The Night She Disappeared Book Review

Author: April Henry. Release date: 2012. Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.. ISBN: 9780805092622.

Annotation: Gabie blames herself when her coworker, Kayla, disappears one night after trading shifts with her at a local pizza parlor. Sure that she is still alive, Gabie struggles as more and more time passes with no sign of Kayla.

Personal thoughts: I’d never heard of April Henry before picking up The Night She Disappeared, but having blown through it from cover-to-cover in a day I think I can safely say that I will definitely be reading more mysteries from her in the future!  I really enjoyed the novel, and found the pacing to be excellent. The combination of different narrators, evidence and all the other tidbits the author threw in really made it read like an episode of an intriguing true crime TV show. I would highly recommend this story to a reluctant reader because it is so interesting from start to finish. I’m looking forward to reading another one of April Henry’s creations!

Plot summary: High school senior Gabie Klug lives a fairly quiet life in Portland, Oregon. She studies hard, has a few friends at school and is looking forward to finding out who she is at Stanford next year. Like her surgeon parents, Gabie has everything in order, and never thought that her part-time job at Pete’s Pizza would throw her life into disarray. Gabie usually works Wednesday nights, driving her Mini-Cooper to deliver pizzas in the area. One day, however, Gabie’s beautiful, popular coworker Kayla asks to trade shifts with her. On that Wednesday evening, a man calls to order three pizzas and asks if the girl who drives the Mini-Cooper is working. Kayla goes out to deliver the pizzas and never returns. Now the hunt is on: the man who called in the pizza order gave a fake address, and all that has been recovered of Kayla is her car which was found by the bank of the Willamette River. Since the man asked if the girl who drives the Mini-Cooper was working, Gabie knows that she was the original target of the abduction; Kayla was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Wracked with guilt, Gabie struggles as more and more time passes with no sign of Kayla. Certain that she is still alive, Gabie and her coworker, Drew, wonder what they can do to help find Kayla before it’s too late.

Review: Mystery writer April Henry delivers a page-turning thriller with The Night She Disappeared.  Set in the author’s home of Portland, Oregon, the novel reads like an episode of Unsolved Mysteries, complete with evidence, police reports, and missing person’s flyers that accompany the narrative. The book is extremely fast-paced and difficult to put down, particularly since the chapters are from the viewpoints of several different characters. The main narrators, Gabie and her coworker Drew, are both likable and relatable. Gabie comes from a well-to-do family but feels stifled by her doctor parents, and Drew is the son of a junky who needs the money he earns from Pete’s Pizza to keep the lights on in the crummy apartment he shares with his mom. The two bond over Kayla’s disappearance, and both evolve as they become more and more embroiled in the hunt to find their missing coworker. There are some unsavory moments in the story, which is to be expected, as details of Kayla’s abduction come to light. The novel is still very much appropriate for a teen audience, however, and would be a particularly good choice for a reluctant reader who wants something that will grab and hold their attention quickly and from beginning to end.  

Genre:  Mystery

Reading level: Grade 7+

Similar titles: Girl, Stolen, The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die and other titles by April Henry, Lark by Tracey Porter, On the Fringe by Courtney King Walker, Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff, What Happened to Serenity? by PJ Sarah Collins.

Themes:  Mystery, kidnapping, abduction, danger, guilt, police, crime.

Awards/Reviews:  Positive review from VOYA, School Library Journal and Publishers Weekly.

Series Information: N/A  

Discussion questions:

-         What mistakes do you think Kayla made that lead to her abduction? Is there something she could have done differently to keep herself safe?

-         If you were Gabie, would you feel guilty about Kayla getting abducted and not you? Why or why not?

-          What do you think brought Drew and Gabie together in the aftermath of Kayla’s abduction?

-         Why did Gabie want to experience what Kayla went through when she was abducted? Do you think it helped or made things worse?

-          What was the importance of the psychic in the events of the story? How would things have been different had she not been hired?

-          In the end, would you have done what Gabie and Drew did? Why or why not?

Origin Book Review

Author: Jessica Khoury. Release date: 2012. Publisher: Razorbill. ISBN: 9781595145956.

