Johnson, Maureen: The Name of the Star (Shades of London #1)

September 29, 2011
Penguin Young Readers Group
YA Mystery/Supernatural, 372 pages
Acquired and read: Courtesy of my most beloved public library (I was first on the waiting list - oh yeah!); read within approximately six hours

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

The Name of the Star is what you fear.

Except for the whole arriving in London just for the killing spree of the century, Rory's pretty much living the life any Anglophile would die for - living it up in a posh boarding school, a cool roommate, and the possibility of having her head chopped off by the Ripper himself.


Ahem. Yes, I'd take it all except for the last part.


Though I follow her religiously on Twitter, this was the first of Maureen Johnson's books I actually finished (started Suite Scarlett back in senior year, but you know how well that went) and I was absolutely hooked from start to finish. There was a bit of a lag during the whole information dumps about boarding school, but then again I know absolutely nothing about the British education system, so let's take that as a learning experience, shall we?


In any case, there's loads of cool accented words and slang (personal favorite: "I survived November 9th and All I Got was This Bloody T-Shirt"...I'm a future English major, I've got to love irony), rides on the Tube and, of course, Ripper-mania to keep the action going right up to the last page. And even after that, I went through the acknowledgments, admired the nice author photo on the flap, and drummed my fingers against the cover a few times waiting for a sequel to magically appear in my hands.


It didn't. Ah, well, you can't blame a girl for trying.

What I found particularly awesome about the book was how it followed along with the real Ripper's crimes...and believe me, I would know. (To make a long story short, some psychology classes seem to enjoy freaking their students out for life about venturing out at night...oh, and being a female in any major city? Watch out for your neck, my pretty.)


To sum it up for whoever didn't bother to read everything up there: 


Anglophile + interested about serial killers (just as long as you're not one) = have a go with The Name of the Star. You won't regret it.


Warnings (because I can't close off this review without 'em): Death. Gory, historically accurate, heartbreaking deaths. Please consult a physician if you have any conditions that might leave you with your hands over your heart and a book conspicuously falling to the floor. The Name of the Star is a book about a murderer, not a murderer itself. 


Also, there's quite a bit of macking, a little bit of profanity, and some other innuendo. This is a YA book, you know.


Final verdict: Yes. (I'm sparing you any more of my terrible British imitations. Just...yes.)

Wells, Robison: Variant

Add to your GoodReads

Expected publication: October 4, 2011
HarperTeen
YA Suspense, 356 pages
Acquired and read: NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review; read in about twenty-four hours due to the unending hassle that is sleep, eating and tutoring duties.

Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.
He was wrong.

Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.
Where breaking the rules equals death.

But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.

Now this is the type of book I've been looking for since I devoured the Shadow Children series by Margaret Peterson Haddix back in middle school. It's not a dystopian America. Benson is the type of kid you'd hear about every day, shuttled back and forth through the foster care system, getting nowhere. But unlike most down-on-their-luck little orphans, Benson doesn't look for a pair of parents for his very own, or tap-dance his way into the spotlight of some very impressed agent slash manager slash future father-in-law. He sends in for a scholarship to Maxfield Academy, a mysterious boarding school for kids like him who are down on their luck, hoping that maybe it can get his life going.

He's right, but not in the way he thinks.

Okay, now I must confess: for the first half of the book, I DETESTED BENSON. He sort of reminded me of Katniss (I'm sure I don't have to give a link for you to know who that is) - running against brick walls, constantly causing trouble without getting anywhere for his pains...oh yeah, and he is completely gullible when it comes to a cute girl. One thing is for sure, though, the plot wouldn't be carried off without him...and it probably wouldn't have been as fun with an infallible, all-wise and dashing hero.

Other than the initial setback of a rather irritating protagonist, this book was completely awesome in that it never delivered exactly what you'd expect. Even the end was a cliffhanger and, although I'm not approving of series recently, I will definitely set aside my misgivings for a sequel.

Bravo, Mr. Wells. I'm looking forward to more.

Warnings: A brief mention of exactly what teenagers are apt to think of when privacy + no adults are combined. Perhaps some language too, though I can't exactly remember at the moment. Just...proceed with caution.

Final verdict: Yes, and eagerly awaiting more.

Cypess, Leah: Mistwood (Mistwood, #1)

April 27, 2010

Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins

YA Fantasy, 304 pages

Acquired and read: From public library; two hours (give or take)

Related books: Cypess, Leah: Nightspell

The Shifter is an immortal creature bound by an ancient spell to protect the kings of Samorna. When the realm is peaceful, she retreats to the Mistwood. But when she is needed she always comes.

