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.

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.

The winners, randomly selected thanks to random.org:

Kimberly H., ARC and Random Buzzers code

Candice M., ARC and Random Buzzers code

Kat W., Random Buzzers code

Jen, Random Buzzers code

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and left comments.

Bibliography: Fredericks, Mariah. (2012).  The Girl in the Park.  New York: Schwartz and Wade.  ISBN: 978-0375868436

Plot Summary:  When Wendy’s body is found in Central Park, headlines paint her as a party girl.  Other girls know Wendy as the wild child who is after their boyfriends.  Some students at the exclusive Alcott School are upset and others secretly glad, maybe she got what was coming to her.  But former best friend Rain, shy and quiet because of the cleft palate she was born with, remembers the Wendy who told her to stand up and speak up.  And when Rain starts to uncover the truth and the details don’t add up, will she find the voice to speak for her friend?

Critical Analysis:  True mysteries written for teens are rare enough, and I am glad to say that Fredericks does an excellent job of creating a taut well paced novel peopled with compelling characters in an ultra exclusive setting.  Rain and Wendy are especially well drawn, contrasting with one another.  Wendy is everything Rain is not, and the reader sees that Rain both admires Wendy for being able to be so bold, so loud and feels for her as Rain knows without asking that some of Wendy’s actions are born from deep emotional pain.

The details of Rain’s cleft palate are handled with care, which makes sense since Fredericks herself was born with one.  As Fredericks notes, “For a long time, that meant I didn’t talk a lot.  But I did listen.”  Exactly the same traits she has given to Rain, and this listening and observations from the edges of events are what leads to the putting together the pieces to solve Wendy’s murder.

Oh the mystery.  I want to say I didn’t guess the ending far in advance, but I did.  But I don’t think most readers will care.  The pacing sweeps the reader along and by the time you realize who did it, you will be so involved in Rain’s story and the suspense of events and when she will tell someone that you won’t care.  This book should have high appeal for teen girls, and while there is partying and alcohol use and adult situations, I can’t see much that would keep this out of middle schoolers’ hands.

Review Excerpts: “Rain’s voice provides an authentic portrait of grief and powerlessness, while Fredericks (Crunch Time) offers profound, provocative commentary on what it means to grow up in the age of Facebook.”–Publisher’s Weekly

“[B]oth Rain and Wendy emerge as fully rounded, flawed characters that teens will recognize and connect with. A satisfying whodunit with enough clues and red herrings to keep mystery fans happy.”–Kirkus Reviews

“Fredericks has constructed a taut, suspenseful mystery with convincing characters whose actions and motives propel the plot. Rain is an unusual, compelling protagonist, a watcher who must step reluctantly out of her comfort zone. Observant readers…will find as much satisfaction in observing Rain’s personal growth as in the solving of the intriguing mystery.“–Booklist

“”The story starts off slowly, gradually building to a surprise ending. Rather than a heavy-handed explanation of Rain’s cleft palate, details are sprinkled throughout the story, building readers’ understanding of her communication difficulties and readers’ compassion for her.”–School Library Journal

“The mystery unravels amidst a sensitive exploration of Rain’s coming to terms with her own quiet, demure personality, with its flaws and its advantages measured against Wendy’s extroversion and desire for recognition and love. The crime itself offers up multiple suspects before a triumphant resolution tinged with melancholy, a conclusion that highlights the fact that while growth is certainly possible, some people, unfortunately, never make it past the slights of high school.”–The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“The very real mystery of the story is a riveting background for Rain’s self-struggle, and the plot twists make this a true page-turner. This book will find a ready audience in fans of Sarah Dessen and Deb Caletti who are looking for something a bit edgier.”–VOYA

Giveaway:  I have two advanced copies of this title to share with you.  In addition, as an Ambuzzador for this title and I have special codes you can use to sign up for Random Buzzers that will give you enough “Buzz Bucks” (points) and special privileges to be eligible for a free book.  If you are already a member, perhaps you have a friend or teen who might like to join.  If you would like to be entered in the giveaway, leave a comment below with your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.  I will accept entries until Sunday night.

Random Buzzers:   An online community for teens from Random House, Random Buzzers is a fun, safe place for readers and writers to gather and share their favorite reads, chat with authors, win books, share reviews and tons of other fun stuff!  This week Mariah Fredericks is the featured author and you can post your questions for her to reply.

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

So excited to be chosen by Random House’s Randombuzzers program to be an Ambuzzador for this title.  I found it a very compelling read.  As a part of the Ambuzzador program, I have special referral codes for anyone who wants to join the program-you’ll get 15,000 Buzz Bucks just for signing up!  Leave a comment with contact info if you want in!  Look for more to come on The Girl in the Park coming soon…

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.

