The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Pages: 408

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Supernatural adventure

Notes for parents: Some mature scenes

The Inside Cover

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them – until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her.

His name is Gansey, and he’s a rich student at Algionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul whose emotions range from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She doesn’t believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem. But as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

What the Inside Cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a series.

What’s good?

Outstanding characterization drives this intricate mystery about psychic ability, Welsh legend, and tragic prophecies. The multifarious narrative, full of wide twists and turns, unfolds slowly around a large group of highly developed characters. The women – Blue, Maura (Blue’s mom), Neeve (Maura’s half-sister), Orla (Blue’s cousin), Persephone and Calla (Maura’s best friends) – have a tenuous relationship, a mix of familial bonds, eccentricity, and a link to the world of psychic energy. The boys, however – Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Noah – are a complex but strong fraternity of intensely loyal friends with a rock solid goal that they would risk life and limb for.

Subplots abound as we see Adam’s home life, learn about Blue’s father, wonder about Gansey’s fate, witness a blooming romance, fear Declan wrath, question Neeve’s intentions, and so much more…this is not a simple story!

Best part: The best part was the part I didn’t see coming. Some reviewers claimed it was obvious, but it took me completely by surprise. I love when a book does that.

What’s not so good?

I was lost at the beginning and considered quitting this book a couple of times before I finally caught on to the rhythm of the story. I was relieved to read in other reviews that many people felt the same way. However, no one could really come up with a clear reason why the first several chapters were so muddy. I suppose, with its plethora of characters and back stories and subplots and mysteries, it just took a while for all of these loose yarns to knit together. When they finally did, I was hooked.

Worst part: I didn’t buy how easily they accepted the identity of the bones.

Recommendations þþþþo

While I felt overwhelmed by the story itself, I was easily hooked by the characters and am excitedly awaiting the next installment. This will not be a book for everyone – it is not a quick and easy read – but it’s got a haunting charm and a deluge of mystery that draws in the inquisitive reader. The bottom line is: I recommend this book.

Stiefvater, Maggie. The Raven Boys. New York: Scholastic, 2012. (Hardcover)

The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress

Pages: 437

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Mystery, steampunk

Notes for parents: Some mild language, drinking, inferred drug use, and mature scenes

The Inside Cover

The Friday Society follows the stories of three intelligent and talented young women who work as assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, combat instruction assistant; and Nellie, magician’s assistant. Their lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man. It’s up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder—and the crimes they believe may be connected to it—without calling too much attention to themselves. Of course, blending in has never been these ladies’ strong suit, especially with so many eligible men around.

What the Inside Cover doesn’t tell you:

I believe this is the first in an intended series.

What’s good?

The characters were fantastic. Well drawn and interesting, the three main characters and their supporting cast made this a unique and promising adventure. The writing was good, the dialogue was witty—albeit not often fitting for the time period—and there’s a complicated plot that involves a serial killer, grave robbing, a break-in, a mysterious dead man at the door, explosions, evil scientists, Japanese swords, a head, roof hopping, and much, much more.

Best part: Hayao.

What’s not so good?

The plot was slow and predictable, dotted with many hackneyed moments that were probably meant to be funny but felt more awkward than anything else. Speaking of awkward, the bi-polar plot couldn’t decide if it was historical, mystery, romance, steampunk, or comedy. Actually, there wasn’t a whole lot of history or steampunk, the little hints of romance were fairly dull, and there didn’t seem to be a whole lot of urgency in solving the mystery, so it was more like a comedy with a few gadgets, a little kissing, some corsets, and lot of corpses.

Worst part: When Alice’s mom offers them a “cuppa” after they drop off her daughter’s dead body.

Recommendations þþþoo

Two checkmarks didn't seem like enough, but three seems too many. Consider this a two and half. The steampunk cover is what drew me to this story, as did the promise of three strong female characters. While the characters were excellent and some parts were highly entertaining, I was disappointed by how long it took for the story to unfold. It was cute, but not great.

Kress, Adrienne. The Friday Society. New York: Dial Books, 2012. (Hardcover)

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Pages: 233

Intended Audience: Teens and Mature Tweens

Genre: Mystery

Notes for parents: Some language and mature scenes

The Inside Cover

The small town of Cryer’s Cross is rocked by tragedy when an unassuming freshman disappears without a trace. Kendall Fletcher wasn’t that friendly with the missing girl, but the angst wreaks havoc on her OCD-addled brain.

When a second student goes missing—someone close to Kendall’s heart—the community is in an uproar. Caught in a downward spiral of fear and anxiety, Kendall’s not sure she can hold it together. When she starts hearing the voices of the missing calling out to her and pleading for help, she fears she’s losing her grip on reality.

But when she finds messages scratched in a desk at school—messages that could only be from the missing student who used to sit there—Kendall decides that crazy or not, she’d never forgive herself if she didn’t act on her suspicions. Something’s not right in Cryer’s Cross—and Kendall’s about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.

What the Inside Cover doesn’t tell you:

Once again, this was a cover that told too much. All it’s missing is the end!

What’s good?

Short chapters kept this story moving quickly. The suspense starts immediately with the first line of Chapter One: “Everything changes when Tiffany Quinn disappears.” I was drawn in right away and felt instantly invested in the mystery. The characters were well done and likeable. The writing was excellent. The plot was complex, with several twists and turns, and the subplot involving Kendall’s OCD was interesting.

