Beautiful Music For Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

This is the story of Gabe, who was born Elizabeth, and who just wants to become a radio DJ as he was meant to be. When he was ten, Gabe’s DJ mentor, John, moved in next door. Supposedly, John was the first radio DJ to play Elvis on the airwaves back in the day. To Gabe, that’s pretty cool. Pretty awesome, in fact. John helps Gabe get a radio show on the local community station at midnight on Fridays where Gabe becomes something of a local celebrity. There’s just one problem. Gabe recently graduated highschool as Elizabeth and most of the school doesn’t realize that Elizabeth has always felt like she was a boy inside. Coming out to his family didn’t exactly go as planned and his parents, struggling with the sudden change, still call him Elizabeth. No one seems to understand who he is. When Gabe wins the heart of a popular girl, things start to get dangerous with threats on his life, and that of his family. Even so, Gabe finds himself falling for his BFF since forever: pretty Paige. But does Paige return Gabe’s feelings, or will another girl take his heart? Gabe has his doubts about love and who he is throughout the story, but ultimately, he remains strong and true to himself.

This was a fast read  I couldn’t put down, and one I highly recommend. As the author states at the very end, not every person has the same experiences, yet I found Gabe’s story to be very realistic and inspiring. I won’t give away the ending, but I will say that it wasn’t perfect, as life is almost never perfect. The characters were great, and I loved the fact that Gabe wanted to be a radio DJ. Little known fact: that was my dream job when I was in middle school and early high school, so to see her living that dream was pretty awesome, especially when it seems like there are fewer and fewer DJs today than there were years ago. A note about musical taste, Gabe likes a wide variety of things, half of which I haven’t heard of and half of which was popular a bazillion years ago. That’s cool. I like the fact that she doesn’t stick to one genre of music, and I especially like the fact that she doesn’t stick to what’s popular right now. She really knows her music. Overall, this book was fabulous, and I would read it again in a heartbeat.

For those who are interested, at the end, the author included a section about what it means to be transgender and transsexual. She explains the various words that fall underneath the umbrella of transgender, including genderqueer, and what it means to not fall into the “gender binary”. This section is short and easy to understand for anyone who has yet to learn about gender differences. For this section, the author is awesome. She really did a great job.

If I Lie by Corrine Jackson

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

Before he leaves for Afghanistan, Carey comes out to his girlfriend of two years, asking her to keep the secret he’s told her from everyone in their small military town. Including his parents and his best friend, Blake. But when an accidental picture of Sophie and Blake kissing gets posted on Facebook, the entire town errupts into accusations that Sophie is cheating on her Marine boyfriend. Just like her mother did to her father six years ago. Sophie’s tough military dad orders her to work at the VA hospital three days a week until she graduates to keep her from getting suspended from school over the picture. While at the VA hospital, she comes to befriend George, the grumpy old guy interviewing and photographing veterans for the Veteran’s History Project. He recognizes a professional photographer in her and begins teaching her all he knows. Then Carey goes MIA and the other students begin tormenting Sophie even more than ever before. Friends ask her to explain what happened the night she kissed Blake, but she vowed she wouldn’t, and their tormenting continues, calling her every horrible name in the book from Slut to Traitor. Her life is a living hell, and she doesn’t even know if Carey, the boy she still loves despite everything, will ever return to set the town “straight”. His secret is not hers to tell, and she knows that well.

This novel is extremely gripping. And Kleenex is required toward the end. It’s also realistic in everything that happens to the un-Disney-like ending. George is such an awesome character. The humor he shares with Sophie and their good times are little rays of sunshine in her thunder cloud world. The characters are 3-D, the setting is 3-D, and the author leaves you wondering how the book will end. Will Carey make it home? Will he tell the truth? This book keeps you reading to find out. If you’re wondering what the effects of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell are on the civillians left behind, this is a great, heartfelt example.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in the military and what it’s like keeping secrets that could easily destroy or save a life.

