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. 

An Island of Secrets

Orphans with potential will still be lost in the system. Their potential turns from something good to something that could lead them down a path of crime. When one man develops a network to funnel those delinquent orphans through the system directly to his island, he changes the fate of these children forever. John Dixon's Phoenix Island is a no-nonsense story about who we are inside... and who we are fated to be. 

Carl Freeman lost his parents and became an orphan. Stability is a figment of his imagination as he is bounced from foster family to foster family and state to state. He tries to stay out of trouble and keep to himself, but he has a weakness for bullies. When he sees a bunch of kids going too far, he can't help but step in and do something. Of course the bullies were the sons of very connected people, so boxing champ Carl is deemed the villain in that story. When the judge sends him to Phoenix Island, Carl chooses to see this as an opportunity rather than a punishment. If he keeps his head down and does his time, he will be released with an expunged record by the time he is 18. This is the first big break Carl has ever received and he intends to take it seriously. 

Phoenix Island is nothing like he expected. Sure, there are other delinquents like himself, but the guards are not interested in just making sure everyone follows the rules. They are soldiers. And sadistic. In addition, they have picked some favorites out of the group to act as their long reaching arms into the ranks of the orphans. The boys chosen for that detail are exactly like the kids Carl beat up to get put here. It will be hard enough to keep his head down, but when Carl starts to suspect there is something deeper and darker than just vindictive guards, he struggles with his inner conscience. His weakness has always been that he cared about the people around him. At least that is what the system led him to believe. But in reality? Has it made him stronger than the bullies around him?

Phoenix Island looked like a "boy book" and truly turned out to be a boy book. If it was a movie, a 16 yr old Sylvester Stallone would play Carl. He would wear a dirty white tank top and fatigues and run around the island all sweaty and dirty. I am not criticizing this. Honestly? I watch the Rambo series all the time (more than I care to admit). But there is a particular audience for this kind of story. If you have a reader who loves those violent action flicks (I know I do!) with explosions and bad guys and the lone good guy trying to save the world one innocent life at a time, here be your tale. And it was done pretty well, albeit a little formulaic. I really didn't have to predict much about the layout of the plot because it happened just as you would think it would. Again, that isn't to say I didn't like it, because it was certainly enjoyable, but I would have loved a surprise every now and then. 

The real winner in this story is Carl. He is truly unwavering in his goodness. Carl actually cannot control himself when it comes to protecting the innocent, even when he knows it will totally and completely ruin his life. He is the epitome of unwavering good guy. A little unrealistic, but it makes for an entertaining story! He is the kind of good guy you can't help but root for and hope he pummels the crap out of the bad guys. I have to say, the fact that he is always in trouble for stopping bullying is my favorite part of the story (and the saddest reflection of humanity). Phoenix Island is an entertaining, kind of predictable story that will certainly appeal to those hard-to-reach boys. 

Darkest Side of Humanity

Fear is an ugly thing, but when it causes humanity to turn its back on its own children, ugly is no longer the word. In The Darkest Mind by Alexandra Bracken, the world has long surpassed ugly. It is broken, and there may be no way to come back from where it has gone.

Ruby has spent most of her life at Thurmond, what was supposed to be a "rehabilitation camp" for kids but turned into a prison, a detention camp. When she first arrived all those years ago, something was happening to her that she couldn't explain. Unfortunately, it only took a short time in the camps to understand how the adult world now felt about kids like Ruby. When a plague swept the US, many kids died, but it was the ones who survived the virus that scared the adults. They were the ones who developed powers. Classified in levels where Blues and Greens were the least powerful, and Yellows, Oranges, and Reds were the most dangerous, the kids are sorted in the camp and separated according to their power. While Ruby is an Orange, even at 10 years old she could see it was dangerous to be labeled as one of the more powerful kids. She uses her power of mind control to get classified a Green, and when they start emptying the camps of Yellows, Oranges, and Reds, she knows she made the right decision.

Ruby lives life knowing how to keep her head down, but she has no control of her power. And while it saved her life once, getting into minds has severe consequences, like erasing all memory of herself from the minds of the people she loves. When the camp uses a special frequency to weed out any higher level students hiding amongst the Blues and Greens, Ruby is found out. But luckily, there were people ready to help her- squirreled out of the camp with another hidden Orange, Ruby is rescued by Children's League- an organization that aims to fight the government's treatment of the children. The Children's League sounds like it is too good to be true, and it is. Because the only way to fight fire is with fire. Already on edge, Ruby is skeptical of the Children's League and when the opportunity to escape presents itself, she runs. And she runs right into three kids who are also on the run: Chubs, Liam, and a little girl named Suzume. Since erasing her parents' memories of herself, Ruby has never truly let herself care for anyone, until now. And there is nothing more dangerous in this scary new world than caring about people who could so easily get hurt. The kids are in search of a fabled place where kids can live in peace, but can such a place exist in a world so full of darkness?

