The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Pages: 501

Intended Audience: Mature teens and up

Genre: Historical romance/adventure

Notes for Parents: Contains mature scenes.

The Back Cover

This is the unforgettable escapade of Lord Henry “Monty” Montague, a charming young scoundrel who fully expects to carouse his way through his Grand Tour. However, Monty’s plan for one last hedonistic hurrah with his best friend and secret crush, Percy, quickly turns into a harrowing manhunt across eighteenth-century Europe.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This novel is a Kirkus Prize nominee, one of NPR’s Best Books of the Year, a New York Public Library Best Book for Teens, and the winner of a NEIBA New England Young Adult Book Award. The sequel is called The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Pirates and in it, Felicity Montague must use all her womanly wits and wiles to achieve her dreams of becoming a doctor—even if she has to scheme her way across Europe to do it. 

What’s good?

It’s 18^th century Britain and Monty is embarking on a year’s Grand Tour of Europe before settling down to be a proper gentleman (or so his father demands). With his friend Percy, his sister Felicity, and their chaperone, Mr. Lockwood, adventure abounds as they encounter such scoundrels as pirates, highwaymen, evil dukes, and alchemists. There’s romance and mystery along with daring escapes and dangerous liaisons. The main characters are likeable and interesting, the plot is strong, and the pace is quick. Topics like racism, sexism, homosexuality, slavery, and the treatment of people with disabilities are explored.   

Best Part: Felicity. She was a wonderfully kick-butt 18^th century woman.

What isn’t good?

I can’t quite put my finger on anything really bad, but the characters, especially Monty, weren’t always likeable, the pace wasn’t always quick, the romance wasn’t always romantic, and the adventure wasn’t always believable.

Worst part: “Abso-bloody-lutely” was used way too much!

Recommendation ☺☺☺ (3.5/5)

This is basically a swashbuckling, 18^th century road trip! It’s full of diverse characters and touches on a variety of issues that are important today. But most of all, it’s light and fun. Recommended.

Lee, Mackenzi. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2017

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald by J.K. Rowling

Pages: 272

Intended Audience: Tweens and up

Genre: Screenplay / Fantasy

Notes for Parents: Contains some violence and mature scenes.

The Inside Cover

The powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald has been captured in New York with the help of Newt Scamander. But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escapes custody and sets about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings. In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore enlists Newt, his former Hogwarts student, who agrees to help once again, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the second book in the Fantastic Beasts series. Originally planned as a trilogy, the series will now, apparently, consist of five movies.

What’s good?

The continuing adventures of Newt Scamander has plenty of adventure and enchantment, this time in France, as he pursues Grindelwald. There’s definitely that familiar Harry Potter feel to the story with quirky characters, dangerous spellcasting, magical creatures, and a handful of familiar faces. The pacing and script format make for a quick and easy read.

Best Part: The beautiful cover and illustrations.

What isn’t good?

I’m so confused! I don’t want to give anything away, but I definitely have questions about McGonagall, Queenie, Nagini, magic being invisible to humans, and the whole revelation about Credence, just to name a few. Perhaps I missed something, but there seem to be a lot of inconsistencies with what we know from the original Harry Potter stories. Descriptions were vague and many scenes were difficult to visualize, so maybe the movie irons-out a few of these issues, but there were definitely discrepancies that need some explaining.

Worst part: Queenie’s behavior.

Recommendation ☺☺☺ (3/5)

I enjoyed the story and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the movie, but I’m disappointed that it brought up more questions than answers. In reading other reviews, it’s apparent that I’m not the only one who noticed some of the strange contradictions that plagued most of the story. Despite feeling confused, however, I was still entertained.

Rowling, J.K. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. New York: Scholastic, 2017.

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

Pages: 345

Intended Audience: Teens and up

Genre: Magic realism

Notes for Parents: Contains some coarse language, sexuality, and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps.

So when young, beautiful Roza went missing, the people of Bone Gap weren’t surprised. But Finn knows what really happened to Roza. He knows she was kidnapped by a dangerous man whose face he cannot remember.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This novel was a National Book Award Nominee for Young People's Literature (2015), Michael L. Printz Award winner (2016), Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee (2017), Lincoln Award Nominee (2017), and Andre Norton Award Nominee (2015)

What’s good?

