Bewitching

I really enjoy Alex Flinn's books. This one is no different. It takes fairy tales to a new and interesting level. It is the story of the witch Kendra and how she is involved in many of the fairy tales we are all familiar with. She starts with Hansel and Gretel, The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Pea, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. The fairy tales are wound around the main character Emma, who Kendra has decided to help. Emma has a stepsister and stepfather and the story is a twist to the typical Cinderella tale. It got off to a slow start, but once it got going, man it was really clever and enjoyable. Kendra is a witch who admits her faults and mistakes. Emma is a normal girl who is trying to get some self esteem. Together, they really make an interesting friendship. The story gives lots of glimpses into history, as a matter of fact, she has tied the Titanic to the Little Mermaid. So, once upon a time, I read another terrific Alex Flinn book, I hope you find the time to do the same. Happily ever after  reading my friends!

Wentworth Hall

Are you watching Downton Abbey with the rest of the world? Well, I am addicted. So when I saw this book on the shelf, I thought, great, a DA for the YA set. This story is about the Darlingtons. They are an aristocratic family that has seen better days. The daughters, Maggie and Lila, are both trying to figure out how to survive life as a Darlington. Maggie has just spent a year in France and has come back a different person. She won't even look at Michael the groomsmen anymore. Lila is trying to be noticed as the less flashy sister. The people in service are also trying to find their ways. Therese, the mysterious French nanny, Nora, the gossipy maid and Michael the dashing groomsmen all have secrets of their own. And to top it all off someone is writing a satire of life at the manor that doesn't paint them in a good light. But the big question is who is really baby James's mother.... and father for that matter. This was a light, fast read that really wrapped up quickly. I guess I was hoping for more Downton than I got from this version, but is that really fair? It is a great introduction to what life was like when people were in service and girls had little choice in how their lives would turn out. So all and all, I'd say this was a nice book, but won't make my top ten for anything this summer. Happy reading my friends!

Masque of the Red Death

As an eighth grade teacher, I am well aware of the power of Poe. So the title of this book alone intrigued me. In this novel by Bethany Griffin, the world has been infected with a contagion that has wiped out a great portion of the population. Everyone who can afford one wears a mask to protect themselves. Araby is trying to find creative ways to kill herself as punishment for her twin brother, Finn's death. She loses herself in underground clubs to drinking and drugs. Her father is the scientist who created the life saving masks. But since the death of her brother, she feels her parents blame her. When she meets the manager of one of the underground clubs, she is drawn to him. Will saves her life on a few occasions and introduce her to his younger brother and sister who she comes to love. The other angle of this love triangle is Elliot. The brother of her best friend April. He is trying to overthrow his corrupt uncle to take over the city. His Uncle Prospero had killed his father and Elliot is trying to find a way to save humanity. When a new plague, the Red Death, starts to spread to the city, they have to find a way to escape. When Will betrays her, Araby must decide if she should save him or let him die. This book is left in a major cliffhanger with nothing resolved except for the fact that I have to read the sequel. This is a pretty dark book, not for  a younger reader, but perfect for the reader looking to find a modern version of a Poe tale. Happy reading my friends.

Gilt

One of my many reading obsessions is books about Henry the VIII. Up until now, they have been adult books. Katherine Longshore has taken it down to the young adult level. This is the story of Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry the VII. She was a young girl with lofty dreams and the duplicitous nature to pull off marrying the king. It takes the story from the point of view of her friend Kitty, who is brought to the castle to be a chamberer to the new queen. Kitty has a love-hate relationship with Cat and is made to cover up most of Cat's treasonous behavior. She is trying to maneuver through the treacherous life at court. Besides being at Cat's beck and call, she has her own love life to deal with. Does she marry the poxy old man her parents have "sold" her too, or sweet William who wants her to leave court and live in the country with him or Edmund, the sneaky friend, with questionable motives, who wants Kitty for less than chivalrous reasons. As Cat's life and lies begin to unravel, Kitty must decide if she will lie to save Cat or tell the truth to save herself. We know how this story ends, it isn't a happy one, but this is a glimpse at just how dreadful life at court was for women. Henry was a man who wouldn't be crossed and once he was, he was unforgiving. Cat was just not up to the challenge of being his queen for many reasons, but she certainly didn't deserve her fate. This was a great taste of this time period with a story line teens will relate to- intrigue, romance, friendship and loyalty. Happy reading my friends.

