The Occasional Diamond Thief--J.A. McLachlan

Title: The Occasional Diamond Thief
Author: J.A. McLachlan
Publisher: Edge, 2015
Pages: 291 p.
Source: VOYA
Compensation: None
Read: April 2015

When Kia was a small child her father visited the remote planet Malem and returned with a strange illness. Her father was never the same again as the illness slowly killed him. On his deathbed, he reveals a hidden Malemese diamond to her, something both exciting and frightening. Malemese diamonds are illegal for off-worlders to possess, leading Kia to fear that her father stole it, so she too keeps it hidden. Through a series of events that seem out of Kia’s control she is sent to Malem as a translator and discovers the diamond is far more important than she ever realized.

McLachlan does not spend much time on world-building, instead she thrusts the reader into this multiplanetary universe much like Kia is thrust into the mysterious political world of Malem. McLachlan does a good job of showing Kia’s strength as well as her flaws and how she grows under the influence of Agatha, a religious Select who becomes a friend. The story is interesting and the developing friendship between Kia and Agatha unfolds nicely as they both attempt to uncover Malem’s secrets. Although the story is science fiction, ultimately it is about people and family.  Science fiction readers will not be disappointed and realistic fiction readers may be tempted to pick up something a little different.

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I Text Dead People--Rose Cooper

Title: I Text Dead People
Author: Rose Cooper
Publisher: Random House, 2015
Pages: 256 p
Source: VOYA
Compensation: None
Read: March 2015

It is bad enough that Annabel Craven has just moved into a creepy old mansion next to a cemetery and has to start a new school, but she has also destroyed her cell phone in the wash. This proves to be particularly troublesome when she comes across a weird guy in the cemetery demanding that she return what she took from him. A very confused Anna runs away, trips over a cell phone and decides to pocket it on her way to school. Things continue to get more confusing for Anna as it becomes clear that her newly found phone has very special capabilities, mainly--texting the dead. When one of Anna's new classmates is killed in a tragic accident, Anna must use her phone to help solve the mystery.

I Text Dead People has a funny unique premise and Anna is an interesting protagonist. There are some expected and unexpected twists and the major mystery is wrapped up nicely. While some parts of the book did not quite add up as well as they should have, tweens will not care about minor flaws and will instead focus on enjoying Anna's entertaining character. They will be glad to know that more adventures are planned for Rose Cooper's Dead Series.

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The Truth About Forever--Sarah Dessen

Title: The Truth About Forever
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Viking, 2004
Pages: 374 p
Source: Library ebook
Compensation: None
Read: May 2015

This was the only Sarah Dessen book I hadn't read. I'm not sure why but I'm glad I finally did. 

Macy has a picture-perfect life. Smart boyfriend, good grades, and everything planned out. Her practical but unfeeling boyfriend Jason is spending the summer at Brain Camp and chooses her as his replacement for his library job. She plans to spend her days at the library and her evenings studying for the SAT and never have to think about her father's tragic death. But plans don't always work out and when she unexpectedly starts helping out a catering company she realizes there is a peace in chaos and not having everything planned. Meeting an artistic cute boy with grief of his own is just icing on the cake. 

I don't think I've ever not liked a Sarah Dessen book and this is no exception. There is just something about her stories and the way she writes that gets to me. She is the queen of teen fiction for a reason. The one quibble I had was that no public library would have teenagers working as reference librarians-- but I did work in that role at my college library. That didn't detract from the story at all. 

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Stone in the Sky--Cecil Castellucci

Title: Stone in the Sky
Author: Cecil Castellucci
Publisher: Roaring Brook, 2015
Pages: 320
Source: Library
Compensation: None
Read: May 2015

Tula has accepted her life aboard the space station Yertina Feray and is as happy as she could be after the events of Tin Star. She still harbors a hatred for Brother Blue, but manages to find success as the owner of a water, sweets and salt shop aboard the ship. She and Tournour, the alien sheriff, have kept their romance a secret and have been relatively safe from Imperium interference. Until a ship crashes on the nearby planet Quint and discovers a rare pollen called Alin. Anticipating money to be made, aliens of all kinds rush to the planet and the Yertina Feray, attracting the attention of not only Brother Blue, but the Imperium. Forced to flee her adopted home, Tula wanders the galaxy and discovers more than she could have imagined.

