Plain Kate, by Erin Bow (Scholastic, 2010, young adult, 311 pages in arc form)
Plain Kate got her nickname when she was just a baby, and as she grew older, nothing happened to her that would contradict it. Despite being plain in the eyes of the world, she knows that she is precious to her father, and so, despite having lost her mother to childbirth, Kate is happy enough, learning how to carve wood under her father's tutelage, and soon becomes an artist in her own right. But when her father dies before she has come of age, there is no one left who cares all that much about her. Then sickness and crop failure come to her small town, and rumors of witchcraft begin to swirl around.
A stranger has come to down, a pale man named Linay who offers to buy Kate's shadow in return for granting the wish of her heart. When she refuses his offer, he uses his magic to set her up as a witch in the eyes of the townsfolk. Soon she must flee, or be burned as a witch, and Linay's offer seems to be her only way out...So Kate sells her shadow.
In exchange, her beloved cat, Taggle, begins to talk to her--at last she is no longer alone. Her path away from the village leads to the Roamers, travelling people who agree to let her travel with them. Her hope is that they will fully accept her, before her shadow leaves her entirely, and for a brief time, she thinks she might have found a family.
Then things go awry. A new spectre of death has emerged, born on white mist and sending its victims into a sleep from which they never wake. More rumours of witchcraft abound, and even the Roamers fall prey to fear and suspicion. And Kate, her shadow gone, is an obvious target.
Her only hope to save herself is to get her shadow back. But Linay has plans for it--terrible plans, involving a magic darker than any Kate had ever heard of. And his reasons stretch back to a dark and horrible grief of his own.
"What do you want, Linay?" It was the first time she had said his name. It tasted powerful."
"The dead, you know, are hungry. Those that do not rest. They are hungry all the time and cannot even eat grass." He was halfway to singing again. He seemed to stop himself. "The have mouths the size of needles' eyes and stomachs the size of mountains. It is a terrible fate." (page 194)
One of the hungry dead, a ruskala, is coming ever closer....and it becomes all to clear to Kate that it is not just she, herself, who needs to be saved from Linay's magic. But what can a girl with no shadow, who only skill is her artistry with wood, and her talking cat do to stop him?
I thought, from the cover illustration, that this would be a lighthearted adventure story about a girl and her cat. It is, indeed, about a girl and a cat, but is much darker and more lyrical than I had anticipated. Gently and carefully Bow builds her dramatic tension, placing the pieces into place that lead inexorably to the horror that is to come. It is a gripping journey--even in building up the central story, she doesn't pull her punches. People are badly hurt, betrayed, and many die. (I cried).
Bow departs from the expected path of a YA fantasy in that Kate's story is complete without any romantic interest. Loneliness is a cornerstone of Kate's character, and Bow, commendably, stays true to this--there was no place in this particular story for romantic love. In part because of this, Kate is a beautifully believable character, whose determination and courage won my heart.
Despite its darkness, Plain Kate isn't a bleak book. The clarity and color of Bow's world building make the story sing. But what truly saves the book from the weight of its sad story is Taggle, the cat. He is the epitome of catness, adding great humor and warmth, and I loved him. He's happy to use his new found skill of speech to let Kate know just where to pet him, and heroic as all get out in his own right.
It's quite a nice little assortment, this edition of new releases. My pick would be The Crowfield Curse from the middle grade titles, and Firelight from the YA....
ALIEN CONTACT: ALIEN AGENT by Pamela F. Service. Most humans know that scientists are combing outer space for evidence of intelligent life in the universe. And most aliens know that the Galactic Union has been diligently jamming those efforts until Earth is ready to join. A small group of aliens has other ideas, though. They plan on sending humans fake messages as part of a plan for world domination. Only one "human" can stop them Zack Gaither, Alien Agent. Zack will have to use all he's learned in his previous adventures to save Earth from the Gnairt. Fortunately, he's got some help this time. And she's kinda cute...
BENJAMIN FRANKLINSTEIN LIVES by Matthew McElligott. Victor Godwin's orderly life is upended when he discovers that Benjamin Franklin never actually died-he was put into suspended animation and hidden away for more than 200 years in Victor's basement! After an accident reawakens Ben, Victor must not only help him adjust to the modern world but also help him overcome a slight flaw: when Ben runs low on energy, he turns into a rampaging monster desperately hungry for electricity! All this while trying to take first place in the school science fair. With one of history's preeminent scientists helping out, what could go wrong?
THE CLOUD SEARCHERS: AMULET by Kazu Kibuishi. In the third installment of the thrilling Amulet series, Emily, Navin, and their crew of resistance fighters charter an airship and set off in search of Cielis, a mythical city believed to be located on an island high above the clouds. The mysterious Leon Redbeard is their guide, and there's a surprising new addition to the crew: the Elf King's son, Trellis. But is he ally or enemy? And will Emily ever be able to trust the voice of the Amulet?
THE CROWFIELD CURSE by Pat Walsh.It's 1347 and fifteen-year-old Will, an orphan boy, lives at Crowfield Abbey. Sent into the forest to gather wood, he rescues instead, a creature from a trap - a hob, who shares with Will a terrible secret. Somewhere in the forest behind the abbey where he lives, is a grave. And buried deep in the snow is an angel. But how can an angel die? What has it to do with the monks of the Abbey? When two hooded strangers arrive at Crowfield asking questions about the angel's grave. Will is drawn into a world of dangerous Old Magic. "The Crowfield Feather" was short-listed for the "Times" Chidren's Fiction Competition in 2008. This is a stunning debut novel and the first of a two part series.
THE DEAD BOYS by Royce Buckingham. In the desert town of Richland, Washington, there stands a giant sycamore tree. Horribly mutated by nuclear waste, it feeds on the life energy of boys that it snags with its living roots. And when Teddy Matthews moves to town, the tree trains its sights on its next victim.
