Review: Unearthly Things

Unearthly Things

by Michelle Gagnon

Read what I think of Unearthly Things! 

see my School Library Journal published review here 

Series Pick: A Cold Legacy ( A Madman's Daughter, Book 3)

A Cold Legacy (A Madman's Daughter novel, Book 3)
by Megan Shepherd
Balzar + Bray
2015
388 pages
ISBN: 9780062128089

The third and last book of the Madman's Daughter trilogy ties up loose ends and story lines. Juliet and company are on the run after a bloody massacre in London. They have half of the police force looking for them as they flee north to the badlands of Scotland. Elizabeth Von Stein invited Juliet to her family's castle  on the moors, and Juliet arrives with Lucy, Montgomery, a delirious Edward who is fighting the Beast part of him and losing it seems, and Balthazar, their faithful servant.

They arrive at the Frankenstein (Elizabeth Von Stein's) castle and are rudely greeted by sullen servants who grudgingly allow them to stay. Lucy and Juliet take turns nursing Edward, but his outcome is grim. Elizabeth finally comes home and shows Juliet her father's secret workshop and library. Taking pieces of the Mary Shelley story, Megan Shepherd weaves together The Island of Dr. Moreau and Frankenstein.

There are secrets in the castle that Elizabeth is not willing to share with anyone: the strange servants and their near worship of Elizabeth, the bodies in the basement, the strange pale boy who travels through secret passageways and a gypsy troupe that seems to always be nearby.

If reanimation is possible, should it ever be used? Juliet struggles with ethical and moral dilemmas and questions her own ability to do good. She is, after all, her father's daughter, a fact that Montgomery seems to keep reinforcing. 

There's just enough gore to balance out the romance here. Readers of the series won't be disappointed with this last book.

The cover art is once again ethereal. The gothic castle looming over the girl, the long gown, the beautiful red sash, the color of the stormy sky and the red title lure readers to this read. The art marketing team has done a great job with all three of the covers in this series.

Some early reviews gave the cold shoulder about the medicine/science facts/nonfacts of the book, but don't let that bother you. One pointed out, "That's not how science works!" Well, Mary Shelley didn't care about science and neither did H.G. Wells. It's a work of science fiction and should be enjoyed as that, not as a medical textbook.

Highly recommended for fans of the series and others. If you haven't read book 1 and 2, A Cold Legacy will be confusing. I highly recommend the first two books. Grade 7-up. Gore, guts, grisly operations, on their wedding night, Juliet and Montgomery have a "moment," fade to black. 

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

YA Pick: Blackhearts

Blackhearts
by Nicole Castroman
Simon Pulse
2016
369 pages
ISBN: 9781481432696


Gothic romance, swashbuckling pirates, an heiress  who cannot collect her inheritance, an arranged marriage, the high seas, adventure and love! What could be better than all that?

House maid Anne Barrett is forced into servitude upon the death of her father and  her uncle kicks her and her mother out into the streets. Once her  mother dies, Anne  is alone and penniless. She is given a job in Master Drummond's house where she takes abuse from the housekeeper. She gets more than her fair share of strange looks; people in Bristol are not used to seeing a housekeeper of color (Anne's merchant father fell in love with a servant on one of his voyages).  Anne longs for escape and is stashing as much money as she can hoping to gain passage on one of the ships leaving Bristol.

Master Drummond's son returns from a year at sea and soon sparks are flying between the handsome young sailor and beautiful, exotic Anne. She keeps her distance, not trusting a master to be kind. Teach is engaged Patience, daughter of a baron and she is a girl he doesn't love. He longs to return to the sea, but his father forbids it.

When Teach is accused of piracy, he fears they will lock him up. His father still expects him to marry Patience and give up his dreams of the sea. Using the story of Blackbeard as the spark for this story, Nicole Castroman weaves a tale as compelling as any love story.

Anne and Teach are clearly star-crossed and meant only for each other, but society and people keep getting involved and trying to keep them apart. As the novel ends, both are still looking for each other. I can see book two on the horizon.

