Novels Now

The Water Seeker by Kimberly Willis Holt

Pages: 309
Ages: 13+
First Published: May 11, 2010
Publisher: Henry Holt
Rating: 5/5

First sentence:

Jake was known as the dowser.

Acquired: Received a review copy from Macmillan.

Reason for Reading: I love frontier life western historical fiction and the dowsing aspect caught my eye.

It seems strange to call a book with just over 300 pages an epic story but that really is the best way to describe “The Water Seeker”. It is the story of a family starting with the meeting of the mother and father and ending with their child married, with his own youngster. The main character is a boy who we meet at birth and he grows to manhood, but for the most part of the book he is a young teen and in a way this is his coming of age story. But even though the boy may be considered the protagonist, his father shares that position equally, plus the story is just as much about the adults who surround the boy and their lives that I often forgot I was reading a YA book. Which makes me recommend the book as much to adults as to teens.

Amos Kincaid’s father, Jake, is a dowser but he hates the “gift” that was passed down to him from his father and only does it when times are hard. Otherwise he is a trapper and loves the life. Amos’ mother died at his birth and he was sent to be raised by his Uncle and Aunt, with his father coming to visit each year for a few months when the trapping season is over. Eventually, the boy grows and the father comes back, with a wife, and they set off with a group going along the Oregon Trail. The story deals with very real life and death. Death much more so and Amos experiences guilt, jealousy, anger, joy, happiness and ultimately love before the journey west is complete.

I loved this book, one of the best I’ve read this month. All the characters are so real. Some are filled with the pioneer spirit and others are bitter over the hardships dealt them in this life. We see how tragedy can break a man to nothing but a shell of his former self and we see how the same tragedy can make another pick herself up and continue on because of her love for life. The book is filled with tragedies, heartbreak, illness and despair. Pioneer life was tough no matter how much spirit you had. But we follow a family made up of unique individuals who rise above each hardship creating a magnificent epic novel. I’d love to see “The Water Seeker” up for some awards this year; it’s truly worthy. A great historical.

Salem Brownstone: All Along the Watchtowers by John Harris Dunning. Art by Nikhil Singh

Pages: 96 pages
Ages: 15+
First Published: July 13, 2010 US ( Oct. 2009 UK)
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Rating: 4/5

First sentence:

There are those who love the rum and unusual, the uncanny, the macabre.

Acquired: Received a review copy from the publisher.

Reason for Reading: I was immediately taken with the publisher’s eerie plot summary.

This is a beautiful book. Oversized like a large picture book with decorated cloth covered boards, it feels like a treasure in your hands. Upon opening the book, the story grips you right away as if something by Poe. Then turn the page where the artwork starts and immediately Gory comes to mind and the further one gets into the story with the mixture of art and text their is a very strong Tim Burton vibe going and I actually started imaging the story being filmed with Johnny Depp as Salem Brownstone. The artwork is truly masterful. Each frame is so detailed, this book could take many readings and each reading would reveal something you had missed the previous times through. How do I describe the art? Outlandish, eerie, macabre, bizarre and just outright fiendishly freakish (in a good way!).

Salem Brownstone, a grown man, who hasn’t seen his father since he was six receives a telegram that his father has died and left him his mansion and the contents and he must come claim it ASAP that evening at 9pm. Upon arrival Salem finds an old creepy Victorian house and notices a sign announcing a circus nearby. Once inside he discovers his father was a magician and dons the cape, when he hears a noise. As he investigates he happens upon Cassandra Contortionist who has been waiting for him. She has a scrying orb that belonged to his father that she must pass on to him. She takes him down to the circus for further explanation and it is here he learns that he must take over his father’s role in keeping the world safe from the evil creatures of another dimension.

This is a macabre story and certainly not going to be for everyone but if you like Poe or Lovecraft then this will be along your tastes. The atmosphere is very dark and heavy, the story is very creepy and when you think you’ve seen it all something even creepier happens. I was engrossed with the story and the whole book itself. A wonderful Hallowe’en read. From the ending, there are hints that Salem may appear in a sequel.

Countdown by Deborah Wiles
The Sixties Trilogy, Book One

Pages: 388 pages
Ages: 11+
First Published: May 1, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Rating: 5/5

First sentence:

I am eleven years old, and I am invisible.

Acquired: Received a review copy from Scholastic Canada.

Reason for Reading: I enjoy historical fiction but the amount of photographs and media images in the book was what intrigued me the most.

