The Pearl Thief by Elizabeth Wein

For fans of Code Name Verity, The Pearl Thief will feel like visiting with an old friend. The Pearl Thief takes us back to the summer of 1938, well before the events of Code Name Verity. That summer, Julia Beaufort-Stuart goes back her maternal grandparent's ancestral home Strathfearn for one last time to help her grandmother finish moving out of the house that had been sold and is being converted into a boarding school.

Julie arrives earlier than expected and is enjoying exploring her family's grounds and the village, seeing just how much is changing under construction and visiting her grandfather's collection of artifacts in the local library (but what happened to the pearls she remembers being part of the collection?). When she stops by the river and falls asleep, she doesn't expect to wake up several days later in the hospital with a concussion. She also didn't expect to have been rescued by a brother and sister from the Traveler family staying on her family lands or to return to Strathfearn to learn the same day she was injured that one of her family's employees, the one in charge of cataloging her grandfather's collection, has disappeared.

In the young woman who makes fierce friends with the young Travelers who found her and took her to the hospital and searches for answers to the mystery of the missing historian, there are clear signs of the young woman who is so captivating in Code Name Verity. And it is a welcome chance to see her, and a couple other familiar faces, again.

The Pearl Thief does not rely on having read Code Name Verity. The atmosphere of the time and place is captured so well and was a fascinating glimpse into Scotland just before World War II broke out. The friendship between Julie, her brother Jamie, and the Travelers that their summer adventures unfolded with warm familiarity.

*I was given an eARC of this book by the publisher through NetGalley, but all thoughts about the book are my own.

Tell The Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan

This retelling of A Tale of Two Cities takes place in a world of magic and danger and a divided New York. There’s the glittering Light New York, home to marvels as the Light Magicians, but just a short ride away is the walled off Dark New York, where Dark magicians or their descendants are kept in ever increasing poverty looked down on by those in Light New York and inching toward rebellion with the increasing restrictions. It is a world of magic and wonders, dangers and Doppelgangers. Lucie grew up in the dark, but escaped with her father when she was still a child, and has become famous in doing so. But she and Ethan, son of the leading family in the Light, both have secrets that are about to come spilling out when Carwyn walks into their lives, saving Ethan’s. Carwyn, a reviled Doppelgänger, is Ethan’s duplicate.

Sarah Rees Brennan has taken the fires of the French Revolution and reset it in a magical and divided New York. And her teenaged Lucie, Ethan, and Carwyn each have difficult and important decisions to make as their secrets come to light.

Lucie has made mistakes and has regrets, but she is determined to fight for those she loves, whatever the cost. Ethan is determined to do what is right, to help the people of both New Yorks, whatever the cost. Carwyn, is determined not to trust anyone else or let them stand in the way of what he wants, but he may not have been accounting for what he’d get tangled up in when he risked his life to save Ethan. And none of them will be safe in the rising revolution.

The interactions between Lucie, Ethan, and Carwyn as their secrets are revealed, as they try to navigate the rising tensions between the two cities, and their varied families pulled me in. As did Carwyn who quickly became a favorite of mine. Lucie’s determination, Carwyn’s snark and preemptive cynicism, and Ethan’s idealism made the three characters dynamic and each of their decisions clearly drive the plot to the breathtaking finale.

*I was given an eARC of this book by the publisher through NetGalley, but all thoughts about the book are my own.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Code Name Verity is one of my favorite reads of the year. It is also one of the ones I find most difficult to talk about what I liked without spoiling the book. It was an amazing journey, told mostly in the form of a type of report, starting as one written in a desperate bid by a prisoner to buy time after she has been caught behind enemy lines by the Gestapo.

Watching the story unfold, learning how the prisoner became an operative and came to be behind enemy lines is amazing. Especially as the threads of the story start to pull together. Because of the way the book is written, quite a bit won't really start to make complete sense until about half-way through but the way that each element fits makes it a pleasure.

I adored Maddie, Queenie, and Jamie. The addition of the World War II female ferry pilot and Special Operations Executive made this book even more special and memorable. The drive and intelligence of Maddie and Queenie inspires me. The decisions Maddie, Queenie, and Jamie face and the way they try to find their way through war and terror with honor is a large part of why Code Name Verity keeps coming back to mind.

