Darkness Becomes Her

Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton
Simon Pulse, 2011
288 pages
approximate age level: 13+

Ari hasn’t had an easy life growing up in foster care or being ostracized at school because of her teal eyes and strange silver hair that always regrows every time she tries to cut it. So when she finally graduates high school, Ari doesn’t decide travel or head to college like most teens, but instead tries to find out answers about her past. Her first stop is the mental institution where her mother tragically killed herself when Ari was just a baby and in her mother's small box of possessions, Ari finds a note warning her an unnamed evil is after her and telling her to run. When a strange warrior attacks her with a sword in broad daylight, Ari knows that she needs answers about her past, and fast, and the only place she can find the answers is New 2, a rebuilt New Orleans with its own dark secrets.

Darkness Becomes Her is a fast moving fantasy and draws readers in almost immediately as the main mystery is introduced on the first page – Ari, herself. Ari is a relatable heroine: she's strong-willed, brave, and she can really throw a punch, yet she's not above getting butterflies in her stomach over a handsome guy. We root for her in her quest for the truth about her past and though she makes some decisions that would never be wise in the real world, like heading off alone to a dangerous city, she’s resourceful and self-assured and still a good role model for teen girls.

In addition, New 2 is a captivating setting and Keaton masterfully creates a sense of believable wonder and foreboding. Fans of supernatural romance will enjoy the large cast of mythical characters that appear, as everything from Greek gods to werewolves and vampires enter the plot with various agendas. There’s never a dull moment since whole book takes place in something like a week, but this quick time frame makes the strong relationships that develop between Ari and the kids she meets in New 2 a bit unbelievable.

Darkness Becomes Her ends with a satisfying conclusion, but there are plenty of loose ends left and readers will be anxious for the sequel, A Beautiful Evil, which is set to be released in February, 2012.

Official Book Trailer:

Read-alike Suggestions:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Welcome to Bordertown edited by Holly Black

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Quirk Books, 2011
352 pages
approximate age: 12+

Sixteen year old Jacob is at the point in his life where he's ready to face adulthood, and for him that means at last acknowledging that all the fanciful stories his grandfather told him about his grandfather's adolescence in a orphanage with a group of children that each had extraordinary powers are indeed make-believe. Of course they were just fairy tales -- this is the real world and physics-defying children simply do not exist and believing in them is not rational, not normal, and not cool. But then something terrible happens to Grandpa Portman and Jacob is sure he sees the monster, yes real-life monster, responsible -- a twist of fate that turns all his well-ordered adult logic on its head and leads him back to one question -- what if the stories were real? Only a trip to the small, desolate Welsh island that was once home to Grandpa Portman and the other peculiar orphans may hold the answers Jacob needs to solve the mystery about his grandfather's life once and for all. But Jacob is not the only one hunting Miss Peregrine's Home and its inhabitants, and danger is much closer than Jacob could possibly know.

Miss Peregrine Home for Peculiar Children is a tightly woven fantasy/mystery that combines the whimsical with the delightfully creepy. Peppered throughout the book are photographs of the children and Miss Peregrine, the orphanage's head, and the photos' antiquated appearance along with their frequently bizarre compositions can really send chills up readers' spines. Unbelievably, since the pictures blend-in perfectly with the story, they are all real vintage photographs that Riggs was lent from collectors, which makes them even more thought-provoking and disturbing.

In addition, the elements of the fantastical in the novel blend well with Jacob's regular-guy character. Beginning the book in a familiar setting causes the transition into the strange island of the orphans to be even more magical because it has roots in a world we know all too well. Readers will want to be in Jacob's shoes as he discovers these amazing boys and girls, not stuck in their dull, ordinary lives.

There is also an aura of mystery that spans the entire book. At first readers are curious about Jacob's grandfather's stories. Are they entirely real? Does the grandfather really have something to fear as he believes? And then, when readers find the wonderful orphanage they wonder if the orphans are all they seem -- or is their something dark lurking behind their smiles? Is an unnamed threat really after them? Is it after Jacob, too? Just when readers think they've answered one question, Riggs gives them three more to ponder as they feverishly turn the pages.