From the start, Teddy knows something is very wrong with Richland.Every kid he meets disappears before his eyes. A trip to the cemetery confirms that these boys are actually dead and trying to lure him to the tree. But that knowledge is no help when Teddy is swept into the tree’s world, a dark version of Richland from which there is no escape . . .
THE FAMILIARS by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson.After three young wizard apprentices are kidnapped by the evil queen of a distant land, it is up to their familiars, their magical animal companions -- a street smart alley cat, a precocious blue jay, and a bumbling tree frog -- to save them.
THE GHOST OF CRUTCHFIELD HALL by Mary Downing Hahn.When twelve-year-old Florence boards the crowded horse-drawn coach in London, she looks forward to a new life with her great uncle and aunt at Crutchfield Hall, an old manor house in the English countryside. Anything will be better, she thinks, than the grim London orphanage where she has lived since her parents' death.
But Florence doesn't expect the ghost of her cousin Sophia, who haunts the cavernous rooms and dimly lit hallways of Crutchfield and concocts a plan to use Florence to help her achieve her murderous goals. Will Florence be able to convince the others in the household of the imminent danger and stop Sophia before it's too late?
GHOST DOG SECRETS by Peg Kehret. Each day, Rusty feeds a dog that’s left chained in the frigid weather with no shelter and no food or water. When he realizes that the dog’s been injured, Rusty and his friend Andrew unchain the dog and take it. Are they stealing, or are they rescuing a dog in need?
With the dog living in their secret hideout, the boys face multiple challenges, including a mysterious ghost dog that tries to lead them to a startling secret, Andrew’s snoopy sister, and the escalating threats of the dog’s abusive owner. The fast-paced suspense builds to a surprising conclusion, which will leave young readers cheering for Rusty’s compassion and determination.
GHOST HUNT: CHILLING TALES OF THE SEARCH FOR THE UNSEEN by Jason Hawes & Grant Wilson. An exciting new middle grade collection of spooky paranormal investigations based on REAL ghost hunts from stars of the TV show Ghost Hunters, the number one reality show on cable television!
In a lush, thick volume, Ghost Hunt will feature multiple stories dramatized with cliff hangers and red herrings to heighten suspense and character interaction. Through the investigations, the reader will learn the ins and outs of ghost hunting, how to spot a hoax, and how to face their fear of the paranormal.
The book will also have tips for ghost hunting at the end of the book, including guides to the technical equipment and how to set up your own traps for ghosts. Though presented as fiction, these stories are based on real cases, and the GHOSTS ARE REAL!
HALF UPON A TIME by James Riley. Life’s no fairy tale for Jack. After all, his father's been missing ever since that incident with the beanstalk and the giant, and his grandfather keeps pushing him to get out and find a princess to rescue. Who'd want to rescue a snobby, entitled princess anyway? Especially one that falls out of the sky wearing a shirt that says "Punk Princess," and still denies she's royalty. In fact, May doesn't even believe in magic. Yeah, what's that about? May does need help though--a huntsman is chasing her, her grandmother has been kidnapped, and Jack thinks it’s all because of the Wicked Queen . . . mostly because May’s grandmother might just be the long-lost Snow White.
THE LIMIT by Kristen Landon. An eighth grade girl was taken today . . .
With this first sentence, readers are immediately thrust into a fast-paced thriller that doesn't let up for a moment. In a world not too far removed from our own, kids are being taken away to special workhouses if their families exceed the monthly debt limit imposed by the government. Thirteen-year-old Matt briefly wonders if he might be next, but quickly dismisses the thought. After all, his parents are financially responsible, unlike the parents of those other kids. As long as his parents remain within their limit, the government will be satisfied and leave them alone. But all it takes is one fatal visit to the store to push Matt’s family over their limit—and to change his reality forever.
THE LOST ISLAND: RIPLEY'S BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, and also SHOCK HORROR: RIPLEY'S BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION by Robert Ripley. Join the Ripley's Bureau of Investigation - a group of teen agents with special gifts - as they embark on a series of action-packed adventures, travelling the world in pursuit of extraordinary events and tales. These wonderful new stories are perfect for adventurously minded children between the ages of 7 and 11. In "Shock Horror", reports of mysterious fires, exploding trees and unexplained power cuts in a remote Rocky Mountain town reach the RBI. Is there any truth in the terrifying stories of a strange figure in the forest with sparks flying from his fingertips? Using their own powerful skills, the RBI are tested to their limits on the sizzling adventure.
M IS FOR MAMA'S BOY: N.E.R.D.S. by Michael Buckley. In this second outing for the 5th grade super spies, Duncan Dewey, codename "Gluestick", is the point of view character. This time the group must fight a very unlikely villain - he still lives with his Mum. In other words, it's the NERDS against a nerd.
NO SUCH THING AS DRAGONS by Philip Reeve. A dragon story with a brilliant twist…. Ansel's new master slays dragons for a living. He says he's hunted the monstrous worms all over Christendom and has the scars to prove it. But is Brock just a clever trickster in shining armour? Ansel is sure there are no such things as dragons. So what is the man-eating creature that makes its lair in the crags of Dragon Mountain? Ansel and Brock must climb the ice face to discover the terrifying truth.
PLAIN KATE by Erin Bow. Plain Kate lives in a world of superstitions and curses, where a song can heal a wound and a shadow can work deep magic. As the wood-carver's daughter, Kate held a carving knife before a spoon, and her wooden charms are so fine that some even call her "witch-blade" -- a dangerous nickname in a town where witches are hunted and burned in the square.
For Kate and her village have fallen on hard times. Kate's father has died, leaving her alone in the world. And a mysterious fog now covers the countryside, ruining crops and spreading fear of hunger and sickness. The townspeople are looking for someone to blame, and their eyes have fallen on Kate.
Enter Linay, a stranger with a proposition: In exchange for her shadow, he'll give Kate the means to escape the town that seems set to burn her, and what's more, he'll grant her heart's wish. It's a chance for her to start over, to find a home, a family, a place to belong. But Kate soon realizes that she can't live shadowless forever -- and that Linay's designs are darker than she ever dreamed.
