A Monster Calls

A Monster Calls
By Patrick Ness
Walker Books, 2011. 216 pgs. Young Adult

Conor. Someone is calling his name. He was having a nightmare – the nightmare he has every night since the day his mother started treatments – but the calling is not part of the screaming, or the wind, or the darkness. The caller is a monster who looks like the yew tree from the churchyard on the hill near his house. This monster is not frightening but old, strange, and wild. He says there will be four stories. He’s come to tell the first three and help Conor tell the fourth: the truth. It turns out that knowing the truth might be more dangerous than the thought of living with his grandma, being bullied at school, or worse, the nightmare itself.

Since I am a fan of Patrick Ness I first read this book when it came out in 2011. In preparation for seeing the movie, I reread it, and it made just as powerful an impression. As YA author Siobhan Dowd’s last idea for a book and Patrick Ness’s tribute to Dowd, who died of cancer at age 47, it’s uncannily fitting. It seems natural that the stunning illustrations by Jim Kay (artist of the illustrated Harry Potter editions) reflect the beauty of the inside as well.

A contemporary novel at its core, A Monster Calls is about thirteen-year-old Conor O’Malley whose mother is losing her battle with cancer. Each of the stories the monster tells, set historically in Conor’s own backyard, is brilliantly complex, and not at all what Conor wants to hear. Nothing is black or white, which results in an uneasy journey to accepting the truth of his life, one that is raw, deep, and above all honest. In a narrative which includes a dramatic, commonplace disease like cancer, it would be easy for it to venture unawares into melodramatic or sentimental territory. But A Monster Calls steers far clear of it. It's a heartbreaking, real and moving depiction of grief, loss, and guilt. I recommend reading the book first of course, but the film adaptation is excellent as well. Just don't forget to bring tissues!

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Sunshine

Sunshine 
By Robin McKinley
Jove, 2003. 405 pgs. Paranormal

Sunshine only wanted some peace and quiet, some time away from her life as the early morning cinnamon roll baker at Charlie’s, her stepfather’s bakery. The lake out in the country where her grandmother used to live seemed like a good choice. Since the VooDoo Wars devastated New Arcadia, there hadn’t been trouble out there in years. But before it would be possible for human ears to hear, Sunshine is abducted. Her drawn out captivity with one vampire Constantine as well as her unprecedented escape means she returns forever changed, forced to accept her experience and her new self.

Most read Sunshine because they are either Robin McKinley fans or fans of urban fantasy; for some, it’s both. For me, I’ve been an indifferent reader of McKinley for years. Her trademark character-driven fantasy novels full of internal monologue and description have never won me over. And it’s not like there is anything different about Sunshine. She is perhaps more tangential than many of her protagonists. I was joking with a co-worker that you know it’s a McKinley by glancing at just one page of any of her novels. Almost always you will see one or two long paragraphs. My eyes hurt just thinking about it. But that is her style. Go to McKinley’s blog and you will find in her long posts and use of asterisks, parentheses, and post scripts a reflection of her characters.

So what made the reading experience of this McKinley different for me? I finally connected big-time with the characters. Sunshine, in all her stubborn, loquacious glory and Con in his stoic, silent, complete vampire otherness felt real. Similarly, New Arcadia felt like a strange place which exists in another part of the world. Together, Sunshine and Con are something special. While the plot was still slow and meandering for my taste at times and there was some brief sexuality that felt out of place, I loved Sunshine immediately, just as I savored any interaction between her and Con. There were also unforgettable lines and an ending that exceeded my expectations. I agree with Neil Gaiman: Sunshine is “pretty much perfect.”

I read parts of Sunshine via audio book and it is an excellent way to listen to Sunshine’s internal musings.

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A Study in Scarlet Women

A Study in Scarlet Women (The Lady Sherlock series #1)
By Sherry Thomas
Berkley, 2016. 334 pgs. Mystery

Charlotte Holmes has been cast out, and she couldn’t be happier. She is determined to live life on her own terms, free of her family’s wishes or the expectations of high society. Charlotte hadn’t intended to go as far as becoming a social pariah in the process, but no matter. She will find a ladies home and a means to feed and clothe herself while she builds an investigative reputation as “Sherlock” Holmes. When a string of murders points to both Charlotte’s father and her beloved sister Livia as the culprits, she must reach out to old friends and new allies if she is to bring the true suspect to justice.

