Review of "Dinosaurs Before Dark"

"This is what he got for spending time with his seven-year-old sister."

     So thinks a protagonist of Mary Pope Osborne's Dinosaurs Before Dark, a time-bending journey that springboards two ordinary kids into a whole series full of adventures. Eight-and-a-half-year-old Jack is tired of his sister's creative antics. Annie loves all things magical, inventing monsters to chase her down the street while her wise older brother rolls his eyes. There's nothing Jack would like more than for Annie to just grow out of it--until she discovers a tree house full of stories in the woods beyond their house. Allied by their curiosity and love of all things literature, the two kids explore the tree house and as many titles as they can get their hands on. But it's not until Jack makes a wish that they're swept into the past, to a world full of terrifying dinosaurs. The time for games has passed; if they want to make it home alive, they'll need to find a way now. And yet...surely it wouldn't hurt to take a teeny look around. Just for a minute.

     There's something innately enchanting about the world Osborne has created. From the innocent peace of Frog Creek, Pennsylvania to the roaring, stomping creatures Jack and Annie accidentally bump into with their tree house, it only takes a few sentences to immerse readers in the fantastic settings. Although the prose is extremely concise, the brevity speeds up the plot to a rapid clip that adds just the right amount of tension. Whether Jack is fumbling for his glasses or Annie is slipping away at the wrong moment, readers are sucked into the story, feeling every twist and turn, experiencing it all with every sense they have.

     Annie and Jack are not the most rounded of characters. Their personalities are vivid and rigidly defined, and develop very little from chapter one to The End--though the latter is due in part to the story's shortness. Yet the wonderful thing about these kids is that they are decidedly unpredictable. One never knows when Jack's knowledge of dinosaurs or history will come in handy, or when his sister will decide to do something crazy. These skills, combined with the magic tree house and a mysterious memento, set the duo up for some serious adventuring in the sequels, which will undoubtedly lead to subtle character development.

     As this story was written for kids, parents don't need to worry about inappropriate content. Jack and Annie don't swear, and while they face a huge T-Rex and other scary creatures there is no gore. The bond they share is a constructive brother-sister dynamic; even if they annoy each other sometimes, Annie and Jack obviously love each other. Since the siblings are the only human cast members in this installment, there is no romance.

     I would recommend this book to kids looking for a tale of magic, make-believe, and historical monsters brought to life with a simple wish. While grown-ups may find it boring, the prose does a great job keeping younger readers on their toes. It also explores the legends of the dinosaurs, throwing brother and sister directly into their midst. For an exciting premise, fun characters, and an absorbing world, Mary Pope Osborne's Dinosaurs Before Dark deserves five stars.

Review of "The Jewel"

"Today is my last day as Violet Lasting."

     For a few special girls in Amy Ewing's The Jewel, free will is little more than a memory. Violet Lasting hasn't seen her reflection in four years, since the day she tested positive for the Auguries and was drafted as a royal surrogate. Tomorrow, she will be auctioned off to a sterile Duchess. She'll carry her lady's child. Then, her task complete, she'll retire in style with the rest of the cast-off surrogates. But her mistress has bigger plans than motherhood, plans that include the magical Auguries Violet is so good at. Plans that will destroy what's left of Violet's life and those of the people she loves. When a chance to escape lands in her lap, Violet will have to choose: save her friends and secret boyfriend, or make a break for freedom and learn to fight back? Each option will have consequences. And no matter what she decides, someone is going to lose.

     The Lone City in which this tale plays out is fascinating in its scope. Rings upon rings of walled-in sectors divide the island kingdom into class-based neighborhoods with various production specialties, though workers often commute between them. In the center of it all is the Jewel, where the Exetor, Electress, and the Royal Houses live in elaborate palaces and engage in subtle political wars. Unfortunately, royals cannot bear children, so they purchase surrogates to do that for them. The twist? Surrogates are skilled in the Auguries, which give them the ability to manipulate the Color, Shape, and Growth of anything they choose. Every aspect of this world, from its political system to its magic, is well thought out and firmly constructed, breathing life into what would otherwise be just another dystopia.

     Even though the story is centered around Violet, she is not alone in the world of the surrogates. Her lady-in-waiting, Annabelle, is a kind, supportive friend who isn't supposed to know Violet's name. Raven, a surrogate from the training compound who happens to be Violet's best friend, is a spirited girl with a will of iron and a heart of gold. Then there's Ash, the handsome companion hired to straighten out the Duchess's wayward niece. While their relationship falls squarely under the insta-love category, the bond between Violet and Ash is a strong one that plays a pivotal role in the plot. On the flip side is the Duchess herself, a fearsome woman whose mood is as unpredictable as royal politics. Even as hints at a larger conflict begin to reveal themselves, she possesses an aura of menace that pins the plot down and snarls, no, you may not steer off track. It's impressive.

     Over the course of the novel, very few things show up that justify forewarning. Foul language is nonexistent. Violet and her fellow surrogates are auctioned off to the wealthiest people in the Lone City, who treat them as property and take them out and about to show them off. The Duchess who buys Violet deprives her of her name and doles out physical punishments for disobedience. None of this is graphic; however, every once in a while surrogates are attached to leashes. Violet falls in love with a hired companion soon after they meet, and eagerly steps up their relationship as quickly as she can--though that last bit is skimmed over and far from detailed. At one point, a surrogate is killed to send a message. The tension is low and the pacing slow, so readers who dislike edge-of-one's-seat thrillers should find this story more appealing.

