The Humming Room

It is with great shame that I admit that I haven’t read some of the classics of children’s literature. (I’ve only been an elementary librarian for three years, so give me a bit of a break.) One of the books that escaped my notice as a child–and an adult–was The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I think I remember seeing a film adaptation of the book when I was younger, but it must not have had enough robots, aliens, or other supernatural creatures to hold my interest. (I haven’t changed much since I was a kid.)

Anyway, I’m now reading the books nominated for the 2013-2014 South Carolina Children’s Book Award, and one of them, The Humming Room by Ellen Potter, is inspired by The Secret Garden. Of course, I went into this book with very little knowledge of what happened in The Secret Garden (and I assume many of my students will have a similar reading experience). After reading The Humming Room, though, I find myself wanting to read its inspiration. I’m hoping the same will be true of my students.

In The Humming Room, we meet young Roo Fanshaw. Roo has not had an easy life so far. She has no memory of her mother, and her father and his girlfriend were recently killed while Roo hid underneath the house. (Roo is an expert hider, by the way.) Eventually, Roo is found and sent to live in a foster home for a while. It is soon discovered, though, that this troubled young girl will be taken in by her wealthy uncle and sent to live on Cough Rock Island along the St. Lawrence River. The large edifice on the island was once a sanitarium for children with tuberculosis, and, almost immediately after arriving, Roo senses that this strange home is harboring some secrets…

Roo has some trouble adapting to her new home. She’s not used to being watched so much, and she looks for places to hide, places to make herself as small and unnoticeable as possible. But what will happen when Roo is the one who begins to notice things–strange things about both the island and the building that is now her home? Roo often hears a strange humming noise in the house, and she does her best to figure out where the noise is coming from. Her explorations lead her to some big surprises…including a garden that has been left to die in the center of this mysterious house. Who put this garden in the middle of the house? Why? And why has it been abandoned and left to die?

Roo is searching for answers to the mysteries surrounding her, and she may find help in some unexpected places. She encounters a remarkable boy who appears to live on the river. What’s his story, and where is his home? Roo also discovers yet another strange boy living right next to her. Who is this boy, and why is everyone so determined to keep him a secret? More importantly, what is his connection to her often-absent uncle and the dying garden that has been kept hidden from everyone?

Join Roo as she struggles to save the things that are fast becoming important to her–friendship, a family she never knew she wanted, and a garden that, with a little love and care, can blossom just like Roo’s hopes for the future. Explore the possibilities when you read The Humming Room by Ellen Potter.

I enjoyed The Humming Room much more than I thought I would. I found Roo to be a very sympathetic character, and I’m sure many young readers will agree. It’s easy to root for her, but readers will also be wildly curious about the mysteries surrounding her new home. That curiosity will, I predict, keep them turning each page. (Young readers may also enjoy Roo’s uncanny ability to evade the adults around her!)

The Humming Room is an excellent read for those in grades 3 and up. I’m guessing that adults who enjoyed The Secret Garden will enjoy comparing the two books, and The Humming Room may just convince readers who haven’t read The Secret Garden (like me) to finally give it a try.

For more information on The Humming Room and other books by Ellen Potter, visit her website at http://www.ellenpotter.com/. You may also want to check out her book trailer for The Humming Room below.

Darkness Before Dawn

Happy Easter, everyone! I hope that all of you have had a wonderful day (regardless of whether or not you celebrate this holiday). I spent the majority of the day with my wonderful family, ate WAY too much, took a nap, watched some Doctor Who, and, finally, I finished a book. Not a bad way to spend the day!

The book I’ve been reading the past couple of days is Darkness Before Dawn by the mother-son writing team known as J.A. London. I freely admit that I picked up this book because of the cover–something that has been known to get me into trouble from time to time. The cover reminded me a great deal of the covers for Lauren Kate’s Fallen series (fabulous books, by the way). Well, this book wasn’t quite like Fallen, and I didn’t think the cover really fit the story, but Darkness Before Dawn was a decent book, and the action did keep me turning the page. (I can’t say that about other books I’ve read.) It is a vampire book, and it has some Twilight-esque elements, but it’s much darker than some of the vampire romance fluff that’s out there right now. The tone of Darkness Before Dawn reminded me a little of Bethany Griffin’s Masque of the Red Death (which I wasn’t a huge fan of). Things are very bleak, there’s very little hope, but one girl is doing what she can–even consorting with the enemy–to bring peace to her world.

