Thanks for the Trouble by Tommy Wallach
Notice I used the word dumb and not stupid in the title? I did it on purpose because the main character, Parker, can't speak, and is, therefore, dumb. He can't speak as a result of an accident that killed his father. There is nothing medically keeping Parker from speaking; it's the reaction of losing someone he loved so much. He has gone to therapy, but it hasn't helped.
At the beginning of our story, which takes place over a weekend (except for the very last chapters), Parker is at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. He is skipping school because it is Halloween, and he likes hotels. He also likes to steal from people in hotels. He sees his mark after she pulls out a wad of cash. They happen to be sitting at the same long table in the dining room for breakfast. She gets up, he takes the wad of cash out of her purse, and makes a clean getaway. Until he realizes he has left his journal behind. He wants his journal back, and she makes a deal (or two) with him. Thus begins their weekend of adventure.
Zelda, the silver haired girl, changes Parker's life in ways he can't imagine over the course of this weekend. She is the most unusual "girl" he's ever met, and with her, he finds himself.
I don't want to give too much away, but trust me, you want to read this. Realistic, young adult fiction, with just a hint of whimsy-it doesn't get much better than this.
Saturday, April 16, 2016
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Secret Societies and Boarding Schools
Poor Little Dead Girls by Lizzie Friend
I picked this up because my daughter was interested in it. I don't always read books before her to make sure they are ok; this was a situation where I recognized the cover and the blurb sounded interesting. Honestly, I can't wait for her to read it so we can talk about it.
Ho. Lee. Cow.
Sadie is a lacrosse player from Oregon who receives a scholarship to play for a prestigious boarding school in Washington DC. As it turns out, her mother went there as well, but since Sadie doesn't know much about her mother, this was a little bit of a surprise. Being the new, not wealthy girl at a boarding school that caters to the daughters of the rich and well known, Sadie experiences some mild hazing.
One night, her first week there, she is blindfolded and taken to a trial by the Fates. She answers their questions, and is then returned to her room with a pin prick in her arm and a mysterious bruise that she doesn't know how she got. She has a pretty good idea who is behind things, and sure enough, is asked again to a secret meeting. In a way, she becomes a part of the cool crowd, except this crowd is a secret society, specializing in being do gooders.
The thing about secret societies is that they have their secrets. I won't share them here, but trust me when I say it is worth taking the time to read this to find out what they are. This book was so good that I have been ignoring my favorite Tuesday night tv programming (that I never miss-ever) so I can see how this book ended up. So worth it.
I picked this up because my daughter was interested in it. I don't always read books before her to make sure they are ok; this was a situation where I recognized the cover and the blurb sounded interesting. Honestly, I can't wait for her to read it so we can talk about it.
Ho. Lee. Cow.
Sadie is a lacrosse player from Oregon who receives a scholarship to play for a prestigious boarding school in Washington DC. As it turns out, her mother went there as well, but since Sadie doesn't know much about her mother, this was a little bit of a surprise. Being the new, not wealthy girl at a boarding school that caters to the daughters of the rich and well known, Sadie experiences some mild hazing.
One night, her first week there, she is blindfolded and taken to a trial by the Fates. She answers their questions, and is then returned to her room with a pin prick in her arm and a mysterious bruise that she doesn't know how she got. She has a pretty good idea who is behind things, and sure enough, is asked again to a secret meeting. In a way, she becomes a part of the cool crowd, except this crowd is a secret society, specializing in being do gooders.
The thing about secret societies is that they have their secrets. I won't share them here, but trust me when I say it is worth taking the time to read this to find out what they are. This book was so good that I have been ignoring my favorite Tuesday night tv programming (that I never miss-ever) so I can see how this book ended up. So worth it.
Saturday, April 9, 2016
Fictionalized Childhood
Tru and Nelle by G. Neri
I cam across this book while watching one of the professional development videos that two of my library science professors have on YouTube. When they were describing it, I knew I needed to read it.