The cover art depicts a ship in a bottle. Clever minds will realize that both Anne and Teach are trapped like the ship. The title Blackhearts is a spin on the Blackbeard legend and the pink color of hearts on the cover makes the cover pop for romance fans.

Highly recommended grade 7-up. No profanity. Some kissing. Patience finds herself pregnant with another man's child but that is how it is put forth. No details.

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

YA Blog Tour and Book Giveaway: Of Monsters and Madness

Of Monsters and Madness
by Jessica Verday
Egmont
2014
281 pages
ISBN: 9781606844632
(page count from publisher's webpage)

I have FIVE free copies of Of Monsters and Madness up for grabs! For your chance to win, simply post a comment tot he blog and be sure and include your first name, city, state and email. Winners are chosen randomly by Randomizer. Deadline for posts is September 15 at noon MST. Winners will be notified by 2:00 p.m. MST on that date. Please check your email. Winners have 24 hours to respond to my email. Books will ship from New York. Good luck and start posting! See the guest blog post and my review below.


Available September 9, 2014

What others are saying (from the publisher):

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“Verday offers a haunting portrait of a lonely, intelligent girl, while serving up gore and abundant references to classic Gothic horror stories. A monstrous mashup . . . inventive and engaging.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Verday’s novel . . . hooks readers into the mysterious and gothic atmosphere of Annabel’s Philadelphia. The plot is thrilling . . . . Annabel is a strong character.”—School Library Journal

“The result is thoroughly dark and ominous, with a secret romance adding delicious tension.”—Booklist

“Lots of good characters and an in-depth plot will keep readers engaged. Pairing classic literature and modern paranormal fiction is very appealing.”—VOYA

I have FIVE free copies of Of Monsters and Madness up for grabs! For your chance to win, simply post a comment to the blog. Please include your first name, city, state and email. Deadline for posts is September 18 at noon MST. Winners are chosen randomly by Randomizer. Winners will be notified on September 18, so please check your email. Winners have 24 hours to respond to my email. Books will ship from New York.

Good luck and start posting! Pamela

Guest Post: Jessica Verday

Finding Your Place - OF MONSTERS AND MADNESS

 

When I was in high school, I had the opportunity to go to Thailand. But it wasn’t meant to be, and I found out at the last minute that instead, I was going to London. (Which was completely amazing in its own right.) But ever since then, I’ve had a fascination with Thailand and everything I missed. From the achingly gorgeous scenery, to the friendliness of the people, to the vibrant culture. So when I realized that I was going to need a place for Annabel to have called home before she moves to Philadelphia, Thailand was my first pick.  And to be historically accurate, I went with what Thailand would have been called in 1826 -- Siam.

 

In Siam, Annabel lived with her mother who was a doctor’s assistant, and she grew up with a love of medicine. Siam was home and the people there were her family and Annabel was happy. But when her mother becomes ill and eventually dies, Annabel is summoned from Siam to go live with the father she’s never met in Philadelphia. Leaving everything and everyone she’s ever known behind.

 

With Philadelphia and Siam on opposite sides of the globe, I had to make sure my readers felt every mile between them. Annabel’s new home is nothing like her old one. It’s cold and dark and miserable. Once comfortable in trousers and a shirt while helping her mother care for her patients, Annabel must now learn what it’s like to suddenly be squeezed into corsets and dresses and taught the socially acceptable behaviors of a young lady.

 

The most frustrating part of these rules is that Annabel is expected to give up her dreams of becoming a surgeon. Annabel struggles with finding her place in this new world and learning to live with a future that has such limitations. But one of the reasons why I love to write all of my leading ladies as strong, independent young women is that they will always find a way to claim their power and fight for their dreams.

 

And above all else, Annabel is most definitely a fighter. (post from the author)

My Review:

Madness most magnificent! Jessica Verday takes a vulnerable innocent and ships her halfway around the world from her home in exotic Siam to the bustling city of Philadelphia--a place she's never been.  Annabel is surrounded by a family she has never known, a creepy house that is ghostly and Gothic, a strange, demented father, his tall, dark and handsome assistant, and a string of grisly murders gripping the city in terror.

