Stalking Jack the Ripper

Stalking Jack the Ripper
by Kerri Maniscalco
Jimmy Patterson Books
(Little, Brown and Company
2016
336 pages
ISBN: 9780316273497

Atmospheric, creepy, macabre and satisfying, Stalking Jack the Ripper is the first book (and it's a good one)  published by James Patterson's new children's  imprint Jimmy Patterson Books. Debut author Kerri Maniscalco gets the details right: the infamous London pea soup--the  fog, the eerily quiet streets, the hurried footsteps on cobblestones, the terror that stalks its victims in the dark ghettos of 1880's London, the seedy dens of inequity, the bloody cadavers, the gruesome murders, the creepy yet kind doctor uncle, the strong, young heroine with a mind of her own in a society  that says she can't be a doctor or study medicine and that says women should be wives and mothers, subservient to their men.

Audrey Rose Wadsworth is a London debutante from a family of financial means. Her father and uncle have an ongoing feud over the death of Audrey's mother, so Audrey Rose must sneak out to visit her uncle's gruesome yet fascinating laboratory in his home. She asks her uncle to attend his classes at the university to learn about forensic science but must masquerade as a boy since women were not allowed to learn medicine. She outshines most of the male students  at university but must keep quiet in class lest someone realize her true identity. One boy--a tall, good looking boy who works with her uncle--notices Audrey Rose for what she is. Thomas, Audrey Rose and her uncle, Johnathan Wadsworth,  study the murdered prostitutes to try to find clues to the killer.

Audrey Rose is strangely fascinated by the gore in her uncle's laboratory, but as a woman, she empathizes with the young women who are being murdered. She is the kind of heroine readers will love: strong, passionate and not afraid to buck authority. 

The deeper Audrey Rose digs, the closer she gets to the killer. Uncovering clues will cause events to be set in motion and Audrey Rose will be in danger.  Can she save herself? Will she be able to save her family's name and honor?

Shocking plot twists and some uncanny, unpredictable turns will leave readers breathless. Well done, Kerri Maniscalco! Well done, Jimmy Patterson Books!

Beautiful cover design  conveys the gloomy setting and atmosphere. The brilliant emerald color of the woman's gown is an eye catcher designed for sales.

A MUST have for collections! A MUST read for horror and mystery fans. Gothic horror fans will rejoice! 
Highly, highly recommended grade 9-up due to gore and mature situations.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Magical Pick: The Blackthorn Key

The Blackthorn Key
by Kevin Sands
Aladdin
2015
371 pages
ISBN: 9781481446518

Mysterious, cryptic and magical, The Blackthorn Key amazes. Apprentice to one of London's leading apothecaries, Christopher Rowe feels lucky to have left the orphanage and to learn a trade. Christopher is smart, attentive and good at solving puzzles. So much so, that for his birthday, Christopher's "master" gives him a cipher to solve.

A string of grisly murders has London on edge. Someone is murdering apothecaries. Christopher is worried about his employer. Oftentimes, the master is out all night only returning in the early morning hours. When his master comes home hurt and burned, Christopher makes it his business to solve the mystery. Then  his master is brutally murdered, Christopher and his best friend Tom follow clues left by his master. The cipher proves difficult but with time, Christopher figures out the puzzle.

It is a rocky time in British history where groups of powerful men are eyeing the monarchy. Having a King in your corner is the quickest path to riches, and evil, corrupt men will stop at nothing to obtain what they want. Having a powerful weapon, a secret chemical weapon that only an apothecary can manufacture, would put you in power. For that kind of weapon, a corrupt person will stop at nothing, even murder.

Who will believe a mere apprentice? Christopher will have to have rock solid proof against the murderer, and he'll have to move fast. The murderer is not likely to stop. His crimes are becoming more and more gruesome with the discovery of each new body. If he suspects Christopher is onto him, the boy is in grave danger.

An exciting read that is a real page turner. The Blackthorn Key is a gem of a debut.


Highly, highly recommended grade 5-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I bought this book for our middle school library. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Middle Grades Pick: Rose and the Lost Princess

Rose and the Lost Princess
by Holly Webb
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
2014
272 pages
ISBN: 9781402285844



Magical, mysterious, glorious, gutsy, and mesmerizing, readers will love the magical plot and masterful storytelling. Rose is a character who is quirky and winsome; an orphan with moxie and spirit who will steal your heart!