This is the fictionalized version of childhood friends Truman Capote and Harper Lee. It is no secret that they were neighbors in Monroeville, Alabama when they were children, but we (or at least I) don't hear much about this time in their lives. It is also no secret that Truman Capote was the inspiration for Dill in Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, the great American novel.
In fact, there are a great many parallels between this book and Mockingbird, which is one thing I loved about this book. It was just like reading the exploits of Scout and Dill because Nelle and Truman were those fictional children. And since it is written at the lower end of the young adult novel spectrum, the potential to introduce younger children to these two authors (and amazing characters) is great.
In short, I loved this book.
I cam across this book while watching one of the professional development videos that two of my library science professors have on YouTube. When they were describing it, I knew I needed to read it.
This is the fictionalized version of childhood friends Truman Capote and Harper Lee. It is no secret that they were neighbors in Monroeville, Alabama when they were children, but we (or at least I) don't hear much about this time in their lives. It is also no secret that Truman Capote was the inspiration for Dill in Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, the great American novel.
In fact, there are a great many parallels between this book and Mockingbird, which is one thing I loved about this book. It was just like reading the exploits of Scout and Dill because Nelle and Truman were those fictional children. And since it is written at the lower end of the young adult novel spectrum, the potential to introduce younger children to these two authors (and amazing characters) is great.
In short, I loved this book.
Friday, April 8, 2016
Dark Artifices #1
Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
This is the first book in the new series involving Shadowhunters. This time, they are at the institute in LA. People and downworlders are being murdered and there are strange runes being left on the bodies. The same runes that were left on the bodies of the parents of Emma Carstairs, so she believes that the murders are related.
The Clave cannot be contacted to help them solve the murders because fairies are involved, and the new laws exclude fairies. These murders also cause Mark Blackthorn, the oldest son of the Blackthorn family to be returned home, at least for a time.
More a murder mystery than anything else, this was a great read. I look forward to reading more in this series.
This is the first book in the new series involving Shadowhunters. This time, they are at the institute in LA. People and downworlders are being murdered and there are strange runes being left on the bodies. The same runes that were left on the bodies of the parents of Emma Carstairs, so she believes that the murders are related.
The Clave cannot be contacted to help them solve the murders because fairies are involved, and the new laws exclude fairies. These murders also cause Mark Blackthorn, the oldest son of the Blackthorn family to be returned home, at least for a time.
More a murder mystery than anything else, this was a great read. I look forward to reading more in this series.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Tales of the High Warlock
The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare
Five hundred seven glorious pages of everyone's favorite warlock, Magnus Bane. This is a collection of short stories that give you some more information about Magnus, but also ties into the Infernal Devices and Mortal Instruments series.
Magnus has led an interesting life. He spent a great deal of time in Peru before getting kicked out of the country for reasons I am still unclear on. He was instrumental in the debacle that was an attempt at Marie Antoinette, et al, escaping France during the revolution. Magnus is definitely a lover and not a fighter, but has friends in all walks of life: vampires, werewolves, warlocks, demons and Shadowhunters. He owned a speakeasy and has had a very interesting 300+ years on Earth.
This was definitely worth the read for me because Magnus is one of my favorite characters in both of the aforementioned series of books. I do hope he makes an appearance in both of Ms. Clare's upcoming series.
Five hundred seven glorious pages of everyone's favorite warlock, Magnus Bane. This is a collection of short stories that give you some more information about Magnus, but also ties into the Infernal Devices and Mortal Instruments series.
Magnus has led an interesting life. He spent a great deal of time in Peru before getting kicked out of the country for reasons I am still unclear on. He was instrumental in the debacle that was an attempt at Marie Antoinette, et al, escaping France during the revolution. Magnus is definitely a lover and not a fighter, but has friends in all walks of life: vampires, werewolves, warlocks, demons and Shadowhunters. He owned a speakeasy and has had a very interesting 300+ years on Earth.