Annabel's maid Maddy is her first friend and confidant. Strange goings-on in the middle of the night cause fright, and Annabel is concerned with her father's weird behavior and strange appearance. The cooks warn Annabel to stay away from her father's lab, but Annabel is curious and suspicious. Annabel has no fear of the dark; she continually seeks out danger in the dark of night. Armed with only a candle and her own strong resolve, she wanders the expanse of the mansion searching for answers.

The mysterious murders continue and this has everyone in Philadelphia on edge. Annabel and Allan share a few fleeting moments, and she realizes that she is deeply, hopelessly in love. The house continues to hide its secrets, until one fatal night when Annabel sees too much.  Discovering her father's secret will change everything. Or will it?

Of Monsters and Madness is The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde meets Frankenstein meets Gothic horror meets The Island of Dr. Moreau meets Edgar Allan Poe. Verday seamlessly blends the old with the new and teens will love it! Verday assures readers that there will be a sequel. She writes, "Don't worry! I won't leave you hanging."

Highly, highly recommended for any fan of Poe's works and for those who love a Gothic tale. I truly enjoyed this mash-up, and so will you. Great fun!

Grades 7 and up. Some steamy kisses, some gore. No profanity.

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)

Visit the next stop on the blog tour here

Author's Bio:

Jessica Verday is the New York Times best-selling author of The Hollow trilogy. She wrote the first draft of The Hollow by hand, using thirteen spiral-bound notebooks and fifteen black pens. The first draft of The Haunted took fifteen spiral-bound notebooks and twenty black pens. The Hidden took too many notebooks and too many pens to count. She lives in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, with her husband.  You can visit her online at www.jessicaverday.com.

 

                                                               Jessica Verday

Horror Pick: Of Monsters and Madness

Of Monsters and Madness
 by Jessica Verday
Egmont
2014
276 pages
ISBN: 9781606844632

Available September 9,  2014

What others are saying:

"Verday offers a haunting portrait of a lonely, intelligent girl, while serving up gore and abundant references to classic Gothic horror stories. A monstrous mashup . . . inventive and engaging."—Kirkus Reviews
"Verday’s novel is a quick read that hooks readers into the mysterious and gothic atmosphere of Annabel’s Philadelphia. The plot is thrilling . . . . Annabel is a strong character."—School Library Journal
"The result is thoroughly dark and ominous, with a secret romance adding delicious tension."—Booklist
"Lots of good characters and an in-depth plot will keep readers engaged. Pairing classic literature and modern paranormal fiction is very appealing. This novel will provide cross-over appeal to both older teens and adults."—VOYA

My Review:

Madness most magnificent! Jessica Verday takes a vulnerable innocent young lady  and ships her halfway around the world from her home in exotic Siam to the bustling city of Philadelphia--a place she's never been.  Annabel is surrounded by a family she has never known, a creepy house that is both ghostly and Gothic, a strange, demented father, a tall, dark and handsome lab assistant whose cousin is a cad and a thug, and a string of grisly murders that grips the city in terror.

Annabel's maid Maddy is her first friend and confidant. Strange goings-on in the middle of the night cause fright, and Annabel is concerned with her father's weird behavior and strange appearance. The cooks warn Annabel to stay away from her father's lab, but Annabel is curious and suspicious. Annabel has no fear of the dark; she continually seeks out danger in the dark of night. Armed with only a candle and her own strong resolve, she wanders the expanse of the mansion searching for answers.

The mysterious murders continue and this has everyone in Philadelphia on edge. Annabel and Allan share a few fleeting moments, and she realizes that she is deeply, hopelessly in love. The house continues to hide its secrets, until one fatal night when Annabel sees too much.  Discovering her father's secret will change everything. Or will it?

Of Monsters and Madness is The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde meets Frankenstein meets Gothic horror meets The Island of Dr. Moreau meets Edgar Allan Poe. Verday seamlessly blends the old with the new and teens will love it! Verday assures readers that there will be a sequel. She writes, "Don't worry! I won't leave you hanging."

Highly, highly recommended for any fan of Poe's works and for those who love a Gothic tale. I truly enjoyed this mash-up, and so will you. Great fun!

Grades 7 and up. Some steamy kisses, some gore. No profanity.