Seraphina

For the record, I don't like dragon books.That being said, this is a GREAT dragon book. Seraphina is half dragon, half human, an abomination in this world. She has to keep her true self hidden for fear of the repercussions if she doesn't. She has a band of silver scales around her arm and across her back. She  can speak to other half breeds with her mind. She can speak Dragon. Her uncle is a dragon, which are called Saars in this world. When one of the royal families is murdered and dragons are blamed, Seraphina decides to find out on her own if it is true. Dragons are in human form, but they are in a shaky truce with the humans and this murder could set off a war. Helping Seraphina on this quest is Prince Lucian Kiggs, the future husband of Princess Glisselda. Phina is Selda's music instructor and good friend. Do you see the love triangle forming people? Kiggs only wants the truth from everyone and the only thing Phina can't give him is the truth- about who she really is, about her uncle and grandfather, about how she can speak dragon and about how she truly feels about him. There are many fantastic messages in this book about self image, loyalty, friendship and love. I am not sure how this triangle will be resolved as Selda is a totally likeable character, Kiggs a loyal man not willing to break a promise and Phina, a girl just figuring out who she is and what she wants. Phina's uncle Orma is a hilarious character as the dragon who is not supposed to form attachments to humans, but can't help but love his niece. I truly can't wait for the sequel. It was a well written, very clever take on dragons and has possibly made me change my position on dragon books. This is a can't miss friends. So happy reading.

Iron Daughter

I've been on vacation for a week, so I have three books to talk about. The first one is a sequel in the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. Meghan is the daughter of the Summer Fey King, Oberon. She is in love with the Winter Fey Prince, Ash. She is best friends with Robin Goodfellow, otherwise known as Puck. She has just defeated the Iron King and is fulfilling her promise to Ash to attend the Winter Fey's Court. It is forbidden for Winter and Summer Fey to mix and Ash is torn about following this rule. He loves Meghan and she loves him. He is haunted by the death of his last love and is unsure how to proceed with Meghan. So he does the boy thing, where he pushes her away and says mean things to her. When the Iron Fey kill his brother Sage and steal the Sceptor of the Seasons, Meghan and Ash must go on a quest to find it. Robin goes with them and they are met with peril every step of the way. Ash retreats farther and farther from Meghan as Robin gets closer. When Ash is taken over by the Iron Fey, Meghan must find a way to save him before he kills her. This was book two of at least four books and I must say it had a sort of happy ending, which I love. But I know it won't last... Ash turns out to be worthy of the title Prince and Meghan never gives up on him. They will have to find a way to overcome their differences if they want to be together. And what about Robin? I look forward to more time in Fey land.... just don't eat or drink anything while you are there, and never trust those Redcaps. Happy reading my friends.

In the Arms of Stone Angels

Another tricky title- no angels except the ones in the cemetery. Brenna witnessed what she thought was her best friend committing murder. She calls the police and he is locked up. Her mother moves them out of town and she lives with the guilt and shame of her actions. See, White Bird has been locked in a mental ward and won't communicate with anyone. Two years later, they are forced to come back to town to clean out her grandmother's house and she is compelled to go and see White Bird. She has an instant connection to him and sees into his nightmares. Brenna decides she has to find a way to help him. She enlists the help of Joe Sunne, a tribal healer, who tells her she must walk his vision with him and help him find the way out. In the meantime, the real murderers are plotting their revenge on Brenna. She is beaten, kidnapped and almost killed herself as these bullies try and keep her from finding the real truth. To top things off, the sheriff has it out for her, as his nephew is the biggest bully of them all. This was an enjoyable novel with a great Native American feel. Brenna must go on her own vision quest to figure out her true feelings for White Bird and her true feelings about herself. So even there were no angels, this was a good read. Happy reading my friends, I'm off to the beach to read some more. :)

