"Remain: A Supernatural Love Story" by Nicholas Sparks with M. Night Shyamalan

Remain: A Supernatural Love Story (Oct. 14, 2025) by Nicholas Sparks.

   With M. Night Shyamalan.

<This is a standalone novel.>

New York architect Tate Donovan is in Heatherington, a [fictional] town on Cape Cod, meeting with his best friend, Oscar, and his wife Lorena. He’s designing their summer home and picking up Paulie, his cat. Tate’s aiming for a new start since losing his sister, Sylvia, to illness, then spiraling downward and being recently discharged from a swanky psychiatric facility. It’s said that Sylvia could see spirits trapped on this plane of existence, but he’s skeptical of her “gift” until he encounters a captivating woman doing yoga in the living room. After he speaks with Louise and Reece Gaston, the property’s caretakers, Tate learns that the woman is Wren Tobin ... and she’s been dead almost two years. Reece is Wren’s last-remaining blood relative. Tate comes to learn that there’s a Daytime Wren – who doesn’t realize she’s dead – and Nighttime Wren – who is terrifying and sometimes grotesque. Her death wasn’t gentle, and when Nighttime Wren finally communicates that she was murdered, Tate can’t help but do his own civilian investigation with Oscar’s help. He’s fallen in love with a ghost. Was it Griffin, Wren’s estranged, alcoholic husband whom she wanted to divorce? Or Nash, the business partner who was stealing money from her, and she was preparing a civil suit against him? What about Dax, the substance abuse counselor and Wren’s friend who wanted to be more than friends despite both being married? Tate will try to free Wren from what still tethers her here, knowing that that will mean the end of their strong, yet tenuous, relationship.

            A collaboration between romance author Nicholas Sparks and supernatural genre filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan? Talk about a plot twist! A collab such as this one I couldn’t pass by. Yes, I did find the paranormal love story to be a little weird sometimes, but the relationship remains a moving one. I did enjoy the supernatural element, and the contrast between Daytime Wren and Nighttime Wren is as different as a warm, sunny beach and a blizzardy winter night. There is strength in loving others, as this adult fiction standalone showcases. I’m pleased that I read this haunting and emotional love story. For those who startle easily, there are small sparks of horror. But worry not, for “Remain” is a reminder to “live well and love deeply. Look for reasons to be grateful. Treasure your friends. Embark on wonderful adventures.”

"All These Bodies" by Kendare Blake

All These Bodies (Sept. 21, 2021) by Kendare Blake.

*This is a standalone novel.*

It’s 1958. There are 16 bloodless bodies over four Midwest states, the final occurring in [fictitious] Black Deer Falls, Minnesota. The Carlson family, minus the toddler, have been found murdered. Throats slit, drained of blood, no sign of a struggle. In the middle of it all stands a 15-year-old girl covered in the victims’ blood. Her name is Marie Catherine Hale. 17-year-old Michael Jensen is the son of the local sheriff and an aspiring journalist. Marie agrees to recount her tale, but she’ll only tell Michael, because “he’s the only one who’ll  believe me.” But will he? Marie weaves a tale that is the stuff of legend. And yet, it makes sense. Doesn’t it?

            Right away, when I read of “bloodless bodies,” I immediately thought to myself that this is a vampire story. And that people dub them the “Bloodless Murders” or the “Dracula Murders” only seems to strengthen that theory. But the thing is, fictional as this tale is, it reads like a true crime story. I didn’t love the story, as I thought it lacked some of the gothic horror I’ve come to expect from Blake, but this remains a well-crafted, YA novel. She includes in her Author’s Note that inspiration was taken, in part, by an actual string of murders that also occurred in 1958 throughout the states of Nebraska and Wyoming. That killing spree left 11 dead. The murdered Carlson family was inspired by the murders of the Clutter family in 1959 (not related to the 1958 killing spree). For parents or teachers of advanced readers, they may like knowing that there is no romantic twist to the story, but may still hesitate to recommend it due to the macabre plot. If you’ve never read a story by Blake, I wouldn’t read this one first. Ask me to recommend something else instead!

Rutabaga's Reads 2019: Part 15

Something YA this way comes (again)!

Children of Blood and Bone (Mar. 6, 2018) by Tomi Adeyemi.

