Review: Ghosts of War: The Secret of Midway by Steve Watkins

Ghosts of War is a new middle grade series from Scholastic, Inc. A twist of mystery, historical fiction, and middle school drama, these books are aimed at middle grade boys with an interest in war fiction. The series stars a trio of friends who meet a ghost and help him remember his mortal life and solve the mystery of his death.

Summary: In the basement of his family’s junkshop, Anderson and his friends Greg and Julie discover a trunk full of old military stuff. Including a battered navy peacoat from World War II, and when Anderson puts it on he finds a mysterious letter in the pocket. Curious, he takes the coat and letter home. But that’s not all he brings home...

Later that evening the ghost of a World War II sailor appears in Anderson’s room. Anderson is completely freaked out. Who is the ghost and why hasn’t he crossed over? But most importantly, what does he want with Anderson?

This is a content-free, fast-paced read about an important moment in history. Readers learn about a famous US naval battle without feeling like history is being shoved down their throats. While there is talk of gunfire, death, and violence between the Japanese and American forces, it's not at all graphic or frightening.

Overall, it's a solid middle grade read that offers an educational bonus that parents and educators can feel good about. A second book in the series is forthcoming in April!

Review: Gatekeepers #5: Oblivion by Anthony Horowitz

Anthony Horowitz's Gatekeepers series is an excellent choice for readers who enjoy thrilling, action-packed dystopian stories with all sorts of twist and turns. The series has positive reviews overall from several credible sources and Anthony Horowitz is beloved by his fans. Oblivion is the fifth and final book in the saga.

Summary: Matt. Pedro. Scott. Jamie. Scar. Five Gatekeepers have finally found one another. And only the five of them can fight the evil force that is on the rise, threatening the destruction of the world In the penultimate volume of The Gatekeepers series, a massive storm arose that signalled the beginning of the end. Now the five Gatekeepers must battle the evil power the storm has unleashed — and strive to stop the world from ending.

The book is not short on shock-factors, gun violence, or terrible people (demonic forces or human). I get why the series is thrilling; I can see why the plot is exciting, but honestly, I was just glad when it was over. As I work in the editorial world, I get itchy when a book needs to trim down the excess thinking, complaining, fretting, and bullets whizzing (book five comes in at a whopping 580 pages--there's A LOT of this).

There are also many scenes included not only to shock the readers, but to illustrate just how much the world has gone to hell. My argument: we're five books in so we get it. These shock factors include suicide, graphic violence, gore, human trafficking, torture, murder, and cannibalism. Plus all the time the characters spend dwelling on them. The publisher deems the series is for ages 9-12, but I would push 12+ due to all the reasons listed above, plus a little objectionable language. Moreover, some of the themes and concepts will make more sense to older reasons.

If you're just getting started, I can say that the series goes out with a bang. Actually, with all the gunfire and murder occurring in book five, the end battle is a touch anti-climatic. Although we do get two main character deaths (I do love an author who is brave enough to do this in a series that's lasted this long!).

I'm not a fan of books that need so much room to pack a punch, but if you love the build-up and the action, then you'll be fine. It's worth a read if you're a die-hard dystopian fan, but pass if you love dystopian and are anxiously looking to fill the void Divergent or Hunger Games left in your soul. Horowitz is a bestselling author and deserves all the acclaim he's received, but Oblivion doesn't come close to touching the crown jewels of YA.

3 Stars 

Praise for The Gatekeepers:

"Younger teens who like an exciting adventure mixed with supernatural horror will thrill to Matt's story." —VOYA

"Horowitz truly knows his way around a plot; he keeps the tension at a nail-biting level throughout." —Kirkus

"There's no denying Horowitz's talent for creating monstrous evil and pumping up the tension with bloody details, exciting escapes, and cliff-hanging sequences." —Booklist

Review: I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

"Peace in every home, every street, every village, every country--this is my dream. Education for every boy and every girl in the world. To sit down on a chair and read my books with all my friends at school is my right. To see each and every human being with a smile of happiness is my wish" (pg 313).

I've never been interested in reading non-fiction, but I've had my eye on I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban for a while now. Not only is this inspiring person the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, but her story is so incredibly power and so important, that I really wanted to read it. I'll admit I'm not the most informed person when it comes to global news and political crises, but even if you're not aware of who Malala is beyond faint recognition of her name, it is impossible not to have a sense of who the Taliban is or the dangers of political crisis and the institution of social and political change in Pakistan right now. Malala's story and her cause are important, making this an important book for everyone to read.