     I would recommend this book to teens looking for a story of quiet rebellion set in a beautifully textured world where forced surrogacy is just as everyday as magic. Violet and her friends are scattered across the Lone City, a land woven in equal parts from wonder and horror, and will have to make sacrifices simply to survive. The antagonist is vicious and wonderfully wicked, with a commanding presence that sends chills up one's spine. Unfortunately, the insta-love between Ash and Violet brings the greatness down a couple of notches, because while it contributes to the story it is simply not believable. There's also the slow pacing and relatively low tension to consider, although this is the start of a series that may end up with plenty to spare. Overall, Amy Ewing did a great job with The Jewel, which deserves three stars.

Review of "Dash & Lily's Book of Dares"

"I've left some clues for you."

     From Rachel Cohn and David Leviathan comes Dash & Lily's Book of Dares, in which Christmas, absent parents, and a red notebook change the lives of two teenagers forever. When Dash finds a notebook full of riddles at a store called the Strand shortly before Christmas, his hard-won interest is quickly piqued. Its author, a girl named Lily, has asked him to fill in some blanks and leave the notebook with the clerk, along with his email address. In a fit of rebellion, Dash leaves a note instead, sparking an epic scavenger hunt around the vast snow-covered sprawl of New York City. Every day, one of them will hide the notebook somewhere strange for the other to discover, updated with personal and existential questions that face-to-face acquaintances wouldn't dare ask. As they grow closer, though, they have to wonder: can they handle meeting in person, or is their relationship better off written down? And then the choice is taken out of their hands.

       This is exactly the kind of quirky, fun romance that likes to lurk in the back corners of a store. Thanks to a couple of lies and two estranged parents, Dash has ensured he's alone for the holiday season. Lily, on the other hand, is stuck with an older brother who's more interested in his boyfriend than in hanging out with his bored-to-death sister. Her parents are in Fiji, her grandpa's off proposing to his girlfriend, and she has no friends--not even a dog to talk to. What starts as a halfhearted attempt to socialize during Christmas quickly transforms into an outlet for Lily's and Dash's innermost thoughts, observations, and fears. From the shopping mall's Santa meet-and-greet to a wax museum and a stranger's front yard, they explore their city together in new, bizarre ways, and make certain to never take themselves seriously.

     Dash and Lily are incredibly unique individuals with full-fledged lives beyond the notebook. Dash is a Christmas-hater; Lily recently organized a short-lived caroling group. Lily is the goalie for her soccer team, while Dash would probably be content reading alone for the rest of his life. Despite their differences and distinctive personalities, though, the two are somewhat flat. It's as though the roundness of a brilliant character was spread evenly among the entire cast, so that supporting characters and protagonists alike can glow magnificently for a scene or three and then fade into words on a page for the rest of the tale. This in turn influences the tension and stakes, as conflicts which affect a two-dimensional character either don't ring true or don't carry much weight.

     Given the nature of the central relationship, it's not surprising that this novel doesn't ring many warning bells. When it does, it's a halfway thing. For example: cursing is almost nonexistent, with the sole exception of the F-bomb, which is used fairly often. Romance doesn't progress beyond kissing, yet the protagonists seem to get a kick out of making readers think things are about to escalate frighteningly quickly. They also enjoy pushing each other into awkward situations, such as a creepy Santa's lap and a nightclub for Jewish rock bands. Lily's brother spends most of his December holed up with his boyfriend, and has no interest in hiding why. On the plus side, all of that happens off the page. Violence is kept to a minimum.

     I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, quirky read about a young couple genuinely enjoying each other's company despite having never met. Their red notebook goes everywhere, followed closely by adventures these ordinary teens would never have dreamed of without it. This fun, debatably clean romance is well-written and entertaining, and although the cast could use a little more dimension every character shines in their own unique way. For a fun premise, a grand adventure, and two engaging protagonists, Rachel Cohn and David Leviathan's Dash & Lily's Book of Dares deserves three stars.

Review of "I Hunt Killers"

"Don't ever let me call her an it again."

     So demands the protagonist of Barry Lyga's I Hunt Killers. Seventeen-year-old Jasper Francis Dent had a disturbing childhood, to say the least. As far as Billy Dent was concerned, Bring Your Kid to Work Day was a daily observance--which would have been fine if Dear Old Dad hadn't been a serial killer. Four years after Billy's arrest, Jazz still can't get over the lessons that were drilled into him since he was old enough to lift a knife. Even Howie and Connie, his best friend and girlfriend respectively, can't fix the brokenness that haunts him day and night. It isn't until a copycat begins leaving bodies outside of town that Jazz realizes he can make up for letting Billy do so many horrible things. If he catches this killer, it'll prove he isn't destined to grow up like Dad. But when his inner darkness rears its head it won't be the world he has to convince. He'll have to prove it to himself.

     It's impossible to properly categorize Jazz Dent. He's equal part clinical reserve, pragmatism, scared teenager, and terrifying potential. He cons people. He investigates crime scenes without permission and comes to conclusions that only officers close to the case and the criminal himself would ever put together. Howie keeps him human, and Connie keeps him happy; without them, he would be in a much darker place. Their love for him brings out the best aspects of his personality, and is the primary thing that makes Jazz's story worth reading.

     One of the great things about this mystery is the incredible work this small-town sheriff's office is able to do. Too often are sheriffs, chiefs, and ordinary police officers portrayed as incompetent, dim-witted, or otherwise useless. Not so in this tale. G. William may have a round belly and a big nose, but he's got a lifetime of experience under his belt and knows exactly how to use it. He doesn't get in Jazz's way so much as he tries to protect him. When he needs help and has nowhere else to turn, the young Dent is right there on the sidelines, yearning to join the big boys even as he conducts his own investigation. This feels much more realistic than if Sheriff William had let him help out immediately or been a bumbling idiot, and thus cements the premise and its stakes firmly in the reader's mind.