Annotation: Pia is perfect: the sole member of a race of immortals created deep in the jungles of the Amazon. She has spent her entire life behind the walls of the secret compound of scientists who made her and doesn’t know anything about what lies beyond the cage she calls home. Everything changes, however, when she discovers a hole in the fence and ventures into the jungle where she meets Eio, a boy her age from the outside world.      

Personal thoughts: I really liked the concept of this book and, although I had some trouble reading through some of the parts pertaining to animal testing, overall, I enjoyed it. Pia is a very likable character and it was interesting watching her grow and become more “human” as the story progressed. While I don’t think this novel is for everyone, I would definitely recommend it to science-fiction fans who want something a little different from the norm.   

Plot summary: Pia is perfect. The only member of a race of immortals created deep in the jungles of the Amazon, she has spent her life in the walls of the compound of scientists who have dedicated their lives to engineering more people like her. Pia knows that her destiny lies in one day joining the scientists in discovering how to quickly create more immortals; currently the process takes five generations and Pia is the result of work that began in 1912. Everything changes, however, when Pia discovers a hole in the fence that surrounds her home and ventures out into the jungle. There she meets Eio, a handsome boy who lives in a neighboring village of natives. Pia has never seen someone her age and is fascinated by Eio and the rest of the villagers. Although she knows it’s wrong, she continues to visit Eio and the village, learning more about the outside world than she ever thought possible. The more she discovers, however, the more she begins to realize that not everything inside her compound of scientists is what it seems and that the truth behind her creation might be deadlier than she ever imagined.

Review: From debut author Jessica Khoury comes this Michael Crichton-esque novel for young adults about science, danger and, of course, romance. One of the best things about Origin is that the author does her best not to dumb down the scientific aspects of the plot for the reader. Pia’s creation isn’t paranormal: she was engineered by the very group of scientists that are the only family she has ever known. Some aspects of the operations of Little Cam, the compound Pia calls home, might be difficult for readers to make it through, particularly the elements pertaining to animal testing. Part of the story, however, is showing how Pia’s humanity despite her immortality impacts the events of the novel, and her growing separation from the scientists of Little Cam becomes more evident as she grows and changes. The romance that develops between Pia and Eio, the handsome eighteen-year-old from the neighboring village of natives, is enjoyable and not over-the-top, making the book relatable for teen boys and girls alike. Overall, a well-written and thought-provoking novel from an author with a lot of promise.

Genre:  Science-Fiction

Reading level: Grade 8+

Similar titles: Michael Crichton novels (Jurassic Park, Next, etc.)    

Themes:  Science, genetic engineering, the Amazon, duty, immortality, danger, secrets, romance, betrayal.   

Awards/Reviews:  Positive review from Kirkus and Booklist.

Series Information: N/A  

Discussion questions:

-          Why do you think the scientists of Little Cam kept the outside world a secret from Pia? Do you think it was the right choice?

-          How do you explain the “tests” that was Pia was put through? What was Uncle Paolo hoping to accomplish with the tests?

-         Why do you think Pia was so intrigued by Eio?

-         Why did it take Pia such a long time to warm up to Aunt Harriet?

-         Would you have been able to do what Uncle Paolo asked Pia to do to Sneeze? Why or why not?

-          Do you think Pia made the right choice in the end? Why or why not?

Scorch Book Review

Author: Gina Damico. Release date: 2012. Publisher: Graphia. ISBN: 9780547624570.

Annotation: Now that Zara has stolen her power to Damn, Lex has become an outcast in Croak, with the townspeople all convinced that she is responsible for the murderous rampage that Zara is now on. With Croak no longer safe, Lex and her friends must travel to the DeMyse, the Las Vegas of the Grimsphere, to escape Zara and learn more about a mysterious book that might put an end to Zara’s killing spree.    

Personal thoughts: I absolutely loved Croak, so I was super excited to pick up the sequel and continue with the fun and laughs. Unfortunately, I didn’t experience very many of either when I was reading Scorch. The storyline was very bleak, and I felt like everything whimsical and enjoyable about Croak just wasn’t present. I still like the characters and think that there is potential for the author to improve, but Scorch was a bit of a sophomore slump for me.  