Darkest Minds was a really good book! It was action-packed, and the back story is so twisted and dark, you felt like you had to know more. The idea of rounding kids up and eliminating the ones that are too powerful to control is terrifying. But is it wrong? Incorrect? I sadly believe people's fear can drive them to do things that are so heinous and unforgivable, it is hard to imagine how they go to that place. Fear is a funny thing that will bring us places we never thought we would go to. And this novel really gets to the heart of this fact. And it is scary! By the end of the book, you have a completely different idea as to who the "Darkest Minds" were. 

Another interesting aspect of the story is how the Oranges really can be unstable and violent. When Ruby first came to the camp, she watched one kill a guard without remorse, or even a second thought. When you start the story, you want to think of the adults as the bad guys and the kids as the ones who need saving, but the instability of the Oranges (and you never really see any Reds) brings a whole new level to the story. It is an interesting twist that will keep you enthralled form cover to cover.

The story is a great, action-packed story with multiple layers to be peeled back like an onion. It is great for any kid (or adult) who likes dystopias, supernatural stories, action, etc. Some situations, especially the camp, are violent and difficult to internalize at times. This is a great gender neutral novel that can keep anyone addicted! 

Destruction of a Man's Humanity

Juliette has escaped from the asylum where she was kept, but she left Warner behind- her captor. What she didn't know in Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, is that Warner has a few secrets of his own. Dangerous secrets. Secrets that could make his father come to the final conclusion that he had gone soft. Secrets that are revealed in Destroy Me. 

Warner is beyond livid that Juliette has escaped, but there is more to his anger than just being duped by one of his own soldiers. Warner can't get Juliette out of his mind. He has always been fascinated by her, and his fascination treads on the cusp of being an obsession. Now that she has managed to escape, Warner's father arrives to clean up the mess. But he discovers Warner's secrets in the process, like the fact that Warner is weak and cares about the civilians attached to his post. This is a transgression no leader can afford. And his love (albeit warped love) for Juliette may just be the final straw.

In Shatter Me you assume Warner is just an evil jerk who needs control and enjoys hurting people, but there is more to him and I am glad this short story showed that side. This little story reveals a new Warner who will, quite honestly, change the tone of the next book. Therefore, this really becomes a short story you should read before you continue the series. And remember, there is always more to someone than meets the eye!

Fantastical Fantasy!

Who would imagine that the most dangerous person in the world could be a young woman? Well, the King did, which is why he put her in the most dangerous prison in the land. In Sarah J. Mass's Throne of Glass, we watch a young woman transform from a nameless prisoner to the prince's champion, but she never becomes any less deadly.

Celaena was put into the work camp in the mines with the expectation she wouldn't last long, but she is always underestimated. Trained by the King of Assassins, she counts on being underestimated. But when the prince comes to the prison, she isn't expecting to be brought back to the castle for a competition. In an effort to find the ultimate assassination, the king has devised a diabolical competition between the toughest (and the most dangerous) thugs and criminals in the country. Each competitor is sponsored by a member of the court, and Celaena is the prince's tribute. 

Throughout her earliest training, Celaena is advised to keep her true identity and her true abilities a secret. She struggles with keeping her deadliness a secret with some of the other, less refined, competitors mock her, but winning her freedom is worth swallowing her pride. But when the competitors start showing up dead, and not just dead but disemboweled and partially eaten, it becomes clear the competitors aren't the only deadly creatures in the castle. Celaena is sure she is on the list for whatever is skulking about at night, but she won't let it frighten her. And she certainly won't let it convince her to give up the fight for her freedom.

This was a fabulous fantasy for anyone who has read and enjoyed Graceling, Finnikin of the Rock, etc. It is that mild fantasy that has an otherworldly feel, but isn't too out there to discourage the realistic readers. it is a great book for any strong middle readers through young adults. There is a little violence, but it isn't too graphic. But most of all, the books is tremendously exciting. You won't be able to put it down, it is so exciting!

The thing I like most about this story is Celaena herself. Sometimes when an author writes a truly strong female lead, they can feel artificial. Sometimes they are too mean, too aggressive, too disconnected, or even just plain unlikable. But Celaena is different. She has the ability to kill a man three times her size with her bare hands, but she is still someone you find yourself wanting to root for. She is an assassin, yet you find yourself wanting to know her better. Celaena is an awesome female lead who can inspire oodles of young girls out there. So pass this on to a girl you know, and let her bear witness to one fierce and fabulous leading lady!