     In fact, realism is the name of the game from start to end. Lyga paints each scene so vividly that one could easily imagine this story playing out in the world we know. Side effects of such an immersive setting and plot include foul language, violence, graphic memories and crime scenes, and other assaults less suitable for public discussion. Thankfully, swearing is kept to a minimum. Both Billy and his copycat preyed upon women, the reasons for which are occasionally discussed, resulting in some crude comments. Jazz must constantly resist the urge to let his inner Billy take over, which leads to some rather chilling inner commentary. Crime scenes are described graphically enough to churn the stomach, stopping right at the brink of "too much". Jazz notes detachedly when his body reacts to Connie's touch. Trigger-sensitive readers should try this one with caution.

     I would recommend this book to older teens and adults looking for a serial killer story with kick. Jazz is a strong protagonist with a war raging wildly within him, one which could decide the fate of his entire town if he lets it. As his friend and girlfriend struggle to help him figure out who and what he is, all three are swept up in a murder mystery with high stakes and a truly frightening villain. Don't read this at night, because I Hunt Killers is as terrifying as it is intriguing. However, even the graphic details can't change the fact that Barry Lyga has written a great story worth four stars.

Review of "Death Sworn"

"The Renegai have never sent a woman to serve as our tutor before."

     In Death Sworn by Leah Cypess, the only way to survive in a society of assassins is to lie to their faces. When she was a child, Ileni tested positive for permanent magical abilities and was accepted into the Renegai, a peaceful society of sorcerers beyond the Empire's grip. She was lauded as the most powerful sorceress in a very long time, and declared their best hope for finally defeating their unjust neighbor. Then, out of nowhere, her magic began to fade. Simple spells became a struggle. To give her a task suited to her now-ordinary nature, Ileni has been sent to the Assassins' Caves, a network of tunnels that houses the training grounds for the most terrifying killers in the realm. Their last two magic tutors are dead, and it's Ileni's job to figure out why--without admitting she's no longer a Renegai. And without teaching her new students anything useful or incurring their master's wrath. Suffice to say that Ileni's life is about to get very interesting.

     Ileni's situation is easy to sympathize with. Once considered a prodigy with unimaginable potential, she has been cast out of her order for something she could not prevent. She's been abandoned by everyone she holds dear and exiled to almost certain death. It's no surprise that she has low self-esteem and identity issues, but what is amazing is her strength. From page one it's obvious that she'll do whatever it takes to uncover the truth behind the previous tutors' disappearances, and does her best to embody Renegai ideologies even when it's hard. When she meets Sorin, an assassin assigned to protect her from his fellows, he becomes an anchor and a friend whose loyalty can only be overridden by the Master Assassin's command. Each character is rounded, flawed, and distinctly human, with lives that extend beyond the plot yet are intricately intertwined.

     One of the major upsides to this tale is the writing. The words flow easily from one to the next, shaping each scene with love and respect for the setting and characters it contains. Every emotion is as close to the surface as ink on the page, though the levels of emotional clarity vary as time wears on. Is Ileni really resigned to her fate? How much of what she feels is she blocking out to make things easier? And although her point of view is only abandoned a couple of times, and never for Sorin, her bodyguard and companion is just as understandable. The backdrops are vivid with color, immersive in their subtly detailed structure. Tension and pacing are well-maintained, and the romance fits into that mold well.

     All things considered, the violence between these pages is rather clean. There are plenty of fights, from an insult contest that peaks in the only crude comment to an adrenaline-flooded struggle with shocking results. However, gore is kept to a minimum and, while conversations often turn morbid, graphic content is toned down and spread out to match the pacing. The romance pairs together two strong, capable individuals with their own flaws and desires. While this doesn't guarantee a happily-ever-after in this novel or its sequel, it makes the relationship refreshing and enjoyable. If the romantic interests go beyond kissing, it happens behind the scenes and is only vaguely hinted at. Ileni is slightly depressed, and the assassins repeatedly state their willingness to sacrifice themselves for their master.

     I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an absorbing read about a strong girl making the best of an awful situation and the assassin who helps her along. The structure is believable, the characters complex, the plot absorbing. Together, these elements bring Leah Cypess's world of assassins and sorcerers to life. The mystery surrounding the Renegai tutors' deaths is truly puzzling, just as the trainees in the Assassins' Caves live up to their fearsome reputation. Ileni is a fantastic protagonist whose point of view grounds the plot, and her love interest is no different. For a convincing mystery, a formidable cast, and sound worldbuilding, Death Sworn deserves five magical stars.

Review of "Story Thieves"

"Alien invasions and rocking-horse-flies are fine, but this you faint at?"

     For the heroes of James Riley's Story Thieves, fiction is nothing to mess around with. When Owen sees his classmate, Bethany, climb out of a library book, his once-boring world is turned upside-down. No longer is he confined to reading his favorite stories; now he can live them. Everything changes, though, when he saves the wise mentor in the most popular fantasy tale the world has ever seen. Before he knows it, the Magister has escaped the confines of the story, Bethany is off having adventures with Kiel Gnomenfoot--only the coolest teen wizard in the history of awesome--and Owen...well, Owen is in the yet-to-be-released final installment, pretending to be Kiel until the real Kiel can take his place. The problem? The Magister isn't the hero everyone thinks he is, and if Owen and Bethany don't act quickly, their world is about to have a very unhappy ending.

    Travelling through stories is every reader's dream. Owen certainly thinks so, anyway. In fact, his greatest dream is to go on an adventure far from the oh-so-boring world that is real life. His impulsiveness and unapologetic fanboy attitude belie his intelligence, making him do things he knows are stupid even before he begins. While it's a little annoying, it makes him human, speaking to that part of the reader which knows, deep down, they would do the same thing. Bethany, on the other hand, is a thoughtful girl who makes rational choices. After a lifetime of jumping from page to page, she knows better than to interfere with a story. She's spent years looking for her father, a fictional character, in every tale she can find. It's a lonely business, and the development of her heart and personality as a result of Owen's friendship makes all his mistakes worthwhile.

