Born at the sixth and seventh chimes

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Sonia Gensler

Chime, by Franny Billingsley, is the story of Briony Larkin, one of the most tortured — and at the same time most lovable — characters I’ve encountered in YA fiction. As the flap copy says, “Briony has a secret.” In Briony’s mind, this secret explains her stepmother’s death, her sister’s mental fragility and the outbreak of deadly swamp cough in her community. Briony is a witch — a hanging offense in the Swampsea. For years she’s been resigned to the fact of her own evil nature and inevitable doom. This changes, however, when Eldric arrives on the scene and proceeds to question everything Briony has held as truth.

I loved this book. So did the many reviewers who called it “a darkly beguiling fantasy,” “exquisite to the final word,” “both lushly sensual and shivery,” “extraordinary and moving,” and “an entirely original concoction” (as quoted on Billingsley’s website). Not sure what I can add to that lavish list of starred reviews, but perhaps I’ll just mention four of my favorite things about the novel:

The voice — so vivid, authentic and captivating. If you are a fan of “voicey” narrators, this book’s for you.
The world building — many fantasy novels incorporate clunky chunks of exposition to introduce their worlds. Chime just tosses you into the story and reveals the world of the Swampsea so organically that you are no longer an observer, you are there. (And you never doubt the existence of a Boggy Mun or Chime Child.)
The mystery — don’t want to give too much away here, but I loved the way details and secrets were scattered like crumbs at perfect intervals. It kept me guessing, and I was never less than gripped by the narrative.
The romance — Briony’s relationship with “bad boy” Eldric develops in a fresh and compelling way. Their chemistry is palpable, but at the same time the barriers to their love are plausible. This part of the story was wonderfully unpredictable, and I never once felt manipulated.

I hope you’ll pardon my bullet-point recap. Even though I loved the book, this was a hard review for me to write — it was a struggle to tame the wildly gleeful thoughts running through my head. I highly recommend Chime!

Quicksilver – Amanda Quick

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Kathy Wheeler

Have you jumped on the paranormal bandwagon yet? If not, you might consider reading the works of Amanda Quick, aka Jayne Castle, aka Jayne Ann Krentz. She has brilliantly intertwined her historical line (A. Quick) with her contemporary line (J.A. Krentz), topping it off with her futuristic (J. Castle) stories with humor, captivating heroes and stubborn, strong-willed heroines.

Quicksilver is the second book in her Arcane Society: Looking Glass Trilogy, as with most of the Amanda Quick books set in London during the Victorian era, this one is as well. When Virginia Dean awakens next to a bloodied murder victim….well, you can see how I had trouble setting said book aside.

Owen Sweetwater has started streetwalking. A dangerous step in his family’s history. Once a Sweetwater starts down this path there is almost no turning back—but for the love of the woman!

When Ms. Quick, aka Ms. Krentz, aka Ms. Castle, combines witty, outrageous dialogue with intrigue, danger and suspense, you know sleep is an elusive endeavor as long as her books are in hand. —Kathy L Wheeler

Taken by the Prince – Christina Dodd

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Kathy Wheeler

A powerful opening for a young boy as Prince Saber, our hero in the making, will have you cringing while at the same time prevent you from closing the book.

The bastard child of English Nobility and a foreign mother is not an easy life for a young child. Especially when said child’s mother decides to send him to his English family as the unrest in their native country starts to escalate. Well, that and the little practical joke he played on the current monarchy that put his very life in jeopardy. His English father, however, is a cruel, cruel man—without an heir.

Legally adopting his heathen son seems the only recourse after fathering four daughters. His timid stepmother is thrilled with the addition to the family, if only to divert her husband’s violent attentions. The young prince proclaimed loudly and physically enforced by his father will now be referred to Raul Lawrence.

But Raul vows to someday return to his country and free his people from the deprivation, hunger and violence by way of a rebellious revolution. His years in England served him well, his father’s cruelty a well-learned lesson, his education an unexpected boon.

Enter his sister’s friend Victoria. A poor relation in her own family, she has long-term plans for escape. To eventually live a life free of demands. It would be a modest, less complicated life but one on her own terms. All she has to do is work hard and save her money for a few years. As a governess to a well traveled family she finds herself in Raul Lawrence’s native country years after one searing kiss that had never completely deserted her mind. Spotting him at their hotel, she mentions seeing the future king to one of her charges. It was a dire mistake.