Vixen

My friend gave me this book. If you know me, you know I don't like that. Weird I know. But as I come to the end of my giant pile, I decided to give this one a try. Good call JP! Vixen takes place in the world of the flappers. Complete with speak-easies, gangsters, debutantes, and interracial love stories, this book takes you on one wild ride. It follows the story of three girls, Gloria- the fiance of a prominent society boy, Lorraine, who is in love with Glo's best friend Marcus and Clara who is running from a flapper past that found her in desperate trouble. These girls come together and get torn apart amid the glamour and danger of 20's Chicago. Gloria wants to break free from her loveless engagement and finds herself singing in a speak easy and falling in love with Jerome, an African American piano player. The scandal any of these activities will cause will bring down her family. Lorraine just wants to be noticed and if that means betraying all her friends, then so be it. She finds herself pulled into the world of gangsters and she may have a hard time getting out of it. Clara is pretending to be a good country girl, but her unexpected love for Marcus finds her being drawn back into the flapper world. This was told in alternating chapters and at a rapid pace. It is for an older crowd, but it was interesting to learn about 20's Chicago and how scandalous the flappers were. This is at least a trilogy, with Ingenue being the next in the series. I will be journeying back to the twenties to see how these girls fare as they set off on the next stages of their lives. Happy reading my friends.

The Fear

Charlie Higson's follow up to The Enemy takes place simultaneously with his original story. It follows a different group of kids as they try and navigate zombie filled London. The adults have all turned into flesh eating zombies, the kids are all fighting to survive. Different groups of kids are hiding in some pretty impressive places, the Tower of London, Parliament, the Museum of Natural History and Buckingham Palace. Each is led by a different kid with their own agenda. This book follows DogNut and his band as they try and find the friends they were separated from. Being out on the streets is deadly and as this group makes its way from one end of London to the other, things don't always go as planned. Higson does not have any problem killing off the kids in some fairly gruesome ways. This is not a book for younger kids, it is very gory and violent, as I guess a zombie apocalypse would be. It is interesting to see what each group is focused on. David wants to dominate the country and become it's new King, Nicola wants to win the next election to stay in power with her group, Shadowman just wants to be left alone, and Justin is trying to cure the disease that took all the adults. This is a reflection of where each group hides out. It is also interesting to see the survival of the fittest instinct as often kids are left behind to their own fates, which is never good. Guilt is an emotion most of the kids learn to live with. On top of all that, the zombies seem to be getting smarter and organizing themselves and that can't turn out well for the kids. The book definitely leaves you hanging so I'm sure more zombie terror is going to follow. Happy reading my friends.

Anna Dressed in Blood

What a gem of a little novel! Kendare Blake has created one of my new favorite characters- Cas Lowood, a wise-cracking, self-assured ghost killer. He and his witch mother (literally a witch) travel around the country killing malevolent (love that word) spirits. He has taken over the job his father was doing when he was killed. Cas is onto a famous spirit named Anna Dressed in Blood who has been on a murderous rampage for over fifty years. Cas is fascinated by her, even more so when he meets her and she spares his life. Cas must decide if he really wants to kill her or date her. Ha. Cas is joined by some great characters, his mind reading friend Thomas, Thomas's grandfather, Carmel, the hot popular girl from school and Tybalt, the ghost seeing cat. When several of the high schoolers are ripped apart by a spirit, Cas and the scooby gang (thanks Joss Whedon) must figure out what is really going on. As the group finds out, it's not Anna that's is doing the current damage, but a ghost from Cas's past who has followed Cas to finish the job. Cas must fight his growing feelings for Anna and decide if he is willing to let her go to save himself. I really enjoyed this story only one complaint- the print is in red and my old eyes are not what they used to be. I like the idea and kids will love that. The book had everything a supernatural (not Dean and Sam Supernatural, well maybe) fan will love, scary ghosts, lots of ghost lore, a team of friends working together, a cute, albeit, implausible romance and room for a sequel. Which I have just discovered will be out in August. yay. So if these things are of interest to you,  this is the book to pick up. Happy reading my friends.