I’ve read a few of the plethora of Sherlock retellings published since the success of the BBC miniseries of the same name and found them enjoyable. I am also a fan of Sherry Thomas, so picking up her latest, which is a mystery, was a no-brainer. As always, Thomas’s prose is delightful and even better, she’s brought an original eye to a female retelling of Sherlock Holmes. Charlotte’s powers of deduction are very Sherlockian but instead of being cold socially, she knows the ruling families of high society and how to use her social skills to her advantage. I loved seeing how all the pieces of the Sherlock canon fell together. I can’t wait to read more.

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The Chemist

The Chemist 
By Stephenie Meyer
Little, Brown and Company, 2016. 512 pgs. Fiction

To say that she is on the run would be an understatement. After becoming a liability to her classified government agency, she moves constantly, changes names frequently, and never goes to bed without donning a gas mask or setting elaborate chemical booby traps around her. Not to mention sleeping in the bath tub or driving hundreds of miles to and from a public library to check her email. When she is contacted by her former handler to finish one last job in exchange for the kill order on her back, she walks into a trap involving a rogue assassin she is forced to trust and a civilian bent on falling in love with her.

In Stephenie Meyer's preface to The Chemist, her first publication in eight years, she explains that the book is a result of "my romantic sensibilities and my obsession for Jason Bourne", which is an accurate description. The book is an entertaining if uneven and overly long romantic thriller. The first 200 pages are all thriller and I was completely engaged. As soon as the romance with Daniel hit – and that is not a euphemism – the suspense was put on hold, and the book lost my interest. But as the story continued their relationship became more believable and the book became a part-thriller once again.

While I likewise quibble with Daniel's lack of flaws and his instant acceptance of "her", I credit the book with pulling me out of a reading slump. I chose not to call her by any of her short-lived names (an aspect which didn't bother me), but if name is an important characterization for you keep that in mind. Meyer’s writing has improved and the audio book is also good. Here’s to hoping we don’t have to wait another eight years for her next book.

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A Curious Beginning

A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell #1)
By Deanna Raybourn
Berkley, 2015. 368 pgs. Mystery

As much as Veronica loved her spinster aunt-cum-mother, she is ready to embark on her next adventure as soon as her aunt is dead and buried. Veronica longs for the freedom to travel on her own, discover new butterfly species, and enjoy the occasional romantic dalliance. Unfortunately, she returns to find their cottage ransacked and occupied by a stranger intent on her abduction. Fortunately, Veronica is prepared for such circumstances and thwarts his attempts before being whisked off to the safety of London by a protective, elderly baron who knew her mother. From there she is delivered into the custody of Stoker, a tattooed, fallen natural historian, and their mutual hostility is palpable. But murder follows and the two are forced to go on the run while uncovering the mystery of Veronica’s parentage and Stoker's past.

I’ve been a devoted fan of Deanna Raybourn’s historical mysteries for awhile now but she surprised me with her latest book, which completely lives up to its title. I reread it this fall for my book club and the entire club, without exception, adored it. It has the whole package – witty verbal sparring, one-of-a-kind characters, even pacing, and an unpredictable mystery. Veronica, who is an intriguing combination of Sherlock and Mary Poppins, and Stoker, the unexpected dark brooding hero, are free spirits and exceptions to the Victorian norm. Some may find their modern sensibilities implausible but as characters on the fringe of society, I found their views on feminism and morality tenable. Veronica’s arrogance and Stoker’s obstinacy can be grating at times, but overall this was a charming and addictive read.

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The Sun is Also a Star

The Sun is Also a Star
By Nicola Yoon
Delacorte Press, 2016. 384 pgs. Young Adult

It’s seventeen-year-old Natasha Kingsley’s last day in New York. In twelve hours, she and her family will be deported to Jamaica. But there is one last shred of hope – a last-ditch meeting with an immigration lawyer to delay the deportation. On the way to the attorney’s office, Natasha bumps into Daniel Bae, who is on his way to an interview for an Ivy-league college he has no desire to attend. Their meeting sets off a chain reaction of coincidences, or so the logical Natasha believes. Daniel, ever the dreamer, sees their chance meeting as fate. Of course he and Natasha will fall in love and live happily ever after. But there are many alternate versions of the future, and neither Natasha nor Daniel knows which one will be theirs.