Finally, the ending is satisfying, yet open for a much hoped for sequel. With no explicit sexuality or violence, librarians should feel comfortable freely recommending this book to middle and high school students.


Official Book Trailer:



Read-alike suggestions:

St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell

Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link

The Glass Demon by Helen Grant

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Slice of Cherry

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves
published by Simon Pulse, 2011
512 pages
approximate age range: 15+

Two teenage sisters growing into young women, learning about themselves and each other, discovering love -- it seems like a story told a thousand times before. But, now add in a serial killer father in prison, magic, the ability to transport themselves and others to another dimension, torture, and death -- lots of death -- and you'll find Slice of Cherry is like nothing you've ever read. Sisters Kit and Fancy are outsiders in the town of Portero, a crazy magical place full of portals to other worlds and fearsome monsters. Their father is the notorious Bonesaw Killer who was finally convicted and sentenced after the multiple murders he committed stunned the town. Shunned by their community, Kit and Fancy create their own world, one in which they begin to follow in their father's bloody footsteps, but unlike daddy dearest, they decide to choose victims who are not innocent, people they feel are worthy of death. The sisters also discover that with a special gadget they find in their basement, they can create their own dimension, a place where they are queens and can change anything just by wishing it -- a perfect place to hide the corpses of their victims. Kit and Fancy are an unstoppable team, but when Kit falls hard for a local boy with his own secrets and Fancy feels abandoned, can they survive each other?

Slice of Cherry is not for the faint of heart -- or faint of stomach. Kit and Fancy really learned a lot from their serial killer dad, and Reeves has no problem describing just how much the apples fall near the tree. Their kills are rendered in detail, and not all victims are really worthy of their gruesome deaths. Consequently, Kit and Fancy are not exactly likeable heroines. Though they are interesting, their psychology, especially why they feel inclined to kill, is touched on, but not explored in-depth, and we remain on the surface of their lives rather than inside their heads. The excerpts from Fancy's dream diary that begin each chapter do let us see a little of Fancy's motivations, but it is not a thorough picture and we never get in Kit's head at all. Though Reeves sets high expectations with her unique premise, she does not quite deliver as we never really connect with or understand Fancy and Kit and they continue to feel foreign.

Moreover, there are lots of wonky and disturbing scenes that keep the reader's interest, but many seem to come out of nowhere are are not explained beyond the assertion that anything can happen in Portero (Reeves fans may remember Portero as it is also the setting to her first novel Bleeding Violet). Moreover, though Kit and Fancy grow as characters, their change is tied almost solely to their relationships with boys, which seems like a dubious message to send to young girls.

However, though it has faults, Slice of Cherry is still a fun and intriguing read. Full of humorous moments, in addition to the gore, readers oscillate between gags and laughs. All the Portero weirdness also makes it impossible to guess what will happen next, and ensures Slice of Cherry will be painful to put down. When recommending, note that both sisters engage in sexual relationships that are treated positively and as natural for teenagers, as in Bleeding Violet.


Read-alike suggestions:

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier

Lips Touch: Three Times edited by Laini Taylor and Jim DiBartolo

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

House of Many Ways

House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones
published by Greenwillow Books, 2008
416 pages
approximate age range: 10+