*This is the first novel in a trilogy.*

There is no magic left in the world, but there are still repercussions stemming from the Raid. Eleven years ago, King Saran, a merciless tyrant, destroyed magic and had all maji massacred, including Zélie Adebola’s mother, a great Reaper. Zélie is not off the hook, either. Although magic is gone, she remains visible with the white hair of divîners, those descendants of maji that could’ve one day become maji, wielders of their respective magics. Her brother, Tzain, is not a divîner, but a kosidán (someone without magic). Zélie’s life is further complicated when a young woman desperately reaches out to her to escape, as she is being pursued for an artifact (scroll) she has stolen. This young woman is Orïsha’s Princess Amari, daughter of Saran. What she has stolen could help restore magic back to the world. Amari, Zélie and Tzain, with the Adebola’s family lionaire, Nailah, set off to collect two other holy artifacts (a bone dagger and a sunstone) and reach “a sacred island off the northern coast of the Orinion Sea” and complete the ritual before the centennial solstice. Close on their trail is Amari’s older brother, Crown Prince Inan, who’s always looked for his father’s approval and has even gone so far as to physically maim his only sister. His hatred of magic runs deep, but fate is going to throw a wrench into his life in a very big way. Denial won’t help. The harder he fights it, the tougher it will be on him. Is Inan’s heart as hardened as Saran’s?

            Although the starter in the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy, it already feels epic. In this YA novel featuring a complex cast of West-African characters (who speak the Yoruba language), a captivating and variegated narrative, and an Atlas-like weight-of-the-world on Zélie’s shoulders, this debut is worthy of any and all accolades. The novel is presented in an expansive and immersive landscape with themes current to our world despite its fantasy setting. It evokes the conscience, but instead of brutality revolving around race or religion or sexual orientation, it stems from hatred of those who wield magic or potentially can wield it. Still, justice is needed as much here as in any non-magical society. This story is not always easy to read, but it’s a literary achievement of imagination, emotion, grit and more than one strong female. If you’re a YA reader, and this isn’t on your shelf, it should be!

Finale (May 7, 2019) by Stephanie Garber.

*This is the final novel in a trilogy.*

The Fates are free. Considering how long they’ve been trapped in a special Deck of Destiny, they are not running around wreaking havoc right away, as their powers are weak, but it’s obvious when it begins. A family enjoying an outside dinner is frozen; Scarlett can see their feelings vividly (The Poisoner). Paid servants are forced to dance endlessly along invisible strings; most are no longer conscious, as they were probably animated a full day previous when their employer was killed in a horrible manner (Jester Mad). But Scarlett and Donatella’s mother is also free, and that’s what matters to Tella. Unfortunately, the Fallen Star – the Fate at the top of the totem pole – seems to have come back strong. Certain Fates are less terrible than others, though one would never call them friends. Friendly acquaintance would also be a stretch. Scarlett, Julian, Tella and Legend must find a way to outwit the Fallen Star. Can they do so before utter chaos and irreversible damage descend upon Valenda? Because it isn’t just the four of them that will suffer, but Valenda’s residents, too. And when Scarlett learns a life-changing truth, will she harness it willingly or by force?

            I know I mentioned it for the previous book, “Legendary,” but I do not care for Tella. This remains true for this final installment in the Caraval trilogy. She grates on my nerves, and because I don’t care for her, I don’t see why one boy loves her, much less two. I think it’s her lack of maturity compared to her older sister, Scarlett, which annoys me.

            Negatives aside, I remain a spellbound fan of this trilogy. It ensnared me in its magical force much like Erin Morgenstern’s “The Night Circus” and may also appeal to anyone who enjoyed the lesser-known film “Stardust.” I like that this novel features the perspectives of both sisters. It is darkly lustrous and ominously enchanting. Imagine glitter and beauty and a façade of opulence where the likes of black diamonds and blood-red gems twinkle with millions of sparkles that could hurt you as they mesmerize you. It is a spectacle for the imagination, and I hope the author has a new series brewing.

The Red Scrolls of Magic (Apr. 9, 2019) by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu.

*This is the first novel in a trilogy.*

The High Warlock of Brooklyn, Magnus Bane – suave, stylish and hedonistic – wants nothing more than to enjoy a fabulous European vacation with his boyfriend, Alexander “Alec” Lightwood, a shy yet fierce Shadowhunter whose blood caries that of angels (Nephilim). Magnus’ plans are waylaid almost from the get-go when he is told by a trusted friend that a cult known as the Crimson Hand has been sacrificing faeries in order to raise Asmodeus, a Greater Demon/Prince of Hell. Asmodeus has significance in Magnus’ life, though none of it is positive. Unfortunately, all Magnus remembers of the Crimson Hand is that he founded it as a drunken joke; his other memories of the cult appear to be missing. The Spiral Labyrinth, the warlock’s mysterious underground headquarters, will not be forgiving to Magnus if the Crimson Hand, with Magnus as their rumored leader, continues as is. He teams up with Alec and a Korean warlock they encounter along the way named Shinyun Jung, who has a storied past with the cult. When Alec goes to the Rome Institute, he falls into step with Shadowhunters Aline Penhallow (lives in Alicante, the capital and only city of Idris, the Shadowhunters’ home country) and Helen Blackthorn (of the Los Angeles Institute). With destructive demons and questioning Shadowhunters, Magnus and Alec’s romance will be tested … through battle, pain and fire. Can such a new love overcome such obstacles?

