Horror Pick: The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein
by Kiersten White
Delacourte Press
2018
287 pages
ISBN: 9780525577942

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein is the perfect book to curl up by the fireplace with. Don't let the lights grow too dim. Don't let the shadows linger too long. This spooky and creepy read will keep you up at night.

Deftly re-imagined by Kiersten White, Mary Shelley's masterpiece has undergone big changes. The main character of this novel is a female who fights to stay alive and stay safe. Although set in the 1800s, Elizabeth Lavenza is as feisty as power female protagonists of today.

Elizabeth is born into poverty. She's sold away by her unloving father to become a playmate of a wealthy family's son. Victor, even as a boy, isn't quite right. There's something wrong. Something that lurks deep inside of him. He's dangerous to himself and others. Victor's a problem child, and unless he can learn to play with others, he'll never become human.

Young Elizabeth knows her place in the household is precarious unless she can make insert herself into Victor's life so deeply that he must have her to survive. She is intelligent beyond her years, but because it is the 1800's, she must use feminine wiles to get what she wants. Feminists may have a problem with this, but it's doubtful whether feminists would read a YA retelling in the first place.

Readers will love the fact that they get to see Victor's own descent into madness.

The setting is atmospheric and imaginative; the story is historically beautiful and gritty. Mary Shelley would be proud to see this version if she were alive today. The cover art is breathtaking with creepy raised lettering sewn together with needle and thread. In fact, I would say this is my favorite YA cover of the year.

Highly, highly recommended for any horror collection. Grade 8 and up.

Adventure Pick: Kalahari

Kalahari
by Jessica Khoury
Razorbill
2015
354 pages
ISBN: 9781595147653


Exciting and action packed, Kalahari is sure to please. This is one adventure teen readers will be glad they took!


Growing up the only child to zoologist parents in remote Africa has prepared Sarah for just about any encounter in the natural world; any encounter except with city teens her own age, that is. When Sarah's parents invite five teens to an experimental program, she is terrified of what to say to them and  how they will react with her. Her best friend is Theo. He has guided her over the years to survive in the Kalahari. He tells Sarah not to worry; that she's a teen just like them. He could not be more wrong. Sarah has nothing in common with the kids who have arrived. They are used to creature comforts like clean beds, fresh water, air conditioning and electricity.

When Theo and her father have to leave their camp to investigate what they think are poachers,  Sarah knows something has gone terribly wrong. She is now responsible for the helpless new kids. Cute arrival Sam offers to help. He says he trusts her and will help her find her father and Theo. They  must find food, water and shelter and get to the nearest town without poachers, wild animals or something much, much worse finding them first. Sarah calls upon all her skills to find the way to a small town. Anything can go wrong. They could die of dehydration or starvation. They could wander around for days without knowing if they are going in the right direction or not. The elements will take a toll on all of them unless they get to civilization fast.

The kids know something is wrong when animals begin to act strangely. Sarah spots a silver lion who threatens her. Knowing that a male lion does not attack unprovoked, Sarah searches for answers. The kids discover a lab that she thinks her mother must also have discovered just moments before her death. Could the silver lion and Sarah's mother have something in common? Where are the lab workers? Why have they fled?

Maybe not knowing the answers to all her questions is the safest bet but Sarah is strong and inquisitive. She has Sam to depend on when the going gets tough and it is getting tougher. Sarah begins to feel lightheaded and she can't blame it all on dehydration. Sam is seriously turning up the heat.

Kalahari will take readers on a wild adventure to a different part of the world than most are familiar with. They will love Sarah and empathize with her tragic discovery about her mother's death. Most of all, readers will want Sarah to survive and save the other teens from death.

Highly recommended grade 7-up. No profanity. No sex. Violence, science gone wrong, genetics gone wrong, evil scientists.

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)

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)