Sweet Shadows

Warning:  Read Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs before proceeding. If it’s been over a year since you read Sweet Venom, it’s probably a good idea to reread it (or at least the last couple of chapters) before proceeding!

As you’ve no doubt gathered, I first read Sweet Venom, the first book in Tera Lynn Childs’ Medusa Girls series, quite some time ago. (October of 2011, to be precise.) For whatever reason, I waited until Sunday to begin reading the second book, Sweet Shadows. That was not smart. Maybe if I’d read it sooner, I wouldn’t have spent so much time trying to remember what happened in the first book. Luckily, I did have my blog post for Sweet Venom, but that didn’t exactly provide me with tons of details or how the book actually ended. It did give me a starting point, though, and I flipped through the first book when I needed to fill in any blanks. (That happened a lot when I first started reading Sweet Shadows. My memory sucks lately.)

Sweet Shadows picks up immediately where Sweet Venom ended. Gretchen, Grace, and Greer have barely had time to come to terms with the fact that they’re triplets, descendants of the Gorgon Medusa, and their destiny is tied to a divine prophecy that puts their very lives in danger. Despite their rather obvious differences, these reunited sisters will have to work together to determine just what it going on and what it means for them. They may have some help along the way, but can anything really combat the war that is brewing?

As Gretchen, Grace, and Greer continue to face horrible monsters and unanswered question, new dangers also await them. Exploding apartments. Disappearing mentors. Training to fight. Diving into the abyss. Boys. (Some of these are, obviously, more dangerous than others!) In the midst of it all, the sisters are learning more about themselves, each other, and what their destiny really means.

Destiny, though, may not be as straightforward as they once thought. Keep the monsters in the abyss. Should be a no-brainer, right? Yeah…not so much. It’s a little more complicated than that and may involve actually allowing monsters out of the abyss to walk and live among humans…as they once did. It’s all about restoring balance and is clear as mud to Gretchen, Grace, and Greer. They’re not really sure what they are supposed to do, but they do know only one place–the abyss itself–holds the answers (and the people) they need. Are any of the sisters courageous enough to brave this dark chasm? If so, what will await them?

While it is clear that lots of people (and monsters, gods, etc.) want the sisters dead, there may be others who would seek to aid them in fulfilling their destiny. The question is…who is ally, and who is enemy? Who can these sisters ultimately trust? And what will happen if that trust is misplaced?

Fate, destiny, life–whatever you want to call it–is about to come crashing down on Gretchen, Grace, and Greer. Keeping this dangerous, barely believable existence separate from “real life” is quickly becoming impossible. Is there any way for these girls to hold onto some semblance of normalcy while staying true to each other and the destiny they are attempting to fulfill? Is success even possible? Can these sisters control their own fates and bring light to the shadows in their lives? We’ll just have to wait and see…

While it took me a little while to get invested in this story (which was my own fault), once I got going, I was totally enthralled. Sweet Shadows, like Sweet Venom, is action-packed, and readers will be eager to discover just who these girls can trust and who might be hiding a secret identity. (I still have some ideas about that.)

I also enjoyed seeing how the sisters grew closer together in this second book. Yes, they’re all still very different, but I think they’re learning now that those differences can make them stronger, both individually and as a group. They begin to learn from their diverse experiences and backgrounds, and that’s always a good thing.

The final installment in the Medusa Girls series, Sweet Legacy, is scheduled to be released on September 3rd of this year. Hopefully, I can make time to read it as soon as it comes out! I’m eager to see how the story resolves for Gretchen, Grace, and Greer. Here’s hoping these three sisters get the happy ending they deserve!

For those book cover nuts (like me), here’s the gorgeous cover for book three, Sweet Legacy.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:  Tera Lynn Childs’ books, particularly her mythology-based works (Oh. My. Gods., Goddess Boot Camp, Sweet Venom, and Sweet Shadows), are a perfect fit for Rick Riordan fans looking for some strong female characters (kind of like Annabeth from the Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series). Ms. Childs’ books might be a little shorter, but they still pack quite a punch.

If you’d like more information about Sweet Shadows and any other books by Tera Lynn Childs, check out her website. This page also has links to the author’s Goodreads, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter pages.

