Here are my recently-read don't-miss-them favorites:
Novels:
Catherine Linka's debut YA novel A GIRL CALLED FEARLESS, is here--and, wow, it's a good one! What if women in the United States were suddenly denied the right to handle their own finances, drive without a male escort, or even go to college, all in the name of keeping them safe? Sixteen-year-old Avie Reveare learns she has been Signed to Jessop Hawkins, a businessman more than twice her age. Beginning with dress fittings and verification of virgin status, Avie is warned that marriage requirements will escalate to include satisfying her husband's needs at any time and having as many babies as he wants. Aided by longtime best friend and cute guy Yates, she plans her escape to Canada. But it's not long before Avie realizes her real responsibilities may lie in bringing down the entire system. Escalating suspense, added onto the already intense premise, make this novel unforgettable.
Another satisfying read is TIN STAR, by Cecil Castellucci, an enjoyable YA space adventure with a Casablanca-like feel to it. Tula Bane is on her way to help establish a colony on the planet Beta Granade, until her spaceship unexpectedly malfunctions. When the ship stops at a remote space station, she is beaten and left for dead. Stuck in a place that no one came to "unless they were lost or in trouble," Tula learns to wheel and deal with the resident aliens to survive. She also dreams of getting off the space station so she can take revenge on Brother Blue, the man who tried to kill her. However, Brother Blue also happens to be the powerful leader in charge of Earth's attempts to colonize the galaxy. When three more humans arrive on the station and find themselves stuck, too, things begin to heat up. This is fun, accessible science fiction that will keep readers guessing.
In February, I talked about A Corner of White, the first book in Jaclyn Moriarty's The Colors of Madeleine fantasy series. Now I've read book two, THE CRACKS IN THE KINGDOM, and it's every bit as good as the first. Offbeat and inventive, this series features an alternate world that's lined up with our own, but kept hidden. Except for certain forbidden cracks, there is almost no communication between our world (which is Madeleine's) and the kingdom of Cello. Most of Cello's royal family is missing, so Ko, the one princess remaining in Cello, is trying to keep the government running on her own. She's convinced her family fell into Madeleine's world and they can be found. This is fresh, literary fantasy with compelling, complex characters.
And my last novel this month is the Middle Grade PAPERBOY, by Vince Vawter. When a boy with an extreme stutter takes over his best friend's paper route for a month, he's really worried about having to speak to the customers. Bright and resourceful, he is usually assumed to be "slow" because of his speech impediment. But this is just one of the many issues that this novel deals with in a sensitive, forthright manner. Set in what appears to be early 60s Memphis, Paperboy also delves into race relations, what makes a good parent, even alcoholism and spousal abuse, but it's all seamlessly done. A 2014 Newbery Honor winner--it's a terrific book!
Picture Books:
Yes, I admit it--I don't really like non-fiction. But PARROTS OVER PUERTO RICO, by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore, illustrated in collage by Susan L. Roth, is a triumph, and once I opened it, I never stopped reading and gawping at the art. The book is a history of the effects that the human presence on Puerto Rico has had on native birds which have lived there for millions of years. It's beautifully done--the text moves right along, and the detailed art both illustrates and illuminates the material.
Ashley Spires is funny! I've previously enjoyed Binky the Space Cat, and Larf, the story of a lone sasquatch. Now I find she has written and illustrated SMALL SAUL, the story of a misfit (much too neat) pirate, who finds his place in the scheme of things. It's a great story about just being yourself.
--Lynn
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