SCARLETT DEDD by Cathy Brett. You're dead Scarlett...Previously a poor taste jibe from school frenemies, now a statement of fact.
Scarlett is absolutely mortified (in more ways than one) to discover that she's accidentally killed herself while trying to get out of a school trip. Even worse, she's taken her entire family with her. Life as a ghost is pretty dull - if only some of her friends were dead too...
YOUNG ADULT
BEYOND THE MASK: THE GRASSLAND TRILOGY by David Ward In this dramatic conclusion to the Grasslands Trilogy, Corki, Pippa, and all their friends are reunited for a final fight to determine the future of Grassland. After escaping the mountains of Grassland, where Corki and Pippa and their friends were slaves and soldiers, the fugitives finally found a new life, and are seemingly safe at last.
But as the former slaves explore new lands to the north, they discover that cruelty and injustice are not only found in Grassland, and that the people they visit may need their help. Grassland, too, may need assistance. When an appeal from an old friend reaches Corki and Pippa in their travels, will they have the courage to do what’s right for their old land, despite its cruel history? What will it cost them to change Grassland for the better?
THE COUNSELING: GHOST HUNTRESS by Marley Gibson Kendall has just discovered who Emily really is, lost her boyfriend, and nearly died doing the thing she loves most--ghost hunting. It's time to take a break and try to reconcile all the changes she's going through. So Kendall heads to the Sierra Mountains, where there's a camp especially for young people with gifts such as hers. It's a time for reflection and self-discovery.
But when she gets to California, she once again finds restless spirits--and the boy in her last vision. It may be the end of one chapter of her life and the beginning of a new one.
CRUSADE by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie For the past two years, Jenn has lived and trained at Spain’s Sacred Heart Academy Against the Cursed Ones. She is among the few who have pledged to defend humanity or die trying. But the vampires are gaining power, and the battle has only just begun. Forced to return home after death takes a member of her family, Jenn discovers that San Francisco is now a vampire strong-hold. As a lone hunter apart from her team, Jenn is isolated—and at risk. She craves the company of her fighting partner, Antonio: his protection, his reassurance, his touch. But a relationship with Antonio comes with its own dangers, and the more they share of themselves, the more Jenn stands to lose. Then Jenn is betrayed by one who was once bound to protect her, causing her to doubt all she had held as true. To survive, Jenn must find the courage to trust herself—and her heart.
EXTRAORDINARY by Nancy Werlin.Phoebe finds herself drawn to Mallory, the strange and secretive new kid in school, and the two girls become as close as sisters . . . until Mallory's magnetic older brother, Ryland, shows up during their junior year. Ryland has an immediate, exciting hold on Phoebe, but a dangerous hold, for she begins to question her feelings about her best friend and, worse, about herself. Soon she'll discover the shocking truth about Ryland and Mallory: that these two are visitors from the faerie realm who have come to collect on an age-old debt. Generations ago, the faerie queen promised Pheobe's ancestor five extraordinary sons in exchange for the sacrifice of one ordinary female heir. But in hundreds of years there hasn't been a single ordinary girl in the family, and now the faeries are dying. Could Phoebe be the first ordinary one? Could she save the faeries, or is she special enough to save herself
FEAR: 13 STORIES OF SUSPENSE AND HORROR edited by International Thriller Writers Association Turn the pages if you dare. . . .In this collection of thirteen fabulously chilling storiesÑfrom thirteen true masters of suspense, including five New York Times bestsellers and a number of Edgar Award nominees, all edited by none other than R. L. StineÑnothing is what it seems. From cannibalistic children, to an unwitting date with a vampire, to a crush on a boy who just might be a werewolf, no scary stone is left unturned. A must-have for all fans of the genre!
FIRELIGHT by Sophie Jordan. Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.
Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.
IMMORTAL BELOVED by Cate Tiernan. Nastasya has spent the last century living as a spoiled, drugged-out party girl. She feels nothing and cares for no one. But when she witnesses her best friend, a Dark Immortal, torture a human, she realizes something's got to change. She seeks refuge at a rehab for wayward immortals, where she meets the gorgeous, undeniably sexy Reyn, who seems inexplicably linked to her past. Nastasya finally begins to deal with life, and even feels safe--until the night she learns that someone wants her dead.
IMMORTAL REMAINS: WEIRDSVILLE by Rook Hastings Four freak accidents. Four mysterious deaths. Four signs of trouble. Welcome back to Weirdsville…
"You see, the girls that died – it wasn't by accident. They were cursed, every one of them. Cursed to meet a horrible death… And I'm going to be next."
Four girls from posh school Riverbank have been killed in seemingly random but freakish ways and it’s not long before Bethan and co. are lured into investigating the grisly case. Is it really just coincidence or is there something more sinister going on?
Meanwhile Hashim’s playing truant, Kelly’s on the warpath and Jay’s trying to avoid someone even more close to home… Himself.Scary, paranormal and supernaturally chilling experiences are everyday in a town like Weirdsville.
LURE by Deborah Kerbel. A Victorian garden, a fishing lure, and a ghost named John .Absolutely nothing is going right for Max Green. His parents have just uprooted their family from Vancouver to the bleak suburbs of Toronto, he has no friends, and everybody at his new high school is ignoring him. To make matters worse, he's in love with an older girl who's completely out of his league.
When Max discovers a local library rumored to be haunted by ghosts, he's immediately drawn to it. With the help of some cryptic messages, he begins to piece together the identity of the teenage ghost and the mysterious chain of events that have connected its spirit to the building for over a century. But just who was John, anyway? Why has he chosen to contact Max? And what does an old fishing lure have to do with solving the mystery?
MONSTER HIGH by Lisi Harrison. From Lisi Harrison, the New York Times bestselling author of The Clique and Alphas, comes a new series with a fresh twist on high school, romance, and the "horrors" of trying to fit in. The monster community has kept a low profile at the local high school, but when two new girls enroll, the town will never be the same. Created just fifteen days ago, Frankie Stein is psyched to trade her father's formaldehyde-smelling basement lab for parties and prom. But with a student body totally freaked out by rumors of monsters stalking the halls, Frankie learns that high school can be rough for a chic freak like her. She thinks she finds a friend in fellow new student Melody Carver-but can a "normie" be trusted with her big secret?
