Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

"Blood of my heart.
 Life of my life.
 Body of my body.
 Soul of my soul."

I just adore a wonderful Southern gothic novel.  There's something about the South--the languidness;
the history & humidity, I suppose, that has a certain je nais se quoi, if you will, for big stories.  Particularly for a novel that is rife with mystery and magic and painful regret.  Beautiful Creatures is just such a novel and I loved it even more than I supposed I would at first glance.

Gatlin, South Carolina is not a place where anything new happens...where much of anything at all happens, to tell the truth about it.  Ethan Wate has lived his whole life ready to blow out of town the first chance he gets.  He dreams of far-off universities and adventures around the globe.  His family has been here for generations. 

Lena Duchannes (rhymes with rain) doesn't just shake things up by moving into town to live with her reclusive, eccentric uncle--she forever changes Ethan's world when he realizes she is the girl of his dreams....literally.  There is a soul connection between the two that cannot be logically explained away or denied.  Of course, with Lena's family, that pretty much sums up, well, everything.

"There was a curse.
 There was a girl.
 And in the end, there was a grave."

Oh yes, there is much more than meets the eye in this seemingly placid Southern town. 

Lovely & intoxicating; lush & captivating--- this book is a must read.

You can visit the authors' website at: http://www.kamigarciamargaretstohl.com/.  And the official US fansite at http://castergirls.com/.
I can hardly wait for the sequel--Beautiful Darkness--due out in stores October 12th.

The Lost Conspiracy by Frances Hardinge

Hathin is a member of the Lace, an ancient tribe of outcasts who wear constant smiles which show the glitter of their jeweled teeth.   She is the constant companion and caretaker of her sister Arilou, a member of the Lost---a group of people who have the ability to travel without their bodies and can, in fact, separate all their senses to experience different things at the same time.  For years their village has helped to hide signs that perhaps Arilou is not what she seems, and this ruse is threatened by the arrival of a set of Lost Inspectors. 

When the unthinkable happens and their village is destroyed Hathin knows it is up to her to save them  both.  She leads them to find a mysterious rogue group of Lace and begins her quest for vengeance by receiving the butterfly tattoo--the mark of the revengers. 

"Our enemies think that Lace make good victims and scapegoats.  They are wrong.  They think that they can strike at us and we will do nothing but scatter and hide.  They are wrong.

"You have been wronged beyond endurance by powerful foes, Hathin.  Pity them for not knowing what that means..."

This book is a gorgeous, lush, magical work.  It has lovely, rich characters and a haunting storyline; the stuff of dreams, and of nightmares.  Fraces Hardinge takes bits of many tribal cultures--their legends and  unique beliefs and weaves them together with a heaping dose of her own imagination to create a powerful story. 

I highly recommend this one, as well as her gorgeous Fly By Night novel.  For more information on s. Hardinge, you can visit her online at http://www.franceshardinge.com/.

Read on, gentle readers; read on.
s

just wondering...

I had an excellent Independence Day weekend as I got to read as my hubby drove on our way to visit family.  I have a stack of Lone Star hopefuls yet to tackle, but some of my recent reading has me wondering if I've really crossed that line.  You know, become, one of them.  Gotten O-L-D.

I've always been a believer in reading and in letting people choose what they wish to read.  I don't think of myself as a censor or a member of the dreaded reader police.  I am, however, a midde school librarian.  The patrons I serve are ages 11 to 16.  I have sweet little babies that come to me at age 11 as well as children who already have children of their own.  My patrons, my kiddos, my teachers run the gamut. 
With all that being said  I have noticed that when reading novels meant specifically for children (for that is, in fact, what they still are whether they like to think of themselves that way or not!) I NOTICE language and sexual situations more and more.  Not mild language, but F-bombs.  And I guess I'm really trying to figure out what I think about it all.  Apparently I'm not as bothered by violence in books for this age, but what can I say....not very European of me, is it? But then, I am not, in fact, European. 

Is this art imitating life?  Does life then imitate art?  Yes, yes, I KNOW they hear it in their music, in their movies, in the hallways.  Does that make it okay?  Even the kids themselves have told me it is more shocking to see it in a book than to hear it in a song.  They are already desensitized to it in music. 

The thing that gets me is that these are beautifully written, lovely books that I'm talking about---not trash by any means---that happen to have what I consider to be content that are for a mature audience.  If they were movies would these kids be allowed in without sneaking in? 

Any thoughts?

Read on, gentle readers; Read on!
s

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

Tons of reading going on this summer, as usual.  I am always looking for books that I not only enjoy, but that I think my students will enjoy, as well.  One genre that I've loved since childhod is the fairy tale.  I suppose it is the mystery of magical beings and wishes come true that have always led me back to them.  I remember as a small kid I read and reread every fairy tale compilation that our public library owned.

The love of fairy tales has never left me, and while I do enjoy the 398.2 section of the library, I adore the new bunch of novelized fairy tales, Princess of Glass, among them. 

In this sequel to Princess of the Midnight Ball (you don't have to read it first to totally get into this book), Jessica Day George spins a lovely retelling of the classic Cinderella story. 

Princess Poppy is sent on a political "royal exchange program" in a neighboring kingdom.  While there she meets a handsome young prince named Christian and a rather strange servant named Eleonora, and they all become intangled in a sinister magical plot by the evil godmother known as "The Corley". 