Isabel remembers nothing. Nothing before the prince rode into her forest to take her back to the castle. Nothing about who she is supposed to be, or the powers she is supposed to have.

Prince Rokan needs Isabel to be his Shifter. He needs her ability to shift to animal form, to wind, to mist. He needs her lethal speed and superhuman strength. And he needs her loyalty—because without it, she may be his greatest threat.

Isabel knows that her prince is lying to her, but she can't help wanting to protect him from the dangers and intrigues of the court... until a deadly truth shatters the bond between them.

Now Isabel faces a choice that threatens her loyalty, her heart... and everything she thought she knew.

This is one of those sitting-the-fence reads that I'm really glad I took the chance on. Ever read a review by someone you really trust (ie. another book blogger) that wasn't really positive, but you REALLY like the way the book sounds? Yeah, that was my conundrum right there, and (with all due respect to the blogger, because she's awesome) I'm glad I didn't listen to her because I really would have missed out.

The cover evokes this Lord of the Ring-esque world in my mind, but in reality the story and its situation sounds more like a royal court intrigue from the medieval times - or maybe Henry IV. Nothing is as it seems. Isabel, famed Shifter, guardian of the line of kings, emerges from the forest at the behest of the man who should be her next protectee - but she doesn't remember anything about who she is, or her duties.

From the beginning, I was attached to Isabel. She's determined to stick to the role of the mythical protector, but in reality she's just as lost and worried about the resolution as the reader. To me, she felt the way that Katsa (Graceling, Kristen Cashore) should have turned out, without all the gratuitous "no need to get married, just run around and pray you don't get pregnant" trifle that was shoved in. I loved the fact that (for once) the protagonist's self-discovery wasn't just centered around the romantic plot and being dependent on a man.

Rokan was a bit of a harder sell. Honestly, at times he seemed like a bit of a milk sop. ("Oh Daria! She's so perfect. Wait, why are you here bossing me around? Oh right, you're my protector. Hey, you're kinda cute...") I was glad he grew a bit of a backbone at the end...a bit.

When I reached the end, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I was relieved that it was a stand-alone book because - honestly, the endless series are becoming a bit much. On the other hand, GAH IT ENDS RIGHT THERE?! At least there's a companion novel, but that's little comfort considering that I'm pretty sure it won't be the same. Ah, well. I can't bash it before I try it.

Warnings: One instance of bad language that can be quickly passed over. Other than that, this is one of the cleaner YA books I've read this year.

Final verdict? Yes. A big, red-pen YES.

Lee, Y.S.: The Agency: A Spy in the House

March 9, 2010
335 pages, Candlewick Press

Steeped in Victorian atmosphere and intrigue, this diverting mystery trails a feisty heroine as she takes on a precarious secret assignment.

Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan (and thief) Mary Quinn is surprised to be offered a singular education, instruction in fine manners — and an unusual vocation. Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls is a cover for an all-female investigative unit called The Agency, and at seventeen, Mary is about to put her training to the test. Assuming the guise of a lady’s companion, she must infiltrate a rich merchant’s home in hopes of tracing his missing cargo ships. But the household is full of dangerous deceptions, and there is no one to trust — or is there? Packed with action and suspense, banter and romance, and evoking the gritty backstreets of Victorian London, this breezy mystery debuts a daring young detective who lives by her wits while uncovering secrets — including those of her own past.

Okay. If you've read The Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter (and if you haven't, I don't know what is wrong with you), just picture the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Girls placed in the middle of grimy, smelly, decadent 19th century England. Make Cammy an ex-thief with a hidden family background, put Zach in gentleman tweeds and a carriage, and add in the possibility of smugglers.

Yeah. Pretty cool, right?

Mary upholds herself throughout the story as a put-together, independent heroine. She's been through the worst that the world has thrown at her and bears her scars, but is not emotionally dependent on the love interest (though he is pretty awesome himself when it comes to the detective business). Of course, there are a few instances when you can't help but shake her when it comes to speculating about said love interest - "is he in love with her? No, he can't be. But what if he does care? He does care, doesn't he?" Fortunately, these brief instances are overshadowed by the plot line.

Everyone has a secret, even the intrepid detective herself - and believe me, hers is one I definitely wasn't expecting. The plot line keeps you guessing right up to the climax, which is something I've been looking for in recent mysteries and, unfortunately, usually falls flat of the target.
 