PAST MIDNIGHT by Mara Purnhagen. Let me set the record straight. My name is Charlotte Silver and I'm not one of those paranormal-obsessed freaks you see on TV…no, those would be my parents, who have their own ghost-hunting reality show. And while I'm usually roped into the behind-the-scenes work, it turns out that I haven't gone unnoticed. Something happened on my parents' research trip in Charleston—and now I'm being stalked by some truly frightening other beings. Trying to fit into a new school and keeping my parents' creepy occupation a secret from my friends—and potential boyfriends—is hard enough without having angry spirits whispering in my ear. All I ever wanted was to be normal, but with ghosts of my past and present colliding, now I just want to make it out of high school alive….
REVAMPED by Lucienne Diver. The fanged fabulousity of Vamped, FLUX's fastest-selling new release, is back! Gina's Rules for Surviving Super Spy Club Training: 1. First, the dirt and sweat are just too horrible to contemplate. 2. Unless you enjoy cold showers, be the first one to the bathroom in the morning. 3. Cargo pants make you look hip-py. 4. Making out on missions, unless it's part of your cover, is totally grounds for extra push-ups. 5. When going goth, you've totally got to strike words like totally, awesome, and phat from your vocabulary. 6. Who's actually running the Super Spy Club, you ask? I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.
VANISHED: WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES/CODE NAME CASSANDRA by Meg Cabot. Jessica Mastriani has never liked attention. All she wants is to make it to high school graduation like any ordinary girl. But when Jess is struck by lightning, she becomes anything but ordinary: suddenly she has the ability to locate missing children.
Now Jess is getting noticed in all the wrong ways and by all the wrong people. The media is obsessed with her and her story. The FBI is tapping her phone. And what’s going on with sexy senior Rob? Soon Jess learns the hard way that not everyone who is lost wants to be found….
With no one to trust, it's up to Jess to decide what to do with her new power—before it’s decided for her.
Z by Michael Thomas Ford. The First Rule of Torching: Cleanse with fire.
Josh is by far the best zombie Torcher around—at least, he is in his virtual-reality zombie-hunting game. Josh has quickly risen through the player ranks, relying on the skill, cunning, and agility of a real Torcher.
The Second Rule of Torching: Save all humans.
But luckily for Josh, zombies exist only in the virtual world. The real zombie war is now more than fifteen years in the past, and the battle to defeat the deadly epidemic that devastated his family—and millions of others—is the stuff of history lessons.
The Third Rule of Torching: You can't bring them back.
Charlie is the top-ranked player in the game. Since all the players are shrouded in anonymity, Josh never expects Charlie to be a girl—and he never expects the offer she makes him: to join the underground gaming league that takes the virtual-reality game off the screen and into the streets. Josh is thrilled. But the more involved he gets, the more he realizes that not everything is what it seems. Real blood is spilling, members of the team are disappearing, and the zombies in the game are acting strange. And then there's the matter of a mysterious drug called Z. . . .
Welcome to yet another Sunday of middle grade fantasy and science fiction reviews and news from around the blogs. Although every day I toil for hours, neglecting all other commitments to scour the blogging world for mg sff goodness, I'm sure I am missing stuff, and would love to be given more links! (it's actually not really all that toilsome--and I like doing it). So anyway, here it is again.
Just one more note: I'm defining the upper limit of "middle grade" these days as anything I'd give to an eleven or twelve year old, which includes things labeled "YA."
Reviews, reflections, and remarks:
Athena the Brian (Godess Girls) by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams at Welcome to My Tweendom.
Wiff and Dirty George: the Z.E.B.R.A. Incident, by Stephen Swinburne (2010) at Fuse #8.
Fantasy Literature is a site that aspires to review just about every children's fantasy book every--this week's new addition to their archives is a look at Eulalia, by Brian Jacques.
Katherine Langresh (author of the The Shadow Hunt, aka Dark Angels in the UK, which is up next on my reading pile-yay!) is one of those bloggers who writes the sort of long and thoughtful topical posts I never seem moved to write, but wish I did :). Here's her take on Fairytale Heroines.
If you aren't familiar with Bookie Woogie, you are missing a fun and funny blog, where a dad talks with his kids about the books they read--here are Dad (Aaron Zenz) and Isaac (11 years old) talking about Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and other fantasy as well.
Here's Greg Van Eekhout talking about his new book, Kid Vs Squid, on John Scalzi's Whatever.
I also just wanted to mention a blog that's new to me--KinderScares, which features a wide variety of horror for the young, like yesterday's look at The Big Book of Horror.
One last thing. I don't generally talk about movies, but this involves a favorite author of mine (Ursula Le Guin):
Tales from Earthsea, a 2006 anime film directed by Gorō Miyazaki, will be released in the US this August. It is not to be confused with the Sci-Fi Channel's mini-series. For more on the horror that was, here is Ursula Le Guin's article at Slate, entitled "A Whitewashed Earthsea: How the Sci Fi Channel Wrecked My Books."
Erin Bow's YA books are not exactly comfy--the heroines of her stories (Plain Kate, Sorrow's Knot) must navigated complicated worlds in which contentment is precarious, and is balanced with darkness and loss. The Scorpion Rules, her most recent book, fits this description to a t.
In a future world, desperate for peace, a collective bargain was made. An artificial intelligence known as Talis keeps watch over the various nations of Earth, enforcing peace with the threat of death. Cities are destroyed when the peace is broken. And hostage children, the dearest ones of the various rulers, are gathered together in an enclave, knowing that they will be killed if their nations go to war.