     For all our wild imaginings of meeting our favorite heroes and villains, we rarely stop to think about their reactions to finding out that they aren't real. When the Magister breaks into our world, he is horrified to learn that his entire existence has been controlled by an author's imagination. Immediately abandoning the war he's waged for years against the evil Dr. Verity, he sets forth to change the laws which govern our world. He has powerful resources at hand, and wields them well--everything from dragons to tooth-goblins and a big, scary giant stand between Bethany, Kiel, and the world's safety. Some of it is silly, some intimidating; all of it ushers the plot along at a fast clip, keeping the stakes, personal and general alike, at just the right height.

     This is a very kid-friendly adventure. Violence is cartoonish, vocabularies are clean, and while a couple of important figures share a spark with another character, any romance that develops will take place in one of the sequels. The Kiel Gnomenfoot series concerns a teenaged wizard who must battle an evil mastermind from a planet where everything is controlled by science, and is filled with zombies, cyborgs, ray guns, and robot "Science Soldiers". Even the system of magic is wacky. The heroes are smart, creative middle-schoolers who are sure to charm readers almost immediately.

     I would recommend this book to kids, adults, and everyone in between who longs to experience the kind of adventure only found in fiction. Owen and Bethany are fun to follow as they embark on their journey to save the world. The threat is unique, the writing imaginative, and the stakes realistic. What flaws it has are minor; James Riley did a wonderful job with this one. For action, magic, and plenty of excitement, Story Thieves deserves five stars.

Review of "Throne of Glass"

"Do I want to know what's killing the Champions?"

     In Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, being summoned by the Crown Prince of Adarlan is not necessarily a bad thing. After a year of hard work in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old  assassin Celaena Sardothien has been reduced to a shadow of her former self. She's thin, she's filthy...yet she still has her killer's edge. When Adarlan's Crown Prince orders her removed from the mines, Celaena is convinced her execution date has arrived. Instead, Prince Dorian Havilliard wants to make a deal: win a tournament against the best thieves, assassins, and soldiers in the realm, and after four years of service to the king she'll finally be free. Which wouldn't be a problem if magic hadn't started showing up again, the prince wasn't distractingly cute, and someone--or something--wasn't picking off the competitors one by one. With her future on the line, Adarlan's Assassin is about to discover just how much she's willing to sacrifice for victory.

     Celaena has a whole cast of people on hand to temper her bloodthirsty nature. First there's Dorian Havilliard, Crown Prince of Adarlan and relentless flirt. He has quite the reputation among the women of the court, which doesn't stop them from swooning when he passes and praying nightly that he'll marry them. Next is Chaol Westfall: Captain of the Guard, master of wariness, and king of denying the yearnings of his heart. A maid with a heart of gold is the only person strong-willed enough to stand up to her, while a visiting princess provides much-needed emotional support. Together, these characters form a tangled web of lies, love, and friendship that threatens to shatter if they don't do everything in their power to sustain it. Meanwhile, fierce competitors, wicked courtiers, and scheming nobles plot to destroy our heroes' hopes for the future.

     Adarlan is a kingdom without magic, and not just because it was banned when Celaena was eight. The day the announcement was made, even those who wielded it were cut off from magic by some unknown force. So when competitors start turning up dead, suspecting magic is at play would be insane. On the other hand, what else could those markings around the bodies be? As Adarlan's Assassin digs deeper into the mysteries of the glass castle and its inhabitants, she realizes there are secrets here even the king may not know. Unless she does something to stop them, these secrets may destroy everyone she's grown to care for. While she tears the library apart in search of a solution, the competition rages on around her. However, it is far from the focus of the plot. Celaena has much more important things to worry about, like the threat to the kingdom and the follies of her own heart.

     That's right: though the story centers around two violent, dramatic premises, its beating heart is a romance. Rather than bog things down, this provides some much-needed rest between the action and tension-filled, forbidden explorations and searches. Characters don't go beyond kissing, though a courtier promised her fiancé more if he took her to court and Celaena has to tell her significant other "no" several times. Violence is surprisingly rare but graphic; while Adarlan's Assassin boasts of her prowess often, we don't see it in action often, which makes the few true fight scenes that much more impressive. The crime scenes, when Celaena encounters them, are extremely unpleasant. There's a little mild profanity, plus a few more explicit digs at Celaena from her male opponents and mention of a guard taking advantage of a prisoner.

     I would recommend this book to teenagers looking for an exciting blend of romance and action, magic and combat. Celaena is a strong-willed young woman who is more than willing to back up her claim to fame, the threat she faces daunting enough to chill the blood. Surrounded by a compelling cast of people in their own right, Celaena is quickly swept up in a world of intrigue, forbidden magic, and love as her simple quest for freedom turns into a fight for survival. For adventure, mysterious circumstances, and a gripping plot, Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass deserves five stars.

Review of "Alistair Grim's Odditorium"

“The odd was the ordinary at Alistair Grim’s.”

     When it comes to Gregory Funaro’s Alistair Grim’s Odditorium, truer words have yet to be written. Meet Grubb, an orphan whose adopted mother is dead and whose adopted father, a chimney sweep named Mr. Smears, makes him do all the work while he drinks away their wages. Grubb’s life is hard at best, but he makes the most of it. One day, when he’s twelve or thereabouts and working on a particularly difficult series of chimneys, a pair of rascals gets him in big touble. Terrified of Mr. Smears’s reaction, Grubb stows away in a rich man’s trunk. Before he knows it, he’s indentured to Mr. Alistair Grim, an eccentric collector whose specialty is Odditoria—that is, anything living, inanimate, or otherwise that possesses magical properties. When a talking pocket watch accidentally summons Mr. Grim’s arch-nemesis to his Odditorium, it’s up to Grubb to set things right—and earn a permanent place in the Odditorium family.