Summary: When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. 

On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive.

Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she became a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest nominee ever for the Nobel Peace Prize. 

I AM MALALA is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons. I AM MALALA will make you believe in the power of one person's voice to inspire change in the world.

It is impossible not to feel changed after reading Malala's story of growing up in Pakistan, of her family's struggles to live under the violent oppression of Muslim extremists, and the reality of the inequality of girls and boys. It reminds readers how lucky we are in North America to have the right to education; to be able to live in a society free from the fear of being gunned down in the name of twisted interpretations of holy text. Our cultures and lifestyles may be different, but the lesson Malala teaches reaches us all. You may be Muslim, Christian, Jewish, or an Atheist, but regardless of who we are and what beliefs we hold, we're all human. We all deserve peace, equality, and the right to live, and grow, and be happy.

Malala's voice is inspiring, powerful, and honest. It's easy to relate to her, to feel for her, and to be affected by her story. I flew through this book, captivated by Malala's bravery and remarkable personality. Parents/educators should be forewarned that the book does contain content (objectionable language, some graphic violence, and minor gore). However, I strongly believe that the context in which the content appears justifies its presence. We should not shy away from the truth of the terrible things that happened and are happening in Pakistan. It is only when we are all aware and willing to stand up against the violence and discrimination that change will happen.

Everyone should read I Am Malala. This is a beautiful story of a young woman whose bravery has made her voice heard around the world. I almost never give 5 stars, but nothing deserves it more than this extraordinary memoir about this extraordinary person.

5 Stars

Review: The One by Kiera Cass

Teen readers looking for a good romance/dystopian series will love Kiera Cass' Selection trilogy. The One is the final novel in the Cinderella-like rags to riches tale of true love. All three novels are a fast, easy read for reluctant and impatient readers. The series also features the elements of drama, danger, a love triangle, and a dystopian world on the brink of war. Basically, it's everything teens want to read, plus the added bonus of pretty dresses and princes.

Summary: The Selection changed America Singer's life in ways she never could have imagined. Since she entered the competition to become the next princess of Illéa, America has struggled with her feelings for her first love, Aspen-and her growing attraction to Prince Maxon. Now she's made her choice . . . and she's prepared to fight for the future she wants.

Find out who America will choose in The One, the enchanting, beautifully romantic third book in the Selection series!

Maxon finally declares the winner of the Selection in The One, which from the beginning, we know will be America. Much like the Twilight series, we know who our protagonist will choose, but misunderstanding and bad choices form obstacles the characters must overcome to reach their happily ever after.

The ending includes a few surprising twists as war officially breaks out and a few main characters are killed off. So while all three novels circle around Maxon and America working out their issues so they can be together, The One delivers on a dramatic finale that makes their love story worth it for me.

As for content, this book does have a few intimate moments that would be considered inappropriate for younger readers. Cass does keep a PG-13 rating for her teen readers--Maxon and America never have sex and the violence isn't graphic. Other content flags include objectionable language, death and guns.

All in all, this is a great choice for teen readers. Kiera Cass has crafted a beautiful, light, fun, and sweet dystopian romance series that teen girls will love to return to again and again. I recommend this series to fans of Divergent, Twilight, and The Hunger Games.

3.5 Stars

The Selection                       The Elite 

Review: Is It Night or Day? by Fern Schumer Chapman

Is It Night or Day? is a beautifully written and touching story for YA readers set during World War II. Fern Schumer Chapman tells mother's story of how she was sent to America by her parents to have her best chance at life. This novel is an excellent choice for students studying World War II, particularly because it brings to life America's One Thousand Children project; a virtually unheard of, but heroic and extraordinary humanitarian effort to save German children during the Nazi regime.

Summary: It’s 1938, and twelve-year-old Edith is about to move from the tiny German village she’s lived in all her life to a place that seems as foreign as the moon: Chicago, Illinois. And she will be doing it alone. This dramatic and chilling novel about one girl’s escape from Hitler’s Germany was inspired by the experiences of the author’s mother, one of twelve hundred children rescued by Americans as part of the One Thousand Children project. 

