Early Book Review: In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters is a historical fiction novel for young adults and adults. It is scheduled for release on April 2 2013. The story is set in 1918, when the mood in the United States was particularly morbid. the world was deep in a world war and the Spanish influenza is killing those fighting and those waiting at home. With this backdrop, we met sixteen year old Mary Shelley Black, who is deeply interested in science and annoyed at those using the atmosphere to fleece the desperate mourners looking hope answers, and for hope. When her father is sent to prison for treason, Mary is sent to live with her aunt, and given the chance to reconnect with an old friend and his family. Unfortunately, all she discovers there is more tragedy, questions that need answers, and a terrifying series of encounters with both the living,and the dead.

In 1918, the world seems on the verge of apocalypse. People roam the streets in gauze masks to protect against the Spanish flu, a all able bodied men are being shipped off to war, and those left behind are doing everything to avoid the suspicion that they might hold traitorous thoughts.  Sixteen-year-old Mary Shelley Black watches as desperate mourners flock to séances and spirit photographers for comfort, including the door of her friend Stephen and his unscrupulous brother Julius. Mary is skeptical of all the ideas around surging popularity of spiritualism, although her Aunt Evie is much more willing to believe. When tragedy seems to befall Stephan, Mary's life becomes even darker, and the mystery surrounding Stephan's last weeks becomes foremost in her mind, only partially because of paranormal activity. The atmosphere and the action are both very dark, and moments will startle most readers, even when they think they already expected the worst. Be ready to be angered, saddened, and occasionally seriously creeped out as you read. I know I held my breath more than once waiting to see just what would happen next.

The historical aspect of In the Shadow of Blackbirds is haunting, and Winter's story only makes it more so. I thought I already knew about the atmosphere of the country due to the stresses of war, but was unaware of the deep set paranoia and the huge impact of the Spanish Influenza. I knew it had happened, but reading about the deep uncertainty about living through the night because of illness on top of the worries about those over seas and the impact of the war on the world made for a confused and scared populous. It is no wonder that spiritualism was so popular, and that otherwise intelligent people would believe obvious fraud, not just well done hoaxes. The book uses archival early-twentieth-century photographs, to bring readers even closer to understanding the time and feeling the atmosphere.

In the Shadow of Blackbirds is a haunting story full of history and suspense. I was not prepared for the depth and darkness in the book, but found myself deeply engrossed in the world of Mary Shelley Black. It was a phenomenal read, and I am glad that I read it. I would recommend this book to young adults and adults, but think that those easily upset might want to skip it. There is no glossing over about what trench warfare for our men was like, the emotional and physical scars they might have come home with (if they were able to come home), the death at home because of the flu, and the opium addiction problems of the day. The atmosphere and story are dark, but extremely well written. Read the book, but be prepared to follow it up with something light and fun to life your spirits when you are done.

Book Review: Double Crossed by Ally Carter

Double Crossed by Ally Carter brings together the worlds of her Heist Society and the Gallagher Girls series, numbering it 2.5 in the Heist Society series. The story takes place at a society gala, where a bored Macey McHenry, who we know to be a spy in training, and W.W. Hale the fifth, heir to millions and a master thief, meet up. the party turns into a hostage situation, but something just does not seem right to either Hale or Macey.  It is up to the two unusual social icons to outsmart the gang. Can spy and a thief trust each other enough to save the day, and will they need a little help from their friends to make it happen.

In Double Crossed readers get to see Macey, a disenchanted and bored socialite with some exceptional training from Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. She becomes curious when she sees an equally bored looking boy her age, that seems to be picking pockets at the party. Her boredom is relieved as she watches him and then strikes up a conversation. Hale is the heir to a large fortune, and just as bored and uncomfortable as Macey amid the glamour of the party. They each have their own ways of dealing with the crisis they face, and together walk the blurred line of right and wrong to stop a much more significant wrong from taking place.

Double Crossed is a fun cross over between two series that I have enjoyed in the past. While I full admit to liking the Gallagher Girls a little more, and remembering those characters a little better than those from the Heist Society, I still remembered enough to fully enjoy the story. I think this cross over has reminded me about the things I love from both series, and made me interested in refreshing my memory. with that in mind, I think it make bring fans from either series into the fold of fandom of the other. I recommend double crossed for anyone that has read and enjoyed any of the books from Ally Carter. If you have not yet had the pleasure, I highly recommend starting with I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You from the Gallagher Girl series and going on from there.

