Book Review: Across the Universe Series, by Beth Revis

Revis, Beth. Across the Universe. 398 p. Razorbill. 2011. Hardcover $17.99. ISBN 9781595143976.

Revis, Beth. A Million Suns. 400 p. Razorbill. 2012. Hardcover $17.99. ISBN 9781595143983.

Across the Universe begins with an agonizing decision as seventeen-year-old Amy must choose whether to stay on Earth or be cryogenically frozen for 300 years alongside her parents, who are instrumental in a space mission to a new planet. She decides to go with her parents-- but is awoken 50 years too early. Somebody on the spaceship is unplugging the frozen people and leaving them for dead, and she has to solve the mystery before her parents fall victim to the murderer.

I'm honestly not much of a sci-fi reader, yet Across the Universe kept me turning the pages with its layered characters and riveting plot twists. The narrative is well paced, blending mystery and suspense with moments of human reflection, (justified!) angst, and even some romance as Amy forges a tentative relationship with the ship's future leader, Elder. The story is told through the dual narration of these two characters, and the constant shifting between their perspectives works to keep driving the plot forward.

I truly felt immersed in this book. Reading about characters cooped up on a spaceship made me crave the outdoors. I had to go out for a walk and get some fresh air, and had a new appreciation for the ability to breathe fresh air and see the sky! Revis creates and sustains a remarkably claustrophobic atmosphere with the spaceship setting, and the result is unforgettable.

A Million Suns does exactly what a sequel should do: it has more of what we experienced in the first volume, but ups the stakes, reveals more complications, and delves deeper into the characters and their relationships. It answers questions from Across the Universe while raising new ones, and leaves the reader eager for the final book in the trilogy. There were some truly awesome "OMG!" moments in this one. Just when you think it can't get any worse for these characters, Revis drops another bomb. I couldn't put it down!

I recommend these books to sci-fi fans and non-fans alike. This series has something to appeal to almost every reader. Don't miss it!

Across the Universe was published in last year, and A Million Suns comes out from Razorbill/Penguin tomorrow, January 10.

Book Review: The Name of the Star, by Maureen Johnson

Johnson, Maureen. The Name of the Star. 372 p. 2011. Putnam. Hardcover $16.99. ISBN 9780399256608.

Okay, this is another one of those books that should have come equipped with a babysitter so I could drop everything else and read. After a somewhat leisurely beginning, it soon becomes completely engrossing and I could NOT put it down.

I mean, I did, though. My kids didn’t go hungry! But as soon as they were napping... my nose was right back in this book.

New Orleans native, Rory, is off to boarding school in London when her parents relocate to England on sabbatical. She thinks the hardest part will be fitting in with her classmates and keeping up with things like double maths. She didn’t expect to become a witness in the investigation of murders imitating the infamous Jack the Ripper crimes. And why is she seeing people that nobody else seems to notice?

Johnson brings her trademark humor even to this dark premise involving serial murders and the supernatural, playing with the contrast of England and the American South with hilarious effect. Too, I enjoyed the details of Rory’s British boarding school experience and the depiction of feeling like a fish out of water as an American abroad. These aspects of the story will appeal to fans of Stephanie Perkins' Anna and the French Kiss-- only instead of a sweet, cozy romance, you get an edge-of-your-seat paranormal murder mystery! The balance of humor and suspense, combined with tight plotting and strongly driven pacing makes for a thoroughly appealing mix.

Characters are well-developed; I feel like Rory is someone I’d hang out with. Secondary characters are fleshed out, with quirks all their own. Rory’s very earnest roommate, Jazza, is especially adorable. This might be my adult perspective speaking, but I might have liked to have seen more of Rory’s parents. Their absence was necessary for the story, but perhaps a little too convenient. I doubt teens will balk at the fact that Rory is able to easily evade parental influence, however.

Beyond the primary plot, there are some great themes to explore in this book. In particular, Johnson touches upon society’s fascination with the most gruesome things in the media, and how we’ve become desensitized to the horror of it all through sensationalism. The role of the media was instrumental in making the original Jack the Ripper case so famous, and Johnson deftly shows how very little has changed over the years in that regard.

This book is full of fascinating information about the darker elements of London’s history; Johnson must have done extensive research. After I turned the last page of the book, I was compelled to read more on the Jack the Ripper case, abandoned train stations, and the devastation caused to the city during World War II. I love it when an author gets me hooked on topics I hadn’t previously known much about! And I have to admit, it warms my little librarian heart to think that teen readers might be interested in learning more about the history in this book, too.

The story wraps up nicely, but a twist at the very end leaves the reader satisfied yet eager for a sequel. This is an enticing read for fans of the paranormal who may be a little burnt out on paranormal romances. This book is something else entirely, and is refreshingly different.

Book Review: Pie, by Sarah Weeks

Weeks, Sarah. Pie. 192 p. Scholastic. 2011. Hardcover $16.99. ISBN 9780545270113.

In this cozy mystery for middle grade readers, Alice’s beloved Aunt Polly, a famous but humble pie maker, has unexpectedly passed away. It seems Aunt Polly has left her secret pie crust recipe to her cat, Lardo, and the cat is left to Alice. But there’s a catnapper on the loose, and everyone in town is suddenly trying to bake award-winning pies... which means almost anyone could be a suspect. While reeling from the loss of her aunt, Alice sets out to solve the mystery.