Prized

Prized, by Caragh O'Brien is the continuation of the Birthmarked trilogy. I really enjoyed the first one, with it leaving Gaia and her baby sister escaping the Enclave for the Wastelands. This one picks up with her being rescued by Peter and taken to Sylum, a society run by women. These women hold all the power because the men outnumber them by A LOT. They are trying to keep their society alive so all the women are expected to have 10 children each. But girls just aren't being born and many of the men are infertile. Gaia and her sister are taken in and Gaia is asked to change all her beliefs or be punished. Maya is taken away from her and she must find a way to get her back. Whey Gaia helps a girl have a miscarriage, she is locked away until she will tell Olivia, the Matrarc, who it was. Leon also finds his way to Sylum, where he promptly winds up in prison. When he finally gets out, he is furious with Gaia for not helping him. Gaia is torn between Leon, Peter and Peter's brother Will. Too many boys for one girl to handle. The problem is, in this society if a man touches you, it is considered rape. Gaia must combat her feelings for all these boys to figure out many things. How to get her sister back, how to escape Sylum without dying, how to figure out the genetics problem of only boys being born, and how to help the men get a vote in this matriarchal society. Oh, and juggle three difficult boys. This was a great story and I loved all the characters. I can't even do justice to all the subplots in this story- reproductive rights, suffrage, class systems, etc. You really have to read it to get the idea. Gaia is one tough chick. She finds a way to be true to herself and help those around her. Can't wait for book three... girl power! Happy reading my friends.

Unthinkable

Consider this a mini review. This is a 100 page book that took about thirty minutes to read. It is a great book for struggling readers with a short attention span. It moves RAPIDLY and does not involve any tricky plot twists. It is about a boy named Omar who has visions. They will only go away when he writes them down and posts them on Facebook. Unfortunately, as soon as he writes them down, they come true. And these aren't happy stories. He meets another person with the same problem and she tells him she can help him. You know the saying- don't follow the creepy goth girl into the woods. Well, don't feel bad if you don't, I just made it up. This book is quickly resolved and finished. It looks like a more adult book than it is, which struggling readers will like. It is right up some of my students alley. This is part of a series called Night Fall, they aren't connected I don't think, but they would be great books to have on a middle school shelf- for the right audience. They will not challenge your good readers. Happy reading my friends.

Unwelcome

So this is book two of the Archangel Academy series. I read the first one earlier this summer and wondered why a book with this title would be about vampires. Well, in book two the title becomes more clear. The story picks up where the first one leaves off, with Michael and Ronan having returned from sealing their union at the Well. A new headmaster arrives to take the place of the one who had staked himself and lo and behold it is Brania's father David. David is an ancient vampire who wants to find a way for his breed to walk in the sun. He also wants to destroy the water vamps and all they stand for. He spends his time getting his minions in line for the day of the eclipse when his plan will come together. In the meantime, Michael is trying to find his way as a new vampire and to try and find his place by Ronan's side. He wants to be treated as an equal, but Ronan is determined to keep him safe.  Meanwhile, Ronan's mother is looking for a way to be happy and all her children come to the school, which she hates, (not a mother of the year). There is much intrigue as you try to figure out who is on which side and who can be convinced to switch alliances. David is supremely evil and Ronan is unsure how to keep the people he loves safe. Michael finds himself at constant odds with Ronan's need to be in charge and finds temptation with Jean- Paul, his father's new driver. The minor characters, Kano, Phaedra, Fritz and Imogene all have things to deal with as well. As angels start to play a role in this series, I find myself more interested in this series. I like that this book is looking for a different audience that may not have a lot of supernatural books to choose from. Happy reading my friends.

