a choice read for girls who want to be spooked, but only a little.

Cleopatra’s Moon (Aug. 1, 2011) by Vicky Alvear Shecter.

A YA novel following Cleopatra VIII Selene, the only daughter of Cleopatra the VII and Marcus Antonius. She was named Selene for the moon, while her twin brother, Alexandros Helios, was named for the sun. This historical fiction novel is told through the eyes of Cleopatra Selene beginning with the undoing of her family and the Egyptian empire on through a live-in in the court of Octavianus, the Roman ruler who caused her and her family much heartache, loss and loss of life. Cleopatra Selene vows to defeat him and return to Egypt. Like her mother, she wants to present herself as the great and powerful queen her mother was.

            Cleopatra Selene is a compelling female protagonist; she is a heroine. I found this story to be riveting; Shecter writes Cleopatra Selene’s character so well that you’ll wish history had ended up much happier for Cleopatra Selene, her brothers and their parents. But with their history being one that it is, be aware that there are many characters – even in this one story alone – and some have such similar-sounding names that it may sometimes be difficult to keep them straight. But if you can do that and appreciate historical fiction with its adventure, danger and romance, you will appreciate this book, too, as I did.

Entwined (Mar. 29, 2011) by Heather Dixon.

Azalea Wentworth of Eathesbury, Princess Royale, is the oldest of twelve princesses. They are named in alphabetical order of flowering flora “as the King liked everything very much in order.” In Dixon’s debut novel, Azalea and her sisters endure a mourning period (no colors, sunlight, suitors or dancing) after their mother’s passing, but Azalea and her sisters love to dance. And indeed, “Entwined” is based on “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” by the Grimm Brothers. Azalea finds a secret passage to a magical pavilion and the Keeper, who invites them to use the pavilion to dance as much as they want. It’s a nice relief from the Mourning above and the prospective suitors to see Azalea on “Royal Business.” But still, Azalea notes that the Keeper is not as wholly amicable as he seems. What does he want?

            Dixon did a fine job of moving the plot forward with light romance, magic, danger and communication (both fun and strained). The YA fantasy novel is reminiscent of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” and is created in a fairy-tale world that would almost be pleasing to inhabit if it weren’t for the Keeper. I found this book to be charming and funny (especially in scenes involving Princess Bramble and/or Lord Teddie). This is a delightful read for anyone who enjoys fairy tales, but it would appeal more to girls than boys.

The Grimm Legacy (July 8, 2010) by Polly Shulman.

In this, the central character, Elizabeth Rew, is a newly hired page at the New York Circulating Material Repository, where patrons can check out a variety of rare objects. Secret objects as well, which lie in the repository’s basement and include items from the Grimm Collection. That room contains the magical items of the Grimm Brothers fairy tales, such as the Magic Mirror from Snow White and the seven-league boots. For a gal who’s been miserable at home and at a new school – save for the teacher who suggests the job to her – her work life is exciting and adventurous. But something is wrong. The magical items are beginning to disappear. Can Elizabeth and her friends find out who’s causing the disappearance of the missing artifacts?

            Reading like an upper middle-grade novel, “The Grimm Legacy” is fast-paced and entertaining. Fans of fantasy and especially, the Grimm fairy tales, will delight in this read, though without all the darkness of the actual Grimm tales or even the hit TV show “Once Upon a Time” (which I thoroughly enjoy). I recommend this to anyone looking for a fantasy read or just a good book!

 

I Was Jane Austen’s Best Friend (Sept. 28, 2010) by Cora Harrison.

That would be Jenny Cooper, also Jane Austen’s cousin. A real person (though her actual name was Jane Cooper), she is an orphan who lives with the Austen family in the year she meets the dashing Captain Thomas Williams. But Jenny is a shy girl, so how is a shy girl to go about grabbing the attentions and affections of a potential love interest? Answer: Jane Austen. Good thing Cousin Jane is around with her bevy of knowledge regarding courtship in their day with plenty of wit to go with it.

            The first thing that came to mind when I finished this YA story was that it is a cute story. One can tell that Harrison completed extensive research so as to represent the time period properly, not just in speech, but manners and attitudes as well. The book is good parts carried in fact and fiction. A charming historical romance, I anticipate you’ll like this book if you’re an Austen fan or like charming stories.

In a Heartbeat (Feb. 2, 2010) by Loretta Ellsworth.