I am a collector of “The 12 Dancing Princesses” The original “12 Dancing Princesses” by the Grimm Brothers is well grim as is most of the stories that were never originally intended for children. I love how writers interpret this fairy tale and “Princess of the Midnight Ball” is no exception.

Princess of the Midnight Ball brought a different spin on the story although retained some of the originally story plot. Princess Rose and her sisters were put under a curse that was struck by 2 bargains with their mother, Queen Maude and King Under Stone. The price: Queen Maude had to pay was to dance for King Under Stone every two weeks. When the Queen would miss a ball, the number of nights increased. Queen Maude died when the youngest princess, Petunia, was 2 years old. The princesses then had to take up the payment for the two struck bargains made with King Under Stone.

Along comes Galin, the hero of the story, home from the war. It took a while for the war to end as well as for him to get home. Since his father and mother both died during the war, he went to find his mother’s family to see if they could let him stay with them for a while and know of a job for him. His Uncle Reiner was the chief gardener of the castle so Galin was given a job as an under-gardener. Galin’s first meeting with one of the princesses, Rose, that resulted in a mishap. Galin eventually picks up the task of wanting to find out the reason for the princesses’ shoes to be worn out every three days. He guessed that they had to be going somewhere. He received permission from the King to monitor the grounds to see if the princesses came outside to go to their intended destination. No luck. Eventually, he was able to get permission to find out what was going on by sitting in the Princesses’ room. He has a few tricks up his sleeve to help him be unnoticed and to follow the princesses. He becomes determined to save them from King Under Stone.

Since this is a retelling of a fairytale, you know there has to be a happy ending. But it’s how Jessica Day George gets to the happy ending that keeps the reader in suspense.

Because I have been reading various adaptations of “the 12 Dancing Princesses”, I had no idea how the story would go. I love how authors can take the premise of the story and change it to a new location with more or less details depending on the intended audience.

I could imagine the storyline in my head as I was reading, what the characters looked like and the scenery. I like a book that brings out my imagination. So I would recommend this book to everyone who loves to use their imagination.

The Left Hand Of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

 This is the story of Genry Ai, a man on a mission from his home planet as an Envoy to a distant place known as Winter, in order to include the cold planet in a growing intergalactic civilization. Genry is not used to such a cold climate, where temperatures are often below zero, or people whose gender is androgynous but for once a month. It takes a lot of getting used to. Never-the-less, he does his best to understand and comprehend the world around him. When it seems all is going as planed for Genry, things come crashing down around him. His only “friend” is named a traitor by the king and must flee. Genry Ai visits a neighboring country in hopes that he can persuede them to open the doors of trading with other planets, and thus, bring the other countries with them. But these people have other plans for him. When an unlikely hero arrives to save his life, the two begin a long, harrowing, and solitary journey through ice and snow to keep them both safe and alive. Along the way, they learn what it means to have a friend, to be a friend, to give up one’s life for a cause, and most of all, what it means to be human, even when humanness is different.

I originally picked this book up because I was interested in the androgynous gender of the people who live on Winter. I like to see how different authors write such characters. But upon starting the book, I began to doubt whether I would actually like the book or not, despite several friends raving over it. This book starts off very slow. It doesn’t kick into “high” gear until about half way through the book. And that’s high gear for a slow pace on an ice covered mountain. However, that being said, I highly recommend this book. Yes, it starts slow, but when you get to the end, you’ll realize just how much every page is worth it. LeGuin doesn’t go into great detail about the sexual practices on Winter, but she gives you enough ideas to paint yourself a rough picture. If you like cold temperatures, perhaps you like to go skiing, and perfer to spend time in climates where you can easily catch frost bite, then this is a book for you. You’ll feel the snow and ice deep down in your bones as you read.  But there’s a warmth that will grow there, the further along you read. Ironically, as the winter weather piles on higher and higher, the inner warmth of friendship will bloom to keep you going until the very end. This is a very thought-provoking book. Originally written in 1969, this book is just as relevant today, as it was back then. Warning: Tissues might be required near the end.