Young readers will enjoy this book's whodunit mystery combined with themes of healing, friendship, and self-discovery. Language is straightforward and simple, and the 1950s setting provides a charming backdrop for a heartwarming story. The author skillfully captures the crushing loss of a loved one, subtly depicting those small moments in which the sadness overtakes everything else, yet the narrative is never bogged down by Alice's grief.

Characterization takes a bit of a backseat to plot, but the reader gets a good sense of who Alice and her friend, Charlie, are, as well as who Aunt Polly was. Alice’s mother is unrealistically unpleasant, but I suspect that she and other adult characters are purposely written as almost caricatures-- they are adults as seen through a child’s eyes, which is appropriate for the intended audience. A child doesn’t always see adults as well-rounded people with real concerns, after all. While an adult reader might view Alice's mother's change of heart in the end to be a little too convenient, it will likely be reassuring to a younger reader.

Now, perhaps my favorite part of this book is that it comes with TASTY PIE RECIPES. The beginning of each chapter is marked by a recipe from Aunt Polly’s notebook, and each one looks easy and delicious. I was only three chapters into this book when I broke down and HAD to make a pie.


I chose the buttermilk pie recipe, and am IN LOVE. It was so easy! My 2.5 year old helped mix the ingredients, proudly proclaiming, “I'm a baker!” and alternately asking with his typical curiosity, “Why makin’ pie, mama?” (Well, sweetie, so mama can EAT it, of course!)

It was the first time we baked together, and both of us were very pleased with the results. The pie was creamy with a perfectly mild sweetness and just a hint of lemony tartness. It was especially good fresh out of the oven- isn’t that true of everything?- but also delicious after being chilled in the fridge. I admit, I had to go back for more than one slice. (Ahem... okay, considerably more than one slice.)

Pie will be available in bookstores everywhere on October 1st. I received the ARC at the YA in Bloom event hosted by Bridge to Books earlier this year.

Clarity, by Kim Harrington

Harrington, Kim. Clarity. 242 p. Scholastic Point. 2011. Hardcover $16.99. ISBN 9780545230506.

Left to my own devices, I tend not to read mysteries. Why? Lamest reason ever: when I was a teen, I was all like, OMG, my MOM reads mysteries. So OBVIOUSLY, I can't possibly. I mean, REALLY.

But as I've grown older and wiser, I've come to acknowledge that my mom is totally awesome. And so are mysteries!

Plus, it's part of my professional duty to read in a wide variety of genres so I can provide good reader's advisory to my library teens. And they absolutely devour mysteries. So when I saw an ARC of Clarity at ALA Midwinter, I had to grab it. A teen psychic helps the local police solve a murder in a small town- sounds like something both my library teens and I would enjoy!

The plot of this paranormal, contemporary mystery moves at a brisk pace, and the writing is tight, with no filler. The author has woven the mystery so neatly, with perfectly placed clues and red herrings, that the reader is kept guessing until the big reveal.

The protagonist, Clare, is one of the most awesome book characters I've come across in a while. She's smart and observant- it's totally believable that she can help solve a crime. She's also got some very relatable flaws: she's hot-tempered, impulsive, and holds a grudge. And best of all, she's funny, with one-liners that made me really and truly laugh out loud. Love her! This book's supporting characters are also well developed and three-dimensional. I particularly enjoyed Clare's mind-reading mom- can you imagine growing up with that?

The end of this book leaves room for a sequel- and one is coming, hooray! Perception is due out in March 2012. But the story in this first volume is so complete on its own, I didn't even think about the possibility of a sequel until the very end, when it became clear that the author was deliberately leaving a few plot threads unresolved. You know how, sometimes, the first volume in a series feels like it's just setting up the story for the rest of the books? Well, that's not the case here. This is an intensely fun, smart, and satisfying read.

Clarity is available in bookstores now. ARC for review provided by the publisher.

Shine, by Lauren Myracle

Myracle, Lauren. Shine. 376 p. Amulet Books. 2011. Hardcover $16.95. ISBN 9780810984172.

I couldn't put down this book about an innocent, small-town girl determined to solve the hate crime that victimized her estranged childhood best friend. The richly authentic Southern setting drew me in, and I loved the way the author structured the mystery around the main character's journey of discovery, as she finds surprising strength within herself and learns to see others in a new way.

Heavy issues such as drug use, homophobia, and abuse are faced with unflinching honesty, but there is a sense of warmth, too, and optimism. I could absolutely hear the Southern accents in the dialogue, and I have to say, Southern accents always endear a book to me. The characters are layered and the pacing is excellent, with a gradual increase in tension leading to an edge-of-your-seat pivotal scene once the pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place. An intense and satisfying read.

Shine was the first book I've read by Lauren Myracle, having only read a few of her short stories in the past. Let me tell you, this book makes me want to go out and read all of her books! Oh, and can I brag? I had the opportunity to meet her briefly at ALA Midwinter earlier this month, and she was such a doll! Funny, friendly, and just as awesome as you would imagine.

Shine hits bookshelves on May 1, 2011. ARC provided by the publisher.