Plot Summary:  15-year-old Iris Anderson wants to help her pop with his detective agency if he would just let her.  It’s 1942 and times are hard–her mother is dead and it’s hard to be a great detective when you lost a leg at the Battle of Pearl Harbor.   Exchanging upscale digs for rooms on the Lower East Side, Iris moves from an exclusive girls school to P.S. 110.  Falling in with the hip Rainbows, Iris finds herself sneaking around to dance at the Savoy in Harlem.  When one of the gang disappears and Iris realizes he had a connection to her old school, she decides to investigate.  But one lie leads to another and soon she’s lost her friends, her father’s trust and is no closer to solving the mystery and she may have put herself, her family and friends in danger.

Critical Analysis:  This historical young adult mystery is well-crafted on several levels.  It works as a young adult novel, exploring what it is like to deal with so much–death of a parent, war, changed circumstances.  It works as mystery, with a mysterious disappearance.  It works as historical fiction with pitch perfect period details.  Adding all these elements together and something like magic occurs to give the reader a glimpse into this world that literally jumps off the page.

Some of this is due to the protagonist, Iris.  She is appealing and compelling and oh so real.  But what Haines does is surround Iris with a whole cast of characters who stand on their own, secondary perhaps in the role they play but not in how they are portrayed and developed.  Some of this is due to the setting and time period.  I really felt like I was in the public high school bathroom when Iris meets Suse, or at the teen club playing games or crammed in the back of a taxi or dancing at the Savoy or walking the streets of New York while trying to avoid friends from the old neighborhood.  The historical details, including the slang and description of clothing and hair styles adds to the richness and reality of events.

When the mystery was resolved, I was a little disappointed, but upon reflection decided that a complicated solution suited such a complex layered tale.  Just as Iris has to come to terms with the complexities of changes brought about by a world at war, she learns there are no easy answers either.  I think that teens will pick this up and enjoy the story of a girl trying to make her way in an uneasy world.  I hope that some adults might give it a try, I think they will find Iris and Haines refreshing.  I am already looking forward to book 2, The Girl is Trouble, due out later this year.

Review Excerpts: “[A] meticulously crafted slow burn. . . . Haines writes gracefully, immersing readers in Iris’s perceptive thoughts, suffering, and transformation. Nuanced relationships and a social climate shadowed by ethnic tension and war result in a compelling reflection on a complex era.”—Publishers Weekly

“. . . the compelling characters, superb setting, and myriad twists and turns will keep readers intrigued till the very end.”—School Library Journal

“Take a powder, Nancy Drew. 1940s girl sleuth Iris Anderson is on the case. A stylish, slang-filled teen noir that is as entertaining as it is absorbing.”—Kirkus Reviews

“What makes this such a standout is the cast. Sounding like they’re right out of the 1940s (well, a 1940’s movie, anyway), the characters, young and old, pop off the pages. Iris, intriguing and infuriating, captures the tension inherent in the teenage years, no matter what the decade. This joint is jumping.”—Booklist

“Iris’ story has considerable crossover appeal, enticing both mystery lovers and historical fiction fans, with a cunningly devised plot and a cast of period-specific characters. . . .”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Reviewed from public library audio book.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Plot Summary:  Emily knows she is lucky–she leads an life many teens dream about–perfect parents, great friends and a spot at the prep school where her father is headmaster.  But why does she dream of fire and water and dying?  When oh so bad and oh so smart Del Sugar arrives, he brings a wildness and sense of rebellion that are irresistible.  When Del is expelled, Emily is left with a hard decision and a search for the truth.

Critical Analysis:  I loved Warman’s début novel, Breathless.  I was excited to see that this is a companion book of sorts but disappointed that there was not more crossover or connection between the two.  And while I did enjoy the story and I loved some of the characters, I did not find this as well crafted.  It felt much more melodramatic than the quiet intimacy of Breathless.  I also found it full of issues but less grounded.  And the handling of one issue in particular was extremely far-fetched, I don’t care how much money someone has.  And yet, some of the secondary characters and situations had that same spark.  And I know this book was not really written for me.  There are many teen girls out there who love melodrama and issue books, so I am sure they will love this.