Warnings: There is some mention of social issues that you know did happen, but might be a little squirmy to read about. The master of the house owns a questionable book detailing the forced liaisons between slave owner and helpless slave woman. One of the maids is thrown out for being six months pregnant by said master, and a few people actually accuse Mary of being her replacement. Things like that. So you definitely know this isn't for younger readers.

Recommended for... Fans of Sherlock Holmes. Anyone who likes Ally Carter (though it's a different style and time period). People looking for a bit of girl power, adventure and a proper serving of romance.


Final notes. 
 
4. Just one stroke off.

- Intriguing cast of characters.
- Likable heroine.
- Unexpected twist of fate.

I guess the reason I couldn't give this a full five-star...er, paint stroke...rating was simply because at one point, the plot just seemed to drag. Maybe it's because it's me and I'm a bit impatient to get on to the next read waiting in my book bag, maybe because the speculation behind the whodunit was taking too much time for my fancy. Eh. You can decide for yourself.

Wood, Maryrose: Why I Let My Hair Grow Out (Morgan Rawlinson, #1)

March 6, 2007
218 pages, Berkley Jam

Being sent to your room is one thing. But being sent to another country? 

Morgan's boyfriend dumped her on the last day of school - it seemed the only thing to do was to hack off her hair and dye the stubble orange. Unfortunately, Morgan's parents freaked and decided a change of scenery would do her good. So they're sending her off on a bike tour of Ireland. 

But Morgan gets more than she bargained for on the Emerald Isle - including a strange journey into some crazy, once upon a time corner of the past. There, she meets fairies, weefolk, and a hunky warrior-dude named Fergus, and figures out that she's got some growing to do-and she doesn't just mean her hair.

So Morgan might be reacting a little badly to her recent breakup.

Well...badly might be an understatement.

After she takes the shears to her hair, Morgan's parents totally hit the roof and ship her off to Ireland for a bike tour, hoping (perhaps a little too optimistically) that a little time away from home will straighten her out. The country is unexplored, the fellow tourists all with their own interesting quirks and reasons to get away - and of course, there's Colin, who seems to Morgan to be the perfect rebound boy for her heartbreak.

Of course, this is all before she knocks her head and wakes up to long hair, a beautiful ancient warrior with a familiar face, and a talking horse standing guard over her body. Can anyone say, time travel?

After meeting her and reading her other two series (The Poison Diaries and The Incorrigable Children of Ashton Place - both are still in progress, and both are amazing), this book sets a different tone than Maryrose Wood usually has. Still, though, the writing is pretty good; she hits the feel of a hurt, troubled teenager spot-on. My only complaint would be the coarse language, of which there is a LOT, and a lot of unnecessary innuendo.

Warnings:

Mature language, extremely obvious innuendo, alcohol served to a minor, a bitter teenage girl with no verbal or mental filters - you get the idea.

And let's tally up the rating points!

Points for:

Historical research

Realistic character

Accurately retelling mythology

Minus for:

Language

Innuendo

A rather rushed resolution ending, in my opinion (I felt almost like I was living out someone's confuzzled nightmare after eating cheese right before bed - it was that confusing)

Final notes:

I'm not sure if I'll keep reading this series or not. It's definitely something different, but the language issue is always a touchy spot for me. And besides, I still have the second book of the Poison Diaries (ARC! I am so glad to have a generous younger sister) to finish up... ;)

McLean, Sarah: The Season

March 1, 2009
343 pages, Orchard Books

Seventeen year old Lady Alexandra is strong-willed and sharp-tongued — in a house full of older brothers and their friends, she had to learn to hold her own. Not the best makings for an aristocratic lady in Regency London. Yet her mother still dreams of marrying Alex off to someone safe, respectable, and wealthy. But between ball gown fittings, dances, and dinner parties, Alex, along with her two best friends, Ella and Vivi, manages to get herself into what may be her biggest scrape yet. 

When the Earl of Blackmoor is mysteriously killed, Alex decides to help his son, the brooding and devilishly handsome Gavin, uncover the truth. But will Alex's heart be stolen in the process? In an adventure brimming with espionage, murder, and other clandestine affairs, who could possibly have time to worry about finding a husband? Romance abounds as this year's season begins! 

