Excalibur

Excalibur: The Legend of King Arthur
By Tony Lee & illustrated by Sam Hart
Candlewick Press, 2011. Young Adult

Arthur holds a long-standing grudge against Merlin for taking him from his family and leaving him on the doorstep of another family. So when the time comes for Arthur to pull the sword Caliburn from the stone, Arthur is dubious about the whole operation. But, as the legend goes, Arthur does pull the sword and becomes king of Albion. At first a peaceful kingdom, Arthur must finally contend with his queen, his chivalrous champion, and traitorous half-sister. This graphic novel tells the whole story of Arthur, including his time in Avalon and his love for the Lady of the Lake. Shown mostly in subdued yellows, reds, and oranges with sections colored in deep purples, this rendering of the King Arthur legend is a treat to read, especially for those who are unfamiliar with the legend and who will appreciate the slightly more modern tone of the story.

MN

Under the Mesquite

Under the Mesquite
By Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Lee & Low Books, 2011. 224 pgs. Young Adult

Lupita’s mother, Mami, is the heart of their close-knit Mexican-American family. Extremely loving, she always has time for her eight children and her beloved rose garden. When the doctors discover her mother’s cancer, Lupita worries about what will happen to the family. She takes refuge in her poetry, her newfound passion of drama, and the pesky mesquite tree growing in Mami’s garden and finds the necessary strength to pull through this hard time. Another sad, but well-written look at love and loss. Fans of free verse fiction will want to read this one.

MN

You Are My Only

You Are My Only
By Beth Kephart
Egmont USA, 2011. 240 pgs. Young Adult

Haunting, heartbreaking, and lyrical, this book really should not be read by those who are pregnant, sick, or both. Emmy steps away briefly from her baby to grab a blanket; when she returns from the twenty-six steps she has taken, Baby is gone, with only a single yellow sock telling she had been there. Sophie is tired of running from the No Good that follows her and her mother. She also tires of the extreme rules that come from fleeing the No Good. So when she steps outside to say hello to the boy playing catch with his dog, Sophie breaks most of the rules and learns of a world filled with love and beauty when she becomes close to the boy and his two aunts. How Sophie and Emmy are related may not be a surprise to readers, but it is a lovely, descriptive journey to discovery.

MN

All These Things I've Done

All These Things I've Done
by Gabrielle Zevin
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011. 354 pgs. Young Adult

Anya’s just trying to hold her small family together, hoping her extremely frail grandmother (and legal guardian) dies when Anya is old enough to resume legal guardianship of her younger sister Natty. Anya’s parents are dead from hits by other crime families; ever since her mob boss father has died, she has kept her distance from the rest of the family. But when her ex-boyfriend falls extremely ill from eating her family’s illegal chocolate, Anya becomes the number one suspect. That suspicion, along with dating the district attorney’s son, thrusts Anya’s relatively private life into the public and it becomes fraught with possible dangers from many sides, including her mob family.

Set in the future where chocolate is illegal and the water supply is quickly dwindling, this doesn’t feel like a science fiction novel, but I see how the author might be setting this up for future books where these matters are more of an issue. I have been a fan of Zevin’s previous young adult books and this was just as good, but different. The characters are well thought out, including the supporting ones and the romance is realistic and not over the top. The whole idea of Anya’s proper birthright in the mob family, but wanting to shield her family makes this feel more real, and not some clichéd mob story. Hopefully there will be more stories featuring Anya and this slightly different world.

MN

Akata Witch

Akata Witch
By Nnedi Okorafor
Viking, 2011. 349 pgs. Young Adult

Sunny is an albino American-born young woman of Nigerian parents and has been living in Nigeria for the last three years. When Sunny’s friends turn on her at school, one young man assists her and introduces her to a friend of his outside of school and they soon reveal to Sunny that they both possess magical abilities. What’s more, they suspect that Sunny has magical abilities as well. While this is shocking news, it begins to make sense to Sunny who has never felt like she belonged. Sunny begins training with her new friends; as they train, they learn that they will be called upon to defeat a man who is kidnapping and dismembering young children in the area.

This work of fantasy is refreshing in many ways, from the more exotic locale and richly described world of magic. Sunny feels real in her struggles to fit in at home and with her new friends and world. I was looking for something new and different and this met my high expectations.