Review Excerpts: “Emily’s story is compelling….The plot builds slowly and, for the most part, realistically. The main characters are well developed, and Emily’s thought processes…are particularly insightful and touching. Secondary characters add depth to the story.”–School Library Journal

“…Most memorable, though, are passages that show how painful realizations often arrive: through isolated flashes of intuition and experience that layer slowly into three-dimensional truths.”–Booklist

“Emily tries to deal with these issues as she is forced to quickly grow up in this well-written coming of age story that will have readers anxiously turning the pages as they and Emily’s discover the “skeletons in her closet.”–Children’s Literature

“In this dramatic, unpredictable, romance-gone-awry companion novel to Breathless (2009), Warman only improves as she revisits the boarding-school scene. Emily’s unflinching, multilayered narration and realistic dialogue capture the wishes and fears that drive teens. A page-turner to the bittersweet ending.”–Kirkus Reviews

“Warman, author of the excellent Breathless (BCCB 11/09), returns here to the boarding-school milieu she continues to depict with finesse and tantalizing detail; the hothouse intensity and ramped-up intimacy of life in Emily’s dorm is yearningly credible. A smart, sensitive melodrama.”–Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Reviewed from publisher provided advanced copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Bibliography

Plot Summary:  After the crash, Paige’s world comes crashing down around her.  One best friend playing the martyr, one losing herself in crazy diets and a boyfriend who is more distant by the day.  A mother who is concerned that Paige must keep up her image to keep her spot on the Homecoming Court and a sister who can’t stand her.  Paige finds comfort and solace in an unexpected place–creative writing class where an odd boy makes her forget and a compassionate teacher makes her think that she is more than how others see her.

Critical Analysis:  Yes, this début novel is a little on the long side, and yes, there are perhaps one or two too many subplots, and some secondary characters that are less fleshed out.  But this book is compellingly readable.  Backes has a distinctive voice and style that is quite unlike any other writing for teens today, and in Paige she creates an unreliable but completely relatable narrator.  There is a real grittiness to the characters and events, grounded in truth.  And yet  there is room for lighter moments and humor, even in the face of tragedy just as in life.  Teens do act this way, treat each other this way, talk this way.  And there are many out there who will identify with Paige as it is a rare teen who feels as though others’ perceptions match his or her true self.

Readalikes:  Princesses  reminded me of Between by Jessica Warman which also features an unreliable narrator of sorts who would be trying to keep her life together and stay in with the popular crowd if she weren’t dead.

Review Excerpts:  ”A well-executed first novel… Backes addresses guilt, deceit, homophobia, loyalty, and the burden of keeping up appearances in a brutally believable high school setting as Paige recognizes the weaknesses of loved ones and her own imperfections.”
—Publishers Weekly

“In this debut novel, Backes takes Dead Poets Society and brings it into the age of Mean Girls. Her writing style is witty while still being relatable, and the themes of acceptance and identity will ring true to teens… Backes re-creates a world that most teens already live in, with the overarching message that anyone can become more than what others perceive them to be.”—School Library Journal

“Paige’s journey out of the Mean Girls IT group won’t shock readers, but it unfolds with pleasingly realistic hesitations, as does her relationship with the new, uncool boy….But the writing is fluid, Paige is a likably unreliable narrator and the high-school setting is believably sordid. A mostly solid, if a little too long, high-school drama.”–Kirkus Reviews

Reviewed from publisher provided copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Bibliography

Plot Summary:  Petty thefts have been reported at Buckingham Palace, and Mary Quinn is working undercover as a maid to try to catch the thief in action.    In between domestic chores and fending off the prince, little seems to be going on.  When the prince witnesses the murder of a friend in an opium den and the accused shares the name of her long-lost father, Mary struggles to come to terms with her past.  At the same time, Mary realizes that a tunnel connecting the palace to the sewer is seeing a lot of use and fears for the security of the palace.

Thank goodness James Easton is there to work on the sewers.  Regardless of their past, they resolve to work together to solve the mystery for the good of the crown.

Critical Analysis:  There  is a lot going on  in this book, layered and complex as life often is, and Lee handles all the threads and characters with a deft hand.  While the mysteries do stand alone, I believe that much will be lost in the reading if you have not read the first two titles in the trilogy (A Spy in the House, The Body at the Tower) as some plot threads are related to past events and relationships and a few secondary characters make their reappearances. Lee excells at describing what life was like in Victorian times and even more so than in the earlier books, readers see the contrast between the haves and the have-nots, the wealthy and those who serve them, and the special treatment afforded the royal family.