     Grubb is a fascinatingly complex hero. In some respects, he’s a typical orphan with fears and insecurities about the people he considers family. He loves Mr. Smears even when the man mistreats him, and misses Mrs. Smears terribly. Despite this, he possesses an inner strength that’s unheard of for boys in his age group, yet fits him like a glove. He’s as sharp as a knight’s blade and clever to boot, plus humble enough to own up to his mistakes and try to change for the better. Combine this with his wit and desperate longing for a place in the world, and he becomes incredibly charming and likeable.

     The worldbuilding is just as fantastic as the cast. From the empty little cottage where Mr. Smears lives to the slick black walls of the Odditorium and the bustling London streets, every scene and setting overflow with an abundance of life. By the magical way it’s described, almost anything could be Odditoria, be it menacing castle walls or the simple joy of being part of something big. Adding to the effect is the fact that a great many things that appear ordinary are actually Odditoria themselves, so that the reader is constantly on the lookout for magical people and objects.

     This being a children’s tale, there is little content worth a warning. Although Mr. Smears is a harsh man who mistreats and occasionally beats Grubb when things go south, it’s evident that he truly does care for the boy, at least a little bit. Characters swear in the most fun of fashions, exclaiming, “Great poppycock!” and “Good heavens!” on a somewhat regular basis. While there’s a lot of gasping and sighing, and a tad too much information-dumping, the content is clean and respectable. The villain of the piece is a cruel Odditoria-collector with an army of monsters at his back, so there are battles, duels, and other things of that sort, though nothing graphic. One character recounts the tale of the time his brother was framed for murder and lost contact with his daughter. Grubb notices that a couple of girls are beautiful, but, being twelve or thereabouts, does not pursue them.

     I would recommend this book to kids and kids at heart who yearn for a bit of adventure in their ordinary lives. Grubb is a fascinating boy in a beautifully-written world, and embarks on a marvelous adventure that’s sure to keep readers on the edges of their seats. Even a few instances of info-dumping don’t slow the pacing down for long. This might be a good one to read aloud to one’s child, or it could just as easily be read to oneself; either way, Alistair Grim’s Odditorium is a must-read. Congratulations, Gregory Funaro: this beautiful piece definitely deserves five stars.

Review of "A Thousand Splendid Suns"

"It happened on a Thursday."

     Khaled Hosseini is back with A Thousand Splendid Suns, a novel centered entirely around the lives and trials of two fictional Afghani women. When Mariam was a child, her father would visit her once a week at the little kolba where she and Nana lived. He would sit her on his lap and tell her stories about the city where she'd been born, and for the rest of the day she would glow with the knowledge that he loved her. Now Mariam is fifteen, and for her birthday she wants nothing more than to watch Pinocchio at her father's cinema. When he doesn't show up, she goes to his house, where he lives with his wives and legitimate children. Before she knows it, a sudden tragedy and betrayal lands her a miserable marriage to a cruel man she doesn't love. Years later, a girl named Laila loses the love of her life to shifting Afghani politics. When their lives intertwine, these women discover they can build a better future, but at the steepest price imaginable.

     In true Hosseini fashion, the tale of Mariam and Laila is full of extraordinary details that make it very true-to-life. The settings are rich with vivid descriptions that breathe life into every scene, from the dried-out grasses around Mariam's kolba to the tight-knit community that Laila calls home. Supporting characters are fleshed-out reasonably well, with distinctive voices and strong opinions that make them stand out in any crowd. The cast is small, though, and while this the development of each internal arc is more obvious, few secondary characters hold the spotlight long enough for us to truly get to know them.

     The plot of this piece revolves around the tribulations in the everyday lives of two mistreated young women, so action and agency aren't all that common. Most of the emphasis is placed on what happens to them, how they respond, and the ways in which this changes who they are and how they view the world. This is both intriguing and disappointing, as it provides a deeper insight into the minds and culture of these women, yet also slows the plot almost to a standstill for quite some time. Still, it's nice to have a story that isn't about chasing the bad guy or fixing things before the stakes grow worse.

     Throughout the story, several questionable things take place of which readers and pre-readers alike should be forewarned. The English vocabulary utilized is generally clean, with perhaps a few curses slipping between the cracks; characters speak Farsi now and then, and call Mariam a cruel name in Farsi in the opening chapters. Islam makes its own appearance, but the perspective is mainly negative, as Mariam and Laila suffer at the hands of men who force harsh religious customs upon them. Perhaps the biggest factor to consider is our heroines' personal relationships. Mariam is young when she marries, and her much older husband is physically demanding and, later, rather unkind. Laila, on the other hand, knows love briefly. While the physical side of these areas is not explicit in the moment, there's enough detail that younger readers might want to put this one off for a while. Despite the slow pacing, there is a bit of somewhat graphic violence.

     I would recommend this book to older readers looking for a glimpse into the life of women in Afghanistan. While the premise obviously does not reflect the background of every Afghani lady, the hardships Laila and Mariam go through are enough to win the sympathy of any reader. The settings are overflowing with beautiful descriptions that truly set the scene, and the few recurring characters support the plot nicely. However, aside from that of our heroines, there is little in the way of internal development, and it doesn't help that the slow plot is the primary method of moving this story along. Add in violence, a broken marriage, and romance with a touch too much detail, and Kholed Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns doesn't quite live up to its initial promise. Still, it's got an interesting premise and strong protagonists, so it deserves three stars.