Die for Me

Amy Plum’s Die for Me had been on my to-read list for a while, but, when I heard that it had been selected as a nominee for the 2013-14 South Carolina Young Adult Book Award, I moved it to the top of the list. (Even though I’m now in an elementary school, I still like to read as many of the SCYABA nominees as I possibly can.) It took me a little longer to read this book than I would have liked, but I finally finished it this morning. (By the way, it wasn’t the book’s fault that it took me a while to read. It was totally gripping…but so was all the other stuff going on in my life. I won’t bore you with the details.)

Anyhoo, Die for Me is the first book in a series about beings called Revenants. Revenants are a little like zombies, but, since they aren’t nearly as creepy or gross, I was okay with it. (My aversion to zombies is fairly well-known.) The main character in this book, sixteen-year-old Katie, is about to be introduced to Revenants and the terrifying truth of their existence. Will it be enough to keep her away from Vincent, the most fascinating guy she’s ever encountered? Let’s find out…

After a horrible accident that claims the lives of their parents, Katie and her older sister Georgia move to Paris to live with their grandparents. Georgia is jumping back into life with both feet, but Katie cannot let go of the grief that colors every part of her world. She retreats into her beloved books so that she doesn’t have to deal with her own pain, and it works…for a while. One day, though, she encounters a boy who changes everything. At first, she thinks he doesn’t notice her, but Katie soon learns that this boy, Vincent, not only notices her but he has become sort of obsessed with her. Why? There’s nothing special about her…is there?

For some reason, Katie runs into Vincent nearly everywhere she turns, and, after Katie’s life is saved by one of Vincent’s friends, Katie and Vincent are drawn even more closely together. Katie fights Vincent’s pull, but she just can’t seem to stay away from him, and it’s clear that he feels the same way. Even when Katie learns the truth about what Vincent really is, she is incapable of really letting him go. She tries. Oh, how she tries, but she just can’t give him up.

When it becomes apparent that Vincent–and his friends–aren’t exactly human, Katie resolves to know the truth about this boy she’s coming to truly care for…and Vincent tells her as much as he can. He and his companions are Revenants, people that died while trying to save another’s life. When they died the first time, they awoke three days later, seemingly human again. Revenants have a kind of immortality, and they keep their youth by saving lives. There is a trade-off, though. Each time they save a life, they experience death yet again. And even when they don’t save a life, each Revenant essentially dies for three days once a month. It’s a lot for Katie to take in, and, at least at first, Katie doesn’t think she can handle it, but she realizes fairly quickly that living without Vincent is not living at all, so the two of them do their best to really be together.

As Katie becomes more and more involved in Vincent’s world, she learns that Vincent and company are not the only undead traversing around Paris. Their enemies, the numa (evil Revenants), are also out and about, and, while Revenants are reborn when they save a life, the numa prolong their existence by taking lives. They kill, convince people to commit suicide, and wreak havoc on both Revenants and the people around them. And they’ll stop at nothing–nothing–to destroy Vincent and those trying to do a little good in the world.

Life is getting very complicated for Katie. She is sure that her feelings for Vincent are real, but dealing with his unique “life” may be more than even a strong girl like her can handle. She’s already dealt with so much death in her life. Can she really be with someone who basically dies at least once per month? And if she does decide that being with Vincent is worth it, can Katie handle being put in danger’s way herself? What does being the girlfriend of a Revenant really mean? What is Katie willing to sacrifice to be with Vincent–her sanity, her family, her own life? Read Die for Me, the first book in Amy Plum’s Revenants series, to learn what someone is willing to risk for love.

Like I mentioned before, Die for Me is a gripping read, and I’m looking forward to reading the next book, Until I Die, which is already out. (The third book, If I Should Die, is due out this May. There’s also an ebook novella, Die for Her, that will be released in early April.) After reading the first installment in this series, I’m definitely hooked, so I’m sure I’ll be reading all things Revenant.

I think this book is fine for readers in both middle school and high school. (I can’t say that about the second book…yet.) There is some violence appropriate to the storyline. There is also, obviously, some romance, but the characters never go “all the way” or even close to it. They take their relationship slowly (which I think more tweens and teens need to learn how to do).

I’m sure some readers will make connections with this book and others like it–the Twilight saga, in particular. In my opinion, Die for Me is much better than Twilight, but I’m all for using that hook to get readers to try something new. Do with that what you will.

For more information about Amy Plum, Die for Me, or the entire Revenants series, visit the author’s website, her Twitter feed,  her Goodreads page, her Facebook page, and Revenants Central on YouTube.

Prized

If you haven’t already read Birthmarked by Caragh M. O’Brien, do that before proceeding with this post.  Prized is the amazing sequel, and you definitely need to read these books in order!