Following the horrifying death of her parents, seventeen-year-old Dawn Montgomery has been appointed as the new Agency delegate to negotiate with Lord Valentine, the feared vampire who controls what has become of the city of Denver. It is Dawn’s responsibility to keep the peace between vampires and humans. Basically, this means that she kowtows to the whims and wishes of Valentine, including doing everything possible to increase the city’s blood donations to the vampires they at once fear and loathe. Dawn wishes there were a way to end humanity’s subservience to the vampires, but she doesn’t see a way to get out from under Valentine’s thumb long enough to broker any semblance of a peace deal. All that may be about to change, though…

One night, after a party on the outskirts of town, a mysterious boy comes to Dawn’s rescue. His name is Victor, and he saves Dawn and her best friend, Tegan, from being killed by a pack of vampires. Dawn doesn’t know much about Victor, but she’s grateful to him and oddly drawn to him, even though she has a boyfriend. Soon, though, Dawn discovers the truth of Victor’s real identity. He’s a vampire, and his full name is Victor Valentine. That’s right. He’s the horrible Lord Valentine’s son. But Victor is not the monster that his father is. He, like Dawn, wants a world where vampires and humans can live in peace, and he’s doing all that he can to make that a reality. Victor implores Dawn to see him as more than an evil bloodsucker, and, eventually, she realizes that there is more to him than she ever thought possible. There’s more to her feelings for him, too. As you can imagine, things are about to get really complicated…

As Dawn and Victor fight their feelings for each other while doing their parts to fight for peace, new and unexpected monsters are invading the city. It seems a new breed of vampire is on the loose, one that no one really knows how to fight. One that seems to have Dawn in his sights. What does he want with her? Is she a target because she’s the delegate, or is there some other reason that Dawn is always being watched? And what will happen when it’s revealed that someone close to Dawn may not be who he claims to be? Could there be an even more sinister foe waiting to destroy Dawn’s entire world? Sometimes there are reasons to be afraid of the dark. Find out how Dawn deals with those fears when you read Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London.

When I first started reading this book, I was prepared not to like it. Honestly, I though, “Not another cheesy vampire book!” In a sense, I was right. It was fairly predictable, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the book. Yes, it was dark and a bit depressing at times. Yes, the story didn’t offer too many answers to questions. (It’s the first book in a series, so that shouldn’t shock me too much.) Everything about this book was easy to anticipate, but that didn’t stop me from turning the next page. I needed to see if my predictions were correct. (They nearly always were.) This is not the loftiest of literature, but it does keep the reader interested, and that’s really all anyone can ask.

Fans of YA vampire fiction will enjoy this book. Be cautious when recommending this book to middle grade readers. There’s some cursing, alcohol use, and a couple of steamy scenes (especially if you have a decent imagination). I’m not naive enough to think that some middle schoolers aren’t familiar with this things, but know your readers and which ones can handle mature situations in the books they read.

For more information about Darkness Before Dawn, visit http://www.jalondon.com/. The second book in the series, Blood-Kissed Sky, is already out. (I’ve already read the first chapter. It was at the end of the first book, which ended on such a cliffhanger that I couldn’t pass up the chance to see what happened next.) The third book, After Daybreak, will be out on June 25th.

The False Prince

I’m a kind of ashamed by how little I’ve managed to read this weekend. (It’s been a four-day weekend for me. Under normal circumstances, I might have finished at least four books.) Thanks to a doctor’s appointment, spending time with family, napping, cleaning, worrying about blood test results (which turned out fine, by the way), and watching way too much TV, I just didn’t have it in me to read much this weekend. It didn’t help that I was finding it hard to get into the book I had chosen to read, so, last night, I picked up a different book. I’d been meaning to read Jennifer A. Nielsen’s The False Prince for a while, and I decided that this book would be the one to get me out of my slump. How right I was! This book was totally engrossing, surprising, and it kept me guessing until the very end. I finished it just a few minutes ago, roughly sixteen hours after I started reading it (and that was with breaks for things like sleeping, eating, and trekking to the pharmacy). The False Prince delivers on adventure, humor, and mystery and is an excellent book for readers from upper elementary grades through adulthood. This is one book (of many I’ve read) that can’t be limited to just one age group.