If anybody had told me I was going to absolutely love a book that’s main historical setting was the Cuban Missile Crisis I would have said “Sorry, I don’t even read that kind of political book” then the next thing I’d say would be “BTW, what is the Cuban Missile Crisis?”

The book takes place over the last few weeks in October, 1962 and is somewhat autobiographical using the author’s personal life and memories to tell the story of growing up in the sixties. Taking the author’s place is Franny Chapman, an ordinary girl with a little brother who can do no wrong in her parents’ eyes. It’s the story of Franny’s life; her best friend is starting to avoid her and becoming friends with a girl whose mother is divorced who Franny is not allowed to have anything to do with. Her uncle, great uncle really, lives with them as he raised her father, but he is slipping into dementia, calls everyone soldier and is embarrassing the whole family to the neighbourhood. Franny’s father is in the Air Force and always going off on trips seeming never to be there when the worst family crises arise. Franny’s older sister, who is in college, is up to something mysterious, something she has disagreed with their mother about, and then one night she just doesn’t come back home.

The background is the height of the cold war. The children are inundated with the “duck and cover” routine should a nuclear bomb hit. They have practice drills and watch in class movies to make sure that instinctively they know what to do. The Bay of Pigs has ended and there is talk of the Russians attacking with a nuclear bomb. Then President Kennedy comes on the TV and explains the situation in Cuba involving the Russians and nuclear missiles aimed at the United States. The media quickly label this the Cuban Missile Crisis. Also spread throughout the book are the rumblings of the beginning of the Civil Rights movement. As the book ends, I believe the set up has been made that the background of the second book will be Civil Rights.

The story is just simply fantastic. I read the book in a day as I just couldn’t put it down. The relationships between all the children were very real and the attitudes and lifestyle of the sixties shone through making the story very authentic. A very unique aspect of this book, which has been called a “documentary novel” is that in the middle of the ongoing story it will suddenly turn to a non-fiction essay on a person who has been mentioned. These are very interesting and flow right along with the story feeling perfectly natural in their placement. We learn of both Jack and Jackie Kennedy this way, along with Harry S. Truman, Pete Seeger, Fannie Lou Townsend Hamer and others.

What makes this book truly amazing though is the combination of text with photographs and graphic media. Every so often, there is a graphic section which enhances the story telling through photographs, quotes, headlines, cartoons, posters, song lyrics and much more. These follow the storyline and political events are introduced through the graphic media before it becomes a part of the textual story which really enhances and makes clear the understanding of otherwise potentially difficult topics. But the photos also just immerse you in the culture and era with sports events, space accomplishments, popular singers and stark photos of reality.

I’ve never read anything quite like this before and think the combination of text and media has been put together brilliantly and with a compelling, well-written story this is a fantastic book. I am eagerly await the second book!

Manifest by Artist Arthur
Mystyx series, book 1

Pages: 248
Ages: 13+
First Published: Aug 1, 2010
Publisher: Kimani Tru
Rating: 3.5/5

First sentence:

“I can’t hear you. I can’t hear you,” I repeat, talking to myself.

Acquired: Received a review copy from the book’s publicist.

Reason for Reading: The sounds of a Paranormal YA Ghost Whisperer with an added twist plot was enough to make me want to read it.

This is a book that I enjoyed more the further I got into it. I find that while I’m reading I often rate a book as I go along. This was a two at the beginning, a solid three by the middle and pushing a four and a half by the end so to sum it all off I’ve gone with an overall three and a half. Krystal can see dead people, hear them, have conversations with them and now they are asking her for help. Ricky Watson, a very cute boy, for a ghost, wants Krystal to find out who killed him and he won’t stop pestering her until she agrees to help him. Two other kids at school are trying to corner Krystal into meeting them somewhere secret when they find out Krystal has the mysterious ‘M’ birthmark that both of them also have. This may all be very exciting to some but not Krystal as she is in the middle of glooming over her parents divorce, her mother’s moving her from NYC to hicktown Connecticut and her subsequent marriage to Gerald who seems to hate Krystal almost as much as she hates him.

When I first started reading I really did not like the character of Krystal. She was full of angst, self-importance, rude to her mother and everyone else for that matter, whiny and basically a grating narrative voice to have to read. Krystal’s attitude remains the same for a good part of the book but fortunately the plot was exciting enough to keep me reading. There is a mystery to solve and the three teens set out to solve who killed Ricky; popular belief is that the crew he hung with had something to do with it but Ricky wants their names cleared and the real killer found. The story becomes more involved when Krystal meets another ghost in the boiler room, a crying girl who has had her head bashed in and thinks there may be a connection to Ricky’s death.

