Spies, Friends, and First Loves

Also Known As by Robin Benway
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Maggie is a bit of a child prodigy--when it comes to cracking safes. Born into a family of spies who work for the mysterious Collective, Maggie has just received her first solo assignment. She has suddenly found herself in high school in New York where she must get to know Jesse Oliver, and gain information about his father, a magazine publisher who is planning to run a tell-all article about the Collective that will certainly expose Maggie and her family.  Of course, this can't be a simple assignment. Not only is Jesse good looking and very sweet, he is obviously crazy about Maggie. And then there's Roux, the first friend Maggie has ever had who was her own age. A social outcast, Roux helps Maggie navigate the foreign world of an elite private high school.
One of the things I really love about Robin Benway's writing is her ability to create real characters. Though the situation may require some suspension of disbelief, these are genuine teenagers, from their inner fears, to their outward expressions. The conclusion seemed a bit rushed with a tidy ending, but it was overall a fun read.

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Murder, Mystery, Madness

Having survived an attack from the Ripper, Rory has left Wexford for her parents' home in Bristol. Though her scar is healing, her therapy is not going as well. After all, she can't just tell her therapist that she sees ghosts, can she? And there's the mystery of the ghost she accidentally made disappear before she left Wexford. The only people who can help her are Stephen, Callum, and Boo, and once she returns to London and reconnects with them, more mysteries unfold. Relationships with her Wexford friends, especially Jerome, are falling apart as she becomes more involved with Stephen's team of ghost hunting police. This sequel to the Name of the Star continues to thrill readers with intrigue and there is no shortage of Rory diving into potentially dangerous situations as she tries to figure out what to do with her life now that she has not only the sight, but is also the only terminus the team has left to fight ghosts.

It's Banned Books Week so I thought I'd share some of my favorite banned books. I'd love it if others did the same--I'll bet you've read at least one banned book, even if you didn't know it. Today's book is To Kill a Mockingbird. It has been banned in multiple cities across the US for decades. Most commonly cited reasons are for "profanity" and "racial slurs." How ironic that one of the best things about the book is that it helps us see the importance of overcoming small mindedness and prejudice. One summer (I think I was 15) my mother came into my room and handed me a black paperback with a bird on the cover. She said, "I just found this old book of mine, you should read it." With nothing else to do, I opened it and began. I had no idea the impact this book would have on my life. Let me put this in perspective: I was an "outsider" in a small town in North Florida, and racism was alive and well. I was somewhat depressed about being there and honestly, quite angry. Atticus Finch showed me that actions were just as important as words, and the only way to combat the ugliness in the world was with compassion and understanding. Anger and hate just lead to more of the same. Scout made me feel like it was normal that I didn't like wearing dresses and never thought twice about fighting with boys (sorry, Michael). And through Boo Radley, I realized that small town talk may damage a person's reputation but not their character (I still carry a trinket given to me by Joe Creekmore as a thank you for my kindness). When I finished the book, I immediately turned back to the first page and began reading again.

Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book was not at all what I expected. Based on the cover art, I really thought this was going to be totally steam punk. As it turns out, it is totally fairies with a splash of steam punk thrown in. That aside, I couldn't seem to put it down and I'm not really sure why. I really liked the story, but was disappointed by the character development. The main character, Noli, seemed so promising at first. A free spirited, mechanically inclined girl can get into all sorts of trouble, and she does. But she lacks the confidence of a true independent spirit which makes her character somewhat unbelievable. Of course, there is romance and being the first in a series, there is the hint of a future love triangle. The ending did leave me looking forward to the next book, and I will probably read it. Perhaps the characters will become a little less flat in the next book.



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Do I know you?

In Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac, by Gabrielle Zevin, Naomi takes a serious fall down some steps and awakes to find that she has no memory of the last four years of her life. As she works to try to rebuild her life, she comes to realize that she doesn't really like her friends or her boyfriend. She is not even sure that she would like herself. This book asks the reader to step outside of yourself and try to see you as others see you. Would you like who you see?

I'm Famished...No, make that Famine...

Jackie Morse Kessler, tackles eating disorders and the apocalypse in Hunger, the first in this series. When Lisabeth Lewis decides she can no longer live, death gives her a new outlook on life. He has presented her with scales, the symbol of office for Famine. Through her transformation as Famine, she learns to master the Thin voice (her self-doubt) and her battle with anorexia.
The story is well crafted, with beautiful sentences, wit, and humor. Kessler's treatment of a complex problem is at times funny, and at times haunting. An intriguing read which will leave you wanting more.
Fortunately, there will be more. Rage is due out soon!

Time to call the critter getter

Monster was awesome! A little slow at first, but after you get past the preliminaries, its really interesting: A. Lee Martinez creates an interesting world full of dragon cats, talking paper gnomes, angels, Inuit walrus dogs, and some weird cat lady who happens to control the universe. Monster is an exterminator of sorts; if you can call a troll a pest. Judy works the night shift at the local supermarket; it might not be the best life, but she's happy (when no one bothers her). When a yeti posts up in the ice cream aisle, their paths cross and the adventure begins. Monster is a fantastical fiction you don't want to miss


Thanks, Shannon!