*I received a digital ARC of Code Name Verity from the publisher through NetGalley.

The Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl is a criminal mastermind, following in the footsteps of a long line of Fowls before him. He is 12 in the first book Artemis Fowl and he is putting all of his considerable intellect into a plan to rescue his family. His mother has gone nearly catatonic after his father disappeared and Artemis has stepped up to take care of his family, return the Fowls to their rightful place in the criminal underworld, and find his father. Artemis may be young, but he's a genius and he has Butler, a bodyguard who is as good at his job as Artemis is, to do any heavy lifting. So, when he sets his sights on leveraging fairy magic to give him even more of an edge LEPrecon Captain Holly Short has her hands full trying to keep the fairy world secret from the humans.

The Artemis Fowl series is one of my favorites, perhaps even more so than the Harry Potter series, because of how much Artemis grows over the course of the seven books in the series so far. The twelve year old criminal mastermind who is introduced in the first book is very different in a completely consistent way from the fifteen year old young man that we leave at the end of Artemis Fowl: The Atlantic Complex. Along the way, we see Artemis, Holly, and Butler face enormous challenges, struggle against odds that challenge them, and problems that boggle even Artemis's intellect. They make alliances and break them. They grow and suffer set backs. Watching as they struggle and flourish has been one of the joys of the series. So, even if the first one book is a little slow to start, it quickly picks up, and the series is well worth it.

The eighth and final book in the series will be coming out in the beginning of July, 2012.

Eureka

This evening, the second episode of the last season of Eureka will air and I'm very excited to see where it goes. I've been a fan of the series since the first episode aired, and was very sad when I heard that this season would be the last. I've loved watching Jack Carter becoming a part of the town and watching him change as he adopted Eureka as his own. His start in town was, perhaps not promising. Jack was a Federal Marshal passing through when an accident causes him and his daughter Zoe to have to stop over in town for a few days. Zoe had run away, again, from her home in LA, and Jack was dragging her back, again. And at the end of the pilot, no one was more surprised than Jack that he'd been offered a promotion to Sheriff of Eureka. Henry was friendly, Jo was hostile, Allison was skeptical, Fargo was unable to see a dangerous looking button and not push it. But over the years, they've become one of my favorite teams to watch. And I'm so excited to see the next episodes, while very well aware that each new one I see is one less that's left. So far, it looks like Eureka is keeping with the format that I've loved, of a central problem, usually a scientific experiment gone awry that Jack and his team need to figure out, usually before it destroys the town or the world. Another normal day in Eureka. This season also promises to have another strong arc, hopefully answering some of my questions about what has been an occasional side story that's been popping up every now and again since the first season. I've tried to avoid any spoilers, which is sometimes difficult when talking about a series that has had as wonderful and surprising a run as this one has. This show has made me laugh and cry. I love these characters and will be very sad to see them go. But it looks like the show will end in style and I can't wait to see what happens next! If you haven't seen Eureka, find it on Netflix or DVD and start at the beginning. It is well worth seeing.

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Kami Glass knows exactly what she wants. She wants to make the high school newspaper that she has just started in her little town of Sorry-in-the-Vale a success, starting her journalist career. The Lynburns who are whispered about around the town and who have been gone from Sorry-in-the-Vale since before Kami was born have returned. Kami's determined to get their story and publish it in her paper with the help of her best friend Angela. Kami's only other friend is Jared, an imaginary friend who seems a little too real at times. Especially when they learn the Lynburns brought two young men, about Kami's age with them, Ash and Jared. It's not really fair when your imaginary friend shows up, even if you strongly suspected he was real, and is rude to you just before you realize who he is.

Any narrator who uses the word nefarious in the first few paragraphs and comes from a line of lady detectives including Miss Marple and Veronica Mars is bound to catch my attention, in the best of ways. And there is clearly a mystery, a big one, that the entire town of Sorry-in-the-Vale is keeping about the Lynburns. I loved Kami's spunk. Watching Kami and Jared interact both through a telepathic link that they both have known since birth and more traditionally was wonderful and hilarious. I also loved that this is as much a story about the group dynamic between Kami, Angela, Holly, Ash, and Jared as they come together to work on the paper and are drawn into they mystery. The only bad part of having read an advanced copy is that there is longer to wait before the next book comes out!