Early Picturebook Review: Daylight Moonlight by Matt Patterson

Daylight Moonlight by Matt Patterson is a non fiction picturebook that uses realistic illustrations to detail the differences between daytime and nighttime animals in a variety of environments. It is scheduled for release on March 28 2013. The twenty-two scenes include a forest, desert, ocean, beach, wetlands, parks, a backyard, and more. All ages can enjoy the detailed paintings and the information about the different wildlife on each page. I especially enjoyed the pages at the end of the book which include a numbered copy of each image used in the book with each animal listed, which might spark further interest or allow the answering of detailed questions asked by younger readers about the animals on each page.

Daylight Moonlight is visually engaging and enjoyable. The simple phrasing combined with the realistic paintings work very well to capture the interest and imagination of all ages. As each habitat was detailed in day and night, the differences become much more obvious. It ignited the interest for nature in my 6 year old, and refueled the interest of my 4 year old, who adores anything that might involve wildlife, grass, or dirt. The charts in the back of the book helped me further engaged my son, who is extremely fond of finding games, as I could ask him to find all the animals in each painting, and we could discuss the animals that interested him most in more depth.

I highly recommend Daylight Moonlight for use with children of all ages, and their families. It would work well in a classroom or storytime environment discussing nature.

Early Book Review: The Dresden Files: Fool Moon, Volume 2 by Jim Butcher, Mark Powers, Chase Conley

The Dresden Files: Fool Moon, Volume 2 is a graphic novel from Jim Butcher, Mark Powers and Chase Conley. It is scheduled for release on April 23 2013. This installment is the second volume based on the regular novel version of Fool Moon in the Dresden File series. Harry Dresden is a wizard for hire. Chicago has had some savage werewolf attacks - a case made even more challenging by the fact that Harry has found three lycanthropic groups which are fighting among themselves. On top of that, Harry no longer has the confidence and support of Detective Murphy and the Chicago Police Department. Hostile FBI Agents, werewolves, and the local police are all hunting for Harry as he races against the rise of the next full moon to discover  the truth behind the string of murders.

Readers that have been enjoying the graphic novels based on the Dresden Files series will certainly enjoy The Dresden Files: Fool Moon, Volume 2 as well. As a fan of the novels, I both like and dislike getting a more visual version of the story. It is interesting to see the artists version of the characters. The artwork is very well done, but not all the images match what I had in my mind- but that is the inherent danger of this kind of graphic novel. Some of Harry's appeal is lost without the full disclosure of his thought process that we get in the novels. However, I think there is merit in the graphic novels, particularly as an introduction to the series to new readers, but I still much prefer the full novel versions.

Early Book Review: Flirting Under the Full Moon by Ashlyn Chase

 I have an advanced reader copy of this, and would love to pass it on to an interested reader! Come Monday March 25 I will pick a random commenter and mail them my copy! A special thanks to LM, a fellow librarian that passed the galley onto me because she was not going to have time to read and review it!

Flirting Under the Full Moon by Ashlyn Chase is the first book in the Flirting with Fangs Trilogy. The book opens with Brandee Hanson being dumped via text message. Before long this waitress that wants to be a photographer catches sight of a bar regular, known as One Night Nick. She would love to get a little closer to him, but not if that means it only lasts for one night. Little does Brandee know that she works in a paranormal bar, and that Nick is a werewolf. At least until she catches his shifting on film and a hailstorm of trouble from a kidnapping investigation and the Council that enforces paranormal rules surrounds them. Can the pair survive everything coming their way, and will they be able to carve out a happy ever after?

Flirting Under the Full Moon is a paranormal romance with a good sense of humor. It was a fun, quick read that made me smile a few times. I did have some moments when I felt like I should have already known some characters, apparently some are main players in the Strange Neighbors series, which I have not read. While Brandee and Nick both seemed to be intellegent and fun characters, I was annoyed at how easily and unquestioning Brandee was about the relationship. Yes, the pair casually knew each other from the bar, but I thought the leap from flirting in the bar to committed relationship was a little too fast, particularly in light of how often Brandee's abandonment issues are brought up. I know that the 'mate' or 'beloved' thing is often used in paranormal romance, but I much prefer it when the otherwise intelligent heroine questions her sanity, safety, and future a little bit more than Brandee does.

I did like the additional layer of mystery and action in regards to the cases Nick works on, but often felt like they where more of  a distraction or bonus to distract from the shallowness of the actual romance. I also liked the inclusion of Mother Nature and the added complication of the Council. It made the entire story more intense and left me wondering where the larger story arc might go from where Flirting Under the Full Moon leaves off.

