Sheer Shadows and Mischievous Mystery

A typical graphic novel is told in pictures and in words, but what if the story was actually two stories: one through words and one through images? Brian Selznick did it with surprising grace, and now Kiersten White and Jim DiBartolo have done it with In The Shadows, and the result is pretty awesome. 

Cora and Minnie's mother runs a boarding house where they all live together. Minnie has an insatiable desire for adventure (bordering on the side of reckless), while Cora prefers to play it safe, except when Minnie calls her out on her stuffiness and she has to live up to her little sister's expectations. But after Minnie convinced Cora to climb a tree and peer into the witch's window and she got caught, she has never been the same. Her father died the very next day, and Cora knows it was a curse the witch put on her. Arthur was brought to live with them over a year ago after his father disappeared, but the girls suspect there is more to the reason Arthur is with their family. When Charles and Thomas arrive for the summer, the group bands together, all for different reasons, but all for the hope of some fun (at Minnie's direction). Especially when Charles' illness and imminent death is a weight holding Thom down. 

When they visit the witch's house all together this time, Cora is more than just a little nervous. In fact, she is terrified, but the others convince her it will be fine. When they see the witch, Mary, they aren't prepare for what they witness- she hangs herself right in front of them. When they report it, however, something scary happens- her body isn't there anymore. When they see her again in town, she is with the scary man from the boarding house... and a woman Thom is convinced he heard speaking to his father right before he was sent to the boarding house. Something very mysterious is happening in this sleepy little tourist town, and Minnie and the others are going to get to the bottom of, regardless of the risks.

Half this story is the one I have just described. It is written in short chapters like any other typical story. The other half of the story is written in illustrations and follows an entirely different set of characters. I haven't described the illustrated story because it isn't easy to describe it without giving away too many important details needed for the end of the story when everything comes together. But they do, and when they do, it is pretty gosh darned awesome. My biggest issue with this book throughout the entire story was that I had absolutely no idea what was happening in the illustrated story- until the very very end. Now, in hindsight, I can see it was designed that way and that is what made it such a cool story, so I should have just had faith in the authors. 

Another thing I struggled with was the ages of the kids. One moment they struck me as definite middle schoolers. Precocious, adventurous, and usually reckless abandonment regarding concern for consequences. But then the next moment they felt a little older, like young adults. It made them difficult to understand completely. While Minnie was the fun, impish, mischievous one, Cora and Arthur were the ones I really liked. Unfortunately, the story is really brief, so you don't get to spend a lot of time getting to know any of the characters very well. The important thing to know, though, is that this is one serious mystery! It was really a nail biter right to the end, and I did not see it coming. I really liked this story, and I hope White and DiBartolo give this format another shot!

Half Bad and Totally Awesome

In a new England where witches live silently amongst humans, there are two kinds of witches. Even amongst the small minority, there is prejudice. White and Black, the witches do not mix. Until, they do. In Sally Green's Half Bad, a young boy is the victim of his parentage, for White or for Black. 

Nathan's father was the evilest Black witch in the world. His mother was a White witch who committed suicide. Every year, Nathan goes for an assessment to see if he has officially coded to one side or the other, but on his seventeenth birthday, the results will no longer be inconclusive. All witches must receive three gifts from an immediate family member and drink the blood of a family witch in order to come into their gifts. For a White witch, not receiving their gifts merely means they lose their opportunity for their gift. For a Black witch, it is said they will die if they do not receive their gifts. Nathan's grandmother has tried to raise him in a White witch household, but his heritage cannot be denied. 

As a Half Code (Black and White), Nathan's final allegiance is still unsettled, but the council isn't about to let him roam about like a powder keg waiting to be lit. Decree after decree is handed down that specifically limit Nathan's comings and goings. Finally, just limiting his journeys from the house aren't enough, and he is captured and caged until his seventeenth birthday, which is years away. His captor doesn't necessarily agree with the decision, but Marcus, Nathan's father, killed her sister, so she isn't shy about her dislike of Black witches either. But nothing changes the fact that Nathan's birthday is fast approaching, and he has nobody to give him his gifts. Is he Black? Or is he White?

I know we have all lived through the Harry Potter era where witches are adorable like the Weasley clan. Sure you have a Malfoy or a LeStrange or a Voldemort in the mix, but for the most part, they are normal folks with some awesome abilities. These witches? A whole different world. I half expected a Potter-esque witch story going in, but I came out like I was ripped through the spin cycle. This is one seriously dark book! I mean, this kid is tortured. He is held in a cage and affixed with a collar full of poison. This is some pretty heavy, dark business here. 

And Nathan? I am choosing to think he wouldn't be as dark as he turns out. I feel he was made Black by the very same people who feared his Half Code. By imprisoning him and torturing him, they have created a dark individual. In fact, the brutality, the violence, the dark in this story reminded me of a somewhat tamed version of The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosinski. It is the single darkest book I have ever read (makes The Road look like Goodnight Moon), and Nathan just made me think of that little boy the entire time I read it. That doesn't mean this is THAT dark, but it certainly isn't any Harry Potter. Instead, this is a truly unique story that will catch the attention of your students. Especially those who have a dark side!

The implications towards prejudice and racism in this story are very thinly veiled. The decrees about Half Codes and Black witches reek of Jim Crow. You can see the allegory here, and it is incredibly interesting when juxtaposed with historical racism. I think any student will be able to make those connections without any guidance, which will give them an added layer to the story. I was really bowled over by this story, even though it was so disturbing, and I will certainly be finishing the series. 

A Pivot in the Right Direction

If you had the power to choose between to futures with every choice you made, playing them out and seeing where your choices take you, would you be interested in knowing every detail of your life? Or would you rather leave it up to chance? In Kasie West's Pivot Point, Addison has an ability anyone would covet... unless they knew the consequences of it.

Addison's life on the Compound is fairly typical. Strengthen her abilities, use them to hone her senses, and enjoy a more technologically advanced life away from the Norms (people who don't have abilities). Then her parents drop a bomb on her simple life where the biggest decision was who to go to the prom with (NOT Bobby Barker after a peak into her future saw him groping her). When they announce they are getting a divorce, they tell her she is to pick whom to live with and they fully expect her to use her ability to find out which is the better choice. As a Divergent, Addie can look into the future for both sides of a decision in order to find which she wants to choose. It is a power that comes in handy, especially when avoiding a gross date to a dance, but she doesn't like to use it often because living out the chosen path is not easy when you know everything that is coming. Luckily her friend Laila is an Eraser and can take away her memories of her future peeping.