“In a Heartbeat” goes back-and-forth between two main characters: Eagan, a rising star in the figure skating world, who’s recently died after a freak skating accident, and Amelia, who’s in need of a heart transplant due to congestive heart failure. Amelia receives Eagan’s heart and begins to notice newly acquired tastes and characteristics. For example, she craves the color purple when she hated it before. It’s Eagan’s favorite color. So now Amelia’s adjusting to a future she thought she might not have – and it includes a boy named Ari – but Eagan in her afterlife is not ready to let go. How will Amelia start to adjust? Can Eagan let go?

            I chose this book because a description of the book had said that fans of Lurlene McDaniel would enjoy this story. (In my teen years, I read multiple books by Lurlene McDaniel.) While I can’t say I for sure agree with that, I will say that it was a stirring read. Even though the matter is intense stuff, Ellsworth’s writing is simple enough for younger readers to understand. It might even get readers thinking about the magnitude of organ donation and the theory of cellular memory.

The Kneebone Boy (Sept. 14, 2010) by Ellen Potter.

The Hardscrabble children are a strange sort. There’s Otto, who’s been mute since their mother disappeared; Lucia, who’s fiercely honest and protective of Otto; and Max, who is the cogs-turning-thinker of the three. They are sent by their father to stay at an aunt’s house, but it turns out she’s on vacation, so they detour to their great aunt’s house in Snoring-by-the-Sea. The great aunt turns out, not to be a wizened old woman, but a young and somewhat eccentric woman who lives in a castle folly. The full-sized Kneebone Castle is across the way, and they learn of a half-human prisoner (the Kneebone Boy) and perhaps find answers to their own family mystery.

            Potter tells the story from a narrator’s perspective. Although it is one of the Hardscrabble trio, it doesn’t assuredly mention which one, though I’d wager anyone who read it would have a very good guess. She writes with enough twists and turns to keep the reader’s interest, but also imparts humorous asides to garner the reader’s laughter. That’s needed to get them through to the end. This is a fun choice for middle-grade readers or anyone, really, who likes a book with a moody cover. Who all noticed the five-legged cat?

Sing Down the Moon (Sept. 28, 1970) by Scott O’Dell.

A Newberry Honor Book, this small book tells the big story of Navaho (or Navajo) Indian Bright Morning. She gets kidnapped, along with her friend, Running Bird, by Spanish slavers. A determined young girl, she escapes with her friend and Nehana, a Nez Percé girl. But not long after her return, the Navaho are driven away from their homes by the Long Knives (Americans with swords who want their land). What happens to Bright Morning and her people?

            The book may be short, but the story is not. The time setting takes place between 1863 and 1865. In 1864, The Long Walk of the Navajo occurred, a 300-mile-long (according to the book) walk. The story is bitter and moving and full of tension and courage all at once. I would guess it has been popular in classrooms over the years.

            Has anyone used this story as a history lesson in their classroom? If so, how did it go? Bright Morning and the other young people like herself were very hard workers from a very early age, quite different than most young people today. Do they understand the enormity and fear and danger of life back then? Do they understand that O’Dell created “real” characters? Though the book is fiction, the story isn’t wholly. It is rooted in reality in all its peril, bitterness and endurance.

Switched: A Trylle Novel (Jan. 3, 2012 trade paperback ed.) by Amanda Hocking.

Hocking is a native to Austin, MN. And in her Trylle (a.k.a. trolls) world, trolls aren’t strange little things with shocks of bright hair or large ugly things that carry wooden clubs. They are remarkably attractive creatures that live in Förening, which happens to be located in MN bluff country near the Mississippi River. To the disbelief of Wendy Everly, this is where she ends up with fellow Trylle, Finn. She grew up with a mother who was convinced that Wendy was a monster and that she’d been switched out with her actual child.

            In Förening she meets her birth mother, a stunningly elegant and beautiful Trylle. She’s also adamant that Wendy learn the ways of the Trylle and get rid of her horridly “ordinary” name. Naturally, Wendy is expected to learn years’ worth of knowledge in a short matter of time before her very own debutante ball. There’s also the threat of a rival Trylle tribe after her, the Vittra. And her friendship with a mänsklig is vehemently discouraged. Why? What’s a mänsklig and what is the significance of the one she befriends?

            Hocking is something of a poster child for the self-publishing world. The Trylle trilogy is an e-book bestseller. I found the idea of pretty trolls to be an interesting concept, but also found this first book in the trilogy to be too predictable. I think that if you are a big fan of the “Twilight” series, this could be a trilogy to add to your bookshelf. But I’d recommend you try something else if you’re not a “Twilight” fan or have had enough of ridiculously attractive/stunningly beautiful creatures.