This book was already high on my radar but after it won the National Book Award (before it was even released!) my expectations were even higher. Within a few pages I immediately saw why it won the award. Illegal immigrants, multiracial characters, thoughtful prose – it ticks all the right boxes. But as I read further, I quickly found the story, which mainly takes place over the course of one day, to be award-worthy as well. As expected, Yoon’s writing is minimal and lovely. Her format – inserting an introductory chapter after each new character or concept is introduced – is refreshing.

I will warn you that if you are not a fan of May-December or insta-love romances this may not be for you. My disbelief wasn’t completely suspended but my adoration for Natasha and Daniel - who are complete opposites in personality - compensated for that. This is one of the best contemporary YA novels I’ve read all year.

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Gemina

Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) 
By Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Knopf Books, 2016. 608 pgs. Young Adult

Seventeen-year-old Hanna Donnelly may live at the edge of the galaxy on Jump Station Heimdall, but she doesn’t let her remote location curb her social life. When she is not shopping for designer clothing, spending time with her dreamy boyfriend Jackson or emailing her father, the station’s captain, she is either IMing or meeting Nik Malikov, her drug dealer. Hanna is constantly involved in witty and colorful exchanges with Nik, a member of a tattooed, convict-filled crime family, whose unpredictable life couldn’t be more different than Hanna's. When the station is invaded by an unknown strike force, struck by alien predators, and threatened by a wormhole malfunction, Hanna and Nik are thrown together and quickly become the only hope Heimdall has for survival.

After being wowed by Illuminae last year, I doubted that its follow up would meet my high expectations. This book is told through the same ingenious collection of transcripts, emails, journal entries, video surveillance, classified files, and IMs. This time, however, there are two equally deadly enemies and the chemistry of the protagonists isn’t interrupted mid-story by a long physical separation.

As charming and refreshing as the format is, Gemina wouldn’t work without Hanna, who starts out as the stereotypical spoiled rich girl but has surprising character depth and military prowess. If you enjoy both young adult and sci-fi, this unique and thrilling series is a must read.

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The Hating Game

The Hating Game 
By Sally Thorne
William Morrow, 2016. 384 pgs. Romance

After the merger of her book publishing company, Lucy Hutton is determined to maintain her nice girl image in the office. But when she meets Joshua Templeton, her new cubicle neighbor, she isn’t so sure. Josh is cold, calculated, and not afraid to point out Lucy’s flaws. Before they know it, Josh and Lucy have started a childish game of one-upmanship that neither wants to lose. When a coveted promotion is announced, the tension - or the sparks - couldn’t be higher and Lucy is left questioning Josh and the game itself.

Based on the cover, title, and premise, this book seemed too good to be true. Who doesn’t enjoy the classic hate-to-love romance trope when it’s done well? To my surprise, The Hating Game was one of the most fun books I've read this year. I alternately snickered while reading the smart banter and sighed during the romantic scenes. This isn’t a clean read and the constant references to Lucy and Josh’s height difference can be grating but if you are looking for a witty office romance, this is for you.

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A Torch Against the Night

A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes #2)
By Sabaa Tahir
Razorbill, 2016. 452 pgs. Young Adult

Elias and Laia are on the run. The Martials hunt traitors until they are captured, dead or alive. But the pair are determined to complete their mission – to break Laia’s brother Darin out of Kauf, the maximum security prison of the Empire. Whether it is by the ruthless Commandant, the sadistic prison warden, or the bloodthirsty emperor Marcus, Elias and Laia seem to be cornered at every turn. Most heartbreaking of all is that Helene, the emperor's new Blood Shrike and a former friend, has been ordered to kill Elias. It will take worldly and otherworldly help for Laia and Elias to evade their enemies and rescue Darin before it’s too late.