I liked this book a bit more than the first. I've read reviews that complain that the writing style was a little choppy, which is true. But I accepted it as the way Tula would talk and think. Having little human contact for years and conversing with aliens would alter the way one communicates. When I thought about the narration not being a story from Castellucci, but rather a story from Tula, the writing style made much more sense and did not detract from the story at all.

I wasn't a huge fan of Tin Star, but I liked the action and the political consequences of Stone Sky. I also liked how amid all of the conspiracies and political drama, Tula must also decide who she wants to be and who she really loves. It's the basic human story of love and happiness with a backdrop of alien politics.

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The Sorcerer Heir--Cinda Williams Chima

Title: The Sorcerer Heir
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Publisher: Hyperion, 2014
Pages: 512 p
Source: Library
Compensation: None
Read: April 2015

Emma and Jonah are brought together by their love of music and their shared history at Thorn Hill, but their secrets and guilt threaten to tear them apart as the weir guilds continue to struggle to keep the peace. This final book in the Heir Chronicles answers the questions surrounding the mysterious massacre at Thorn Hill.

I liked this book as I read it a few months ago but I'm struggling to remember enough details to add to this review. This storyline wasn't as captivating as the initial tale of warring wizards and magical people.

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The Enchanter Heir--Cinda Williams Chima

Title: The Enchanter Heir
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Publisher: Hyperion, 2013
Pages: 458 p
Source: library
Compensation: none
Read: March 2015

Set in the same universe and timeline as the first trilogy, some familiar characters from the previous stories make appearances, but the main plot of this new book is completely new.

Jonah Kinlock lived in a thriving artistic weir community until a horrible "accident" happens that forever changes him and the other children who lived there. Now Jonah is an assassin for Nightshade--a network of assassins who hunt the undead "survivors" of the Thorn Hill Massacre. As Jonah learns more and more about the massacre and the true nature of the undead, he becomes more and more uneasy with his role.

I enjoyed the story but not quite as much as the first trilogy.

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The Dragon Heir--Cinda Williams Chima

Title: The Dragon Heir
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Publisher: Hyperion, 2008
Pages: 499 p
Source: Library
Compensation: None
Read: March 2015

A lot happens in this book. The world of wizards was forever changed when Jack and Ellen changed the rules at the last games. Now Trinity is a sanctuary for all weir folk who don't want to play by the old violent rules. But there are still some people who want to go back to the past when Wizards controlled everything. When Jason Haley finds a powerful talisman called the Dragonheart, he unwittingly summons a past even further back than the Wizards.

The very end of the book felt a little rushed, like hurrying to tie up all the loose ends, but I still enjoyed it.

The Warrior Heir
The Wizard Heir

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The Wizard Heir--Cinda Williams Chima

Title: The Wizard Heir
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Publisher: Hyperion, 2008
Pages: 458 p
Source: Library ebook
Compensation: None
Read: February 2015

Although it took me a while to warm up to The Warrior Heir, I liked this second installment from the very beginning. Seph McCauley has been in and out of private schools his whole life. He's a good student and charismatic and very likable, but buildings tend to burn up around him. Seph is a wizard but he has received no training and has no idea how to harness and control his power. He is accepted into a boarding school and quickly discovers it is a front for wizards. When he refuses to join the wizards' cult, he is tortured until he is rescued by Linda Downey--Jack's enchanter aunt.

I enjoyed this book and the fantasy world Chima has created. This one did a good job of furthering the story we know and setting up events for the next book.

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Seeker--Arwen Elys Dayton

Title: Seeker
Author: Arwen Elys Dayton
Publisher: Delacorte, 2015
Pages: 448 p
Source: Netgalley
Compensation: None

Quin Kincaid is about to take the final test to become a Seeker, a mysterious time traveler, and is excited and ready after years of hard training. Her secret boyfriend John is less excited since he knows what Seekers actually do and it is much less noble than Quin and her "cousin" Shinobu have grown up believing. Quin's father is their harsh teacher who has no love for anybody. When John falters during a particularly hard training session, he is kicked out by Quin's father. Unable to take the test and fulfill his family duty of becoming Seeker, he leaves Quin and Shinobu--who have taken their "test" and changed their lives forever. Before John leaves he tries to take back what Quin's father stole from his family and sets off a dangerous series of events.