One of these so-called Children of Peace is Greta, daughter of a queen of North America. If she can make it to 18 years old, she will be free, and so she calmly goes about her life, being instructed by her AI teacher, working on the enclaves farm, keeping to the pattern of the days dictated to her. She is so much the good hostage child that she doesn't even sneak off with the other teens to play "coyotes" (euphemism!) in the dark night outside. But then a catalyst from outside shatters the calm of her life. Elian, son of a new American alliance that is threatening to make war with Greta's homeland, arrives, and he refuses to be a docile hostage. He is tortured as a result, while the other Children of Peace watch. And Greta knows that his people declare war on hers, which seems likely, the two of them will die.
Her peace of mind is cracked both by the horrible implications of his presence, and by his stubborn defiance. And a new Greta emerges from the structure of her controlled life, one who questions, who loves, who wants a future of her own making....But Talis is watching, always watching, and for him, death is not just an abstract threat.
So basically the book is about Greta growing from Good Hostage Child to strong, passionate, questioning young woman, and as this happens, there's a very gripping ratcheting up of the tension not just of her personal situation but of the lives of those around her, and the lives of thousands of strangers who Talis could kill at any time. I was so afraid reading it that it would have a heartbreaking ending, and was glad that although tense as all get out, it wasn't all devastation and darkness....There is lots and lots of room for a sequel, but it ends at a good ending point, where there is hope (hanging fro a thread) for a different sort of peace to come.
I don't want to spoil things, but I do want to say, to help those who want to find such books, that the teen romance at the heart of the book is LGBT, and this was an unexpected and tender romance that tightened the knot around my heart just beautifully!
In short, The Scorpion Rules isn't exactly a comfy kids at a farm school fooling around with each other sort of book, although almost it is (I put my boarding school label on it!); instead, it's that sort of book but with the very real threat of death, and no possibility of escape, hanging constantly over the kids, beautifully written and achingly engrossing. I read it two months ago, and it is still crystal clear in my mind.
Every week, I scour the blogs (at least, those that are in my reader, a list that is getting longer and longer) to extract posts of interest to fans of middle grade fantasy and science fiction. Here's what I found this week (please let me know if I missed your post, or the posts of your friends and family! Send me links at any time during the week!)
But first. Nominations for the Cybils close on the fifteenth of October. Many fine books have been put forward in middle grade sci fi/fantasy, but I've pulled together a list of books that haven't been nominated, just to remind people who might love them passionately that they aren't on the list yet.
A Beautiful Friendship, by David Weber, at Book Aunt (Kate, aka Book Aunt, wrote to tell me that this is a good one for middle grade readers, even though it's listed as YA, so here it is)
And Galaxy Games, by Greg Fishbone, was also on tour--you can find the stops here , and here's a guest post by Greg Fishbone at Susan Kaye Quinn
At her blog, Illustration Matters, Joan Charles talks about her work in progress--illustrating The Ice Castle, by Pendred Noyce.
Other good stuff:
At SF Signal, Simon Haynes (Hal Junior: The Secret Signal) asks "Where all the junior science fiction has gone"
The Canadian Children's Book Centre announced a new award: The Monica Hughes Award will honour excellence in the children’s science fiction and fantasy genre and comes with a $5,000 cash prize which will be awarded annually beginning in October 2012. And the winner of the Canadian Children's Literature Award was Plain Kate, by Erin Bow (thanks to Cynsations for the news).
You've probably heard this already, but The Washington Post has announced that Rick Riordan will be working on a new series based on Norse mythology.
For the past few months, I and my fellow panelists have been busily burrowing our way through the 150 books nominated for the Cybils Awards in the Elementary/Middle Grade Sci Fi Fantasy category!
And here (drum roll) is our beautiful Shortlist, as officially announced five minutes ago over at the Cybils Website:
Michael Grant has crafted a great beginning to a new series that is guaranteed to leave you wanting more action, more plot development, more laugh-out-loud humor and the next book in the series. The Call follows a 12-year-old boy named Mack who is just a "medium" regular old boy with nothing special about him. However, he soon learns he is one of 12 Magnifica and it is up to him to track down the other eleven kids to stop the evil forces. This book will have you reading right through until the end as you come across some interesting characters and some scenes that may cause you to squirm. Through it all you will find yourself laughing along with the adventures of Mack. --Aaron Maurer
When Teddy moves to a desert community, he makes a lot of new friends, but they are all dead! Victims of a tree mutated by toxic waste into a vicious killer, the boys all perished ten years apart, and if Teddy can’t help them rest in peace, he may be next tasty snack for the maniacal tree. This creepy tale is packed with action, suspense, sly humor and an environmental message as well. --Karen Yingling
This second tale of the young dragon, Danny Dragonbreath, is full of hilarious enchantment that should delight the fantasy reader of any age. When Suki, a Japanese exchange student, is beset by Ninja Frogs, Danny and Wendell, his geeky iguana pal (who's fallen hard for Suki), travel with her to mythical Japan to find out what's going on. Danny thinks it's the greatest thing ever to be in the thick of real Ninja action, Wendell's worried about Suki, and as for Suki herself--she just wants to be a comic-book reading veterinarian, preferably a veterinarian who isn't being stalked by Ninjas...Not only is this a laugh-out-loud story, with smart, snappy dialogue and endearing characters, but Vernon's many illustrations, including panels that carry the story forward, are masterpieces of comic art. --Charlotte Taylor
Fever is a foundling, adopted as an infant girl and educated by the Order of Engineers, all male, who live in the head of a giant statue. But she has other memories, too--ones that aren't hers, that arise on her first assignment outside the head. Who is Fever Crumb, and why do people want her dead? This prequel to Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines quartet, set in a future London that bears the traces of our own in its language ("Who gives a blog?") and technology, introduces a new series. Yet smart, original, and full of memorable images--of paper boys, and movable fortresses, and a head full of bald engineers--Fever Crumb also stands alone. --Anamaria Anderson
Twelve-year-old Lanesha has always seen the ghosts of New Orleans, including that of her mother who died in childbirth. While she thinks often about the Uptown family that’s abandoned her, her heart belongs to her caretaker Mama Ya-Ya, the Ninth Ward where they live, and her dreams of becoming an engineer. This gripping, magical portrait of the days before, during and after Hurricane Katrina follows Lanesha as she and her friend TaShon battle real-life dystopian conditions to save their own lives (and their dog, Spot). The result is a powerful survival story that will haunt young readers. --Gwenda Bond
Reckless by Cornelia Funke Little, Brown Nominated by: Angela
Jacob Reckless never intended for his younger brother, Will, to learn about Mirrorworld. He had been keeping it secret since discovering the enchanted portal shortly after their father's disappearance. But when an enchantment causes Will to slowly turn to stone, Jacob realizes he can no longer afford to keep the magic of the land a secret. Accompanied by a shape-shifter and Will's girlfriend, Jacob sets out to find the antidote before his brother's transformation is complete. Cornelia Funke deftly intertwines familiar fairy tales and characters into an action-packed quest tale full of political rivals, jealous lovers and deadly monsters. --Nicole Signoretta
After being forced to move into an old Victorian household with her Math nut parents, 11-year-old Olive discovers an amazing secret, stuffed into a dresser drawer is a pair of spectacles that allows Olive to climb through the pictures on the walls and into another world that is strangely similar to the real world, right down to the houses and neighbors. However, Olive quickly realizes there are a lot of hidden secrets contained within the old house like why a mysterious cat follows her around, why none of the pictures on the wall can be moved and who is the child Morton who lives inside the mysterious world known as Elsewhere. This first book in the Books of Elsewhere series, weaves a dark tale of mystery, adventure and a battle against a darker power that is determined to turn the lights out on Olive’s world for good. --Cindy Hannikman
Which one do you like best?