I just finished reading a book that I’ve been looking forward to for a while. I loved the first book, Birthmarked, and I had a feeling I would feel the same about the second, Prized. In many ways, I was not disappointed. Like Birthmarked, Prized is set in a dystopian society and follows Gaia, a strong female character. Two big pluses in my book. Prized also made me think about topics that any society tends to have issues with–abortion, oppression, equal rights, etc. Another plus.  The only problem I had with this book was the convoluted love story.  Gaia is torn in three different directions, and, while this does add some tension to the book, I felt it took away from the strength of Gaia’s character.  I also wasn’t crazy about how she knuckled under when things got rough.  (She later redeemed herself, but it still bothered me that she kowtowed in the first place.)  Would I have done things differently in Gaia’s position?  Probably not, as I am a wuss of the highest order.  (Honestly, I would have given in much faster.)  The question is:  would Gaia have done things differently had she known what the outcome would be?

After fleeing into the wastelands with her baby sister, Gaia is certain that death is imminent for both of them.  When nearly all hope is lost, salvation appears in the form of a rider from Sylum, the society that was once ruled by Gaia’s grandmother.  When Gaia arrives in Sylum, however, she fears that she’s escaped one corrupt society only to become part of another.  Sylum is ruled by women–who are largely outnumbered by men–and child-bearing is the most important thing in this world.  Women who cannot or choose not to have children are considered second-class citizens.  (Doesn’t sound too different from our society, does it?)  Men have virtually no rights at all, and kissing a woman out of wedlock is enough to have a man convicted of attempted rape…whether the woman wanted the kiss or not.

After Gaia’s sister is taken from her, and someone from her past is imprisoned without cause, Gaia resists the new rules placed upon her.  Eventually, however, she comes to believe that she must submit to the Matrarc, the ruler of Sylum, if she has any hope of seeing her sister or having anything resembling a happy life.  And for a while, Gaia thinks she could be happy in Sylum.  Two very handsome brothers are vying for her attention, she’s a highly valued midwife once again, and, whereas she was shunned in the Enclave, she’s prized in Sylum.  It’s a new and heady feeling for Gaia, one she’s not sure she wants to give up…

…until Leon, the boy who helped her escape the Enclave, makes it clear that he misses the old Gaia, the one who fought like a woman possessed for what she believed in.  He wonders where that Gaia has gone, and, after a while, Gaia wonders the same thing.  How could she possibly so concerned with her own happiness at the expense of those around her?  She sees what’s going on in Sylum, even when those in power would turn a blind eye.  But what could she possibly do to turn things around?  Is she willing to sacrifice relationships, both old and new, for the sake of justice?  Will it be enough?  Read Prized, the captivating sequel to Caragh M. O’Brien’s Birthmarked, to find out!

Prized is a fairly intense read, and, like I said before, it definitely makes you think.  It made me examine my own views on reproductive rights, gender equality, environmental impact on human growth and development, criminal justice, and what gives one group the right to impose laws on another.  Prized is a very timely book that I think will raise some discussions about issues that are facing us today.

Birthmarked and Prized are, you guessed it, part of a trilogy.  The third book, Promised is due out in the Fall of 2012.  Personally, I can hardly wait to see where Gaia’s story is going, especially considering the way it ended in Prized.  I have a feeling things are going to get a lot more complicated. 

If you’d like more information about this trilogy and author Caragh M. O’Brien, visit http://www.caraghobrien.com/.  Enjoy.

Wildefire

I love mythology.  Always have, always will.  My latest read, Wildefire by Karsten Knight (no relation), relies heavily on mythology for its story, but it’s not your typical retelling of a mythological tale.  Unlike so many books that deal with well-known myths, Wildefire brings together deities from several different cultural belief systems.  The gods and goddesses in this story come from Greek, Norse, Egyptian, Zulu, Shinto, Polynesian, and even Native American myths.  That in itself is pretty cool to me.  It’s also cool how this unique story unfolds…

Ashline Wilde does not have an easy life as the only Polynesian girl in her school in New York, and things are about to get much worse. When Ash finds out that her boyfriend cheated on her, she lets the girl he cheated with know just how upset she is. Things go from bad to worse when Ashline’s estranged sister Eve enters the fray. What could have blown over in a few days escalates into a horrific, unexplainable incident that will send Ash across the country to escape the fallout.