When Addie delves into her two choices- stay with her mom on the compound in Para-land where all the technology and use of her ability is encouraged, or go with her father to Dallas where she has to hide her ability and fit in with the Norm World- she gets more than she bargained for. In the compound, she knows Duke just isn't her type- the ever popular charming jock- but there is something so irresistible about him. He seems to charm his way with everyone. When she starts to get suspicious of the football team and the possibility they might be hurting the competition with their abilities, it is hard for her to look the other way. In the alternative, when she goes to live with her father, she realizes just how different it is in the norm world without the compound's technology, healers, etc. When she meets a boy named Trevor, she is excited to have a new friend. What she doesn't expect is to find herself really caring for him. When his friend floats his theory that Trevor's recent football injury that blew out his throwing arm, Addie can't help but listen. Especially when she finds out the injury's are about her old school- a team of Paras who have the powers to cause all these injuries. Which reality would you choose?

WOWZA! This was one unique, catch-you-by-surprise kind of story! First, when reading the premise, I didn't know it centered around a compound of people who had paranormal powers. And the idea of this compound? I was so into it! My only problem was I didn't get enough of it. There was different technology, houses that anticipated your needs, different kind of cars, etc. I wanted more! I think the only thing this book lacked was a little more world-building to flesh out this paranormal bend to things. I wish there had been more about it, not just little snippets here and there. 

But the purpose of the story was Addie's choice, and the coolest way to show two divergent paths is to juxtaposition them, right? So West alternated chapters. One for her mom, one for her dad. I loved this. Sometimes it took me a minute to realize the change (a different font or color or heading would have stopped that), but it was only because I was so wrapped up in the story I was turning the pages like a madwoman. I loved this alternating realities so much I almost wanted to go back and try it with one then the other to prove how great these alternating chapters were! 

The greatest part about this story is how it took a genre staple (paranormal teens) and put a unique spin on it. Not an easy feat! But West really came up with a unique approach to the YA genre and went with it, and what you got was pretty freaking awesome! I loved the concept, the characters, and especially the difficult choice Addie had to make, because it wasn't all about the divorce- there were darker acts at play here, and she had to navigate through a maze of them. The book was a great surprise! I didn't expect it to be so good, and I was pleasantly surprised when it knocked my socks off!

City of Losing Interest a Little

Clary and Jace aren't exactly a normal couple. In fact, they have probably had the most traumatic and bizarre relationship as any couple in history. From assuming they were brother and sister, still being attracted to one another, being attacked, death, etc., they are a bizarre couple from the word go. And in The City of Lost Souls, the fifth book in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series, their relationship doesn't get any easier.

Clary thought it was over. Sebastian, her real brother (and also known as Jonathan Morgenstern), was defeated, Lilith was killed (or as killed as the oldest demon in history can be), and Jace was safe. She couldn't have been more wrong. When she returns to the roof, both Jace and Sebastian, who was supposed to be dead, are gone with no trace. They can't even be located magically. After an exhaustive search, the Clave can't afford to keep everyone looking for Jace. They are ready to close the search, but Clary refuses to give up. She will do anything to find him, even go to the Seelie queen. When she tries to steal the payment for the Queen from the Institute, she sees Jace, with Sebastian. As thick as thieves, the boys who were once mortal enemies seem to be the closest of friends. Clary had thought any manner of things could have happened to Jace, but she never imagined he would turn to the dark side. 

When Jace and Sebastian show up at Luke's apartment to get Clary to join them, it is clear to her that something had to have happened to Jace to change him. When they attack Luke and stab him with a demon metal knife, she knows she has to do something. But when it becomes clear that anything that happens to Sebastian also happens to Jace, their connection becomes even more frightening. One can't be killed without killing the other. Clary knows the Clave will consider Jace collateral damage in an effort to get rid of Sebastian, so she decides to do the only thing she can do- make them think she is going to join them in order to find a weakness in their connection. But what if there is no weakness?

You know when you follow a TV show for a long time and you start to think about how many times the main couple has broken up and made up, or how many guys the main girl has dated, or how many times the main characters have almost died, and it seems laughable? Like when you think about how many kids died in Buffy the Vampire Slayer over her years at Sunnydale High, but no one ever thought it was fishy? That is starting to happen to this series for me. I mean, really, how many times can Clary and Jace be in mortal peril or have their relationship completely destroyed, only to pick up the pieces and start again? Now, I have to say, I enjoyed the story, as always. But I am starting to go weary of Clary and Jace. In fact, I wanted to skip through their half of the book, but I just couldn't do it for plot's sake. 

Instead, the true gems for me are in the supporting characters. The relationship between Alec and Magnus is simply fabulous (well, honestly, Magnus is simply fabulous and by influence, so is Alec!). I love having a serious gay couple in young adult literature where they aren't romanticized or too perfect, but rather experience the same insecurities any couple faces, gay or straight. This is a great for all young adults to have experience with. In addition, Simon and Isabelle are a great couple. As complete opposites both supernaturally and humanly, they are full of twists, turns, and surprises. I honestly felt these characters were more interesting than the same old Clary and Jace nonsense, and would have been happy to just have their stories in this book. But alas, there are bigger things at work, and we must have Clary and Jace together again for the big, final, epic battle that is surely to come in the final book of the series. (Wait. Didn't it end already?!)

Endlessly Entertaining

I struggled with the second book of this series, Supernaturally, after loving the first book, Paranormalcy, so I didn't know what to really expect with this final book in the series. But, never one to give up on a trilogy after reading two thirds of the story, I went with Endlessly, and I am glad I gave Kiersten White's final book in the trilogy a shot.

Evie always knew she was different, growing up in IPAC (they keep the ugly beastlies in line) and seeing through paranormal glamours left her with anything but a normal childhood. But when IPAC turned on her and she found out what she really was- an Empty One- her ability to suck the souls from paranormals was further from normal than she ever thought she would be. But now that she is out of the Company and living almost a normal life (surrounded by vampires, water elementals, and other supernatural creatures, but more normal than IPAC!), she wants to avoid them at all costs. But when a group of paranormals want her to open a gate to another realm and take them all of earth, she isn't willing to use her powers again.