Plot summary: After Zara stole her power to Damn souls to an eternity of torment, Lex has become an outcast in Croak. The townspeople don’t seem to understand that Zara killed Lex’s sister, Cordy, to get to her and that she never meant for her power to transfer to Zara; they only know that Zara is on a murderous rampage and that Lex is responsible. Determined to put a stop to Zara’s killing spree, Lex, her friends, and Uncle Mort begin to research the Wrong Book, a mysterious text that is held in an impenetrable cabin in the woods surrounding Croak that holds the key to some of the Grimsphere’s most elusive secrets. The only problem? Zara wants the Wrong Book for herself and begins Damning innocent people around the country, convinced that Lex has the book in her possession and is hiding it from her. With the townspeople getting more and more hostile and the threat of an attack from Zara looming, Lex and her friends decide to travel to DeMyse, the Las Vegas of the Grimsphere. There they hope to learn more about the Wrong Book and stay safe long enough to figure out if the information it contains can put an end to Zara’s reign of terror.

Review: Picking up where the first book left off, Scorch, the second installment in Gina Damico’s Croak series, proves to be a decent sequel to what was a stellar beginning in the previous novel. While the author does a lot to expand the world she created in Croak, introducing new characters, backstories and locations, a lot of what made Croak such an enjoyable novel is, unfortunately, absent. The dry humor that permeated the first book is almost completely gone, replaced with a storyline full of tension as Lex and her life in the quirky town of Croak crumble. The plot is far more serious in Scorch, with Zara, the surprise antagonist in Croak, going around the country murdering innocent people. The town of Croak itself, which played a big part in the first novel, is also replaced by various new locations, such as DeMyse, a shallow, Las Vegas-esque city run by an over-the-top mayor. Some of the relationships begun in Croak are expanded, particularly that between Lex and her boyfriend Driggs, but the majority of the novel is dedicated to Lex’s life getting worse and worse as Zara wreaks havoc on the Grimsphere. Overall, Scorch is not nearly as fun as Croak, but the series still has lots of potential, especially since the author does a good job of world-building and creating a storyline that can carry through to another novel. Hopefully the third novel, Rogue, can continue the series in a positive direction when it is released September 10, 2013.

Genre:  Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Reading level: Grade 8+

Similar titles: Croak by Gina Damico, Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake, Revenants series by Amy Plum, Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent.    

Themes:  Grim reapers, the afterlife, murder, revenge, death, danger, secrets.  

Awards/Reviews:  Positive review from Kirkus and School Library Journal.

Series Information: Second installment in Croak series. First installment, Croak, released in 2012. Third installment, Rogue, set to be released September 10, 2013.  

Discussion questions:

-        Do you agree with Zara using her powers to Damn criminals, even if it wasn’t their time to die? Why or why not?

-         Why do you think Lex became an outcast in Croak after Zara stole her powers?

-        Do you think Cordy is happy in the Afterlife? Why or why not?

-         Why do you think Zara wants the Wrong Book so much?

-       Do you agree with the decision Leroy made to keep DeMyse safe? Why or why not?

-         How would you explain what happened to Driggs at the end of the novel?

-          What would you like to see happen in the third novel, Rogue?

The 13th Sign Book Review

Author: Kristin O’Donnell Tubb. Release date: 2013. Publisher: Feiwel & Friends. ISBN: 9780312583521.

Annotation: After she accidentally invokes Ophiuchus, the thirteenth Zodiac sign, thirteen-year-old Jalen must battle the other twelve signs who are determined to make sure that Ophiuchus doesn’t remain a permanent part of the Zodiac.

Personal thoughts: I have always been interested in the Zodiac and found many of the character traits it assigns to be fairly accurate, so when I heard about The 13^th Sign I was immediately intrigued. The book is a very quick read and I would easily be able to recommend it to an upper elementary/early middle school-er who wants something fun and fast-paced. I do somewhat wish the author would have developed the characters a little bit more, but the lack of depth works if it’s simply being read for entertainment purposes. I’m looking forward to seeing what Kristin O’Donnell Tubb comes up with next!  