How to Save a Life

Sara Zarr is an author I always like to read. In this novel, the story is told from Mandy and Jill's point of view. Mandy is a pregnant teenager who is looking to give her baby up for adoption. She has been abused by her mother's boyfriend and doesn't know who the father is . Jill has just lost her father and her mother is looking to fill the void by adopting a baby. Mandy finds Jill's mom online and starts the process. She moves in with Jill and her mom and that's when all her lies start to unravel. Jill doesn't trust her and lets her know, often. Jill is still grieving over the loss of her father and has pushed everyone away from her. She is angry and alone and lashes out at everyone. (Yet you still like her!) Mandy is a lost soul, trying to figure out why no one loves her. She isn't sure she even want to give up her baby. This is a heartbreaker of a book. But not to worry- it has a happy ending. Mandy and Jill both take a journey through grief and rebirth to find their way back to themselves. Don't worry- there's a little love story on the way that help Jill realize who she wants to be. I enjoyed reading a book without zombies, supernatural powers, or the apocalypse for a change. I know the girls in my classes will really like this book and I will recommend it wholeheartedly to them. Off to the Archangel Academy for book two- I know- supernatural again- but what's a girl gonna do, the vampires call. Happy reading my friends.

Monument 14

Have you ever had the fantasy of living in a large department store like Target? I mean, if there was a disaster, wouldn't that be the best place to be? On the morning bus ride to school,  Dean's bus is hit with monster sized hail. I mean MONSTER size hail. The bus driver tries to make his way to the Greenway store, the bus tips on it's side and skids to a halt in front of the store. The driver is dead along with several classmates. The younger kids bus is also at the store and that bus driver finds a way to get the kids inside safely. That leaves six high school kids, two eighth graders and six little kids trapped in the store. The bus driver goes for help- and of course you knew this was coming- doesn't come back. The kids are left alone to figure out how to survive when the world seems to have gone mad. A huge tsunami takes out the east coast, a volcano erupts and in Colorado where the kids are, a cloud of toxic gas has been released. The kids need to figure things out- who's in charge, who's going to cook, who's going to be in charge of the little kids and how long will they have to wait it out in the store? It is scary times inside the store, but even scarier outside. Dean has to find his place among the 14 and deal with his huge crush on one of the girls. When some men arrive needing shelter, they have to decide if they should let them in to help. The do decide to let them in, but their original instincts prove right and this sets in motion a not so good chain of events. Do they stay in the store, or make a break for it to Denver where evacuations are taking place? Cliffhanger warning!! I liked this book. It was interesting to see how the kids dealt with their situation and the little kids are kind of hilarious. What would you do in a disaster? I hope I never have to find out. Happy reading my friends!

Shattered Souls

Alden is waiting for Rose to appear. They have been together for hundreds of years and many cycles. They are a Speaker and Protector. They help the Hindered spirits resolve their earthly issues and move on. But this time Rose doesn't remember her former lives. She goes by the name Lenzi now. She has a boyfriend named Zak and she thinks she is going crazy like her father. She is hearing voices and doesn't know why. One night in the cemetery as she is visiting her father's grave, she sees the gray eyed boy from her dreams. He seems to know her by the name of Rose. Even as she tries to push him away and tell him he is crazy, she finds herself thinking about him all the time. Alden tells her who she is and she tries to fight it. She doesn't want to help the dead. She wants the voices to stop. Alden convinces her to help one spirit and she finds she loves it. She also finds herself falling in love with Alden, but he keeps pushing her away. Evidently Rose of the past had made it clear they would never be more than co-workers. Lenzi is having none of that and as she pushes her old boyfriend away, she gets closer and closer to Alden. Of course there is a malevolent spirit haunting her named Smith. Smith is trying to possess Lenzi's body for good. When Alden sacrifices his life to save Lenzi, she must convince the higher powers to spare him. This was an enjoyable book. I think the relationship with Zak was conveniently made to take a bad turn so there was no love triangle of any importance, but it resolved itself nicely. There was room left for a sequel and I would read it. Happy reading my friends.

