Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket

Pages: 258

Intended Audience: Tweens

Genre: Mystery

Notes for Parents: There is nothing of note that parents need to worry about.

The Back Cover

Before you consider reading “Who Could That Be at This Hour?” ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you curious about what is happening in a seaside town that is no longer by the sea?
2. Do you want to know more about a stolen item that wasn’t stolen at all?
3. Do you really think that’s any of your business? Why? What kind of person are you? Are you sure?
4. Who is that standing behind you?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The cover certainly doesn’t tell you very much! This is the first book in a series called All the Wrong Questions. It’s said to be a prequel to the Series of Unfortunately Events series and follows a young Lemony Snicket after he’s recruited into an unnamed organization and sent on his first mission.

What’s good?

It’s short, easy to read, and even has pictures! The setting, a seaside town that’s no longer by the sea, is charmingly quaint. The characters, most with eccentric names like Moxie Mallahan and Ellington Feint, are quirky and likeable. The story itself is clearly a parody of an old detective novel and reads with a sense of doom and peculiarity that made the author’s other series such a success.

Best Part: Pip & Squeak

What isn’t good?

The amount of repetitive phrasing annoyed me to the point that I didn’t care what the S. stood for in S. Theodora Markson, or what a particular word meant in a particular situation. While I was amused with the taxi driving Pip & Squeak, and the abandoned coffee shop that still served coffee and bread, the story as a whole was a stream of nonsense that culminated in an ending that resolved absolutely nothing.

Worst part:  The end.

Recommendation þoooo

This was my first Lemony Snicket book and I was not impressed. What should have felt mysterious just felt vague and what was supposed to be clever was more often confusing or silly. I can only imagine that the successful Series of Unfortunate Events must have had more depth. Fans of his other books may be more tolerable of his style and enjoy this more than I did.

Snicket, Lemony. Who Could That Be at This Hour? Toronto: HarperCollins, 2012.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

Pages: 418
Intended Audience: Mature Teens
Genre: Supernatural fantasy romance
Notes for parents: This book has mature content, dark themes, and some disturbing scenes.

The Back Cover

She had been innocent once, a little girl playing with feathers on the floor of a devil’s lair. She wasn’t innocent now…
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.

What the Back Cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a series.

What’s good?
Set in the beautiful and historic city of Prague in the Czech Republic, this is an imaginative and haunting story full of mystery, suspense, and romance. Emotive writing draws the evocative plot back and forth through time as we meet angels and monsters and are introduced to the intricate mythology surrounding them. There is tension and action, mystery and foreboding, and a healthy dose of the macabre that makes this story capriciously original. I especially like the author’s use of challenging vocabulary and complex ideas, contrary to the patronizing tenor of many young adult novels.
Best part: The characters are wonderful, including: Karou, the strong female lead; Brimstone, the imposing father figure; Akiva, the powerful angel; and Zuzana, the patient friend.

What’s not so good?

I was riveted for the first half of the book, convinced that this story was getting my five checkmarks rating. However, once Karou is cut off from Brimstone and the mysteries behind her existence begin revealing themselves, the tone of the story takes a turn. The pacing changes, slowing the momentum considerably. The story still kept my interest, but the shift was distracting and took away from the story.
Worst part: Kaz the ex. I didn't see the point of him.

Recommendations þþþþo

This was by far the best book I’ve read this summer. I loved the darkness that lurked behind the mythology, challenging conventional ideas of good and evil. My favourite line was, “It is the condition of monsters that they do not perceive themselves as such.” Strongly recommended.

Taylor, Laini. Daughter of Smoke and Bone. New York: Little, Brown & Co., 2011.

Best Girl by Sylvia Maultash Warsh

Pages: 121
Intended Audience: Teens and Adults
Genre: Mystery
Notes for parents: Includes mature scenes, drinking, references to drug use

The Back Cover

When Amanda Moss learns that her parents didn’t die in a car crash as her adoptive mother has always maintained, she feels her whole life has been a lie. And now that she knows that the father she doesn’t remember was in a successful rock-and-roll band, her own yearning to break into the music business begins to make sense. But did her mother really do what people say she did? Amanda’s search for the truth takes her down an uncertain and sometimes frightening road.

What the Back Cover doesn’t tell you:

This book is part of the “Rapid Reads” series by Raven Books (a division of Orca Publishing). They are short novels intended for adult readers.

What’s good?