But the answer isn't that easy. The good paranormals want to go back home, but the bad ones, Unseelie faeries in particualr, are quite content where they are, taking advantage of the human race. When Evie's ex-boyfriend, faerie Reth, takes her on a tour of the Unseelie lands, she sees just how far their terror goes with their "farm" of humans and pregnant girls ready to give birth to more Empty Ones. And then her boyfriend, Lend, is cursed and she will do anything to lift the curse, even if it means working with paranormals again. But no one wants to make this easy for Evie. IPAC, the Unseelie court, Reth, and everyone she knows continue to pull her in different directions, and the one person Evie needs to talk to about it all is cursed to fall asleep every time she enters the room. Evie can never catch a break!

Like I said, I am glad I gave this book a shot. I am not sure why I struggled so much with the second book, but it just didn't appeal to me as much as the first book. This one redeemed the series a bit. I liked Evie in all her snarky madness, and the supporting characters really added to her development. I also liked the arc the story took and how it finally ended. It wasn't too predictable, but not unfamiliar either. I am glad I read this third book, because it made me appreciate the series again.

This is a great series for young girls because Evie is a strong, spunky, snarky young woman who isn't afraid to use her taser on a faerie or tell off a werewolf, but she is still just a young girl who wants normal things, like a dance with her boyfriend at the formal. I think girls will relate to Evie easily, and find themselves laughing out loud at her witty comments and silly antics. The series waivers between being fairly young and edging into the young adult realm. I wouldn't necessarily call it Middle Reader, but it is definitely on the younger side of YA. But either way, Evie will give you a chuckle!

One Big Paranormal Motley Crew!

Life is hard for any teenager. But if your father is an evil, sadistic jerk serving time and your mom is a stripper, life is downright miserable. In the first book of The Chronicles of Nick, Infinity, Sherrilyn Kenyon tells the story of a normal boy who is anything but normal.

Nick lives among thug football players, crazy voodoo hunters, and some real New Orleans characters, but he just can't seem to stay out of trouble. His mother tells him on a daily basis how hard she works to take care of him, and he wants nothing more than to make her happy, but things around him always fall apart. When another football jerk taunts him into reacting (by mentioning his mother's profession, of course), he gets suspended from school. What he didn't realize was he was safer being out of school than in it that week. 

When one football player attacks another and tries to eat him, people start to wonder what on earth they have been doing. When a whole rash of "zombies" start running around trying to kill people, they start to get worried. In New Orleans, of course, nothing surprises people. When the "zombies" (who aren't really zombies, but just kids who are under a voodoo trance) get out of hand, it's crazy Bubba and his clan who know exactly what to do. What Nick doesn't know, though, is everyone around him, including his classmates and his new employer, are not what they seem. But can all these paranormal beings stop brainwashed zombies from trying to eat their way through the city?

OK. So there was every kind of paranormal creature stuffed into one book. Sometimes that is fun, sometimes it can be a little overwhelming. In this book, I teetered on the edge of both sentiments. I found myself confused sometimes and others I had to laugh at how everyone just accepted werewolves and shapeshifters as something they figured existed anyway, and just hadn't seen for themselves yet. Sometimes, the addition of yet another paranormal creature made the story feel a little anticlimactic. I asked myself, "Really? No one thinks this is strange?" Maybe that is just the interpretation of the New Orleans culture coming through in this story, but it struck me as odd. 

Another struggle I had with this story is all the added angles flying in and out of the story. Sometimes there was so much going on it seemed confusing, especially when a new angle (like Nick's dad) was introduced, but never fully developed or explained. Since this is an ongoing series, I assume those things are being addressed later, but it makes the first book more difficult to digest at this point. Other than that, this was a fun book. I think the maturity level and reading level make it a decent middler reader book for your older middle school students through less mature young adult readers. I am anxious to read the next book in order to find a little resolution for my many many questions. At least I hope there is a little resolution!

Last Doesn't Always Mean Finale

We have all imagined what it would be like to have a gift- telepathy, psychokinesis, teleportation... those are some gifts I wouldn't mind test-driving! But Violet in Kimberly Derting's Body Finder series has a gift i can thin we would all agree is more "curse" than "gift". The Last Echo shows just how much of a curse Violet's ability to see death echoes- imprints on the murdered and their murderers- can be. 


After Violet's second run-in with a murderer who didn't like the fact that she could identify them, she is approached by a team of kids just like her... well, not none have her exact "gift", but they have gifts of their own. They have gifts that help them solve unsolvable crimes. The police don't exactly know how they do it, but their handler, Sara, organizes them and sends them where they are needed. She also provides access to a therapist since finding murdered people and their murderers isn't exactly soothing on the soul. 


Having people who understand her abilities certainly helps Violet, but she is torn between her partner, Rafe, and her boyfriend, Jay. Both know about her ability, but Rafe knows more about what Violet is going through, and her new job is driving a wedge between her and Jay. When a serial killer starts abducting women, the team is used to find his latest victims. As the bodies of young women start piling up, it begins to affect Violet more than she cares to admit. And the killer isn't about to stop. Not until he gets what he wants... But can the team stop him before he sets his sights on someone a little too close to home?


The Last Echo has just as much excitement and intrigue as the first two books, but the inner turmoil in the main characters has increased exponentially. You really see how the death echoes take their toll not only on her psyche, but also on her relationships with friends and family. It was a necessary development for Violet's character, and I am glad Derting went there. I also love the other members of the team. They are a great addition to the story and seem to level Violet out throughout the story. This book really had all the realistic (serial killer) and supernatural (gifts) creepiness rolled into one interesting package.


This is a great series for a wide range of students. The serial killer stuff was pretty creepy, but I dare you to find a serial killer who isn't. Actually, I thought the murder plot in the second book was a little weak, so this book really brought back the original creepiness. The thing is, I thought this was going to be the last in the series (the title The Last Echo might have had something to do with that), but I warn you, if this is the last book in the series, you aren't going to be happy! Derting had better be planning on a fourth book with the way she leaves this one off!

City of Magic and Conspiracy

Clary has never been more confused. The man who threatens all the Shadowhunters is actually her father, Valentine, the boy she couldn't stop thinking about is actually her brother, and there is a whole world her mother kept from her that is full of warlocks, vampires, demons, and werewolves, among other creepy beasties. Having been brought up as a mundane, Clary must find her way in the Shadowhunter world or quickly be devoured by it in City of Ashes: Mortal Instruments, Book Two by Cassandra Clare.