Castaways of the Flying Dutchman series by Brian Jacques

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

This is the story of a young, mute boy, Ben, and his faithful black lab, Ned. They are stuck aboard a ship called The Flying Dutchman, where an evil captain rules. When the ship is destroyed and the crew cursed to roam the seas forever, the boy and his dog are saved by one of God’s angels who curses them to roam the earth forever, never growing older. The angel gives them both special powers. Ben can now speak any language he needs to, and the two have a mind bond that allows them to communicate with each other via thought. Together Ben and Ned travel the world as directed by the angel and help anyone they can along the way. But even as they travel, The Flying Dutchman and its evil captain haunt their dreams and forshadow terrible things to come.

There are three books to this series: Castaways of the Flying Dutchman, The Angel’s Command, and Voyage of Slaves.  I’ve just finished the third book, but since I haven’t reviewed any of the books here yet, this review will cover the series as a whole. If you like adventures, especially seafaring adventures, you’ll like these books. These can be read by older kids and teens alike. While there is a lot of action, this series is very different from Brian Jacques’ Redwall series. The avenging angel directs Ben and Ned, but it’s not overly religious at all. It’s a historical fantasy series, so the religion is only included as part of the time period for the most part. In the third book, unlike the others, there are characters from all over the world, and sometimes they use pet names (such as My Sweet, or Little Girl) for each other in their native languge. Those words, when first used, are starred, and an English translation is put at the bottom of the page. Overall, this is a great series where friends are made, evil doers are caught, and everything is righted in the end. It’s a fun, relaxing read. The final book has an ending that works well as an ending to the series as a whole. I say this  because it was very possible the author meant to write more before his death, but I don’t know for sure. This ending could go either way for the series, so you, as a reader, are not left hanging, needing to know what happens next. The books should be read in order, but each story is wrapped up at the end of each book.

Gunslinger Girl series by Yu Aida

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

What’s in the violin case this little girl is carrying around the city is… NOT a violin. This is a series listed for ages 16+ and deals with children and political issues in Italy. This is the story of a group of young girls who were in need of a new life when their old one expired for various reasons. Many of them were on the brink of death until they were saved… by the government. They were given robotic components and brainwashed to become cyborg assassins in a secret program known as the Social Welfare Agency. They work together with their adult handlers to wipe out terrorists and anyone who wishes to do Italy harm. They do their work well, and don’t even remember a time when they didn’t have a gun in their hands. Yet, at the same time, normal human emotions do plague them. They have trouble figuring out their feelings for their handlers, and wonder what they should be doing, if it’s not killing for a living. All the while they’re busy training for their next job. 

I’ve been reading this series for awhile now, and I’m absolutely enthralled with it! I love finding out what each character has been up to, who they meet when they do their jobs, everything. These are sweet, innocent girls who know how to kill. They also know how to apprehend without killing when the situation requires it. They get stuck in sticky situations and have to find their way out. Sometimes they are forced to face their past, be it their past within the Social Welfare Agency, or the past they’ve forgotten. And sometimes, it’s the past of their handlers that come back to haunt them. Two other reasons I like this manga are the fact that it’s set in Italy, which is a new and interesting place to imerse yourself, and that I can easily identify each character. Other mangas make it hard to determine who’s who because they all look alike and are wearing the same uniform. Not in this one.

The sad thing is, this manga is coming to the end very soon. The final two volumes are being released in an omnibus edition later this month. But, I suppose it’s for the best. Even good things must come to an end at some point. And it is definitely a talent for an author to know when to end a series and not drag it on into infinity. I have read up through volume 10, and am greatly looking forward to volume 11! Volume 9 and 10 had less action and fighting and more of an emotional journey than the previous volumes, but they were still just as important to the plot, and important/scary things are revealed about the cyborgs themselves. So don’t miss out on these volumes!