Plot summary: Every year on her birthday, Jalen and her grandmother, Nina, visit Madame Beausoleil’s shop and have a horoscope reading. This year, her thirteenth-birthday, Nina is in the hospital battling breast cancer, so Jalen and her best friend, Ellie, have decided to continue the tradition and get Jalen’s horoscope read. While exploring the books in Madame Beausoleil’s quirky shop, Jalen discovers a mysterious book hidden at the back of a shelf called The Keypers of the Zodiack. She and Ellie purchase the book and take it home where they discover that it contains not twelve but thirteen Zodiac signs. The thirteenth, Ophiuchus the serpent, would be Jalen’s actual Zodiac sign were it included in the calendar. Jalen doesn’t realize she is about to find out exactly what it means to be an Ophiuchus, however, when she and Ellie accidentally unlock the thirteenth sign and the entire Zodiac calendar shifts. Everyone now has a new sign, causing personality changes around the world. Surgeons are now timid, unable to perform their jobs, once brave policemen hide in the shadows and airline pilots are afraid to fly. Jalen, Ellie and Ellie’s older brother, Brennan, now find themselves in the middle of a battle between the other twelve Zodiac signs who have descended from the stars to make sure that Ophiuchus doesn’t come into power and make the calendar shift permanent. Can Jalen return Ophiuchus to its rightful place and prevent the world from being irrevocably altered?

Review: Historical fiction author Kristin O’Donnell Tubb ventures into the realm of fantasy with her latest novel, The 13^th Sign. Set in the already mystical town of New Orleans, the author weaves an interesting and unique story of Zodiac signs gone rogue. The bulk of the novel is dedicated to the consequences Jalen, Ellie and Brennan must deal with after Jalen accidentally invokes Ophiuchus (a constellation that does actually exist), causing the personalities of everyone on Earth to shift. Readers who aren’t interested in the Zodiac or don’t put much stock into its ability to predict or guide a person’s life will likely not find much in the novel to enjoy. There is a limited amount of backstory to Jalen and her relationship with her mother, grandmother and the father that disappeared years earlier. There is also a very tiny bit of romance between Jalen and Brennan, as well as a small amount of development in Jalen’s friendship with Ellie. Apart from these tiny subplots, however, the plot surrounds Jalen battling the various Zodiac signs. Readers who find this intriguing will enjoy the different ways the author introduces familiar names like Gemini, Leo and Capricorn, as well as the methods Jalen must use to defeat them. Since the novel never really gets too deep and is, instead, more of an action/adventure story, it is a good choice for older elementary/early middle school readers who want something fun and entertaining. The book might also be a good extra credit project in a science class to spark interest in astronomy and the history of constellations.

Genre:  Fiction/Fantasy

Reading level: Grade 5+

Similar titles: N/A  

Themes:  Zodiac, horoscopes, adventure, danger, friendship, cancer, New Orleans.

Awards/Reviews:  Positive review from Kirkus and Booklist.   

Series Information: N/A

Discussion questions:

-         Do you think the Zodiac is accurate? Why or why not?

-          Why do you think Jalen was unhappy with being a Sagittarius?

-         Research the constellation Ophiuchus. Is anything that the author mentions in the book about the constellation true?

-         Look at the two different Zodiac calendars in the back of the book. Would your sign have changed when Jalen involved the thirteenth sign? What would it have changed to? Do you think it would have impacted your personality?

-          Which of the Zodiac signs was your favorite in the book? Why?

-         Do you think Jalen did the right thing with Ophiuchus’ stone? Why or why not?

The Essence Book Review

 Author: Kimberly Derting. Release date: 2013. Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books. ISBN: 9781442445598.

Annotation: Now the queen of Ludania, Charlie is coping with her newfound rule over her troubled kingdom where her demolishing of the caste system isn’t as accepted as she’d hoped. To make matters worse, Sabara’s essence which, unbeknownst to anyone else, was transferred when the evil queen was killed is lurking deep inside Charlie, threatening to take control at any moment.

Personal thoughts: I seem to keep being disappointed by sequels to novels that I really loved and, unfortunately, The Essence is yet another sophomore slump for me. The Pledge was a really interesting and entertaining story, with the language-based caste system, Charlie uncovering her role as heir to the throne of Ludania and her relationship with Max. In The Essence, Charlie is now a bit of a brat, whining constantly about all of the issues she has to deal with as queen. The plot is also slow and never seems to pick up a lot of speed at any point in the novel. I hope that the author can turn the series around with an excellent third novel, but I’m sorry to say that my hopes aren’t very high.    