Clary doesn't know what to do about Jace now that they recently found out they share a father, and an evil father no less. She has trouble reconciling her feelings for Jace, but she knows her friend Simon, a simple mundane, is the less creepy option. Meanwhile, Jace has been thrown out of the only home he ever knew with the adoptive Lightwood family. Lost and alone, Jace is being punished for the sins of the father he never knew or had allegiance to. But now a war is brewing between Downworlders. A werewolf child and a warlock child were found dead, bled to death, and there is no one more logical to blame than the vampires. 


The vampires swear they had nothing to do with the deaths, but everyone suspects them. When Jace is investigated by the Clave and held prisoner in the Silent City, his father breaks in. He comes to see Jace and ask for Jace's help, but his own son was not his purpose for visiting the city and killing all the Silent Brothers. He was after the Mortal Sword. With or without Jace's help, Valentine plans to reverse the allegiance of the sword from good to bad so he can control the demons and finally fulfill his purpose- the extermination of the Downworlders who threaten the lives of humans and Shadowhunters alike. Even if the Clave doesn't believe in Jace's innocence, Clary and his adoptive siblings refuse to let him suffer for the evils Valentine has acted on. But will they make it in time to stop the conversion of the Mortal Sword?


These books sometimes seem overwhelming because they are quite large, but whenever I read one of Clare's books, I am immediately dragged right into it. I regret to admit I started this series almost 2 years ago and haven't kept up with it since. However, I have been keeping up with the Infernal Devices series, which renewed my interest in this series. Clare does a good job of giving you enough background that you can pick up a book even if you haven't read the one before it in a long while, and for that I was grateful (lately my ever-growing pile of books prevents me from much rereading). And after a few brief pages of catch-up, I was thrown right back into this story with a vengeance. The story was interesting and exciting, and as with all her books, she ends it with a satisfactory conclusion (no real huge cliffhangers) but still keeps you wanting more and leaves the end open for the next installment.


The stories are perfect for anyone who likes supernatural or paranormal stories. They are full of mysterious creatures, many of whom balance between their true evil nature and the life the Clave forces them into. There is a god deal of death and violence, but it is mostly of the supernatural type and isn't particularly gory. I love the excitement and in particular, the characters. Jace is that typical bad boy who really has a heart of gold despite his crusty, snarky exterior and you can't help but love him. My one icky-factor is the weirdness between him and Clary, who now appears to be his sister. So we have a Luke and Leia moment, but why is it continuing? And why aren't they grossed out now that they are brother and sister? I can only imagine this will resolve itself eventually and Clare won't have a Flowers in the Attic moment, but who knows where this plans to go... just please make them not be brother and sister because I am all in on team Jace!

Fallen Angels in Love

Lauren Kate's books are more than just a pretty cover, although the covers are so beautiful they are hard to stop looking at. She has some really captivating stories, too. The Fallen series is a few months away from the release of the final novel, but in Fallen in Love, Kate gave us four love stories that tie to the series as a little Valentine's treat. Although, in the world of fallen angels and demons, we know love can't always end happily...

Shelby and Miles are stuck in the past after having followed Luce through the Announcers. Now they must find an angel to get another Announcer to take them home, but first they can't stand out like sore thumbs. In their efforts to blend in, they come across Luce, the Luce of a different time who has yet to meet her fate for her love for Daniel. They know they shouldn't tamper with the past, but they can't help but try to give Luce even a few moments of the love that has spanned centuries.

Roland may seem like a curmudgeon, but there was a time when he was ready to do anything just for a few short years in his immortal life to be with the woman he loved, the mortal woman he knew he couldn't really be with. He broke her heart five years earlier, but now he knows he can't live without her.

Arriane finds herself in the ultimate of star-crossed love. As a fallen angel who is still loyal to heaven, she isn't sure what drew her to Tess, a fallen angel who has aligned herself with Lucifer. Tess is one of Lucifer's chosen soldiers, making it even more dangerous for them to spend time together, not to mention the stigma of two women in love. They know no good can come of their love, but they aren't prepared for the scars that will last for lifetimes.

Finally, Daniel and Luce. In this past self, she was a farmer's daughter while Daniel was a knight- two classes that can never come together. She knows she shouldn't put any faith in the fact that he might overlook her lot in life, but at the same time, she can't help but think about him. She feels there is something more powerful drawing them together, and that feeling can't be tempered by something as trivial as social class. That is a love that lasts, over and over again.

This was a fun little book to tide anyone over until the final book in the series comes out this summer. The timeline is muddled between the Luce of that time and the angels and Nephilim of the present day. But what I liked the most was that they all tied in together to this specific time and this specific Valentine's Day. It felt like they weren't separate short stories, but rather that they had a purpose in the scheme of the whole series and as a stand-alone book. It was a bittersweet tale of love and love lost... just in time for Valentine's Day!

An Investigation that Will Haunt You

Dream catcher. Knowing a person's most intimate thoughts and dreams. It might be interesting if it didn't control and possibly ruin your life. In Wake, by Lisa McMann, we saw how dreams were controlling Janie's life, but in Fade, the sequel, we see Janie learn to control the dreams.

Now that Janie knows Cabe isn't a drug dealer and is actually an undercover narc, she trusts him completely. She even begins working for the same department he does, trying to find leads in their small town. When a tip comes into a hotline that a teacher might be sexually assaulting students, the Captain sends in Janie as bait, much to Cabe's horror. Through her investigation, Janie suspects one of her teachers, but she can't prove anything. When the teacher invites the whole class to a Chem party at his house, she is nominated to go in and make sure nothing happens. Armed with her ability to read dreams and test strips to tell if there are drugs in any of the drinks, Janie feels safe enough to go to the party. What she doesn't know is that what she suspected was happening is really only the tip of the iceberg. In reality, the situation is much more terrifying and she walks willingly into a situation she might not find her way out of.

This was a much more disturbing follow up to the first story. With Wake, I thought the series bordered on the line of a middle reader series- very innocent paranormal series, but interesting enough to keep a kid's attention. With this sequel, it is clear this series is meant for young adults. The truth Janie uncovers is so terrifying it made me horrified just thinking about it. And the descriptions of how everything unfolded at the party will make you start homeschooling your children immediately. That all being said, this is a good book for a mature student who has low reading skills. It is a short, simple book but the material is anything but innocent.