The plot was a fun read and I ended up reading the book in an afternoon. Little bits of information are leaked as the book progresses though I knew who the culprit was early on. This plot line is closed by the end of the book. In amongst the solving of the mystery, is a plot line where the teens found out about their birthmarks and powers, this, again, is an intriguing story arc and one that will continue through the series. They learn enough in this volume but there are many more questions to ask and so much more to know. The dynamics of the group of three who are from very different backgrounds is also explored and grows.

Krystal’s home life is an ongoing issue through the book and it just plain annoyed me. I’m not cold-hearted. I appreciate the drama of the situation, but it is one of those things where if everybody had just told the truth at the beginning there would not have been all this hatred and misery for so long. Toward the end there is some kind of resolution, and Krystal seems to lose her angst and bad attitude but we’ll have to wait until book two to find out for sure. Because Krystal aside I really liked all the other characters, especially Sasha and I’m quite excited to find out what the next book will bring.

Dark Life by Kat Falls

Pages: 297
Ages: 11+
First Published: May 1, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Rating: 4/5

First sentence:

I peered into the deep-sea canyon,hoping to spot a toppled skyscraper. Maybe even the Statue of Liberty.

Acquired: Received a review copy from Scholastic Canada.

Reason for Reading: I’ve read a couple of other books about permanent settlements on the sea floor and find the concept quite interesting.

It is the future and an experimental colony on the sea bottom is flourishing. Ty was the first child born sub-sea and it’s the only life he knows. When Gemma comes from Topside looking for her brother she joins him in a journey to safe the colony from a force that seems to be out to get the pioneers. A band of Outlaws are attacking pioneer homes, killing their livestock, invading their homes and deflating them, plus Ty and Gemma have evidence they might have killed someone. Things are taken to such a point that Ty and other sub-sea children must reveal a dark secret they have been keeping.

This was a fun read. I read the book in a day and carried it with me everywhere. The descriptions of underwater life sound plausible to this layman. The way the community is set up is very intriguing and makes one want to visit such a place. I’ve always thought that underwater living would make a much more sensible next step than colonization of another planet. Ty has a whole family who play a part in the book’s plot but Gemma is the one who brings the popular orphan theme into play. I found Ty to be a bit of a whiner, disrespectful to his parents and authority so I never particularly liked him but, nevertheless, the book did have an easy to read, pleasant narrative with a sense of humour. The plot becomes quite involved as we have Ty and Gemma searching for the Outlaws, the Outlaws running amok with the pioneers and the government eventually gets involved leaving the colonists in a worse situation than before. Be prepared as the secrets are revealed make this a compelling read.

Nick of Time by Ted Bell. Illustrations by Russ Kramer
Nick McIver, book 1

Pages: 434 pages
Ages: 11+
First Published: Sept. 1, 2009
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Rating: 5/5

First sentence:

“Hard a’lee, me boys!” shouted Nick McIver over the wind, “or be smashed to smithereens in the jaws of Gravestone Rock!”

Reason for Reading: I have the second book, but thought I had better read the first book, well … first. I read this aloud to my son, as he loves seafaring adventures.

Set in 1939, just before war is declared, on the smallest of the Channel Islands. Nick’s father is lighthouse keeper and a secret spy for politician Winston Churchill reporting back any German U-Boat activity in the Channel waters. A strange man called Billy Blood kidnaps Nick’s dog Jipper and thus starts a seafaring adventure that will cross time. Billy Blood is a pirate of Admiral Lord Nelson’s time and not only has he taken Nick’s dog, he has also kidnapped Lord Hawke’s two children. Lord Hawke, Nick and his friend Gunner go back in time with a time machine device of Hawke’s which Blood just happens to have the only other existing one. While there they must help Nelson’s fleet out of a dangerous situation that only Nick can guide them through. Meanwhile, back at home, Nick’s younger sister, Kate, has been left with Commander Hobbes to take some vital information about a special U-Boat to England unbeknownst that said U-Boat is hot on their trail.

Rip-roaring adventure from beginning to end in the fashion of “Treasure Island” and in the same vein the illustrations are a handful of full-page drawings as one would find illustrative plates in an old copy of “Treasure Island”. A gripping story with Nick certainly in the lead as main character. He is an independent twelve-year-old, though respectful to his parents, who was born with the sea in his blood. He spends as much time as possible out in his boat sailing the waters in good and bad weather, even mapping a route through a dangerous coral reef into a cove. His hero is Admiral Lord Nelson and he thinks of him every time he starts to feel discouraged in life. His sister, Kate, is only seven and maintains her position well, despite being cute and funny she is smart as a tack and manages to save the situation at the last minute many times.