Roza is missing, Finn is falling for Petey, and there’s a mysterious horse in the barn. Bone Gap is an enigmatic little town and is home to brothers Sean and Finn, left alone after their father died and their mother moved away. Finn is the town oddball with a reputation that only deepens after he sees Roza’s kidnapper but can’t describe him. The premise is thought-provoking and the pace is steady. The characters are well-drawn and appealing, even the minor ones like Charlie Valentine, the Rude brothers, and Petey’s mom. There’s mystery, romance, and adventure surrounding a poignant story about relationships.  

Best Part: College essay questions

What isn’t good?

I can’t help but feel like this would have been a better mystery without the magic realism. The world-building surrounding the “gaps” is very weak so there’s a big disconnect between the real world and what we’re supposed to believe is a magical world accessed by the gaps. It’s not clear if everyone in town knows about the gaps but regardless, their existence doesn’t seem to impact the town beyond a couple of missing pets.

Worst part: The constant reminders that Roza is beautiful, Petey is ugly, and Finn is spacey.

Recommendation ☺☺☺ (3/5)

This is a very odd but intriguing story. I loved the characters and the writing style, but there was something in the storytelling that was off. The premise was strong and it started out as a good mystery, but then it got weird. There were a lot of things that didn’t quite make sense until the end. The end, however, was well done and ultimately I enjoyed the story. Recommended, but with reservations.

Ruby, Laura. Bone Gap. New York: Balzer + Bray, 2015.

Real Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham

Pages: 321

Intended Audience: Tweens and up

Genre: Graphic novel; memoir

Notes for Parents: Contains some mature scenes.

The Back Cover

When best friends are not forever.

Shannon and Adrienne have been best friends ever since they were little. But on day, Adrienne starts hanging out with Jen, the most popular girl in class and the leader of a circle of friends called The Group. Everyone in it wants to be Jen’s #1, and some girls would do anything to stay on top…even if it means bullying the others.

Now every day is like a roller coaster for Shannon. Will she and Adrienne stay friends? Can she stand up for herself? And is she in The Group—or out?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

There’s a follow-up novel called Best Friends that comes out in August 2019.

What’s good?

By its own description, this is the “true story about how hard it is to find your real friends—and why it’s worth the journey.” The illustrations are colourful, bold, and full of expression. The story itself is simple yet still fraught with the complexities that plague childhood friendships. There’s a beautiful element of religion that’s skillfully included and plenty of positive messages about the fragility and importance (to offset the cruelty) of friendship and sibling relationships.

Best Part: Jesus.

What isn’t good?

It seems a shame to pay $15 for something that can be read in 30 minutes.

Worst part: None. 

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4/5)

This is a sweet story of one girl’s experiences trying to make friends in primary school. It’s nicely written and well-illustrated. It’s a quick read and anyone who’s had friendship troubles will be able to relate to this story.

Hale, Shannon and LeUyen Pham. Real Friends. New York: Scholastic, 2017.

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

Pages: 321

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Murder Mystery

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language, drinking, drug use, smoking, death, and other mature scenes

The Back Cover

The last thing Jamie Watson wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s great-great-great-granddaughter, who has inherited not only Sherlock’s genius but also his volatile temperament. 

From the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else. But when a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Jamie and Charlotte are being framed for murder.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a series.

What’s good?

The descendants of the legendary Sherlock Holmes and John Watson find themselves at the same American boarding school and become embroiled in, you guessed it, a murder mystery. Jamie Watson is a typical awkward teen that has fantasized about solving crimes with the Charlotte Holmes, but when the opportunity presents itself, it’s more than he bargained for. The plot is strong and the pace is steady. There’s mystery, romance, humour, danger, and lots of deductive reasoning.

Best Part: Jamie Watson.

What isn’t good?

The chapters were long, the action was sparse, and Charlotte Holmes was impossible to like. In an attempt to make Charlotte like her great-great-great-grandfather Sherlock Holmes, the author made her smart, obnoxious, a gambler, a narcissist, and addicted to drugs. Unfortunately, she had none of the charisma that made Sherlock entertaining despite his many flaws. Heavy topics like rape, drug addiction, and murder were treated lightly while family and friendship issues were overdramatized.

Worst part: Charlotte Holmes.

Recommendation ☺☺ (2.5/5)

I just didn’t buy it. The story was trying to be a modern day retelling of the original, but it didn’t translate well with gender reversed teens playing the parts of a crotchety detective and his sidekick. It has murder, mystery, and even sophistication, but it’s missing the idiosyncrasies of the original. There are better Sherlock reincarnations out there.

Cavallaro, Brittany. A Study in Charlotte. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2017.