Review of "Two Moons in August"

"Your mom away somewhere?"

     In Two Moons in August, Martha Brooks explores what it's like to lose someone close to the heart. Ever since her mother passed away almost a year ago, Sidonie's life has been awful. Dad is rarely home anymore, Bobbi has organized the kitchen drawers, and the only person she can talk to is her eight-year-old cat. Any friendship she and her sister once had has vanished, especially now that Bobbi is spending so much time with her strictly-best-friend Phil. When a new boy moves in across the street and wrecks her book, all Sidonie can think of is her mother's signature dripping down the front page. And the fact that this boy, Kieran, is cute. And that she really, really needs to fix her family before things get even worse. But relationships can't be fixed with a hammer and nails, so if she's going to make things right, she has to start with herself--and all the baggage that entails.

     From the first page, it's evident that Sidonie has only just begun to heal after her mother's death. She's still raw over the birthday sweater she refused to try on when asked. It doesn't help that it happened the day she turned fifteen, forever linking the two events in her mind. Bobbi's temper has turned sour now that she's taken over as unofficial housekeeper, and without her dad around to help her grieve, Sidonie's only escape is through books. Her emotions are so prominent in the writing that even readers whose families are intact should have little trouble connecting with her. The others are a little harder to relate to, given their slightly less pleasant personalities, but overall the effect is the same.

     The writing style used throughout this tale is somewhat curious. On the one hand, it's rich with emotion, making clear how Sidonie's world works and exactly what she feels about it. The downside, though, is that this is somehow achieved with a passive narrative voice. Even with a thousand churning waves of turmoil clearly visible in every word, the audience is kept at a distance, able to empathize with the characters yet not quite able to submerge completely within the setting. This has the unfortunate effect of reducing the urgency of the climax and generally reducing the tension, even when things start getting crazy.

     This depiction of Sidonie's summer is a mixed bag of highly clean and slightly questionable content. Overall, the language is relatively clean, with only a few curses dropped here and there. There's no violence to speak of, though at one point two characters find their lives in danger. The biggest factor to consider is the romance. Even in 1959, the year our story takes place, social restrictions on physical contact are few and far between. Kieran and Sidonie's first kiss quickly escalates, but she puts a stop to it before things get out of control. Bobbi, on the other hand, is not so conservative. Thankfully, descriptions of her romantic adventures are thoughtfully skimmed over. They do, however, play a big part in her own private plot line.

     I would recommend this book to readers fifteen and up who want a short read with lots of heart. While the writing style keeps readers at a short distance, Sidonie and her family deal with a tangible sense of grief and enough realistic problems to retain a strong hook. Although there's a bit of romance, the bigger story is about Bobbi, Sidonie, and their father figuring out how to move on after an enormous tragedy. For intriguing characters and a good plot, Martha Brooks' Two Moons in August deserves three stars.

Review of "Monument 14"

"She smashed the bus right through the glass doors of the Greenway."

     In Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne, ordinary kids from all walks of life are thrown together in the most intense survival situation they could have imagined. Dean and his fourteen-year-old brother have been looking out for each other ever since the world started going downhill. Sure, they have their parents, but Mom and Dad can't watch over them around the clock. When a freak storm of giant hailstones destroy Dean's school bus and lands Alex's in the local Greenway superstore, they're on their own. And when Mrs. Wooly, Alex's driver, leaves the two buses of kids alone in the Greenway so she can get help, there are no other grown-ups to calm people down or maintain order. Dean knows he isn't a leader, and so does everyone else. However, as time goes by and conditions grow steadily worse, a leader may not be what this group needs. What they need is glue to keep them together--and that is something Dean can provide.

     As far as apocalypses go, there's something to be said for Laybourne's straightforward approach. By the time the first chapter is through, enormous hailstones have destroyed one school bus, injured a handful of students, and forced a kindly driver into hardcore survival mode. Every few days, things outside the Greenway grow progressively worse, leaving the store's unlikely inhabitants to deal with the consequences. Sometimes this means setting up a work schedule or boarding up a door; other times, it means tying people up to protect the group. There's little explanation of why everything is going downhill, and that's what makes this story so realistic.

     Dean's narrative style is very direct. He tells us what happens, when it happens, and why it happens--at least, as far as he can tell. His personality bleeds through every page, grounding the fantastical work in what could easily pass for reality. Rather than repeatedly note how long they've been living in the Greenway, each page keeps track at the bottom, making narrative jumps to later events far less confusing than they might have been. It also plunges readers directly into the moment, filling them with sights, sounds, and scents that flesh out the setting and characters in a matter of sentences. Every emotion is conveyed convincingly, from heartbreak to sheer terror or even brotherly love. And because the cast is so diverse, finding relatable characters to cheer for is relatively simple.

     Unfortunately, there are a lot of things in this little story that pre-readers should look out for. Language can get heated, and though the strongest terms replace key letters with hyphens, plenty of the medium-level vulgarity is reported as-is. Violence, too, is mildly graphic; while there's no gore, characters pull no punches and leave a bit of a mess after each fight, which they have to clean up later. There's also the minor fact that the apocalypse isn't over when the hail stops falling, and the disasters that follow are extremely dangerous. However, the primary focus is on the Greenway kids rather than the outside world, so this threat is toned down immensely in favor of the more interesting interpersonal drama.

     The biggest factor, though, is romance. From the start, Dean has a crush on a pretty girl he's certain doesn't know he exists. Even with the world falling apart around him, he's excited to think that he'll be spending time near her until everything is set to rights. And he isn't the only one with these kinds of thoughts. Shortly into their stay, a girl from the local middle school decides it's time to spice things up by dressing uncleanly. While Dean views this as a sad sign of immaturity, some of the other boys find this intriguing. At one point, our protagonist walks in on a very private moment that, while not described in detail, is laced with dialogue that fills in most of the blanks. Later, one person tries to take advantage of another. While I'd hesitate to call the latter a trigger scene, potential readers should be wary.