The kingdom of Carthya is on the verge of war. The king, queen, and crown prince have all been murdered, and one man, Conner, has a plan to place a “false prince” on the throne–a boy who will take the place of Prince Jaron, the long-lost second son of the king and queen. He just needs to find the right boy. He searches local orphanages, and four boys are initially chosen to vie for the title of future king. One of those boys is Sage. From the beginning, Sage is hard to control. He wants nothing to do with Conner’s plan…until he realizes that failure means certain death.

It’s not always easy for sage to toe the line with Conner. He gets into considerable trouble and is punished severely. Eventually, though, Sage does what he must to convince Conner that he is the boy who should be prince, but he wonders what Conner isn’t telling him and the other boys. Why is he so sure that Prince Jaron is dead when his body was never found? What does Conner have to gain by placing an imposter on the throne? What will really happen to the boys who are not chosen for this role? Yes, Conner definitely has his secrets–some of them deadly–but he’s not the only one who’s keeping secrets. Sage knows that someone else has secrets that could turn Conner’s many plans into nothing but ash…

As Sage attempts to learn all he can to pass for the missing prince, he’s also on a quest to discover just what is going on around him. Is there anyone he can truly trust? And how will Conner, the other boys, and those he’s grown close to react when Sage’s many secrets are revealed? How will the revelation impact Conner’s plans for the throne? Discover the truth when you read The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen!

I haven’t even hinted how wonderful this book is…even though I may have hinted at a couple of major plot points. The False Prince is an extraordinary beginning in what is sure to be a brilliant trilogy. (Book two in The Ascendance Trilogy, The Runaway King, is supposed to be released on March 1st. Happy early birthday to me!) Sage’s voice is at once humorous, vulnerable, and sarcastic…everything a reader like me enjoys. This is a book that will appeal equally to male and female readers and should be marketed to everyone in upper elementary, middle, and high schools. Adult readers will also find something to love.

I heard a rumor recently that The False Prince has been optioned for the big screen, and an editor for Game of Thrones is adapting the novel. I just went to the author’s website, and, as luck would have it, the rumor is true! Oh, happy day. I think this is awesome, and if anyone can do justice to this story, I’m hoping that someone with a hand in Game of Thrones can live up to the task.

To learn more about The False Prince and other works by Jennifer A. Nielsen, visit the author’s website, follow her on Twitter, or like her on Facebook. For your viewing pleasure, I’m also including here a short book trailer for The False Prince (produced by Scholastic) that I found on YouTube. It’s short but powerful. Enjoy!

Fever

Spoiler alert!  Read Lauren DeStefano’s Wither before proceeding.  You will be all kinds of confused if you don’t heed my warning!

So, it’s been a while since I’ve posted something here on Knight Reader, and I promise I have a very good excuse.  School started.  That’s right.  I went from nearly two months of doing almost nothing but reading and sleeping to working in an elementary school five days a week (and being so exhausted when I get home that I either nap or stare blankly at the walls).  It’s a difficult adjustment, and I simply haven’t had the time or energy to devote to blogging…or even reading (which is kind of sad for a school librarian to say).  Hopefully, things are sort of getting back to normal, and I’ll be able to post at least a couple of times a week.  We shall see.

Moving on…

Last night, I was finally able to finish reading Fever, the second book in Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden trilogy.  (If the spoiler alert above didn’t clue you in, the first book in this series is Wither.)  I absolutely adored the first book, so I had really high hopes for Fever.  I’m happy to report that Fever lived up to my expectations.  It freaked me out even more than Wither did.  I’ll go ahead and tell you that this is not a “happy” book.  It will not leave you with the warm fuzzies.  It will make you uncomfortable.  It will make you cringe.  It will make you fear for the future of humanity and society.  Most importantly, it will make you think.

In Fever, Rhine has finally escaped her life as a wife of Linden Ashby.  She is joined by Gabriel, a former servant in the mansion they used to call home.  Despite all the hope that Rhine has for the future, she’s almost immediately swept into situations that are even worse than the one she left. 

Even when Rhine and Gabriel find a way out of yet another life of servitude, their journey is treacherous and filled with uncertainty.  Will they ever make it to Rhine’s home in Manhattan?  If they do, will they find her twin brother Rowan?  What then?  Time is running out, and Rhine is growing weaker by the minute.  What will she have to do to save herself?  And is saving herself even worth the price she would have to pay?

