The Borden Murders

by Sarah Miller

Anyone who knows me at all knows I have a bit of an obsession with true crime, and this murder is one of the most famous unsolved cases in history. I really didn't know much about the story before reading this book, but I always sort of assumed Lizzie did it. Now I'm not so sure. The author did a great job keeping her own ideas out of the mix. The examination was completely impartial to either side, and at the end, you're really left still scratching your head. Unfortunately there's just not that much verifiable information on the case that has survived, so it felt a little like the author was stretching for material. The best part of the book was the end, as the author described Lizzie's life after the trial. She truly was a strange woman, and the Bordens were an unusual family. Did she do it? Maybe. But the results of the trial were fair. There was in no way enough evidence to convict her.

The Creeping Shadow

by Jonathan Stroud

After leaving Lockwood & Co. at the end of The Hollow Boy, Lucy finds herself freelancing for different agencies around the city. Her life is sort of sad. The skull is basically her only friend. She works, eats, sleeps. Until one day, Lockwood appears at her door with a proposition for her. Penelope Fittes needs Lucy's listening skills, and would like to hire them all to work an especially gruesome case. The Ealing Cannibal brings the group back together, at least temporarily, but when someone starts stealing relics, Lockwood & Co. needs to keep working as a team to find out who, and more importantly, why.

I just can't get enough of these books. The fact that I'm frantically turning pages in fear for these characters I've come to love so much, and laughing at the same time, is just a great reading experience.

And the cliffhanger on this one! AHHHH!

Fever 1793

by Laurie Halse Anderson

Mattie Cook's father passed away when she was little, so it's just Mattie and her mom left to run the family coffeehouse together in 1793 Philadelphia. Mattie is irritated by typical teen problems, like feeling overworked by her mom, and trying to hide her crush on Nathaniel. But when she finds out a girl her age from down the street has fallen ill and died within 24 hours, her world suddenly takes a dramatic turn. Yellow fever has taken over the city. Bodies are thrown in the streets, and neighboring towns refuse anyone passage. Mattie was a strong, multilayered character, and her grandfather, the Revolutionary War soldier, was hilarious. I enjoyed reading about the historical differences between the American doctors and the French doctors, too. A fun way to learn about a really interesting time in American History.

Darkstalker

by Tui T. Sutherland 

Thousands of years before the time of the Dragonet Prophecy, Darkstalker is born to parents from warring tribes-Arctic, an Icewing; and Foeslayer, a NightWing. Arctic is an animus, a rare dragon so powerful and dangerous that some tribes don't even allow them to live. Each time an animus uses magic, he loses a piece of his soul. Darkstalker has inherited his father's magical ability, along with the gift of prophecy. He knows his future involves a NightWing named Clearsight, and she, a seer herself, is also aware that their fates are entwined. Far away in the SeaWing kingdom, a terrible tragedy brings another animus, Fathom, into their lives. Fathom is tasked with controlling the carefree and arrogant Darkstalker, who casts spell after careless spell, putting the dragonets, and all of Pyrrhia, at risk. This first book in the "Legends" series is a prequel to "Wings of Fire" and is middle grade high fantasy at its most fun. The story moves along at a breakneck pace as the dragons face dangerous situations, cast enchantments, and even fall in love. Fully fleshed-out worlds, sarcastic dragon humor, and an intriguing backstory will more than please the many loyal fans of the original series.

What Waits in the Woods

by Kieran Scott

Callie is the new girl at her school. She's surprised herself with somehow making it into the popular crowd, AND getting a cute popular boyfriend. She hates all things outdoors, but thinks she has to agree to this camping trip to maintain her popular status. At first, the trip is okay, but soon her friends tell her the story of the "Skinner," a crazy serial killer at work in those same woods in the 80's. Then weird things start to happen to her group--crazy laughing, glimpses of a white shirt between the trees, and crude voodoo dolls fashioned from twigs. Something is very wrong in these woods, and they won't all make it out alive.

While no great piece of literature, this book was really fun. It reads exactly like a teen horror movie, complete with lots of dumb teen decisions and drama.  I really was surprised by the resolution--I was totally on the wrong track, and I love that! I think you guys will really enjoy this one!