Months later, Ash is a student at Blackwood Academy in California.  She’s the school’s star tennis player, she has good friends, she’s caught the eye of a really hot park ranger, and she’s finally beginning to leave the past behind her…or at least she thinks so.

It seems that Ash did not end up at Blackwood by accident.  She and several other students were called there by–what else?–a siren.  Ash and the others soon learn that they are not mere high school students.  They are reincarnations of gods and goddesses, and each of them has a purpose to fulfill.  But who (or what) has determined what that purpose should be?

Ash is not sure what is going on or if she even wants to be a part of it, but she is sure of one thing–her life will never be the same.  (Oh, how right she is.)  And when big sister Eve–who is also more than human–reappears to wreak havoc in Ash’s life, Ash must rely on all of her resources–both human and divine–to preserve the life she’s built for herself.  Can she win a fight with her powerful and determined sister?  What does Eve even want with Ash?  Can Ash solve the mystery clouding her future before the world as she knows it is set aflame?  Read Wildefire by Karsten Knight to discover how Ash deals with a war of mythological proportions.

If you’re looking for a book that is different from nearly everything out there, I encourage you to give Wildefire a try.  Even the chapter setup is unique.  Mysteries abound in this story, some of which remain unsolved at the end.  And the ending is so unexpected that I think readers will be clamoring to know where the story is headed.  Luckily, questions will be answered in two more books.  Book two, Embers and Echoes, will be released sometime this year, and book three, Afterglow, will be out in 2013.

Caution:  Wildefire contains some adult language and situations, so I would recommend it for readers age 14 and up.

If you’d like more information on Karsten Knight and the Wildefire series, visit http://www.karstenknight.com/.  You can also follow Karsten on Twitter @KarstenKnight.  Peace out.

Chime

It’s rare that it takes me three weeks to finish a book.  Usually, it’s more like three days.  My latest read, however, almost completely stalled my reading progress, which is a shame because I was so excited about this book when I started it.  This book is Chime by Franny Billingsley.  (If you’ve been following the controversy surrounding this year’s National Book Award, this book might seem familiar to you.)  The cover is beautiful, nearly every review was positive, and the synopsis I read before diving into this book promised an interesting, engaging read.  Well, that might have been true for some readers, but this book just didn’t do it for me.

In Chime, we meet Briony Larkin.  Briony is not an average girl.  She spends her days taking care of her twin sister Rose, avoiding her father, and hating herself.  Why does she hate herself, you ask?  Well, Briony is a witch, and she can feel nothing but hatred for herself.  She cannot cry, she cannot love, and she cannot feel remorse.  She knows she’s a wicked girl, and only bad things will befall her and those around her.  After all, Briony’s jealousy injured Rose and killed their stepmother, right? 

When a young man, Eldric, arrives in the small village of Swampsea, Briony notices a change in herself.  She begins to feel more than just self-hatred.  She’s becoming adventurous, she’s laughing, and she’s having strong feelings for this boy-man.  She’s venturing into the swamp that she’s always been afraid of (and drawn to).  She’s longing to tell someone the truth about herself.  But what will Eldric do if he learns the truth about Briony?  Will he announce to the town that she’s a witch?  Will he watch Briony hang?  Will he keep her secret? 

Join Briony, Eldric, and a host of other colorful characters on a journey through the mysterious mires of Swampsea.  What will they discover?  What secrets will they unearth?  In the end, all truth will be revealed when you read Chime by Franny Billingsley.

Like I mentioned above, this book was not a favorite of mine.  The dialog was as hard to wade through as the swamp-filled setting.  On a more positive note, I thought the ending of the book was pretty good, and I like that this book serves as a stand-alone title (no trilogy in the works that I’m aware of).  If you decide to give Chime a try, let me know what you think of it.  Maybe I missed something that you didn’t.

If you’d like more information about Chime and author Franny Billingsley, visit http://www.frannybillingsley.com/.  I was just browsing this site, and I discovered that Ms. Billingsley wrote a favorite picture book, Big Bad Bunny.  Cool.

Sweet Venom

As some of you may know, I’m a big fan of Tera Lynn Childs.  I adored Oh. My. Gods., Goddess Boot Camp, Forgive My Fins, and Fins Are Forever.  When I learned that she would be writing a new book dealing with the descendants of Medusa, I knew that I would read it.  Well, I have just finished reading Sweet Venom, the first book in the Medusa Girls series, and I am hooked (which is really not surprising considering my fondness for Greek mythology).  Like Oh. My. Gods., Sweet Venom is a little like Percy Jackson for the teen girl set.  There are monsters, fighting, awkward encounters with cute guys, secrets, prophecies, and long-lost relatives.  What more could a girl want?