As Rhine and Gabriel look for ways to escape their current predicaments, they are faced with the possibility that things may never get better…and they may never escape Rhine’s evil father-in-law, Vaughn, who seems to be on their heels no matter where they go.  What will Rhine and Gabriel have to do or sacrifice to finally be truly free?  Is freedom even possible at this point? 

This book is INTENSE!  I’m still mulling things over, but I might like Fever even more than I liked Wither.  This book is the perfect “second book” in a series.  Yes, it was a bridge between books one and three, but it wasn’t just filler.  Stuff happened.  (I wanted to use another word for “stuff,” but this blog is kind of kid-friendly.)  There were some pretty major events that will have a huge impact in the final book in this series (which I’m pretty sure will be freakin’ awesome).  Book three, Sever, is scheduled for a February 12th release, so we don’t have a terribly long amount of time to wait to see what happens.  I’m still on pins and needles, though.  This series has me totally enthralled.

If you’d like to learn more about the Chemical Garden trilogy or author Lauren DeStefano, visit http://www.laurendestefano.com/.  Also, you simply must follow the author on Twitter @LaurenDeStefano.  She’s pretty hilarious.  I’m convinced we’d be BFFs if we ever met.

Still not convinced to give Fever (and Wither) a try?  Well, check out this book trailer.  That should do it.

*Note: This series deals with some mature themes and is not recommended for middle grade readers.*

The Scorpio Races

Unlike nearly every girl I grew up with in rural South Carolina, I never had a fondness for horses.  (I’ve always been more of an indoor kind of gal.  Horses are for those outdoorsy types.)  I should have known, then, that The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater might not be my cup of tea.  Honestly, I only picked up the book because I thoroughly enjoyed Stiefvater’s Shiver trilogy, and I thought this one would be just as wonderful.  In a way, it was. 

The action in the book, while horrifying at times, was still understated and even beautiful and natural in its own way.  The author didn’t hit readers over the head with the relationship brewing between the two main characters.  It was subtle and true to the characters’ personalities.  It did take me a while to get into this book, however, and I often found my interest waning.  The Scorpio Races is not a light-hearted romp of a novel, and the seriousness of the book kind of put me off a bit.  It didn’t help that the book made me even more wary of horses than I already was.

The Scorpio Races take over the island of Thisby every November. It is the island’s most exciting, money-making, and tourist-attracting event. It’s also a fight for survival. While struggling to tame the vicious water horses that are the focus of the brutal display, racers put their lives on the line for the chance to cross the finish line first and become legends.

Sean Kendrick is already a legend when it comes to the races.  At the age of nineteen, he’s already a four-time champion, and it’s looking like this year will be his fifth victory.  But Sean, a serious young man with a rather taciturn nature, is battling for more than just another mark in the win column.  He’s fighting for his own taste of freedom.  But there may be someone on the horizon that needs to win more than Sean ever has…

Puck Connolly is a young woman who is on the verge of losing everything she’s ever known.  Her older brother is determined to leave her and their younger brother behind on the island, so Puck does the only thing she can think of to get him to stay a little longer.  She enters the Scorpio Races.  The odds are stacked against her from the very beginning.  Puck is the first girl to ever enter the races, nearly everyone on the island tries to bully her or convince her to change her mind, and she’s not racing on one of the fierce water horses.  No, she’s racing on her own dependable land mare, Dove.  No one thinks Puck has a shot of winning–including Puck–but everyone will soon find out that there’s more to Puck Connolly than anyone ever suspected…

Sean is intrigued by this girl who has entered the races despite the odds.  Puck is fascinated by the boy who seems to always have one leg on land and the other in the sea, the boy who has a special bond with the beasts that claimed her parents’ lives.  The two young people are inexorably drawn together by the very races that could tear them apart.

Sean and Puck both need to win the races that are sure to claim lives before all is said and done.  Both of them need to win to preserve everything that they hold dear.  Who will win?  Who will lose?  Will Puck and Sean be strong enough to handle the races that are sure to change their lives forever?  Will the races draw them together or destroy them forever?  Find out when you read The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.

I don’t know what else to say about this book.  It was good, but I’m ready to move on to somewhat lighter fare.  If you think you might enjoy The Scorpio Races, I strongly urge you to read the author’s note at the back of the book first.  I stumbled over the name of the water horses–capall uisce–and the author’s note has a handy pronunciation (CAPple ISHka) as well as some of the myths surrounding the mysterious water horses.