            According to the acknowledgements, this story falls chronologically during “City of Fallen Angels” (2011), the fourth novel in The Mortal Instruments series. “The Red Scrolls of Magic” launches the first in The Eldest Curses trilogy, Clare’s collaboration with Chu. Magnus and Alec are far more star-crossed than Romeo and Juliet; there’s Downworlder and Shadowhunter, immortal and mortal in play here. Action and adventure is plentiful in this installment of secrets, magic, new love, combat, self-doubt and compassion. It is compelling and thrilling, and considering when the story takes place, it’s nice to encounter a certain familiar character in all his sarcastic, undead form (I’m talking about you, Raphael Santiago). I so appreciate the ethnic diversity of this series, especially in introducing a Korean character, but I didn’t choose it for the diversity or the LGBTQ+ representation. At its core, I’m a fan of Clare’s work, and Magnus is my favorite of her characters. He is “a blazing riot of life and color, a source of joy for everyone around him” (p. 204). This includes us as readers!

Rutabaga's Reads 2019: Part 12

Not to be left out, middle-grade (MG) novels have been making their run on my bookshelves. Here is 2019’s third MG compilation.

Escape from the Isle of the Lost (June 4, 2019) by Melissa de la Cruz.

*This is the fourth novel in a series.*

Oh how far they’ve come! Where once Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos looked toward nothing but living up to their wicked upbringing and villainous parents, they have made positive names for themselves and are looking toward graduation. Mal is Lady Mal, learning the customs of Auradon royalty at her boyfriend’s side, Auradon’s King Ben. Evie, ever a delight, has expanded into creating custom graduation gowns for her classmates and is working toward saving for something specific. Jay, never knowing what it meant to be a team player before Auradon, finds himself with an unbelievable option: go pro with R.O.A.R. or pursue it at university? And Carlos, well, Carlos is a year behind the other three, so he’ll remain at Auradon Prep, but he’s got a charming girlfriend in Jane, daughter of Fairy Godmother. It’s too bad that Uma hasn’t been seen recently. What evil is she plotting beneath the waves? Hint: She’s found threads of magic and convinces Hades to team up with her. Will she finally overtake Mal and exact her revenge?

            The fourth Disney Descendants novel, “Escape from the Isle of the Lost” is as delightful as a confectionery full of sweets. This middle-grade novel isn’t the type where evil curdles your insides and makes you want to keep the light on. There is maniacal laughter, threatening words and even a mind-controlling spell, but the tone continues to side with the light. Fun, adventure and friendship continue to rule the story (as does the teenage king). A must-have for current fans; potential new fans will want to start the series at the beginning.

            Book One: Isle of the Lost

            Book Two: Return to the Isle of the Lost

            Book Three: Rise of the Isle of the Lost

The Poe Estate (Sept. 15, 2015) by Polly Shulman.

*This is the third novel in an unofficial series.*

When her parents fall on hard times, Susannah “Sukie” O’Dare and her parents move in with her 91-year-old Cousin Hepzibah in the ancient, spacious Thorne Mansion. Rumor is that it’s haunted. And it is. Hepzibah understands Sukie where her parents wouldn’t. Sukie can see and communicate with her deceased sister, Kitty. As in life, Kitty aims to protect Sukie, but ghosts can’t change, so it’s upsetting as Sukie changes. Kitty often appears at will, but Sukie can summon her with a whistle she gave her before her death. It turns out that Sukie doesn’t only have a sensitivity to Kitty’s ghost. There are objects that she responds to when she touches them. She even finds out she can fly on a Hawthorne broom, which has been in the family for generations. She meets Dr. Elizabeth Rew and Andre Merritt of the New-York Circulating Material Repository at a flea market, along with their large “dog,” Griffin, and they become an invaluable help, along with classmate Cole Farley, who has seemingly matured from the boy who tormented her in the past. Sukie (“Spooky,” according to Cole) and Cole may have descended from fictional literary characters and are themselves connected by Windy (Sukie’s relation) and Phinny (Cole’s relation), whose story is tragic and also unfinished. With the help of her new friends, can Sukie find Windy’s treasure? What will Sukie discover about literary materials being “real,” including entire haunted houses, and her family’s own Thorne Mansion?

            Succeeding Shulman’s “The Grimm Legacy” and “The Wells Bequest,” this is a delightful middle-grade edition to that set. I have loved the modern fantasy of each of the stories,  the humor and the adventure, the lilt and imagination. Hints of a youthful budding romance are present but not noisome. Though I haven’t read most of the stories referenced, I enjoyed how cleverly Shulman wove in all the literary references. It’s always fun to see familiar characters from the other stories, though it can be read as a standalone. It’s its own treasure of supernatural shenanigans and fantastical exploration. I don’t expect I’d be alone in wishing that the New-York Circulating Material Repository were a real place, where I could check out the seven-league boots or a magic carpet or maybe just stay overnight in a haunted house and meet the retired repositorian neighbors living in other haunted houses in the Poe Annex. Walk quickly through the Lovecraft Corpus, though.

