The Selection Book Review

Author: Kiera Cass. Release date: 2012. Publisher:  HarperTeen. ISBN: 9780062059932.

Annotation: For sixteen-year-old America Singer, the Selection is the opportunity of a lifetime: a chance to escape her life of just making ends meet, help her family, and compete to become the wife of Prince Maxon. There is just one problem, however: America is already in love.

Personal thoughts: As a huge fan of both The Hunger Games and The Bachelor, this book was right up my alley. Although I found it to be kind of predictable and definitely had some déjà vu throughout, I ended up enjoying the novel. It’s got the right amount of love, dystopia, conflict, and cattiness. I also think America is a very well-written and likable character. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the rest of the series, and, although I am well above the age of its target demographic, will likely be watching the TV show as well.

Plot summary: 300 years in the future, what was once the United States is now the country of Illéa, a monarchy where the population is divided into castes that determine social status, employment, and prosperity. Sixteen-year-old America Singer and her family are fives, one step above the servant caste, struggling to make ends meet using their artistic and musical skills. Everything changes, however, when a letter arrives from the royal palace announcing the Selection: a competition where girls from all castes are invited to enter for a chance to be one of the 35 chosen to compete for the heart of Prince Maxon and become the next Queen of Illéa. For the Selected, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. Anyone who is chosen to compete, whether they win or not, is automatically becomes a three, and their families are compensated weekly for their participation in the process. America’s family urges her to sign up, convinced that her beauty, intelligence and talent will earn her a spot as one of the Selected. Although she wants nothing more than to change her family’s status, one major problem looms for America: she is already deeply in love with Aspen, a childhood friend and six who she would never be allowed to marry. How will America choose between an opportunity to help her family and her love for Aspen?

Review: One of the most anticipated books of 2012 and already in production as a television show on the CW, The Selection has all the makings of a popular series for tween and teen girls: a likable heroine, a forbidden romance, a love triangle, a competition and, of course, a dystopian setting. Although it has received mixed reviews, reading the novel makes it is easy to see why Kiera Cass’ new novel has already hit the ground running in the popularity department. A cross between The Hunger Games and The Bachelor, the concept of the story holds a lot of appeal. Where the novel seems to fall short, however, is in originality. Several scenes in the book bear a very close resemblance to the experiences of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games: the downtrodden but intelligent girl struggling to support her family, the love triangle between the old family friend and the new guy, the wealth of the royal family versus the oppression of the citizens. Readers will have to be completely unfamiliar with Suzanne Collins’ trilogy to not pick up on these obvious similarities. Fans of The Bachelor will also notice some overlap between events in the book and common occurrences on the long-running TV show: girls longing for that one-on-one time, the sexy bad girl who steals the Prince’s attentions whenever she can, the rose-ceremony-like dismissals. In essence, The Selection is basically these two iconic pieces of pop-culture combined. Fortunately, this melding is not a bad thing. Although it is far from original, the novel is entertaining. The characters are likable and the backstory is interesting. There is definitely a lot of material left for the rest of the series, and plenty to make for a good TV show. The sequel is set to be released sometime in the spring of 2013.

Genre: Science-fiction/Romance

Reading level: Grade 7+

Similar titles: The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, The Chemical Garden trilogy by Lauren DeStefano, The Pledge by Kimberly Derting, Cinder by Marissa Meyer.  

Themes:  Romance, competition, dystopian, duty, caste system, class warfare, royalty, love triangle.

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from Booklist, Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.

Series Information: First book in Selection series. Second book set to be released in spring 2013.  

Discussion questions:

-        Why do you think Aspen insisted that America enter the Selection? Do you think it was the right thing to do?

-      Why did Aspen get so upset with the feast that America prepared for him? Do you think his feelings were justified?

-       Why do you think America was chosen to become one of the Selected?

-     Which of the Selected, besides America, is your favorite? Least favorite? Why?

-        Were you surprised by how America first spoke to Prince Maxon? Do you think it hurt or helped their relationship?

-        Why do you think Prince Maxon likes America?

-      Who do you think America will choose: Aspen or Prince Maxon? Why?

The Pledge Book Review

 Author: Kimberly Derting. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Margaret K. McElderry Books. ISBN: 1442422017

Annotation: In the country of Ludania, citizens are divided into classes separated by language, each forbidden to speak to each other in anything but the common language, Englaise. Seveteen-year-old Charlaina “Charlie” Hart has always been able to understand all the languages, something she has had to keep hidden. After she unwittingly becomes involved in the rebellion against Queen Sabara, however, her secret might be the key to ending the cruel oppression of the people of Ludania.