Best part: Mr. Greenwood and Hector Morales

What’s not so good?

While the story is a good mystery, the plot itself is weak. I wasn’t satisfied with the way everything wrapped up. To be frank, after reading the last chapter, I literally threw my hands in the air and said, “Are you kidding me?” I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I was definitely expecting…more. I wish I could say more, but I don’t want to give away the mystery.

The relationship between Kendall and Jacian seemed unlikely for some reason – maybe because of Nico, or perhaps because Jacian was introduced as too angry and bitter to be friendly.

Also, the “We” chapters are incomprehensible until the end, and even then…

Worst part: “Everything inside her body melts. She is chocolate in his fist.” (pg 225). Sorry, but I laughed when I read it. It was a ridiculous visual.

Recommendations þþþoo

It’s a haunting tale, but was ultimately lacking in plot and resolution. It was a quick read and well written until the unsatisfying conclusion. However, other reviewers enjoyed the end, so I will recommend this book with the hope that those that pursue the endeavor of reading it will disagree with me.

McMann, Lisa. Cryer’s Cross. New York: Simon Pulse, 2011. (Hardcover)

Skinned by Robin Wasserman

Pages: 361

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Science fiction

Notes for Parents: Some mature scenes

The Back Cover

Lia Khan was perfect: rich, beautiful, popular—until the accident that nearly killer her. Now she has been downloaded into a new body that only looks human. Lia will never feel pain again, she will never age, and she can’t ever truly die. But she is also rejected by her friends, betrayed by her boyfriend, and alienated from her old life.

Forced to the fringes of society, Lia joins others like her. But they are looked at as freaks. They are hated…and feared. They are everything but human, and according to most people, this is the ultimate crime—for which they must pay the ultimate price.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in the Skinned trilogy. The trilogy was renamed the Cold Awakening series and the books—Skinned, Crashed, and Wired—were renamed Frozen, Shattered, and Torn.

What’s good?

What makes us human? Flesh? In Wasserman’s technology-obsessed society, modern medicine has discovered a way to download the human brain into a prosthetic body. Plausible? Absolutely! Lia’s struggle to adjust to her new self takes her on an emotional journey, during which she encounters a wonderfully developed cast of characters, some who accept her and some who don’t.

Many issues are touched upon within the story, including medical ethics, family, friendship, humanity, courage, acceptance, and even racism.

Best Part: The beginning and the end were beautifully done.

What isn’t good?

Lia is difficult to like through most of the novel. She’s whiney, self-centered, and often quite mean to the people around her. She lacks any kind of understanding about how her own situation might have impacted others. Luckily, she slowly transforms and becomes someone who, at the very least, is worthy of our sympathy by the end.

Also, the plot is a bit weak. The idea is good, but the bones of the story rest solely on Lia’s adjustment issues. A little more complexity would have made it more interesting.

Worst part: Lia is such a spoiled princess that her predicament seems like karma. A more likeable Lia would have made for a more sympathetic story.

Recommendation þþþoo

This was a good idea that fell just a little short. It didn’t help that I read The Adoration of Jenna Fox just before – it had a considerably better plot line, as well as some mystery! But ultimately, this is a good book. The characterization is strong and the subject matter is interesting. Recommended.

Wasserman, Robin. Skinned. New York: Simon Pulse, 2008.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Pages: 265

Intended Audience: Teens and mature tweens

Genre: Science fiction, mystery

Notes for Parents: Some mature content

The Back Cover

Seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox has just awoken from a year-long coma—so she’s been told—and she is still recovering from the terrible accident that caused it. But what happened before that? She’s been given home movies chronicling her entire life, which spark memories to surface. But are the memories really hers? And why won’t anyone in her family talk about the accident? Jenna is becoming more curious. But she is also afraid of what she might find out if she ever gets up the courage to ask her questions.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a trilogy.

What’s good?

Jenna’s memories unfold before her as she realizes she’s not the girl she was before the accident. Her journey of discovery brings up questions about medical ethics, nepotism, rich vs. poor, her parents’ choices, and her own humanity. As the mysteries are solved, there’s an underlying sense of suspense as the threat of her discovery lingers. The characters are likeable and interesting. The light romance between Jenna and Ethan doesn’t overshadow the seriousness of the main plot. The chapters are short and dotted with poetry, making this a fairly simple read.

Best Part: The premise.

What isn’t good?

The pace was slow. The story itself lacks any significant amounts of action or humour, and only a touch of romance, so it’s a fairly somber read as well. While I was fascinated with Jenna’s journey, I was annoyed by how self-centered she was, never really understanding the depth of her parents’ love and how much they risked to save her.

Worst part: The end brings all the debates to an abrupt conclusion. Had the author left it open-ended, it would have been much more powerful.

Recommendation þþþþo

This was a good book. It’s not quite on par with my other 4 checkmark books – this is more of a 3 and a half – but the premise, the plot, and the slowly unfolding mystery, precipitated many interesting debates in my mind and I felt quite satisfied by the end. I was surprised to hear this was a trilogy, because it really felt like the story was over. I haven’t read the other two, but I do recommend this one.

Pearson, Mary E. The Adoration of Jenna Fox. New York: Square Fish, 2007.