A Monster Calls

There is one thing that scares Connor more than anything in the world, more than when his father left him and his mother to move to America, more than his creepy grandma, and more than his mother’s cancer that never seems to get better. This is Connor’s one truth, a truth that hides itself in a horrible, incessant nightmare that no one can ever know about. On a particularly stormy night, when the old Yew tree outside his house comes alive, turning itself into a horrible, leafy monster and calls to Connor, Connor is not scared; this monster is not the same monster as in his nightmare. The monster, which has always preferred to take the shape of a Yew tree, is as old as stars, wide as the sky, and righteous in a way that would confuse most humans. The monster has only come walking three times before Connor called it and he tells Connor that he will share three stories with him. When he is done with these tales of royal quarrels, selfish apothecaries, and a wicked step-mother, Connor must tell him a story, the truth he has never dared tell anyone.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness is lyrical, haunting and heart-wrenching; it’s one of those rare books that will stay with you forever. The stark black illustrations throughout the book add even more depth to the story and characters. Make sure to have some tissues nearby when you get towards the end of the book. One of the best books I’ve read this year!

The Name of the Star

Jack the Ripper is still considered one of the most feared serial killers in history. The murders he committed in 1888 were the first to be committed for no real reason other than enjoyment. More than two-hundred years have passed and someone-or something-is carrying out murders in London that follow the exact MO as Ripper: the days, the times, and the number of victims. Rory finds herself in the middle of all this when she moves from New Orleans to London when her parents take a job teaching at a British University. At first, the only thing Rory has to worry about is fitting in at her new foreign boarding school; but she soon finds herself the only witness for one of the Ripper murders, and oddly enough, the only person to have seen the killer, despite her friends standing right next to her when he spoke to her. With the help of a special, underground police force, virtually unknown to anyone in London, Rory realizes that she has a gift that can help put a stop to the psychotic new Ripper—but at what price?

The Name of the Star, book 1 in The Shades of London series, by Maureen Johnson is an intriguing, supernatural take on the Ripper murders in modern times. While this is not historical fiction, Johnson clearly did her research on Ripper and his affect on 19^th century London and the world thereafter. The ending was a little too neatly resolved, but there is still plenty of suspense throughout the novel that will have you guessing. If you love series, you’ll be happy to know that there will be more books after this one; for those of you who don’t care for continuations, The Name of the Star stands well on its own. This is one spooky read you don’t want to miss—and just in time for Halloween!

Trapped Book Review

I have to admit, I probably took the easy way out by reading Trapped by Michael Northrop in April when the threat of snow is unlikely. Regardless, Trapped is a gripping page turner. Scotty, a sophomore basketball player, narrates the events as they unfold of the seven students and one teacher who are stranded at school when a winter storm turns into the biggest nor'easter the U.S. has ever had. The small group, ranging from a jock and a bully, to the prettiest girl in school and the most average boy, must weather the storm by rationing left over cafeteria food, navigating the dark hallways, and ultimately deciding how to get help when the school building becomes too dangerous for them to remain. Scotty's admission that not everyone will survive builds the suspense immediately and the ever falling snow piles on the drama. Best read on a snow day, but pretty chilling on a warm spring day too.

Rosebush Book Review

Someone tried to murder Jane. And it seems like they aren't going to stop until she is good and dead. In Michele Jaffe's pyschological thriller, Rosebush, popular girl Jane wakes up in a hospital bed paralyzed. Jane learns that she's been the victim of a vicious hit and run accident - only this was no accident. As Jane is layed up in bed, she begins to discover that it may have been one of her friends who tried to murder her. Is it her best friend Kate, beautiful and perfect but whose feelings for Jane may not be what they seem? Or is it Ollie, her boyfriend's best friend who has never hid his dislike for Jane and has been known to secretly video tape people? Or could it even be David, Jane's "perfect" boyfriend who was caught in a compromising position with another girl at a party on the night of the attack? Could it be her "secret admirer" who keeps sending creepy gifts to Jane? Or could this all just be Jane's heavily medicated mind playing tricks on her? As Jane's memories of the evening slowly come in to focus the suspense mounts and the killer just may be lurking in the shadows.