Plot summary: Now that she is settling into her newfound role as the queen of Ludania, Charlie is struggling to cope with unrest in her troubled kingdom. The caste system that used to strictly divide the country by language has been abolished, and Charlie, Max and Brooklynn are trying to ensure that the transition to equality goes smoothly. Unfortunately, not everyone in Ludania is thrilled about what Charlie has done. Threats against the queen are uncovered on a daily basis, making Charlie fear for the safety of her family, especially her younger sister, Angelina. Charlie’s biggest threat, however, is not something outside the castle walls, but lives deep inside of her: the essence of the evil queen Sabara, the one Charlie supposedly killed to become queen, is trapped in Charlie and wants nothing more than to get out. The longer Sabara’s spirit lives within Charlie, the more their thoughts and memories become linked, and Charlie soon realizes that there is much she didn’t know about the former queen of Ludania. What do the dreams of Sabara’s previous lives mean? Why does Charlie find herself drawn to a mysterious strange, Niko Bartolo, from a neighboring kingdom? Can Charlie keep the presence of Sabara’s essence within her a secret from the people she loves?

Review: Following the popular first installment in The Pledge trilogy, veteran author Kimberly Derting continues her latest series with The Essence. Beginning shortly after the events of the previous novel, Charlie, the vendor’s daughter turned queen of the kingdom of Ludania, finds herself in a series of increasingly dangerous situations. Her people aren’t as crazy about her as she’d hoped they be, it seems like someone is trying very hard to kill her, she’s not that into being treated like royalty, and the spirit of the evil queen Sabara, who also happens to be her boyfriend’s grandmother, is living inside of her. A lot of Charlie’s spunk that was present in the first novel is absent in the wake of all of these challenges, turning her from a likable leading lady to a bit of a whiner. Things go from bad to worse when Charlie is sent to a summit where the queens of neighboring kingdoms meet to discuss official business and try to out shine one another. Charlie doesn’t know the etiquette that the other queens have had years to learn, plus her trip is especially rocky considering that someone really wants her dead. Much of what was enjoyable about the first novel, the dystopian nature of Ludania, the caste system, Charlie’s budding romance with Max, is completely absent in the sequel. While The Essence isn’t necessarily a poorly written or “bad” story, it’s drastically different from its predecessor, making it unclear if fans of The Pledge will like it. For readers who don’t mind the story veering off from a mix of adventure and dystopia into full on fantasy territory, The Essence will prove to be an entertaining read. For those who aren’t into battles, commanders, armies, and dead queens, however, the likelihood of enjoying the novel enough to pick up the third and final installment is slim.

Genre:  Fantasy

Reading level: Grade 8+

Similar titles: The Pledge by Kimberly Derting, Chemical Garden trilogy by Lauren DeStefano, Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth, Cinder trilogy by Marissa Meyer.

Themes:  Royalty, war, queens, magic, danger, assassins.

Awards/Reviews:  Positive review from Kirkus.

Series Information: Second installment in The Pledge trilogy. First installment, The Pledge, released in 2012. Third installment announced, but no release date yet.  

Discussion questions:

-         How has Charlie changed since assuming her new role as Queen of Ludania? How have Brookylnn and Aron changed?

-         How would you explain the relationship between Charlie and Sabara’s “essence”?

-        Why is Charlie so drawn to Niko? How does this attraction threaten her relationship with Max?

-        Why do you think some people in Ludania are not in favor of Charlie’s “New Equality”? Do you think social or political change is hard for people to accept in the real world?

-        Why was it so important to Avonlea when Charlie gave her a name?

-         Which of the queens at the summit did you like the most? The least?

-          What would you like to see happen in the third installment of this trilogy?

The Book of Blood and Shadow Book Review

Author: Robin Wasserman. Release date: 2012. Publisher:  Knopf Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780375868764.

Annotation: As part of a senior project, Nora Kane and her best friend Chris are working with the eccentric Professor Hoffpauer to decipher a centuries old manuscript written in code. After Chris is murdered, however, Nora realizes that the book has begun a dangerous series of events and finds herself in Prague, on the run from an ancient society and looking for the truth about a mysterious device known as the Lumen Dei.