            Book One: The Grimm Legacy

            Book Two: The Wells Bequest

Reflection: A Twisted Tale (Mar. 27, 2018) by Elizabeth Lim.

*This is the fourth in a series and the first of them featuring a different author.*

When one male is conscripted into service from each family, Fa Mulan steals away into the night to take her injured father’s place. She goes with nothing more than her father’s armor, his sword, Mushu – the family’s guardian dragon – and Cri-Kee – her lucky cricket. They ride Khan, her trusty steed. Women do not serve in the military, so she goes as Ping, the son that her family never talked about. Mulan proves her mettle as Ping and is dedicated to her regiment, so when Captain Li Shang is grievously wounded, she travels to Diyu to bargain with its ruler, King Yama. (Diyu, in Chinese mythology, is their underworld.) She travels there with ShiShi, the guardian of the Li family, normally noted as a great stone lion. King Yama declares she can bring Shang back, but only if she makes it before sunrise, otherwise she will remain in Diyu forever and neither her family nor her friends will ever know what befell her. The obstacles in their way will try to trick her into remaining, trap her or even cause her death. Time already seems too short. Will it be just enough to save Shang and herself? Or will she soon count herself among Diyu’s residents?

            In this twisted tale from Disney and author Elizabeth Lim, the beloved “Mulan” classic is turned on its head. I wasn’t sure what to expect, so I was pleased that I enjoyed the tale. It was fast-paced and maintained Mulan’s warrior strength while still giving her something to grapple with. This tale is an adventure where the girl saves the boy; no damsels-in-distress here! As it’s Disney, the readers know that any ominous situations are going to right themselves later, so there’s no reason to worry about the fate of the characters. I enjoy a twisted fairytale done well, and I thought this one was done tastefully. Readers will recognize scenes from the 1998 film as flashbacks to Mulan’s life, thus making the character even more familiar.

Rutabaga's Reads 2019: Part 1

While I was slightly better in 2018 in keeping up with my blog, it remains apparent that I haven’t focused enough on YA novels, which is the age category that I read the most. I aim to do better this year.

            While I did do a post late last month showcasing a YA duology, this is my first YA compilation of 2019 featuring titles that are parts of sequential series in which I’m already a fan. No new-to-me authors in this batch.

Assassin of Truths (Feb. 6, 2018) by Brenda Drake.

*This is the final book in a trilogy.*

Somewhere along the way, Gia Kearns became Gianna Bianchi McCabe, Sentinel. Her childhood friend has been abducted, and she’s seen loved ones die. She needs to protect the one who can defeat the Tetrad, but before that can happen, she needs to retrieve seven Chiavi (Chiave, singular) hidden in the great libraries of the world. To a reader, gateway access to all of the world’s libraries sounds like a dream, but the gateways harbor astonishing dangers. And danger always seems to find Gia. Furthermore, there is a disease spreading. Nana Kearns is developing a cure. The corrupted Wizard Council doesn’t want the cure given to those in the Mystik world, but many wizards and Sentinels in the havens have banded together to save the Mystiks. This includes Gia and her wizard-betrothed Bastien Renard, but does not include former love interest Arik Baine. They traverse many places through tunnels and realms, gateways and libraries, including Tír na nÓg (the faery realm), before facing off against an evil Master Wizard.

            I have really enjoyed this entire trilogy. This urban fantasy has been chock full of magic, wizards and Sentinels with mystical abilities (I want a battle globe). It contains good and bad, light times and sadness, fights for life and fights to the death. Drake strengthened the plot with heroic characters, probably all of them good-looking (even the non-human ones), but with characteristics we related to or rooted for. Also, libraries! And traveling to libraries through gateway books!

            Now, where is my Sentinel gear?

                        Book One: Thief of Lies

                        Book Two: Guardian of Secrets

Just Dreaming (May 2, 2017) by Kerstin Gier.

*This is the final book in a trilogy.*

Nobody is safe, not even in dreams, but who would go into someone’s dream to manipulate that person? And how would someone obtain such a disturbing ability, much less put it in motion three times? Is it Anabel Scott, in whom there’s no secret that she has psychological issues? Or is it Arthur Hamilton, ex-friend of Henry Harper and Grayson Spencer, who probably also has psychological issues? It looks like it’ll be up to Liv Silver to uncover clues, solve the mysteries and battle bad guys. Henry and Grayson will help, though Grayson takes some convincing, and Jasper Grant has apparently done away with all of the dream nonsense. Romance is stressing Liv out, a gossipmonger-of-a-blogger continues to spread tittle-tattle while remaining unidentified, her mother’s planning a wedding and at least one wicked classmate is set on revenge. It’s too bad that Liv can’t escape in slumber, because malicious intent may lurk there as well …

            Overall, I enjoyed this story. The ending was conclusive and satisfying; before the very end, Secrecy is identified. I wish I could go off and explore dream corridors as several of these characters have done through The Silver Trilogy, but without the threat of imagined demons or deluges of strange feathers or crossing paths with a nemesis or people I simply don’t care for. The one grievance I have with the story regards Liv Silver’s possible “first time.” It doesn’t add anything to the overall plot, nor does it help carry the story. I actually thought those scenes in which she’s worrying about her first time slowed the story down. The story is otherwise fast-moving and imaginative. I like the rapport between sisters, and I want someone like Lottie to be my neighbor, for I’d go over to her house every day to eat whatever delicious baked goods she’d whipped up that day!