If you’d like to learn more about The Scorpio Races or other books by Maggie Steifvater, visit her website at http://maggiestiefvater.com/ or follow her on Twitter @msteifvater.

Touch Blue

Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord, a nominee for the 2012-13 South Carolina Children’s Book Award, is one of the fastest reads I’ve had in a while.  I finished this book in just a couple of hours.  Despite its length, however, Touch Blue packed an emotional wallop.  The main character, eleven-year-old Tess, has a perfectly realistic voice, and, even though some readers, especially in South Carolina, will be unable to relate to the setting of this book (an island off the coast of Maine), they will find a relatable character in Tess.

In order to keep their island school from closing–and losing many of the island’s inhabitants to the mainland–some of the residents of Bethsaida Island agree to take in foster children to increase enrollment at the school.  Tess’ family is one of those taking in a new kid. 

As Tess and her little sister Libby eagerly await the arrival of thirteen-year-old Aaron, Tess is filled with visions of what it will be like to have an older brother.  She’s sure that it will be great, and she’s excited to have someone close to her age around.  She’s not, however, prepared for the emotional baggage that Aaron brings with him.  He’s justifiably moody and unsure of his new surroundings, and he resists all of Tess’ attempts to get closer to him.

Tess tries everything she can think of to help Aaron feel like he belongs, including a few things thought to bring good luck (like touching something blue to make a wish come true).  Gradually, Aaron feels more comfortable on the island–he plays his trumpet in the July 4th celebration, he helps Tess restore her boat, and he goes lobster-trapping with Tess and her Dad–but Tess knows that he’s holding back.  Aaron misses his mom, and he wants to get back to her.  Tess tries to convince Aaron that he belongs with her family, but it may take something drastic to make him believe he’s important to them.

Will Tess be able to help Aaron accept his new life and family, or will all of her wishing leave her with nothing?  Read Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord to find out.

I really enjoyed this book, and I plan to recommend it to all of my students in 3rd through 5th grades.  Middle grade readers may enjoy it as well.  I’m hoping that my students will be interested in the books that Tess alludes to throughout Touch Blue:  The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson, Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, and Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery.  I love how Tess relates her relationship with Aaron to those of the characters in these beloved books.

If you’re looking for a super-fast, moving, and heart-warming summer read, I highly recommend Touch Blue.  At its core, it is a story about what it means to truly belong and how a person creates his or her own luck.  This book is perfect for anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider–and who hasn’t?

For more information on this book and others by Cynthia Lord, visit http://www.cynthialord.com/.

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall

In the coming months, Knight Reader may start to have a bit of a different feel.  I will still be reviewing young adult novels, but I also plan to post more for upper elementary and middle grade readers.  I will start this by focusing on the 2012-13 South Carolina Children’s Book Award nominees (which I have to read anyway since I promote this SCBA program at my own elementary school).  Many of these books, while targeted to younger readers, may also be of interest to teen and even adult readers.  One of next year’s SCCBA nominees, Tom Angleberger’s The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, has already been reviewed here, so this may not be too much of a departure for me.  We’ll see how it goes…

Mary Downing Hahn is known for her ghost stories.  My students at school know to go to the H section in fiction if they want a good spooky tale, and they’ve already begun to devour The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall, one of Hahn’s newest books.  This book, which takes place in the late 19th century, is one that will definitely appeal to children, especially those in 4th grade on up, who like their fiction with a bit of terror thrown in.

Florence Crutchfield, a twelve-year-old living in a London orphanage, gets the surprise of her life when she’s sent to live with her great-uncle at his country manor house, Crutchfield Hall.  Life at Crutchfield Hall is very different from Florence’s time at the orphanage.  She has a warm place to sleep, and there’s always enough food.  Florence’s uncle is happy to have her there, but her aunt seems to hate her on site.  Why is there so much animosity from her aunt?  What could Florence have possibly done to deserve so much hatred?

Well, it seems that Florence’s aunt, a crazed and bitter woman, thinks Florence is trying to replace Sophia, Florence’s young cousin who died in a horrible accident nearly a year ago.  Aunt Eugenie makes Florence’s life miserable and constantly compares her to the seemingly perfect Sophia.  Florence is not even allowed to see James, her other cousin and Sophia’s younger brother.  (He grew very weak and sickly following Sophia’s death.)  Florence feels more alone now than she ever did at the orphanage, but she’s not alone…not at all.