One quick note, Unspoken ends at what seems to be the best stopping point, but still in the middle of things, where I'm sure the sequel will pick up. However, if everything not being wrapped up is going to bother you, you've now been warned. But, really, it's so worth it! I'm probably going to run out and get a copy of it as soon as it comes out in September!

*I got an ARC of Unspoken from the publisher through NetGalley.

Ripper by Stefan Petrucha

Carver Young has dreamed of being a detective for his whole life. The only information he has about his parents is a cryptic letter from London dated 1889, when Carver was 7, to "Boss" he finds in the orphanage's files. When the orphanage is to be moved, Carver, Delia and Finn, the three oldest of the orphans around 14, are told that there won't be room for them. Each is lucky enough to be adopted and Carver is taken in by a former Pinkerton detective who soon has Carver involved in a new Pinkerton agency that's working underground (literally) in New York, right under the nose of Teddy Roosevelt's police force. Carver's first case has him running across the startling series of murders that have started in New York that bear a striking resemblance to those of Jack the Ripper.

I loved the atmosphere of this book. The combination of Jack the Ripper, Pinkertons, and the urban fantasy feel of the adventure in New York city were fascinating. Also, I greatly enjoyed the very steampunk style of the gadgets that the New Pinkertons had developed, along with the steam powered underground train and elevator that they used as part of their headquarters. Watching Carver as he is taken under Mr. Hawking's wing and as Carver begins to find his feet in the deepening investigations was fun. I liked that for all Carver was very resourceful and brave, while having the habit of rushing into things before completely thinking them through. I appreciated the atmosphere and the tight pacing of the book, which kept reading later than planned more than once. I can't wait for the next in the series; seeing where Carver, Delia and Finn go will be very interesting!

White Cat by Holly Black

Cassel Sharpe knows that his best shot at getting by is to pretend to be normal, which is difficult since his whole family are con artists and workers. His mother is able to work emotions, his eldest brother is a physical worker for the mob, his other brother works luck, and his grandfather was a death worker for the mob, each with a touch of a hand. Cassel knows that he's the only one in his family who isn't a worker. He's always thought of this as a liability, a deficit, but now that he's going to a private school, he's beginning to see that not being a worker in a world that mistrusts their powers might not be all that bad. Cassel knows he killed his best friend Lila. But he doesn't quite remember the event or why. When Cassel wakes up on the roof of his dorm after dreaming of a white cat, with no memory of how he could have gotten there, he begins to question everything he knows.

White Cat is the first book in the Curse Worker series, and though each book comes to a satisfying conclusion, I was very glad that I had Red Glove on hand when I finished reading White Cat, and that Black Heart came out less than 48 hours after I finished reading Red Glove. Cassel's world is rich, filled with interesting characters, many of whom I'd love to see in their own books. It is a world of magic where ungloved hands are threatening and tantalizing. There are few clear cut answers even when one desperately wants to do right. A richly satisfying series that delivers from start to finish.

As the books feed right into one another, I'd suggest starting with White Cat.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Anna Dressed in Blood is easily one of my favorite reads so far this year. It was recommended to me by Felicity Disco, who was right on the money. This book finds Cas Lowood hunting ghosts, as his dad did before he died. His mom moves from town to town with Cas whenever he finishes another job. He's only a teenager, about to graduate High School, if he ever stays in one place long enough, but since his dad died taking on a ghost, Cas has been determined to do the job. And he's always been able to do it alone, with his mom doing whatever she can do to help patch him up afterwards.

When Cas hears about Anna Dressed in Blood, a ghost who has been killing anyone who enters the boarding house where she lived, he's intrigued. When Cas and his mom set off to face this new ghost, Cas is sure that he'll be done in a few days, weeks at the most. That's before he ends up in the house against his will and Anna doesn't kill him though she clearly could. That's before everything he knew about what he does and why it's a good thing, starts to come into question. That's before he starts to care about the people in his classes, and the town as things spin out of his control.