One Dark Throne (Sept. 19, 2017) by Kendare Blake.

*This is the second book in a series.*

The Quickening showed the queens and the populace that the future Queen Crowned is not as certain as it once seemed. As powerful as Mirabella has always been, even she quakes at Arsinoe’s supposed familiar. She also thinks that Arsinoe has betrayed her and is preparing to fight her. Arsinoe has discovered a secret, but no one outside of her best friends Juillenne “Jules” Milone and Joseph Sandrin know. She must decide if she can use this to her advantage. Katharine, once viewed as the weakest of the triplet queens, is curiously stronger than ever before, now ingesting poison at every meal. The suitors have arrived to be hosted by the queens. They know that only the Queen Crowned will choose a king-consort. William “Billy” Chatworth Jr. has been summoned to Rolanth as Mirabella’s royal taster “on pain of disinheritance,” but it’s no secret that he favors Arsinoe. The queens must watch from all sides. To let one’s guard down for an instant could mean poison in one’s tea, a poisoned bolt in the back, a perfect lightning strike or a mauling by a bear. Whether the pictured threats are real or imagined doesn’t matter, for anything is possible in an Ascension year.

            Part of the Three Dark Crowns series, “One Dark Throne” is a rich, inventive fantasy that is intensive and brutal, yet I’m rather addicted to the series and Blake’s YA novels in general. Despite the darkness expected of them, the triplet sister-queens are each noteworthy. The humanity which lies within – obvious in one or two, less so in the third – is easily overshadowed by the violence. But the violence within the story is wrought by a plot that is complex and twisted. The world-building is exceptional and the details are as radiant as they are deadly. The cliffhanger ending has me practically foaming at the mouth in anticipation of the next installment, and Blake has a wondrous twist in the story – a Beltane Begot – and it’ll be so intriguing to see where that story leads. Don’t let the lurking darkness of the novel steer you toward only dark thoughts. Because even with Blake’s dark writing, her story is luminous. This isn’t a sisterhood I’d want to be born into, but it’s a sisterhood all the same. Except this one has ties that bind … to kill.

                        Book One: Three Dark Crowns

                        Companion Novel (physical form): Queens of Fennbirn

Rutabaga's Reads 2016: Part 1

It has been awhile since I’ve compiled a post featuring more than one book. Here is my first compilation post for 2016. I nicknamed it “Past Hodgepodge,” since the three books are from different genres and/or age categories, and I read them all a couple years ago.

A Change of Fortune (Nov. 1, 2012) by Jen Turano.

Historical Romance Christian Fiction.

After losing her faith, fiancé and fortune, Lady Eliza Sumner travels from London to New York City to track down her stolen fortune. Stripping herself of her outwardly noble appearance, she becomes known as Miss Sumner, governess-at-large for the Watson family. She is tracking down Bartholomew Hayes, who’s been living grandly off of her fortune under the false aristocratic name of Lord Southmoor. Unfortunately, her covert operations aren’t so inconspicuous when Agatha Watson (not one of her charges) invites herself along. Eliza ends up fired by Mr. Watson.

            Brothers Hamilton and Zayne Beckett are around when Eliza’s thrown out and so Hamilton invites her to stay at his home. He’s a widower with two young children: Piper (short for Penelope – age 5) and Ben (age 3), but as his mother, Mrs. Gloria Beckett, is also staying at his home, it is not improper that Eliza is staying there, too. Although he’s sworn off dating, he’s drawn to Eliza. That’s no small feat considering he and Zayne first meet her wearing a very ill-fitting puce dinner gown with a stuffed bodice and bad spectacles. Hamilton is seeking out a weasel as well, one Eugene Daniels. And it turns out that Bartholomew and Eugene are connected, which in turn connects Eliza and Hamilton (as far as the investigation goes). Eliza wants to find her fortune and return to England, though she is indubitably drawn to Hamilton.