From the captivating cover to the poetic and pitch perfect prose, Rose and the Lost Princess is a gem. Rose is a maid in the magical home of Aloysius Fountain, a master magician. He has agreed to tutor her in the magical arts along with housemate Freddie. Gus the cat is a constant curmudgeonly companion and Rose loves his sassy, purrfect (pun intended) demeanor. The other servants are either afraid of Rose thinking she might be some sort of witch or they are jealous of her new status in the household. Rose considers running away but is talked out of it by Mr. Fountain.

Winter comes early to London and with a vengeance; gossips believe it unnatural, perhaps even an evil spell. They begin blaming magicians and Parliament considers locking up all magical folk.  The King is worried about the safety of his daughter, the princess. His guards can't seem to keep her safe, so the King asks Mr. Fountain for Rose's services. Rose will pose as the princess's personal maid but secretly be a spy for the king and a magical bodyguard for the princess.  Princess Jane plays along at first, but tells Rose that she knows she knows that Rose is not just a normal maid.

There is magic afoot, but it's not of Rose's doing and the Princess is in real danger. Will Mr. Fountain and Freddie be able to uncover the dark forces? Can they recover the lost princess? Will Rose be found out as the imposter that she is? Can magic save the kingdom after all?

Readers who love a magical mystery will love Rose and the Lost Princess.

Highly, highly recommended grade 4-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the arc from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Gothic Pick: Her Dark Curiosity

Her Dark Curiosity
by Megan Shepherd
Balzar + Bray
2014
420 pages
ISBN: 9780062128058

Her Dark Curiosity is a sublime retelling of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It is compelling and hypnotic, rife with Gothic lore and brutal rage. Juliet Moreau is a complex individual, not a mere pawn of men but an intelligent strategist who outplays  the brightest minds of her day.

Having escaped her father's creepy island and its beasts (The Madman's Daughter,  Juliet is now back in London, but her sickness is getting worse and she fears that if she doesn't find a cure soon, she may die. She pines for lost love Montgomery who set her adrift at sea and she dreams of seeing him again.

She is living with a kind guardian who is an old friend of her father when she hears news that a murderer is on the loose. Four murders have occurred and as Juliet digs deeper, she realizes she knew all four victims personally. Someone is murdering those individuals who have wronged Juliet, and she's afraid of the truth. Could Edward Prince have escaped the island? Is he living and killing for her  in London?

Who was Juliet's father writing in London? Juliet needs to find out who has been funding her father's research. She finds herself helping a murderer, but she also  knows his humanity and kindness. Her heart is torn between two men, and she is struggling to solve the many mysteries of her father's macabre and twisted legacy.

Readers will empathize with Juliet, a girl with no family and no future. She has little opportunity for a wonderful life. Because of the sins of her father, her family name is considered a crime against humanity.

Beautiful cover art promises a Gothic romance. The young girl in a flowing gown seems sad and brooding. The gray sky and stone bridge also feel foreboding and Gothic. Red letters of the title stand out like blood against the sky. This is one of the most beautiful covers in YA fiction in recent memory. Her Dark Curiosity is a brilliant second offering of the reworked classic tale.

Highly, highly recommended grade 7-up with this caution: Juliet does sleep with Edward and he worries that she may "be with child," but no graphic details are mentioned. No profanity. Some gore.

FTC Required Disclaimer; I purchased this book for my library. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Fantasy Pick: Rose

Rose
by Holly Webb
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
2013
272 pages

Available September 3, 2013

Imaginative, clever, and beguiling, Rose is that one book that tweens and teens will remember. Rose is an eleven year old orphan--or maybe she's twelve--she doesn't know her true age. She was left at St. Bridget's Home for Abandoned Girls where she's spent the last nine years. It isn't a bad orphanage, if you can get past the rules and the chores and the not so great food. Maisie, Rose's friend at the orphanage, spends idle hours with Rose pretending to be daughters of royalty.

A lady arrives at the orphanage and chooses Rose to work as a house servant for Mr. Fountain, a well-known alchemist (magician). Rose is happy to have her own room and FOUR dresses to wear. The girls at the orphanage would think it grand to have their own room and wardrobe. Mr. Fountain's house is huge and fascinatingly magical. Rose notices weird happenings right away. She is uncertain how she is able to talk to Gustavus, Mr. Fountain's cat, but she likes him. Freddie is a little jealous that Rose can do magic, but they become good friends.