     I would recommend this book to older teenagers looking for a survival tale about smart kids doing their best in a world that's falling to pieces. It features an unusual setting, a highly diverse cast, and a myriad of complicated relationships that contribute just as much to the tension as the catastrophes beyond the Greenway doors. The writing style ties everything together and holds on tight, while the extraordinary intelligence of the characters makes following along an intriguing journey. If it weren't for the heap of flag-worthy content and Dean's never-ending fixation on his crush, this might be a brilliant novel. As it is, Emmy Laybourne's Monument 14 is a great book deserving four stars.

Review of "Timebound"

"I've never seen you this young."

     As far as Rysa Walker's young adult novel Timebound is concerned, you don't have to be from the future to travel through time and space. Prudence Katherine Pierce-Keller, commonly known as "Kate", is an ordinary girl with two ordinary divorced parents. She spends half her time at Dad's and half at Mom's, attending a prestigious private school thanks to her father's new position as a math teacher. When Mom's mother, also named Katherine, appears from the woodwork with news that she has cancer, Kate quickly agrees that spending time with the old woman is a good idea. What she doesn't know is that Katherine has a secret--and it's tied to the medallion around her neck, the one Mom swears doesn't glow blue. It has to do with the stranger who mugs her on the Metro, and his friend, who acts like he's been in love with her for years. If Katherine is right, someone from the future has been messing with the timeline, and if Kate doesn't stop them, the people she loves won't die. They'll have never existed.

     Kate's adventure is not the average time-travel story. Her grandmother is a historian from CHRONOS, a company in the future which sends observers to experience and take notes on the most crucial points in history. They don't change anything--or they aren't supposed to. Ever since she was stranded in the past, Katherine has been fighting to bring the timeline back on track. The only problem with that plan is that she can't travel through time without going to the future first...and, as far as her medallion is concerned, that's now impossible. Kate, on the other hand, has a strong, second-hand strain of the time-travelling gene, which means she can jump whenever and wherever she wants. Her only mentors are an old woman and her roommate, while her enemy has an army at his back. The only person she can confide in is a boy who won't know she exists if she succeeds. Win or lose, someone is going to get the short end of the stick. Kate can only hope it isn't her.

     There is no single time and place Kate has to visit in order to save the world. For now, her main focus is the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, where an assassin from the future and a serial killer are both about to strike. The setting is beautifully done, with so much detail and historical context that readers may lose themselves in this vivid glimpse of the past. It isn't just the backdrop, either. The people Kate encounters are well-rounded and dynamic, no matter how long or brief their acquaintance might be. They feel like people on a fundamental level whether they're from the past, present, future, or some strange blend thereof. And that makes Kate's world authentic.

     Like many of its YA counterparts, this story boasts an impressive love triangle. First in line for Kate's hand is Kiernan, a boy from the past and her alternate future, who is irrevocably in love with her. He's also the grandfather of Katherine's roommate, which should be weird but somehow isn't. Even with his Kate absent from this new timeline, Kiernan is devoted to the cause of righting the wrongs of the wayward time travellers who are destroying history. Then there's Trey, a boy from the present who quickly falls in love with Kate, but who stands to lose everything once she sets things right. Both boys are startlingly realistic and essential to the plot, which is deliciously refreshing. The romance doesn't proceed beyond kissing, though two characters plan to change that once the timeline is stable. Foul language is kept to a minimum, and the violence is kept carefully PG-13.

     I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fascinating novel about love, time travel, and the lengths someone will go to in order to keep their family safe. There's action, romance, and a great deal of American history that hasn't made it into modern history books. The characters are realistic, lovable, and dynamic, full of subtle idiosyncrasies that make them stand out. With high stakes on both a personal and world-wild scale, readers will be glued to the edges of their seats for every page. For a relatable cast,  expansive worldbuilding, and a breathtaking plot, Rysa Walker's Timebound more than deserves five stars.

Review of "Another Faust"

“I’m looking for an unattainable soul…a soul that’s not for sale.”

     From Daniel and Dina Naveri comes a new kind of fairy tale: Another Faust, a cautionary story about the consequences of giving into our darkest desires. Victoria, Christian, Belle, and Valentin were only children when Madam Vileroy offered to sweep them away to another life. Now they are teenagers—and ready to cash in on their deal. At Marlowe, an elite preparatory school in Manhattan, they will be surrounded by the smartest, most talented youth in the state, along with countless opportunities to prove their superiority. Whether they desire power, beauty, sports prowess, or a good laugh, Madam Vileroy is more than willing to accommodate their wishes...for a price. When Belle’s sister begins to ask probing questions about Vileroy’s deals, the governess decides it’s time to step up the game. Bicé is the only one who hasn't sold her soul for her powers--and while this makes her a target, she could also be the key to their salvation.

     The relative obscurity of the Faustian Deal legend makes this an intriguing premise. Though it’s obvious from the start that Madam Vileroy is wicked to the core, her “adopted” children choose to overlook that fact. For Victoria, the most important thing in the world is political and academic success, and she’ll sacrifice anything to get it. In return for a few far-from-harmless practical jokes and whatever else her governess desires, she is given the gift of Cheating, which allows her to read minds and stay ahead of her opponents. Valentin cares more for flexibility in life, and uses his ability to Lie to skip back in time and change the immediate future, often many times over. For Belle, nothing is worth more than beauty, even if it comes from pain or means the love she receives is merely an illusion. Christian, on the other hand, has grown to hate his ability to Steal the life force of others, preferring to win sports games without supernatural assistance.