            After reading the subsequent books courtesy of the publisher, I finally got around to reading the series’ first book, and I’m glad I finally did. This debut novel remains lighthearted despite the danger, and those believing in faith and prayer are never overbearing with their beliefs. “A Change of Fortune” is delightful and filled with adventure thanks to Turano’s strong-willed female characters. There are points to make one grimace, though, like when Eliza loses the skirt of her gown. Fortunately, she’s wearing trousers underneath, but still. *shudder* Hamilton and Eliza’s path to declaring love is not easy, of course, and is full of blunders and awkwardness, but we all know it’ll end well. A change of fortune is in store, after all, and surely it’ll be a happy one for the main characters!

            Book 2: A Most Peculiar Circumstance

            Book 3: A Talent for Trouble

            Book 4: A Match of Wits

Live to See Tomorrow (Apr. 29, 2014) by Iris Johansen.

Adult Suspense Fiction.

There’s always a madman. In this case, it’s Paul Kadmus, a monster with a god complex who’s obsessed with the idea of a Shangri-La (Shambhala). He thinks it’s his destiny to find it, and it all started with a lotus necklace. American journalist Erin Sullivan has one. Tortured in the mountains of Tibet, she’s rescued by CIA operative Catherine Ling. Catherine’s beautiful, lethal and mad-as-all-get-out. She’s mad (understatement) over what Kadmus has done to Erin and she’s mad that Venable’s sent her on an assignment that takes her away from her son, Luke, again. She has Hu Chang safeguarding her son in her absence, but that’s a small comfort when they both show up in Tibet. In Tibet with Richard Cameron. Cameron’s an unknown quantity to her with his Guardian title and unnerving ability to get inside her mind (literally). She needs to keep him around to help keep Erin and Luke safe, but she isn’t 100% sure he can be trusted. From Hong Kong to Tibet to San Francisco, they can’t keep Kadmus away indefinitely. Eventually they’ll have to confront him, but will it be on their terms? Or his?

            I like that Johansen has created an Asian female lead. Still, the novel is as predictable as her other novels. Not a lot of variation – just new names. At this point, I keep reading her books just because I’ve read so many of them. The novel is full of action and danger, but the content isn’t new. I don’t want to discourage you from reading her books, so know that I’ll likely continue to read them, at least as long as she keeps an Asian lead around.

            Keep in mind that this is considered adult fiction, so there are scattered expletives, and there are some provocative scenes in the book. At times, there was too much focus on the physical tension between the characters when there should’ve been more of a focus on Erin, Luke and ridding the world of one more bad man. Of course, that is my simple opinion. It’s also my opinion that these new and relatively new characters – Catherine, Luke, Hu Chang, Erin, Cameron – should live to see tomorrow and keep on living so Johansen will write more books featuring them.

Teardrop (Oct. 22, 2013) by Lauren Kate.

Young Adult Supernatural Fiction.

Crying is not allowed. That has been drilled into Eureka Boudreaux’s mind since she was a little girl. By her mother. Who’s dead. Now Eureka’s left with a father and stepmother who don’t understand her, half-siblings she actually loves even if her step-monster-mother doesn’t see it, Cat Estes (her gal best friend), Noah Brooks (her guy best friend) and Ander, a mysterious, blond-haired boy with pale skin and turquoise eyes “like the ocean in Miami.” He seems to know more than he lets on, and it weighs heavily. Eureka doesn’t know it yet, but Ander is a Seedbearer.

            There is a story about a girl who, so aggrieved, cried an entire continent into the sea. To Eureka, it is the stuff of fiction. But Seedbearers are purported descendents of those from the lost continent of Atlantis. The Seedbearers – with Ander as the exception – believe that Atlantis’  rising could only be an apocalypse and so they determine to kill the Tearline. The Tearline is always female, but one hasn’t been around since the 1930s. And it isn’t just the Seedbearers whose interest is piqued when a Tearline is born. The Atlanteans themselves notice as well, but they are evil (powerful, too). It will take awhile for Eureka to learn all of this information. For the moment, all she’s armed with is her mother’s legacy, which is confusing at best: a locket, a book in an odd language, a “thunderstone” and, best of all, a handwritten letter. And Ander. But what does it all mean?

            Despite this being a work of supernatural fiction, there is a sense of destiny for the main character. Destiny may seem strong for a seventeen-year-old, but it is there in her lack of tears and in Ander’s sudden involvement in Eureka’s life. A relationship is definitely blooming between Ander and Eureka, but that didn’t feel like the main point of this tale. The first in a new series, there is mystery and plenty of questions. I do wish Eureka had learned more about Atlantis earlier on in the story, but I understand the author is setting up her tale. The locale (Louisiana bayou) is very descriptive through Kate’s words, and her characters have a richness and depth which I appreciate when being “introduced” to new characters. It’s a brave new world for Eureka, at least, once she finds things out. A dangerous but exciting one, and one that can be washed away … with a good cry?

"The Dream Thieves" by Maggie Stiefvater

It would appear that multiple books I wanted to review based on my “Unofficial Criteria” came out this fall. Good thing I mentioned my Unofficial Criteria list, as last month contained one-book-only reviews!