I loved that Cas's mother is an active part of the book's plot and Cas's life, and that she is willing to do anything she can to help. Cas is still the one that has to actually confront the ghosts, but she's there, and she worries, and she's his mom. After reading several YA books where the parents were absent, I found this refreshing. I also enjoyed watching Cas start to engage, when he clearly had good reasons to resist. Watching him make friends and grow connections for the first time was wonderful. And can I just say, I really liked Carmel. You'll understand if you read it. I'll also note that the book is beautiful. The ink is maroon and it added to the mood as I read.

One quick note, this book is bloody. There's a reason that Anna is described as Dressed in Blood. It is fairly literal. I didn't have much of a problem with it, but I did decide it was worth a warning. All of the violence and blood did seem to be plot relevant.

My Family for the War by Anne C. Voorhoeve

Ziska's great-grandparents were Jewish, which means that in 1938, so is she as far as the Nazi party is concerned. On the eve of World War II, Ziska's mother seizes the chance to get Ziska out of Germany. Ziska goes to England on one of the kindertransports that had been arranged to take Jewish children to foster families in England. There she finds herself living with a Jewish family and becoming Francis. She has to deal with the living in London during the war and worrying about her friends and family that she left behind in Germany while questioning who she is, what she believes, and where she belongs. I found this to be a very interesting coming of age story and a new view of the English home front in a Jewish community.

MWF seeking BFF by Rachel Bertshe

MWF seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche covers Rachel Bertsche's year long quest to find a new local BFF. After having been in Chicago for a year, and not developing a new local best friend to compliment the collection of long term best friends that were now long distance, she decided that something had to change. In a leap of faith and determination, she decides to commit to 52 friend dates in a year. What follows is an wonderful trip through not only the stories of the people she meets when she makes the determination to make the first move, but a survey of the research that has been done on who becomes friends, what are good things to look for in friends, and what roles friends play in people's lives. My favorite part was the insight into why we need friends.

One of the other things I enjoyed is the variety of examples of how to meet people who are potential friends in the book. Great insight that I've used both for myself and to friends who are also looking to build friendships closer to them as well. In a society that seems to be increasingly mobile, the willingness to go out and find friends when they don't just appear is important. MWF seeking BFF gives encouragement and ideas for how to get started.



*I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.

Seeds of Discovery and Roots of Insight

Seeds of Discovery and Roots of Insight by Breeana Puttroff are the first two books in a series that I recently discovered. I was completely captivated by the story and the characters, especially Thomas Rose.

In Seeds of Discovery, Quinn Robbins' attention is drawn to her mysterious classmate William Rose. Once she starts paying attention to him, she only has more and more questions about who he is and where he comes from. So she decides to follow him and find out. Little does she expect him to be from a fairytale kingdom on the other side of a magic gate that connects her little Colorado town to the kingdom of Eirentheos. Once there, she finds herself caught up in inter-kingdom politics and a mysterious epidemic as she meets William's family and finds the answers to most of her questions, only to find more questions needing answers. In Roots of Insight, Quinn, Willams and Thomas's story continues with further adventures in Eirentheos and challenges as Quinn tries to balance her attachment to the people she met in Eirentheos and with living her life on Earth with her family and close friend Zander.

The world of Eirentheos was fascinating to visit and get to know along with Quinn. While there is a very fairytale feel to the world, it isn't the typical fairytale world of the Grimm stories, and that was one of my favorite parts of the books. The world felt rich and new. The other part was the characters. Watching Quinn explore and discover the world William and his younger brother Thomas was wonderful. I laughed out loud nearly every time Thomas was around. I can't wait to read the next book and see what happens with Quinn, William, Zander and Thomas.

Seeds of Discovery is available in ebook and paperback from Amazon.com and starting 1/9/12, Roots of Insight will be there too!

*I bought Seeds of Discovery and was given a ARC of Roots of Insight by the author but was not paid or otherwise compensated for this review.