And then there's the YA Sci Fi/Fantasy shortlist, which is full of books I didn't expect to see, but includes some favorites of mine (although it is missing a few books I had hoped to see sob sob):
Congratulations to all the authors! Now the books will make their way to the second round panelists, who will have the virtually impossible task of picking one winner....to be announced in February.
Thanks, Fellow Panelists, Sheila Ruth, our sff leader, and Anne Levy, Cybils Administrator, and special thanks to all the publishers and authors who sent us books!
(The links in this post take you to Amazon, where the Cybils Awards will earn a small commission from any purchases. That commission will be used to buy awards for the winners...)
Bitterblue, by Kirstin Cashore, is a lovely example of a place-centered, political-intrigue-filled, character-driven fantasy. Bitterblue's city, with its three wondrous bridges leading to swampland, and her castle, with its strange art filling its halls and garden, are vividly described, and the book is set firmly in these two settings. Bitterblue's struggles to understand the reverberations of past atrocities in the politics of her present drive the plot, and Bitterblue herself--young, uncertain, lonely, determined, and just plain nice--is a lovely character (here's my review).
I was happy to host a publisher-sponsored giveaway of two copies of Bitterblue, and I encouraged entrants to leave (optional) recommendations for books that shared those three elements.
The two that occurred to me were King of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner, and Star Crossed, by Elizabeth Bunce, and I'd also add The King Commands, by Meg Burden, to that list (although it's not quite as one-place-eseque as I had in mind). Here's what was offered in the comments (thanks very much, all of you!), with my own thoughts in parens.:
Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith (especially the second half, Court Duel, and I would add to this Smith's Stranger to Command) The Lumatere Chronicles books by Melina Marchetta (yes to these on politics and character, but I'm not sure these are tightly enough centered in one place--I'm looking for things that are more claustrophobic! Erin also recommend these...) The Study series by Maria V. Snyder (definitely the first one has all three elements!) The Nightrunner series by Lynn Flewelling (I've never read these, and have added them to my list!)
Meg S suggested Malinda Lo's books (Ash and Huntress); although I love these, they are not quite the political fantasy type of book I was thinking of!
Melissa at One Librarian's Book Reviews offered her whole list of Courtly Intrigue, and suggests Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers (which is waiting for me downstairs next in the tbr line)
Michelle suggested two books I haven't read that sound fantastic--Seraphina by Rachel Hartman and Candlewax by C. Baily Sims
From Katy (aka library-mama) comes Lois McMaster Bujold's The Curse of Chalion, and Girl of Fire and Thorns, by Rae Carson; from her husband the Steven Brust Taltos novels (I haven't read any of these!) Chime, by Franny Billingsley, and Boneshaker, by Kate Milford were also mentioned, but I don't think either has the political intrigue I'm looking for...
and the winners of the two copies of Bitterblue are: KAREN and KATY! More recommendations always welcome!
And speaking of fairy tales, Mary Hoffman reflects on the Fisherman and His Wife, at Katherine Langrish's blog, Seven Miles of Steel Thistles.
Two mg fantasies that I like very much are in the running for the Edgar Awards for best juevenille mystery--Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby, and The Wizard of Dark Street by Shawn Thomas Odyssey. The other three are Horton Halfpott by Tom Angleberger, It Happened on a Train by Mac Barnett, andVanished by Sheela Chari (which also has a slight touch of fantasy...)
At The Nerdy Book Club, Tom Angleberger proposes a new award, named for Lloyd Alexander, to be bestowed on a series after its last book is completed....lots of room for sci fi/fantasy there!
And speaking of awards, will a fantasy book be announced tomorrow as the winner of the Newbery? Here are those that did in the past:
2010 When You Reach Me 2009 The Graveyard Book 2004 The Tale of Desperaux 1999 Holes (do others consider this fantasy???) 1994 The Giver 1985 The Hero and the Crown 1976 The Grey King 1972 Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH 1969 The High King 1963 A Wrinkle in Time 1948 The 21 Balloons 1947 Miss Hickory 1945 Rabbit Hill 1938 The White Stag 1931 The Cat Who Went to Heaven 1930 Hitty, Her First Hundred Years 1925 Tales from Silver Lands (does this count? It's a collection of folk tales; I've never read it) 1923 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
(I've read all but four)
And here are those I think stand the best chance tomorrow-Breadcrumbs, by Anne Ursu, The Cheshire Cheese Cat, by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright, and (if it's eligible/deemed age appropriate A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness).