Personal thoughts: I am a big fan of stories like The DaVinci Code that offer a mix of mystery, adventure and history, so I found a lot to enjoy in The Book of Blood and Shadow. The twists and turns in Nora’s quest to discover the truth about the Lumen Dei always kept me on my toes, and I found myself genuinely surprised by some of the events in the story. I did find the novel to be a bit complicated at times and it had a slow start, so I would recommend it to readers who aren’t discouraged if the action doesn’t happen on the first page. For teens who want something that is going to make them think and keep them on the edge of their seat, however, this is easy to recommend!

Plot summary: After the death of her older brother years earlier, seventeen-year-old Nora Kane didn’t think she’d ever be able to be close with anyone again. After a scholarship lands her at the exclusive Chapman Prep, however, she meets Chris Moore and his girlfriend Adriane Ames, and the trio soon becomes inseparable. At the beginning of Nora’s senior year, and Chris’ first year at a local university, Nora is invited to do a special project and, along with Chris and his roommate Max, assist the eccentric Professor Hoffpauer in deciphering a centuries old book written in a mysterious code. Nora’s job is to translate the letters of Elizabeth Weston, a woman who lived in Prague at the end of the 16^th century whose father was thought to have cracked the book’s code. As they spend more and more time together, Nora finds herself falling for the soft spoken Max and, for the first time since her brother’s death, she is happy. Everything changes, however, when Chris is brutally murdered. Adriane, who witnesses the murder, is catatonic and Max, who the police suspect killed Chris, is nowhere to be found. Nora soon realizes that it is the book, and the information it contains, that have caused her and her friends to be drawn into a dangerous conflict that has been raging for centuries. Determined to discover the truth about the book and save Max, Nora finds herself in Prague, on the hunt for answers about a mysterious machine known as the Lumen Dei and the ancient society that will stop at nothing to protect it.

Review: Fans of Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code or films like National Treasure or Indiana Jones will find much to enjoy in veteran author Robin Wasserman’s latest novel, The Book of Blood and Shadow. Although it is complicated and the plot takes a bit of time to really get moving, readers who are willing to stick with the book will discover a story full of twists and turns that combines adventure, danger, religion and history. What makes The Book of Blood and Shadow more complex that most novels for young adults, but ultimately rewarding, is that the author devotes some serious time into developing the characters. Nora in particular is very fleshed out with a great deal of attention given to the backstory of her brother’s death. Her friends are also written with a lot of detail, making it all the more intriguing when the story shifts and Nora begins to discover that what she thought she knew about them might not be true. The historical and geographical aspects of the novel are also well-written, and readers can expect to learn quite a bit about the city of Prague. It is difficult to describe the events of the plot without giving too much away, but suffice it to say that the story keeps the reader guessing at every turn. A good choice for teen readers who want something full of adventure.

Genre:  Fiction/Mystery

Reading level: Grade 8+

Similar titles: The DaVinci Code novels by Dan Brown.

Themes:  Mystery, secret societies, Prague, danger, friendship, loss, betrayal.   

Awards/Reviews:  Starred review from Publishers Weekly, positive reviews from Kirkus and The Horn Book Magazine.   

Series Information: N/A  

Discussion questions:

-         How did the death of Nora’s older brother impact the events of the story?

-        Do you think Nora felt a connection with Elizabeth Weston? Is it possible to have a friendship or understanding with someone from the past? Why or why not?

-       Should Nora have taken Elizabeth’s letter?

-       Was going to Prague the right thing to do?

-        What was the biggest surprise or plot twist for you while reading the novel?

-        Did you learn anything about Prague and its history by reading the novel?

 

 

 

Kill Me Softly Book Review

Author: Sarah Cross. Release date: 2012. Publisher:  Egmont USA. ISBN: 9781606843239.

Annotation: After fifteen-year-old Mirabelle Lively runs away from the home she shares with her two godmothers, she finds herself in Beau Rivage, the town where she was born and where her parents died in a fire at her christening party years earlier. Mira doesn’t know what she will find in the strange town, only that she’s hoping to locate her parents’ graves. Instead, she learns that in Beau Rivage, fairy tales are a reality, and that her’s began the night her parents were killed.

