All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

Pages: 354
Intended Audience: Teens and mature tweens
Genre: Dystopian; crime drama; romance
Notes for Parents: Contains mild language, references to violence and criminal behavior.

The Back Cover

I am Anya Balanchine.
I will be accused.
I will defend my honor.
I will be pursued.
I will be loved.
I will apologize.
I will be betrayed.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The vague cover description alludes to the story of Anya Balanchine, of the Balanchine crime family. With her parents both dead, she and her siblings are out of the family business of smuggling chocolate into the country (where caffeine and chocolate, among many things, are illegal). But can she really walk away that easily? Family obligations beckon, further complicated by her relationship with the son of the city’s new assistant district attorney. This is book one in the Birthright series.

What’s good?

Set in New York, in the year 2083, this is an interesting future where water is scarce, paper is rationed, and things like caffeine and chocolate are banned. Anya and her siblings are well-drawn, likeable characters and are surrounded by a multitude of interesting people, including Anya’s dying grandmother, her mafia kin, her school friends and teachers, the new ADA, and the evil head of Liberty’s Children’s Facility.
Best Part: Coffee speakeasies!

What isn’t good?

The story had some great moments where I felt things started to pick up, but ultimately, nothing was sustained. It got interesting when there was a near-death by chocolate, but that quickly fizzled and Anya’s incarceration had promise, but that too led nowhere. Even Anya’s romance with Win warms up only to die down before anything really exciting happens.
Worst part: Catholicism was a sad ploy to establish Anya’s character. Like everything else, its part in the story was, in the end, pointless.

Recommendation þþooo

This was a dystopian novel that lacked world building, a crime drama that lacked suspense, and a romance that lacked, well, romance. I really enjoyed the characters and felt the potential for a good story was just around the corner, but ultimately, I remained unrewarded. Perhaps the author (whose book Elsewhere is among my top ten of all time) saved the good stuff for subsequent books in the series. Sadly, this was just a disappointment for me. I gave it two checkmarks in hopes that the overall series is better than book one.

Zevin, Gabrielle. All These Things I’ve Done. New York: Square Fish, 2011.

The Girl who was Supposed to Die by April Henry

Pages: 213
Intended Audience: Teens and mature tweens
Genre: Psychological thriller
Notes for Parents: Contains scenes with guns, references to violence, some scary scenes

The Inside Cover

She doesn’t know who she is. She doesn’t know where she is, or why. All she knows when she comes to in a ransacked cabin is that two men are arguing over whether or not to kill her. And that she must run.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The cover blurb is a great teaser. There’s nothing more you need to know.

What’s good?

Short chapters and a first person / present tense point of view fuels the non-stop action in this high intensity, mystery-thriller. The main character, Cady, is strong and resourceful; her accomplice Ty is brave (and very trusting!); and the supporting bad guys are devious and desperate. While the plot is fairly simplistic, the constant thrill of the chase keep things entertaining.
Best Part: James. I wish there was more of him.

What isn’t good?

I consistently saw things coming before the character did which took away from a lot of the drama. Also, there wasn’t a lot of depth to the characters, although Cady and Ty were still very likeable. The courage in their actions alone made me care about them. Finally, there seemed to be a few consistency issues. No other reviews that I read pointed them out, so maybe I got some of it wrong so I don’t want to ruin the story by revealing them here.
Worst part: “You saved us. You saved us all.”

Recommendation þþþoo

Despite a few strange contradictions and an oversimplified plot, the story was still riveting. The action-filled short chapters and fluid writing made this easy to read and very entertaining. Recommended.

Henry, April. The Girl who was Supposed to Die. New York: Henry Holt, 2013.

Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King by William Joyce and Laura Geringer

Pages: 228
Intended Audience: Tweens
Genre: Fantasy / Legend
Notes for Parents: Contains some scenes that can be scary to younger readers

The Back Cover

Before St. Nick was St. Nick, he was North, Nicholas St. North, a daredevil swordsman, ruffian, and notorious outlaw. His prowess with weaponry of all kinds was infamous and he sought treasure and riches at all costs. Hardly hero material. But heroes are not born—they’re tested. When real villains enter the scene in the shifting shape of Pitch and his dreaded Fearlings, North finds a different use for his famed fighting abilities.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in the Guardians series that traces the nefarious origins of beloved legends like the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and, of course, St. Nick. He also wrote and executive produced The Rise of the Guardians, an animated movie based on his Guardians series. (The book series is also referred to as The Guardians of Childhood series).

What’s good?

