Tokyo Heist by Diana Renn

Violet is spending the summer with her dad in Seattle. A whole summer away from her mother who will be working on a fellowship in Rome. After some serious "irresponsible dad" antics, she finds her way to his art show. Some "awkward dad" introductions occur, and then she meets the Yamadas. They are big fans of her father's work, and have the pocketbook to back it up. They are owners of a large corporation in Japan, and tell Violet of the tragic art theft that has befallen them: the loss of three van Gogh sketches.

She's hooked. This smells like a mystery! Next, the Yamadas invite both Violet and her father to spend the summer in Japan! He will be working on a commissioned mural, and she will be helping in the museum. Can this really be happening? The first thing Violet wants to do is share the news with her best friend/ crush Edge. Since she can't do that, she takes a page from her manga-in-progress heroine Kimono Girl, and starts looking for clues. So far the suspects include her dad's girlfriend Skye, the gallery owner Margo, and her assistant Julian. They all knew about the art and the theft.

Edge and Violet are on the case. They follow Skye around one day, filming her for evidence. While they eventually come to realize she's not a real suspect, they do get footage of some real creeps (also following her). Not to mention the broken glass at her dad's place. She just knows they are related. Then she has a fight with Edge, and it seems like things between them are just as broken. How can she keep her feelings for him a secret, but still be his friend?

Violet puts her energy into Japan instead. An attack on Julian makes everything more complicated. The FBI is on the case, and it seems the yakuza (read Japanese mafia) are making threats on the Yamada family. They want the painting created from the sketches, the one Mr. Yamada's brother hid before he died. This is way bigger than just a case of stolen art. It seems hopeless, but Violet reunites with her bestie Reika (also summering in Japan), and they resolve to find the lost painting.

She stumbles on more clues while working for the Yamadas in their gallery archives. She and Reika are getting closer and closer to discovering what really happened all those years ago. This mystery with unfolds with twists and turns, and a bit of international flair. Fans of anime, manga, and Japanese culture will be especially entertained. Highly recommended!

"'There might be a clue,' I say. 'Kenji mentioned something about a picture of ayu. That's a river trout, I think.'
'Right.' Reika nods. 'A freshwater delicacy. They're popular to eat in the summer.'
'Okay, so Tomonori Yamada was an amateur artist, and when they found his body on the tracks, the only thing in his briefcase was a drawing he did, showing two ayu. They thought it was a clue as to why he killed himself, like he couldn't live because he couldn't be an artist. But you know what? I don't think he really killed himself. Someone could have pushed him off that platform, and taken his shoes and socks off to make it look like a suicide," (Renn pg. 145, 2012).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:

Heist Society  by Ally Carter (Heist Society, Book 1)
The Grimm Legacy by Polly Schulman
Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett

Renn, Diana. (2012). Tokyo Heist. New York: Viking.

Harbinger by Sara Etienne

Faye can't believe her father made her come out to this horrible school. It's practically an institution, and she isn't crazy. At least, she doesn't think so? With the visions of drowning getting worse, she isn't really sure anymore.

Now she's stuck here at Holbrook Academy. They should just call it "Academy for Deliquents and Crazies" as far as she's concerned. Maybe she belongs here, but she knows that nothing this Dr. Mordoch does is going to help. Faye isn't like the others. She wants it to all be in her head, but when she looks into people's eyes she can see right into their secrets.

Her first night in the Academy, she sneaks out the window. The room is stifling like a cage. The drugs they gave her to sleep are pulling at her brain, making everything fuzzy. She manages to make her way down to the courtyard (avoiding security) and goes exploring. The closer she gets to the Compass Rose on the cliff, the more it seems like there is music playing. It gets louder, sounding somehow familiar. Are those people in the distance...dancing? Seven people around a bonfire?

Faye awakes on the edge of the roof...not good. The other "students" are arriving, and she makes her way back to her room. There is a scuffle, and she is caught. Not before, however, she makes her way back to the spot in the woods, and discovers six statues. Six, not seven.

After it becomes apparent that this school is a barely concealed prison, the group she's assigned to becomes a sort of family. Their bond is strengthened with their secret. Each morning they wake with red clay covering their hands, with no recollection of how it got there. The mystery deepens when they sneak out one night to explore the Compass Rose once again. What they find there disturbs them deeply. It brings Faye and Kel closer together in a way that she never believed possible, but it also threatens to tear them apart. It brings a darkness that threatens everyone. The secret of the island, and the key to the Harbinger is a twist you won't believe. As the mystery unfolds, each piece falls into place at just the right moment.