MN

The Name of the Star

The Name of the Star
By Maureen Johnson
G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2011. 372 pgs. Young Adult

Rory decides to spend her senior year at a boarding school in London while her parents spend their sabbatical in England. Feeling uncertain being in a new culture and school is bad enough, but soon a Jack the Ripper copycat starts killing people and Rory and her schoolmates find themselves on lockdown. When Rory sees the same man twice near the scene of two crimes, she realizes that the friends with her cannot see him. Sensing something is amiss and that one of her roommates might know the truth, Rory follows her roommate and discovers a startling truth. Armed with this new knowledge, Rory works with a few others to stop the copycat Jack the Ripper.

This didn’t work for me as well as I had hoped. The writing was flat, certainly not “gorgeous” as a blurb claims it to be. The mystery is somewhat interesting and Rory has the potential to be a great character, but it didn’t come together in this.

MN

Around the World in 80 Dinners

Around the World in 80 Dinners: The Ultimate Culinary Adventure
By Cheryl & Bill Jamison
William Morrow, 2008. 258 pgs. Nonfiction

Culinary experts and former travel guide writers Cheryl and Bill Jamison realize a few years before their twentieth wedding anniversary that they have a significant number of frequent flier miles. Deciding they can accumulate more miles for a second honeymoon, the couple plans to visit mostly countries in the Southern hemisphere for three months, concentrating on places where they would love to sample the local, authentic cuisine. Barring a few last minute rearrangements with an airline representative, Cheryl and Bill set out on their culinary adventure, experiencing lots of great-sounding food, history, and a few rogue animals along the way. I think I would have enjoyed this more if I was a foodie and knew what a lot of the food items they discuss are. The history they write about and the travel tips they provide are worth knowing, but this is best read by those who truly love and appreciate new food.

MN

Texas Gothic

Texas Gothic
By Rosemary Clement-Moore
Delacorte Press, 2011. 406 pgs. Young Adult

Amy Goodnight has been the self-appointed defender of the Goodnight family and their magical abilities. Not possessing any special talents of her own, Amy makes sure that her family is not ridiculed for their talents. That all changes though when Amy and her sister Phin agree to housesit for Aunt Hyacinth’s farmhouse and ranch and a seemingly malevolent ghost visits Amy one night. Convinced the ghost has something to do with the ranch next door (run by a very cute and cranky young cowboy named Ben) and the excavation dig happening on the ranch, Amy investigates the mystery of the ghost with the help of her sister, the dig crew, and a reluctant Ben.

Chilling and creepy in all the right places, this is a quick and entertaining read, even though I felt a little underwhelmed by it. Clement-Moore tones down her usual snark in this title, but that might work to its advantage. Amy’s struggles with her family’s weirdness and her own place in it feel more realistic without excessive biting banter. Ben is a strong foil and romantic lead for Amy and the supporting characters are fun.

MN

Pirate King

Pirate King
By Laurie R. King
Bantam Books, 2011. 304 pgs. Mystery

Not wanting to encounter Mycroft after their last, distasteful meeting in The God of the Hive, Russell takes an opportunity presented to her by Holmes and Chief Inspector Lestrade in this newest Mary Russell book. Her mission? Become an assistant to the producer of Fflytte Films, which is filming a production of Pirate King, a story within a story about a production of The Pirates of Penzance. Sent to investigate any possible criminal activity emanating from the production, Russell discovers she is not investigating, but babysitting thirteen young actresses, finding pirates, and unearthing relationships amongst the crew and cast. More lighthearted and adventurous than the previous books, this is a fun and different offering from King.

MN

Clark Howard's Living Large in Lean Times

Clark Howard's Living Large in Lean Times
By Clark Howard
Avery, 2011. 258 pgs. Nonfiction

Clark Howard, popular host of The Clark Howard Show on radio, compiles a list of 250 ways “to buy smarter, spend smarter, and save money.” These tips range from saving on cars, health and health care, insurance, travel, and such. Many of the tips presented can be found in numerous other personal finance books, but I discovered a good number of tips I had not read before. For example, not only can a person get a credit report on their finances, but health credit reports are also available to check. Readers looking for ways to save more or be savvier about their personal information available to others will find this book a good resource to start.