The Solution to the Maze

There is something so bittersweet about the final book in a series you loved so much. When the final Harry Potter book came out, I was thrilled and heart-broken at the same time! With The Death Cure, James Dashner's final book in the Maze Runner trilogy, I am sad to see the series end, but I started it hopeful the ending would be as I had hoped- finally a little peace for the kids who had been at the mercy of the evil corporation WICKED.

Thomas and his friends survived the Maze (an experiment to judge their responses and hopefully find a cure to the Flare) and the Scorch (the terrifying desert filled with sick crazies). But now that they are back in the hands of WICKED, the company using them as lab rats to find the cure to the Flare, they know nothing good is going to happen to them. Held hostage and isolated for weeks, they finally find a way to escape, but to do so they have to trust Brenda and Jorge- WICKED employees planted in the Scorch to keep an eye on them. But with no other options, they find Brenda and Jorge hate WICKED as much as they do. Unfortunately, the world is a cold, dangerous place for Munies- those immune to the Flare.

Once they manage to escape, they make there way to Denver which has become a walled, protected city free from the sickness. Unfortunately, the safety in Denver is all an illusion. The sickness is slowly starting to take over. When Thomas is contacted by the Right Arm, an organization devoted to take down WICKED, he knows they have to risk their lives and go back to the lab to destroy the evil people who test kids and have no qualms about watching them die. But can Thomas and his friends, the kids who lived through so much, make it through this final trial? Can they get rid of WICKED once and for all? And even if they do, what will be waiting for them on the other side?

Oh Dashner, you rapscallion! You had me hanging through the whole book PRAYING you didn't leave those poor kids in a worse situation (and me totally ticked off) by the end of the story. Thank goodness you took it easy on those kids (and me!). We needed a good ending! This book was a great culmination in the trilogy we spent so much time waiting for (im)patiently and while I am sad to have it end, I am glad it ended the way it did.

This series is phenomenal for any student, but I think it will be particularly successful with male struggling readers. The excitement and commitment to the young characters makes the story more than just plot twists and action. The kids I know who have started this series haven't been able to put it down. In fact, the adults I know who read these books couldn't put them down either! Dashner is an evil genius, but the ending of this series proved he wasn't as evil as I originally thought- he loved his characters as much as I did!

Marked with the Stamp of Greatness!

Occasionally I read a book that is so good I have to read every review of the book, find the author's website, and hunt to find if there are signings, sequels or any other news about the book. This is rare for me, but when it happens, I feel as though I have been steamrolled! Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien sent me on just such a hunt!

Gaia and her mother are midwives in a dystopian community just north of Unlake Superior (no longer a lake since the climate change). The community consists of a walled in city called the Enclave and the small communities outside the wall. The Enclave requires every midwife to "advance" the first three babies born every month to the Enclave to be adopted to Enclave families. Gaia and her family serve the Enclave well until her parents are arrested and Gaia enters the wall illegally to find them.

Inside the wall, the truth and reality about the advancements comes out. The small city has had so much inbreeding due to the ambiguity of the adoptions that the population will soon be extinct due to infertility and hemophilia if something isn't done quickly. Now the Enclave wants to get their hands on the secret, illegal records the midwives have been keeping. When Gaia is caught inside the wall after she delivers a baby from a woman who was just executed, she is put in prison with the other doctors and midwives. While her time inside the wall is haunted with worries of her imprisoned parents, she learns more about healing and about the genetic nightmare inside the wall than she ever would have on the outside. Now, with the help of the kind guard, she must betray her parents records of the birth in order to prevent her mother's execution. More importantly, though, she must save her mother and escape the Enclave.

I love a good dystopia, especially with a strong heroine who can see through the corruption of the government. Gaia is just such a heroine, and she is determined to do what is right regardless of the consequences. The bizarre but haunting troubles with the Enclave are an interesting and disturbing take on a society's downfall. This is particularly interesting when the forced adoptions are factored in and the Enclave's only hope are the people outside the wall they have used essentially as slaves for generations.

The writing can be a bit more mature than most YA (the word avuncular is used in the first 20 pages!), but the story is so gripping, it might challenge a struggling reader. While the story isn't stiflingly complex, the higher reading level and intricate story might be best for older students. I would give this to students grades 10 and up. There is no content a parent might find objectionable, such as drugs, alcohol, sex, etc. Instead, the disturbing parts are upsetting for a whole new reason- what could happen after a very real threat: climate change. This was an excellent YA dystopia and I am very excited O'Brien's publishing company decided to make this a trilogy instead of one book! Now I just have to wait (im)patiently for the second book!