Janie's character development really intrigued me in this sequel. At first, we knew she was an independent young woman who dealt with her mother's debilitating alcoholism with stoic determination. She wanted to do anything to go to college, and worked her butt off to save for it. Her dream hopping was hidden the best she could, and she kept everything to herself (before Cabe of course). But in this story we see a different side of her, and a lot of that comes from the more she learns about the dream catching. Through a deceased dream catcher's journals, Janie learns the terrifying fate that awaits her thanks to the dreams. The dreams not only take a lot out of her emotionally, but they literally drain the life right out of her. Now she must find a way to steel herself against the horrible truth of what awaits her. Do you think she will be able to live with the truth?

What's With All This Bloody Magic?!

Blood is considered powerful, the life source, embodiment of the human soul... magical even. So when a book emerges with blood as the source of magic, we are intrigued, but not terribly surprised by the connection. Tessa Gratton's novel Blood Magic delves into the world of magic, handed down through the generations, curses and all.

Silla is the girl everyone avoids. Especially now. Her parents are dead, her father was ruled to have killed her mother and then himself, and Silla is the one who found them. Then her brother found her, kneeling in their blood and in shock. Now she and her brother Reece live with their grandmother, but life is far from normal. In school, the more mild mannered kids just assume she has been driven crazy from her parents' deaths, but the more mean spirited kids assume she is just as dangerous and murderous as her father.

Nicholas was dragged to this small town from his life in Chicago by his evil stepmother Lilith (actually her name is Mary but he prefers the nickname of the woman who created all monsters- terribly fitting!). He is dreading his new life, but from the moment he sees Silla, he can't think of anything but being with her. When he finds out Silla and Reece have stumbled upon a family legacy- Magic- he begins to realize magic is entwined into his own life from the mother who tried to commit suicide then abandoned him as a child. When they find out Nicholas' mother and Silla's father knew one another, they know there is some connection, but they aren't sure what it is. What they aren't expecting is a centuries old witch who has cheating death and time and wants something Reece, Silla, and Nicholas have- their magic. Can they protect all they have left from their parents from the witch? Can they get to the bottom of who their parents really were?

With supernatural books in abundance these days, it is hard to find one that stands out from the pack. While I am not saying this is the best supernatural book ever written, it did indeed catch my attention. I really liked the characters and their weird intertwined relationships with one another. The combined story lines had me guessing as to the connection right up until the time Gratton delivered the real story. That guessing game is the root of the suspense we all want in this kind of story. While I had figured out a few things along the way, I wasn't expecting the final verdict. The characters were also very interesting in and of themselves. They had flaws, inner demons, and loss like no one their age should feel. At times I felt the loss of Silla's parents was handled very well, but Nicholas' mother's disappearance was glossed over. This was the one glaring flaw in my mind. At one point, Silla even mentions his mother and he says something along the lines of "forget her, she is gone, its over" even though she is alive and out there in the world. It seemed odd to me to pay such close attention to one family and gloss over the other family, especially since they were connected in the end.

This book would be appropriate for most junior to senior high school students. There is a lot of bloody gore throughout the story, but it isn't overdone in comparison to the darkness of the story. An aspect of the book that annoyed me a little was the sexual tension and relationship between Silla and Nicholas. Everything happens so fast, yet they cannot break themselves apart from one another. It seemed too forced, too fabricated. I suppose you could use the magic to explain it, but I felt it directly clashed with the time line of the story. There were also long drawn out make-out scenes that were unnecessary compared to the purpose of the story. They didn't go very far, but it left me thinking, "Enough already! Where is the evil witch so we can kick her butt?!" But overall, this was a pretty good story. It will appeal to those supernatural junkies who need magic and spells and hocus pocus in their lives!

Can Supernatural be "Normal"?

When we last saw Evie, she had been released from the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA). Assumed dead thanks to the woman who raised her who works for IPCA, Evie was free to live the normal life she always dreamed about. The problem? Normal is pretty boring. In Supernaturally, by Kiersten White, we see how Evie is drawn to the paranormal world, whether she wants to admit it or not.

While Lend is in college, Evie has moved in with a cantankerous vampire, works in a paranormal-friendly diner run by a tree sprite and a gnome, but high school is her biggest challenge. Try as she might, she just can't bring herself to care about the mundane nonsense everyone in high school seems to obsess about. When she is contacted by IPCA to take occasional jobs and help them out on the understanding that she can pick and choose what jobs she wants, Evie jumps at the idea. Even though Lend doesn't want her to. Her first few jobs go awry, especially as Evie is trying to reconcile herself with IPCA's motives. They swear to have stopped their more controversial practices, like neutering werewolves, and convince Evie they are only trying to protect innocent people from harmful paranormals. But when one of her jobs leads her to a group of trolls assumed to be keeping humans as slaves, instead she finds kind trolls who bought their land themselves and live peacefully- except for the horrid vampire who has been feeding on their children.

Since Evie refused to use any fey on her jobs (thanks to being kidnapped by Reth, her faerie former boyfriend), she is given Jack as a paranormal taxi. Jack is a human who can travel the faerie paths without getting lost for all of eternity- not something humans are supposed to be able to do. Despite Lend's irritation with IPCA and Jack, Evie finally starts to feel useful with her new job. She even starts to spend more time with Jack and ventures into the faerie world with him. Unfortunately, there is something brewing among faeries and she keeps finding herself in strange and dangerous situations. Is someone trying to hurt Evie? Can she figure out who before they succeed?

I was surprisingly underwhelmed by this sequel, which was incredibly disappointing since i loved the first book so much. The book jacket described some faerie war where both the good (Seelie) and bad (Unseelie) courts of fey were fighting over her, but there was almost nothing in this book about that war. I kept thinking it was building up to it and it would be along shortly, but once I was done with 3/4 of the book, I realized it wasn't coming! There was a slight mention of the fey wanting her, but no war like the jacket and book descriptions all mentioned. Instead, the story was kind of slow and much more teenage angst than paranormal story. I have no problem with teenage angst, but with a title like Supernaturally, I was left wondering where the heck the supernatural stuff really was! It was there, but more as an after thought than the focus of the story. It also pained me to see Evie portrayed more as a whiny teen girl when she was so saucy and snarky in the last book, which I loved.