After waiting to pick up AnEmber in the Ashes until earlier this summer, I didn’t have to wait long for the second installment. This book focuses on the chase and character development but it also sets up the political backdrop for the next book. Helene, with her conflicted emotions and wavering loyalties, continues to be my favorite character. There is some resolution in the love quadrangle that will satisfy readers as well as unexpected plot turns. That it ended on a cliffhanger is not one of them. There are two more books in this series, if only I didn’t have to wait a year for the next book!

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Alice

Alice (Chronicles of Alice #1)
By Christina Henry
Ace, 2015. 291 pgs. Fantasy

Alice has been imprisoned in the crumbling asylum of the Old City for more years then she can count. The last time she was free, she was at a tea party with a rabbit, blood, and horrors so unspeakable that her mind shields itself from the memory. Her only friend is Hatcher, her neighboring cell mate to whom she speaks through a mouse hole. He was captured years ago, when he was found with a bloody ax in his hands and bodies at his feet. When fire engulfs the asylum, Alice and Hatcher manage to escape and set out on a mission to discover what happened at the tea party and how to find the Rabbit before he finds them.

This is the first Alice in Wonderland retelling I’ve read, and it didn’t disappoint. It is darker than the source material but just as mad and bizarre – a perfect retelling for adults. Readers should be warned up front that the violence, especially sexual violence, is quite high, and is not for the faint of heart. Sadly, the graphic content was unnecessary and will keep some readers from picking up the book. In spite of this, I fell hard for Alice and Hatcher and the light and beauty of their relationship, which is nuanced and thoughtfully written. I was enthralled by their spine-tingling story and can’t wait to read the next book.

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As Death Draws Near

As Death Draws Near (Lady Darby #5)
By Anna Lee Huber
Berkley, 2016. 342 pgs. Mystery

Sebastian and Kiera are finally enjoying a long-awaited honeymoon in the scenic Lake District when they are interrupted by an urgent letter from Sebastian’s father. Unbiased private investigators are needed immediately at Rathfarnham Abbey school in Ireland, where a nun related to the Duke of Wellington was recently murdered. When a second nun is slain in a similar manner, Keira begins to suspect the girls are harboring a secret that may cause more fatalities in an already hostile religious environment.

After discovering this series last year I quickly devoured all four then-published books in a month’s time. The meticulous research and the mystery in this book was more complex than in the last book and likewise more satisfying. Kiera and Sebastian investigating as a married couple is a turning point for the series, but Huber handled the new dynamic well. There is no excitement or suspense lost as the couple faces new challenges. Kiera in particular is well drawn. Huber makes even her inner anxiety over juggling future motherhood with work compelling. This is a perfect series for fans of Deanna Raybourn and Tasha Alexander.

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This Savage Song

This Savage Song 
By Victoria Schwab
Greenwillow Books, 2016. 464 pgs. Young Adult.

In a divided city at war with monsters, Kate Harker wants to be like her cutthroat father, who allows the monsters to live in the city and forces humans to pay for his police force. Like his father, August Flynn wants to protect the innocent in a more forgiving way, except for one problem - he is one of the monsters. When Kate meets August at school and eventually discovers his secret, the two are forced to flee the city or die.

After devouring the first two books in Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic series for adults, I put This Savage Song on my radar. I didn’t find it as compelling as her parallel magic Londons but it was still an enjoyable read. The plot takes its time to develop and the world-building is not entirely original. However, when Kate and August finally reveal their intentions and team up, it was hard to put down. Overall the book is quite dark and the soul-stealing monsters are frightening at times so I would not recommend this to younger readers.

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Tell Me Three Things

Tell Me Three Things
By Julie Buxbaum
Delacorte Press, 2016. 336 pgs. Young Adult

After losing her mother, gaining a stepmother and moving cross-country, Jessie is feeling lost. During her first week in Los Angeles, she receives an email from an anonymous fellow student calling himself Somebody/Nobody (SN) offering advice dodging the pitfalls of her new prep school. A few friends later and several weeks of relying on SN, she wants to meet. But will reality live up to her idea of Somebody/Nobody?