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)

YA Pick: In the Shadows

In the Shadows
Text by Kiersten White
Art and art story by Jim Di Bartolo
original story concept by Jim Di Bartolo
Scholastic Press
2014
384 pages
ISBN:9780545561440

Available April 29, 2014

Transcendent and beguilingly beautiful full color artwork  and gothic (creepy but romantic) story go hand in hand to capture readers and lead them on a mysterious journey. Cora and Minnie are sisters living in their mother's boarding house. Minnie gets excited when she learns new boarders Thomas and Charles will be staying on with them.

Evil lurks up the  road and Minnie  likes to tempt it. What lengths will Minnie  go to in order to have some fun? The closer the four get to answers about an ancient secret, the more danger they are in. What if life never had to end? What if you could live forever? Would you want to?

Readers are in for a treat--the art tells one part of the story and the words tell another part. The YA market just got more exciting! It was exciting for me to hear from the artist and writer at the Texas Library Convention about their new book. In a session of Speed Dating the Authors, Di Bartolo and White sat at our table and discussed In the Shadows and how they came up with the idea and how it came to fruition. The art is sublime and the story masterful.

Highly recommended for every type of reader. Grade 7-up.

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

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)

Ghostly Pick: The Watcher in the Shadows

The Watcher in the Shadows
by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Little, Brown and Company
2013
262 pages

See what the author says about his young adult books

Master storyteller Carlos Ruiz Zafon (The Shadow of the Wind, The Prince of Mist) has done it again! The Watcher in the Shadows is that rare and beautiful book that will captivate young readers. It has all the elements a reader craves: a dark mystery, an eccentric inventor who lives in a strange mansion--Cravenmoore--so aptly named--it's a dark name, a gothic name. The mansion is full of whimsical inventions but some are truly terrifying. The setting: the rugged coast of Normandy. The characters: Irene Sauville, a fourteen year old girl who moves to Normandy with her widowed mother and younger brother Dorian. Irene's mother, Simone takes the position of manager of Cravenmoore for the strange and quirky inventor Lazarus Jann (even the name Lazarus is creepy--in the Bible, Lazarus rose from the dead).

Irene meets a local boy named Ismael who shows her the town and takes her sailing. They are smitten with one another and soon are inseparable. Lazarus tells young Dorian a strange story of a man who makes a deal with the devil, so to speak. The man and his shadow are separated and his shadow runs rampant on a murdering spree. The shadow is a doppelganger (a copy) of the man. Dorian likes spending time with the strange inventor even though some of his automatons (robots) scare him.

When a murder occurs near Cravenmoore, villagers begin to spread rumors. Ismael and Irene  investigate and soon find danger everywhere they turn. The kids will need to act fast if they want to save their own lives and Irene's mother and brother. What evil invention has Lazarus brought to life? And why is it intent on killing them? What is the strange fascination Lazarus has for Simone? What secrets are hidden in the secret rooms of Cravenmoore?

Richly imagined, finely tuned, fast paced and fun, The Watcher in the Shadows delivers.

Highly, highly recommended grade 5-up. A must read for lovers of ghost stories and gothic literature.

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)

Don't Miss: The Archived

The Archived

By Victoria Schwab

Hyperion

2013

321 pages



Brilliant, thoughtful and powerful, The Archived is a real treat for readers who love a captivating story, a feisty female protagonist and a charming, almost alarming and totally disarming, male love interest.



MacKenzie Bishop, aka Mac, is a Keeper. It is her job to capture and return missing Histories to the Archive where they can be shelved. The Archive is a special storehouse where the Librarians maintain the Histories of each dead person. Once one escapes into the Outer, the Archive is in danger.



After the death of her beloved younger brother Ben, Mac’s family moves to the Coronado, a massive old building that was once a beautiful and prestigious hotel. Its old grandeur can still seen in the marble floors and sweeping staircase, but history has taken its toll on the old building—it’s dusty, musty, and ancient. There are only a few residents who still live there, but Mac’s mother dreams of opening a coffee shop in the old building. Soon, strange things begin to happen at the hotel.



