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)

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)

Gothic Romance Pick: The Dark Unwinding

The Dark Unwinding
By Sharon Cameron
Scholastic
2012
336 pages
Available September 1, 2012

visit the author's website here

Gothic, gorgeous, glooming and grand, The Dark Unwinding will captivate teen readers with its spunky heroine Katharine Tulman and her deep and dark family secrets. Katharine slaves over keeping the books for her witchy Aunt Alice until Aunt sends her to the countryside to her uncle’s estate on the windswept and lonely moors. Katharine is to find proof that Uncle Tully is batty, so that he can be sent away to an asylum and Aunt Alice and her greedy, gluttonous son Robert (Katharine’s cousin) can inherit the family fortune. Katharine feels she has no choice, since she is reliant on Robert and Alice to provide her with room and board. She has no money of her own and no other family.

Upon arriving at Stranwyne Keep, Katharine takes in the monstrous, looming Victorian palace and its grounds. Mrs. Jeffries, the cook, is dismissive and rude; Uncle Tully is nowhere to be found and Davy, a little waif of a boy, is a silent enigma. Katharine spends a restless night in a spooky red room, and vows to meet her uncle in the morning.

Uncle Tully’s workshop is a fantastical, whimsical place where creativity and invention thrive. He has created amazing puppets, steam powered machines, and inventions that no one has ever seen before. Katharine finds that Tully is not demented; he is a genius! He does have quirky habits that may seem strange to some people: he only winds his clocks on specific days, playtime is on a regimented schedule, and Tully can do the most difficult math problems in his head in less than a second. When Katharine discovers that her uncle employs over 900 men to work in his village and keep the workshop running, she vows that she will shut it down. This is Fat Robert’s inheritance, after all.

A strange turn of events finds Katharine torn between her family—she has come to love eccentric Uncle Tully and even mean Mrs. Jeffries, she feels protective of Mary, her constant companion, and she is attracted to Lane, her uncle’s helper. Can she offer the proof that will put her uncle in the loony bin? What will happen to Stranwyne Keep and all the people?

This luscious novel has all the elements that romance readers could want. Think Jane Eyre with a bit of steampunk thrown in. A spooky, creaky mansion, deserted moors, howling winds at night, crazy machines and inventions, a mean housekeeper, a silent orphan, a poisoning, a plot to send Katharine to the asylum, a childlike, genius inventor, a handsome helper, a wolf in sheep’s clothing (a villain), a plot to destroy England, and a wee bit of romance.

Highly, highly recommended for fans of steampunk and romance. This is a remarkable read that is not to be missed. Grades 7-up.

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

Thrilling Mystery Pick: Ripper

Ripper
by Stefan Pretrucha
Philomel
2012
432 pages

Available March 1, 2012

Thrilling, scandalous, scintillating, and highly engrossing, Ripper is a real page-turner for teens. Part mystery, part history, part crime novel, part detective story, and awesomely steampunk-y cool, this book will have tons of teen fans.

Set in New York in the late 1890's, Ripper tells the story of Carver Young, an orphan abandoned as an infant who grows up in Ellis Orphanage under the tutalege of Miss Petty. When he is fourteen, he picks the lock to the attic door and finds out what the files hold about his past. There are no papers other than a mysterious letter written by someone he thinks is his father. His mother died in childbirth, yet his father could still be alive...somewhere.

The orphanage has to find homes for the older children, including Carver. They hold a big party for notable citizens to get to know the orphans, hoping someone will adopt them. The police commissioner himself--Teddy Roosevelt--attends and Carver hopes to meet him. Carter wrote to Roosevelt asking him to find his father. Sadly, Roosevelt leaves before Carter can gather the courage to speak to him. Luckily, a chance encounter with another man secures Carver a "home."

Albert Hawking agrees to take in Carver and train him to be a great detective. Hawking used to work for the Pinkerton Agency and now has his own secret agency with grand inventions worthy of visionary Jules Verne. His company develops a subway, a horseless carriage, and an office periscope.

Carter is thrilled to be in the company of such a great mind and is even more excited to be tracking down his long lost father.

There is a killer on the loose in New York who is brutally murdering young women, leaving their mutilated bodies in his wake. Roosevelt is determined to find the macabre madman. Hawking and Carter are hot on the gruesome killer's heels. As the clues unfold, Carter gets closer to finding his father. Can they stop the killer from grabbing his next victim? Can they protect Roosevelt and his daughter?

Highly, highly recommended for reluctant male readers (and females who love mystery and detective novels) grades 7-up---even though page count is 432 pages, each chapter is short--2-6 pages--and each ends with the reader hopelessly immersed in the story and wanting to read on. I dare a teen not to read this voraciously! This novel is for fans of Sherlock Holmes and steampunk lit. No language, no sex, some gruesome details, mystery.

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