A surprisingly compelling read: Alive by Scott Sigler

Alive
by Scott Sigler
Random House Publishing Group
July 2015

The phrase "page turner" is overused, but lucky is the reader who experiences that intense focus in a book.

What's different about this book 
 When one reads a story and finds that she doesn't want to put the book down, there is something vital and almost mystical going on.  Sigler's Alive created that experience for me: at the sentence- or page-level in the reading process, each piece of the story held my focus.  What really struck me about this skillfully crafted novel was the vibrancy of each thought that so compelled me to keep reading.  The writing was smooth enough that I immediately let go of the analytical lens on the book -- and I just enjoyed the ride.  

What I'll do now that I've read it
It's not often that I want to immediately put a book into some reader's hand, but I do with this one.  The appeal of the action, the development of characters, and the thrill of survival will appeal to all readers: Alive is not a guy or gal read, but rather a READER read.  I think all ages will enjoy it, from young enough to be able to understand it, and up to adults who enjoy a compelling read.  Great stuff, and a title that I will disseminate through all my school libraries as well as friends and families.

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Humor, mystery, and some romance

Double Mint, a Davis Way Crime Caper #4
Gretchen Archer
Henery Press
July 2015

Comparisons have been made of this series to Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.  The two authors do include the same sense of wry humor (lots of it) and some appealing romantic connections.  But there are striking differences as well, which argue for Archer's series as being the better choice.

What's different about this book 
Beginning with the first book in the series, I was struck by the originality of the heroine and plot.  I again encountered the laugh-out-loud experience that comes so rarely in today's fiction, and I wondered whether the engaging story line would continue throughout the following books.  Interestingly:  the story in each book just gets better.  The character development is strong across titles, the plot is different in each book yet equally intriguing, and the overarching story line is compelling.  Solid work for what I suspect is not an easy style to sustain.

What I'll do now that I've read it
I recommend this series to readers who enjoy some smart dialog, an intriguing protagonist, and a humorous take on life.  The interesting part for me, in recommending this book, is that I've shared it with four friends before I got around to writing an official review.  Don't waste time reading about the book -- go get it!

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Young adult: death, trauma, and healing

The Dead I Know
by Scot Gardner
HMH Books for Young Readers 
March 2015

Another young adult where parents are absent, but this book offers a whole new twist on why that's true, and how Aaron deals with it to survive.

What's different about this book 
Aaron has managed to withdraw into himself enough to survive through high school and to support his Mam.  When he takes a job with the local funeral director, he eventually finds more than a supportive employer:  He finds a family.  The kindness of strangers and of his employer make this a story that resonates as Aaron courageously faces and lives through the enormous trauma of his youth.  Heart-warming.

What I'll do now that I've read it 
This is one of those books that teens growth through reading.  They'll be able to feel and experience (vicariously) a number of life challenges that are almost insurmountable for adolescence.  I'm glad to know about this book -- that will be in all our libraries-- for the right moment to share with the right reader.

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Strong female characters with unexpected abilities

A School for Unusual Girls
by Kathleen Baldwin
Macmillan-Tor/Forge
May 2015

Set in 1814 England at the time of Napoleon's machinations, this book is very appealing because of its unexpected setting for adolescent females who do much more than fit into English society's expectations for women.

What's different about this book
The students at the unusual school have been quietly abandoned by their families because they don't fit into the traditional roles for young ladies in 1814.  Instead, the girls have much more to offer, and the Stranje School is just the place for them to develop their unusual talents and find a way to serve their country and international politics.  

It's fun to watch the plot develop and to see the characters reveal their talents.  I was sometimes impatient with the main character, Georgiana, as she is slow to catch on to what the reader clearly sees.  Georgie has to mature, and that is sometimes irritating to me as a reader.

What I'll do now that I've read the book
I'll enjoy introducing my readers, probably the female patrons, to historical fiction at the same time as strong females, some with decided STEM talents.  Not a usual combination for young adult literature.  This is an entertaining and engaging read.

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Action, Adventure, and Diversity

Scarlett Undercover
Jennifer Latham
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
May 2015

This young adult novel places a non-traditional teen not in school but in her office as a private investigator.  Readers will enjoy seeing Scarlett as a loyal friend, family member, and fair-play advocate. 