There is so much in this book it's hard to summarize. The chapters are told in alternating viewpoints-- Quin and John and then later on Shinobu. There are also chapters telling the story of Maud--a girl who is much older and mystical than she appears. Quin is both strong and vulnerable, John is both honorable and devious, Shinobu is weak and trustworthy. None of them are perfect characters, they are all flawed in some way. I liked Quin and I enjoyed the story of the Seekers, but I was really drawn to Maud and her story as well. There were some parts that could have been condensed and others that kept me from putting down the story. Seeker is an interesting fantasy that has stuck with me in the weeks since I've read it. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

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Heat of the Moment--Lauren Barnholdt

Title: Heat of the Moment
Author: Lauren Barnholdt
Publisher: Harper Teen, 2015
Pages: 304 p.
Source: VOYA
Compensation: None

High school senior Lyla McAfee has her whole senior trip to Florida planned out perfectly. She plans on losing her virginity to her boyfriend of two years (a plan mentioned four times in the first two pages), but first she needs to get there. She misses the school sponsored bus to the airport, so Lyla hops on the back of a motorcycle belonging to a classmate she barely knows so she can make it to the airport on time. She would not normally do that, but as a freshman she had scheduled an email to repeatedly be sent to herself as a senior (over the course of one day) saying, "Before graduation, I will… learn to trust." Lyla manages to get on the plane but the weekend does not go quite as she planned it. Her boyfriend is annoyed that she rode with another guy, she's rooming with ex-friends she has not spoken to in years, and the motorcycle guy keeps popping up in her life.

Lyla is not a particularly likable character. She is unforgiving; a trait that causes her to lie and try to cover up her own actions. She is concerned with trusting other people, but she is not very trustworthy herself. She does come to realize her mistakes by the end of the story and there is hope that she will mature in the next two books in this planned trilogy. This is a good addition to large teen collections with insatiable romance readers.

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Finding Mr. Brightside--Jay Clark

Title: Finding Mr. Brightside
Author: Jay Clark
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company, 2015.
Pages: 288 p.
Source: VOYA
Compensation: None

Abram is slightly obsessed with his neighbor Juliette but he is afraid to make contact because of their shared traumatic past. Abram's dad and Juliette's mom were in a horrible fatal car crash which revealed the two had been having an illicit affair. Abram and Juliette each react differently to the loss of their respective parents and the scandal it uncovered. Juliette is addicted to Adderall because it helps occupy her mind and prevents her from sleeping. Abram is on antidepressants that do the opposite. When they run into each other filling their prescriptions at the local drug store, Abram takes a chance and speaks to Juliette, who takes a bigger chance and speaks back. From there they open the door to an unexpected friendship and romance and some much needed healing.

Finding Mr. Brightside is told in both Abram's and Juliette's points of view in alternating chapters. Clark does a good job of making their voices different without resorting to stereotypical differences between girls and boys (Abram does not obsess over sex). The romance unfolds nicely and although it is quick, this is not a case of insta-love. It takes Juliette a while to let her guard down and truly trust Abram. She may have been subconsciously attracted to him, but she was determined to not be in a relationship with anyone. Clark's characters are realistic and sympathetic. Readers will root for both of them to overcome their trauma and accept a future of happiness.

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When My Heart Was Wicked--Tricia Stirling

Title: When My Heart Was Wicked
Author: Tricia Stirling
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2015.
Pages: 192 p.
Source: VOYA
Compensation: None

Lacy is grieving for her beloved father with her kind-hearted stepmother when her troubled mother shows up demanding custody. Although clearly the better parent, Lacy's stepmom has no legal claim to her and must give her up to the wild and evil-spirited Cheyenne. Lacy fears that all of the work she has done to overcome her own troubled past will be undone as soon as she is under her mother's influence. She tries to fight it but little by little she loses herself until she must confront her mother and battle for her own soul. On the surface this is a normal story about a girl trying to find her own identity separate from her mother's. But underneath the surface, there is an element of magic. Cheyenne has always turned to dark magic and included her very young daughter in her spells. Now that Lacy is older and trying to resist her mother, Cheyenne goes so far as using magic against her. Lacy's battle for her soul is a very real one and not just a metaphor.

When My Heart Was Wicked is not a traditional fantasy story, nor is it traditional realistic fiction. Fans of Francesca Lia Block's magical realism will enjoy this quick and powerful debut from Tricia Stirling.  