Volume Information: Each volume published in English has been published separately through volume 6 until now. New Omnibus collections have come out with the following volumes: Collection 1 -Vol.1-3; Collection 2 – Vol.4-6; Collection 3 – Vol. 7-8; Collection 4 – Vol. 9-10; Collection 5 – Vol. 11-12; Collection 6 – Vol. 13-14. Volume 14 is the final volume in this series and the omnibus collection 6 is due out in January 2013! As of this post date, the library owns up to collection 4. But rest assured collection 5 & 6 are on the way to the shelves as fast as we can order them and get them ready for you awesome readers.

Enjoy!

Scorch by Gina Damico

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

This is the sequel to Gina Damico’s first book Croak, which I reviewed just last week. If you haven’t read Croak, be aware, spoilers ahead! So, Lex’s twin sister is no longer in the land of the living and Zara is running around on the loose Damning criminals to an eternity spent as ghosts, rather than letting them get into the coziness of the Afterlife. There’s only one problem here. Zara thinks Lex has something she wants. Something very powerful. And she’ll stop at nothing to get it. When she starts Damning innocent people and even Grims all over the world, Lex realizes she’d better act fast and find The Wrong Book. But that’s not all. Things are even worse in Croak. Norwood and Heloise are doing their evil best to convince the rest of the town that the Junior Grims are terrible delinquents who can’t do anything right, and that Lex’s Uncle Mort is no longer fit for the job of town Mayor. It’s finally time for Lex, her Uncle Mort, and the other Juniors to skip down and seek safety in DeMyse, a huge, glitzy city, home to Grims on the west coast, much like Las Vegas. Of course, hijinks ensue, and our favorite characters from the Afterlife have a knack for traveling as well. Not only do we get to see more of Cordy, Lex’s twin sister, but we also get to see her new, albeit dead, beau: the hottest and youngest king to roam the Earth. King Tut? Yep. Things couldn’t get more wild in the Afterlife.

This book kept me even more on the edge of my seat than the first book. The humor was still fresh, the action awesome and terrifying, and the romance at times very sweet, realistic, and bumbling, just the way I like it. Nothing is perfect, not even romance, and I like the way she portrays it in these books. It’s not the main storyline, but it is pretty major. Plus, for those interested, there is a side gay romance in here that gets left by a cliffhanger at the end. I’m hoping it won’t be long before the next book comes out. I’m not sure I can wait forever on this series. If you like a bit of gore and creepiness, if you like humorous and realistic romance, if you enjoy talking to dead people… this series is for you! And I highly recommend having book 2 ready to read as soon as you finish book 1. You’ll be glad you did.

Tokyo Heist by Diana Renn

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

Tokyo Heist is the story of two stolen Van Gogh drawings and a missing Van Gogh painting. It is also the story of the young man who bought that painting and the family he left behind when he committed suicide over 30 years ago. And, it’s the story of a bright teenage girl with an eye for drawing her own manga series, known as Kimono Girl. 16-year-old Violet hadn’t planned on solving an art heist mystery during her summer vacation spent with her estranged father. She hadn’t planned on getting chased by the largest Japanese gang, known as the Yakuza. And she definitely didn’t plan on a trip to Japan any time soon. But she gets all that, and more, in this gripping mystery/suspense novel where sometimes the only way to solve a crime, is to draw it out like a Japanese comic book.

I LOVED  this book. That’s it. Plain and simple. The way it was told, the language used, everything was realistic and gripping. Plus, I loved Kimono Girl. I was picturing the scenes Violet was drawing easily, and I loved the idea of a girl who could slip in and out of paintings to solve crimes and move around. It was a very interesting way to view the world and solve a crime. Anyone who loves Japan and manga will likely fall in love with Violet and this novel. It’s a quick dive into Japanese culture, but one not soon forgotten. I highly recommend this title.

