Suddenly in Love, Julia London

Release Date:  April 2016

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Protagonist:  Mia Lassiter Struggling Artist; Everett Alden, Rock Star

The Story:  When Mia's dreams of living an artist's life are crushed, she heads home to East Beach to get her feet back on the ground.  Working as an interior designer is not Mia's idea of an artist's life, but you do what you have to do to make ends meet, right?  Supervising the renovations of a lovely, old home, Mia meets Brennan.  It's clear that Brennan's life has been hard, and despite the combination of a rough personality, Mia sees within Brennan a similar desire to live for his art.  Mia has no idea that Brennan is actually Everett Alden, a world famous musician who most people would recognize in a heartbeat.  Everett's in hiding after a devastating loss, and each day with Mia brings him out of the shadows and into a healthier state of being.  Nothing gold can stay, however, and when the media discovers Brennan's true identity, his relationship with Mia is at risk.

Reaction:  Suddenly in Love was a beautiful story, and although the plot and characters are familiar archetypes, Ms. London brings something new to the genre.  Mia's personal challenges with her hometown are disturbing, and while I appreciate that the character got some kind of satisfaction (albeit many years later), I feel like Mia's issue regarding her teenage experience was left unresolved.  Many people don't fully resolve their issues, however, so I can see that Mia's journey to healing is still in the works.  I loved the interaction between Mia and Brennan, and I felt like both characters were realistic.  How would a famous rock star deal with fame?  How would a rock star deal with a relationship that was born out of the spotlight?  How would a "regular" person deal with a relationship with someone who can never really be out of the spotlight?  No one really knows how a person would respond in this scenario, but I think Ms. London was pretty spot-on in the plot development of Suddenly In Love.

If You Liked...  Suzanne Brockmann's Heart Throb or some of Linda Howard's early works, then Suddenly In Love is one to add to your TBR stack!

Rating:  4

The Only Thing to Fear by Caroline Tung Richmond

Release Date:  September 2014

Genre: dystopian/speculative fiction

When and Where:  near future, in an alternative world where the Axis powers won World War II

Protagonist:  16 year old Zara

The Story:  80 years following World War II, the former United States is occupied by Nazi soldiers who enforce the will of the Fuhrer.  Hitler's super-soldiers, genetically altered in a timely fashion that allowed the Axis powers to crush the Allies, are feared and respected.  Zara, only 16 years old, lives with her uncle.  She desperately misses her mother, who died in an act of rebellion.  When Zara witnesses a terrible act against a beloved family friend, she joins the resistance, determined to remove the Nazi government from power and ensure a different future for those she loves.  Added by an unlikely ally, Zara has a secret she's ready to use to support her cause.

Reaction:  At times disturbing and distressing, The Only Thing to Fear is a wildly imaginative speculative fiction novel that mixes history, science fiction, and hints of romance.  At times the novel read like an X-Men comic book, but I enjoy that style of writing, so I found the tale very entertaining.  There were some similarities to The Hunger Games (is Zara similar to Katniss, or what?), but I think fans of the genre will appreciate more of this type of character. 

If You Liked...  The Hunger Games and Among the Hidden, then The Only Thing to Fear is right up your alley.

Rating:  4

Teacher Notes: n/a

Nest by Esther Ehrlich

Release Date:  September 2014

Genre: Historical Fiction

When and Where:  Cape Cod, 1972

Protagonist:  Naomi "Chirp" Orenstein, 11 years old

The Story:  Noami "Chirp" Orenstein has a great life; a psychiatrist father, a dancer mother, and a great older sister, plus the comfort of the Cape and the wild birds who live there.  When Chirp's mother is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and her dancing career is derailed, the entire family is thrust into turmoil.  Chirp's closest friend is Joey, the boy across the street, and their on-again, off-again friendship is put to the test when a tragedy involving Chirp's mother occurs.  Life will never be the same for Chirp or her family, but love and friendship can help with healing.

