Winger by Andrew Smith

Ryan Dean, or Winger as he is better known, is just a kid. That's what everyone tells him. He skipped two grades, and ended up at a prestigious boarding school for rich kids. Naturally, he's younger than every other kid in his grade, and tragically younger than his best friend - and object of affection - Annie, who thinks of him as (you guessed it) just a kid.

It helps his rep a little that he's on the Varsity Rugby team, and that he's dorming in the punishment dorm (for hacking a cell phone to wish Annie "Happy Birthday!"). He still doesn't cuss (well, not out loud). He's afraid his new roommate, Chas, will kill him by the end of the semester (there are a lot of ways that one could go). He is also pretty sure the resident girls' counselor is a witch who has it in for him. Sophomore year is shaping up great!

He has one really great thing going for him: he has a great friend in Joey. He's the gay kid on the rugby team, but he's not like trying to make a big thing about it. What's the big deal anyway? Joey is cool, and you stick up for your teammates. Things are actually looking up between he and Annie, and something weird is going on between Ryan Dean and Chas's girlfriend...which can only end in tears and fists and...other bad things.

Why is it so hard to be 14? I mean, he knows he likes Annie, and what the right thing to do is...but knowing and doing are two different things. When Annie invites him to come home with her for the weekend to stay and meet her parents, he's over the moon. This is finally it...isn't it?

Smith does such a masterful job of highlighting the treacherous path we walk during adolescence: everything is such a big deal because we are doing it for the first time. Sometimes making the choice you know is right isn't easy, and life doesn't make it any easier. Hormones on top of all that make slights and joys into betrayals and jubilations. Peppered with authentic dialogue and insight, along with delightful comics and illustrations by Sam Bosma, this is a great coming-of-age novel. I laughed out loud several times.

"'And here's Ryan Dean West. Well, at least, it's the one tiny part of Ryan Dean West that makes him stand out as being so different, the only thing that everyone notices about him. The number fourteen. And you think that makes me so different, like I'm a little kid. But the thing is, everyone has that little part that's outside the overlap of everyone else. And a lot of people zero in on that one little thing they can't get over. Like for Joey, 'cause he's gay, I guess. Some people are better than others about not getting that outside-the-overlap part so noticed, but not me. So that was my wish,'" (Smith pg. 133, 2013).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
Stick by Andrew Smith
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Smith, Andrew. (2013). Winger. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

The first wave was lights out. An EMP takes out all the technology on the planet. The second wave was worse: massive tsunamis across the entire world's coastlines killing millions. The third wave was the worst of all. It had a 97% kill rate. They used the birds to spread an incurable disease. At this point, Cassie isn't sure if there are any humans left out there. The fourth wave is diabolical: the silencers look like people. Humanity doesn't have a chance.

The Others, as Cassie has dubbed them, have taken out nearly seven billion people in about three months. Her family is all gone, dead or taken. She put her brother on a bus hoping to send him to safety, but there's little chance of that. All she has left are her M-16 and her wits. The latter seem less sharp lately, as food is getting more scarce, and the Silencers have the dual purpose of causing paranoia as well as death. She has one goal: if her brother is out there, she's going to find him.

Her brother has been taken to a secret military base and trained to be a soldier. He's not Sammy anymore. Now he's Nugget. He can shoot, he can fight, he can kill...things no seven-year old should know how to do. His Squad may have graduated without him, but that doesn't change the fact that Nugget is a different person. They all are, here underground in Camp Haven. This is the military's answer to the alien threat: they've infiltrated a piece of their technology, and have used it to calculate the effectiveness of each of the soldiers chosen. Will humanity's last chance stand a chance?

Cassie's had her fair share of trouble on the way, but she's coming for Sammy...one way or another.

Yancey does an amazing job with this one. Well-paced, engrossing, well written, great story, and great details add up to a book you don't want to miss. It captures the terror of invasion followed by the desperation of retaliation. This is going to light a spark under the growing alien trend. I can't wait for the sequel!

"We couldn't take them head-on, but we could fight a guerrilla war. We could go all asymmetrical on their alien asses. We had enough guns and ammo and even some transport that survived the 1st Wave. Our militaries had been decimated, but there were still functional units on every continent. There were bunkers and caves and underground bases where we could hide for years. You be America, alien invaders, and we'll be Vietnam. 

And the Others go, Yeah, okay, right. 