The writing and content for this book is appropriate for any kid in middle school through high school. The plot wouldn't be understandable without first reading Paranormalcy, but I would rather give a student who liked the first book a different title than this sequel. Some might like it, but there is more out there that is much more exciting. I have to say I am sadly disappointed by this book. I expected so much more after such an amazing first book!

Underwater Mystery

Imagining life under the surface of the ocean is an interesting activity. Personally, I would love to live in a sub-surface community. My soon-to-be husband Kevin? Won't even put his little pinky toe into water! Terrified of the ocean and everything that might be lurking right under the surface. Of course, I like to tease him about this, but in reality I imagine there are many people who would be terrified to live under the water. Rip Tide, Kat Fall's sequel to Dark Life, has all those scary elements like sharks, saltwater crocodiles, giant squid, and murderous outlaws, but there is something so nice about the communities themselves, you will find yourself dreaming of the ocean!

Although Ty and his parents took Gemma in, she can't bring herself to live underwater. Something about living sub-sea terrifies her. But life in the underwater settlements has improved since Gemma first came along. The government has recognized the settlements as territories and now allows them to sell their farmed and caught food on the open market (instead of using the food as taxes and letting the government keep the profit). Ty's parents are eager to prove to the rest of the community that the trade between the underwater settlers and the "serfs" will be safe and profitable for everyone. Settlers fear the serfs who live on floating cities called townships, and serfs hate the settlers for pushing a new law that prevents them from fishing anywhere on the continental shelf. It is hard enough for them to get enough food to survive, and with government rations cut in half, the new law means they are barely surviving. Ty's parents go on their first trade, but something goes wrong. Someone interrupts the trade and kidnaps his parents, while Ty and Gemma barely get away.

Now Gemma and Ty must find a way to get his parents back, but no one seems to be able to help them. With the incompetence of the Seaguard (police), they decide to do some investigating themselves, fearing the worst for Ty's parents. As they go deeper into the world of reconditioned oil rigs, extreme boxing matches, and the horrible people who run them, they realize just how bad life is for the serfs. When they come upon a terrifying gladiator-esque game where serfs choose to battle enormous saltwater crocodiles for a little extra food for their townships, Ty and Gemma realize something has to change for the serfs. With the weight of the world's problems on their shoulders, they refuse to stop searching for his parents. But will they make it in time?

I was wondering how this sequel was going to follow-up on the previous story, and I was pleasantly surprised. It was a mature but accessible route that really let the story grow up but still work for younger students. I loved the politics of the division between the serfs and the settlers, and how the government was so easily corruptible with no regard to the people it is affecting. It will open up great discussions, but isn't to abstract or mature to miss that "middle reader" crowd. The writing and content is perfect for a wide range of students from middle readers to upper high school. It dances around the fringe of science-fiction or supernatural fiction, but it isn't too far from reality. Therefore I think these two stories would really be great for a huge array of readers. I am interested to see if Kat Falls stops here, or keeps the story going!

Who Says Picture Books are for Little Kids?!

We all love(d) picture books, right? The pictures were what lured us in and started us reading. So wouldn't it be ingenious to create an amazing story full of quirky old photographs that pulled a struggling reader in with the images and held them with the rocking story? Well, Ransom Riggs did just that with Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

Jacob grew up listening to his grandfather's wild stories about girls who floated, an invisible boy, a fire starter, and the orphanage they all lived in run by "a bird who smoked a pipe". When he was young, these stories were addictive, along with the photos that accompanied them. Once he got older, though, he became skeptical and eventually confronted his grandfather about their authenticity. When Jacob's grandfather is found brutally murdered, Jacob loses it. He pulls away from everyone and everything, and his parents make him see a therapist. With the therapist's encouragement, Jacob and his father finally set off to find the orphanage his grandfather escaped to as his Jewish family was being herded into concentration camps.

Once they arrive on the remote island in Wales, they realize it is a strange place- almost stuck in time. When Jacob finds the orphanage, his dreams are immediately destroyed with the rotting corpse of the building. But then he spies some kids- the same kids from his grandfather's photos. They take him back to the orphanage- or at least exactly how it was in 1940. The orphanage they live in is in a time loop created by Miss Peregrine, the head lady of the orphanage who can shift into a bird and protects the "peculiar" children. The children have been living for decades in the loop, and Jacob's arrival is very exciting. But when it becomes clear the peculiars are in trouble, Jacob is will to risk everything to protect them, especially Emma, the girl who once loved her grandfather. But how can a normal, boring human help the peculiars? Maybe he isn't so "normal"!


The best way to describe this book is "peculiar". It is comforting, yet strange and different. The photos aren't the only oddities of this story, the characters, concept, and execution are strange too, but strange in an amazing, whirlwind way. Without the photos, the story still wouldn't be your average "supernatural" or "paranormal" story we see so much of today. It is a truly novel concept and execution and I couldn't get enough of it.

The writing, story, and characters are all appropriate for a wide range of students. The photos will captivate a younger or lower-skilled student and keep them turning the pages, but the story is sophisticated enough to keep a stronger or older reader hooked as well. I can see the quirky students loving this book, but the less "peculiar" students also being sucked into the interesting story. Truly, this is one of those magical books that might end up as my "go to" independent reading story for most kids. I have a few of them, my reliable all stars that work for so many students. I predict this book will soon be added to this illustrious list! Add it to your libraries and classroom shelves... you won't be sorry!

Steampunk and the Supernatural

Sometimes I am intimidated by the sheer size of Cassandra Clare's books. I have only read the first of the Mortal Instruments series because they are sooo big! But I was talking to my sister about them the other day and she made a very good point- they might be big, but they are so good you fly right through them. She was right! I am glad I picked up Clockwork Angel, the first book in the new Infernal Devices series, a prequel to the Mortal Instruments series. Had I not, I would have missed out on so much supernatural goodness!

Tessa comes to London to meet her brother. She hasn't seen him since he left New York and now that he is the only family she has left, she is anxious to reunite with him. Immediately she is captured by two vile women who call themselves the Dark Sisters. The Dark Sisters kept Tessa for months, forcing her to get control of a power she never knew she had: shape-shifting. But Tessa's is no normal shifting, she can actually become the person, thoughts and all. The Dark Sisters use her to tell them what happened to people they thought might be dead, as Tessa could relive their last moments. The shifting was terrifying for Tessa, especially since she thought she was dying along with the person she had become. Finally, when Tessa is finished training, they prepare her for her wedding (magical) to the Magistrar, the head of a very powerful supernatural group who wants to control London.