Mac meets Wesley, a boy who visits his aunt and cousin at the Coronado. Lucky for her, he seems to show up whenever she needs help, and being a Keeper is a dangerous vocation.



As Mac begins to investigate the strange deaths of several past residents of the Coronado, the Archive is in danger of crumbling. Roland, Mac’s favorite librarian, agrees to work with Mac to find answers, but he warns her to speak to no one else. Someone In the Archive is working from within to destroy it.



Readers will love the obvious smoldering hot attraction between Mac and Wesley, and Wesley is swoon-worthy and oh, so quick witted and smooth. The Archived is a darkly compelling novel oozing with gothic romance. Victoria Schwab excels at world building and this is one fascinating world I wanted to live in. The idea of a “library” that houses the “Histories” of each life and is maintained by “librarians” and cataloged with order is a novel one.



Highly, highly recommended for readers grade 7-up. Some kissing.



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)

Gothic Redux: Thorn Abbey

Thorn Abbey
by Nancy Ohlin
Simon Pulse
2013
304 pages

Available May 2013

Read an excerpt here


A recent trend in YA lit is to base a novel set in the present but inspired by a classic novel. Ten is inspired by Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, Frankenstein's Daughters is based on Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, and The Madman's Daughter is based on The Island of Dr. Moreau. Thorn Abbey is the newest novel to follow this trend.

Tragic, twisted, and downright terrific, Thorn Abbey has elements of its inspiration,  Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. There is the tragic death of a beautiful young girl--named Becca, Tess, a new arrival to the school, a Gothic setting--a creepy, old but revered ivy-covered private school, Max--a brooding young man, a mystery, a ghost or maybe two ghosts, Devon, Tess's roommate who has serious issues, and minor characters who thwart Tess's romance with Max, and  finally there's a lonely cliff overlooking the surf.

Tess and Max seem to be falling in love even though Devon, Tess's roommate, does everything she can to sabatage them. When Tess shows up at a formal dance wearing the same dress that Becca wore  last year, Max comes unglued. Devon gave Tess the dress and told her to wear it. Poor, unknowing Tess. She loved the dress and didn't know that the conniving Devon gave her the dead girl's dress (the heroine of Rebecca showed up at a formal party in dead Rebecca's dress).

Tess doesn't know what's going on but Devon is acting strangely. Devon talks to herself and disappears overnight. Tess is worried--is her roommate psychotic? Strange warnings begin to appear in the dorm. Tess starts snooping around. She finds tons of prescription drugs. Maybe Devon is overmedicated. Is she being treated by a psychiatrist? Tess opens a memory box that Devon keeps. In it, she finds Becca's diary. The secrets in the diary shed a whole new light on Becca's squeaky clean image.

I have only one problem with this book. Why is it that so many YA authors still stereotype and vilify librarians? Devon refers to the head librarian as "Hale the Whale" --"for obvious reasons." Why does the head librarian of Thorn Abbey have to be overweight and out of shape?  Nancy Ohlin, I call "foul!"

Recommended grade 9-up. Thorn Abbey is a little bit Gossip Girls, a little bit Mean Girls and a lot Rebecca. Devon is tawdry and downright trampy. Profanity, underage drinking and drug use. Goodness, how do those private school kids have time to study?!

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)

Spooky Pick: Forevermore

Forevermore
by Cindy Miles
Scholastic
2013
279 pages

Part romance, part ghost story, part Gothic, part mystery and part magic, Forevermore is an appealing new title in YA lit.


Ivy Calhoun finds herself on her way to the wild moors of Scotland where her new stepfather Naill is the Laird of Glenmorrag, a huge Scottish castle that seems to come out of Edgar Allan Poe's menacing prose or a horror movie set.

Ivy's father died some years before and Ivy never thought her mother would remarry, but she seems truly happy and in love, so Ivy's trying to make the best of the move from Charleston.

The castle is creepy, cold, dark, menacing and drafty. Ivy's step-grandmother is almost as spooky as Glenmorrag. Meals are expected to be served on time and Ivy is expected to dress accordingly. Four servants stand by to serve them at mealtimes, and the air is thick with Grandmother's disdain.