Imprisoned by Supreme Fantasy

Young adult fantasy novels have always been "light fantasy": the characters were easy to understand, the scenario or world was not terribly complex, and the plot was easy to follow. Incarceron by Catherine Fisher defies that generalization with gusto.

The story begins with two characters separated by what seems to be two entirely different worlds. Claudia is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron. Incarceron is a prison that started as a hopeful experiment and centuries later is a heavily guarded secret of the true failure the living, breathing, vindictive prison has become. Centuries prior to the story, the prison was created and a group of intellectual and spiritual leaders entered with the prisoners, knowing the prison would then be sealed with no one to ever go in or out. The world then decided technology was the detriment of their society and forbid all technological advances and thrust themselves into the medieval ages.

Finn is in Incarceron and knows somehow that he was born outside the prison. He just knows he doesn't belong there. One of the spiritual leaders, a former slave, and Finn's blood brother join him in his quest to find a way out of the prison. But the prison knows everything. It hears them, taunts them, and tries to stop them. When Finn gets a key that creates some kind of portal to the outside, and Claudia steals the identical key from her father's office, they find out Finn might actually be right: he might have been the prince Claudia was once betrothed to, who was supposed to have been killed in a riding accident.

If this story sounds complex, you are spot-on. This is no whimsical fantasy novel for the light-hearted. This is for kids who made it through Lord of the Rings or Abarat. This is a very complicated story, and I had a lot of trouble following it at first. It is confusing how a key can throw a hologram, yet the Warden's daughter is riding horses to her arranged marriage. The whole abandonment of technology is confusing at first, but it makes sense when one sees a fearful society that is willing to do anything to survive. In fact, this story almost seems like two entirely different stories that don't even belong together: a self-imposed dystopia and a whirlwind fantasy. But eventually, they come together and make sense.

I would not recommend this for most students, especially those who don't particularly enjoy reading, because it is very difficult to follow at first. This is a great book, however, for a kid or an adult who really enjoys hardcore fantasy. It is truly a creative masterpiece of Fisher's imagination. I cannot even imagine being able to come up with a story like this!

Bewitching? Or a Wizardly Flop?

Another wizard book fresh off the press! James Patterson's Witch and Wizard is yet another take on the "supernatural kids with powers" storyline. I know there are as many witch and wizard books out there as there are vampire books these days, but I am not going to lie- I LOVE witch and wizard books! Who doesn't want a power? Teleportation, telekinesis, reading minds, bursting into flames, controlling the weather... who doesn't want to have a power?!

Whit and Wisty are a brother and sister who find themselves under a new government that has it out for witchcraft and all those who practice. When the police and neighborhood thugs burst into their house one night and arrest them, strange things start happening. Wisty can disappear. Whit can create a storm like no other. Wisty can even burst into flames while never getting burned (but it sure scares those cops!). They are beginning to realize they are different, special even, and that their parents have been hiding something from them.

In a new world where all who are suspected of witchcraft are imprisoned before meeting an even worse fate, Whit and Wisty are saved by Whit's girlfriend- the very same girlfriend who disappeared months ago and is now a spirit roaming between worlds. They find out they are not the only kids the government has imprisoned and their parents are now on the Most Wanted list. Once they break free, they find other kids on the run- most don't have any special powers at all; they are just guilty of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. These kids have created a little civilization of their own and are planning a jailbreak- one they need Whit and Wisty's help to pull off. But as they learn more about the new world, they find they might be the brother and sister from the prophecy who will be the ultimate challenge to the new regime.

This book has a great premise, a very interesting plot, and best of all- witches and wizards. But somehow, it fell a little flat for me. It is a quick read, not the best writing, the characters aren't really developed or overly interesting, and some of the plot twists are a little predictable. The thing that irritated me the most, though, was reading Wisty's dialogue. She speaks like a painfully whiny teenager. While I appreciate Patterson trying to make the story as realistic as possible, Wisty's dialogue was a bit overdone- possibly the result of a middle-aged man trying to write as a 15 year old girl? Unfortunately, the Young Adult genre has become such an amazing home for beautiful and exciting writing and mediocre just doesn't do it for me anymore. And that is just what this book is- mediocre, nothing special, just OK. Of course it is the start of a series with many more to come. While I will probably read the rest of the series, I have a feeling I will be disappointed with each installment unless Patterson decides to up the ante. The book isn't horrible, but there are just so many amazing books out there, it seems silly to seek this book out. Better to check out Eragon, Charlie Bones, Inkheart, Shiver, City of Bones, or any number of other great books about the supernatural or mythical world.

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!