We both loved this book. The story is engaging and the shared time between the two time periods is very exciting. The chapters alternate with one set of characters in 1805 then back to the present with the Nazis in 1939. All of the main characters are likable and each has a sense of humour which adds a light tone in between the action scenes. The story is realistic and the battles scenes in 1805 are not for the very young or sensitive as battle wounds are described in full, and blood and violence are shown in their proper place in war, though never unnecessarily or gratuitously. The pirates, and well most adults, do use a small amount of language using the British curse words bloody/bleeding frequently and taking the Lord’s name in vain quite often. Since I was reading aloud, I was able to say the words about half the time as they applied, something really was bloody in the battle and I spoke the Lord’s name in a way that the character was now calling upon Him rather than swearing, the other half of the time I edited it out. But these are two small complaints in a book aimed at this age group.

I just love finding books that are definitely aimed at boys, there are of course many girls who enjoy this type of action and they have the character of Kate to identify with, but I appreciate when the male/female characters are brother/sister thus eliminating the awkward love angle or the even more annoying battle of the sexes angle. Kate and Nick are especially a nice team as they are loving family members, far enough apart in age that Nick is Kate’s parent-in-absentia figure and Kate adores her big brother.

A wonderful book with family values, adventure, really bad guys (pirates and Nazis) and an edge of your seat action set in exciting historical times. Looking forward to Book 2 in the series.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Pages: 197 pages
Ages: 10+
First Published: Jul. 14, 2009
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Rating: 3/5

First sentence:

So Mom got the postcard today.

Reason for Reading: I’m working my way through reviewing all the Newbery winners.

Miranda has been best friends with Sal since they were in diapers, but one day Sal gets punched walking home from school and their friendship ends. Miranda starts running into the boy who punched him, Marcus, and they become acquaintances. Miranda loves the book A Wrinkle in Time and reads it over and over and over. Nobody can get her to try a different book and Marcus starts talking to her about the science behind the time-space travel component of the book. On Miranda’s block there is a strange homeless man who talks about strange things, yells things out, talks to her, calls her “smart girl” and every now and then kicks his leg out into the street. He also sleeps with his head wedged under a mailbox. Oh, and Miranda also receives strange messages from an unknown person asking her to do things but most specifically to write the sender a letter. It isn’t until the end of the book that all these elements come together and make perfect sense to Miranda.

An enjoyable book. The science fiction element is light and comes into play towards the end to explain all the strange events. The book also explores friendships as Miranda has relationships with a boy she’s known from being a baby, a bully, a friendly neighbourhood woman, a crotchety old man, a girl who is made fun of at school, and a girl who has been dumped by the snooty popular girl, as well as the snooty girl herself. All of these people at some point Miranda befriends and she learns a lot about how appearances can be deceiving and to get to know the inside person before making judgments. Though sometimes a person’s true self can a disappointment.

I thought the story was well-written, the characters likable and interesting. I read the book quickly and thought the ending was clever. The story never went past good, fine or ok with me though. From a Newbery winner I expect more.

Vanishing Girl by Shane Peacock
The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His 3rd Case

Pages: 307 pages
Ages: 10+
First Published: Oct. 13, 2009
Publisher: Tundra Books
Rating: 4/5

First sentence:

Irene Doyle gasps.

Acquired: Borrowed a copy through Inter-Library Loan.

Reason for Reading: Next in the series.

This third entry into the series is not as dark or scary as the previous two and there are no dead bodies this time either but this mystery involving kidnapping and robbery is very clever and full of twists. Irene is back on the scene after an absence in the last book and is a welcome return. All the regular characters, including the new Mr. Bell, are also assembled and while of course there are some new characters involved in the plot the character development is all saved for the regulars.

A spoilt rich girl just home from three years in India, daughter of a Lord in politics, in kidnapped. A few months go by without a single word or trace of her then suddenly an anonymous tip tells of her location and she is rescued but the culprits have escaped. The family retires to the country to relax and immediately their home in the city is robbed, not just robbed but almost totally emptied of its contents and days later the daughter is caught again. Sherlock has been on the case from the beginning and has clues that have sent him the wrong direction. But not only does he have to solve this crime for his own pride before the police, there is also a little boy’s life at stake that Irene is desperate to save and finding the missing girl is crucial.