When children begin to disappear, it's up to Rose to solve the mystery and return the children before they die. Freddie, Isabella, Gustavus and Rose hatch a plan to catch the kidnapper, but they fall into a trap. Will the team be able to rescue themselves and the others? Will Mr. Fountain be able to save them in time?


Rose is smart, quick, clever, and intuitive. Readers will love the magic that is Mr. Fountain's house and the talking cat, Gustavus. The beautiful, captivating cover art is sure to draw young readers in. The cover sells this book, but the writing will keep readers turning the pages.

Highly recommended grade 4-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Series Pick: Clockwork Princess

Clockwork Princess
(The Infernal Devices, book 3)
by Cassandra Clare
Margaret K. McElderry Books
2013
568 pages

Hauntingly beautiful,  fiercely passionate, steampunk inspired, Clockwork Princess delivers a knockout punch of non-stop action, troubled romance and intriguing mystery. Questions are finally answered: What are Mortmain's evil plans for Tessa? Can the Shadowhunters save Jem's life? Why does Magnus agree to help Will, a Shadowhunter? Who will Tessa choose--smoldering hot Will or good natured Jem? What will happen to Charlotte and the Institute if the Consul poisons the Clave against her? What secrets will be uncovered in Tessa's past? Can the automaton army be defeated by a handful of Shadowhunters?

New alliances and interesting romances develop and old friendships are tested. Gabriel  Lightwood arrives at the Institute in a state of panic asking for the Shadowhunters' help. His father has turned into a demon worm and is attacking servants and family. A battle ensues at Lightwood House and his father is defeated. Both Gabriel and Gideon are welcomed to the Shadowhunters' Institute. Jem's disease progresses and the drug that keeps him alive is nowhere to be found. Will enlists Magnus's help to find more of the healing (and addictive)  powder.

Charlotte continues to fight the Consul who insists that she is "just a woman" and as such, too frail to handle such a powerful position as head of the Shadowhunters. Henry is working on a new invention--a portal that the Shadowhunters can use to magically transport themselves anywhere in the world. Charlotte pores over Lightwood's papers and journals hoping to discover some clue as to Mortmain's whereabouts.

When Tessa is kidnapped, the plot races along  at a feverish pace...Will leaves Jem's deathbed in order to save Tessa. Charlotte begs the Consul to allow the Shadowhunters to go after Tessa and Will. The Consul refuses to let the Shadowhunters travel to Wales, but Charlotte ignores his orders and using the portal, the Shadowhunters, along with Magnus and the Silent Brothers,  prepare for a battle with Mortmain's automatons--the Infernal Devices.

Will finds Tessa and they both  mourn Jem's passing. Their true feelings are finally spoken aloud and their passion ignites. Clare is a master storyteller--she lets the reader see just a few kisses, then "fade to black." Magnus discovers the couple the next morning in a compromising situation  and warns them that the other Shadowhunters are on the way.

The Shadowhunters battle Mortmain's automaton army and Tessa finds her inner power and the secret to her strength.

The ending is poignant and promising.--true love can never be broken and endures no matter what happens.
I was sorry when the story ended but thrilled to have the experience of living in Cassandra Clare's world. The Infernal Devices is as satisfying a series as any reader could hope for. The relationship between Charlotte and her husband Henry develops into real love, and Charlotte realizes how much she loves him when he is injured.  Clockwork Princess is an exciting and brilliantly conceived ending to a remarkable YA series! Will is the steamiest, sexiest male protagonist in YA lit to date--Edward who? (wink, Twilight, remember)?

Highly, highly recommended grade 7-up but with caution. In the scene where Will and Tessa "hook up," Will's shirt comes off, kissing, fade to black, and the next morning Tessa wakes with her head on Will's shoulder. Magnus warns them to get dressed quickly.  Teens probably see steamier scenes on network television. If you have the third and fourth  book in the Twilight trilogy,  this novel is right for you.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Fashionista Pick: The Look

The Look
by Sophia Bennett
Chicken House
2013
336 pages

Available March 1, 2013

Read Chapter One here

Sisters Ava and Ted couldn't be more different. Ava is fashion forward, beautiful and talented. Ted is awkward and gangly and never feels pretty. She has a wild head of hair and is giant tall.