Edith's story, like all wartime stories, is tragic. But the story is told through the eyes of a little girl with hope, strength, and an inspiring resilience. The language and content is clean, though the novel does mention suicide. Edith's mother becomes depressed early in the novel and is caught by Edith stringing a rope in the attic. Ultimately, this is not how her mother dies, but this moment in the plot is a notable content flag.

Is It Night or Day? offers readers a unique view into the effects of the war on German and Jewish people. I very much enjoyed reading this novel and recommend it for both educational and personal uses. My copy of the book includes bonus material, including a discussion guide and a real story of how Edith and another emigrant child are reunited after the novel was published.

4 Stars

Review: The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen

The Runaway King is the sequel to Jennifer A. Nielsen's The False Prince  — and the second book in the wildly popular Ascendance Trilogy. Aimed at readers ages 10-14, I've heard lots of great reviews, including positive feedback from teachers who read The False Prince with their class and due to the insistence of the students, ended up reading the entire trilogy! Kids love it. It's that good! 

Summary: Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumours of a coming war have spread through the castle and Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom? 

I truly believe Nielsen proves her talent as a writer with this book. It topped The False Prince in every way. You can just feel Nielsen's love and belief in the story, and the result is a much more powerful and well-written book.

Jaron's adventures in The Runaway King are action-packed, extremely thrilling, and full of wit, daring, and danger. For most of the novel, readers will remain on their edge of their seats. Good luck to teachers sticking to a strict reading schedule. I had trouble setting this book down. I'd hate to face a classroom full of kids eager for more when Jaron is duelling pirates or rescuing friends from certain doom.

My only criticism is the same as what it was for The False Prince. I struggle a little with the believability of Jaron's resilience and abilities. I do realize that I am an adult reader and this fictional story requires a certain amount of suspension of disbelief. But sometimes, Jaron's survival, his ability to conquer his enemies, and his ability to escape any means of confinement borders on the ridiculous. Nevertheless, young readers will love the action and suspense. Jaron's character is incredibly stubborn, impulsive, and a little reckless, which makes him interesting and exciting. 

The False Prince is great. The Runaway King is even better! Jennifer A. Nielsen belongs in the hall of fame of "medieval"/fantasy/adventure writers like George RR Martin and Christopher Paolini. The Runaway King will leave you breathless. Thank god I read it after the release of The Shadow Throne. I don't think I could have waited for the follow-up to this amazing middle grade novel!

4 Stars

Review: The Last Thirteen Book One: 13 by James Phelan

The Last Thirteen Book One: 13 by James Phelan is the first book in a new multi-platform series for 10-14 year olds. The publisher compares this book to Inception and The Da Vinci Code, but I also see similarities with Divergent and with Rick Riordan novels. Essentially the plot is this: thirteen kids are prophesied to save the world from impending doom with their powers of true Sight and mysterious ability to dream things before they happen or to dream the answers they seek.

The series skews towards a male audience. The characters are fairly flat, but the lack of character development allows for more action, destruction, and suspense. The series features teen heroes with a lot of power and responsibility. These are characters to look up to, who make selfless and logical decisions based on the greater good of others. The adult characters in this book tend to be unreliable and suspicious, if not dangerous. Make of this what you will, but all the heroics are achieved by the younger characters.

There is violence, but it's fairly muted in the use dart guns and smoke grenades. No matter what potentially fatal situation occurs, the characters remain as resilient as cartoon characters. They walk away from explosions and helicopter crashes without as much as a broken bone. For readers who like this kind of excitement, parents can feel good that the kids are reading something they like, something with as much destruction as Allegiant, without the deaths and gore.

There was something that bothered me in the opening scene. The main character (Sam) is dreaming of Solaris (the enemy), who is telling him to surrender a mysterious and obviously important crystal that has appeared in his pocket. I'm a #Potterhead... this scene was a little TOO familiar to me. Really? A powerful magical item appearing in one's pocket and a villain creepily taunting a kid? For example, Harry Sam wouldn't surrender the stone crystal to Voldemort Solaris, even when he threatened to kill everyone he knows.

"So brave, right until the end…” Its voice rattles around inside my skull. “At the final battle, just like the prophecy says, you will lead me to my rightful power, thinking all the while that you are saving these foolish people.”

