Ripper

This novel by Stefan Petrucha brings Jack the Ripper to New York. To find his son. Interesting play on history. Carver Young is an orphan who is adopted by the head of the New Pinkerton Agency when the orphanage closes. Albert Hawking takes Carver under his wing to make him into a great detective. When Carver discovers that a letter his father wrote matches the handwriting of Jack the Ripper, the game is afoot. Carver is joined by gal pal Delia and former enemy Finn on a chase through New York to hunt down the Ripper. Along the way he meets Teddy Roosevelt, the commissioner of the police department an his daughter Alice, who just may wind up the next victim of the Ripper. Carver is a very clever young man and is able to take his father on in a daring train adventure. Of course, all is not as it seemed and his father is more cunning than anyone thought. I enjoyed this book, it was an old fashioned type story. The inventions described were so interesting and some were actually real and way before their time.The end left room for a sequel, will I be compelled to read another- jury is out on that one, but I don't regret the time spent with Carver and his gang. I love historical fiction. So, as Memorial Day comes to a close, I say Happy Reading my friends and thanks to all who serve to keep us safe and able to spend a weekend reading.

Bitterblue

Sigh. It's been a month since my last post. End of the school year is crazy. I started another book and was enjoying it and then I walked through the Target teen book section and my eyes fell on Bitterblue. I have been waiting... and waiting for this book. I put it in my cart, even though I don't usually pay full price for  books, and promptly went home and started. I LOVE THIS SERIES. If you haven't read Graceling or Fire by Kristen Cashore, start there. This is the story of Bitterblue, Queen of Monsea. She is the daughter of the BEYOND evil King Leck. He is gone when this book starts, you have to read the other books to find out how. Bitterblue is trying to figure out her kingdom which has suffered from 35 years of mind control and horror. Nothing is as it seems. Who can she trust? The amazing characters of Po and Katsa are key players in this book as they help Blue try and work out what has happened and how to fix it. Death (pronounced Deeth) the librarian is trying to recreate all the books Leck had destroyed. Her advisor Thiel is hiding horrible secrets. And as she is running around the city disguised as a boy ( as many queens seem to do) she meets Teddy and Saf. Saf.... yes, the newest addition to my favorite fictional boy list... who helps Sparks (her alias) roam the city looking for answers, until he finds out she is the Queen. Then... well you know the rest, he feels betrayed, they fight, etc. All the while Blue is intrigued by the wall hanging of a woman with the most fantastic red hair... yes- Fire makes an appearance in this book. She is old now and still married to sigh again... Brigan. She helps Blue realize her potential. Other great characters live in the pages of this book, Giddon, Helda, and all the others who are on Blue's side. I wish you would just pick up one of these books and start. You will love the characters and the genius way they are all intertwined. I now begin the long wait for a sequel or companion book. I know it must be coming... I need a happy ending. Four more days of work, then a summer of books begins again. The pile is high and will bring the return of Jace and Clary, John Haydon of Abandon, Luce and Daniel and Tris. For now, I return to Ripper. Happy reading my friends!

Partials

Kira lives in a world where 99.9% of the population has been killed by a disease. The country has just lost a war to an engineered species called Partials who turned on the humans. Only a handful of humans are living on Long Island under increasingly harsh conditions. And worst of all- no one is able to keep new babies alive- they die as soon as they are born. The Senate has implemented the Hope Act- which makes it a law for everyone who is sixteen to be pregnant as often as possible. A splinter group called the Voice is viciously opposed to this act and actively fights the Senate. Along with the impending Partial attacks, all is not well in Kira's world. Kira is a medic and works in the hospital. When her best friend gets pregnant, Kira is determined that Madison's baby will live. She convinces her friends to help her capture a Partial so she can study it's blood and come up with a cure for RM. Of course, she runs into many obstacles and learns some terrifying things about the Senate, the Partials and even herself. Who is she? What does her blood tell her? And who are her real enemies? When she meets Samm- a Partial, she must decide who to trust. This was a good book. It was an interesting take on what a society would do in the face of impending extinction. It leaves you hanging in the end with the promise of an inevitable love triangle in the future as Kira decides where she fits in and what she wants from life. She leaves on a quest to discover the truth behind the disease and the company who may have created it- and her. Happy reading my friends!