Personal thoughts: I love twists on classic tales, so Kill Me Softly was the perfect book to delight me! I really liked the author’s writing style, I loved how the story had elements of sweetness but also serious creepy undertones as well, and I enjoyed the plot quite a bit. My only small (kind-of) complaint was that I found the sexual relationship between Mira, who is fifteen, and Felix, who is twenty-one, to be strangely accepted by the other characters in the story (save for one mention of her being underage by the guy described as a “beast” throughout the novel.) Are there no police in Beau Rivage who wonder why a fifteen-year-old is buying slinky nightgowns to attract her pedophile boyfriend? I wish this aspect of the story had been either avoided by making the characters different ages, or explained a little bit better. Other than that, however, I really did enjoy the novel and would easily recommend it to older teen readers (and adults!) who want something original and fun!   

Plot summary: All of her life, Mirabella “Mira” Lively was told by her two godmothers, Elsa and Bliss, that her parents died when she was a baby. Now Mira is fifteen, and the story of her mom and dad perishing in a terrible fire at her christening party isn’t adding up. Elsa and Bliss have forbidden Mira from ever returning to Beau Rivage, the town where she was born and where her parents were killed, but Mira is determined to learn the truth. Mira runs away from home and finds herself in Beau Rivage without any money or anywhere to stay. Chance brings her to The Dream, one of Beau Rivage’s many elegant casinos, where she meets the handsome Felix Valentine and his younger brother, Blue. Blue quickly warns Mira that Felix is dangerous and that she should stay away from him, but Mira is enchanted by Felix’s kindness and the mutual attraction between them, so when he offers her a room at the Dream while she searches for her parents’ graves, she jumps at the opportunity to spend more time with him. As Mira gets to know Beau Rivage, she quickly learns that there is something very strange about the town. It seems that in Beau Rivage, fairy tales are a reality, and most of the inhabitants have been cursed to live out the fates of their literary ancestors. Mira has always wondered what the strange wheel shaped birthmark on her back means, and begins to suspect that she, like the rest of Beau Rivage, has a curse of her own. But what does her fate have to do with her blossoming relationship with the seductive Felix, and why does Blue, and everyone else in town, keep insisting she is in danger?

Review: Set in the beautifully creepy town of Beau Rivage, where living a fairy tale isn’t necessarily a good thing, Kill Me Softly, the latest novel from author Sarah Cross, offers a new take on the classic “stories” we thought we all knew. As many readers who pick up Kill Me Softly might already know (or will soon find out), the original versions of most of the well-known fairy tales tend to be quite grim. From Cinderella’s stepsisters slicing off parts of their feet to fit into the glass slipper, to the little mermaid suffering agonizing torture from splitting her tail into legs to be with her prince, there is usually very little that can be identified as “Disney” in these tales. What is, in a morbid way, so enjoyable about Kill Me Softly, is that the town of Beau Rivage operates on the gruesome versions of the fairy tales. After Mira arrives in town, she soon spots a set of sisters walking around with bandaged feet, one of her new friends is constantly coughing up flower petals and jewels, and the guy she finds herself falling in love with seems to have a very dark and deadly secret of his own. Readers will find much to relish in this book, from identifying the incarnations of their favorite fairy tales, to Mira’s quest to find out the truth about her parents. Be advised, however, that while this book is based on tales for children, it is suitable for the older teen audience, as there is a fair amount of cursing and sexual situations (particularly the romance between twenty-one-year-old Felix Valentine and the very underage fifteen-year-old Mira.) For adventurous readers, however, Kill Me Softly is an entertaining read that is sure to satisfy in many ways. A companion novel set in Beau Rivage is set to be released in the near future.

Genre:  Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Reading level: Grade 9+

Similar titles: Sweetly and Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce, Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore, Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay, Snow in Summer: Fairest of Them All by Jane Yolen.   

Themes:  Fairy tales, romance, danger, orphans, death, murder, secrets.

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from Booklist and Kirkus.

Series Information: First novel in Beau Rivage series. Companion novel set to be released in 2013.       

Discussion questions:

-        Do you think Mira running away to Beau Rivage was the right thing for her to do? Why or why not?

-       What do you think Blue meant when he told Mira that Felix “loves orphans?”