Cuckoo Song

by Frances Hardinge

When Triss wakes up from an illness, she's confused, disoriented, and has a fuzzy memory. Her little sister hates her, and since she has nothing but love for the girl, she can't figure out why. The "why" is something you'd never guess in a million years, and I love that about this wonderfully weird story. As it unfolds, it continues to be a surprise at every turn.

Frances Hardinge is a genius. This is historical fiction, a commentary on war, an exploration of grief and sibling rivalry, a twisted fairy tale, and a horror story. I absolutely loved every minute. I can't wait to use this as a read-a-like right next to The Thickety in the  library. Creepy, thought-provoking, and incredibly well-written.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

by J.K. Rowling

At the end of Deathly Hallows, we get a little glimpse into the future of our beloved characters, but get to imagine ourselves how they all turn out. It was a perfect ending. I, of course, like to envision them all happily living out their lives, but in this little continuation, that fantasy is shattered. Harry is not winning any parenting awards, Hermione works too much, Ron is kind of an idiot (not in a cute, charming way), and Ginny is just a bit on the overbearing side.

The story, quickly: Harry's kid and Draco's kid are both misfits. Albus Potter bears the burden of being Harry's son, and Scorpius Malfoy is rumored to actually be the son of Voldemort. (Huh? Since when did Voldemort show any interest in having a relationship with a woman? Okay, moving on.) They become friends on the Hogwarts train, and in typical teen fashion, decide to rebel against their parents. Only in the wizarding world, the type of rebellion they are planning could have deadly consequences.

First, it's a play, so it's a bit hard to read. Second, it starts out slow. Reeeaaallll slow. Like I almost didn't finish it slow. However, once I got used to the format and got through all the boring set-up, I actually ended up kind of liking it.

Cinder

by Marissa Meyer

We all know the general plot here, cause, obviously, it's Cinderella! Honestly, I've been avoiding this one for years. I hate the cover, and it just seemed like another cheeseball fairy tale retelling. I was wrong again! Yes, it's Cinderella, but it's so much more! It's Cinderella as a cyborg, and it's wonderful! I'm not sure how one introduces plot twists into this age-old story, but Meyer has done it. Mystery, suspense, a frightening dystopian future, and a stepmother even more evil than the original all team up to make this one fun read. Sure, there a few annoying plot holes every now and then, but not enough to really distract from the experience. The middle school girls love this series--I need to be better about trusting my readers. So glad I finally picked this one up!

The Lie Tree

by Frances Hardinge

This was my first Frances Hardinge book, but I'm about to go gobble up everything else she's ever written. I'm not quite sure how I missed her, this being my ninth year as a middle grade librarian, but shame on me. It's not often that I come across a completely original premise, but I can truly say this isn't like anything I've read before.

Faith (who is cleverly and ironically named) has moved to a tiny island community with her mother, father, and brother. Her father has recently been shunned from the tight-knit natural science community for allegedly faking a fossil find. When he is found dead, most on the island are convinced it's a suicide, but after finding his journals, Faith suspects foul play. Her father has been hiding a dark secret, and had in his possession a very special tree. Faith thinks she can use the tree to help her discover the truth about her father's death, but it's a dangerous game.

The mystery is utterly and completely compelling, and the writing strikes just the right balance of atmospheric mood-setting. In a book like this it's easy to go overboard with flowery historical details, but it's perfectly done here. Faith's relationship with her father is richly detailed. She wants desperately to be a scientist and follow in his footsteps, but is constantly reminded that as a girl, there is no place for her in that male-dominated world. Her mother, who is desperately trying to find a way to protect her family, is also multi-faceted in the most wonderful ways.

Suspense, action, historical drama, a peek into 19th century thoughts on science and evolution, and a feminist manifesto. Amazing.