Personal thoughts: I had heard many good things about The Pledge, and, after reading it in the span of a few hours, I now understand the hype! I was surprised by how engrossing the novel was, especially because it wasn’t particularly lengthy. I think the author really knows what she’s doing, and managed to create something thoroughly interesting but also succinct enough to be entertaining for even the most reluctant teen readers. I also think that the concepts in the novel make for a great jumping off point for a classroom discussion about class warfare or oppression in our current society. Overall, a very thought-provoking read that is difficult to put down. I’m really looking forward to continuing this series when the next installment in published!

Plot summary: In the distant future, the world is divided into countries that tenuously coexist. Each is ruled by a queen who oversees their country with an iron fist. The country of Ludania is home to seventeen-year-old Charlaina “Charlie” Hart and is governed by the fearsome Queen Sabara. For centuries, Ludania’s citizens have been divided into four classes: the Counsel class, the Vendor class, the Serving class, and the outcasts. Classes are differentiated by the language they speak, each class having its own language that the other classes are unable to understand. Englaise, the universal language, is the only way for members of different classes to communicate lawfully: if someone from a higher class is speaking in their native tongue, members of the lower classes are forbidden to even make eye contact until they are spoken to in Englaise. For Charlie, life as a member of the Vendor class is fairly mundane: she attends school every day with her best friends Brooklynn and Aron, works in her parents’ restaurant, and helps take care of her little sister, Angelina. But Charlie has a dangerous secret that she’s been keeping since she was a child: she has the ability to understand every language spoken in Ludania. If her ability was discovered by the authorities, she would be executed and her whole family would be put in danger. One night, at one of the underground clubs that Charlie and Brooklynn like to frequent, Charlie meets Max: a handsome and mysterious soldier who speaks a language Charlie has never heard before, but seems to understand. Charlie’s confusion is furthered when Max seems to know her and understand her ability. In the meantime, the threat of revolution in Ludania grows, and Charlie begins to realize that she might hold the key to the future of her country.

Review:  From the author of The Body Finder, comes this first installment in a new series for young adults that takes the always popular dystopian concept and mixes it with magic for a story that is certain to intrigue and entertain readers. The Pledge is set in the very distant future, and civilization as we know it has been replaced by a Bradbury-esque collection of countries ruled with an iron-fist by ruthless queens. The author does an excellent job of creating the world of Ludania, taking care to make sure that the history of the kingdom is clear as are the rules of language that govern its citizens. In Charlie’s school, typical situations like being made fun of by the wealthy and popular girls can turn deadly since the lower classes are not only forbidden to communicate with their higher-ups, but are not supposed to even comprehend the language they speak. Derting creates many tense situations where Charlie’s ability to understand all the languages in her kingdom puts her in mortal danger. This makes for a very suspenseful novel, and greatly adds to the reader’s enjoyment of the story. The secondary characters, such as Charlie’s friends Brooklynn and Aron, Max’s lackeys, Claude and Zafir, and the mysterious Xander, are as well developed as the plot, making for an overall engrossing book that is difficult to put down. The pacing of the story is excellent, particularly once the action really picks up in the second half of the novel. The second installment in The Pledge series, which has yet to be titled, is expected to be published in 2013.

Genre: Science-Fiction

Reading level: Grade 8+

Similar titles: Wither by Lauren DeStefano, Divergent by Veronica Roth.    

Themes:  Dystopian, class warfare, language, royalty, war, oppression, rebellion.  

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from VOYA, Kirkus, Booklist and Publishers Weekly.

Series Information: First installment in The Pledge series. Second novel (not yet titled) to be published in 2013.

Discussion questions: 

-    Why do you think language was such an effective way to separate the classes in Ludania?

-    Do you think that language separates different groups from each other in our society? Why or why not? 

-     If you were Charlie, would you have helped Sydney? Why or why not?

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

-    What would you like to see happen in the second novel in this series?

-     Do you think that The Pledge would make a good movie? Why or why not?

Haunting Violet Book Review

Author: Alyxandra Harvey. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Walker Childrens. ISBN: 9780802798398.