            Here is another … (with possible spoilers ahead)

The Dream Thieves (Sept. 17, 2013) by Maggie Stiefvater.

In dreams, there be monsters. Just ask Ronan Lynch. As vexing as usual, Ronan has a very big secret. He can take things out of his dreams. Car keys. A wooden box. A Night Terror. The discovery of Cabeswater in the first book affects the storyline of this one. Ronan is tied to Cabeswater, but how? Why? Could the answer be at The Barns, the childhood home he’s been banned from since his father’s death? Ronan has a lot to come to terms with. Unhappy, handsome, vicious Ronan is more complex than he appears. He isn’t always a sarcastic, toxic drunkard. On rare occasion, he’s even kind … but don’t get used to it.

            Richard Campbell Gansey the III is a desperate man. Er, teenager. He is elite-of-the-elite at Aglionby Academy, like the picture-perfect poster-child of the school and even has a name practically reeking of importance. Surely he uses his suave side most of the time. But right now he’s desperately searching for the long-lost, practically mythological, Welsh king Glendower. He feels Glendower’s revival must be close since the awakening of the ley line, but he’s not finding him. Nor are his friends. Something is off about the line. Sometimes there are surges to suggest the ley line is overfed, but there are also outages to suggest that the line is starved.

            Seeing apparitions is not normal, yet Adam Parrish is seeing them. He has connected himself to Cabeswater, but he doesn’t know what the forest wants from him. What does he want for himself? Does he even know anymore?

            Blue Sargent is back in the story, though Noah Czerny isn’t as much. There’s also the appearance of the Gray Man. He’s been sent to retrieve the Greywaren for his boss, Dr. Colin Greenmantle. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know exactly what a Greywaren is. Is it a box?

            The second installment in Stiefvater’s The Raven Cycle is magical. Not magical in a nice-vacation-to-Walt-Disney-World way, but in a darker, more secretive way. The atmosphere isn’t light and fluffy; instead, it tends toward the tense, moody and brooding. That isn’t to say there aren’t light moments – there are – and there’s sarcasm. In more than one instance that sarcasm is based on dirty connotations, and there is some strong language (for those concerned). Through all of this, Stiefvater somehow melds completely different worlds with ease: old money with no money, the magical and the non-magical, the sensitive and the aggressive, the thoughtful and the reactive, and Ronan. Even with all the perspectives, this book is really Ronan’s story, and whether he likes it or not, he’s a young adult of opposites. Highly recommend!

            Book One in The Raven Cycle: The Raven Boys
            Also see: The Scorpio Races

Rutabaga's Reads 2012: Part 8

This is Part 8 of Rutabaga’s Reads 2012. It includes books I’ve read since Part 6 that are not picture books. What are you reading today? Let me know by commenting on Part 8’s post.

Breadcrumbs (Sept. 27, 2011) by Anne Ursu.

In a contemporary version of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen,” Hazel Anderson does not fit. An adoptee from India, she is too imaginative, most of her classmates treat her with contempt or simply give her the cold shoulder, and she’s only stuck at the school to begin with because her parents have divorced and money is tight; therefore, she had to leave her previous school. But she has Jack Campbell, and they fit together like the pieces of a fantastic puzzle.

            Or they did.

            Overnight, Jack seemed to find her disdainful. He suddenly quit talking to her and then he went away. Because something happened. A mirror shard fell from the sky and happened into his unsuspecting eye, traveled to his heart and froze it. Hazel goes off on a quest to rescue her best friend, albeit “in ill-considered shoes, brave and completely unprepared.”

            “Breadcrumbs” is a middle-grade novel that takes place in Minnesota and mentions Minnesota Twins baseball player Joe Mauer in the storyline. Ursu writes a creative story that is part fantasy and part realistic fiction. It is magical, but the magic is subtle. Ursu expertly weaves the realism with allusions to the modern-day stories we’ve read (“Weren’t wizards good? Dumbledore’s a wizard.”), but also to the well-known tales of yesteryear (“… but all she knew about wolves was that you should never tell them how to find your grandmother’s house.”). While Hazel’s flighty imagination can be trying, she is a heroine, and even more importantly, she is an awesome best friend.

Juliet Immortal (Aug. 9, 2011) by Stacey Jay.

You think you know Romeo & Juliet’s star-crossed love story.

            But what if Juliet died so Romeo could gain immortality and join the Mercenaries of the Apocalypse? And what if, consequently, Juliet also gained immortality by joining the Ambassadors of Light? In this rendering of the greatest love story, this is precisely what happened. Romeo has spent centuries inhabiting deceased human bodies to recruit more Mercenaries through murder. Juliet has only returned to Earth about 30 times over the past 700 years. She works to bring soul mates together – to spread love and light.