Killing Mr. Griffin

by Lois Duncan

I read this book several times when I was in middle school. Lois Duncan was a constant for me. In fact, I blame her and Christopher Pike for my current obsession with scary movies and Dateline. Those books were total escapism for pre-teen me. This is the first of the Duncan books I've re-read as an adult. What I remembered is that a group of kids accidentally kills their English teacher. What I didn't remember were the little touches of horror that Duncan weaves in, such as Mr. Griffin's wife being pregnant. It's a fascinating glimpse into the actions of a messed up kid, a study on peer pressure, and even makes a statement on public education. Sure, it's a little dated. (Did we really talk like that in the 80's?) But overall, this is a great novel of suspense that deserves to be read by today's teens, and for many generations to come.

Noggin

by John Corey Whaley

Travis Coates, 16 and dying of cancer, is approached by a scientist who wants to use him for an experiment. The pitch? Let us remove your head, cryogenically freeze it, and try to bring you back to life at some point in the future. Ready to die, and seeing it as a way to end his suffering, he goes for it. And wakes up five years later attached to a donor body. I don't think Whaley really expects us to believe the science here. He's simply using it as a vehicle to tell his story about humanity--people's ability or inability to move on, transform, recover from trauma, and experience love. Where Things Come Back is one of my favorite books ever, and after reading Noggin, I wait impatiently for a third from this amazing author.

*Note that we don't have this book at our library. It is only at the high schools.

Enclave

by Ann Aguirre

Deuce lives in College Enclave, an underground society that has formed in what's left of New York City's subway system in a dismal future. Life expectancy caps out at around 25 due to poor nutrition and the great likelihood of disease. People have specific functions: breeders produce and care for children, and the hunters provide the meat (most likely rats). They also protect the others from the Freaks--humanoid creatures with sharp claws and teeth that eat human flesh. For years those in the Enclave have survived this way, but the Freaks, once mindless eaters, seem to be getting smarter. The Enclavers can no longer feel safe in the tunnels. When an unfortunate event forces Deuce topside, she begins to see there's a world outside of what she's always known, but it's not much safer than the one she hails from.

This is the first in a trilogy, and I haven't decided yet if I'll go on, which I guess means I probably won't. The first half of this story was awesome. I loved the underground world-building. But once she took us topside, the plot lost steam, and the world was not nearly as well thought out. A fun read that I think a lot of you guys will like, but there are far better out there in this overcrowded genre.

Echo

by Pam Munoz Ryan

Incredible. Unforgettable. Beautifully written. Just a few of the things that went through my mind as I put down this lovely book.

This is really three (arguably four) short stories with a common thread, but at the end of each, you're left wanting more. As Freidrich's story came to a close, I really, really, didn't want to leave him and start Mike's story. I was too invested in Freidrich! But by the end of Mike's, I didn't want to leave him to join Ivy. And, of course, as tears streamed down my face while finishing Ivy's tale, I couldn't wait to see how everything came together.

We are all connected in this human experience, and this book brings that to light in a way that might possibly change you forever.

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow

by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

These are the stories of the young men and women who were a part of Hitler's youth army. There is some background information about the group as a whole, but for the most part, the book focuses on the stories of a particular few. While I didn't feel I learned a lot of new information, I'm not the book's intended audience, so I think there are a lot of kids who would find this fascinating. It held my attention, but Bartoletti's The Boy Who Dared, her fictionalized account of Helmuth Hubner's Nazi opposition, was much more engaging.

Lost in the Sun

by Lisa Graff

Trent Zimmerman hit a kid in the chest with a hockey puck, and he died. The boy had a heart condition that no one knew about, and it was a total accident. So why does Trent feel so guilty? Well, he's kind of going through a lot. His parents are recently divorced, his new stepmom is pregnant, his older brother seems to be more interested in girls than him, and his little brother is now best friends with the sister of the kid Trent killed. He can't play sports anymore, because he's too traumatized by what happened. He acts out in school, he fights with his dad, and is basically a mess. This is a story about Trent's road to recovery from a tragic event that changes him.

This was a sweet, sometimes funny, well-written novel. I really liked the portrayal of Trent's parents--they were so real and flawed that it was almost painful to read. I'm a big Lisa Graff fan, but I do have to say this was my least favorite of all of her books. Fallon was a little annoying and hard to buy as a real girl, and their relationship seemed kind of unbelievable. Still, a great read by an even better author.