Annotation: Sixteen-year-old Violet Willoughby has spent her life assisting her mother, a fraudulent spiritual medium, in tricking wealthy widowers and grieving mothers out of their gold and silver. After arriving in the lavish country manner of Rosefield, home to the powerful Lord Jasper, Violet begins to see the ghosts of the recently departed, including that of Rowena, a girl her age who mysteriously drown a year earlier.

Personal thoughts: I’ve never read one of Alyxandra Harvey’s books before, but after finishing Haunting Violet, I think I can safely call myself a fan! Harvey lists Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice as amongst her favorite novels, and their influence is clearly felt in Haunting Violet. I am also very fond of the Regency and Victorian eras, and really enjoyed how well she portrayed life in Victorian England. The characters, setting and plot were all well-developed in Haunting Violet, and the story was expertly paced. I look forward to picking up Harvey’s next novel, and highly recommend this one to fellow Austen/Bronte enthusiasts!

Plot summary: Sixteen-year-old Violet Willoughby has spent her life assisting her mother, Celeste, a fraudulent spiritual medium, in tricking wealthy widowers and grieving mothers out of their gold and silver. Life in Victorian England for a former housemaid left expecting a child after an affair with her wealthy employer was not easy for Mary Morgan. After Violet’s birth, Mary adopted the pseudonym Celeste Willoughby, posing as a grieving widow with the ability to speak with the dead. Now “Mrs. Willoughby” and Violet live a life of fraud: pickpocketing, scamming and conning the wealthy into paying them for any solace after the death of a loved one. Violet hates tricking people. Her only consolation is in the comfort of her friend Colin: her mother’s longtime assistant who has grown up alongside Violet and helps Mrs. Willoughby perform her “séances”. One summer, the family is invited to Rosefield, a lavish country estate owned by the very wealthy and powerful Lord Jasper. If they can pull it off, the grand séance they will perform at Rosefield will ensure their place in society, as many members of Lord Jasper’s esteemed acquaintance have been invited especially for the event. Upon arriving at the scene of their next scam, however, Violet makes a startling discovery: she has begun to see the spirits of the deceased, not in the fraudulent way her mother claims to, but for real. Unsure of what to do with her newfound power, Violet is faced with the stubborn and troubled ghost of Rowena Wentworth, a fifteen-year-old girl and former neighbor of Lord Jasper’s who mysteriously drowned the previous year. Rowena seems intent on Violet discovering the truth about her death, but as Violet learns more and more about the secrets floating through the halls of Rosefield, she also discovers that her own life may be in danger.

Review:  This charming novel from veteran author, Alyxandra Harvey, is certain to delight both fans of historical fiction, particularly the Victorian era, and ghost stories alike. The main plot of the story is simple: Violet must help the ghost of the murdered Rowena to reveal who killed her, resulting in an always popular whodunit mystery. Below the surface, however, there is quite a bit more to Haunting Violet than just figuring out who the bad guy is. The relationship between Violet and her con-artist mother plays an important role in the story. Life for women of low social status in Victorian society was grim at best, and the reader can almost sympathize with the devious ways of Mrs. Willoughby, a former housemaid, who wants a better place in the world. The abuse enacted upon Violet by her mother is one of the more thought-provoking aspects of the book, particularly since one can imagine that similar circumstances between parents who live dishonest lives and their children occur on a daily basis in today’s society as well. In actuality, the novel provides just as much of a social commentary on the Victorian era as it does a ghost story, making it an interesting read for teens who are not as familiar with this period in time. Overall, Haunting Violet is an entertaining and well-paced ghost-story that readers of all ages can easily enjoy.

Genre: Mystery/Historical Fiction

Reading level: Grade 7+

Similar titles: The Poisoned House by Michael Ford, Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury, Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber.   

Themes:  Psychic abilities, spiritualism, ghosts, fraud/dishonesty, Victorian era, class warfare, mother/daughter relationships.

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus.  

Series Information: N/A

Discussion questions: 

-  Why do you think Violet disliked tricking her mother’s clients so much?

-  Do you think that, in helping her mother to perform “séances,” Violet was just as guilty as Mrs. Willoughby in tricking people? Why or why not?

- Why do you think Violet wanted to keep her psychic abilities secret from her mother?

- Were you surprised by the ending of the novel? Why or why not?

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Dearly, Departed Book Review

 Author: Lia Habel. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Del Rey. ISBN: 9780345523318.