All of this changes with the chance encounter with a man who hands Ted a business card. He claims to be an agent who works at a modeling agency and he thinks Ted has "the look." Both sisters are shocked! Awkward, bony Ted? Not the more beautiful and put-together fashionista Ava? Ava tells Ted that it's probably a scam. A lot of girls are taken in by slick talk and they pay hundreds of dollars for head shots--only to find it it's a scam and they won't have any modeling jobs.

Ava has been sleeping too much lately and the lump on her neck is getting larger. Their mother decides to take Ava to the doctor for a check up. The doctor discovers that Ava has cancer. While waiting in the specialist's office, Ted picks up a copy of Marie Claire magazine and reads an article about Model City, a modeling agency. Ted catches her breath...the logo is the same logo that was on that guy's business card.

Ava pushes Ted to go down to the modeling agency and see if she really does have "the look." Ted is quickly snatched up by Frankie for a test shoot. Ted knows her mother would never approve, so she and Ava get her dad to sign all the agency's paperwork.

Soon, Ted is heading all over London for calls. She never gets any jobs and feels like a failure. Meanwhile. Ava's cancer is diagnosed as Stage II cancer. She begins losing her gorgeous hair and both sisters visit a salon and shave their heads. Ted looks absolutely amazing with the buzz cut like Xena, the Warrior Princess.

As Ted's star rises and her career turns white-hot, Ava fights for her life. Ted takes a job in New York City  with one of the world's best photographers but walks out on the shoot and flies home to London to her sister's bedside.

Will Ted be able to make it in the fast paced fashion industry where one day you're "in" and the next day you're "out"?

Sophia Bennett keeps getting it right. Beads, Boys and Bangles, her earlier work, was a more girl-y novel. The Look is a serious book with some witty moments. Sisters Ava and Ted will pull at your heartstrings.  Author Meg Cabot says of The Look, "No girl will be able to put it down."

Highly recommended grade 7-up. Snogging (kissing), a thong (for model shoot), a bathtub full of snakes (again, modeling). No language.

Fashion forward teens and teens who love anything British (including One Direction) will likely love The Look.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I recieved this book from the author. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Horror Pick: The Madman's Daughter --A Must Read!

The Madman's Daughter
by Megan Shepherd
Balzer + Bray
2013
432 pages

Available January 29, 2013

Author Megan Shepherd takes on the classic The Island of Dr. Moreau giving it a sexy Gothic YA romance spin and knocks it out of the park!

Juliet Moreau works as a cleaning girl at the university's medical school. Her infamous father has fled London when his grisly experiments and medical ethics are questioned, leaving Juliet and her mother to fend for themselves. Juliet has always wondered whether her father is innocent or not and aims to clear her family name.

Following a clue, Juliet discovers her childhood friend Montgomery is in London. She begs him to take her with him to a faraway island. She has no future in London and no way to attract a good marriage. He reluctantly agrees to take her with him back to the island. After weeks at sea, they find a nearly dead man on a small boat and bring him on board. Juliet is strangely attracted to both Montgomery and her new friend--mysterious castaway Edward.

Juliet is thrilled to see her father alive, but he does not share her enthusiasm. His island is creepy and dangerous--full of weird creatures and plants. Even the natives are strange and quiet, following Dr. Moreau's rules and commandments.

Her father has continued his work in medicine away from medical ethics and manmade laws. Montgomery acts as his assistant and Juliet makes it her business to figure out just what is really going on in her father's workshop. When she finds answers that she doesn't want to believe, Juliet will have to make life changing decisions.

Henri Moreau is an evil genius with a God complex. He believes in his research above all else and will take human life if it gives him scientific answers. Everything in Juliet's life has been a lie; her father has controlled her very existence. Juliet plans to escape the island and her father if it's the last thing she ever does.

The Madman's Daughter delivers the perfect suspenseful tale. Shepherd's carefully controlled pacing, the creepy, humid wild island setting, hot and smoldering Montgomery, dangerous and mysterious bad boy Edward, spunky and wild child Juliet, Gothic appeal, rich romance, and horrible experiments make this YA novel a gem. This one's going to be HUGE!

This is a planned trilogy and the ending sets up the story flawlessly for book two. Film rights have already been sold to Paramount, so look for the YA movie in the near future.

Highly, highly recommended grade 9-up. The medical experiments done by the doctor are quite disgusting. There are some steamy kisses and embraces.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Girl Pick: Things I Know About Love

Things I Know About Love
by Kate Le Vann
Egmont
2011
153 pages

Sweet, simple, poignant, and evocative of Love Story and The Notebook, Things I Know About Love will delight girl romance readers.

Seventeen year old Livie Stowe is writing a blog about all the things she knows about love--she doesn't know much since most of her teen-age years have been spent in hospital rooms. Livie was diagnosed with leukemia, but after a bone marrow transplant she's doing fine. She convinces her "Mum" to let her travel to Princeton to visit her older brother Jeff who attends uni (university) there.

That's when she meets Adam again--one of Jeff's mates (friends). After seeing Livie, Adam writes short entries from his point of view. Both take a "fancy" to each other and soon they are dating and traveling to New York City to sightsee. It's refreshing to see both the boy and girl telling his/her side of falling in love. Spoiler alert: this is a major weeper. Bring tissues.

Readers will love the English (British) colloquialisms: uni, Mum, telly, fancy, flat (apartment), holiday (vacation), and snogging (kissing). Livie has great fun with American-isms and says of a day-old doughnut--it was, "full fat, full-sugar American delicious."

Simply a "fab" read. Highly, highly recommended for grades 9 and up. Mature grade 8 is also probably okay. Mentions sex, being afraid to have sex, virginity. No language. No sex.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Best New Series

Oracles of Delphi Keep
Victoria Laurie
Delacorte Press, 2009
549 pages

The first in a series of books by a debut author is a magical story of two orphans, a castle and orphanage, an English earl, and the white cliffs of Dover. But it’s much more than that, part adventure, part magical tale, it reminds readers of A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Lightning Thief series (Riordan) with a bit of Harry Potter magic thrown in.
A baby arrives on a dark and stormy night in 1930, carried by a mysterious horseman, and Ian is entrusted to be her older sibling and look after her.

Ian loves adventure and fancies himself a great explorer someday. He dreams of romantic places and amazing discoveries. One day he and Theo are exploring among the cliffs of Dover near the Keep, when Ian discovers a fantastic black box. He unearths it and takes it back to the Keep to try and open it. The box is decorated with strange markings but try as he might, Ian cannot open it.

Ian and Theo uncover a 3,000 year old prophecy and are astonished that their names are written down. They have been called upon to save the world from forces that will be called together to destroy humankind.

Readers who enjoyed Riordan’s The Lightning Thief and the Harry Potter series will love this novel. Rollicking great fun and a real page turner. ‘


Highly, highly recommended. Ages 10 and up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this copy of the book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review. I REALLY loved this book..

Paranormal Pick

13 Treasures
by Michelle Harrison
Little, Brown and Company, 2010.
355 pages

A remarkable debut novel from a new voice across the pond (England). 13 Treasures is truly a treasure of a book. Tanya's mother forces her to go to her grandmother's spooky family estate far from the city. Tanya thinks the old mansion is creepy and overgrown and especially can't stand being around Fabian, the estate manager's son. At least her mother allowed her to take her trusted dog Oberon with her.

Soon, the house's dark side is revealed and Tanya is given a charm bracelet with 13 weird charms. A gypsy woman, considered a witch by townsfolk, gives Tanya a strange compass that seems to be broken.

Fairies, good and bad, want Tanya to come to Hangman's Wood. With Fabian's help, Tanya hopes to solve her family's mystery and fix its tainted past and free herself forever from the fairies.

Harrison has a gift for setting and tone. For example when describing Tickey End (love that name for a town) Harrison writes, "It was also the kind of town where everybody knew everybody, and if you were a stranger curtains would twitch as you walked past."

Masterful storytelling! 13 Treasures is a quick read--a real page-turner. Readers who love mystery, gothic elements, fairy tales, and things that go bump in the night will love this tale.

Highly, highly recommended: grades 6-10.

FTC Required Disclosure: I bought this book for my middle school library. I received no monetary compensation for this review.