Another page-turning, exciting mystery that I’ve come to expect from Shane Peacock. Peacock gives a nod to Holmesian fans by naming the missing girl’s family the Rathbone’s. Holmes character as a boy is really developing in this book towards the man we eventually will come to know. Up to and including this point he has been searching for cases to solve to show up Inspector Lestrade and prove himself to the police and the world that he is a genius detective. I haven’t liked this aspect of the young Holmes as it runs contrary to the adult Holmes’ confident arrogance. In this book young Sherlock comes to a realization about this aspect of his behaviour and changes. His relationship with the young Lestrade is also explored in this novel much further than it has been so far and we see the inklings of their future relationship. Malefactor has been a wild card up to this point and his true character is finally revealed in this book as well.

Vanishing Girl is a satisfying read for followers of the series as we get another clever, exciting mystery, set in an accurate historical portrayal this time concentrating on the contrast between life of a child in a poor orphanage and life as a neglected but spoilt rich girl. We also come to a major point in all the major characters’ development that will affect their behaviour now in future volumes. I have book 4 in my line-up and am looking forward to it.

Early to Death, Early to Rise by Kim Harrison
Madison Avery, Book 2

Pages: 228 pages
Ages: 13+
First Published: May 2010
Publisher: Harper Teen
Rating: 5/5

First sentence:

The car was hot from the sun, and I pulled my fingerprints from it as I slunk past.

Reason for Reading: Next in the series.

A fabulous sequel to Once Dead, Twice Shy! An exciting story from beginning to end that had me glued to the book until I was finished. Once again Kim Harrison finished off with a nice, neat, satisfactory ending without the use of a cliffhanger, though leaving the loose threads and plot direction for the next and what may be the last book of a trilogy. All the characters from book one return so that even though we’ve had to wait a whole year for this book, their familiarity quickly comes back to mind and the author does give quick mentions throughout of events that happened in book one to refresh our memory without going into a rehash of book one except for a quick half-page prologue.

I really don’t want to say a lot about the plot in the book as it carries on from book one taking the main character Madison Avery, who is dead, further along with the job she has been assigned and I don’t want to give plot spoilers for either book. We get a greater insight into the workings behind the scenes and while this actually is an angel book where the angels come from heaven and god (with a little g) is once mentioned, the author has taken great liberty to create her own fictional vision of how death works and what part angels play in helping souls to reach heaven. Harrison’s vision is fantastical (having nothing to do with Christianity) but does pose some seriously tough questions about free will.

The characters are wonderful. Madison grows into some of her powers and finds it’s not all fun and games to be a supernatural being. Madison grows to connect closer and even bond with some of her supernatural friends, Barnabas the light angel and Nakita the dark angel and Grace the guardian angel. Madison’s love interest Josh, is not an integral part of this story, but in the brief page time he gets at the beginning and end their relationship does take a step in the right direction.

Some very cool ideas at work in this sequel which not only entertained me but had me thinking and and seeing the point of view of both sides, the Dark and the Light. While, morally, I know where I stand, I can understand the various points of view. It will be very interesting to see how all threads and issues are resolved though I do have an idea as to a possible direction. A great series that I am really enjoying. Just wish I didn’t have to wait a whole year for the next book!

Claim to Fame by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Pages: 256 pages
Ages: 13+
First Published: Nov. 10, 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Genre: YA, paranormal
Rating: 4/5

First sentence:

I was supposed to be doing my algebra homework that night.

Reason for Reading: I’m a fan of the author’s.

Deep topics are under discussion in this book, first and foremost being transcendentalism. The main character does an awful lot of thinking and figuring things out in her head rather than impulsively acting upon her feelings as so many juvenile book character do. This leaves me somewhat concerned with the age group the book is marketed to. (The dust jacket says 10-14). I think that age group expects action rather than quotes from great transcendentalists such as Emerson. Personally, I recommend the book for Young Adults, 13+.

I enjoyed the book immensely. I haven’t read too many books by Haddix, yet, but I’ve yet to find one I don’t like. Lindsay Scott is a mysterious character at first as we find her. Then as she opens up and tells her story I found her to be a compelling character. The story is a slow one, with lots of thinking, reminiscing, and the turnings inside Lindsay’s head. The action does not start until near the end, bringing the book to a satisfactory conclusion.