Plot Summary: In 1958 Little Rock, 12 year old Marlee becomes friends with new girl Liz.  Brave and never at a lack for words, she helps Marlee overcome her fear of speaking in class.  But when Liz is gone from school, rumors swirl that she was a Negro passing for white.  Marlee realizes that isn’t what is important, true friendship is.  To stay friends, Marlee and Liz must defy their families and face integration head on.

Critical Analysis:  I want to tell everyone to read this book because it is important.  It covers in a very personal and intimate way a piece of recent history that is little known.  Everyone studies the Little Rock Nine, but there is little discussion about what happened the next school year–the governor closed local high schools to prevent integration.  Neighbors took sides on the issue, tensions were high or higher than ever before.  And the kids and teens lost out.

I want you to read this book because it is important, but you will love this book for the stories and the characters.  For the nuanced portrayal of all involved, families, neighbors, friends, teachers, leaders.  For the growth of many across the pages, for the beauty of friendship and mutual respect and the horror of hate.  From the mundane details of everyday life, and the painful shyness of Marlee to the important meetings and canvassing for votes and support and the scariness of retaliation.

Even in this supposed post racial world, there are still incidents that remind us all too well how little we have changed and how far we need to go.  What Lions of Little Rock tells us is that loving and respecting people for who they are not the color of their skin matters, and once we believe that, we have to work for change.

Review Excerpts:  ”Readers will root for a painfully shy girl to discover the depths of her own courage and find hope in the notion that even in tumultuous times, standing up for the people you love can’t be wrong. Satisfying, gratifying, touching, weighty — this authentic piece of work has got soul.” –The New York Times Book Review

“Levine’s characters fall on both sides of the integration issue, but she avoids painting them too broadly, and many of their views evolve over the course of the book. The best evolution, though, belongs to Marlee, who starts off almost pathologically shy and gradually learns to face her fears, find her voice, and speak up for what’s right.”–Publisher’s Weekly

“This engaging story, with its emphasis on the impact of friendship and on finding one’s voice when it is most important to be heard, will no doubt appeal to a broad range of readers and inspire many interesting conversations.”–Kirkus Reviews

Reviewed from publisher provided advanced copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase

Plot Summary: After 3 minutes under water, you’ll lose consciousness.  At 4 minutes, permanent brain damage can occur.  Death is possible at 5 minutes, likely at 7 and almost certain at 10.  When Delaney fell through the ice, it was 11 minutes before Decker pulled her out.  She should have been dead or in a coma.  Instead she walks out of the hospital and into a life that is changed.  Friends treat her differently, and a mysterious stranger seems to show up everywhere she goes.  But it is the strange physical attraction and response to people who later turn up dead that she can neither control or understand.

Critical Analysis:  Strong characterization, especially of Delaney, great tone and voice, feelings of loss, love and guilt alongside a dark and suspenseful tautly paced plot add up to a book that is more than the sum of its parts.  I finished this book several weeks ago but it has stayed with me.  First I identified with Delaney, a studious teenage girl who loves being with her best friend.  Rather ingenious in my book to have Delaney die and come back to life–signifies that transformation all teens go through.  How her friends react to the changed her is part of what makes the story heart wrenching.  And there is darkness…you can’t cheat death and not have darkness.  Darkness in Delaney, in Troy (who shares her gift (curse?), in people on their way to dying.  I don’t want to say too much, so I’ll stop there.  But I will say how refreshing to have a supernatural story that isn’t peopled with vampires, werewolves, angels, mermaids or any other mythical or magical creature.

Readalikes:  I was strongly reminded of Wake by Lisa McMann, dark and supernatural as well.  Whenever someone nearby falls asleep, Janey falls into their dreams.