A Little Ray of Sunshine

A Little Ray of Sunshine by Lani Diane Rich (available in eBook form from Amazon: here) is one of my favorite books to reread. The story starts with EJ living on the road in an Airstream constantly running away from her past and her regrets. That all changes when Jess's car breaks down at the gas station where EJ works and Jess decides this means she's supposed to help EJ. That night EJ's childhood friend shows up to tell EJ that she's expected to show up for her mother's eight wedding, this one with Digs's father as the groom. Going back will mean facing a mother who ignored EJ for most of her childhood and facing the man she had been engaged to before she left home. I enjoy EJ's narration, but I decided I was hooked the first time I read Jess explaining how she had to kidnap EJ and her Airstream. Watching these two as they make their cross country journey and then face the changes that have happened during the six years EJ's been gone is so much fun. I adore watching these characters interact and grow, and come back to them time and again. A fulfilling women's journey with lots of laughs.

Key of Sea

Key of Sea is Mary Stella's second book that takes place in the Florida Keys. When Dora Lee Morrison gets her walking papers from her now ex-husband, she returns home to figure out what to do with her life now that she's not a trophy wife. She drives back in to her grandfather Willie Hanson's Marina and Mall and moves back in to one of the cottages on the property, the one that has been hers since her parents died. Bobby Daulton has been in love with Dora Lee since before she left to make her name as a model and now that she's back, he decides that it is time to convince her that all her dreams are right there. The only problem is that her marriage and it's abrupt end has given Dora Lee a distinct dislike for being told what to do and has cost her most of her confidence.

Watching Dora Lee try to first figure out what everyone else around her seems to already know about starting over, and then taking her first steps in finding a new dream and identity, was very interesting. I liked how Dora Lee was willing to work hard and dream big and Bobby was supportive, but willing to call Dora Lee on her narrow view of life when she comes in to conflict with the shop owners at the Marina and Mall and her assumptions about herself and the world. I also enjoyed seeing glimpses of Victoria and Jack from All Keyed Up, and seeing the dolphins at Dolphin World again. Since Willie is dating Jack's Aunt Ruby, we get to see more of her and all of her gumption and wisdom.

This was a fun, light read. If you're not able to go on a vacation to the Florida Keys, this book can make you feel like you're sitting on the porch with the Marina and Mall gang watching the sun set.

All Keyed Up

When Dr. Victoria Sheffield arrives at Dolphin Land at the beginning of All Keyed Up by Mary Stella, Victoria expects her research to make her name in the research world. Jack Benton, the nephew of the owner, has been recovering while trying to save Dolphin Land from foreclosure. Jack wants to be sure his Aunt Ruby isn't being taken advantage of by the research scientist, and his DEA instincts say that Victoria Sheffield is hiding something. It isn't her love and enthusiasm for dolphins, or her qualifications, he soon learns.

I liked watching Victoria and Jack as they found their way through the challenges of getting to know each other and learn to work together. Also, having a scientist who was enthusiastic, intelligent and committed to her research was very nice and felt consistent and well done in the story. I liked learning more about the dolphins and more about Jack, Victoria and Ruby based on how they reacted to the dolphins in the story. Ruby treats them as part of the family and beloved friends. Victoria loves the dolphins because of her passion for learning more about them and she is devoted to them. Jack doesn't want to believe that the dolphins know what is going on, but he keeps finding himself talking to them.

All Keyed Up is a very fun, light read. It is a perfect beach book. And if you can't get to the Keys in person, All Keyed Up is a good book to take your mind there.

California Schemin'

Bree MacGowan has gone on vacation to Northern California where her boyfriend Beau to try to rest and recover from finding a dead body at the Inn where she worked in Kate George's first book Moonlighting in Vermont, only to have another inconvenient body fall into her life. The woman falls from a bridge Bree is photographing into a river and Bree finds it was murder when she wades in to try to rescue the woman. Soon, people are after her to discover what she saw, and what she might say to the cops. After Bree handed over all of the evidence to Sheriff Fogel, she thought she was out of the mess, not wanting to get anywhere near another murder investigation, but when Beau's cabin is ransacked and his car searched, Bree heads back to Vermont hoping to stay out of trouble. Trouble follows her, and she finds herself back in California courtesy of Moose and Hammie, two operatives with murky motives, but generally nice guys, unlike their boss. So Bree finds herself having to get involved in trying to figure out what was going on with the woman on the bridge and how she ended up dead.