While Flirting Under the Full Moon is not the best paranormal romance that I have read (I have read many, many of them) it was still a fun read that went very quick. If you enjoy a contemporary paranormal romance with some humor and some action or mystery then you are likely to enjoy the read.

Book Review: My Very UnFairy Tale Life by Anna Staniszewski

My Very UnFairy Tale Life is the first book in a series for children and tweens by Anna Staniszewski.  Jenny is an adventurer, she travels to enchanted kingdoms and solves the problems of the creatures that live there. A red headed gnome named Anthony is her guide, and her eccentric aunt with more knowledge of animals than children is her guardian since her parent's disappearance. To make things even worse, her friends seem to have forgotten all about her. With all this chaos in her life, Jenny just wants to go back to having a normal life, But when talking frogs come seeking her help against an evil sorcerer how can she say no?

Jenny is a strong, capable girl facing self doubt and a challenging situation. I liked her spunk and witticisms that seem to be her main strength when dealing with big problems. She tries to make the right decision most of the time, but occasionally makes choices that he thinks are in her own best interest instead. She quickly learns the value of doing the right thing, how to face her fears, and her own importance and value to the world. While the just into the story with Jenny already as an established adventurer made me feel like I might have started at book two, the story itself was solid and kept me interested. I also know that a prequel is available, and plan to read it shortly to see how the story all began.

I recommend My Very UnFairy Tale Life to children around 7 years old through tweens. Jenny is a character that most girls can relate to. I think that the book can entertain with the action and humor while still imparting a lesson about having faith in yourself and doing the right thing even when it is more difficult.

Book Review: The Choosing by Jeremy Lallo

The Choosing by Jeremy Lallo  is the first book in a fantasy series called Blood and Brotherhood.  Seth and Garret are twins setting out on a required journey, a trip to ceremony that will decide the next five years of their life.Garret knows that he wants to be chosen to fight for the country, but Seth is torn since he would much rather help others than fight anyone. They are joined by a young healer on his way to the Choosing as well. Before long they are joined by another and Seth quickly falls in love. Their journey is dangerous, and the destination holds mystery and fear as they move forward toward their future.

The Choosing has everything that makes the start of a great fantasy series. There are gods, warring factions, a love story, mysterious or tragic origins for at least one major character, and world building that is both complete and entertaining. I really enjoyed the larger back story about the origin of man and the sources of the gods power. I have seen similar ideas before, but not expressed in the same way. I enjoyed the dynamics of the relationship between Seth and Garret, particularly their acceptance and intelligent use of their differences. The characters are each solidly built and consistent in their actions and choices. Their first companion, Ashton, is equally well built and constant. His gifts and thoughtful ways are exactly the foil the two other boys needed to round out their travel party.

Now on to the one thing that bothered me through out this book. As soon as the boys ran across Sara and she joined the group, I found myself skimming sections. She is not a terrible character. She has a sad story and has a great memory, which makes her very intelligent and a wonderful asset to the group. However, Seth and Sara seem to fall instantly in love and spend much of the rest of the book brooding or making out. I appreciated Seth's honor, and Sara's connection of physical contact with love, but it just got to be a bit much. There was no more than an instant connection, gratitude, and a urge to protect that bound them together rather than a well built relationship. That bothered me, as did the pages and pages of the pair 'exploring' each other and testing the limits of how far they could go without actually having sex and the 'fighting of urges'. It is not that I am a prude or do not enjoy a good love scene, as you can tell from the other books I have reviewed here, but it was simply not necessary to move the story forward, and I think the tale would have done better without most (if not all) of that aspect of the story. The pair falling in love is fine, but I would rather they form a real relationship rather than just thinking of each other as guardian and angel as they fool around. Wow, that was quite the tirade for me.

With all that said, I enjoyed the larger story line of The Choosing and still will recommend it to older teens and adults. If it had not been for the physical aspects of the relationship between Seth and Sara I would have recommended it to middle school students and older. I really did enjoy the world, and for the most part, the characters. I will be looking at the next installment of the Blood and Brotherhood Saga, which is titled The Chosen and will likely continue on as long as my enjoyment of the large story arch is greater than my annoyance with the 'romance'.

