The Here and Now by Ann Brashares

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The Here and Now

by Ann Brashares

Prenna isn't from around here, she's from the future.  And if she, and the others like her, are going to save the future world, they need to blend in, and not call attention to themselves.  There are twelve rules to follow, but how does one fit in when you are a teenager from the future who loves a boy who is a time native?

The Here and Now asks some serious questions about how our actions now can effect the future.  Brashares tells the story in a fast-paced and engaging way, but the bottom line is; how much are we willing to sacrifice to ensure a better tomorrow for generations ahead of us?

Bystander by James Preller

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Bystander

by James Preller

In this quick-paced novel that is often assigned in classrooms, Eric is the new kid in town.  He is quickly involved in a complicated drama between the popular kids and "ketchup boy."

The popular kids are led by the charming Griff and Eric is flattered, if not a little suspicious, when Griff pays him some attention.  It doesn't take Eric long to figure out that Griff isn't as sweet as his outward appearance may seem.

What was interesting to me was the subplot of the fathers in this story.  Both Eric and Griff are keeping a secret about their fathers.  Are they the same?  Or does it just look like they share the same horrifying experience?   

Soon Eric has to decide if he is going to be a "bystander" or stand up for what he knows is right.  Preller has written a novel that will be familiar to many teens, and a good starting point for discussions on bullying.  I can see why so many educators choose this book for their students to read.  What would you do in this situation?

The Black House by Peter May

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The Black House

by Peter May

 

The Black House is just as dark as it's title suggests; I found myself craving videos of kittens playing with string between chapters.  The story takes place in the Outer Hebrides off the coast of Scotland, on a desolate and beautiful island called Isle of Lewis.  Being totally unfamiliar with the location, I looked up pictures of what the landscape looked like, some of which you will find below:

 

 

 

  

 

The landscape and climate in The Black House are as much characters in this story as is the protagonist, Fin MacLeod, a police officer who grew up on the island, but had thought he had escaped.  A murder on the island, similar to one he had investigated in Edinburgh, brings him home.  Both the weather and Fin are moody and depressed.  Fin has just lost his only child in a tragic accident and his marriage is on the rocks.  Rekindling past relationships as he investigates the murder of a childhood bully, does nothing to bring him closer to his wife or closure on the death of his son.

 

As Fin delves into the lives of both the bully and those who knew him, past events, friendships, alliances, enemies and the traditions of his people weave their way into the psyche of this detective.  Fin has to come to terms with the loss of his son, the end of his marriage, the loose ends of friendships from long ago and what really happened in the Black House.

 

So long as you have a cup of tea to cut the chill and plenty of kitten videos, you will find The Black House a complicated and well written tale of murder and revenge.  

The Second Deadly Sin by Asa Larsson

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The Second Deadly Sin

by Asa Larsson

 

 

I cannot tell you how close I was to putting this book down; and I am so glad that I didn't.  Once I got used to the pace and the Swedish names, the story was so engrossing that I couldn't put it down!

 

Rebecka Martinsson is a smart and beautiful (aren't they all?!) prosecutor who has moved back to her small town and gone to work for the local police department.  When she is kicked off a murder investigation, she does some digging on her own.  What she finds doesn't add up and she is determined to find some answers even if that means losing her job.

 

The story of the present murder is told amid flashbacks of another murder that happened at the turn of the 20th century, involving another smart and beautiful young lady.  Although the story told in flashback does not hold the same depth of character, each story unfolds in it's own time to come together at the end of the book.

 

In the end, what is lost in translation in this story is not as important as the actual story itself.  Although you will figure out part of the mystery before the last pages, there is enough left unsolved to keep you intrigued.  If you enjoy a good  mystery, you will find it in the pages of The Second Deadly Sin.



The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier

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Sam is a young woman who has quit her day job to focus on her writing.  She has previously written two true crime novels and is in the process of writing the third.  This book that she is writing chronicles "the Butcher", a serial killer who preyed on young women in the Pacific Northwest.  But Sam has a personal interest in the Butcher, she believes that he killed her mother.

Matthew is Sam's boyfriend.  He is the brains and chef behind a very successful line of food trucks and a restaurant called Adobo.  Sam also has a personal connection to the Butcher, his grandfather was the police officer who shot and killed the man that was thought to be the Butcher, two years before Sam's mother was killed.  

They share one other detail, both their mothers died when they were young.  As Sam researches the Butcher and Matthew learns more about his family history, their stories intertwine in other ways as well.  

Hillier explores the nature vs. nurture question while simultaneously drawing the reader into a twisting look at whether your family history predetermines who you will be.  Hillier has created a suspenseful and well paced story that will surprise you in the end.  I highly recommend The Butcher to any reader who appreciates a good mystery!