California Schemin' is told from Bree's point of view and follows her as she travels from California to DC to Vermont and back. Sometimes this causes the mystery to take the back seat as Bree tries to figure out whether she can trust those around her, but I felt satisfied with the end though there are a couple of questions that I hope a future book will have the answers to. Bree's voice sets the tone of the book and makes it light and quick. I liked the way Bree interacts with Moose and Hammie. I hope that they show up in the next book because they were fun to watch interact with Bree, especially Moose.

If you liked Moonlighting in Vermont or Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews, I think you'll like California Schemin'.

I got a copy of this book from the author.

Worth Dying For: A Review

Worth Dying For, the 15th book in Lee Child's popular Jack Reacher series, picks up a couple of days after the explosive end of 61 Hours. We join Reacher as he is wandering with more intent than usual. He is on his way to Virginia to meet the voice on the other end of a phone, sitting at a desk in an MP Unit that he used to be a part of. He is dropped off from his latest hitchhiking leg just outside a small Midwest town, where he finds trouble the way only Reacher can.

The Duncans, a set of three brothers and one son, own this town through control of the trucks that ship the towns produce out. They make their own law, so much so that even State Police stay clear. Within a few hours of ending up at the only hotel in town, Reacher defies the Duncan's standing order to stay away from the youngest Duncan's wife, who called the hotel looking for help from the town's doctor after she was beaten up.

Reacher, ever willing to even up the odds for women, steps in to lay down a new law for her husband, and puts himself in direct conflict with the Duncans and their ex-college football playing thugs. Along the way, Reacher learns of a very cold case of a missing young girl, from just before the Duncan's solidified their grasp on the town, and he becomes determined to discover what happened.

Watching Reacher juggle his escalating conflict with the Duncans and his investigations into the girl's disappearance 20 years before is as fascinating as ever. The two story lines play off each other, building to the conclusion.

Reacher moves through the conflict with much of his usual flair, but things are a little different than normal this time around. Reacher is clearly feeling the effects of the events at the end of 61 Hours and though Worth Dying For can be read on its own, 61 Hours does add depth to the reading of Worth Dying For.

The pacing of the two storylines, the mystery of the present situation and the girl's disappearance keeps the tension up while giving Reacher plenty to do. Reacher pursues his own type of justice in the town even the county police won't get involved in. He is once again the only one who could put an end to the situation he finds.

If you've enjoyed previous Jack Reacher books, you'll enjoy this one.

The Exile of Sara Stevenson

I may have picked this book up Sunday during my morning errands and finished reading it before dinner the same day. This may have impacted my impression, or it may have been because I was enjoying the book. And I did enjoy this book. The basic plot centers on Sara Stevenson who has been sent to a remote Scottish Lighthouse around 1814 because her lover, who she was planning on eloping with, has disappeared, leaving Sara pregnant and unwed. The reclusive lighthouse keeper intimidates and fascinates Sara, who along with Kate and Kate's husband who is taking over as assistant lightkeeper have moved into his little domain. Just as Sara is beginning to settle into life in the lighthouse, a package arrives for her, containing the watch she'd given her lover the last time she saw him and a letter. This starts her working to unravel the mystery of where he went, all the while she gets closer and closer to the mysterious lightkeeper. The ending was sad, but satisfying and I liked the aspects of mystery, supernatural forces and time travel that were woven together in the end.

Blood Oath

I adored this book, which might be a slightly odd way to describe one's feelings about a book, but Cade was instantly interesting and compelling, Griff the perfect old hand at a very odd game, and Zack grew on me really quickly.

The basic premise is that Cade, a vampire, is sworn by a Blood Oath to defend the President of the United States, which he has been doing for every President since Andrew Jackson. He defends the United States from the things that go bump in the night. Griff is his liaison with the President and Zach is training to be Cade's replacement after an interlude in the Lincoln bedroom with the President's daughter.

Zach's character arc is part of the joy of the book. Seeing if and how they become a team is great. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment. One quick note, if you don't deal well with lots of blood or similar things, you might have to skip parts.

In for a Penny

I loved the two main characters Penny and Nev were wonderfully portrayed, getting to know each other as the reader gets to know them both. Having alternating chapters from each point of view was great fun as the reader was able to see what the character's couldn't. The supporting cast was sparkling and you come to care for them all. I can't wait to read Rose Lerner's next book!