Gretchen has been fighting monsters for the past four years.  As a descendant of the Gorgon Medusa (who was not the monster everyone claims), it is Gretchen’s job to fight the evil beings that escape from the abyss.  Only she can send them back to where they came from.  Usually, she only has to deal with one monster at a time–a sphinx here, a minotaur there–and she can go on about her business.  Lately, however, there seem to be more monsters around, and with her mentor Ursula doing a mysterious disappearing act, Gretchen has no one to talk to about what’s going on.  But all that is about to change…

Grace has just moved to San Francisco to attend a new school.  Opportunities abound, and Grace is excited to leave her reputation as a doormat behind.  Things don’t get off to a good start, however, when she somehow makes an enemy of the school’s resident mean girl.  It seems Grace is destined to be a coward.  She wants to be brave, but she doesn’t really know how.  And when she starts seeing strange creatures around her, her battle for bravery is sorely tested.  What are these things, and why can’t anyone else see them?  As it turns out, someone else can…a sister Grace never knew she had.

When Grace and Gretchen meet, it’s not exactly a lovey-dovey family reunion.  Neither of them knew the other even existed, but they soon realize they must work together to fight the monsters crawling out of the woodwork.  These two huntresses must find out why so many monsters are out and why they are so determined to kill the descendants of Medusa.  Their research leads them to some uncomfortable truths–including the fact that Gretchen and Grace are not twins.  They’re triplets.

When sister Greer enters the picture, another curve ball is thrown at the lives each sister once led.  How can three totally different people unite to fulfull an ancient prophecy?  Can they fight monsters while still holding on to some semblance of a normal life?  And will they ever be able to understand something even more mysterious–the minds of boys?  Join the madness when you read Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs.

Sweet Venom is a great introduction to what I’m sure will be a fascinating series.  I’m very intrigued by the idea that Medusa was not the evil being we’ve all heard of.  (Apparently, Athena played fast and loose with the truth because she was jealous of Medusa’s relationship with Poseidon.)  I’ve always liked misunderstood “bad guys” (i.e. Darth Vader).  I also like how the differences between Grace, Gretchen, and Greer are emphasized.  Even though they’re triplets, life handed all of them very different cards.  It will be interesting to see how those differences play out in the future even as destiny forces the sisters to work as one.

I really enjoyed Sweet Venom, and I highly recommend it to readers from middle school on up.  I would definitely push it to female fans of Percy Jackson.  Guys will find something to enjoy in this series as well–especially all the monster-fighting–but this series will find a home in the hands of female readers.

The second book in the Medusa Girls series, Sweet Shadows, will be released sometime in 2012.  For now, if you’d like more information on Sweet Venom and other books by Tera Lynn Childs, visit http://teralynnchilds.com/.

Imaginary Girls

It is rare that I find a book that I do not like.  Most books have at least some redeeming quality (except Great Expectations and Moby Dick…I loathed everything about those books).  Well, I may have found one more book to add to the short list of books that I don’t like…Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma.  (This is another case when choosing a book based on its cover has gotten me into trouble.)  It took me a while to get into this book, and, when I finally did (mainly so I could finish it and move on to something else), I was confused as to what was really going on in the story.  I’m still not sure what was happening.  I don’t handle being confused very well, and this book nearly sent me over the edge.

Chloe has always lived in the shadow of her older sister, Ruby, but she’s okay with it.  Ruby has a way of making everything go her way, and Chloe is the only person in the world who Ruby really loves.  The two sisters are inseparable until a night when things happen that change their worlds forever.  When Chloe discovers a dead body in the local reservoir, she is sent away to live with her father.  Away from the only home she’s known, away from her school, away from Ruby.  How can she deal with being separated from the most important person in her life?

Two years pass, and Ruby has decided that it’s time for Chloe to return home to her.  And when Ruby decides something, that’s just the way it’s going to be.  So Chloe returns to her hometown, but things are not exactly as she left them.  Ruby warns Chloe to never leave the town limits, stay away from the reservoir, and avoid contact with certain people.  Chloe tries to adhere to Ruby’s rules, but things have a way of just happening when you’re a sixteen-year-old girl in a small town.  It doesn’t help that Ruby is getting more and more unstable.  What is going on with Ruby and her strange ties to the nearby reservoir?  Why does everyone in town do everything that Ruby wants?  What is so special about her, and can Chloe figure things out before she loses everything–her mind, her sister, and even her life?  Try to uncover the truth when you read Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma.