We thought they had thrown everything at us-or at least the worst, because it was hard to imagine anything worse than the Red Death. Those of us who survived the 3rd Wave-the ones with a natural immunity to the disease-hunkered down and stocked up and waited for the People in Charge to tell us what to do. We knew somebody had to be in charge, because occasionally a fighter jet would scream across the sky and we heard what sounded like gun battles in the distance and the rumble of troop carriers just over the horizon," (Yancey pg. 47, 2013).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:

The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey (5th Wave, Book 2) Release date: Sept. 16, 2014
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Partials by Dan Wells
Arclight by Josin L. McQuein

Yancey, Rick. (2013). The 5th Wave. New York, NY : G.P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

In a land far away, there are three kingdoms: Sounis, Eddis, and Attolia. They live side by side in a fragile peace. Sounis desires the hand of Eddis in order to fortify his own kingdom against the aggressive Attolia. The Queen of Attolia wishes to take over all three lands. Eddis remains the impartial in-between, desiring not only her own freedom, but the neutrality of her own throne and lands. In the middle of this political turmoil, there is a thief: Eugenides (or Gen).

Gen's mouth has landed him in a bigger batch of trouble than he anticipated: he's landed in the King of Sounis' jail after bragging that he could steal the royal seal. The Magus, the King's most trusted advisor, offers him a deal. If he wants out of jail, he must help them steal the legendary Hamiathes's Gift. The stone is reputed to hold the power to claim the throne of neighboring Eddis. In return, Gen is promised fame...and his life...not really a deal he can turn down.

The party consists of the Magus, himself, two young people Gen has nicknamed Useless the Younger and Useless the Elder, and Pol. Pol, we learn, is the head of a Duke's guard, and tasked to train and guard Useless the Younger (Sophos). On their path, they encounter various trials, but it is the legendary temple where the stone is reported to be held that proves most difficult.

To reach it, they must pass, not only through neutral Eddis, but into aggressive Attolia, risking not only their lives, but war between their countries. All this for a stone that many believe to be a myth. Can Eugenides (Gen) live up to his namesake, the god of thieves?

This is a Newbery Honor book from a while back, and I mistakenly read the fourth book in the series first. I fell in love with it, but was worried I had spoiled it for myself. I waited a year to read this one, and was so enchanted. Turner does a fantastic job with the dialog and the mythology. Spot on, and highly recommended for middle grade readers, or anyone interested in knights, fantasy, and politics.

“'I want you to steal something.'
I smiled. 'Do you want the king's seal? I can get it for you.'
'If I were you,' said the magus, 'I'd stop bragging about that.' His voice grated.
My smile grew. The gold ring with the engraved ruby had been in his safekeeping when I had stolen it away," (Turner, 1996). 

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (The Queen's Thief, Book 2)
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen (The Ascendance Trilogy, Book 1)
The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson 

Turner, Megan Whalen. (1996). The Thief. New York: Greenwillow Books.

More Than This by Patrick Ness

Death is the end. That's what Seth thought when he drown himself. Waking up in this new place that isn't really new is therefore more than a little disorienting. Why is he back in England, in his boyhood home? Why is he seemingly the only human around? All the questions he asks himself seem to come back to: why?

Dust covers everything, and he is covered in tape...but not in the places that he wants to be covered. His first conclusion is that he can only be in hell. Where else could he be? He starts to wander around this wasteland looking for supplies, as regardless of the futility of it, he is hungry and thirsty. The nearby grocery store has more than he needs as far as canned goods go, and the sporting goods place fulfills his need for clothing. Returning to his home, he sees footprints. He can only determine they are his, even if he can't remember his descent down the stairs. Gathering his courage, he ascends and finds what seems to be a coffin.

Eventually, he is joined by two other kids. One is a young French boy, Tomasz. The other is a girl his age, Regine. They rescue him from "the Driver." There is no longer solitude in this place, and his relief is overwhelming. The doubt that tugs at the back of his mind saying, How did they find you at the exact right time? won't quite go away, but this is hell right?

Regine and Tommy aren't of the same opinion, and they don't really like his attitude, but they are so excited to see someone else, they are letting it slide. The most important thing is staying away from the Driver. They know what happens if you don't: he'll kill you. Did I mention all three died before they woke up here? No one fancies dying twice.

