Still Waters Book Review

 Author: Emma Carlson Berne. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Simon Pulse. ISBN: 9781442421141.

Annotation: Hannah thinks that a weekend away with her boyfriend, Colin, is just what they need before he goes off to college. When she surprises him with a road trip to his family’s old vacation home on a remote lake, however, things don’t go according to plan.

Personal thoughts: As someone with a more than slight fear of the woods, I found myself utterly creeped out at various moments in this novel. I really admire Emma Carlson Berne’s ability to create such a spooky feeling in such a short story. I think this novel would make a great pick for a reluctant teen reader who wants something exciting but to the point. I would also recommend it to anyone who just likes a good, creepy read.

Plot summary: Hannah and her boyfriend, Colin, have been dating for a year, but she still cannot seem to open up to him completely. A self-proclaimed “queen of nerds,” Hannah can’t imagine why the gorgeous and popular Colin would like her, let alone tell her he loves her on a regular basis. Hannah wants nothing more than to be able to say those three words back to Colin, but something is keeping her from expressing how she feels. Now Colin is going away to college next week, leaving Hannah to finish her senior of high school wondering if he is going to fall in love with someone else. When Hannah learns that his family owns an old vacation home on a remote lake, she decides to take Colin on a surprise road trip: a getaway where she can truly be herself and let him know how she feels. When Hannah and Colin arrive at Pine House, however, things don’t go according to plan. Even though Colin’s family hasn’t been to the house in years, it looks as if someone was just there, with things scattered as if whoever it was left hastily. The closest town is 20 miles away, and is full of abandoned, broken down buildings. And Colin has begun to act strange, having bouts of rage and violence that shock Hannah. Was the trip to Pine House just what Hannah and Colin need to cement their relationship, or will it be the biggest mistake they have ever made?

Review: Creepy and atmospheric, this novel from veteran author Emma Carlson Berne is reminiscent of Stephen King’s The Shining while still being appropriate for a teen audience. The story is both short and uncomplicated, but manages to invoke a feeling of dread the moment the main character, Hannah, discovers an old photo of her boyfriend’s family vacation home. The author excels at enhancing this feeling of dread throughout most of the story, from the descriptions of the decrepit Pine House to the almost abandoned neighboring village of Oxtown. When Hannah’s boyfriend Colin begins to act strangely, the creepiness factor increases several notches, culminating in an exciting if slightly suspected conclusion. Apart from the mystery that drives the plot, there is another element to the story that will resonate with many teen readers: Hannah’s inability to tell her boyfriend that she loves him. The author does a good job of portraying this common problem, making both Hannah and Colin identifiable for readers who have been on both the giving and receiving ends of those three little words. Overall, Still Waters is a spooky and enjoyable read that many teens are sure to enjoy.

Genre: Fiction

Reading level: Grade 7+

Similar titles: The Shining by Stephen King, After the Fire by Becky Citra, Tighter by Adele Griffin.    

Themes:  Relationships, vacation, mystery, love, possession.   

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

Series Information: N/A

Discussion questions:

-        Why do you think Hannah couldn’t tell Colin that she loved him? Has that ever happened to you or someone you know?

-       Do you think that it was a good idea for Hannah to surprise Colin with a trip to Pine House? Why or why not?

-       Would you want to stay in Pine House for a weekend? Why or why not?

-       What do you think was happening to Colin in the novel?

The Magdalena Curse Book Review

Author: F.G. Cottam. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Thomas Dunne Books. ISBN: 9780312643256.

Annotation: A covert military operation in the Bolivian rainforest lead to former Colonel Mark Hunter encountering a beautiful but evil sorceress who cursed his offspring to commune with the dead.  Now, fifteen years later, his ten-year-old son, Adam, is possessed with the spirits of the departed, and Hunter must discover a way to end the curse and save his son’s life.

Personal thoughts: I really enjoy F.G. Cottam’s novels, and The Magdalena Curse was no different. His writing style and ability to create suspense and mystery is excellent. I was really intrigued by each of the characters in the book, and found it really difficult to put down, wanting to learn their fates. I always like Cottam’s inclusion of historical or cultural references and how they tie into the story so well. I can’t wait to read his next novel once it is published in the United States. F.G. Cottam definitely ranks high among authors I would recommend to older teens or adults who want an entertaining and spooky read!   

Plot summary: Fifteen years earlier, Colonel Mark Hunter was a newlywed sent on a covert mission from his London home to the rainforests of Bolivia. Expecting to uncover and destroy a drug trafficking facility, what he and his comrades actually discovered in the jungle was something far more sinister. An evil sorceress protected by an army of undead soldiers murdered his fellow soldiers, and cursed Hunter, promising that his offspring would commune with the dead. Now, Mark is retired and living in Scotland with his ten-year-old son Adam, his wife and daughter recently killed in an accident. Adam is an exceptionally bright child, but has recently become afflicted with terrifying nightmares. Although he knows in his heart that his son his possessed as a result of the curse, Mark calls upon local doctor, Elizabeth Bancroft, to try to determine if there is a medical cause of Adam’s illness. Elizabeth is no stranger to the idea of curses, having come from a family long associated with witchcraft. Elizabeth herself doesn’t believe in magic, but the more she learns about Adam, the more she is convinced that there is something truly evil at work. Determined to save his son, Mark searches for a way to end the curse. In trying to find a cure, however, Mark begins to uncover the truth about what is afflicting Adam, and how his presence in Bolivia fifteen years earlier was no accident at all.

Review: Always creating an intriguing mixture of historical fact and fiction, veteran author F.G. Cottam offers up yet another nail-biting novel in the same vein as his previous two works, The House of Lost Souls and Dark Echo. Cottam’s novels usually contain more than a little macabre details, and The Magdalena Curse is no different. Although somewhat toned down from his other two works, some of the grisly details make this novel appropriate only for the older teen and adult audience. For readers who want something spooky and suspenseful, however, this, like Cottam’s other novels, is an excellent choice. The details of what exactly is transpiring in The Magdalena Curse take awhile to unravel. Is Adam possessed? If he is, who or what is possessing him? How can the entity be stopped? These are all questions that the reader journeys through, all with an edge-of-the-seat quality that makes the novel difficult to put down. Cottam’s mixture of historic references makes the story even more intriguing, especially in generating interest in learning more about various locations, poets and songs. Overall, The Magdalena Curse is a scary and entertaining novel that fans of suspense are sure to enjoy.  

Genre: Fiction/Horror

Reading level: Grade 10+

Similar titles: The House of Lost Souls and Dark Echo by F.G. Cottam.

Themes:  Possession, witches, curses, the occult, wolves.  

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from The Times, Saga and Good Book Guide.  

Series Information: N/A   

Discussion questions:

-     What do you think Miss Hall and Mrs. Mallory were doing in Bolivia?

-     How do you think Lillian Hunter and Elizabeth Bancroft were connected?

-     Why do you think Mrs. Mallory was fixated on Adam?

-     What do you think Elizabeth accomplished at the end of the novel?