When Tessa sees an opportunity to escape, she takes it. Luckily it happens to be at the exact same time a wild young man named Will comes in to investigate a dead girl he tied to the Dark Sisters. He takes Tessa back to the Institute, a place where Shadowhunters are trained to control magical folks and if necessary, hunt and kill them when they threaten the mundanes (non-magical folks). There, Tessa finds people she can trust and who will help her find her brother, who is now missing. The people at the institute track her brother Nate to a mundane who dabbles in the supernatural. He directs them to a vampire who controls the most powerful London coven and seems to have forgotten the Accords, laws created by the Shadowhunters that prevent magical people from hurting non-magical people. When Tessa shifts into a vampire and goes with a Shadowhunter into the vampire's party, she finds evidence the Accords have been broken as well as her brother Nate, bound and ready to be eaten by the head vampire. The Shadowhunters break in and kill most of the vampires, but the head of the coven escapes. Now they must find him before he can give life using demon energy to his army of robotic clockwork minions, because he won't stop until he has Tessa all to his own, even if it means killing every last Shadowhunter.

For those of you who don't know, Steampunk is an interesting subgenre of science fiction. It involves alternate history with interesting technological advances for the time period (usually 19th century). The movie "Wild Wild West" was a type of Steampunk, as well as a lot of stories by Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. This book is not only full of your typical supernatural beastlies like warlocks and vampires and werewolves, it also has these creepy automatons that are being created as a new, unstoppable army. The uses of clockwork cogs and wheels to led to the name "clockwork army". It is a really interesting subgenre, and one our kids might not have had any exposure to.

The story is interesting from start to finish and although it is long, it doesn't feel like it is long. Instead, you find yourself plowing through all 500 or so pages like it was a couple hundred, shocked when you get to the end. The story is a little sophisticated, but not in terms of adult content or language. Instead, it just seems like a grown-up story, which would appeal to kids who don't like "childish" stories. The alternate history, science fiction, and Steampunk might appeal to those a wide range of students, including quirky kids who are hard to find a book for. It is exciting and engaging. While the size of the book might intimidate some kids (or adults!), don't let that keep them from starting this series- it's too good not to give it a shot!

Darkenss Lit Up My Day!

Greek Gods? Love 'em! Shape shifters? Can't wait to see what they'll "pop" into next! Vampires? Oddly intrigued, but hate to admit it. Witches, wizards, and warlocks? Put a spell on me baby! New Orleans French Cajun culture... oui! Put it all together and what do you get? No, not seven separate books, silly. You get Darkness Becomes Her, by Kelly Keaton, and you are going to love it!

Ari had a strange childhood. Given up at the age of four, she was bounced from horrible foster home to horrible foster home until she was taken in by loving bail bondsmen, Bruce and Casey, who not only love her, they teach her to kick some butt (and full weapons training of course). But Ari needs to know what happened to her mother, so she tracks down the mental institute her mother was committed in when she died. It is there she learns her mother committed suicide shortly after giving Ari up. Ari collects her mother's possessions and in the box, she find a letter from her mother telling her to run, and run fast. Ari ignores the letter at first, but when a big scary man speaking another language attacks her and is impervious to bullets, she knows her mother wasn't crazy after all.

Barely escaping with her life, Ari is determined to find out what really happened to her mother. So she ventures into New 2, what is left of New Orleans. Around the time Ari was given up, a wave of hurricanes all but destroyed New Orleans. The US wanted to abandon it entirely, but a group of 9 New Orleans families came together and bought the city from the country, making it the only privately owned city in North America. New 2 is rumored to be lawless and a paranormal haven, but not many people dare to enter (except a few silly tourists). The culture still exists, but as Ari arrives, she realizes so does a whole population of "freaks"- strange people who turn out to be as paranormal as the rumors said they were. Apparently the 9 families who own New 2, Novem, are made up of vampires, witches and warlocks, and shape shifters. They work together to take care of the city and keep it safe from the real nasties out in the ruins.

When Ari arrives, she is "adopted" by a group of freaks who live in an abandoned house. Sebastian, the leader, agrees to help her find information about her mother. Instead, they find Sebastian's grandmother knew Ari's mom and even paid her hospital bill when Ari was born. When they go to the Novem, of which Sebastian's grandmother is part of, they find there is a terrible curse on Ari's family where the women in her family all die by 21, but not before delivering a baby girl. Sebastian's grandmother agrees to help her fight the curse, but before she can, Ari is kidnapped by a supernatural soldier and taken to a hidden prison. It is there she learns the truth of who she is. She manages to escape and help the other prisoners- a harpy, a shapeshifter woman/spider, and even Sebastian's father, who he thought was gone forever.

The prisoners tell her it is the petulant Greek Goddess Athena who imprisoned them, and it is Athena who cursed Ari's family. It turns out, Ari's curse goes farther back than she or anyone else expected. Now she has the Novem who want to keep her as a weapon, an angry goddess who is simply a jerk, and Ari finds out she can be a real danger to everyone, her friends included, when she comes of age. But Ari won't just give up. She is determined to take control of her life, even if it means showing a Greek God who is really the boss!

This was SUCH an interesting book and it took so many twists and turns I had no idea what was going to happen. I read it in one sitting and was really annoyed when anyone interrupted me because it was so addictive! The interwoven myths and supernatural creatures are so cool, and the truth behind Ari's curse dates right back to Greek mythology. There is another book planned for next year, and I have already pre-ordered it! I can't wait!

There is some forceful language in the story, but most of it is totally deserved (wouldn't you throw out a curse word or two if an awful goddess cursed your family for countless lifetimes and is trying to cook your brain?!). The content can be violent at times, but is nothing gratuitous or violent for the sake of being violent. Instead, it is just the nature of such a story with life and death situations around every bend. This is a great book for almost any student, as it is fast-paced, exciting, and the characters are awesome. You won't be sorry if you pick up this book... but you might be trapped where ever you do because it is too good to put down until you reach that last page!

Confusing but Intriguing

This is a hard review to write, because I can honestly say I am not sure how I feel about this book. In fact, I am not entirely sure I know what happened in this book. I read it. I paid close attention. I even reread parts. I am still not completely sure I understood it all. Let's see if I can explain it semi-coherently... Imaginary Girls, by Nova Ren Suma...