If you decide to read this book, please let me know what you think of it.  Maybe you see something in this story that I missed.  I’m sure this book will appeal to some readers, but I was not one of them.

If you’d like more information about Imaginary Girls or author Nova Ren Suma, please visit http://novaren.com/.

Sisters Red

I’ve never really liked the story of Little Red Riding Hood.  The girl in the story has always seemed incredibly stupid to me.  I mean, how can you not realize that a furry creature with big teeth, yellow eyes, and a growly voice is not your dear old grandmother?  (Although, now that I think about it, my own grandmother does growl on occasion…something to think about there.)  Anyway, the story of Little Red Riding Hood is turned on its ear and given a complete, and much needed, makeover in Jackson Pearce’s Sisters Red.  This book is a dark and hauntingly beautiful tale of the bond between two sisters and the horror that is both bringing them together and tearing them apart.

When Scarlett and Rosie March were young, a wolf stepped into their lives…and destroyed them completely.  The monster known as a Fenris killed their grandmother and would have killed the two girls, but Scarlett stepped up and defended Rosie from the monster.  Scarlett was brutally scarred in the attack, but she discovered at that moment what she was born to do–hunt and kill the Fenris that destroyed her world before they can do the same to anyone else.

As Scarlett and Rosie get older, they and their friend Silas, a young woodsman, work together to hunt and kill the Fenris that come into their small Georgia town.  The hunt is what drives Scarlett, but both Rosie and Silas want something more out of their lives.  But how can Rosie abandon her sister when it was Scarlett who saved her life?  She owes her sister everything.  The two sisters seem to share the same heart.  Thinking about a future apart from Scarlett is not an option.  Scarlett will not understand Rosie’s dreams of a different life, especially one with Silas, Scarlett’s most trusted friend.

Plans for the future, however, must be put on hold for a while.  Packs of Fenris are swarming into the nearby Atlanta area, and Scarlett, Rosie, and Silas know they must find out what they want and try to stop them from getting it.  Why are there so many Fenris in one area?  Who or what are they hunting?  And can Scarlett, Rosie, and Silas stop the threat around them while hiding so much of themselves from each other?  Read Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce to learn what happens when Little Red Riding Hood decides to stop taking crap from the monsters around her.

I know this is not one of my better posts, but it’s difficult to summarize this story in a few short paragraphs.  Suffice it to say that I loved Sisters Red, especially the wonderfully strong character of Scarlett.  She’s the epitome of a flawed hero (and I’m not talking about her physical scars).  She’s complex, she has jealousy issues, and she’d really like to be as oblivious as those around her.  But she’s not, and she knows she has to do something about the evil around her because no one else will.  I can really get behind a character like that.  (I also think I relate more to the character of Scarlett because I’m an older sister myself.  Even though my sister is an adult and six inches taller than me, part of me will always want to keep her safe.)

I hope you enjoy Sisters Red as much as I did, and I hope you’ll let me know how you think it stacks up against the original Little Red Riding Hood.  FYI, I just found out that a companion book to Sisters Red will be released in August.  It’s called Sweetly and is a retelling of Hansel and Gretel.  Score!

For more information on Sisters Red and other books by Jackson Pearce, visit http://jackson-pearce.com/.

The Mockingbirds

I picked up my latest read simply because I heard rave reviews about it.  It’s not my standard fare.  There are no aliens, vampires, werewolves, mermaids, or other (allegedly) mythical creatures involved.  This book is realistic fiction, and deals with a subject that many people are skittish about bringing up–date rape.  The Mockingbirds is a powerful book that demonstrates how much power students can have when they truly decide to stand up for themselves.  I think any female, and even male, readers will learn something from this book, especially that the lack of a “no” does not equal a “yes.”

Alex Patrick can’t remember what happened.  She knows she was at a concert and she had too much to drink.  She remembers flirting with a guy, Carter, but that’s where things go fuzzy.  How did she end up in Carter’s room?  What happened last night?  And why is he acting like they had the time of their lives?  Alex isn’t sure what’s going on, but she knows that something has gone terribly wrong.

