Undertow by Michael Buckley

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Undertow

by Michael Buckley

In this new Dystopian thriller, Coney Island has been transformed into a immigrant settlement for a new breed of creatures; the Alpha.  The Alpha arrived via the ocean and come in all shapes and sizes; scaly, sharp and slimy shapes and sizes.  Predictably, there are humans who have welcomed them, and some who have not.  It is this animosity that serves as the conflict in the book.

Basically, this is a civil rights story.  The Alpha have been living in the settlement for some time, and it's time for their children to go to school.  The Federal government is supportive of this integration, however the Governor of New York is decidedly not.

There is a rebel group of citizens calling themselves the Coney Island Nine who vocally, and physically protest any interaction between humans and the Alpha, and they are in full force the Monday that integration is to begin.

Enter Lyric Walker, typical high school student from the outside.  Lyric is asked to help the prince of the Alpha assimilate into high school life.  However, Lyric has a secret that threatens to tear apart her family.  Befriending the prince just might cost her more than her popularity.

But what Lyric and other government officials don't realize is that it is not the Alpha that they should be concerned about; there is something far more sinister in the ocean, and they are on their way.

Undertow is the first book in what promises to be a fast-paced series.  Fans of Dystopian fiction, science fiction and fantasy will enjoy this new series.  However, the parallels to our own civil rights movement and school integration history would make this an interesting book to pair with a non-fiction book or article on these subjects.

Ask the Dark by Henry Turner

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Ask the Dark

by Henry Turner

There is a dark house, windows covered in plastic.  In that house are boxes with old clothes and jewelry.  There are boys, boys who have gone missing.  Boys that are found, dead after having been tortured.  What do these things have in common?

Billy hasn't always been a good kid, in fact he used to get in trouble a lot.  But when his mother died, he made a promise to her that he would stop getting in trouble.  The problem was, the town had already made up their mind about Billy, and they had designated him the local bad boy.

So when Billy has evidence that might help figure out who is taking boys, he has to make sure that he has proof.  Told from Billy's point of view, this is his story of the events that lead to the rescue of the town Golden Boy and discovery of just what was going on in the dark house.  Spoiler alert:  it's not good!!!

Reading in Billy's small town vernacular can be frustrating at times, but his voice comes through.  This is a quick read that might appeal to reluctant readers, but more likely to those students who enjoy a good mystery.  Either way, I think it would be a good addition to a middle school library.

The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi

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The Water Knife

by Paolo Bacigalupi

Don't believe in climate change?  Read this book.  An utterly frightening tale of what happens when we don't use our resources wisely.  There isn't enough water to go around, and if you don't have money, you are thirsty and dirty.  Ecosystems have been created all up and down the west coast for those who are wealthy; water, air conditioning, plants, they have it all.

Everyone else lives in a camp, buying water from a pump by the dime.  Desperate, these folks will do anything to get out.  Gangs are formed.  Alliances built.  Politics played.  All in the name of water.

This book was so depressing that I had to stop reading it at night.  Maybe it hit a little too close to home, maybe I just didn't want to see just how deplorable humans can be.  Either way, Bacigalupi has written a novel that was just as hard to put down as it was to read on.  

Start conserving water now, before it's too late.............

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

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The Miniaturist

by Jessie Burton

This is a tale of Nella a young, Dutch, country girl who moves to the big city to be the wife of a prestigious importer.  She is nervous, but determined to make her way in this new life.  However, she is confronted by many obstacles.

There's her sister-in-law, a stern woman who, atypical for the times, has a hand in all of her brother's business transactions.  This pious woman does not suffer fools gladly and believes that God comes before comfort.  There are the servants, Cornelia, whom she has to decide is a friend or foe; and Otto, the first black person Nella has ever seen.  Not to mention her new husband, who is not even home to greet her when she arrives.

The center of this dark story is a miniature of the home where the newly married Brandts reside.  The artisan that Nella hires to furnish the diminutive house has an uncanny glimpse into what is happening inside the actual home.  At first frightened by these strange gifts, Nella eventually is drawn to find out more about this person.  How do they know these things?!