Annotation: In 2195, orphan Nora Dearly lives with her strict aunt in New Victoria where the only aspiration she’s allowed is to marry a rich gentleman who can replace the money her aunt has squandered since her father’s death. When a zombies come knocking on Nora’s door, however, she abandons her fancy frocks for a gun and moves to Z Base, where intelligent zombie soldiers are training to save the world from a zombie apocalypse.    

Personal thoughts:  I was really excited to read this novel when I first heard about it. I was familiar with the steampunk concept, but had never read a novel that incorporated the idea before. I also love zombies, so I was ready to really enjoy Dearly, Departed. Unfortunately, things didn’t go quite so well as I’d hoped. I really liked Lia Habel’s descriptions of New London and the conflict between the New Victorians and the Punks. As the novel progressed, however, I got more and more confused. The changing narration was really difficult for me to get used to, even though I’ve read many novels with rotating narrators, and I felt like the whole New Victorian concept got sloughed off when the zombies entered the story. I think the author had some really great ideas, but fell victim to something I can completely understand, trying to do too much. Even though I wasn’t a huge fan of this novel, I will still pick up the sequel when it’s released later this year. I really think the potential is there, and I hope that the second installment in the series will be what I was looking for in the first.

Plot summary: The year is 2195 and, following the apocalyptic downfall of society in the early 2000’s, America’s population has migrated to the equatorial countries and set up New Victoria: a nation modeled after the sensibilities of the Victorian age but with high-tech innovations like cell phones and electric carriages. Sixteen-year-old Nora Dearly lives with her strict aunt in the years following her parents’ deaths. Nora has a high social standing, since her father was a brilliant scientist, and attends a fancy school with her best friend, Pamela, whose place in society is not so high. The girls feel pressured to make good marriages, especially Nora after she learns that her aunt has squandered her father’s fortune. Everything changes one evening, however, when Nora is viciously attacked by a pack of zombies, only to find herself rescued by another pack and whisked away to a mysterious army outpost known as Z Base. Confused and scared, Nora learns that a zombie plague has slowly been creeping its way up to New Victoria and is being kept at bay by an army of intelligent undead soldiers. It seems that the virus, known as the Lazarus, only makes some of the infected insane and hungry for flesh upon reanimation, others retain their memories and personalities. One of these soldiers, Bram Griswold, is brave and handsome, and explains to Nora about her and her father’s role in protecting the world from a zombie apocalypse. Will Nora be able to keep her wits about her as she struggles to find out the truth behind the Lazarus all while falling more and more for Bram?

Review:  Readers unfamiliar with the term “steampunk” will become more than familiar with the concept of high-tech blended with antiquity in Lia Habel’s debut novel, Dearly, Departed. The author describes herself as a fan of both zombies and the Victorian-era, and that is exactly the plot she has created in her new Gone with the Respiration series. The setting of the novel is, arguably, one of if not the most interesting aspects of the story. The first chapters of the book describe exactly how the world of New Victoria came to be, and establishing the “civil war” that permeates the story between the New Victorians and the Punks, a separate nation that does not agree with the strict rules and oppression in New Victoria. As the novel progresses, however, things begin to get a little muddled. The narration changes from chapter to chapter, rotating between five characters, and this often gets more than a little confusing. The zombie aspect of the story takes over fairly early on as well, leaving the reader wondering what happened to the Lia Habel’s delightful steampunk environment. It almost seems like the author tried to include too many ideas in the novel, creating something that becomes too complicated and unsure of itself. While there are certainly things to be enjoyed in Dearly, Departed, the story will, unfortunately, be likely to confuse many readers. Hopefully the second novel, Dearly, Beloved, can correct some of these problems upon its release in September of 2012.  

Genre: Science-Fiction/Steampunk

Reading level: Grade 8+

Similar titles: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith, Megan Berry series by Stacey Jay, Forest of Hands and Teeth series by Carrie Ryan, I Kissed a Zombie, and I liked It by Adam Selzer. The Strange Case of Finley Jayne (Steampunk Chronicles) by Kady Cross.  

Themes:  Steampunk, Victorian era, zombies, post-apocalyptic, dystopian, war, class warfare.

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews on amazon.com.  

Series Information: First installment in Gone With the Respiration series. Second book, Dearly, Beloved set to be released in September 2012.

Discussion questions: 

-   Were you familiar with the steampunk concept before reading this novel? Explain what it means to you.