This is a super quick and easy read. Since the series of books are meant to be read in one of two sittings, the story if intentionally short and sweet.  It has a fast pace with an exciting plot. It has a few twists and turns but no real sub-plots. The main character, Amanda, is likeable enough that her search for the truth had me interested, and in the end, I hoped she would realize her dream of becoming a musician.
Best part: I applaud the style of this novel that had a tough job of taking a complicated story and telling it in a simple way and in 120 pages.

 

What’s not so good?
By design, this story doesn’t spend a lot of time on back story or character development. You don’t really get to know anyone well enough to fully understand their motives. As Amanda search for answers, she seemed to come by information rather easily, and the plot was resolved conveniently.
Worst part: None. Everything lacking in this story was done deliberately to make this a fast read.

Recommendations þþþoo

I enjoyed it. It’s nice to put down the thick and complicated novels every once in a while and indulge in a story that can be read in one reasonable sitting. It was a mature story with real life themes and, while lacking in many areas, offered enough that the creative mind could imagine the rest. Definitely recommended.

Warsh, Sylvia Maultash. Best Girl. Victoria, B.C.: Raven Books, 2012 .

Beautiful Creatures: The Manga by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl; art by Cassandra Jean

Pages: about 245
Intended Audience: Teens and mature tweens
Genre: Supernatural / Graphic novel
Notes for parents: Some mature scenes

The Back Cover

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena Duchannes – a girl unlike anyone Jackson High has ever seen – moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them. In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

What the Back Cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the “illustrated adaptation” of Garcia and Stohl’s bestselling novel. The artwork is by Cassandra Jean.

What’s good?

This supernatural graphic novel moved quickly, with excellent black and white drawings and a smooth, interesting plot. Although the concept itself isn’t original, the story felt fresh thanks to likeable characters and a well-drawn, paranormal world.
Best part: I like the artist’s drawing style. It’s casual, but still very expressive.

What’s not so good?

Since I haven’t read the original book, and I haven’t seen the movie, it’s understandable that throughout the novel, I had a feeling I was missing out on a lot of the nuances of the original story. I’m not a huge fan of established novels being made into graphic novels because details of the written story always have to be sacrificed for the sake of the visual story. I found some of the dialogue difficult to follow, but I always managed to figure it out.
Worst part: I have a feeling that the novel is much better.

Recommendations þþþoo

This kind of graphic story is probably intended more for people who’ve read the novel and just want more. However, if you’re only interested in getting the gist of the story without having to read the novel, this one’s for you. I recommend it, but I suggest reading the written novel instead of this graphic novel if you’re that interested in the story.

Garcia, Kami & Margaret Stohl. Beautiful Creatures: The Manga. New York: Yen Press, 2013. (Hardcover)

A Girl, a Ghost, and the Hollywood Hills by Lizabeth Zindel

Pages: 302
Intended Audience: Teens
Genre: Mystery
Notes for parents: Some mature scenes and mild language.

The Inside Cover

It’s winter break, and Holly has come home from boarding school to face her dad’s new girlfriend, Claudia—who also happens to be her mom’s sister. Gross. Holly’s mom died less than a year ago, and already Claudia has taken over her movie production company, her house, and now her husband.
Then the ghost of Holly’s mother appears, claiming that Claudia murdered her. Holly vows to avenge her mom’s death no matter what it takes, but as the stakes get higher, she starts to wonder: What does this ghost really want from her, and why?
Throw in an adorable college guy named Oliver, an all-night house party with a pack of Australian surfers, and a shopping disaster on Rodeo Drive, and you wind up with a Hamlet-inspired ghost story unlike any other.

What the Cover doesn’t tell you:

I found the description to be a bit misleading.

What’s good?

This story had a great concept, based loosely on the story of Hamlet. Characterization was good. Holly was a likeable character and it was easy to sympathize with her situation. The supporting characters were interesting, especially Claudia and her horror movie props. This was a fast and easy read with a simple plot.
Best part: The cover.

What’s not so good?

This was a superficial approach to a story about grief and mental illness. The plot was predictable and the writing was overly detailed (I don’t need to know the color of her umbrella, or what her comforter looks like!) and very passive. Even the romance was boring. Even worse was the dialogue which felt contrived and didn’t convincingly reflect the way teens talk today. At times, the conversations, especially the ones between Holly and Felicia, were awkward and even corny (Dudette?).
Worst part: The end made the story seem pointless.

Recommendations þþooo

I was first attracted to this book by the cover, which promised a tense, supernatural Shakespearean-like mystery. Even the inside cover suggested a ghost story. There was certainly potential here, but it was never realized.

Zindel, Lizabeth. A Girl, A Ghost, And the Hollywood Hills. New York: Viking, 2010. (Hardcover)