Chloe is enthralled by her big sister, Ruby. In fact everyone is. "Enthralled" isn't even the word; bewitched might be more appropriate. She doesn't pay attention to any traffic signs or lights, but all other traffic just stops and lets her go. She shows up to work when she wants to, leaves when she's ready, and gives away stuff, but she never loses her job. At any given time, she has a legion of love sick boys following her around doing her bidding. Ruby is quite a force in their small upstate New York town by the NYC reservoir. But no one can quite explain why. Ruby practically raised Chloe since their mother spent most of her time in the local pub, but their relationship is more than that. It's indescribable.

One night everyone is at the reservoir swimming (illegally) and Ruby convinces Chloe to swim across. Chloe does, as she always does what Ruby says she can, but something goes wrong. The reservoir has covered a number of towns when it was flooded, and Ruby always says there are still people living down there, beneath the surface, in the water logged streets of Olive. When Chloe gets into the middle of the reservoir, she feels something strange, possibly she is tired, but miraculously a boat appears. She grabs the boat to catch her breath and realizes she isn't along- a classmate named London is inside the boat, dead. After the commotion of being dragged out of the water, speaking to the cops, and it being announced London had ODed, Chloe is dragged out of town to live with her father in Pennsylvania (Ruby has a different father). After two years, Ruby comes to get Chloe and convinces her to come back to NY.

When Chloe arrives, she can sense something strange about the town. First, London is alive, but not fully there. She isn't a ghost, but she seems strange, not to mention she should be dead. Ruby makes Chloe promise she won't leave the town, but Chloe starts to feel the need to do the opposite of what Ruby says. When Ruby tells her to stay away from Owen, Chloe wants him more. She gets in a car with London and a bunch of boys and heads out of town for a party. When they get further from town, everyone's opinion of Ruby goes from awestruck to scathing. Then, just as they cross the line, London disappears. In fact, as people get farther from Ruby, her influence seems to fade. Chloe even goes to the reservoir, which Ruby forbade her to do. Curious, she sticks her toe in the water, and she realizes something is wrong. It is then that Chloe truly begins to realize the oddness surrounding Ruby and her control over people and places. But one thing is for sure... Ruby would die for Chloe... or kill for her.

This strange novel is written in beautiful poetic language. The descriptions of Ruby seem like something out of a fantasy, but then again, they kind of are. They can get a little tedious at times, but that is supposed to be the point- in Ruby's presence, she is always the center of attention. I think this language will lose most young readers, though. In fact, it almost lost me. I got a little tired of reading about some mysterious thing that I had no idea what it was. I spent a few hundred pages wondering what the heck was going on, and only stuck with it because I had to know. Of course, by the time I got to the end, I still didn't really understand what had happened. I did, in a way, but I also didn't.

I can visualize the kind of kid this book would be good for- that very abstract student who enjoys fantasy but is a little romantic. This is quite a narrow group of students (I can think of one or two), so this might not be a book you invest in for a library. Or, you might want to because it is perfect for that very specific type of student. Unfortunately, I think it will lose most other students. I know it lost me on many occasions. The author is at Oblong in August, so I am interested to meet her and hear her talk about the book. Maybe that will clarify some things for me. But one thing is for sure- from the cover to the relationship between Ruby and Chloe, this is one seriously haunting book.

Paranormal Roller Coaster

With so many paranormal books out there, it is hard to know where to turn next. Do I want vampires? Are werewolves (and were-bears and were-tigers) what I am looking for? How about Faeries and Fae and Pixies? What if you had a book that had all of those things, but also had a CIA-esque agency called the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA) that kept track of all the creepies and beastlies in the world through an amazing young woman who can see right through the glamours beastlies put up to keep silly humans serving themselves up on a silver platter. Welcome to Paranormalcy by Kiersten White!

According to Evie, Edward might look hot in Twilight, but real vampires are not so pretty. They project a glamour that makes them look hot, but under the glamour they are just nasty shriveled corpses. It's the unfortunate side effect to immortality. The reason Evie knows this is she can see through the glamours of all paranormals. You name it and she can tell you it isn't human. In fact, Evie is the reason the IPCA was created. When she was discovered in a park late one night, alone, an orphan, and screaming because the vampire attacking her didn't look so pretty, the Paranormal Agencies in all the major countries bound together with a treaty and made Evie the primary stipulation of that treaty- she was to work for the agency and help them find, tag, and "neuter" any paranormals that threatened humans.

The work is fine for Evie, but what she really wants is a normal life. School, prom, and a locker are her biggest dreams. When she steps into her boss's (and surrogate mother) office to find a creature she had never seen before "wearing" her boss's face, she stuns him and captures him for the agency. This creature, Lend, is like flowing water on the inside and can morph into anyone he wants to on the outside, which is how he broke into IPCA. Now he is being held in the agency and Evie is determined to figure out what he is, much to her boss's irritation. After all, he is the only other person/thing she knows who is roughly her age! What she learns from her time with Lend is that she really wants to know people her own age and live a normal life. She also begins to realize the Agency might be keeping her less as an asset and more like prisoner.

When something starts killing all the paranormals, the Agency tries to get to the bottom of the mystery. They aren't interested in killing paranormals, just making sure they don't harm any humans. When the threat breaks into IPCA, Evie knows she must save Lend. They go back to his home where she finds out just how normal life can be for a paranormal like Lend- school, dances, friends, movie theaters- you name it! But there is more to the story of Lend's parents, the IPCA, the paranormal killer, and Evie herself. Can she figure it all out before everyone she cares about is taken from her?

This was such a fun story! It reminded me of the agency in Buffy that controlled all the paranormals in Sunnydale, right down to "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" sentiment! I liked Evie's character a lot- you feel so bad for her when she realizes how much the agency used and controlled her. Plus, a girl with a faerie as an ex-boyfriend and a mermaid for a best friend has to be cool, right?! It is a really interesting take on the whole paranormal genre and gives new energy to the well covered genre. The characters are interesting the story is full of twists and turns, and nothing is quite as it seems.

The writing is fairly simple and clean. This is a great story for a wide range of students. Unfortunately, the cover, while cool, might not attract a wide range of students. It looks a lot softer than it really is. The story is very serious and dark at times. If you can get kids past the girl with the pink dress on the cover, I think you will find it appeals to a lot of students (and adults too)! Now I can only hope White continues Evie's story!