And speaking of A Wrinkle in Time, don't forget to check out the latest posts in the 50 Years, 50 blogs celebration! The full list is here.
Here are the new releases of fantasy and science fiction for kids and teens from the second half of June1 There were so few I was able to include pictures, which is nice.
My information comes from Teens Read Too, and the blurbs are lifted from Amazon.
Middle Grade THE BOY AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Greg van Eekhout "Fisher is the last boy on earth-and things are not looking good for the human race. Only Fisher made it out alive after the carefully crafted survival bunker where Fisher and dozens of other humans had been sleeping was destroyed.
Luckily, Fisher is not totally alone. He meets a broken robot he names Click, whose programmed purpose-to help Fisher "continue existing"-makes it act an awful lot like an overprotective parent. Together, Fisher and Click uncover evidence that there may be a second survival bunker far to the west. In prose that skips from hilarious to touching and back in a heartbeat, Greg van Eekhout brings us a thrilling story of survival that becomes a journey to a new hope-if Fisher can continue existing long enough to get there."
SCARY SCHOOL by Derek the Ghost "You think your school's scary? Get a load of these teachers:
Ms. Fang, an 850-year-old vampire Dr. Dragonbreath, who just might eat you before recess Mr. Snakeskin—science class is so much more fun when it's taught by someone who's half zombie Mrs. T—break the rules and spend your detention with a hungry Tyrannosaurus rex!
Plus
Gargoyles, goblins, and Frankenstein's monster on the loose The world's most frighteningly delicious school lunch
And
The narrator's an eleven-year-old ghost!
Join Charles "New Kid" Nukid as he makes some very Scary friends—including Petunia, Johnny, and Peter the Wolf—and figures out that Scary School can be just as funny as it is spooky!"
THE SECRET PRINCE: KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY by Violet Haberdasher "Knightley Academy is back in session, and Henry Grim is confident that nothing else can prevent him from earning his knighthood. But Henry and his friends quickly discover that their professors have made some troubling changes to the curriculum -- an old classroom filled with forgotten weapons. It is the discovery of this classroom that prompts Henry and Valmont to become the unlikely leaders of a secret battle society. But disaster strikes as Henry, Adam and Frankie find themselves stuck as Partisan School servants. Yet something is rotten in Partisan Keep. And when Henry is discovered by a secret society of outlaws with a sinister purpose, he must come to terms with a great sacrifice that will take him away from everything he has ever known and wanted. The stakes get higher and tension mounts in the second installment of Violet Haberdasher's fresh, fast-paced, and always surprising Knightley Academy books."
The Young Adult books:
THE ASCENSION: A SUPER HUMAN CLASH by Michael Carroll "They'd done it. Not only had Roz, Abby, Lance, and Thunder survived their first battle with a super villain, they'd defeated him. Krodin was dead, and they had saved the world. Now everything could go back to normal-good old, boring normal. School. Parents. Friends.
But three weeks later, the world suddenly changes. The United States is under martial law, the people are little more than drones, and where Central Park should be there now stands a massive glass-and-steel building, home to the all-powerful Chancellor.
In Michael Carroll's follow-up to the acclaimed Super Human, the world has been remade in the Chancellor's image, and it's about to get much much worse. Only this young band of heroes has a chance of stopping him, but can they return the world to what it was, or will they be stranded in this alternate world forever?" BREATH OF ANGEL: THE ANGELEON CIRCLE by Karyn Henley "The stranger’s cloak had fallen back, and with it, a long, white, blood-stained wing.
When Melaia, a young priestess, witnesses the gruesome murder of a stranger in the temple courtyard, age-old legends recited in song suddenly come to life. She discovers wings on the stranger, and the murderer takes the shape of both a hawk and a man.
Angels. Shape-shifters. Myths and stories—until now.
Melaia finds herself in the middle of a blood feud between two immortal brothers who destroyed the stairway to heaven, stranding angels in the earthly realm. When Melaia becomes a target, she finds refuge with a band of angels attempting to restore the stairway. But the restoration is impossible without settling an ancient debt—the “breath of angel, blood of man,” a payment that involves Melaia’s heart, soul, and destiny." DEAD RULES by Randy Russell "Till death
Jana Webster and Michael Haynes were in love. They were destined to be together forever.
Do
But Jana's destiny was fatally flawed. And now she's in Dead School, where Mars Dreamcote lurks in the back of the classroom, with his beguiling blue eyes, mysterious smile, and irresistibly warm touch.
Us
Michael and Jana were incomplete without each other. There was no room for Mars in Jana's life—or death—story. Jana was sure Michael would rush to her side soon.
Part
But things aren't going according to Jana's plan. So Jana decides to do whatever it takes to make her dreams come true—no matter what rules she has to break."
ETERNITY: A FALLEN ANGEL NOVEL by Heather Terrell "As Ellie comes to grips with her destiny as the Elect One, her relationship with Michael grows tense. When she meets a mysterious boy named Rafe, things get even more complicated.
Yet the time has come for the Elect One to stand against the group of evil fallen angels who are bent on destroying the world. In order to face the immeasurable malevolence heading her way, Ellie tries to put her personal life aside. But she soon learns that whoever holds her heart also holds the key to mankind’s salvation—or destruction. As the end days approach, Ellie is faced with an epic decision. Who does her heart really belong to? And is her love strong enough to save the world?"
FINS ARE FOREVER by Tera Lynn Childs "On Lily Sanderson’s eighteenth birthday she’ll become just a girl—still a mergirl, true, but signing the renunciation will ink Princess Waterlily of Thalassinia out of existence. That leaves plain old Lily living on land, dating the boy she loves, and trying to master this being-human thing once and for all.