I'm one of those people who guesses the ending way before it happens, and this had me going for a while. It had plenty of foreshadowing, but it was a very satisfying read. Equal parts mythology and mystery, this is a great first effort for Etienne.

"I closed my eyes and kissed him back. But I was falling too fast. I couldn't stop. Images swarmed past me. Dizziness tried to pull me under and suddenly the world went dark. I tried to pull away from Kel's grip, but he wasn't there anymore. It was like what'd happened with Dr. Mordoch. Blurry shadows morphed until they finally solidified into a scene in front of me.

I was running. Dodging past branches and tree trucks. Up ahead, a girl fled through the dark forest.

I can't lose her.

The thought wasn't mine. I knew it was Kel's, the same way I'd known his smell and his taste. His thrill of adrenaline surged into me," (Etienne pg. 174, 2012).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong (Darkest Powers, Book 1)

The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

Etienne, Sara W. (2012). Harbinger. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Wonder Show by Hannah Barnaby

Portia falls into that category of girls who are considered woebegone. Having been orphaned (of a sort) at a young age, and sent off to live with Mister at McGreavey's Home for Wayward Girls, she was never accustomed to a typical household. Her father left after a chance encounter with a travelling circus when she was nine, and after her less-than-favorable treatment at Mister's hands, she longs to follow in his footsteps. She vows to stay in Mister's care, however, until she can find her "File." It is rumored to contain information about the whereabouts of her extended family, and possibly the location of her father.

Then something happens to move up the timeline. No longer can Portia stay with this odious man, and plots her escape. Fortuitously, she receives a card showing the next several stops of the circus, and makes her way there to meet them.

Encountering the circus folks, she is enchanted by their way of life. Portia is recruited to work on the Midway as a "talker" due to her natural propensity for storytelling. Jackal, known as "the best talker in the game" takes her on as his assistant. Her job will be to talk up the side show, better known as "The Freaks": the Wild Albinos of Bora Bora, the Bearded Lady, the World's Smallest Man, and Irish Giant, the Fat Lady (800 lbs)...and last but not least, the Siamese Dancing Twins (did we mention they dance in the nude?)

Portia reveals that some of her motivation for joining up was to look for her long-lost father. It stands to reason, as he left so soon after visiting the circus with her all those years ago. While she may not have always harbored desires of joining the circus, she truly enjoys it. This misfit group of weirdos starts to feel like a family. Until that day when Mister's goons show up to take her back...

This is a fun, whimsical novel with elements of darkness, full of the weird and wonderful. If you like quirky, this could be for you. It has elements of historical fiction that keep this story grounded, and also lend an air of believability to a ridiculous setting. Recommended for high school.

"'Doesn't matter, my dear. What matters is what we say we have, and how well we say it. Remember that when you're on the line.'

'The what?'

'The stage, my dear!' He dropped his arm from her shoulders and clapped his hands. 'You are now in the noble business of the ballyhoo.' Then he reached for her hand, shook it, and announced, 'We start in the morning," (Barnaby pg. 101, 2012).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:

Geek Love by Katherine Dunn

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

Barnaby, Hannah R. (2012). Wonder Show. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (Mortal Instruments, Book 1)

It's just a normal night at the Pandemonium Club. Clary and her best friend Simon are regulars. But tonight, something's off. Clary sees some suspicious looking people running into the back, and she follows them. What she witnesses defies explanation...as the dead body of some guy just disappears after three tattooed teenagers kill him! She is even more confused on why she's the only one who can see them, but that isn't the last time she sees them.

After a fight with her mom, she and Simon hit the local diner, and who should she see but the boy from the other night: the hottie with curly blonde hair. No sooner does she confront him than she receives a panicked call from her mother. Rushing home, she comes face to face with a demon, and manages to kill it, but is injured.

It was a Ravener demon, she learns later, as they begin to explain everything to her. The teens she saw are Shadowhunters: decendents of the Angel Raziel. They call themselves Nephilim, and are sworn to protect our world from demons, and other supernatural threats. Clary can only see them because she has the Sight that allows her to see through glamours. Suddenly a whole new world is opening up to her, and she's not sure if she likes it.

Most of all, she wants to find her mom. The demon that attacked her mentioned the name Valentine, and the Shadowhunters are familiar with him. Apparently, he once led an attack on the Clave who runs the Shadowhunters with a group of followers called The Circle. They also seem to think that her mother was one of them, and that she was married to Valentine! How could her mother have hidden so much from her?