Review Excerpts: “[A] captivating and intelligent story of love and death with a dash of the supernatural….The fluid writing, empathetic characters, and big questions raised elevate this paranormal romance into a haunting meditation on what it means to be human and to truly live. “–Publisher’s Weekly

“ Delaney is an engaging personality, and Miranda is able to sustain her protagonist’s sharp voice throughout. Mom, Derek, Troy, and several minor characters are realistic, distinctive, and interesting….readers will find Delaney delightfully genuine and her story compelling. “–VOYA

“This book works as a good teen drama plot with a supernatural twist, so many libraries will want this volume for those that only want a taste of the unexplainable. “–Children’s Literature

“The story sometimes seems to be headed toward the supernatural, and then it suddenly makes a sharp turn toward realistic science, and then back again. The love triangle, combined with the allure of danger, will carry readers through this story that pulls them back every time they might feel ready to give up.”–School Library Journal

“Teetering between tired, predictable romance and edgy thriller….An occasionally thrilling paranormal romance with enough spellbinding incidents to overcome the clichéd components.”–Kirkus Reviews

Reviewed from publisher provided advanced copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Plot Summary:  Mickey Bolitar is not having a very good year.  His dad is dead, his mom is in rehab, and Mickey is forced to change schools and live with the uncle he doesn’t really know.   When his new girlfriend doesn’t show up to school one day, Mickey grows worried and with the help of his new friends decides to look for her.

Critical Analysis:  I am a fan of Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar series.  I think that he has a knack for combining quirky characters with real pathos and lots of dry wit added in for good measure.  When I heard there was going to be a young adult series about Myron and Win, I was interested but wondered how that would work, as they did not meet till college. and Win is, well, not a character you would think belongs in many teen books.  So I was glad when the series about Mickey was announced.

Mickey is actually introduced in the last Myron book, Live Wire.  The beginning of Shelter is the ending of Live Wire from Mickey’s point of view.  I have been disappointed lately in bestselling adult authors who have written young adult books just to capitalize on this growing market.  (I was going to name names, but decided most people would be able to think of at least one…)

So it is both a relief and a delight to report that this is a good beginning to what I hope will be a long running series.  (I was going to be mad at Coben if that weren’t the case.  There are not enough books in this genre being written for teens today but we don’t need poorly written ones either.)

Despite sharing a talent for playing basketball, wisecracking  and a deep love for family, Mickey is not Myron.  I bet Myron wishes he would have thought to yell “Homework” whenever his parents were giving him grief.  Perhaps it is because he is a teen, but Mickey feels things more deeply, and is trying to find the balance between being independent and taking help from others.  Mickey’s friends are great, moving beyond the stereotypes they represent as are the stereotypical jocks who have it in for him.  (Shades of Myron again who just can’t seem to keep his mouth shut around meatheads.)  The secondary storyline about the Bat Lady who says his father might still be alive is intriguing and appears to be a thread that will run through at least the first part of the series.

I hope teens find their way to Shelter, and perhaps to the Myron books as well which aside from a great deal of violence are teen friendly.

Review Excerpts: “Shelter begins one of the oddest—and most appealing spinoff series in recent years….[T]he youngster copes with some adult-sized problems, including his father’s death, his mother’s drug abuse problems, switching high schools, and his new living situation. Everything seems less pressing, however, than the mysteries surrounding the disappearance of a new girlfriend.”–Barnes and Noble

“Edgy and action-filled, the novel has interesting, likable characters, and it should fly off the shelves.”
—School Library Journal

“Crackerjack pace and multi-layered plotting…”—Kirkus Reviews

“Coben’s semi-noir style translates well to YA, and the supporting cast is thoroughly entertaining. It’s a strong start to the series.”—Publishers Weekly

“Quite satisfying and points to a good deal of potential for what might come next.”—Booklist

Reviewed from publisher provided advanced copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Bibliography: Hart, Carolyn. (2009).  Merry, Merry Ghost.  New York: William Morrow.  ISBN: 978-0060874377 (hc) 978-0061962929 (pb)

Plot Summary:  The late Bailey Ruth Raeburn is chosen to return to her old stomping grounds, Adelaide, OK just in time for Christmas and to help four-year-old orphan Keith meet his grandmother Susan.  When Susan decides to change her will to leave everything to Keith, someone makes sure that she can’t.  Bailey Ruth must catch the murderer and protect Keith.