Reaction:  I loved Nest!  The characters are fascinating, and the historical setting puts the reader back into the past in such a way that allows the reader to understand the social dynamics of the time period.  For example, the implications of being Jewish in a mostly Christian area, the way people might turn a blind eye against domestic violence, and the way depression has been stigmatized are all issues addressed in a period-specific manner.  Chirp's passion for wild birds is an essential part of her character, and the author artfully drops in facts about the native birds in a way that helps tell Chirp's unique story.

If You Liked...  Nest is really quite incomparable, as it it quite unique.  If you liked Countdown, then Nest will be a good fit for you!

Rating:  4

Teacher Notes: This novel addresses depression and loss; teachers should offer this book in a sensitive manner.  Nest would also be a nice book for counselors to use in small groups.

Ghosting by Edith Pattou

Release Date:  August 2014

Genre: Contemporary, Free Verse

Protagonist:  A ensemble cast of characters

The Story:  Told from the perspectives of an ensemble cast of characters, Ghosting is the tale of a group of high school students and their experiences when joyriding and a prank go terribly awry.  Each character is an archetypical character - the jock, the good girl, the popular girl, the stoner, the brainiac, the follower, the kid sister, etc., and each character's perspective reveals facets of a story no one ever wants to truly experience. 

Reaction:  Powerfully told through free verse, Ghosting is a cautionary, yet hopeful novel that promotes independent thinking and developing self-confidence, even in the face of overwhelming tragedy and adversity.  The novel is easy to relate to, and readers will recognize pieces of themselves or people they know within the well-developed plot.  This is a novel that sticks with you long after you've read the final sentence.

If You Liked...  Crank or Before I Fall, then Ghosting will be a great addition to your collection.

Rating:  4

Teacher Notes:  Touching on a variety of sensitive issues, such as drugs, alcohol, and violence, Ghosting is most definitely intended for a high school audience.  

Disclaimer:  This novel was given free from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Iron Trial (Magisterium #1) by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

A book written by both Holly Black and Cassandra Clare?  OMG!  OMG!  OMG!  OMG!  OMG!  OMG!  OMG!  OMG!  OMG!

Release Date:  September 2014

Genre: Fantasy

Protagonist:  Callum Hunt

The Story:  For as long as Callum can remember, Callum's father has made it clear that all magic and mages are dangerous and not to be trusted.  Forced to attend the Iron Trial to determine his admission into the Magisterium, Callum is determined to fail the tests spectacularly so that he can continue his life of normalcy.  Despite his best (or worst) efforts, Call is chosen to attend the Magisterium to learn how to control his magic.  Grouped with two other students, Aaron and Tamara, Call learns for the first time what friendship is and what a person can overcome in the name of loyalty and friendship.  Along the way, Call discovers a shocking secret that explains his father's suspicion of the Magisterium.  Faced with the ultimate choice between good and evil, Call must make an irreversible decision that will put him on the path to his destiny.

Reaction:  Any time you see to power house authors paired up like this, readers are going to have high expectations.  I love both of these authors, and I think they've done a really bang up job of crafting a fun new fantasy series for middle grade students.  The majority of The Iron Trial is focused on world building and character building, which is extremely important in a fantasy novel where the universe is so profoundly different from our reality.  Callum's background and character development are effectively crafted to help us develop sympathy; Callum is the boy bullies pick on, the one chosen last for team activities, and the person others choose not to associate with.  After we've learned to care about Call and have sympathy for his situation, the authors drop a bomb on us and leave us wondering about what will happen next.  What other choices will Callum make, and how will those decisions impact not only his friends, but the world?  Those last few lines of the book, that wicked little twist, is a cliffhanger designed to make you want to read the second book in the series...and I say to the authors:  Hurry up, please!  

If You Liked... Harry Potter, The Spiderwick Chronicles,Fablehaven and Howl's Moving Castle, then The Iron Trial is right up your alley!

Rating:  4

Teacher Notes: Put this with Harry Potter, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Fablehaven, and Howl's Moving Castle.  Fans of high fantasy and fantasy will eat this one up!