Michael Vey The Prisoner of Cell 25

Wow- this was a fast one. I picked it up yesterday and finished it this morning. Michael is a 15 year old living in Idaho with his mom. His best friend Ostin (his mom couldn't spell) is a genius. They are bullied at school by Jack and Wade. Michael has a crush on cheerleader Taylor. One day after school the bullies corner Michael and try to pants him. He has had enough and unleashes his power on them. Surprise- he conducts electricity and can shock people. Taylor sees him do this and confronts him. She also tells him that she has similar powers. They find out they are from the 17 children who were present when some hospital equipment malfunctions and are now the 'electric' children. Hatch, head of the Elgin group, wants to collect all the children so he can rule the world. Michael and Taylor are the last two he needed to find. He kidnaps Taylor and Michael's mom and Michael must find a way to get them back. He finds help in the most unlikely places. I really enjoyed this book. Michael is a great character, along with his powers he has Tourette's Syndrome. Ostin is a crack up and uses his brains for good. It was a fast moving story with really short chapters which I think my students will love. It's kind of like the Percy Jackson series without the mythology. It is also very much like X-Men. This is going to be  series and the next book is out in August. I wish I had read this sooner, it's been sitting on my shelf for a while, because I think lots of my students would have loved it. There's always next year, which, unfortunately, is only a few weeks away. I look forward to more adventures with Michael Vey. Happy reading my friends.

Fire Will Fall

I just finished the sequel to Streams of Babel by Carol Plum-Ucci. She sure knows how to tell a tale and still leave you wanting to know more. This sequel follows the story of the Trinity 4 and the two v-spys who saved them. They are recovering in a mansion in the Pine Barrens, when the terrorists decide to try out some new strains of Q3 on the kids. While they try and deal with the sickness they have, they need to decide how they want to live what lives they have left. Cora is trying to deal with her horrible mother issues, Scott needs something to do to keep himself busy, Rain just wants to fall in love and start her "normal" life, Shahzad wants to keep hacking, Tyler wants to be taken seriously and Owen wants to die so he can be with his mother and the Saints. The adults in their lives try their best to help the kids while keeping them alive and safe from the terrorists. They are in peril at all times, if not from outside sources, from the diseases they each carry. As romance blooms, the couples try and figure out how to be together while still being true to themselves. I don't know if there was a happy ending, I am super torn about that. But life doesn't always have happy endings so I guess I'll just have to deal with it. My favorite characters are Scott and Shahzad. They are very interesting and not your typical jock/computer nerds. I don't think there is another book in this series, but I suppose there could be in the future. The bad guys are still out there and the kids all face challenges as they get healthy. Another great read by this fantastic author. Happy reading my friends.