Can these three unlikely allies get to the root of this strange new world? Will they discover what the mystery surrounding them truly is? Will Seth come to grips with what led him here in the first place? With this thought-provoking, and suspenseful mystery, Ness just keeps getting better. Existentialism never looked so much like home before. This was short-listed for the Printz award this year, and (even though it didn't win) I think it was well deserved.

"But it didn't make him free.
      He woke up here.
      Here where there is nothing.
      Nothing but a loneliness more awful than what he'd left.
      One that is no longer bearable -- 

He is nearly there. One last turn. One more long street, and he'll reach the base of the hill.
      He turns a corner-- 

And in the distance, far down the road in front of him, he sees a black van.
      And it's moving," (Ness pg. 162, 2013). 

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking, Book 1)
Genesis by Bernard Beckett
Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedwick

Ness, Patrick. (2013). More than this. Somerville, Mass: Candlewick Press.

The Apothecary by Maile Meloy

When a series of unfortunate events related to the Cold War force Janie and her family to move to London, the last thing she expects to find is adventure at the pharmacy. Of course, it's London, so they call it the apothecary shop. (One must admit, that does sound a little better.) Her first day of school does not go well, until of course, it does. She meets Benjamin who dreams of being a spy, and he turns out to be the son of the apothecary.

They make plans to spend the day together, and what she assumes will be a date quickly turns into a stake out. There's something fishy going on in the park with the Russian who passes messages out by the chess tables. Benjamin is determined to put a stop to his plan.

Things get dangerous quickly as the two are thrown into a plot much more dangerous than they could have imagined. Soon Benjamin's father has disappeared, they are being threatened, and mysterious people are telling them that Benjamin's father - known as the Apothecary - is actually a powerful alchemist using secrets passed down in an ancient book known as the Pharmacopoeia! Could this really be true?

A group of alchemists have been working to oppose the nuclear threat, but going public with their plan would only put them at greater risk. They had all planned to meet at a test site to see if their preparations could be used to stop such an attack, but with key members of the group missing, the plan may be ruined!

Can Benjamin and Janie manage to bring together the scattered group before it's too late? Do the alchemists have what it takes to prevent nuclear war? Does the Pharmacopoeia really hold such amazing secrets?

Whimsical and flawlessly written, I couldn't put it down. Very inventive and fun to read middle grade fiction. Recommended for 4-6th grade readers. This could fall into several categories: historical fantasy, alternative history, magical realism. I love a good story that captures me and makes me forget the outside world, and this did exactly that. I read it in one sitting, and am looking forward to reading the sequel! The pictures, too, are delightful.

"'Why does my father have a book of phony magic spells?' Benjamin asked.
'They aren't spells,' the gardner said. 'It's the Pharmacopoeia, a book of medicines, or it was originally. Many of the processes in the book began as methods of healing, many generations ago: How to close a wound? How to combat sickness in the human body? Those were the original questions, but in certain minds they took unexpected directions, having to do with the fundamentals of matter. Just as cave drawings led to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, early medicine led to the Pharmacopoeia. The world is made up of atoms, which can be influenced and masked and even rearranged, by someone with the necessary skills,'" (Meloy pg. 72, 2011). 

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:

The Apprentices by Maile Meloy (Apothecary, Book 2)
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
The Water Castle by Megan Frazer Blakemore

Meloy, Maile. (2011). The Apothecary. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shephard

If you are familiar with the story of Dr. Moreau, then that saves us some trouble. He was accused of heinous crimes of butchery in the medical community when his experiments went past the limits of decorum and modern societal standards. Run out of London, he left behind a wife and daughter. Left to bear the brunt of his shame, there were few options left to them, and soon the daughter was alone.

One misfortune led to another, until Juliet Moreau, only daughter of a supposed madman, is out on the street. No job, no where to go, and in fear of her next action. It is then that a figure from her past seems to come to save her: Montgomery, the boy she grew up with, and always cherished. He is in London on her father's business, and she begs to be taken with him.

Reluctantly, he concedes and they set out for the island. On their sea voyage, they encounter a shipwrecked man barely clinging to life. Juliet again convinces Montgomery to let him join them. To this, Montgomery takes a stronger stance to the contrary, but eventually relents. None are sure how the Doctor will take all this, but Juliet hopes for the best. She has not seen her father for years, never received a letter, nothing. How will he take her sudden appearance?