Florence soon realizes Sophia is not entirely gone from Crutchfield Hall.  The ghost of her cousin is haunting Florence, James, and even members of the household staff.  Sophia has the power to make Florence do almost anything she wants…and that includes terrorizing those around her and finding a way to recreate her death so that someone else takes the fall that killed her.

Can Florence–and James–find a way to stop Sophia from wreaking havoc at Crutchfield Hall?  Can they banish her ghost forever?  Will Sophia ever really rest in peace?  Unravel the mystery when you read The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn, a nominee for the 2012-13 South Carolina Children’s Book Award.

While I did find this book to be spooky, and I think the majority of my students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades (the target audience for the SCCBA) will enjoy it, I do think there are some elements of the story, particularly the literary allusions, that may be more appropriate for older readers.  I don’t know many elementary school students who will understand the references to the works of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, and others of the time.  Yes, this book could lead them to those works, but they are still, in my opinion, books for older readers.  (I’m in my thirties, and I’m still not a fan of Dickens.) 

Other than that small gripe, I think The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall is a great read for kids, teens, and adults.  My students are already fans, and every copy of this book stays checked out of my library.  (I only got to read it this weekend because it’s the end of the school year, and books are getting turned in.)  Even though this book is on the SCCBA nominee list, I also think it’s perfect for reluctant readers in middle and high schools.  It’s short, quick, and engaging, and, like I said previously, it could serve as a push to dive into meatier works.

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall is the first book I’ve read by Mary Downing Hahn, but I can almost guarantee it won’t be the last.

Wither

People who really know me have realized that I have a mild case of paranoia.  I’ve been known to utter the phrase “until the machines rise up” in casual conversations.  (And yes, I do think the machines will eventually take over.  I can see the Matrix.)  It’s odd, then, that dystopian fiction is my favorite genre.  (I became a fan when I read Fahrenheit 451 in the eighth grade.)  Well, my latest read, Wither by Lauren DeStefano, is an all-too-believable view of the near future.  No, the machines have not risen up yet, but society’s desire to wipe out all disease and have perfect, healthy children has backfired in a major way.  The science presented in this book is totally plausible, and I fear that some of it may cross the divide between science fiction and science fact if we’re not careful.

In mankind’s quest for physical perfection, time has become the ultimate scarce resource.  Yes, the world is virtually disease-free, but the side-effect of such health is the untimely death of all people born in the new generations.  No male lives past the age of twenty-five, and no female lives past the age of twenty.  In essence, people are ticking time-bombs from the moment of birth.  First generation doctors and scientists (who kind of started this whole mess) are trying to find an antidote for the virus killing their children and grandchildren, but time is always working against them.  Humans are quickly becoming an endangered species, and some will go to any lengths—including kidnapping young girls and forcing them to be “breeders”—to keep the population from dying out.  That’s where sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery’s story begins…

Rhine, along with about a dozen other girls, is taken from her home—and her twin brother—in Manhattan.  She’s transported hundreds of miles so that a wealthy young man, Linden Ashby, can choose those he desires to be his wives.  That’s right…wives…as in plural.  Both Linden and his father are struck by Rhine’s unique features, so she is chosen as a bride.  She is joined by two sister wives:  Jenna, a girl who has less than two years until her twentieth birthday and who makes her disgust of this situation very clear, and Cecily, a thirteen-year-old girl who was seemingly groomed for this life in an orphanage and is weirdly excited about everything that awaits her.  Rhine, like Jenna, is also disgusted with her fate, but unlike Jenna, who is just counting down the days until her death, Rhine plans to do something about it.

Almost immediately upon arriving at the mansion that is to be her new home, Rhine begins to think of escape plans.  While there appear to be no immediate solutions, Rhine is sure that an opportunity will eventually present itself.  Rhine bides her time, gets to know her new husband, and grows closer to her sister wives.  She also forms an attachment to Gabriel, a servant in her new home who may have his own reasons for wanting to escape.