Critical Analysis:  I have long been a fan of Carolyn Hart, especially the Death on Demand series.  When I found out she was writing a new series, I decided to give it a try, even though I am so tired and so over anything paranormal.  Well, am I ever so glad I did!  Bailey Ruth and the heaven she inhabits and the Oklahoma she visits are delightful all around.  Bailey Ruth is as feisty in death as she must have been in life, but her heart is in the right place.  I love the details of the world that Hart has created–Bailey Ruth’s ability to imagine a new wardrobe, to appear and disappear and carry things (but the items remain visible).  She pretends to be a police officer and provides clues to the sheriff.  She breaks all the “precepts” and is worried that she won’t get sent on any more missions.  In this series entry, lots of Christmas details and cerebration, a very dysfunctional family, and a very funny scene where Bailey Ruth and the ghost of the murder victim are pulled over while driving a car.  Well, and a murder.  Delightful and cozy and I recommend it highly (along with the others in the series.)  If you can get the audio version, even better, as the reader is excellent.

Review Excerpts: “When murder and mayhem ensue, Hart’s ghostly detective gets on the track of a clever killer. Bailey Ruth’s pleasure in her earthly wardrobe, her keen observations of the other characters and her unorthodox but expert sleuthing will engage readers from start to finish.”–Publisher’s Weekly

“A cute and cozy mystery.”–Library Journal

Reviewed from public library  audio book copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

 Bibliography: Washburn, Livia. J. (2008). The Christmas Cookie Killer.  New York: NAL Trade.  ISBN: 978-0451225344(t) 978-0451226662 (pb)

Plot Summary: Retired Weatherford, Texas teacher Phyllis Newsom  is sure that her lime snowflake cookies will win the local newspaper cookie contest.  She decides to take some to her next door neighbor Agnes who asks if she might make them with her grandchildren.  Phyllis runs home to find her special snow flake cutters.  Minutes later, she finds Agnes dead and is knocked out by a blow from behind.  Phyllis is determined to track down the killer.  Was it Agnes’ grandson, hiding in the attic and from the law?  the loan shark he borrowed money from?  One of the neighbors with a secret Agnes discovered?

Critical Analysis:  I am a sucker for cozy culinary mysteries. and this one was a Christmas one to boot! I don’t usually jump into a series in the middle, but I didn’t find myself lost or confused by not having read earlier entries.  I did enjoy Phyllis and her roommates and their dynamics, and all of the Christmas touches.  The mystery itself was maybe not the best part, but Washburn has the small town Texas dynamics down pat, and I may seek out another in the series to see what I think.  The recipes also sound divine, and I want to try injecting a ham with Coca-Cola just because it sounds like a great idea.

Reviewed from public library  copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Bibliography: Cohn, Rachel and David Levithan. (2010). Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares.  New York: Knopf Books for Young Readers.  IBSN: 978-0375866593 (hc) 978-0375859557 (pb)

Plot Summary:  On his own in New York for the Christmas holidays, Dash finds a red moleskine notebook in the J.D. Salinger section of the Strand bookstore.  The notebook contains a challenge from the mysterious Lily.  Are Dash and Lily destined to meet in real life?  Or do they only live in the notebook they pass back and forth?

Critical Analysis:  One of my dreams is to visit New York City during the Christmas season.  With this book, I felt like I was there.  I really liked the clever collaboration, and I will need to go back and read their other  joint novels (Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Naomi & ely’s No Kiss List) to see what other fun I missed.  The dares were fun, Lily’s crazy family who assisted her and Dash’s diverse group of friends just added to the story.  Lots of humor and wit along with holiday details and a New York back drop make this an excellent holiday read for teens and adults.

Review Excerpts: “Cohn and Levithan use a familiar but fun formula for this holiday-themed collaboration–think Saint Nick & Norah–mixing an enticing premise with offbeat characters and some introspective soul searching….there are more than enough amusing turns of phrase and zigzag plot twists to keep their attention”–Publisher’s Weekly

“The spirit of the season amplifies Dash and Lily’s loneliness and heightens the connection between them, in another surefire hit from the creators of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2006).”–Booklist

“As they did in Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (Knopf, 2006), the authors combine their talents to write an appealing book. It makes readers long to buy a notebook, begin filling its pages, and find a friend who might turn out to be more. This book will spend as much time off the shelf as Lily’s notebook.”–School Library Journal

Reviewed from public library e-book copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

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