When Alex tells her roommate and sister about the events of the previous evening, they bring up the worst four-letter word Alex can imagine–rape.  But she’s not sure.  If she doesn’t remember saying no, is it really rape?  Alex doesn’t want to face what happened to her, but after Carter begins telling anyone who will listen about what supposedly happened that night, Alex decides, with the help of a few friends, to take her case to the Mockingbirds, a secret society of students who act as the law at the prestigious Themis Academy.

Themis Academy is known for producing Ivy League students.  So, of course, the students at Themis are above all of the typical teenage pranks, cruelty, and drama.  Most of the teachers and administration at Themis are convinced that their students are above reproach and could never do anything truly horrible.  The only thing that gets a student kicked out of this school is failing a class.  Well, the students know what really goes on.  They know people are bullied, attacked, treated unfairly, and even driven to suicide by other students.  That’s why they have the Mockingbirds.  If the adults won’t right the wrongs at this school, the students will.

As Alex and the Mockingbirds proceed with their case against Carter, Alex learns more about why the Mockingbirds exist, how the organization was created, and how they really enforce the “law” at Themis.  Throughout this process, Alex begins to return to a somewhat normal life:  She has a sort-of boyfriend, she is preparing for a huge piano recital, and she’s moving on.

But sometimes it seems as if she’s drowning in what happened to her.  She’s remembering more and more and beginning to doubt her decision to go to the Mockingbirds.  How can she ever be sure about what happened that night?  What will happen at the trial against Carter?  Will she always be known as that girl who was raped?  Find out the truth when you read The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney.

As I said before, this is a very powerful book, and it’s even more powerful when you learn that the author is writing from personal experience.  (Read the author’s note at the end for more information.)  The connections to To Kill a Mockingbird don’t hurt either.  While I was a bit disturbed at how most of the adults were portrayed in this book, I can honestly admit that it’s probably not too far off the mark.  From my own experiences in high school, I can say that most of the teachers have no idea what’s going on.  Even if they do, there’s not much, if anything, they can do about it.  I wish there had been an organization similar to the Mockingbirds when I was in school.  Maybe I wouldn’t have been the target of bullies so much.

I really encourage young adults, especially girls, to read The Mockingbirds.  It’s a great story, and resources on date rape are provided at the end of the book.  I would caution younger readers that this book does contain mature content, so this book may not be appropriate for middle school readers.

For more information on The Mockingbirds or author Daisy Whitney, visit http://daisywhitney.com/blog/, where I just learned that there will soon be a second Mockingbirds book.  Can’t wait!

Bad Girls Don’t Die

You know you’re a wuss when you can only read a moderately scary book in daylight hours.  I am that wuss.  I started reading Bad Girls Don’t Die by Katie Alender on Thursday before the Harry Potter premiere, and it became clear fairly early that I would not be able to read this book at night or when I was alone.  Since I live by myself, this posed a bit of a problem.  I confined my reading of this book to daylight hours and had to find something a bit lighter to read during the evenings.  (Fortunately, this was not difficult.)  Anyhoo, I’ve finally finished this book, and, quite honestly, I’m glad to be done with it.  I love fantasy books, but when you throw possessed children and evil dolls at me, I kind of lose it.  My imagination is a bit too overactive to handle stuff like that.  Maybe you’ll do better than I did.

Alexis is not popular, and she really doesn’t want to be.  She has no friends, and she spends most of her free time pursuing her love of photography.  She and her family live in one of the creepiest old houses in their town, but Alexis doesn’t mind since the house is the perfect subject for her photographs.  When things begin to get weird with Alexis’ little sister, Kasey, however, Alexis’ feelings about the house start to change.

Alexis knows that something is seriously wrong with her sister.  Kasey is not the girl she once was.  She is obsessed with dolls, she can’t remember long stretches of time, and one minute she’s a scared little girl, and the next she’s eerily confident.  Alexis begins to investigate Kasey’s behavior and discovers that this may not be the first time a person has been changed while in this house.  What is going on?  Alexis is determined to figure it out, but she must go to some unlikely sources for help (namely the head cheerleader, one of her “enemies”).  Can she discover the truth before her sister is beyond all hope?  What is causing the changes in Kasey’s behavior and the mysterious happenings in the house?  It is up to Alexis to find out before she, her sister, or anyone else is hurt…or worse.  Read Bad Girls Don’t Die by Katie Alender to uncover the truth.

For more information about this creepy book and its author, visit http://katiealender.com/.