Arriving on the island she is struck by the queerness of the islanders. Each has something not quite right about them, even if she can't quite point out what it may be. Her father is ever the same, and spends most of his time in his lab. She is unable to bring herself to admit what may or may not be happening in his lab, and fears what it means that his blood runs through her veins.

This is compounded by the confusion she feels whenever she spends any amount of time in close proximity to either Edward or Montgomery. The former throws her off guard, and unsettles her, but she is drawn to him in a way that both scares and excites her. There is a darkness in him that calls to her own. Montgomery is the boy she has always wanted, but is he still that person? Does he even want her?

An interesting take on the traditional tale of Dr. Moreau, and planned to be a series, I always enjoy strong female characters. Juliet was raised with medical knowledge. Despite her hard knock life, she has found a way to survive. She rejects out of hand her father's idea that a man will come along and save her. (Admittedly, this is due in part to her own insecurity.) When faced with something she finds to be wrong, she does what she can to make it right. She is far from an Amazon, but there is a quiet strength that I enjoyed. Fans of romance will enjoy that aspect in this title as well.

“I rested my forehead against the wall and closed my eyes. It wasn't just my curiosity, or my fascination with anatomy, or how I could unhesitatingly chop a rabbit’s head off with an ax when a roomful of boys couldn’t. Those things were all symptoms of the same sickness - a kind of madness inherited from my father. It was a dangerous pull in my gut drawing me toward the dark possibilities of science, toward the thin line between life and death, toward the animal impulses hidden behind a corset and a smile,” (Shephard, 2013).

*Library Link*

If you liked these, check out:
Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shephard (Madman's Daughter, Book 2)
Control by Lydia Kang
The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells

Shepherd, M. (2013). The madman's daughter. New York: Balzer + Bray.

Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick

2073: Eric has come to Blessed Island to research the rumor that the inhabitants seem to be living for an excessively long time. There is no evidence to support this claim, and yet, the rumor persists. It is believed to have something to do with the Dragon Orchids that grow exclusively on the island.

Upon his arrival, it seems clear this is not a normal place. No cars, no internet, no hotel even! The inhabitants of the small island are very hospitable, and even provide him with a place to stay, and food to eat, free of charge. The youngest person he meets, Merle, looks to be around his age. There are no children whatsoever. He also can't seem to find any sign of the orchids he has heard so much about. Strangest of all, he seems unconcerned about it. His mind grows foggy at times, and he forgets what he has come to the island to do entirely. The charger for his device (containing all his notes for work) has disappeared. Something isn't right.

Time continues to roll backwards through the book. Our next vignette is from 2011. Same island, different characters..but there seems to be something familiar.

We go back once more to 1944: the war is on - while the island itself remains neutral - no one is safe form the violence. A lost pilot is rescued by a reluctant family. Again there is familiarity, in a name, in an action.

1902: The turn of the century brings us to the home of a young girl and her mother, known for her skill in preparing medicines and potions from herbs. Primarily she used the dragon orchid. One day while gathering them, her daughter strays to an enormous house. She is warned to stay away, but that only makes her want to go more. Inside is a famous painter, and his final masterpiece. It depicts the sacrifice for which the island is named: blessed by blood. A king sacrificed himself for the good of his people. Again there is familiarity.

As we continue to follow these characters through time, we begin to see patterns emerging. The writing is compelling, but also hauntingly beautiful. The story is complex, but not to the point of confusion. The mystery unfolds slowly giving you time to draw your own conclusions, and I admit, it sparked my curiosity to do further research into the culture and mythology. When I finished the last page, I wanted to start it again. I don't know of higher praise. It was announced (yesterday) that this book won the 2014 Prinz for Excellence in Young Adult Fiction, and I couldn't agree more.

"'The theme is old, but not outdated,' he explained, feeling bewildered. 'And it refers to the island, this island, whose very name is written in blood!'
'Really?' said one of the men.
'Indeed. People think the name of this island means "blessed," and so it does, but "blessed" does not mean what people think it does. In the old tongue it was bletsian and before that blotsian, and before that, just blod. It means sacrifice.
Sacrifice.
'To bless means to sacrifice, and in blood,'" (Sedgwick pg 164, 2013).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
She is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick (April 2014)
Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick
More Than This by Patrick Ness
The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan

Sedgwick, M. (2013). Midwinter blood. New York: Roaring Brook Press.