Lindsay is a former television sitcom star (sort of a “Full House” knock off) where she was the cute little kid. When she hit puberty, her powers also hit. Lindsay can hear anything, anyone, anywhere in the world says about her. Being a popular actress this brought on an avalanche of voices in her head and while she tried to cope she eventually had something akin to a nervous breakdown (to the outside world). The show was canceled and Lindsay became a recluse for the next five years, not leaving her house, living with her father who was abandoned by her mother upon her birth. We meet Lindsay at age 16, just as her father has died and she begins the journey into figuring out why she is the way she is. What starts this journey is a night on which two teenage fans “kidnap” Lindsay, having read in a tabloid that she was being kept under lock and key by an abusive father. This forces Lindsay to look at her life and she discovers she may not be the only one with her powers.

A very unique topic, with characters that are real and sincere. I found this an enjoyable read that dealt with a lot of issues teens will relate too such as death of a parent, peer pressure, what others think of us, wanting to hide away from the world and ultimately leaves with a positive message that when others think ill of us (are unkind, even bullying) there are likely to be issues in that person’s life making them act out aggressively to others, letting one understand how to feel compassion for one’s enemies. This was a quick, page-turner for me. Recommended.

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Stink: Solar System Superhero by Megan McDonald. illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Stink Moody, Book 5

Pages: 119 pages
Ages: 6+
First Published: Mar. 9, 2010
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Rating: 4/5

First sentence:

Flub! Flop! Flunk! Stink Moody had to take a test.

Reason for Reading: My son enjoys these books, his dad reads them to him at bedtime and I thought it was time I saw what they liked about these books so much.

A totally enjoyable experience from start to finish! Stink is a regular kid, with regular kid problems and fears but when he gets an idea he becomes determined and full of spunk. Stink is flabbergasted when he gets his science test back and is told Pluto is no longer a planet, even Judy, his older sister, can’t believe it. Stink gets his facts straight and insists that even if it is a “dwarf” planet then it still is a planet. When the resident Space expert in his class teases him and regales him with all the reasons why Pluto is not a planet, the teacher breaks in and explains that they both are right. Scientists took a vote to send Pluto packing, but some scientists still believe Pluto should counted as a planet. She then assigns Stink and “Space Camp” Riley to a debate the next week and their class will have their own vote on whether Pluto is a planet.

A truly delightful book. As my first introduction to Stink, I was taken with him right away and can understand why my son enjoys his books so much. At the end of each chapter was a comic page with information about each of the planets in order based on the mnemonic saying “My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas” which was very interesting and extremely humorous. I have to say I particularly liked the stance the author took on Pluto, acknowledging the ongoing debate, showing both sides equally. (I wish all books on science topics did the same!). An amusing and entertaining first chapter book, that could be read aloud to younger children and will hold the interest of older reluctant readers. I’ll have to make sure I get books 1-4 read before another new one comes out as I won’t be missing out on Stink’s adventures any more!

Nicola @ Back to Books

The Turning: What Curiosity Kills by Helen Ellis
Sourcebooks, 2010
Fantasy (YA); 224 pgs

The Remnant by Stephen Baldwin and Andrew Cosby. Art by Julian Totino Tedesco

Pages: 128 pages
Ages: 14+
First Published: Mar. 23, 2010
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Rating: 4.5/5

First sentence:

Hi, I’ve just gotten re-married and I need to add my wife to my insurance.

Reason for Reading: Stephen Baldwin’s name first caught my eye. I’ll admit I like the guy. But the plot’s “24″ comparison intrigued me and I wanted to see how (or if) Baldwin’s Christian influence showed up in the book.

Former CIA agent David Stacker has just been married and is looking forward to his honeymoon. As he leaves the Federal Building, it suddenly explodes into a million pieces. Stacker is in hospital briefly with minor injuries. But then the bodies keep piling up as natural disasters around the world become more frequent, he finds a bomb in his kitchen and then people start to vanish into thin air. With a mysterious man telling David he will help him and the police on his trail as a suspect in the Federal House bombing, David finds himself being asked to come back to work for the CIA.

I really enjoyed this book! It is very fast-paced and compelling. The art is gorgeous. The opening scenes start with Hurricane Katrina and a supernatural element that is carried throughout the book. There is a mysterious man who looks very much like an older days preacher: black suit, white shirt and very narrow black tie. The plot starts off (not quietly) but at a beginning point then continues to pick up pace like a rolling stone until the final, shocking, abrupt ending. The story holds a very deep Christian theme throughout which is easily seen if one is looking for it. There is no God or Jesus talk, it’s not Christian in that sense, but in the underlying themes. The ending is very abrupt and makes one think more is to come in future volumes but the ending is the true ending and from a certain Christian point of view makes perfect sense. Now, don’t get me wrong as this is not a Bible-thumping graphic novel. The story is full of excitement, spies, and actually reads like a TV show, thus being compared to “24″ in it’s summary.