Plot Summary:  Heavy rains have caused the Williamette River to swell, threatening the city of Portland.  Several people have been caught in the swiftly rising waters and appear to have drowned.  The medical examiner discovers that the latest victim was poisoned before she ever went into the water.  Other drownings are soon shown to be poisonings as well, and Archie Sheridan has a new serial killer on his radar.  Susan Ward is sure that the killings have something to do with the Vanport Flood of 1948.  Archie and Susan are racing against the rising waters, trying to track a killer without becoming his next victim.

Critical Analysis:  It hardly seems fair to the author or the reader to advertise this as book 4 in the Archie Sheridan/Gretchen Lowell series.  Gretchen barely makes an appearance, and when she does, it is secondary to the action and the story.  Don’t worry, there is still plenty of action, thrills, suspense and murder to go around.  But even more than that, the looming presence of the river, the rain and the rising waters add to the atmosphere, sense of place, a sense of urgency.  The story feels leaner and tighter than the previous entries in the series, perhaps because the focus really is on the core group of Archie and Susan with Henry and Clare, and the events are clustered within a short time frame.  It seems reviews are quite mixed, but count me as one who is pleased to see that Cain can write quite a story without an assist from the Beauty Killer.

Review Excerpts: “Perfect for readers who want to mix true crime history with their contemporary serial killers….The pace is as relentless as the floodwaters engulfing Portland.”–Library Journal

“[T[he story is deftly handled, the suspense is plentiful and Cain’s evocation of the gloomy atmosphere and Portland setting is superb.”–Kirkus Reviews

“Cain easily weaves the history of the real-life Vanport flood with her trademark heart-stopping moments, and fans will be pleased to see the series flourishing without Gretchen on every page.”–Publisher’s Weekly

“The enveloping floodwaters are every bit as terrifying as the octopus-toting killer (many of the key action scenes take place in or under the black water), and the river itself takes on a kind of evil persona, a superhuman antagonist of unfathomable power.”–Booklist

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:  Teens Keri, Janna and Sione have something in common.  All had an older brother who committed suicide.  Janna tells Keri she and summer fling Sione think it might have been murder, with a pattern of deaths stretching back for years.  They try and catch the person responsible, but when they get close, strange and dangerous things start to happen.  Will they stop the killer from striking again?  Or end up victims themselves?

Critical Analysis:  I have a hard time writing about a book like this, as I don’t want to give too much away, so here goes nothing.

I hesitate to call this novel paranormal.  For me, as of late, that term invokes visions of vampires, werewolves and ghosts in a sort of other world that might look like our world but is different.  Healey instead gives the reader something real.  Real feelings both on the part of the main characters and the secondary ones.  Grief and fear and a need to do something, to take control.   Human feelings and motives that drive actions both good and bad.  This reality adds a layer of fear and suspense and emotion to the events as they unfold.  This story, the setting, and the characters as so well realized that days after finishing the book, I can see it in my mind, playing like a movie.  (It would be an excellent teen horror movie I think.)

Readalikes:  I was reminded of Shirley Jackson’s short story, The Lottery and of Margo Lanagan’s Singing My Sister Down.

Review Excerpts:  ”[A]n intense and powerful novel that explores the effect of suicide on families….skillfully keeps her characters on an emotional roller-coaster even as they deal with physical threats. The climax delivers a gut punch that only underscores the sensitivity of the subject matter (without lessening the thrill at all).”–Publisher’s Weekly

“Healey has got a whopper of a concept here, and strong main characters to make the most of it. It is easy to identify with at least one of the trio—shattered Keri, lovely Janna, soulful Sione—and get swept up in the mystery that surrounds them as they work to protect Takeshi and Aroha, who are endearing.”–VOYA

“Told in alternating chapters by the teens, the story unfolds at an even pace, with the characters developing into fully realized and distinctly different personalities. Healey merges Maori and Samoan words and cultural influences throughout the text. A good choice for teens who prefer their fantasies mixed with more realism.”–School Library Journal

“…Healey (Guardian of the Dead, 2010) seamlessly integrates noir and fantasy tropes to explore issues of suicide, trust, sexuality, race, insecurity and free will in a way that feels fresh.”–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.

Bibliography: Pearce, Jackson. (2011). Sweetly. New York: Little Brown Young Readers. ISBN: 978-0316068659

Plot Summary:  As a child, Gretchen all but watched as her twin sister was taken by a witch in the woods.  Brother Ansel could do nothing either.  They kept waiting for the witch to return for them.  Many years later,  their stepmother kicked them out and they got in their car and drove, and drove and drove until it died outside of Live Oak, South Carolina.  Young and beautiful, candy maker Sophia invites them to stay, then keeps finding tasks for Ansel to do to keep them around.  The witch won’t find them here, or will she?  Local Samuel tells Gretchen of something that lurks in the woods and makes young girls disappear after the chocolate festival.  Could it be after her?  But this time, Gretchen is not going to run, but stand and fight.  The more Gretchen learns, the more afraid she becomes of discovering who the real monster is.