Early Book Review: Hero of My Heart by Megan Frampton

Hero of My Heart by Megan Frampton is a historical romance that is currently scheduled for release on April 8 2013. Mary Smith is a Vicar's daughter whose half-brother drugs and sells her in a seedy pub. Alasdair Thornham is a troubled, opium addict that also happens to be a marquess. He buys Mary in order to rescue her, and in turns rescues himself. Each has demons to face, and family plotting against them.

Hero of My Heart is a book that left me torn. I loved the idea, Victorian era woman with plenty of intelligence and a hero that is troubled and wounded work to save each other, and come to save themselves as well. Mary is sweet, forgiving, and smart while Alasdair is dealing with the demons left behind by war and only eased by opium. While on the surface I enjoyed the characters, I found myself distracted by a few things as I read.

I love a spunky heroine that defies convention, however here it seemed more like the standards of the day were just ignored on several occasions, as were the speech patterns and whatnot of the day. This was not a deal breaker for me, but occasionally pulled me out of the world the story was supposed to be taking place in. The format became a little much as well. The story was in present tense, which it fine, but it bounced between the characters. That did help me understand how Mary and Alasdair really felt about each other, and their reasoning, but it also became a little redundant as we read moments from both points of view rather than moving on.

Hero of My Heart was an entertaining read. Readers that are sticklers for accuracy in historical fiction, might want to pass this by as the speech and actions of the characters just did not ring true to the times for me. Those that can look past that, and some inconstantcies in just how pragmatic Mary is, can find enjoyment and escape in this novel.

Book Review: Love Under Cover by Jessica Brody

Love Under Cover by Jessica Brody is the story of Jennifer Hunter, a woman that has spent the last two years of her life as a woman hired to test men's faithfulness to their wife or girlfriend. But, when she finds love herself, Jen gives up her undercover lifestyle and works behind the scenes rather than on the front lines of fidelity testing. Can a former fidelity inspector tear herself away from her old calling for the sake of the perfect guy, or is the temptation to conduct love under cover just too strong? When her boyfriend Jamie popped the question Jen finds herself questioning weather she is marriage material. Jen needs to face her lifelong issues with commitment and trust, while managing a business that focuses on failing relationships. One decision could change everything, for better or for worse.

Love Under Cover is a novel about recognizing and facing your own issues, and about being true not only to others but to yourself. While it is the sequel to The Fidelity Files, where I must assume Jennifer met Jamie and went from fidelity inspector to the owner of the Hawthorne Agency, those of us that missed the first book and quickly get into the swing of things. I felt like I knew Jen and her friends from the moment they entered the scene in Love Under Cover. The characters were all very well done, and they felt extremely real. I think that with a history like Jen's, and the business she is in, feeds the paranoia and distrust that some of the characters seem steeped in. It was a little overwhelming at times, but admittedly helped to build the drama. Reading the book was intriguing, and sometimes a  little painful since I found myself cringing when certain choices were made, because I simply knew that the fall out was not going to be pretty.

I recommend Love Under Cover to readers that enjoyed the first book, The Fidelity Files.I think many fans of chick lit and contemporary fiction that deals with facing your past, present, and future and how your issues and decisions impact each of them. The ending seemed a little weak, but left me wondering if there would be more to the story in later books, and if the rumors of a television series might be true because of the wiggle room that it left for whatever might happen next.

Book Review: Lawless by Jeffrey Salane

Lawless by Jeffrey Salane is the story old twelve year M Freeman, who has had an unusual education at home. However, she had no idea just how strange that schooling had been until she enters the Lawless School. This unusual boarding school trains children for lives on the wrong side of the law. Soon M is excelling in her classes, but realizing that the challenges at the school go far beyond those assigned by teachers. The mysteries go far deeper than teen age plots. M is on a path that might answer questions about her parents, he father's death and a plot to change the world.

Lawless is a novel for middle school and high school age readers, although it might appeal to younger and older readers as well. It has of plenty action, some school angst, and plenty about self discovery. M is a strong character, she knows her strengths but has had her entire world changed in a single afternoon. Everything she thought she know about her parents has been shown to be less than the truth, and she now has to face the challenges of fitting into school when she has never had that kind of experience, even in a typical school rather than one full of students planning on living a life of crime.

Lawless was a well written book that I recommend for readers around eleven and older. M's adventures, both intentional and not, are full of action and humor. The mysteries of her past, the purpose of the tasks, and the larger scheme that she could never have expected keep readers turning the pages in anticipation of what twists and turns await on the next page. While there is plenty to carry the story on into the promised series, there is a satisfying conclusion to this installment, which always make me a happy reader. I am impressed by this first novel from Jeffrey Salane.