Maybe it's her imagination, but Ivy senses a presence. When her violin and bow hang in the air all by themselves a voice keeps warning her to leave the castle, Ivy has no doubt that there's an evil ghost haunting her.

Imagine her surprise when she comes face to ghost with Logan Munro, and 18 year old ghost who's been trapped wandering the moors for two hundred years. He doesn't know why he's tied to Glemnorrag or how he died, but Ivy promises to help him find answers. Logan tells Ivy it's not just him haunting the castle--there is something else--a dark presence, and Logan fears for Ivy's safety.

Logan is a tragic hero stuck between two worlds and wandering the Scottish countryside searching for answers. It isn't until he meets Ivy that he realizes the answers he seeks have been within his reach all along.

The author uses Scottish brogue when her locals speak, but I found it quite distracting. Logan says "gell" for girl and "aye" for yes. I realize she was trying to capture the local dialect of her characters but I feel the story could have been stronger without it. The Scottish countryside comes alive for the reader--its menacing storms, battering winds, lonely moors, steep cliffs, and sea air are the perfect setting for a ghost story.

Recommended grade 7-up. Anyone who loves a ghost story with a little romance will be a fan.

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)

Book Giveaway: Unraveling Isobel (A Ghostly, Gothic Pick)

I have 5 copies of this great new paranormal, gothic ghost story! I just loved this novel from the first pages! Don't miss this one--you'll love it and so will teen readers!

Read Chapter One here


Read my review of Unraveling Isobel here

Simply post a comment here on the blog (Young Adult Books--What We're Reading Now) and be sure and give your email address so that I can contact you if you win. Please also include your city and state because I love to keep track of who is out there reading and entering (and the publishers and authors like to know, too). Contest opens January 2-12. Deadline for posts is January 12th at noon MST. Winners will be notified January 12th and have 48 hours to respond to my email. If, for some reason, winners do not respond to my email, the next person chosen randomly will win the copy of the book. Winners are chosen randomly using Randomizer. Books will ship from New York City--thanks Simon & Schuster and Venessa!

Good luck and start posting now!

Paranormal Pick

The Haunted (Book two, The Hollow Trilogy)
by Jessica Verday
Simon Pulse (Simon & Shuster), 2010
467 pages

Abbey returns home to Sleepy Hollow after a couple of months at her aunt's farmhouse trying to gather her sanity after the death of her best friend.

Thinking she's safe to return home, Abbey tries to get back to normal and begins to be tutored by her science partner Ben. That's during her waking hours. Her sleep is still tortured by weird dreams of Caspian--another love. He simply won't leave her alone. But that's not the worst of it--Caspian can never be with Abbey because he is already dead--a ghost only Abbey can see. Can she ever be happy stuck between two worlds?

Readers who like a gothic love story will like this one; however, book one, The Hollow, should be read first.

Recommended grades 9-12.

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

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.

YA Pick

Ruined

by Paula Morris

Scholastic, 2009.

309 pages

Rebecca hates the idea of leaving her friends in New York City for a semester in filthy post-Katrina New Orleans attending a snooty boarding school full of the city's richest families. She hates living with her weird Aunt Claudia who reads tarot cards for tourists in the Bourbon Street district and seems to know an awful lot about voodoo legends and curses.

The prep school kids are cliquish and rude to Rebecca and consider her an outcast. Only one boy, Anton Grey, talks to her, but he is careful not to let his other "friends" know that he is nice to Rebecca. Once Rebecca follows Anton and his friends into the Lafayette Cemetery and stays hidden from view. As she is leaving, she stumbles upon a young girl named Lisette. Lisette is easy to talk to and tells Rebecca all about the history of New Orleans and the rich families who live near the cemetery. There's only one problem: Rebecca is the only one who can see Lisette--because Lisette is a ghost.

Rebecca and Lisette try to discover the reason that Lisette is not at rest. They also are thrown into danger when an old Haitian voodoo curse threatens Rebecca's life.

Part ghost story, part high school clique novel, Ruined is an entertaining read that will appeal to mystery and gothic readers who have a penchant for dark and gloomy places and mysterious happenings in the Big Easy (New Orleans). Recommended for YA collections grades 7-up.