Now that Lily and Quince are together, mer bond or not, she’s almost content to give up her place in the royal succession of Thalassinia. But just when she thinks she has everything figured out, the waves start to get rough. Lily’s father sends a certain whirlpool-stirring cousin to stay with her on land. What did Doe do to get herself exiled from Thalassinia and stuck in terraped form when everyone knows how much she hates humans? And why why why is she batting her eyelashes at Lily’s former crush, Brody?
The seafoam on the raging surf comes when a merboy from Lily’s past shows up—Tellin asks Lily for something that clouds her view of the horizon. There’s a future with Quince on land, her loyalty to the kingdom in the sea, and Lily tossing on the waves in the middle. Will she find a way to reconcile her love, her duty, and her own dreams?"
GRIFFIN RISING by Darby Karchut "For centuries, rumors have abounded of a lowly caste of supernatural beings known as the Terrae Angeli. Armed with the power to control Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water, these warriors secretly serve as guardians for mortals in danger. But for one young angel-in-training, Griffin, life is hell as a cruel master makes his apprenticeship a nightmare. On the verge of failing, a new mentor, Basil, enters his life and changes it forever. Taking on the identity of father and son, Griffin and Basil forge a special bond where honesty and trust go hand in hand to secure Griffin's destiny as a Terrae Angeli. Griffin's belief in himself and the love of a mortal girl are the perfect combination in overcoming the darkest days of his life. But will it be enough for him to succeed? For Griffin, it's time to angel up." HAUNTING VIOLET by Alyxandra Harvey "Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.
Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?"
LUMINOUS by Dawn Metcalf "As reality slips and time stands still, Consuela finds herself thrust into the world of the Flow. Removed from all she loves into this shifting world overlapping our own, Consuela quickly discovers she has the power to step out of her earthly skin and cloak herself in new ones-skins made from the world around her, crafted from water, fire, air. She is joined by other teens with extraordinary abilities, bound together to safeguard a world they can affect, but where they no longer belong.
When murder threatens to undo the Flow, the Watcher charges Consuela and elusive, attractive V to stop the killer. But the psychopath who threatens her new world may also hold the only key to Consuela's way home."
A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL by Suzanne Young "We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be forgotten.
Charlotte's best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she's cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what's really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.
But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become—her mark on this earth, her very existence—is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.
Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny—no matter how dark the consequences?"
SHADOWCRY: THE SECRETS OF WINTERCRAFT by Jenna Burtenshaw "The Night of Souls—when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest—is only days away. Albion is at war . . . and losing. The wardens have descended, kidnapping innocent citizens for their army, but looking for one in particular.
And fifteen-year-old Kate Winters has just raised a blackbird from the dead.
As her home is torn apart by the wardens, Kate's discovery that she is one of the Skilled—the rare people who can cross the veil between life and death—makes her the most hunted person in all of Albion. Only she can unlock the secrets of Wintercraft, the ancient book of dangerous knowledge. Captured and taken to the graveyard city of Fume—with its secret tunnels and underground villages, and where her own parents met their deaths ten years ago—Kate must harness her extraordinary powers to save herself, her country, and the two men she cares for most. And she'll make a pact with a murderer to do it.
Those who wish to see the dark, be ready to pay your price."
THE SLICE: KILLER PIZZA by Greg Taylor "Four months after they discover that their new place of employment, Killer Pizza, was a front for an underground Monster Hunting Organization, Toby and his fellow rookie Monster Combat Officers, Annabel and Strobe, have been invited to New York City to tour KP Headquarters. But the exclusive tour is cut short when a monster emergency sends the trio off on a secret mission delivering Calanthe, a beautiful 14-year-old, defecting monster with serpent-like abilities, into the Monster Protection Program. It seems like an easy assignment until the teens realize Calanthe is the sacrificial offering in a ceremony set to happen in a few days and her people will stop at nothing to get her back!" SPELLBOUND by Cara Lynn Shultz "What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?
Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.
But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else."
SONG OF THE OVULUM: CHILDREN OF THE BARD by Bryan Davis "It has been fifteen years since Billy and Bonnie Bannister helped repel the demonic assault on Heaven. Now they and Ashley Foley sit in a maximum security prison where the authorities conduct experiments on them to learn the secrets of long life. Earlier, the world’s acceptance of dragonkind crumbled, and the Enforcers took the infant twins born to Billy and Bonnie and stole Excalibur, hoping to develop a weapon to battle the dragons that are sure to try to rescue their allies. All the while, a great secret from the past is being revealed to Bonnie through a dream. Joran and Selah, teenaged children of Methuselah, have been trapped in a strange world for centuries, yet still able to manipulate certain events in our world during that time.
Walter Foley finds the Bannisters’ son and hopes to use his dragon traits to help him rescue the prisoners. In the meantime, an ancient demon locates the Bannisters’ daughter and plans to use her to help him discover the hiding place of the most powerful ovulum in the world and squelch its protective song. With that ovulum in his possession, he will be able to conquer and control both Earth and Second Eden.
The fate of two worlds now rests on the Bannisters’ two teenagers who must use their dragon traits and their innate courage to battle demons, a sorceress, and soldiers in a military compound in order to rescue parents they don’t even know." TORN by Erica O'Rourke "Everyone has secrets. Even best friends.
Swirling black descends like ravens, large enough to block the glow of the streetlights. A dull roar starts like a train on the ‘L', a far-away rumbling that grows louder as it pulls closer, until it's directly overhead and you feel it in your chest, except this doesn't pass you by. Verity, white-faced and eyes blazing, shouts through the din, "Run, Mo!"
Mo Fitzgerald knows about secrets. But when she witnesses her best friend's murder, she discovers Verity was hiding things she never could have guessed. To find the answers she needs and the vengeance she craves, Mo--quiet, ordinary, unmagical Mo--will have to enter a world of raw magic and shifting alliances. And she'll have to choose between two very different, equally dangerous guys--protective, duty-bound Colin and brash, mysterious Luc. One wants to save her, one wants to claim her. Which would you choose?"
Plain Kate, by Erin Bow (Scholastic, 2010, young adult, 311 pages in arc form)
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