As to suitability for teens, the book states recommended for young teens and up. The only thing that would concern me as a parent is the violence, which there is plenty of including blood, though it is not extreme. As to swearing, the word d*mn is used and there is one short sensuous scene with underclothes on which clearly emphasizes it is a married couple “making out”.

I thought the story was exciting and well-done. I enjoyed some of the Christian themes though ultimately it was in conflict with my own Christian beliefs but that didn’t stop me from having a fun ride with this one.

Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder by Jo Nesbo. Illustrated by Mike Lowery. Translated by Tara Chase

Pages: 265 pages
Ages: 8+
First Published: (2007 in Norway) English Translation Jan. 2010
Publisher: Aladdin
Rating: 4/5

First sentence:

It was May, and once the sun had shone for a while on Japan, Russia, and Sweden, it came up over Oslo - The very small capital city of a very small country called Norway.

Typically when I see a kids’ book with words such as “fart” in the title I don’t give them a second glance. However, this book is written by one of my favourite thriller authors and the simple fact that he had written a children’s a book was enough to make me *have* to read the book, never mind what it was called or what it was about.

Surprisingly, though the book is about an invention of farting powder, there is not a great deal of “toilet humour” to be found. Perhaps it’s cultural, or it gets lost in translation, but the humour comes from different directions. I thought this was a delightful, funny, well-written story.

Nilly is new in the neighbourhood, he is very tiny for his age. He meets neighbours Lisa on one side and Doctor Proctor on the other. Dr. Proctor lets them in on his latest invention which is a Farting Powder. When no real use for the powder can be found they decide to sell it as a novelty item to kids, but twin bullies Truls and Trym want theirs for free so Nilly gives them an extra shot in their powder which sends them flying up into a tree. Dr. Proctor has an industrial strength version of the powder which he thinks belongs safely in the hands of NASA to be used for rocketless space travel. But then someone steals the industrial strength powder for evil purposes.

The story is full of excitement and adventure. Nilly finds himself in extreme situations from being sent to jail to being eaten by a boa constrictor called Anna Conda. The story also has a wonderful cultural appeal to it as well with plenty of inside jokes on Norway’s size and not-so-famous status in the world. It’s quite amazing that Nesbo, who writes such stunning adult thrillers, has the ability to write such a fun, whimsical children’s story as well. He certainly is a talented writer. I highly recommend this. It will appeal to both boys and girls, but I’d certainly add this to any Books for Boys list. A hilarious romp. It would be great to see Nesbo come out with another children’s book in the future. (Just as long as it doesn’t interfere with his thrillers’ schedule

Keeper by Kathi Appelt

Pages: 409 pages
Ages: 8+
First Published: May 18, 2010
Publisher: Atheneum
Rating: 3/5

First sentence:

Keeper leaned over the edge of the boat.

Reason for Reading: Mermaids are another of my favourite mythological creatures to read about in novels. I actually had no idea the author was a newbery honor winner, although I have heard of her other book, I have not read it and didn’t know who wrote it.

The book has a simple plot. Living on the Texan Coast in an isolated area close to a small town in three houses are Keeper and a young woman who is not her mother, an old man who has forgotten how old he is and a young man who runs a surfboard rental shop. These people are Keepers “family” and she loves them very much but one day Keeper has a bad day and everything she does goes wrong and she hurts each one of these people. Living a life filled with tales of the sea and a strong belief in mermaid lore, since she herself is half merfolk she sets off under the stealth of night, on the night of the blue moon, to make her way to a sandbar out in the ocean with her dog BD and a segull named Captain to call her mermaid mother back to ask her help on fixing everything that has gone wrong.

The book is well written and has a dreamy, calm atmosphere even when Keeper feels that everything has gone wrong. The pace is slow. The book starts with Keeper in the boat and then goes back to explain everything that happened that day to get her to this point. Along the way, we get the backstories of the people (and animals) inhabiting her world. This takes perhaps the first half of the book. Then the second half takes Keeper on her journey out to sea and reveals secrets of those back on shore culminating in the worst bad thing that has gone wrong all day. There are some magical elements to the story which are not explained in any sense as to whether they are real or dreamings. It is up to each reader to decide for themselves.

I’m having a hard time coming up with a rating for this book as I’m caught in the middle as to whether I really liked it. I certainly enjoyed the characters, they were all brought to life for me and I appreciated who they were and what they had experienced very much; I just wish something actually happened to them in this book. The plot is simple and dragged out but the book does leave one feeling tranquil most of the time. I think what I may be trying to say is that the writing is almost like poetry and that just may be my problem; I’m not big on poetical writing. I think this may be one of those books that you’re either going to love or just could do without.