With no place to go, she stays at the Institute with the Nephilim. As time passes, she begins to befriend Jace, Isabelle, and Alec...but it is clear that she feels a connection with Jace. She is drawn to him, like no one she's ever known. Could she really be a Shadowhunter? Does she want to be part of this world? Days pass, and the chances of finding her mother seem hopeless at times. Will they ever find Valentine?

I admit, I dragged my feet on reading this one. My teens love it, so I hardly ever have to push it. It sells itself to boys and girls alike, but I wasn't feeling too hot and ended up blazing through the first three books in one day. That should tell you something: I couldn't put it down. This is coming out as a movie in 2013, and I recommend it to fans of the growing "fallen angel" trend. But don't worry, there are plenty of werewolves, vampires, and fairies too.

“'Don't stop there. I suppose there are also, what, vampires and werewolves and zombies?'
'Of course there are. Although you mostly find zombies farther south, where the voudun priests are.'
'What about mummies? Do they only hang around Egypt?'
'Don't be ridiculous. No one believes in mummies,'” (Clare, 2007). 

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (Mortal Instruments, Book 2)

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (Infernal Devices, Book 1) Prequel series to Mortal Instruments

Fallen by Lauren Kate (Fallen, Book 1)

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (Hush, Hush, Book 1)

Clare, Cassandra. (2007). City of Bones. New York: M.K. McElderry Books.

Unwholly by Neal Shusterman (Unwind series, Book 2)

SPOILER ALERT: This is the second book in a series!

It's been a year since the Admiral left Connor in charge of the Graveyard. In that time, he's learned a lot about the Anti-Divisional Resistance's disorganization, miscommunication, and general lack of support for it's rescuees. While the incident at Happy Jack Harvest Camp gained support for unwinds initially, the backlash has been severe from people who have made unwinding into big business.

New legislation is passed preventing 17-year olds from being unwound, but in response, marketing campaigns are revved up to encourage people to unwind their children "for the good of society". The text is interspersed with advertisements encouraging "the divided state" and the role of helping other injured humans.

Much like its predecessor Unwind, Shusterman follows the story of several characters on their path to being unwound. Miracolina is a tithe: born to provide harvestable parts for her older brother, she has always known her destiny. She looks forward to being unwound, and even spurns her parents when they begin to doubt their decision. The biggest shock comes when she is kidnapped the day before her procedure, and whisked away to a facility keeping tithes from being unwound. Their "patron saint" is none other than Lev! While the other kids at the secret facility are for the most part happy to be free, Miracolina is resistant to all their "anti-brainwashing" techniques. She truly believes in the sacrifice for her brother, and you begin to be sympathetic to her point of view.

Starkey is a stork. He was left on the doorstep of a family, and by law, they were forced to raise him. Never one to be subservient, he has always held a certain amount of resentment for his so-called family. He didn't make much of an effort to stay on their good side, and was always teased as a child. As he grew into adolescence, he made an effort to be too big and mean to tease, but he's still surprised when they come to take him away. Channelling Connor, he shoots his Juvenile Officer with his own gun and manages to escape. He finds his way to the resistance, and to the Graveyard. There he begins his insidious, cunning rise to power, creating a "Stork Club" and building a group of kids loyal to him by playing on their insecurities as storked children.

Camus Comprix (read: Caymoo Compree), or Cam, is a composite human created exclusively of unwound parts from 99 different unwinds. He is made up of the smartest, fastest, most diverse group imaginable to become the ultimate new advancement in medical science. While he embodies all the elements of unwinding, he is also an abomination to many. His face is a literal quilt of different skin colors, and his first conscious moments are an exercise in patience as his mind begins to make connections between all his neural pathways. He has existing knowledge from the previous owners of his elements, but he must learn how to access this knowledge. Roberta is his mother, his teacher, his confidante in this endeavor, and she acts as his handler to the rest of the world. It is she that introduces him to the media.

My typical synopsis would give too much away. These character sketches will have to do enough to intrigue you. READ THIS BOOK! You won't be disappointed. All your favorites are back too: Connor, Risa, Lev, and even Roland play parts. The way this story begins to unfold puts a new spin on the value of human life. What is it that makes us human exactly?

“The sad truth about humanity, Risa was quick to realize, is that people believe what they're told. Maybe not the first time, but by the hundredth time, the craziest of ideas just becomes a given,” (Shusterman, 2012).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:

UnStrung by Neal Shusterman (Unwind series, Book 1 1/2) Only released in eBook format!

UnSouled by Neal Shusterman (Unwind series, Book 3) Expected publication 10/15/13

Variant by Robison Wells

Partials by Dan Wells

Shusterman, Neal. (2012). UnWholly. New York: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers.