Peeled

Hilly Biddle wants to be a journalist, a real one that tells the truth, sorting fact from fiction. As one of the best writers for her high school newspaper, The Core, Hilly wants to do the best job she can. Hilly lives in a small, apple-picking town in upstate NY. When murders begin piling up near an old--and allegedly haunted—abandoned house, and signs that warn people to stay away mysteriously appear on the lawn, it’s up to Hilly and the school newspaper to figure out the truth. However, the panic from the locals, and the sensationalized writings from the town’s newspaper that is creating even more fear in the community, has Hilly’s truth angle in the minority. Are things really as they appear to be? When Hilly and her friends get too close to the truth, their school newspaper is suspiciously shut down after the lead reporter from the town’s newspaper tries sues the school on the grounds of slander. What connection does this reporter have the mysterious occurrences surrounding the haunted house? Why does Hilly’s secret newspaper, The Peel, which features anonymous articles that threaten to expose the truth, cause so much controversy among the townspeople?

Peeled by Joan Bauer is a cute, well-written mystery, with a plot reminiscent of what you might see in an episode of Scooby Doo.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Jacob grew up with fantastical stories from his grandfather that he always wanted to believe. Jacob’s grandfather is a Holocaust survivor; after surviving the Nazi's horrific genocide as a child, he has been on the run from something else: monsters. Jacob’s grandfather took solace along with many other children in a mystical house on an island off the coast of Wales, led by “the Bird,” their protector. Jacob’s bedtime stories were filled with these peculiar children: some could levitate, one had a mouth in the back of her head, covered up by golden curls, and others could control sound waves or elements. As a teenager, Jacob denounces these stories as lies, and he believes that his grandfather’s fear of monsters is nothing more than a delusion caused by old age and the trauma he faced as a child. But, when Jacob sees his grandfather lying dead outside their house and catches a glimpse of his killer, an otherworldly-looking creature with long tentacles coming out of his mouth, he realizes that everything his grandfather said must be true. Jacob sets off to the island where his grandfather grew up, hoping to find clues about the peculiar children, the monsters they were running from, and their guardian, Miss Peregrine. The challenge is not only where these clues are, but when.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs is a mysterious tale of survival and believing in your own abilities. The book is filled with old pictures of the peculiar children, the basis for the creation of the specific children. The photos make the book unique and compliment the text nicely—they’re also fascinating to look at on their own. Unfortunately, the book is a little too similar to the X-men and Xavier’s School for the Gifted. Even the Holocaust was an important part in shaping one of the main character’s lives, as it is in this novel. While the story is enjoyable, the similarities were so striking that it detracted from the original aspects of this book. Nonetheless, it is still worth reading.

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.

The Last Good Place of Lily Odilon Book Review

I always love a good mystery and The Last Good Place of Lily Odilon by Sara Beitia is just that. Albert Morales sneaks into his girlfriend's house to spend the night, only to wake up later and find her gone. Since Lily has been known to be a bit on the wild side, Albert tries not to worry too much. But when the police show up at school, Albert becomes a prime suspect in Lily's disappearance. With the help of Lily's sister, Olivia, Albert uncovers a shocking secret and sets out on foot to find Lily. The chapters alternate between real time and Albert's memories of meeting Lily and their relationship as it progresses. Albert is a regular high school guy, with difficult parents who don't understand him or his relationship with Lily. With a despicable villain, a sketchy jock and building suspense, this is a satisfying mystery.