Hysteria Unraveled

If you are covered in your boyfriend's blood and his lifeless body is found in your kitchen, there is no chance you will ever be considered innocent. The courts may be persuaded to believe it was self-defense, but in the eye of the public, you are still guilty. Especially to the guy you killed. In Megan Miranda's Hysteria, one girl carries the weight of what she did on her shoulders, but no one will let her move on.

When her mom hides the knife block in the kitchen, it was the first sign Mallory's own parents didn't trust her, were possibly even scared of her. She had been found innocent, and the murder of her boyfriend Brian was considered self-defense after he broke into her house and attacked her, but she can't even remember what happened that night. After Brian's mother breaks into their house, Mallory is sent to her father's old boarding school to get away from everything... and she is convinced her parents sent her because they don't trust her.

But everything isn't perfect at Monroe. Steeped in tradition and secrets, there is more to Monroe than meets the eye, and Mallory isn't exactly accepted with open arms. She struggles to fit in, and her roommate even leaves the room when she sees Mallory there. Luckily, Mallory has Reid, the son of her father's best friend from Monroe. Reid helps Mallory feel a little less lonely, but when a boy is murdered in Mallory's bedroom and she doesn't remember anything about it, the situation feels all too familiar. 

This is a murder mystery, a psychological thriller, and a ghost story all rolled into one. It was really interesting, but sometimes the plot became difficult to get a firm grasp on. Sometimes I thought I understood what was happening only to find myself confused again. I understand that is the general slow roll-out of a plot that centers around mystery and intrigue, but it felt a little too heavy-handed at times. But on a whole, it was a very interesting story. I certainly wasn't able to unravel all of the mystery at the end ahead of time, so it was a successful mystery!

The characters were many-layered and interesting. Mallory is, of course, intriguing, but so were Reid and her friend Colleen, not to mention the other Monroe kids. The layer of tradition and secrets kept you wondering about these fancy prep schools and how this stuff can persist. I wonder about the kind of kids who come out of these prep schools with their lack of sensitivity to manipulation and deceit. That has got to carry over into their adult lives! This is a good book for any kid who needs a good mystery but has trouble figuring things out because the murder is out in the open, but there is still layer after layer of mystery to unravel. It makes this novel a good combination of obvious and not-so-obvious. 

Prepare to be Locked Down with this one from Cover to Cover!

Intense is most certainly not the word for Lockdown: Escape from the Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith. This book is dark, twisted, and terrifying! Smith's breakout YA novel is one that will keep kids (and adults) intrigued and possibly even a little queasy.

It starts with Alex Sawyer, a teenager who has slipped into some bad habits from bullying to burglarizing houses at night. Alex is not an angel. He started off small by ripping off his classmates and preying upon the weaker students in particular. When he and his friend graduate to robbing houses, they really like the money it brings in. But one night, in a routine burglary, the boys find they are not alone in the house. A group of giant thugs led by a terrifying man in a gas mask catch the boys, kill Alex's friend, and tell Alex he'd better run! Alex quickly realizes it was all just a set-up as he is quickly apprehended by the police, convicted, and thrown into the new prison- the Furnace.

Furnace is a warehouse for young criminals built into a crater in the earth. With nothing but rock miles deep surrounding them, the kids have no choice but to accept life's cruel twist of fate- especially since so many are innocent. Alex quickly breaks all the rules- he can't stop worrying about the kids he came in with, makes friends with his bunk mate, and even stands up to the biggest gang in the prison to help another "new fish". Alex can't stop bringing attention to himself, and both the guards, the warden, and the other prisoners are ready to put him in his place.

Lockdown is not only a scary prison book- it has subtle (or not so subtle) hints of the supernatural as well. These elements aren't the primary focus of the story, but they certainly do the trick of giving you goosebumps. Prison guard dogs with no skin, just bulging muscle and vicious blood-thirsty fangs, patrol the Furnace after a lockdown hoping for a kid to rip apart. Creepy beings swoop in at night and mark 2-3 cells. One boy from each cell is taken and never returns (or do they?!). Even the guards seem to be something inexplicable. All seems hopeless in the Furnace... or is it?

When Alex and his friends find a possible way out, they go to great lengths to orchestrate the escape. But no one escapes from the furnace- at least no one who lives to tell the tale. You will just have to read the book to find out what Alex does next, and get ready for the sequel!

I would recommend this book for a teen boy who needs an action-packed novel to keep their interest. There is never a dull moment in the Furnace, and this book will keep them interested! However, it is very, very dark and disturbing. I wouldn't recommend this book for a younger, less-mature student, as it can be quite harsh at times. The vocabulary is also a little high, but that can be a great thing if the student is reading the book with you- a perfect teaching situation! I would certainly recommend reading this particular book before giving it to a student to be sure they can handle the situations. It may be a YA novel, but this book is written with adult situations and language. However, if given to the right student, it could get even the toughest student reading furiously!