-       Do you think Felix truly loved Mira? Blue? Freddie?

-      Who was your favorite character in the novel? Why?

-        If you could choose your Beau Rivage “curse,” what would you pick? Why?

-       Sarah Cross has said that she’s writing a companion novel to Kill Me Softly that will contain Viv’s story. What do you think this book will be about? Do you plan to read it? What other characters from Kill Me Softly would like to know more about?

 

 

 

The Power of Six Book Review

Author: Pittacus Lore. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780061974557.

Annotation:  John, Sam and Number Six are on the run after surviving the Mogadorian attack in Paradise.  Unsure of what the future holds, they desperately try to evade their enemies, and the authorities, while uncovering more of the secrets in their past on Lorien. Meanwhile, in Santa Teresa, Spain, Number Seven, a girl named Marina, must cope with an oppressive life in a Catholic orphanage, a life her guardian seems to have no desire to leave.       

Personal thoughts:  I have to admit, I almost didn’t want to read this book after being disappointed in the mediocre film adaptation of I Am Number Four. I know there is a whole backstory about the authors behind the series and how it was sort of “bred” to be made into a commercial franchise. I am happy that these thoughts didn’t stop me from picking up The Power of Six because I was very engrossed from start to finish. The novel is truly entertaining and surpasses I Am Number Four in many ways.  Perhaps it was the absence of the sappy romance between John and Sarah and, in its place, the perpetually butt-kicking Number Six. Perhaps it was the non-stop action and the constant forward motion of the plot. Whatever the cause, The Power of Six is a fun page-turner, and I will be certain to pick up the third installment in the series with gumption!

Plot summary: After Henri’s death and their narrow escape of the vicious Mogadorian attack in Paradise, John, or Number Four, his best friend Sam, Number Six and Bernie Kosar flee Ohio and go into hiding. Meanwhile in the small village of Santa Teresa, Spain, Number Seven, a seventeen-year-old girl named Marina, is stuck in an oppressive life in a Catholic orphanage. Her Cêpan, Adelina, seems to have forgotten about their mission to remain hidden as Marina’s Legacies develop, and Marina is left to discover her powers on her own. Looking for news of the other nine Loric children, Marina is constantly scanning the internet for unusual news stories that might point to their existence. She is shocked to learn about John, now deemed an international terrorist accused of destroying the high school in Paradise himself, and is convinced that he is a member of the Garde like her. Marina is also consumed by visions of a raven haired girl with extraordinary powers, someone who she has never met but who she knows plays an important part in her future. Back in America, John and Six continue to train even while living life on the run, working to hone their Legacies while training Sam how to fight in the process. But as John and Marina both continue to have visions of Mogadorian battles and mysterious figures, it seems that their fates are bound to collide sooner than they realize.

Review: This second installment in the popular Lorien Legacies series manages to surpass the adventure and action of the first, making for a sequel that is actually more enjoyable than I Am Number Four. While the first book was somewhat hampered by high school melodrama and over-attention to detail, The Power of Six moves right into the thick of things, making for a page-turner that is nearly impossible to put down. The addition of Number Seven, or Marina, and her life in a Spanish orphanage adds a great deal of depth and substance to the story. Instead of focusing solely on John, this novel shift to a dual voice makes it far more pleasing than the first installment. Added elements in the stories of Six and Sam also add to the fun. Overall, an enjoyable novel that is sure to be a popular addition to the series.

Genre: Sci-fi/Adventure

Reading level: Grade 7+

Similar titles: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore.

Themes:  Aliens, danger, superpowers, duty, friendship.     

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, The Horn Book, Booklist, and Chicago Tribune.

Series Information: Second novel in Lorien Legacies series by Pittacus Lore.   

Discussion questions:

- This story is told in a dual-voice. Do you prefer that method of story-telling over the single-voice in I Am Number Four?

- What do you think is the significance of each of the items in John’s Chest?

- Do you think it’s possible for John to love Sarah and like Six at the same time?

- How do you think the love triangle between John, Six and Sam will unfold in the next novel?

- Do you think Adelina truly gave up her mission to protect and teach Marina?

- What do you think of the character Ella? Héctor? Crayton? Who do you think has the most influence on Marina?

- What was your interpretation of what happened between Sarah and John?