If you are looking for a happy beach read, keep going, you won't find that here.  However, if you are looking for a dark and compelling, well written story about human nature, go no further.  The imagery is vivid (and that includes good, bad and ugly!) and the prose is poetry.  An example:  in talking about the newly embroidered bridal linens, "the Bs have gobbled up her maiden name, their bellies fat and swollen."  During a tense dinner conversation, "Nella offers a laugh, a shy burst that falls between them and lands on the tablecloth."

Book group felt that Burton wrote this book as a screenplay, I wouldn't go that far.  I enjoyed getting to know these characters, although at times it was gritty.  I would argue that Nella is the only true hero here, but I'm okay with that.  She's strong enough for everyone.

The Dream Lover by Elizabeth Berg

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The Dream Lover 

by Elizabeth Berg

The Dream Lover fictionalizes the life and exploits of the author George Sands.  We follow her as a young child, the product of a scandalous marriage.  She loses her beloved father early and is left to be raised by her strict, if not loving, grandmother whom has never accepted her mother.  Longing to be part of her mother's life, she spends most of her formative years trying to get her attention - good and bad.

The other side of this story is Aurore's (George Sands given name) doomed marriage and subsequent affairs.  

The story is mostly sensual, most especially Aurore's affair with a famous actress and leaves the reader hoping that she'll eventually find a relationship that sustains her physically, emotionally and intelligently.  But alas, neither the reader nor George Sands finds the total package.  The one relationship that might have been her most sustaining is just briefly mentioned toward the end of the book, making me think that the happy, solid relationships don't sell books.

I was left wanting more.  More of a bond with her children, more emotion about the dissolution of her marriage, more of something that I could sink my teeth into.  George Sands was definitely ahead of her time and a woman to be admired, but Berg seems to fall just short of making me like her.

That being said, I think The Dream Lover would make an excellent Lifetime movie!

All the Rage by Courtney Summers

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All the Rage 

by Courtney Summers

All the Rage is a short novel about the aftermath of rape.  Romy has been raped by the BMOC, but no one believes her.  She has lost her respect, her best friend and her identity.  A tragic event leads Romy to look at herself and what happened to her, and to try to begin to heal.

There is a lot of interpretation necessary in All the Rage.  We only see Romy's point of view on events as they unfold.  If it weren't such heady material, it would be a perfect read for middle school students on inferencing.  It is short and engaging.  

I also really liked that not all of the adults in the book are jerks.  Romy's father is a drunk, but her mother is kind and caring and does her best to help Romy in any way that she can.  Her mother is also involved in a healthy relationship, which is very refreshing!

This would be a good read for teen girls who have been abused.  They can see themselves reflected in Romy and it might help them in the healing process to know that they aren't the only ones who have been in this situation.  Romy makes it out okay, and other girls can too.

Enjoy is the wrong word to use for this book, but I couldn't put it down.  It was hard to read at times, and I admit that I cried.  But when it was over, I felt hopeful and gave my daughter a big hug!

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

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The Invention of Wings

by Sue Monk Kidd

The Invention of Wings is a story told in two voices.  The first voice we hear is that of Hetty Handful.  She is a young slave on a plantation in Charleston, South Carolina.  The image of wings to her is of freedom.

The second voice we hear is from Sarah Grimke.  She is a daughter of the plantation owner and was given Hetty Handful on her twelfth birthday.  She longs for freedom as well.

These two girls grow together into adulthood, both searching for the wings that will allow them to soar.  One dreams of freedom from servitude, the other longs to provide that freedom.  They draw strength from each other and a friendship blossoms over time, despite their different circumstances.

I was surprised to learn that The Invention of Wings is based on historical events and people.  The lives of the Grimke sisters is an inspiration and I am so happy to see that Sue Monk Kidd has placed a spotlight on what they managed to accomplish.  The fictional account of their lives is told using rich imagery and with heartfelt emotion that is at times raw and hard to read.  The Invention of Wings is a beautiful book, timeless in the telling that is sure to become a classic.