            Juliet inhabits Ariel Dragland, who is not dead. She has to find the soul mates she should be helping and bring them together before Romeo negatively interferes. Romeo has reanimated the fresh corpse of Dylan Stroud. But extra trouble lurks. Juliet/Ariel can’t contact Nurse for details, and Romeo/Dylan is actually scared. Both are being watched.

            Juliet tries to mend Ariel’s relationships with her mom and with her best friend, the selfish Gemma Sloop. She even falls for Ben Luna before making a devastating discovery.

            Whether you accept – or scoff at – this take on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, consider this book. Juliet/Ariel and Romeo/Dylan are well-developed characters even when supporting characters appear flat and underdeveloped. The full story of the Ambassadors and Mercenaries is unclear, but the main plot is intriguing. Besides, who doesn’t like the occasional love story with a twist? I expect fans of supernatural YA novels will enjoy this one.

Princess Academy (July 6, 2005) by Shannon Hale.

Have you ever dreamt of being a princess? Miri Larendaughter hasn’t, until eligible-age girls from their village home of Mount Eskel – in the kingdom of Danland – are summoned to a princess academy. To learn what? How to properly be a princess, of course! There are the usual subjects of Reading, Mathematics and Commerce, as well as the princess-forming subjects Poise, Conversation and Diplomacy. Studies are led by the harsh Tutor Olana, who makes it clear what she thinks of mountain girls, but fortunately knows not what quarry-speech is. They have a year’s time to learn to read for the first time and become as polished and poised as true princesses. The competition is strong. Who is chosen as the academy princess? Who catches the eye of Prince Steffan of Danland? When danger arrives by force and aggression, how are Miri and her classmates saved?

            This is a satisfying middle-grade story of tough work, hard studies, family, friends and where our hearts call home. For anyone who’s ever felt out of place in anything or felt wronged by unfairness, you’ll connect with Miri. She stands up for herself and for the fairness of the class, as she also strives to learn all that she’s never had the opportunity to. She struggles internally: with her feelings for Peder, how she can help her village and the possibility of becoming princess. They say that Home is where the heart is. Where does Miri’s heart tell her she belongs?

This Dark Endeavor (Aug. 23, 2011) by Kenneth Oppel.

Oppel writes a gothic prequel of Dr. Victor Frankenstein. In this version, Victor is a hot-headed, hot-blooded, attention-loving sixteen-year-old. He lives with his parents, two younger brothers and cousin, Elizabeth, at Chateau Frankenstein. In Oppel’s narrative, Victor also has a twin brother, Konrad. Victor, Konrad and Elizabeth stumble one day upon the Dark Library. It is filled with books on alchemy and ancient remedies. Their father discovers them there and forbids them to return, as it is illegal to practice alchemy. But when Konrad falls deathly ill, Victor is driven to find a cure. To procure the ingredients, Victor, Elizabeth and their friend, Henry, enlist the help of a disgraced alchemist named Julius Polidori. The ingredients are few, but obtaining them is dangerous and difficult. Victor is overly confident in the ability of the elixir. Can the Elixir of Life save his much-loved twin?

            Oppel creates a young Frankenstein who is on his way to becoming the mad scientist we know from Mary Shelley’s novel. Victor is perhaps unlike the protagonists we are used to reading – those who are, for the most part, easily likeable – but that is part of what makes Oppel’s tale so appealing. “This Dark Endeavor” is an excellent prequel to Shelley’s work and honors it well. It has enough horror and romance to push it into gothic territory, enough history and science to feed the story without muddling it, and it has bursts of humor to prevent it from reading too darkly. There were a couple particularly tough parts to read, but it otherwise read very quickly. I won’t be surprised if a movie version is made of Oppel’s creation.

Unbroken: A Ruined Novel (Feb. 1, 2013) by Paula Morris.*

Rebecca Brown (“Ruined,” see Part 1) has returned to New Orleans (NOLA), a city of beauty and ghosts. After the events of the previous year, the last thing Rebecca wants or expects to see is a ghost. Now cue a teenage boy with intensely blue eyes named Frank O’Connor. He’s looking for a lost item that led to his death in 1873 and will trap him if it isn’t found soon. Complications arise as Rebecca strives to help. Not enough time. Aloof, maybe-boyfriend Anton Grey. Keeping secrets. Threats from vengeful ghost Gideon Mason. Unhinged Toby Sutton. Rebecca’s vacation to NOLA isn’t a vacation. It’s a high-stress trip tougher than a school project. Can she help Frank before he’s trapped for eternity? Can she open up to others about the spirit world? Will Toby get his revenge?

            This is another enjoyable YA story from Morris. Rebecca did spend a decent amount of time completing wonderful volunteer work, but it occasionally detracted from the ghost world. That said, I do see how Morris used the volunteerism backdrops to allow Rebecca to have a ghostly chat or put a visual to a verbal description. “Unbroken” is a fast-paced, engaging read. If you like ghosts. And some non-scary suspense.

* This is a Scholastic purchase, and the edition is only available through the school market.