…

"I have no idea what it is talking about but then I sense a weight in my pocket. I have something important that this thing wants… this heavy, round object.”

Regardless, it didn't sway my enjoyment of the story. The book ends with a heart-stopping cliffhanger, which will definitely get readers excited to start reading Book Two: 12. I was lucky to have access to both books, so I closed book one and went right to book two! These books are short, fast-paced, and great for reluctant chapter book readers. The book is accessible, full of action, destruction, and suspense. There are thirteen books in all; Book Two will be released February 1st, and then one book a month after that!

3.5 Stars

 Thirteen books. Thirteen Nightmares. Are You One of Them?

Review: Allegiant by Veronica Roth

"I fell in love with him. But I don't just stay with him by default as if there's no one else available to me. I stay with him because I choose to, every day that I wake up, every day that we fight or lie to each other or disappoint each other. I choose him over and over again, and he chooses me."

I had high hopes for the final book of the Divergent series. I loved Divergent, enjoyed Insurgent, but Allegiant was only good, not great.

Normally, the history of the characters/ the world occurs early in the series, but we get most of it in Allegiant. As I waited three books for the dramatic conclusion to the series, the informational part of the narrative bored me to the point of annoyance.

With a pub. date in 2013, Roth cannot claim The Hunger Games had no influence whatsoever in Allegiant. I found this book to be very similar to Mockingjay in both the state of the heroine and in the rebellion against the corrupted government (with the opposing power not looking so competent either). If you want an exciting, fast-paced, flowing narrative, read Mockingjay instead. Essentially, Allegiant could have used an editor with a stronger hand. I would made many cuts to the editorial to make this book more concise. The tendency toward unnecessary detail in the mundane affected the book's overall impact.

Then again, Allegiant does go to darker places than Mockingjay. There is more vivid detail in the horror and there's more BANG in the violence. There's more death and far more tragedy. This book has no short of injections, guns, explosions, betrayals, suspense, and tragedy.

My biggest complaint is the fact that there were too many enemies! I was getting whiplash as Roth makes you hate and distrust one person after another. It made the narrative seem a little aimless and not as effective as it could have been. For example, the ending sees a reunion between Four and his mother--after we're made to dislike her for a book and a half. Let's pick a villain and build on him or her. The multiple villains makes for too many flat characters.

I won't spoil the ending. Allegiant might have bored me for most of the book, but around page 280, shit really hits the fan. Excuse the language (but there's no other way to describe it). More than the heart-pounding conclusion, Roth makes a very bold choice in her story arc that I did not see coming. When Roth is writing action, she's a powerhouse author. Bold, breathless, and brilliant.

Regardless of the fact that Allegiant was a little dry to start, it is the final book in a popular series. You, like me, NEED to finish the series. It might not be AS good as the first two books, but it's still definitely worth your time! Allegiant is dark and violent. It's filled with twists and turns, and the ending will leave you with a hole in your chest--and not just because the series is over.

Fortunately, the movie is coming... and with the competition of Catching Fire (click to see the trailer!), I think there is a VERY good chance that Divergent (the movie) will not let fans down.

Review: Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am By Harry Mazer and Peter Lerangis

In Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am, Ben Bright makes a decision that not many people can understand: to volunteer to be a solider. When all of his friends are going to college, Ben has known that this is what he wants to do. I'm not a supporter of war, but I can appreciate his decision and his courage.

The book is quite short at just over 140 pages and is divided into "Before," "During" and "After" the incident where Ben loses his memory. The action moves quickly and the reader is spared the gory details. It is also interesting to note that as soon as Ben is injured, the protagonist becomes a minor character for the rest of the book. The story becomes about how his friends and family handle how Ben's decision to join the army and his resulting injuries from his time in Iraq have turned him into a shadow of the person he was before. It's quite heartbreaking.

Guilt, anger, fear, and hope are all working against Ben's family and friends as they attempt to cope with his condition. Arguably the decision to go to war and the risks associated are ones that will not only ruin your own life, but the lives of everyone around you. This is a story about a boy who made a very brave choice, but a choice that has devastating consequences.

The story ends on a hopeful note as Ben makes progress with his recovery, although the ending is rather abrupt. At the centre of all the devastation is Ben, and just as his near-death experience was the cause of a lot of dysfunction and despair, his recovery might allow for the damage to be repaired.