Critical Analysis:  I actually liked this much more than Sisters Red.  The problem I had with Sisters Red was that the book focused on the three characters and really no one else.  This made it hard for the characters to grow or change, and in places was to be honest a bit slow and boring.  Characters need other characters to interact with, they need to be out in the world.  I think Sweetly expands the picture, adding more primary and secondary players to the mix.  It feels more real, like a time and place and people that you might meet in the South.  I also find this loss and fear to be more primal.  The idea that something is lurking in the woods and the only reason it doesn’t have you yet is because it hasn’t caught you feels very much like an underlying theme from any number of traditional fairy tales.  And while I see many call this a reconstruction of the original tale (Hansel and Gretel) for me it is actually much closer to a retelling or re imagining and that works for me.

Review Excerpts: “The story revisits several themes…including sibling bonds and betrayals, the loss of childhood innocence, and the sharp teeth of the big, bad world. Gretchen is a more nuanced character …and her relationship with Ansel doesn’t suffer quite as much from the trials they face together.”–Publisher’s Weekly

“This is more of a mash-up of the fairy tale and some recent best sellers than a reframing of the story in a deep Southern setting, and Pearce’s writing is too long on breathlessness and suppressed anguish and too short on actual plot. Will any of this pull readers in? Make them want to read 300 pages? Highly unlikely.”–School Library Journal

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:  Coming home from a party, Jack is kidnapped by a predator.  He manages to escape telling  no one except his best friend, Connor.  Later when Connor and Jack stumble across the same man, he ends up dead.  Travelling to England to look at boarding schools, Jack arrives in London a few days before Connor.  A strange man gives him  a pair of glasses showing an alternate post-apocalyptic world where Jack is trying to save two young boys while Connor has turned into a monster.  Jack wants to look away but he can’t.  The glasses call to him, and even as he looks through them, Jack wonders what is real and what isn’t.  Is he going crazy?  Or is his world?

Critical Analysis:  Interestingly enough for me, this book feels like a natural progression following Smith’s last book, In the Path of Falling Objects.  As with Objects, there is a real feel of the west here, although in this case, it feels more like a shriveled up ghost town and less like seeking a new (better) life.)  But even more so, Objects dealt with the scary heart pounding thrill of escaping from a mad serial killer.  Here Smith takes us one step closer to the darkness–what if we escape the serial killer only to discover there are even worse things in the world, that is, if the world we are in is even real?

I had a hard time reading this book.  It was so dark and so disturbing I wasn’t sure I wanted to finish it.  And yet, the character of Jack was vulnerable and needy and I had to know what happened to him, that he came out okay in the end.  I felt his fear, at the noises, his longing, his need to pick up the glasses one more time, his loss when he would come back to the present and couldn’t remember anything that had happened in the interim.  I find the juxtaposition of elements here to be as complex as they are surreal–a mix of teenage boys being boys and the darkness that is always out beyond the edge coming closer, threatening to take over.  The ambiguity is as sweet as it is frustrating.  What is real and what is just in Jack’s head?  This may be the first book in years that gets an almost immediate reread so I can soak more of it in.

Review Excerpts:  ”This bloody and genuinely upsetting book packs an enormous emotional punch. Smith’s characters are very well developed and the ruined alternate universe they travel through is both surreal and believable.”–Publisher’s Weekly

“Graphic and nightmarish, this will find a receptive audience of older teens who are fans of Stephen King’s darkest horrors….the story is suspenseful and deeply disturbing, written with multiple layers that will have readers arguing about what the apocalyptic scenes in Marbury are really all about.”–VOYA

“This is a haunting psychological drama, told in very adult language and descriptions that nonetheless is impossible to put down. Not for the fainthearted or the young, this is an incredibly well written story of emotional demons that is hard to forget.”–Children’s Literature

“An engrossing horror/fantasy hybrid, this page-turner will be best appreciated by those with a taste for ambiguous endings….Nightmarish imagery is chillingly effective, and the pacing superbly builds suspense.”–Kirkus Reviews

“This title will keep readers enthralled with its well-developed characters and unique plot…The novel is not an easy read, but it is one that will keep teens hooked….”–School Library Journal

“Mixing a trauma reckoning with dark, apocalyptic fantasy and notes of psychological horror, this commandeering novel’s multiplicity is elusively complex yet never complicated: although the many gut-quivering story elements are not clearly defined, they always speak to each other, and Smith wisely leaves much up to the reader.”–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.