Streams of Babel

I love Carol Plum-Ucci's books. So when I found this one, I was surprised that I had missed it. It is a story of four kids in Trinity Falls, New Jersey, who get sick when the water on their street is poisoned. Cora, Rain, Owen and Scott finds their lives and health turned upside down when terrorists unleash "Red Vinegar' into the pipes on their street. Owen and Scott lose their mother to the sickness and Cora loses her mother. As the four kids are quarantined the USIC races to figure out what the biochemical agent is and how to stop the terrorists from committing another act. Two teenage hackers are helping the government, one in Pakistan- Shahzad and one American - Tyler. They bring Shahzad to the US and he is immediately found out by Tyler. They team up to try and figure out who the terrorists are as they try to protect the Trinity Four. Shahzad wants to be treated like a man and Tyler is trying to make up for the fact that his mother is a spy for North Korea. When they find themselves in the terrorists lair (an apartment) their own lives are compromised by a different biochemical agent. So as the book ends, the four are sent off to an historic mansion in the Pine Barrens to wait out their sickness and Tyler and Shahzad are waiting to see how their own illness will manifest. The story is told in alternating chapters by the 6 characters. All the characters are unique and likeable and you really root for them. One good thing about coming to a series late is that you don't have to wait for the sequel- so I've already started Fire Will Fall. Carol hasn't let me down yet, so I 'm sure it will be another page turner. Check this author out  if you haven't, I would start with the Body of Christopher Creed one of my all time favorites. (I reviewed the sequel recently) Happy 4th and Happy reading my friends!

Rot and Ruin

Holy zombies my friends! If you are a fan of The Walking Dead starring the adorable Andrew Lincoln, you will LOVE this book. It is about Benny and Tom Imura. Their parents were killed on First Night, when the zombies rose. Tom took baby Benny and ran for their lives. Benny thinks this makes him a coward- why didn't Tom go back and save their mother? Now Benny is 15 and has to get a job or have his rations cut in half.  He would rather die than work with Tom, a zombie Bounty Hunter. How could Tom, the coward, be a bounty hunter. He was nothing like Charlie Pink Eye, the most notorious bounty hunter in town. Benny admires Charlie and all his exploits. His best friend Nix, however, can't stand Charlie and neither can Tom. When all other job opportunities fall through, Benny begrudgingly goes to work in the Ruin with Tom to do some 'closure' work. What he sees changes his life and his opinion of his brother forever. When Nix is kidnapped by Charlie, Benny and Tom set off to find her and to find the Lost Girl, who is said to roam the ruins,  where they are faced with death every step of the way. This is a very thought provoking book. It poses the question, who really is the enemy, the dead or the humans who hunt them? Benny thinks he knows his brother and comes to find that Tom is anything but what Benny thought he was. This is really a story of humanity and what it means to be human in a zombie filled world. It is the story of family and bravery and yes a little bit about love. Tom is a fascinating character who shows Benny what it means to be human even when dealing with the undead. I had some tears in my eyes at various points and I didn't expect that. I look forward to Jonathan Maberry's sequel Dust and Decay to see where that jet was going, to see if Nix and Benny can make their romance work, to see if Tom can find some peace and to see if Lost Girl can live in civilization. Well done, well done. Happy reading my friends!

Croak

So I tried to go back to the other book I have been reading, but to no avail. Instead I picked up this little gem by Gina Damico. It is a story about Lex. She is one angry teenager. All of a sudden this straight A student has turned into a truculent, obnoxious brawler. Her parents don't know what to do with her and her twin, Cordy, is beside herself. They decide to send her to live with her Uncle Mort in Croak. She thinks she'll be working on a farm. Guess again! She finds out her uncle is a Grim Reaper and that she  has quite the talent for it herself. She meets lots of interesting people and finally feels like she has found the place she belongs. Along with her partner Driggs, who is of course a super hot guy, they quickly become the best team in Croak. That is, until they start noticing strange deaths that can only be attributed to another Grim. Lex and her friends try and figure out what is happening and wind up in some dreadful situations. This book is filled with humor, which I love. I mean the twins are named after the first battles of the Revolutionary War for goodness sakes! Lex is a smart aleck and her relationship with Driggs is really fun- and at times violent- in a playful way. I have reached that point in my life that I am more interested in her Uncle, who is a fantastic character, than the younguns, but all in all I really enjoyed this book. I look forward to more tales of Uncle Mort and Croak as Lex begins her quest to find a killer. So if you happen to get lost in the town of Croak, prepare to pay a fine and mysteriously be led back on your way. Happy reading my friends.