     Then there’s Bicé, Belle’s formerly-identical twin. Bicé has been given the art of language, but unlike her so-called siblings she uses it to brighten everyone’s day. As the plot continues and the other Faust children Cheat, Lie, and glamour their way to success, she Hides in infinite folds of time, spending countless days learning different tongues. All this changes when she sees the black spot on Christian’s chest--the same spot Belle has, right over her heart. Only Bicé’s skin is clear of the stain, while Christian’s is on its way out. The minute they begin investigating why, their enemy makes her move. Meanwhile, Belle, Valentin, and Victoria fight ever harder to reach the pinnacle of glory in their respective circles. If Bicé and Christian defeat Vileroy, the other’s will finally be free of her dark magic. The only problem is that they might not want to be freed.

     Unfortunately, despite the drama and trickery that each teen faces, something is missing from the writing. This may be an unfortunate side effect of the narrative style, or it could be that the overarching plot is lacking in coherence. So much time is spent on the individual struggles of the Faust children that the importance of the greater conflict is often lost or diminished, leaving Bicé’s mission to free herself and her family unfairly dry. The voice used in relating the adventures of these young people is also somewhat passive, lessening the effect of the more major plot points.

     Despite the subject matter, there isn’t much questionable content within the Nayeris’ novel. Belle’s Faustian Deal grants her beauty at the cost of self-inflicted pain, and she uses it to snag the most popular boy in school. Unfortunately, her ability also leaves her with a disgusting scent that keeps him from kissing her. Meanwhile, Valentin uses his ability to Lie to toy with a girl who is quickly falling in love with him. This results in a single kiss for amusement's sake. He also briefly mistreats another girl to discover what she finds attractive. Christian’s aptitude for Stealing is at constant odds with his kind spirit, and rarely results in someone getting hurt. Madam Vileroy tries to change him by providing a live training dummy, but he refuses to Steal from it. Victoria, on the other hand, has no problem brawling another student to get what she wants, though the fight is not graphic. While rare, moderately vulgar language is occasionally exchanged between enemies.

     I would recommend this book to teens looking for an engaging story where the heroes have to decide what kind of people they want to be. There’s just enough of a connection to the old legend of the Faustian Deal to count this as a fairy tale, yet the modern setting and relative obscurity of the original make this version mysterious and compelling. Even though the writing style detracts somewhat from the plot, each character’s internal arc is intriguing enough to hold a reader’s attention on its own. Together, they weave a tapestry of love, hate, twisted desires, and damaged moral compasses. Daniel and Dina Nayeri did a great job with Another Faust, earning it four stars.

Review of "The Wizard of Oz"

“There's a cyclone coming, Em."

     L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz is a fairy tale in which one young girl changes a magical realm forever. Dorothy Gale lives with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry on their faded little farm in Kansas, but life with the Gales isn’t as exciting as she’d like. The sky is gray, the fields are gray, and the only happy thing around is her pet dog, Toto. When a cyclone sweeps Dorothy and Toto to a world full of color and magic, it seems at first that things have taken a turn for the better. That is, until she realizes that she’ll have to abandon all hope of seeing her family again if she wishes to stay. Determined to find a way home, Dorothy sets course for the City of Emeralds at the center of Oz, where a great wizard lives. But the Wizard of Oz doesn’t do things for free, so even if she makes it to the City alive, she’ll have to do something in return. It will take trust, friendship, and a great deal of kindness to send Dorothy back to Kansas, which means she’ll need friends to do it…friends who must sacrifice who they once were if ever they are to succeed.

     Some old-fashioned fairy tales feature cruel villains, terrifying beasts, and unsavory endings for those on the side of evil. Not so with The Wizard of Oz. In this charming adventure, what stands out most is a sense of wonder. Oz is a breathtaking place with an unimaginably diverse landscape, which a multitude of equally diverse peoples and cultures call home. From the china-people with their fragile bodies to short men whose heads spring forward to repel invaders, no one is too strange or incredible to settle in this world. The villains, meanwhile, are wicked yet one-dimensional, and can do no harm to Dorothy, who early on is given a good witch’s kiss for protection. Since all of her travelling companions are either intimidating or feel no pain, little permanent damage is done to them, either.

     However, do not think this means nothing bad can happen to our young heroine and her friends. The Scarecrow wants brains, the Tin Woodman a heart, the Lion some courage, and Dorothy to return home—and with every passing adventure, it becomes less and less certain that they can find what they desire in the Emerald City. Indeed, they might not even make it there. For while malicious villains may hesitate to harm Dorothy, nature is not so particular. Fields of poppies, great ravines, and hungry animals all do their best to keep the foursome from their destination. So while there’s nothing graphic within these pages, there is always the fear that they may be wrong. They may not make it to the City, after all. And even if they do, who is to say the Wizard of Oz can grant them their wishes—or that he’ll want to?

     There is no foul language, romance, or violence. Even the defeat of the Wicked Witch of the East is an accident, and mentioned in passing rather than described. The primary antagonist, however, takes a bit more effort to defeat, and the epic battle between heroine and enemy is shorter and clean. More important to the essence of this book is the sense of wonder that such a place as Oz exists, and the worry that Dorothy may never get home.

     I would recommend this book to children and tweens looking for a fun adventure in a world full of marvelous people, places, and achievements. Teenagers and adults might like it as well, but the tale is most definitely directed toward children. Dorothy is a lighthearted character who possesses a great deal of kindness and curiosity, while her friends each exhibit unique traits and quirks which alternate between causing conflict, saving the day, and making the reader feel as though they were walking right alongside the four heroes. Though it’s a little simple, many fairy tales are, and L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz makes up for it with interesting characters and a world made to dazzle. It deserves four stars.