An interesting book, but the reader will have many unanswered questions at its conclusion. This YA novel is short, sweet, and to the point. It is an easy read and portrays the ugly realities of going to war.

Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

A touching, memorable, and gripping story about finding hope, happiness and power in a seemingly hopeless world.

Markus Zusak writes a tragic, yet wonderful, and heartfelt story about a little girl growing up in World War II, Germany. As many books on this tragic moment in our history, Zusak's story stands out from the crowd. This is a must-read book for young adults and adults alike.

The Book Thief is narrated by Death and follows the life and struggles of nine-year-old girl Liesel. Death is neither evil or good, but simply someone fulfilling his role in the world. Death makes a point in revealing important events to come, but never the manner in which they will occur. I think this narrative style is fitting for the time period, because we all know the devastation that is coming, we just don't know when or where or how it will strike. If anything, this technique built more suspense as I dreaded the inevitable as I fell in love with the characters.

Zusak shows the other side of Germany--the people who protected their Jewish friends and risked everything to do so. It shows the German people who didn't agree with the Nazis, who wanted no part in the war, and the effect of the war on these innocent German people (hunger, bombings, and death), and it shows how people express their refusal to give into despair.

Liesel's theft and reading of stolen books is representative of the power of words in Nazi Germany. Words can destroy a country, but they can also provide hope and relief from despair. For all the terrible words that Hitler puts out in the world, Liesel steals some of them back. Reading bonds her with her foster father and it allows Liesel to bring comfort to crowds of people waiting in the bomb shelters. Zusak shows that the power of words is endless.

Although the book is slightly long, everything about the book makes the length justifiable. The writing is accessible for the younger audience, the characters are interesting and well-rounded, and the story is hard to put down. The writing is vivid, without delving into the gory details as Zusak gives the reader just enough to be able to construct the horrors on your own.

I have not seen the movie yet, but I do hope it will encourage people to read the book. It might taken readers a little longer to get through, but it's definitely worth it. I hope that the film is a faithful adaption. Catching Fire certainly set the page-to-screen adaption bar extraordinarily high.

5 stars

Review: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

A beautiful novel about a very tragic moment in history. There are a wide range of books available about Stalin, the 1930s-40s and World War II, but this book stands out to me as being different from the rest. It's easy to locate many fantastic, well-written novels about the Nazis' persecution of the Jewish people, but this novel focuses on the genocide of the people of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania by the Soviets-- a tragedy not quite so common to YA literature. This book binds true personal accounts into the fiction of the narrative. It's a page-turning, shocking, and illuminating moment of insight into a terrible truth.

The cover art is gorgeous. I love the representation of hope springing up through all the death and darkness through the image of the leaf in the snow. In the end of the novel, there is a scene where the sun finally rises in the horizon in the Arctic, bringing light to the darkness. It's the same symbolic value, but this cover image works just as well. It's a beautiful image and the perfect cover choice!

The book uses flashbacks and vivid imagery to construct the terrible history between the people of the Baltic countries and the Soviets. It is written for young adults/children, so the book isn't unncessarily graphic or disturbing. No more so than the typical type of writing found in YA novels about the persecution of the Jewish people.

The love between family members and the unification of people in the struggle to survival are important tropes in this novel. The main character, Lina, is deported by the Soviets to work under brutal conditions and be treated like savages. Lina, like many, many other Lithuanians, is subjected to torture, disease, inhumane working and living conditions, and to undeniable evils that actually happened.

The epilogue concludes with Lina's stating her reasoning for writing her experiences. She says that she passed on her stories in the hopes that by sharing the truth of what happened under Stalin's reign, that such evil will never happen again. It's a beautiful sentiment, and one that resonated with me as I finished the book. Having already finished school, I look back on my education in a Canadian school system and realize that Stalin, the USSR, and the genocide that he caused was not a major point of study, as it should have been. I believe this to be a sad truth.

This novel should be studied and given to novel-readers. It's a powerful book and should be considered as important, must-reads as other similar books about war, persecution, and suffering such as Lois Lowry's Number the Stars and Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl.

I highly recommend this novel! Everything about it makes me think that kids of a novel-reading age should be given this book to read for school. It's well-researched, it's well-written, and it's an exciting, page-turning, tragically beautiful novel.