Filled with just the right amount of intrigue and romance, sprinkled with a liberl dose of magic, this book is a lovely read for those of you who also enjoy spending time in a world where wishes and magical dancing shoes really do exist. 

Read on, gentle readers; read on!
s

Payback Time

I was lucky enough to meet the fantastic Carl Deuker at TLA and pick up a copy of  this spring .  He is a thoroughly lovely individual.   So talented, yet so humble.  And do I ever admire the fact that he is able to find time to write his novels while still teaching 6th grade full time.  The man is an absolute wonder. 

I picked up an ARC for his newest work, Payback Time, and couldn't wait to read it---because to know Carl's work is to love Carl's work.  Payback Time is no exception, and may, in fact, be my new favorite of his. 

Daniel "Mitch" True is determined to be a famous reporter some day.  He wants to live in NYC and study at Columbia.  He wants to have his name known as a journalistic bigwig.  For now, though, Mitch is stuck at Abraham Lincoln High School in Seattle. 

After losing out on the editor's job of his school newspaper he realizes that perhaps head sports reporter isn't so bad.  After all, there is a chance of getting a byline in a real newspaper and kids mainly read the sports section of the school news anyhow.  Besides which...there is working with Kimi.  Kimi is the school's sports photographer, not to mention being both beautiful and brilliant.  Yeah, working with Kimi wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. 

While on assignment Mitch and Kimi begin to notice that something about the new kid on the football team just doesn't add up.  He has an amazing arm...when he thinks no one is looking.  He wants nothing to do with the rest of the team---or anyone else for that matter.  And so, the investigation begins.  What Mitch and Kimi uncover is unexpected and quite possibly dangerous for everyone involved.  You'll be amazed when....


Now, do I EVER give out all the goods on my book reviews?  Of course NOT.  I will include, however, for your reading pleasure,  a snippet I particularly like:

Once, when my dad and I were talking about college, he told me that I could major in anything I wanted as long as it wasn't philosophy.  "What's wrong with philosophy?" I asked.

"The logic part is useless," he said.  "People have never been and never will be logical."

 Now, go read the rest of it for yourself.  It comes out officially on September 6th and I can promise you it will take you on a thrilling ride filled with mystery and shocking secrets. 

And for me, hope.  Meeting Mr. Deuker really helped inspire me to find the time to write again.  This is something I struggle with, as it can be difficult to meld my dreams of writing with my real life time commitments.  I've heard so many authors talk about their amazing writing groups and how they structure their day and write for hours at a time.  That is great, except that I work full time (love my day job) and am a mom of two girls, a girl scout leader, a PTA board member....you know, my life is already full of real life obligations that I love, but make it difficult to find time to write.  So, thank you, Mr. Deuker.  You have inspired this librarian to remember her dreams of writing are important, too. 

Read on, gentle readers; read on.
Mrs. S

Alex Van Helsing: Vampire Rising by Jason Henderson

I've posted recently about the mounds of vampire fiction hitting the scene lately--not a complaint, mind you, just a fact.  I'm  at least a moderate fan of most of it---but my husband just can't stomach the thought of nice vampires.  We've had ---may I point out---ridiculous discussions on how that wouldn't happen "in real life".  Um, yeah, babe....no kidding.  I'm sure vampires wouldn't be particularly chummy in real life. 
Vampire Rising is a vampire book for boys (although girls will love it too) and I LOVE that we finally have one on the scene. 

Alex Van Helsing is a 14-year-old recently sent to boarding school in Switzerland.  Yeah, he's heard the stories related to his name his whole life, but he knows thats just fiction.  Right?  After a couple of very strange incounters with what could only be described as otherworldly opponents he begins to wonder.  He does, of course, find out that he is indeed a part of the legacy that the world thinks of as only fiction---he is a vampire hunter.

And these vampires aren't nice or vegan or friendly.  The action is kickin' and will keep you on the edge of your seat.  I love the twist thrown in at the end, by the way; and the literary references make this librarian's heart sing. 

This is Jason Henderson's first novel for teens---and I'm happy to give big props to this Texas author for delivering a thrilling ride!  I look forward to the next installment.

You can check out more about Jason at: http://www.alexvanhelsing.com/

Ruined by Paula Morris

I just love a good mystery.  Really, they're quite hard to beat.  And this one, set in one of my all time favorite places on earth--New Orleans--is filled with spooky goodness. 

Rebecca, a New Yorker, goes to live with family friends while her dad is off working in China.  15 year old Rebecca is hardly pleased.  Leaving her friends, her school, and her beloved NYC behind is difficult---not to mention not seeing her dad for such a long period of time.  Life in the Big Easy is anything but---her new classmates are mostly snotty rich kids coming from old Garden-district families.  Her "aunt" reads tarot cards in the Quarter.  Things do not go well.

Rebecca meets a strange girl at Lafayette Cemetary one day.  Her new friend Lisette turns out to be a key player in this ghostly mystery. 

Haunting and beautiful, and filled with New Orleans flavor from the food (I can almost smell the gumbo) to Mardi Gras, this tale is one that will keep you on the edge of your seat...just waiting to see what lurks around the next corner.  Ooh, and the twists and turns....Fabulous.  Perk some Cafe du Monde java and make some fresh hot beignets and read away!
Be sure to follow the Cafe du Monde link above--great site with great goodies.