This classic story of good versus evil is filled with excitement and danger. It’s a whimsical tale that includes the wizard Ombric, brave young Katherine, and the bandit Nicholas St. North. There is also a giant bear, talking bugs, yetis, moonbeans, and host of other imaginative characters. The chapters are short, the language is simple, and the plot is uncomplicated. The plot is fun and action-filled.
Best Part: The fantastic illustrations!

What isn’t good?

It definitely reads more like a picture book than a chapter book. The characters and plot lack depth and the story is filled with predictable outcomes.
Worst part:  While we assume Nicholas St. North is the future Santa Claus, the legend of St. Nick is not explored.

Recommendation þþþoo

While this wasn’t what I expected, it was still an imaginative tale of fanciful people and places. Themes of friendship, courage and imagination, as well as wonderful illustrations, make this a great story for all ages. Recommended…for the young.

Joyce, William and Laura Geringer. Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King. New York: Scholastic, 2011.

Grounded by Kate Klise

Pages: 196
Intended Audience: Tweens and up
Genre: Real life
Notes for Parents: Deals with death and grieving

The Back Cover

After her brother, sister, and father die in a plane crash, Daralynn Oakland receives 237 dolls from well-wishers, resulting in her new nickname: Dolly. And she doesn’t even like dolls! Dolly would much rather go fishing—not that she’s allowed to go anywhere on her own after the accident. As she sees it, her whole life has turned terrible, and there’s nothing she can do about it.
But when her angry, grieving mother’s new job as a hairstylist at the local funeral home is threatened by the new crematorium, Dolly decides it’s time to take action. She suggests throwing Living Funerals—a chance to attend your own funeral and hear all the nice things people say while you’re still alive to thank them.
Will Dolly’s new plan heal her mother’s broken heart and save a dying business?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This book won the Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children’s Literature.

What’s good?

Left adrift by her silent, grieving mother after a terrible accident claims her father and two siblings, Daralynn Oakland – called Dolly – is an independent tomboy who is instantly likeable thanks to her curiosity and keen sense of observation. Dolly is supported by an excellent cast of characters including her mom, Hattie, her flamboyant Aunt Josie, the quiet Uncle Waldo, and Clem, the new man in town who stirs things up. Despite being set in Digginsville, Missouri in the 1970s, it retains a contemporary feel. The heavy subjects of loss and grief are treated with a gentle touch and mixed with a little mystery, some humor, and a lot of small town quirkiness.
Best Part: Putting the fun in funeral.

What isn’t good?
It’s a quaint story that lacks any true depth in terms of plot and characters.
Worst part: I guessed the ending pretty early on.

Recommendation þþþoo

This is a poignant tale of a young girl experiencing bereavement for the first time who is trying to reconnect with her grieving mother. It’s short and easy to read. While it lacks some character development, it’s still a charming story that stayed engaging right up to the end. Recommended.

Klise, Kate. Grounded. New York: Scholastic, 2010.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Pages: 332
Intended Audience: Mature Teens
Genre: Historical thriller
Notes for Parents: Contains scenes of violence

The Back Cover

On October 11^th, 1943, a British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. But only one of the girls has a chance at survival.
Arrested by the Gestapo, “Verity” is given a choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution. They’ll get the truth out of her. Only, it won’t be what they expect.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The author is a pilot herself and, in writing this book, wanted to explore the possibilities that would have been open to female pilots during WW2. She includes a “debriefing” and a bibliography at the back of the book.

What’s good?

This is an intimate story of two female friends who play very important but very different roles in the allied fight against the Nazis in World War II. While being a very taut thriller, it also manages to be an emotional tale of friendship, a brutal story of war, and a complex adventure with espionage, suspense, and plenty of surprises. A well crafted plot, strong female leads, a cruel but very human antagonist, and a wonderful cast of supporting characters makes this a tour de force worth reading.
Best Part: That heart-stopping moment on page 285 that I didn’t see coming!!

What isn’t good?

The beginning was slow and the point of view was a bit confusing so it took me a several chapters to really get into the story. A couple of times I even considered putting the book down, but luckily I stuck with it and it was well worth the effort. Some of the technical information is bland but overall it lent itself to the interesting story of female pilots in World War II.
Worst part: Nothing struck me as completely terrible, but the beginning was definitely a challenge.

Recommendation þþþþo

This is a heavy read, but it’s not difficult, per se. It requires some effort and it probably helps if you have an interest in historical fiction and women in World War II, which I do. The story was intriguing, the characters were worth the investment, and I finished the book feeling very satisfied that it was time well spent. Definitely recommended.

 

Wein, Elizabeth. Code Name Verity. New York: Hyperion, 2012.