What's different about this book
This story feels different:  Scarlett moves in her own, adult-feeling world (no school, no usual competition with classmates) where family ties are strong but non-traditional; community support is realistic rather than stereotypical; and the grown-up challenges Scarlett faces, often on her own, are gritty, complex, and compelling.  The added element of supernatural aspects (genies and ancient warrior lines  and modern-day cults) add an unexpected level of intrigue.

The diversity of the book's characters should draw the attention of librarians who seek to enrich their collection's view of the world:  Scarlett is a Muslim, living in a family with Muslim practices yet very much representative of 21st-century life in America.  The occasional Muslim greeting and elements of the religion's heritage do a great deal to build the atmosphere for the edgy, at times threatening plot line.  The overall effect is suspenseful and engaging.

What I'll do now that I've read it 
Beyond book-talks and making sure my teen patrons hear about this book, I'm reaching out to fellow librarians and library directors to alert them to this rich book:  full of action, compelling mystery and suspense, and full of tantalizing unknown touches in the world it poses.  A great read.

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John Frame's Selected Shorter Writings, Volume 2

John Frame's Selected Shorter Writings, Volume 2
John M. Frame
P & R Publishing
February 2015

The accolades and resounding praise for Dr. Frame's writings in this volume need nothing more added.  They are well deserved.  This review serves instead to reflect how the material within the book has served an individual Christian who seeks and appreciates the deeper reasoning reflected in God's world.

What's different about this book 
Dr. Frame's thoughtful and cogent writings have the beautiful dual feature of being sound theologically and amazingly applicable to a Christian's life.  No better example can serve than the first chapter in this volume, "Inerrancy: A place to life."  I particularly enjoyed the way this seminal and critical presupposition is spoken of a "home" and "where we live."  Truly, the concept serves to anchor all discussions in the book itself, but  more importantly, in the lives we live within the Kingdom.  
"Biblical inerrancy provides us a place to stand, a way to live."

If I needed further convincing about the importance of this volume for personal reading, I would have found it in the fact that this accessible book cites [and makes clear!] some of Alvin Plantinga's material for Christian philosophers.  That discussion alone is worth a great deal. 

Each of these chapters presents savory discussions:  meat for the theologian in each believer, as well as substance for the stand believers need to take to a witnessing world.  Chapter 30, "Church discipline," particularly served as a clear example of sound, compelling theology as well as practical encouragement for one's daily walk.  As did Dr. Frame, I grew up learning nothing of this concept, despite being in biblical and orthodox churches.  He provides a great discussion that speaks to the importance for both life and church life.
What I'll do now that I've read it
This volume stands at the top of my Must Have list for church libraries.  We will be purchasing that for each such library where I serve.  But this one also fits into my personal library and my personal readings-to-revisit.  Very accessible, but also very compelling reading.

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Murder in Hindsight and the New Scotland Yard mystery series - 6 ★★★★★

Murder in Hindsight: A New Scotland Yard Mystery
Anne Cleeland
Kensington Books
March 2015

This. is. the. best. mystery. series. ever.

When I review a new release from a series, I try to start with the first title, read through all in order, and then culminate with the latest.  I did so for the New Scotland Yard Mystery series, so in a way this review considers all three titles available to date: Murder in Thrall, Murder in Retribution, and this.

What's different about this series/book
Writing this review is somewhat overwhelming:  I'll never be able to explain the many ways this book delights, again and again.

So many of us are such busy people.  It's a real commitment to sit up too late reading because a book is so good.

But while "up late reading" is a compliment, this book found me also getting up too early, because doing so would allow me more time to read during the day.

Yes, this book / this series is that good.  What's different that makes each book so compelling?  It's the character of the protagonists:  the good but complex Kathleen Doyle, as well as the darker and more complex Michael Sinclair, Lord Upton.  The opposites do attract, but oh, my, their complicated relationship is its own character.  I am grateful that love and commitment are absolute givens in this series, and the plot lines in each book test that commitment but never break it.  And I supremely appreciate the resolute and abiding faith that binds the action and the characters: Because of it, redemption and grace can be applied to the plot and to the people in the story at just the right time.  It adds a depth to this wonderful story that many other books fall short of.