Charmain Baker has led a very proper -- and very dull -- life doing only very proper things with very proper people. Well, up until now, that is. When her imposing great aunt Sempronia asks Charmain to house sit for her Great Uncle William, the royal wizard of High Norland, Charmain realized this is finally her chance to get out from under her mother's thumb and experience a bit more out of life. But Charmain, whose extracurricular activities to date have only involved reading books, has no idea how much her life will change from the moment she walks in the door of Great Uncle William's magical maze of a house, a strange place where one single doorway leads to a vast number of rooms and other places throughout High Norland. From her first day on the job Charmain immediately finds herself doing things she has never done before -- caring for a loveable, but peculiar, stray dog named Waif, attempting to do magic herself, squaring off against an evil beast called a lubbock, preventing an apprentice wizard, Peter, from making a giant mess wit another bad spell, and even -- Charmain can hardly believe it -- washing dishes and doing laundry. Charmain's life gets even more exciting when she is offered an additional position as a library assistant to the king and she is thrown into a nefarious royal intrigue involving a great deal of missing gold and a mysterious elf gift. With the help of Sophie Pendgragon, Wizard Howl, and fire demon Calcifer, who are already on the case, Charmain must discover how the secrets of Great Uncle William's house connect to the mystery at the castle before all of High Norland falls into the hands of something truly evil.

If you've read Howl's Moving Castle or watched the Miyazaki anime of the same name, then you have already met Sophie, Howl, and Calcifer and discovered what sorts of hilarious and exciting adventures they often find themselves in. Yet, even if you haven't a clue what a fire demon even is, Charmain's story works so perfectly as a standalone tale that you won't even realize you're reading a sequel. Wynne Jones really creates a world that you won't want to leave -- one that is both believable and magical, a quirky place where you will alternate from pausing in peals of laughter, to frantically turning pages to see what happens next. Teens will love spunky Charmain and appreciate House's fast pace and short, kookily-titled chapters. The anime tie-in can be a real plus for recruiting hesitant readers, especially if they are manga fans. In addition, audiobook listeners are in for a real treat as reader Jenny Sterlin is so skilled at creating different voices for each character you'll feel like you're listening to a full cast.


Read-alike suggestions:

Howl's Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

The Gates by John Connolly

Pretty Monsters

Pretty Monsters: Stories by Kelly Link
published by Viking Juvenile, 2008
400 pages
approximate age range: 13+

What sort of tales would a collection contain if it were written with a sly smile and only during the witching hours of moonless nights? When reading Pretty Monsters, it's easy to imagine author Kelly Link spinning these stories for us from a distant world, like a mischievous fairy godmother crafting the perfect bedtime stories for her beloved, and slightly twisted, charges. For instance, within Pretty Monsters readers will gleefully meet a plethora of intriguing characters such as: a hapless poet who digs up the wrong grave and finds himself unable to escape its curious and lovely undead occupant; sisters who find that their awesome new baby sitter might not be an entirely normal, or living, young woman; a fan of a fantastical tv show who makes a surprising discovery that his favorite fantasy world may not be the imaginative fiction its viewers have believed it to be; and a girl who searches for her late aunt's lost furry handbag that magically holds a demon dog and an entire town.

Though its content may be difficult to briefly describe to prospective readers, Pretty Monsters is an engaging collection of deliciously bizarre, enchanting, and wholly creative short stories that will ensnare anyone who loves magical realism, curious events, and subtle doses of the supernatural. Many stories begin somewhat normally with characters and situations that seem perfectly reasonable, but then Link weaves her spell and each narrative quietly, but surely, turns to something that readers cannot possibly expect, but will delight them just the same. Link's storytelling skills and her use of language are exquisite and though Pretty Monsters is often labeled as teen fiction for its plucky young protagonists, it can easily charm older readers as well.

Read-alike suggestions:

Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link

Stranger Things Happen by Kelly Link

St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell

Willful Creatures by Aimee Bender

Unexpected Magic: Collected Stories by Diana Wynne Jones

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride
published by Henry Holt and Co., 2010
352 pages
approximate age range: 13+
Morris Award Finalist