This was definitely worth the read for me because Magnus is one of my favorite characters in both of the aforementioned series of books. I do hope he makes an appearance in both of Ms. Clare's upcoming series.
Friday, March 18, 2016
Creepy Novellas
The Asylum Novellas by Madeleine Roux
I saw this at the bookstore last weekend, and since I have read the three books in the trilogy and one of the novellas already, I had to have it.
This has novellas to accompany all three of the books in this trilogy. The Scarlets, which I read some months ago, gives some back story about the secret society mentioned in Sanctum. The Bone Artists gives some background on Oliver, who we meet in the book Catacombs, and gives a little insight into the group in the title. Finally, The Warden, while not about the warden himself, gives some background on his experiments, and goes with Asylum.
There are also excerpts from the books in the original trilogy, if you have not already read them. Since I only had to read two of the novellas, it was a fairly quick read. I think even if you read this cover to cover, it wouldn't take long to do. The stories are equally creepy, and I hope we see more in this series.
I saw this at the bookstore last weekend, and since I have read the three books in the trilogy and one of the novellas already, I had to have it.
This has novellas to accompany all three of the books in this trilogy. The Scarlets, which I read some months ago, gives some back story about the secret society mentioned in Sanctum. The Bone Artists gives some background on Oliver, who we meet in the book Catacombs, and gives a little insight into the group in the title. Finally, The Warden, while not about the warden himself, gives some background on his experiments, and goes with Asylum.
There are also excerpts from the books in the original trilogy, if you have not already read them. Since I only had to read two of the novellas, it was a fairly quick read. I think even if you read this cover to cover, it wouldn't take long to do. The stories are equally creepy, and I hope we see more in this series.
Thursday, March 17, 2016
A Ghostly Sequel
The Suffering by Rin Chupeco
One could argue that this was even better than its predecessor, The Girl in the Well. This book is told from Tarquin's perspective this time, instead of Okiku's. Okiku's spirit is still attached to Tark, and this makes dating a bit of a challenge, but that's ok because Tark is oblivious to the girl who likes him anyway.
It is approaching Spring Break, and Tark and his cousin, Callie, are heading to Japan to visit friends they have made there. One such friend, Kagura, is from the previous book. Not long before Callie and Tark arrive, Kagura goes missing while helping a ghost hunting team from America find a secret city. The problem with this city is that it is beyond haunted, and people tend to go there to kill themselves.
On the first day of looking for Kagura, Tark stumbles upon this city. While there, he is attacked by the spirits who inhabit the place, spirits of young girls who were sacrificed in their teens to appease the hell's gate. Tark finds Kagura, and together they find a way to free the spirits and close the gate. Unfortunately, Tark will have to lose something of himself in the process.
Like the predecessor, this book was slow to start, but once you hit the halfway mark, you won't want to put this down. I can't see a third book for this series, but I wouldn't be disappointed if one were to be released.
One could argue that this was even better than its predecessor, The Girl in the Well. This book is told from Tarquin's perspective this time, instead of Okiku's. Okiku's spirit is still attached to Tark, and this makes dating a bit of a challenge, but that's ok because Tark is oblivious to the girl who likes him anyway.
It is approaching Spring Break, and Tark and his cousin, Callie, are heading to Japan to visit friends they have made there. One such friend, Kagura, is from the previous book. Not long before Callie and Tark arrive, Kagura goes missing while helping a ghost hunting team from America find a secret city. The problem with this city is that it is beyond haunted, and people tend to go there to kill themselves.
On the first day of looking for Kagura, Tark stumbles upon this city. While there, he is attacked by the spirits who inhabit the place, spirits of young girls who were sacrificed in their teens to appease the hell's gate. Tark finds Kagura, and together they find a way to free the spirits and close the gate. Unfortunately, Tark will have to lose something of himself in the process.
Like the predecessor, this book was slow to start, but once you hit the halfway mark, you won't want to put this down. I can't see a third book for this series, but I wouldn't be disappointed if one were to be released.
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