Croak by Gina Demico

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

This is the story of a 16-year-old teen who gets shipped off to spend the summer with her Uncle Mort because of sudden behavioral issues. Lex, named after the battle of Lexington, has no idea why she turned violent. She just knows that she likes to punch people and it doesn’t matter whether they’ve done something to personally offend her or not. But when she gets to the town of Croak, NY (Population 82), she’s startled to discover that her uncle isn’t the farmer she expected. He’s a Grim Reaper. And so is everyone else in the small town. She was born to be a Grim. At first she isn’t sure about this, but the more she hangs out with the other Junior Grims, and the more time she spends at work, Killing dead bodies so her partner can Cull the souls to send the people to the afterlife, the more she comes to realize that Croak is where she belongs.

But then, mysterious deaths start to occur. Not only do the medical examiners not know what’s killing these people, seemingly at random, but neither do the Grims. When it become apparent that the killer could very well be a Grim, it’s up to Lex and the other Junior Grims to figure it out.

Honestly, I think I died laughing. No joke. This book is at the same time dark, very serious and yet light with humor. I loved getting to hang out in the afterlife with the dead famous people like Edgar Allen Poe who seems to be the only one who doesn’t like John Wilkes Booth because John stole Edgar’s favorite quill. When we get the absolutely lovely description of the alcohol-like drink that actually has no alcohol in it, I about died, wishing I could have a cup. Keep in mind, the drink has no alcohol, but if a Grim has more than three drinks in a row, that could spell a very different kind of trouble: Death. The murder mystery that takes place is definitely a mystery that will defy you until near the end of the book. At least, it did for me. The book is at times creepy, but there is also a healthy dose of awkward romance to go along with the creep. While most books these days throw in the perfect romance between the two perfect main characters, this romance is not perfect. Nothing goes as planned and neither are the two main characters perfect. It’s wonderfully realistic.

Over all, this book was a nice breath of fresh air from all the books that only seem to mimic each other these days. Yep, there’s a girl on the cover, but she’s wearing a black hoodie (proper Grim attire) and carrying a large scythe. Not a fancy dress that never gets worn in the book. But be aware of one thing. As you near the end of the first book, make sure you have Scorch, the second book, handy because you’ll want to dive right in without waiting. Trust me, this book is awesome. And the story’s not done yet…

I can’t recommend this book enough.

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

Read by: Anna/Copley Teen Room

This is the story about a young man going by the nickname Cass who kills ghosts for a living. Yep. You heard right. Cass kills ghosts for a living. The job has been in his family for generations and he’s the latest to pick up the athame, or knife, his father used to demolish the dead who demolish the living. Only this time, as he moves to Canada with his mother, he finally meets his match. Anna Dressed In Blood is a ghost he can’t kill until he can figure out how and why she died. The truth is shocking and as horrible as having Satan himself sit down to Thanksgiving dinner with you and your family. But even then, Cass still can’t kill Anna, even knowing the high number of people she’s killed since her death. The feelings he’s kept locked inside to protect the rest of the world from his job are threatening to come out, he’s actually made friends for the first time, and yet another ghost seems to be after him.  Why did Anna protect Cass from other teens trying to play a mean prank on him? And what’s he going to do to get out of this sticky situation?

I read this not knowing what to expect. And I LOVED it. The book keeps you guessing right up until the very end. The characters were realistic, and even the ghosts were relatable and likeable. My only complaint with this book was how the police handled each death and missing persons case. The cops didn’t look hard for missing teenagers, or murderers. In talking with real life police, I know they wouldn’t pass off a missing teenager as someone who’d simply runaway and leave it at that. However, as this wasn’t all about police procedure, I was able to put that at the back of my mind and enjoy the rest of the story.  All in all, I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good mystery or horror novel. It’s that awesome.