MN

Jane and the Canterbury Tale

Jane and the Canterbury Tale
By Stephanie Barron
Bantam Books, 2011. 307 pgs. Mystery

While visiting her older brother, Jane Austen attends the wedding of Adelaide Fiske to her second husband and the next morning discovers Adelaide’s first husband dead. Long presumed dead, Curzon Fiske’s appearance (although dead) causes serious problems for Adelaide and other members of her family. Jane's brother Edward, as the local magistrate, investigates the mystery, with canny Jane providing much assistance through her own sleuthing. The last book in this series disappointed me, but this latest addition is a welcome return to Barron’s great form. If you have never read these before and love Jane Austen and mysteries, this is the series for you.

MN

Queen of Hearts

Queen of Hearts
By Martha Brooks
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011. 214 pgs. Young Adult

In 1940s Canada, tuberculosis rages across the country and teenage Marie-Claire’s uncle has it, unbeknownst to her family whom he is living with. Months later Marie-Claire and her two younger siblings discover they have TB as well and are sent to the local sanatorium to “chase the cure.” Marie-Claire feels angry against the many restrictions placed on her, her roommate who wants to be good friends, and the rules against visiting her siblings. She also realizes that she doesn’t even have a life anymore and is wasting her special teenage years stuck in a terrifying situation and place. Brooks does a great job evoking the many different emotions of those experiencing this horrible disease and life. Marie-Claire’s struggles are real and palpable, as is her ultimate acceptance of her new life and conditions.

MN

A Bitter Truth

A Bitter Truth
By Charles Todd
William Morrow, 2011. 340 pgs. Mystery

Bess Crawford is home for Christmas, on leave from her nursing duties in France during World War I. Upon arriving to her flat in London, Bess finds a young woman huddled in the doorstep with a significant bruise on her face. Bess takes the woman in and lands herself in the middle of a family drama concerning a deceased younger sister and a lookalike child in France, along with becoming a suspect in a murder. Bess’s investigation takes her back to France and the many orphanages there, but she receives help from a handsome Australian soldier. Even though I find Todd’s Ian Rutledge series superior, fans of Bess and this series will enjoy this current entry (and the Australian soldier).

MN

Wrapped

Wrapped
By Jennifer Bradbury
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011. 309 pgs. Young Adult

Agnes Wilkins loves to read and learn languages, which isn’t too common for a young woman in Regency England. However it is the time for her debut and her mother wants her to stop pursuing these pursuits in order to find a suitable husband. Invited to a mummy unwrapping party, Agnes gains more than she bargains for that evening. The host of the evening, a very eligible bachelor, singles Agnes out and many of the guests, including Agnes, become the recipients of the mummy’s curse. Agnes realizes more is at stake than a curse and with the help of a handsome young museum worker begins unraveling the mummy’s curse. Although predictable, this was a quick and enjoyable read and Agnes’ struggles against her traditional place in this male-oriented society made her adventures more heartfelt.

MN

The Warrior Heir

The Warrior Heir
By Cinda Williams Chima
Hyperion Books for Children, 2006. 426 pgs. Young Adult

Jack’s ordinary life turns quite extraordinary when his aunt Linda takes him and two friends on a road trip to research some genealogy. Attacked by men with strange powers, Jack fights back and discovers he has his own special powers. After this skirmish, Linda tells Jack that he is a Warrior Heir, one of the Weirlind who possesses magical powers. Originally Jack was born a wizard, but due to a defect, he has become a warrior and is being hunted by a wizard faction. Jack receives proper training for his skills, but realizes more is at stake than his abilities.

Fans of fantasy will enjoy this one, especially teenage boys. Jack is a relatable character and his struggles, while mostly magical, are familiar. My one quibble is the amount of background information; while it is needed, there is so much and it bogs the story down. However, I look forward to Chima’s visit here on September 20th.