You’ve Got Mail is one of my favorite movies and needless to say, I am drawn to the trope of the mysterious, unidentified pen pal. Jessie and SN are well-drawn characters you can’t help liking even if I correctly predicted SN's identity from the beginning. My favorite part of the novel is their funny and thoughtful text messages.

Despite the predictability and the at times forced teen drama, I still enjoyed the sweet and comical conclusion of this novel about two teens dealing with grief, identity and first love in a challenging social environment.

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My Lady Jane

My Lady Jane 
By Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Harper Teen, 2016. 491 pgs. Young Adult

Part comedy, part fantasy, and part romance, My Lady Jane is not what you would expect from a Lady Jane Grey retelling. Jane does become engaged to a stranger in his conspiracy to dethrone her cousin Edward, but this Jane doesn’t have to worry about that, because sometimes history itself needs a little retelling.

I would love to tell you more but I think it’s best to go into this Princess Bride-like book with as little background as possible. The narrator asides, which appear in parentheses throughout the text, are hilarious. What made this work for me, however, were the characters, who are as well-developed as the witty, tongue-in-cheek tone. I could easily connect to Jane, Gifford, and Edward, who are equally nuanced in their alternating chapters. One of the most unexpected and charming books I’ve read this year, I would happily recommend My Lady Jane to adults and young-adults-at-heart alike.

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Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster
By Jon Krakauer
Anchor, 1997. 337 pgs. Nonfiction

On May 10, 1996, only Martin Adams, an experienced airplane pilot, recognized the crowns of thunderheads in the cumulonimbus clouds rolling up the summit of Everest. Writer-mountaineer Jon Krakauer, like the others, saw only harmless skies during his brief stay on top of the world. Eight climbers would die that day and several others would narrowly escape with their lives. Up until 2014, the disaster was the deadliest in Everest’s history.

After seeing the recent movie about this disaster called Everest, I became fascinated by the tragedy and wanted to know more. There isn't a better-written first-hand account than Krakauer’s, who is a journalist and one of only two climbers on his team who reached the top and survived the descent. He gives just enough backstory on the critical players to engage the reader but not enough to slow the story down. Gripping, haunting, and well-researched, this is nonfiction at its best.

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A Gathering of Shadows

A Gathering of Shadows

By V.E. Schwab

Tor Books, 2016. 512 pgs. Science Fiction

In an alternate world where parallel Londons exist – magicless Gray London, magically-balanced Red London, magical chaotic White London, and magic-overran Black London – there is only one magician left who can travel between the worlds, and that is Kell.

It’s been four months since Kell destroyed the mysterious obsidian stone, and his life has been purposeless since. The king keeps him on a short leash and Kell dreams constantly about dark magic and Lila, the enigmatic thief who walked away as soon as the stone was gone. But with the Element Games about to begin in Red London, she, along with some of their old enemies, won’t be able to resist the festivities, and Kell and Lila will be facing dark magic together once again.

This follow-up to A Darker Shade of Magic has a different feel than its predecessor but never falls into common middle-book pitfalls such as being filler or set-up for the final book in the trilogy. The games gave Schwab a chance to flesh out her Londons and the different races within them as well as giving the characters a chance to come into their own. Even without the cliffhanger, I will impatiently await the next book.

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Six of Crows

Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1) 
By Leigh Bardugo
Henry Holt and Company, 2015, 465 pgs. Young Adult, Fantasy

In the bustling, seedy port of Ketterdam, Kaz Brekker is a thief with talent and a chip on his shoulder. When he is offered revenge and more money than he’s ever dreamed of in return for the most wanted man in the impenetrable Ice Court, he cannot turn it down. But first he’ll need to convince his ragtag crew – a convict, a sharpshooter, a runaway, a spy, and a heartrender – to agree to his deadly scheme and then somehow pull off the heist of the century.

I tried reading Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha series but failed to connect with the characters and abandoned it after the first book, Shadow and Bone. The characters in this book are carefully developed into flawed yet likable figures without sacrificing a fast-paced plot. My only criticism is that the characters are too skilled in their professions to be only sixteen or seventeen years old. But that doesn’t detract from the book’s charm or action. One of my favorite reads of 2015.

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