As Rhine looks for ways to escape this life she never wanted, she also becomes a participant in it.  She grows closer to Linden and realizes he’s not the monster she’s made him out to be in her head.  She develops real bonds with her sister wives and worries about their fates should her quest for freedom prove successful.  She discovers horrifying things about her father-in-law Vaughn, the dictatorial and terrifying Housemaster, that make her want to expose him for the liar and murderer he is.  Through all this, though, Rhine’s primary goal remains the same—to escape to freedom, get back to her brother, and, possibly, start a new life with someone who is coming to mean a lot to her.  Will she find a way out, or will she remain a prisoner and spend the rest of her short life withering away?  Read Wither, the first book in the Chemical Garden trilogy by Lauren DeStefano, to learn the truth.

I was engrossed in this book from page one, and I highly recommend it to teen readers who enjoy dystopian fiction.  (Some of the subject matter is probably a little too mature for middle-grade readers.)  Wither presents an interesting and eye-opening look at polygamous relationships, and it shows readers that science may not be the ultimate answer for all of the world’s problems.  The “solutions” to these problems may be more dangerous and life-threatening that the problems themselves.  For those who often contemplate what the future may hold, Wither provides a conceivable glimpse into life for generations to come.  Join me in the paranoia, won’t you?

The second book in this trilogy, Fever, is already out, and I plan to read it once I’ve fully processed what happened in Wither.  The third book is currently untitled, and it is scheduled for an April 2013 release.  You can also check out an eBook, Seeds of Wither, which contains details of the world Lauren DeStefano created in Wither, a new short story titled “The First Bride,” a map of the wives floor, and more!

For those who would like more information about Wither, the rest of the Chemical Garden trilogy, and author Lauren DeStefano, visit  http://laurendestefano.com/ and http://thechemicalgardenbooks.com/wither/.  You can also follow Lauren on Twitter @laurenDeStefano, on Tumblr at http://laurendestefano.tumblr.com/, and become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/LaurenDeStefanoFan. 

Still not enough?  Well, check out this awesome Wither book trailer produced by Simon & Schuster Videos.  Enjoy!

Liesl & Po

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Lauren Oliver.  I loved Before I Fall, Delirium, and Pandemonium.  When I first heard that she was coming out with a novel for younger readers, I knew it would be as awesome as her young adult novels.  Well, I finished reading Liesl & Po this morning (I started it last night.), and it was even better than I thought it would be.  I’m going to give it the highest praise I can think of:  It reminded me of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book.  (I love Neil Gaiman…a lot.)  This book is sure to be a hit with elementary readers up through adults.  Anyone who enjoys stories filled with magic, sadness, and, most importantly, hope, will find Liesl & Po to be as enchanting as I did.

All sunshine has gone out of the world.  Life is dull and gray for everyone, especially two children, Liesl and Will, who want nothing more than the hope that things will get better…

Liesl spends her days and nights trapped in an attic by her vile stepmother. Her father passed away three days ago, and Liesl feels more alone than ever before. That’s about to change, though. When a ghost named Po–and his ghost pet Bundle–begin to visit Liesl from the Other Side, she doesn’t feel quite so alone. She even begins to hope that her life can change a little and that she can even find some way to reconnect with her father.

Will is an apprentice to an alchemist. He spends his days doing errands, assisting with potions, and never getting anything right. (He’s beginning to think his name is really “Useless.”) The only bright spot in Will’s life is looking at the girl in the attic window and wondering what it would be like if they were to ever meet. As fate would have it, he is about to find out…

When Will mistakenly switches a box full of powerful magic with the box that contains Liesl’s father’s ashes, forces collide that take Liesl, Po, Bundle, and Will on a path that will lead them to each other.  They will fight against evil, cruelty, loss, sadness, and some misunderstandings to get to something better than what they’ve known.  In the process, they will discover friendships that cross the boundary of death.  They may even find a way to make the world a brighter place for everyone.  After all, when magic and hope are involved, anything is possible.

I urge any and all librarians who work with children and young adults to add Liesl & Po book to your collections.  For those of you who aren’t librarians, add this book to your reading list.  It’s a wonderful book about overcoming loss and sadness and restoring color to a dull, gray existence.  Even in the darkest times, there is a sense of hope in this book and its characters that I think we could all use a dose of.  Read this book!  You won’t be sorry.

If you’re still not convinced, check out this awesome book trailer for Liesl & Po (from HarperKids):

For more information on Lauren Oliver and all of her amazing books, visit http://www.laurenoliverbooks.com/.  You can also follow her on Twitter @OliverBooks.