Another difference is the twist built into each character:  Doyle is fey, and Acton is obsessive.  And it works beautifully to solve crimes and love each other even more.

While characters and relationships abound far beyond the two main characters, the action and suspense are exceptionally different as well. I delight in the way I can't imagine who dunit, and yet I delight equally in the detecting and resolving of the murders and the crimes.  I love the way the author does not tell the reader everything that is happening, so that when more is revealed later, you look back at the point where you wondered, and it all comes together so beautifully.

I sound very poetic here -- but truly, each story in the series, and particularly this third book, is an exceptional read.  Someone who opens the first page of the first book will not be content to put it down.  Be sure to have the second and third book ready at hand.

What I'll do now that I've read it
Yes, each of my libraries with age-appropriate patrons (they are a married couple, after all) will be purchasing the series -- and this third title as soon as it becomes available.

Uncharacteristically for me as a reviewer, I'm also personally buying copies for my family members who love murder mysteries, police procedurals, suspense, and compelling romance. I don't remember a better book, in any of these categories, in my remembered reading life.  This is the best, and each title builds on the previous.  Do not let yourself miss this chance at sublime reading.

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Burj Khalifa by Stuart Kallen

Burj Khalifa: The Tallest Tower in the World
Stuart Kallen
Norwood House Press
January 2014

Forget the retailer's stated interest level (grades 3-6).  This is a great read for anyone open to new ideas and global places.

What's different about this book
Really, adult fiction just doesn't do justice to the visual reality that this elementary non-fiction provides.  The pictures are intriguing, and the facts are clearly stated in comparable images for the younger reader.  Older readers need 'em too.  Perhaps best of all was the comprehensive coverage of information.  There were a few times when I wanted to know more, but almost always the author covered exactly what I would have asked, if I had known enough to ask.  Nice reporting and engaging reading.

What I'll do now that I've read it
This is on our purchase lists, and we'll be book-talking it to not only students, but to the STEM teachers and administration as well.  This tower is an intriguing and interesting subject, and the book does an excellent job communicating that interest to the reader.

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Undertow by Michael Buckley

Undertow
by Michael Buckley
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
May 2015

This story feels like a new setting for Buckley (The Sisters Grimm and N.E.R.D.S).  Lyric Walker, the protagonist, shares a different take on high school and teens who don't fit in -- compounded by a new segregation order put into effect.  The not-human Alpha teens face the same threats of violence that history has reported, but now Lyric is in the middle of that violence and change.


What's different about this book
The non-human Alpha came from the ocean, arriving right on the beach at Coney Island where Lyric's family has lived.  The different kind of "different" gives the whole story line a fresh feel -- but a familiar one where violence and death and making allies to survive paint a vivid picture of teen life.  The story crafting is solid; Buckley is an accomplished author, and this different setting should please a lot of science fiction and dystopian readers.  The pacing seemed uneven at times, but the slow and steady development of characters and setting and plot never seemed slow.  The end rushes at the reader, though, in tumultuous and enthralling events. 

What I'll do now that I've read it
This title will be enthusiastically "book talked" to our YA patrons, as well as to adults who enjoy skillful world-making and plot twists. I regret the book won't be out until May, and it will be even longer before the next book in the series comes out.  This will be a worthwhile purchase and read.

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Black Dove, White Raven by Elizabeth Wein

Black Dove, White Raven
by Elizabeth Wein
Disney Book Group
March 2015

A well-crafted historical fiction that looks at a time and place seldom noticed:  1930s Ethiopia on the brink of war with Italy.

What's different about this book 
With amazing characterization and plot development, built around the lives of two American aviatrices, one Caucasian and the other African American, author Elizabeth Wein transfixes the reader with the culture and milieu of noble Ethiopia.  Because the reader comes to care about the characters who love Ethiopia, the country itself becomes a primary focus -- and of primary appreciation.  I've seldom read a work of historical fiction that drew me into the setting the way this book did.

What I'll do now that I've read it
This book has so many reasons for me to share it with library patrons:  global and African history, international intrigue and politics, strong women protagonists, struggles for civil rights and human dignity, historic spiritual values and treasure, and two completely convincing teens who must fight to come of age, all while supported by non-traditional family and friends whom the reader comes to love.  Great depth.  Important stories.  Vital understanding.

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