-   If you were alive in Nora’s world, would you want to be a New Victorian or a Punk? Why?

-    Why do you think the Lazarus made some zombies insane and some not? 

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

-    What would you like to see happen in the sequel?  

Fateful Book Review

Author: Claudia Gray. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Harperteen. ISBN: 9780062006202.

Annotation:  Eighteen-year-old Tess Davies wants to start her life over in the United States, so she is overjoyed when the family she works decides to travel to New York aboard the RMS Titanic. What she doesn’t expect is that her life will change forever before she even sets foot in America after she meets Alec, a handsome man with a dark secret.

Personal thoughts:  I was so excited when I heard about this novel and so disappointed that I didn’t really enjoy it. It’s unusual for me to simply not like a book, but I have to say that’s how I felt after reading Fateful. I found the plot to be over-the-top in terms of “hokey-ness.” The romance between Tess and Alec did nothing for me. I thought the sinking of the ship was incredibly rushed and should have played more of a part in how the story developed. I really wanted to love this novel and I wish I had, but I will continue to look forward to future books by Claudia Gray because I do think she is a talented author.

Plot summary: Eighteen-year-old Tess Davies is a ladies’ maid for Irene Lisle: the daughter of Viscount Lisle and his wife Lady Regina. Although Tess is fond of Irene, she wants nothing more than to be rid of the cruelties that have been inflicted upon her since she began working for the Lisles. Tess sees her chance to start over when the Lisles decide to travel to New York City on the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. Taking her meager life-savings and all of her possessions, Tess boards the ship full of hope at the possibility of turning her life around in America. Tess doesn’t expect her life to change forever on the Titanic, however, but it does when she meets Alec Marlowe, a handsome young man travelling first class with his steel-tycoon father. Tess is immediately attracted to Alec, even though she knows they could never be together, but soon realizes that there is more to him than meets the eye. Alec appears to be travelling in the company of Mikhail: a dark and cruel man who seems to want nothing more than to devour Tess in one way or another. When Tess learns the truth about Alec’s relationship with Mikhail, she is shocked: Alec was recently transformed into a werewolf while on a hunting trip, and Mikhail has been sent to force him into the Brotherhood, an ancient and powerful pack of vicious werewolves who live amongst humans. Will Tess be able to reconcile her fear of Alec’s violent nightly transformation with her growing feelings for him, or is their relationship doomed to suffer the same fate as the ship they are unknowingly travelling on?

Review:  Full of references to famous passengers and events, Fateful reads as a watered-down version of the Titanic film mixed with varying degrees of paranormal romance, class and gender inequities of the past, and bodice-ripping. The premise of the novel is quite promising: werewolves on the Titanic are, if anything, certain to be entertaining. Unfortunately,   the odd pacing of the story, attempts at tackling more serious subjects, and general unbelievability of the plot serve to “sink” the novel from almost the first chapters. One of the primary issues with Fateful is that it seems to suffer an identity crisis. The author seems unsure if the novel should be a look at the harsh realities of the lower classes in turn of the century society, a paranormal romance, or a retelling of the sinking of the Titanic. For the most part, the focus of the novel seems to be on the former: Tess is almost constantly berated by her employers and reminding herself of the impossibility of forming a relationship with handsome first-class passenger, Alec. The romance between Tess and Alec seems to develop in a matter of hours, which, among other things, was one of the most unbelievable plot points in the novel. The werewolf aspect of the story is also somewhat on the sidelines, and could have definitely been made far more interesting if it had been expanded further. Overall, Fateful is a readable novel, but not one that shines amongst Claudia Gray’s body of works.

Genre: Historical Fiction/Fantasy

Reading level: Grade 8+

Similar titles: Blood series by T. Lynne Tolles and Erin Potter, Silver Moon by Rebecca A. Rogers, Distant Waves: A Novel of the Titanic by Suzanne Weyn.   

Themes:  RMS Titanic, werewolves, romance, class warfare, murder.  

Awards/Reviews:  Written by bestselling author.   

Series Information: N/A

Discussion questions:

- What do you think were Tess’ primary reasons for wanting to leave the service of the Lisles? Do you think the way she was treated was common at the turn of the century?

- Why do you think that what happened to Daisy was such a disgrace for Tess?

-  Do you think that Alec was truly dangerous as a wolf? Why or why not?

- Research some of the famous Titanic passengers mentioned in the novel. Who were they? What were their fates?