Clockwork Prince

Even though this post will not be a typical one for me, I will be talking a bit about Clockwork Prince, the second book in Cassandra Clare’s Infernal Devices trilogy (which is the prequel trilogy to her Mortal Instruments series).  If you haven’t read all of the books that precede Clockwork Prince–especially Clockwork Angel–I strongly urge you to do that as soon as possible.  All of these books are unbelievably amazing, and the events of today only increased my love of these series.

Now, for the good stuff…

Today, I had the pleasure of meeting the one and only Cassandra Clare.  As part of her book tour for Clockwork Prince, which was released on Tuesday (and which I finished reading last night), Ms. Clare paid a visit to Greenville, South Carolina.  I live just a few miles away from Greenville, and I was understandably excited about meeting one of my favorite authors.  The event was sponsored by a local independent bookstore, Fiction Addiction, and held in a spot called the Hangar at the Runway Cafe (near the downtown airport, obviously).  And I have to say it was one of the most well organized book signings I’ve ever attended.  (I went to see Stephenie Meyer at a Barnes & Noble in Georgia four years ago, and it was absolute chaos.  Imagine thousands of people crammed into a B&N for upwards of five hours.  Shudder.) 

Anyhoo, Cassandra Clare entered the Hangar and answered questions from the audience.  The first few people who asked questions even got a free t-shirt.  I was one of those people…and here’s the back of the shirt:

I asked who she would pick to play Magnus Bane if she had any say in the movie casting.  Her answer both surprised and delighted me–Darren Criss, who plays Blaine on Glee.  She said that his ethnicity matched Magnus’, and he seems to have no problems kissing a boy.  For those of you who’ve read the Mortal Instruments series, you know how important this is.

Ms. Clare answered lots more questions on how she overcomes writer’s block, using outlines in her writing, how much influence she has over the upcoming City of Bones movie (very little, sadly), the love triangle between Will, Jem, and Tessa in Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince, other books she would recommend, how she would encourage aspiring writers, where her ideas for her books came from, the real-life settings used in the books, the inspiration for the character of Magnus Bane (one of my favorites), and much more.  Throughout the question-and-answer session, Ms. Clare kept the audience laughing and made us fall more in love with her and her wonderful stories.

Then, it was time for the autographing to begin.  I took seven books to be autographed–City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince, and Steampunk!–and Ms. Clare graciously signed all of them.  Check it out:

 

Everyone who attended also received a cool Shadow Hunter poster. 

Christmas came early for yours truly this year.  I got to meet one of my favorite authors, tell her how much I loved her books, and I even had the opportunity to recommend a few books to her–Kiersten White’s Paranormalcy series was at the top of my list.  This was an awesome afternoon for Knight Reader.

Now, I’m sure you might be wondering a little about Clockwork Prince, the latest book in the Infernal Devices trilogy.  Well, I’m not going to tell you much about the book because there would be spoiler alerts all over the place if I did.  I will tell you, though, that we learn more about why Will is such a butthead most of the time.  We also delve into Mortmain’s past and what he might be planning for the Shadow Hunters.  For me, however, the driving force in this book was the dramatic love triangle between Will, Jem, and Tessa.  It was infuriating, powerful, and traumatic–for them and for me.  I just hope their situation resolves the way I want it to in Clockwork Princess.

Speaking of Clockwork Princess, it has an expected release date of December 1st, 2012.  (Yes, we have to wait nearly a year for it.  Curses!)  Also, there are two more books in the Mortal Instruments series to look forward to:  City of Lost Souls, due out May 8th, 2012 (and the cover should be released soon), and City of Heavenly Fire, due in September of 2013.  There’s also another Shadow Hunter series in development, the Dark Artifices, which will take place roughly five years after the events in City of Heavenly Fire.  So, there’s lots more Shadow Hunter goodness to look forward to.

If you’d like to learn more about Cassandra Clare and her amazing books, you might want to check out these websites:

• Cassandra Clare’s official website
• The Mortal Instruments
• The Infernal Devices
• Mundie Moms

You can also follow Cassandra Clare on Twitter @cassieclare.

I will leave you now, dear readers, for I am spent.  It has been a great day filled with books, authors, and fellow word nerds.  I wish every day could be so awesome.