If you already know me, you know that I have been raised on a steady diet of period dramas and black and whites. Due to a lifelong adoration of Jane Austen, Regency happens to be one of my favorite historical eras. That, and the fact that it was condoned by The Story Siren (who I admire) and Carrie Ryan, who is one of my favorite authors, resulted in my picking this up on one of my routine library visits last week.

First, let me start by saying that when it comes to historical description - particularly when it comes to dresses, the number of ways that a girl can be ruined, and even little details like taking a turn about a crowded ball room - this author is totally legit. The story reads like one of those BBC mini-series that I am fond of, and it isn't too hard for the reader to fill in their own imagery when it comes to faces like Alex or her "darkly handsome" Gavin.

That being said, the drawback of this story to me was a lack of murder. Yes, you read that correctly. On the cover, in the flap, on the back, in all the reviews, there is promised a murder mystery that Alex and her friends must solve - the murder of Gavin's father, the previous Earl of Blackmoor. While it is true that the man has been murdered, it takes nearly half the book to get around to the main conflict.

Instead, the reader is entertained by Gavin and Alex's slow, and frustrating, romance. I didn't mind it much, but somehow, to me, I can't help but feel that Gavin runs hot and cold. First he's giving Alex a long, intense stare, and then he's back with that prissy whats-her-face that he knows she can't tolerate.

Also, I would've preferred a bit of a stronger female character. Alex seems to be modeled after Elizabeth Bennett - opinionated, a Daddy's girl, and able to hold her own when it comes to male friends - and yet, she lacks some important compound of spirit that Austen's famous characters all seemed to contain. An obsession with her newfound crush, perhaps, or a bit too much insistence that she's an independent, single woman (hear her roar).

Otherwise, this book is meant to be a light-hearted, quick read, and on the whole Sarah McLean succeeded with what she set out to achieve. I'd definitely read her next novel when it comes out, if only for the delight of discovering another era from clear, authentic eyes.

(On a side note, a certain writer's blurb is on the back. I read the blurb before the author's name and even then, I was like, "Hmm, this sounds like Anna Godberson" - who, if you recall, I spent the whole day with this past April - and then it turned out it was her. Just goes to show you that a little observation goes a long way.)

And let's tally up the rating points!

Points for:
Historical research

Authenticity

Minus for:
Rather unlikeable heroine

Weak supporting cast

Final notes:
A quick summer read for those looking for a taste of history. 

Gier, Kerstin: Ruby Red

April 28, 2011
336 pages, Henry Holt and Co.

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Gwenyth Shepherd has always known that her cousin Charlotte will be the one who inherits their family's time-traveling gene - an important role for the sake of society and the past, and one that Gwenyth, who prefers watching movies with her best friend Lesley and shunning the center of attention, hardly envies.

However, when it is Gwen who goes back in time three times in the matter of one day, the entire family is turned on its ear. Charlotte, the one who got the language, fencing and ettiquette lessons, now is obsolete - and a destined line of time travelers predicted in part by Sir Issac Newton himself is now in question.

Gwen is now compelled to be her family's new champion, alongside the infuriating and devilishly handsome Gideon de Villiers, but it is hardly going to be easy. A hidden family scandal, outfits straight out of Marie Antoinette's wardrobe, and a count who isn't quite on the same scale of Dracula, but bad enough, are all waiting in the wings to make this teenager's ride through time one she'll never forget.

It is easy to see how this story would be an international bestseller. Gier definitely knows her modern-day teenager, from Lesley and Gwen using period dramas to research the Virgin Queen, to Charlotte's sulking about no longer being the one in the limelight. Gideon, obviously identified as the love interest, is snarky and yet understanding as the story unwinds and you get to know him more.

This story is an excellent medley of both the past and the present, and, from an author who is German, writing about England, and just recently translated into English, it is a pleasant surprise that definitely should be expected.

And let's tally up the rating points!

Points for:

Originality

Supporting cast

World

Believable, likeable heroine

Likeable (not at all Edward Cullen-esque) love interest

Final notes:

I'm a bit peeved with myself for not saving this book until the next has been translated; now I really have a long wait ahead of me. 

Coakley, Lena: Witchlanders

August 30, 2011
224 pages, Athenum 

High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future. 

It’s all a fake. 

At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes—one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated? 

But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change.

Ryder has a lot on his plate - a farm that he has to tend alone after the death of his Fa, a so-called witch mother addicted to the maiden's woe that both incurs visions and an early death...and the dreams. There is a Baen in his head, that he is sure of - an enemy witch, playing games with his mind, even as his mother claims that she has seen her most important prophecy: an assassin across the mountains that he must stop.