One that could usurp all of his carefully laid plans.

Victoria finds herself taken by the prince. Kidnapped. Held prisoner.

Prince Saber’s arrogance leaves Victoria as breathless as his presence. But how can a governess help a small army? I assure you: Plenty.

Christina Dodd breaths life through her characters leaving the reader as breathless as our heroine. Get some rest before you pick up this book. You’ll need it.—Kathy L Wheeler

A story of suffering and hope

Posted on April 1, 2011 by Sonia Gensler

They took me in my nightgown.

On a June evening in 1941, a year after Russia has annexed the Baltic states, Lina Vilkas and her family are taken from their home by the Soviet secret police. Given no hint as to her father’s destination, Lina joins her brother, mother and other “subversive” Lithuanians on a horrific and seemingly endless train journey to the Altai Labor Camp. There they are forced to live in filthy, crowded conditions and work until near collapse. When her mother refuses to sign a paper condemning the family to a twenty-five-year sentence for “counterrevolutionary activities,” they must eek by on the skimpiest of rations.

Despite these hardships, hope survives. Lina quickly learns to work hard, stifle her complaints and think creatively. Bartering, sharing and even stealing provide the family with extra scraps of food and comfort. Their bond with the community deepens, and Lina grows particularly close to a young inmate named Andrius. Her strength and faith are put to the ultimate test, however, when her family is sent with other prisoners to build a new camp at Trofimovsk in the Siberian Arctic. Starved and weakened as they are, how can they survive half a year of polar night?

The horrors of Stalin-era genocide may not seem the most alluring topic for a YA novel, but Between Shades of Gray is so compelling you won’t be able to put it down. (I literally read it in half a day. When I had to move to another room for food, etc., I held the book in front of me, reading as I walked.) Ruta Sepetys, herself the daughter of a Lithuanian refugee, has created vivid characters whose fierce strength, creativity and instinct for survival keep you in the grip of the story. There is much darkness and sorrow here, but I assure you that the narrative offers an uplifting and cathartic reading experience. I cannot recommend this novel highly enough and have no doubt it will become a staple in high school classrooms and libraries throughout this country and abroad.

Learn more about the history behind Between Shades of Gray here:

You’ll find a longer version of the video at the BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY website — it may be more meaningful to watch after finishing the novel.

Visions at vespers

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Sonia Gensler

Last month I wiggled out of my comfort zone by reading (& enthusiastically recommending) a YA scifi/dystopian novel. This month I’m safely back in familiar territory with an atmospheric and lushly romantic paranormal historical.

Saundra Mitchell’s The Vespertine is the story of young Amelia van den Broek, who in the summer of 1889 is sent to Baltimore to stay with a fashionable cousin. Her brother intends her to partake in the frivolities of society life in order to find a respectable husband. What actually ensues is much more exciting . . . and considerably more dangerous.

Amelia has a special ability – at sunset she experiences visions of the future. Soon after her cousin Zora learns of this, friends and strangers alike scurry to the house, wishing to have their fortunes told. Amelia has never been so popular. Deep down, however, she knows this is not the sort of society life her brother intended for her. The problem with her visions is that while they are often pleasing in their beautiful vagueness, they can also be morbidly specific. Further complicating matters is the fact that she’s fallen for penniless artist Nathaniel Witherspoon, a young man with dark secrets of his own. The more visions she has – and the more time she spends with Nathaniel – the more firmly she pushes herself into the path of peril.

There is so much to love about this book. The setting is evocative and mysterious. The protagonist’s voice is captivating. The narrative unfolds at a somewhat leisurely pace, but rest assured the story is thoroughly absorbing — I certainly had trouble putting it down. Best of all, the sexual tension is certifiably swoon-worthy. Let’s just say this is the sort of story you sink into, as one would into a warm, scented bath or a silken blanket – a luxurious sensory experience, to be sure. (At least until the you-know-what hits the fan! At that point your spine will tingle with dread.)

Learn more about Saundra Mitchell at Making Stuff Up for a Living. Also, go to my blog for an interview with Saundra AND check back on Monday for a giveaway featuring her book!