MN

The American Heiress

The American Heiress
By Daisy Goodwin
St. Martin's Press, 2011. 468 pgs. Fiction

Cora Cash has been groomed since birth to be the ultimate American heiress. She has the beauty, the wealth (as the only heir to a flour fortune), and the spirit. The only thing Cora lacks is a title. Within days of her debut, and a near engagement to a friend, Cora’s mother whisks her to Europe on a tour of the continent and eligible, titled young men. A fortuitous riding accident in England lands Cora at the home of the Duke of Wareham, a handsome young man who does not have a wife. As Cora develops a relationship with Ivo, she finds her beauty and wealth do not give her an automatic in to his affections and English society. As she learns to become a proper English lady, Cora makes mistakes and discovers secrets that threaten her happiness.

I could not put down this well-written guilty pleasure. Cora is not the most sympathetic character, but I could understand her confusion and frustration with her new life. The descriptions of dresses, food, and such were delicious. The romance was tasteful and the secrets lurking in the pages were enticing. Adult fans of the young adult Luxe series will find this a worthy successor.

MN

What Can't Wait

What Can't Wait
By Ashley Hope Perez
Carolrhoda LAB, 2011. 234 pgs. Young Adult

Marisa Moreno has dreams bigger than her Mexican-American family can imagine. Her father insists she work to help pay the bills and cook him meals and her sister is always asking Marisa to babysit her daughter. Marisa understands that doing well in high school will get her to college, but no one else in the family appreciates that fact. As Marisa’s senior year passes, she faces several events and mistakes that will challenge her commitment to college, even forcing her to wonder if she is doing the right thing. Marisa comes from a completely different background than many and the differences may surprise the reader. Her attitudes and actions are completely understandable and her growth as a character is believable in this gritty, realistic, and unflinching look at one girl’s path to her dreams.

MN

Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt

Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell
By Crickett Rumley
Egmont USA, 2011. 296 pgs. Young Adult

Jane is finally going home again after being kicked out of all her boarding schools; home to Bienville, Alabama where her mother died and where the Magnolia Maids pageant reigns supreme. Persuaded by her grandmother to join the pageant, rebellious Jane is surprised to be elected as a Maid. When the adult supervisor tries to force Jane and trailer park resident Brandi Lyn off the court, Jane decides to fight back and become the perfect Maid. A fun, fluffy, humorous read about one teenage girl’s attempt to find her place home again.

MN

The Winter of Our Disconnect

The Winter of Our Disconnect
By Susan Maushart
Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2011. 278 pgs. Nonfiction

What do you do when you and your children are all too connected to technology? Unplug everything! Maushart, a single mother, felt the entire family was too connected and decided to have a six-month sabbatical. Everything went—the television, computers and the Internet, cell phones, and video game devices. The only things left were the landline phone and radios/stereos. Everyone experienced some sort of withdrawal and one daughter spent six weeks at her father’s as a way of rebelling. But in the end Maushart found that unplugging brought their family closer together and opened new creative outlets for several of them, among other benefits.

This is a very fascinating look at how various media outlets have overtaken our lives, particularly those of the younger generation. Maushart chronicles her family’s experiment and cites many studies on how technology is hurting us, how teenager’s brains may or may not be different from adults, plus other intriguing data. This will make readers evaluate their own media consumption and look at how they can handle technology differently.

MN

In the Garden of Beasts

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin
By Erik Larson
Crown Trade, 2011. 448 pgs. Nonfiction

A humble man, William E. Dodd was a historian when he got a phone call from President Franklin D. Roosevelt. FDR gave Dodd two hours to decide if he wanted to be the ambassador to Germany; the year was 1933 and five other men had already turned down the position. Dodd accepted the position and took his wife, adult son, and adult daughter Martha with him to Berlin and Hitler’s new Germany. By 1933 Hitler and his men were already persecuting the Jews and attacks on Americans had also occurred. Dodd was convinced for a time that the Nazis were not as bad as other diplomats warned him. His daughter Martha was also persuaded that the new Germany was glorious. But as their time in Germany passed, Dodd and Martha began to see the dark side of the Nazis.

This is a fascinating look at Germany and how Hitler and his men escalated their plan to overtake the government and eliminate the Jews. Larson centers his story around Dodd and Martha, detailing Dodd’s efforts to work with Hitler’s government and his eventual denunciation of them. Larson describes Martha’s numerous love affairs and how those affected her life and her father’s work, which struck me as very naïve on her part. I appreciated Larson’s little cliffhangers and the easy writing style of this intriguing history.

MN