The Monstrumologist

This book has left me puzzled. It took me a while to finish it and I think I only did that to see if I could. I wanted to love it. I don't think I do. It is about Will Henry, an orphan, who lives with Dr. Pellinore Walthrop- a monstrumologist. They go on a hunt to track down a pack of Anthropophagus- headless creatures who feast on humans. It is violent and extraordinarily bloody for a YA book. It is also not an easy read, and I find it hard to imagine which of my students could make it through and understand it. I think Jack the Ripper is in the story as a fellow monster hunter. I like Will Henry, he is an engaging character. I like monster books. But something isn't sitting right with this one for me. I'm glad I'm done, I won't read the sequel and I'm ready to move on to something more pleasant- like dystopian fiction. Because even I, who has read it all, found parts of this book stomach turning. Step lively Will Henry Snap to! and Happy reading my friends.

The Apothecary

I don't know if I've said this before, but I hate reading books people recommend. Weird- I know. So sometimes in my book club, I get passive aggressive and don't read the book. Yes- hypocritical for someone who is recommending books all the time. I decided to man up and read this book. We are meeting on Monday, so I sat down and opened up the book to read it. And was pleasantly surprised. Maile Meloy wrote a great little novel. It is the story of Janie- who is forced to flee America to London with her "communist" parents in 1952. She meets the son of the Apothecary and finds him interesting. Benjamin wants nothing to do with his father's business, he wants to be a spy. Well- be careful what you wish for. Janie and Benjamin get wrapped up in a bit of international intrigue, including finding a way to stop an atom bomb. Along the way they meet Pip, get arrested and turn both invisible and into birds. "After all, its important to allow for possibilities" This is a charming book, the action never stops. The characters are very entertaining. The magic is fun and the hopefulness of the story is inspiring. Janie and Benjamin are quite a team and if you allow for possibilities, you will enjoy it too. I suppose it could have a sequel, but it doesn't need it. It was a great way to sneak some history in when you aren't looking. Happy reading my friends.

Dead to You

Lisa McMann is one of those writers who makes it easy to read her books. Dead to You is no exception. It is the story of Ethan De Wilde, who was abducted when he was seven. Nine years later, he finds his way home to his family. One problem, he doesn't remember the first seven years of his life or his abduction. And he is strangely protective of the woman who raised him. Ethan tries to find where he fits in this family, trying to reconnect to his little brother and new sister. He goes back to school and makes friends with his neighbor, who he falls for- after all they used to take baths together. He tries hard to remember things about his life before. His brother Blake, though, starts to suspect Ethan isn't who he says he is. As tensions rise between Ethan and Blake and his relationship with Cami takes off- a shocking discovery is made. I will leave you there. Just like Lisa McMann does!! This was a fun, fast, read, that really kept me questioning what Ethan's motives were and whether or not I liked him. Puzzling. I loved the character of Gracie, Ethan's precocious little sister, and she's the one I worry about at the end. I'm hoping this isn't the end of this story, but it could be. If you like this one, check out her Wake trilogy or the creepy Cryer's Cross. Happy Easter and happy reading my friends.

Infamous

Right off the bat- I love this series. It started with Infinity and then came Invincible and the newest installment in the Chronicles of Nick is Infamous. This is the story of Nick Gautier, a poor kid from New Orleans who just happens to be the heir to the most evil demon dynasty know to - well- everyone. His father is the evil Malachai, who is dead set on killing Nick so he can absorb his powers. Nick is surrounded by an amazing cast of characters. His fiercely protective mom, his girlfriend Kody, his protector Caleb, his boss, Kyrian, his friends Ash, Mark and Bubba, and the mysterious Ambrose. They are all trying to keep Nick from becoming evil. Of course, not all motives are pure and you just aren't sure who is really on Nick's side. I don't know which character I love the best- sometimes it's his Dark Hunter boss, Kyrian, sometimes it's Caleb, a VERY old demon who is posing as his high school friend and sometimes it is Ash, another VERY old vampire. Then there is Bubba- a genius disguising himself as a good ole' New Orleans boy. Nick is the subject of ridicule and scorn at his school because he is poor. His mother is always on his case to not fight and he finds himself constantly grounded- usually unfairly. In this story, someone is turning the students against each other with vicious gossip, Adarian is trying to kill Nick and Noir is looking for Nick so he can enslave him. Then you have Kody, who is trying to figure out if she loves Nick or if she needs to kill him. This book is filled with great messages about gossip, self respect and standing up for what is right. It also lets kids know they are not alone in their suffering. I am a huge fan of this series and eagerly await the next one- so hurry up Ms. Kenyon! Happy reading my friends!