Falpain is in mourning for his twin brother and supposed soul mate. Sent by his father to Stonehouse for seclusion, he is all too aware of the invisible barrier between Witchlander and Baen, and the consequences of crossing it. But for the sake of his family, he knows all too well that he will have to face death in the eye. He doesn't know how soon that will be.

Coakley seamlessly alternates and merges the two points of view, raising sympathy for Ryder in one moment before she turns back to Falpain's mind for clarification in the next. I particularly loved how she created her own patchwork world out of various traditions and suggestions of real world cultures - ie. a village that sounds European in its way of life, golems and spoiled boys who are allowed lapdogs.

Warnings: Character deaths, golem attacks and fearsome spiders - if that type of thing bothers anyone except for a certain person who watched Arachnophobia *shudders*

And let's tally up the rating points!

Points for:

Originality

Supporting cast

World

Believable, likeable hero

Final notes:

I was really fortunate to notice this title in this month's S&S Galley Grab. Definitely one of the more enjoyable books I've had occasion to peruse this year, and one that I highly recommend. I hope that there will be a sequel.

Bradbury, Jennifer: Wrapped

May 24, 2011
320 pages, Athenum 
Historical Fiction/Adventure/Suspense

Agnes Wilkins is standing in front of an Egyptian mummy, about to make the first cut into the wrappings, about to unlock ancient (and not-so-ancient) history. 

Maybe you think this girl is wearing a pith helmet with antique dust swirling around her. 

Maybe you think she is a young Egyptologist who has arrived in Cairo on camelback. 

Maybe she would like to think that too. Agnes Wilkins dreams of adventures that reach beyond the garden walls, but reality for a seventeen-year-old debutante in 1815 London does not allow for camels—or dust, even. No, Agnes can only see a mummy when she is wearing a new silk gown and standing on the verdant lawns of Lord Showalter’s estate, with chaperones fussing about and strolling sitar players straining to create an exotic “atmosphere” for the first party of the season. 

An unwrapping. 

This is the start of it all, Agnes’s debut season, the pretty girl parade that offers only ever-shrinking options: home, husband, and high society. It’s also the start of something else, because the mummy Agnes unwraps isn’t just a mummy. It’s a host for a secret that could unravel a new destiny—unleashing mystery, an international intrigue, and possibly a curse in the bargain. 

 This, right here, is the type of book I want to write when I grow up.

With a seamless mesh of humor, authentic historical facts and adventure, Bradbury weaves the story of Agnes Wilkins, a young girl living in the heart of the Regency Period (one of my loves that I could not help but squeal when I realized Ms. Bradbury loves it just as well), obsessed with Jane Austen novels - though at the time they were penned by "A Lady" - and, at the very moment in which the story begins, standing with a knife in preparation to cut into a mummy.

Not in the sweltering heat and dusty lands of Egypt, mind you. Right at home in jolly old England, at the party of a certain Lord Showalter who may or may not be interested in making Agnes his next acquisition, and under the eyes of a suspicious young man who might or might not be a spy.

And then, right after Agnes guiltily ferrets away a particular find in her foot of wrapping - a small amulet that doesn't seem that valuable - a murder is announced.

And British society will never be the same.

Agnes is an endearing and strong heroine with a habit of translating A Lady quotes into other languages when she gets agitated - an unusual find in the recent deluge of Bella Swan knock-offs and boy-obsessed Juliets, and something which made me even more enraptured with the tale.

And of course, there's Caedon Stowe, museum apprentice, daring sidekick and a scholar of all that is ancient and decrepit. Don't you just admire a smart boy?


Warnings: Two brief and forgettable instances of vulgar language, and, for the faint of heart, mentions of dried out cadavers and murdered corpses. Be sure to have your smelling salts on hand.

And let's tally up the rating points!

5 - Strong heroine

4.5 - Likeable love interest (although he does have his moments of typical exasperating male behavior)

5 - Authentic historical facts, without coming off as a presumptuous prig (and a fine British aura to boot)

5 - Brilliant supporting cast, from the romantic French ladies' maid to the annoying older brother with his own secrets to hide

5 - No sudden bouts of the paranormal. Always worth a point in my opinion.

-1 - Cliche criminal mastermind that I totally saw coming.

Conclusion = A pretty spot-on tale. Definitely worth the read.