White Cat by Holly Black
The Curse Workers, Book 1

Pages: 310 pages
Ages: 14+
First Published: May 4, 2010
Publisher: McElderry Books
Rating: 5/5

First sentence:

I woke up barefoot, standing on cold slate tiles.

Reason for Reading: I’m a fan of the author.

Set in an alternate reality almost identical to the Earth we live in with one small difference, some people are born with a special ability which is called a “curse”. One must touch another’s skin for the effects to take place. These “curse workers” are a minority of the population and their curses range from luck to changing emotions to causing death. In this world everyone wears gloves to keep everyone safe from “curses”. No one knows who may be a “worker” but working itself has been deemed illegal.

In this world Cassell finds himself the only non-worker in a family of workers. His family, along with others who have a strong heritage of workers, are what we would call organized crime families, mobsters and con artists. Since Cassell can’t “work” he at least has honed his skills as a con artist. But his life starts to unravel when he finds himself sleepwalking, having dreams sent from a white cat and beginning to notice some unaccounted for events in his life. His brothers act strangely when he asks them about it and Cassell begins to feel that perhaps he is the subject of a huge con himself.

I loved every word of this book! I was hooked from the first sentence and couldn’t continue with my regular life until I had finished the book. The world Black creates here is very dark and dangerous. One wonders if any character can truly be trusted and the main character himself is not exactly an honest citizen. The direction the story takes is surprising and makes compelling reading. The unexpected actions of characters, including Cassell himself, are shocking and yet as one gets to know them not out of character at all. In this world of dark magic and crime the back stabbing characters are always at each other and it’s as matter of magic against magic and wits against wits. The ending is absolutely brilliant and so appropriate! Don’t expect any happy, happy, joy, joy ending here! I can’t wait for book two!

Meridian by Amber Kizer

Pages: 305 pages
First Published: Aug. 11, 2009
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Rating: 3/5

First sentence:

The first creatures to seek me were the insects; my parents cleaned the bassinet free of dead ants the morning after they brought me home from the hospital.

Reason for Reading: I was attracted to the angel aspect of the story as I enjoy paranormals involving angels.

When Meridian turns sixteen her family has planned for her to be whisked away to live with “Auntie” for an undermined amount of time. It is here that she learns that she is only half-human, the other half is angel. In fact she is a Fenestra, a window to the ‘other side’ that the dead seek out, if she is near, to make their passing easier. Auntie is also a Fenestra and Meridian has been brought here to learn how to open and close the window properly without getting sucked in herself. But time is short and their evil opponents, the Aternocti will do anything to destroy Auntie and Fenestra before the information can be passed on.

The premise of this story is very exciting and I feel the book could have been so much more than it was. The only character I really connected with Meridian herself, even though there were plenty of times when her behaviour didn’t quite ring true. I’m of two minds when it comes to this book. I feel as though my words will make the book sound worse than it was because I really did enjoy the story, became quite caught up in the plot and read the book quickly.

Besides the lack of fully developed characters my main irritant with the book were the religious issues. The author went to great pains to repeatedly let Meridian know that in (the book’s) world their is no Christianity. Meridian would ask questions about Heaven and would be given answers like religions have many names for it. She’d ask about God and be told “the Creators are known by many names”. This type of thing is mentioned so much you are hit over the head with it. And yet, the bad guys are masquerading as Christians. We are told once at the beginning of the book, before we meet the bad guys, that they are a cult, after that they are simply referred to as Christians. However, throughout the entire book all the detailed descriptions of this group, their practices and church celebrations are all based on The Old Testament. The self-styled preacher quotes Biblical phrases often and their are notes for the reader to look them up (all Old Testament). There is no mention of Jesus or Christ, except once when someone mentions they voted to keep the Christ in Christmas. This just really irked me. The two issues together come across as being anti-Christian. This isn’t the first I’ve run into this. If an author wants to make the bad guys a group of Christians, so be it, but at least have them follow the The New Testament where Christ is found i.e. the term “Christian”. As far as I would say, ‘Christians’ who only follow the Old Testament would actually be Jewish.

Back to the story, remember I did say that overall I did enjoy it. It has a very strong beginning and the Fenestra creation, with the other mythos created around it is unique and interesting. The book ends satisfactorily but the two main characters are ready to set off for their future, making a sequel more than obvious. I would read a sequel should one be written.