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The Warrior Heir--Cinda Williams Chima

Title: The Warrior Heir
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Publisher: Hyperion, 2006.
Pages: 450 p.
Source: Library ebook
Compensation: None

The story opens with a prologue that immediately sucks you in and leaves you wanting more. Unfortunately you have to wait quite a while before you get it. We're introduced to a mysterious world where children have to hide from evil wizards. A young boy, Lee, discovers his family has been murdered and watches his warrior sister get stolen. He vows revenge. Fast forward 100 years. A heart surgeon is attempting to steal one of her infant patients when the boy's aunt discovers it and convinces her not to take him as a baby but to wait to claim him when he's older. The main plot begins sixteen years later. 

Jack has had to take strange medicine everyday for his entire life because of a heart surgery when he was just a baby. He's always had to be extra careful and his mom has always worried. One day he forgets his medicine and discovers he feels stronger and more capable. Unfortunately his new strength puts him in danger. Jack is part of a magical family--wizards, enchanters, warriors, sorcerers--that each have magical stones designating their power.  Wizards have always been in charge and feuding with one another. Rather than continue killing each other in bloody wars, wizards have devised a game in which warriors will fight for them in a tournament. There are fewer and fewer warriors born, mostly because the wizards keep capturing and killing them. Jack is one of the few, or possibly the only, warrior left. Which makes him a very valuable target and in immediate danger. 

Most of the story is Jack finding out about his heritage and training and running from bad guys. It's a little slow. But once Jack finally makes it to the tournament the story picks up speed and is difficult to put down. This is an interesting world with lots of potential. I'm looking forward to continuing the series with The Wizard Heir next.  

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Clariel--Garth Nix

Title: Clariel
Author: Garth Nix
Publisher: HarperCollins, 2014
Pages: 400 p.
Source: Library
Compensation: None

If you're one of the few regular readers of this blog and not just a googler, you should remember my obsession admiration for Garth Nix. I particularly loved the Abhorsen Trilogy. Which is why I may have flipped out a wee bit when I saw he had written another one! Clariel is not a sequel to the trilogy, but rather a prequel that takes place hundreds of years before.

Clariel is a loner who just wants a simple life of living in the woods and working as a Borderer. Unfortunately she is part of an important family with ties to the Abhorsen and the King and when her mother is called to live in the city, Clariel must go with her. While there she is drawn into political intrigue and murderous plots, and discovers that she is a Berserker. Her berserk nature makes her very vulnerable to free magic and makes it very hard to resist free magic's tempting power.

Clariel is an interesting character, unlike any of Nix's previous heroines. She is flawed, and while some of her actions are understandable, she is more of an anti-heroine than a truly likable character. I'd rather not give away any spoilers, but when Clariel's identity is revealed at the end of the book, it's clear that this is an "origin story."

I didn't love-love this one as much as I did the others but in retrospect I think it was because I didn't know what I was reading. I kept waiting for Clariel to be the hero, to be the next Abhorsen, to be what I expected. But that wasn't what this story was and I don't think I was supposed to love her like Sabriel. The more time I have away from it, the more I appreciate it.

I am REALLY looking forward to his next Abhorsen book which IS a sequel.
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King Dork Approximately--Frank Portman

Title: King Dork Approximately
Author: Frank Portman
Publisher: Delacorte Press, 2014.
Pages:384 p.
Source: Netgalley
Compensation: None

I read King Dork a LONG time ago when I was still working as a YA librarian. I remember talking about it at librarian meetings. It seems like a lifetime ago (it was) which is why I was so surprised to hear talk of a sequel. I had remembered enjoying King Dork, even if I didn't think it was the best thing ever, so when I had the chance to read an ebook through Netgalley, I jumped.

King Dork Approximately picks up where King Dork left off. Tom Henderson has mostly recovered from his injuries (read the first book) and is still muddling though life trying to figure it all out but things are even more confusing for him. His mom and step dad are having problems, his best friend Sam Kellerman has shocking secrets of his own, and on top of it all he has to attend a new school when his infamous old one is shut down. He finds himself trying to be invisible by completely blending in to the new school's serious School Spirit. It works and he finds himself with a girlfriend and unbelievably a torment-free existence. But nothing lasts forever and pretty soon his true colors shine through. Luckily there's a female robot in class to save the day.

Fans of King Dork will appreciate this sequel. Tom hasn't lost his sarcastic outlook. Once again, music plays a big role in the story. Tom's band has graduated from just coming up with names to actually playing instruments and practicing. If they can rein in their drummer's flair for unnecessary solos they actually sound ok, so Tom and Sam come up with a crazy method to do just that. Tom's band is the most entertaining part of the story.

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