Samhain Corvus LeCroix, Sam for short, is having a hard time getting his life together since he dropped out of college and took a job in a fast food joint called Plumpy's. He's barely making ends meet and has no personal life to speak of, but at least he's got the company of his friends Ramon, Brooke, and Kevin to help him get through his cringe-worthy shifts. Then, Sam's boring world changes in a flash when a terrifying man, Douglas Montgomery, comes into the restaurant and instantly recognizes something important about Sam he never even knew about himself -- that, like Douglas, Sam's a necromancer and, with the right training, he can talk to, and even raise, the dead. From there, Sam's life only gets creepier. To send Sam a message that he's in charge and doesn't like competition, Douglas has a werewolf beat Sam to a pulp and then cuts off Brooke's head and has it delivered to Sam in a box -- still talking. Now with Ramon, Kevin, and Brooke, who may only be a head, but is still her smart and sassy self, Sam has one week to discover what he can about the powers he never knew he had and face Douglas or lose everyone he loves, as well as his life.

Sherman Alexie sums up Hold Me Closer, Necromancer best with his quote from the cover: "This is a SCARY funny book OR a FUNNY scary book. In any case, it is a GREAT book. I LOVE IT." While it might seem hard for one book to straddle the line between laugh-out-loud funny and chills-up-your-spine-scary, Necromancer does so with ease and neither the funny nor scary moments seemed forced or out of place. The urban fantasy world McBride creates is creative and unique, and as readers slowly discover its secrets with Sam, we become more and more intrigued. Sam himself is a likeable, well-rounded character, as are his friends, though McBride also skillfully shifts the perspective throughout the novel, at times telling the story from a handful of different characters, such as Brid, a shapeshifter girl and fellow victim of Douglas, Sam's mom Tia, and even evil Douglas himself. Each character's voice is distinct and easily recognizable, and these different view points flesh out the story and show past events and current motivations in a way that wouldn't be possible with a single perspective. In addition, there's plenty of action -- some comedic, some creepy -- to keep even the most reluctant reader entertained. However, Necromancer does contain some violence and brief sexuality, so cautiously recommend to younger readers. Though the book winds up in a way that's satisfying, McBride leaves plenty of room for a sequel, which most enamored readers will feel can't come quickly enough.

There are two official book trailers:






Read-alike suggestions:

Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier

The Gates by John Connolly

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

Zombies vs. Unicorns

Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier

published by Margaret K. McElderry, 2010

432 pages

approximate age range: 13+

Ah, the age old question -- which does the esteemed reader prefer: staggering, brain devouring zombies, or magical, majestic unicorns? Been there, done that? Okay, what about pitiful, pining zombies longing for love or ferocious, man-eating unicorns menacing society? In this collection of short stories gathered by well-known YA authors Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier, readers may find that it's hard to choose sides in the zombie vs. unicorn debate as stereotypes of each are shattered and both are reinvented in very innovative and, at times, rather humorous ways. Garth Nix, Libba Bray, Scott Westefeld, Carrie Ryan, Meg Cabot, and many more popular teen authors toss their hats into the ring, forming teams that dream up tall tales about their favorite creature and face off for the reader's affection. Each story is thoughtfully labeled with a picture of either a zombie or a unicorn so any readers that are adamant about not reading stories from the competition can easily avoid them. In addition, excerpts of an ongoing snippy, tongue-in-cheek conversation between Black (team unicorn) and Larbalestier (team zombie) on the positives and negatives of each prefaces every story and sets the quirky, off-the-wall tone of the collection.

Zombies vs. Unicorns is an easy sell to teens as it's a short story collection with a little bit of everything that will appeal to a wide range of readers and fans of different genres and authors. There are hilarious stories, gory stories, thoughtful stories, romantic stories, post-apocalyptic stories, and so on -- all of which give a fresh, worthwhile look at what one may feel like are two over-examined genres. Every writer is on top of his or her game and it's clear that they had fun with these short fictions that are some of the most creative and clever readers will come across. Narrative voices vary wildly from a runway girl living on the streets, to a princess, to a teenage cop, to a zombie himself. In addition, a couple of stories have gay and lesbian protagonists whose sexual orientation is portrayed in a positive way and deftly interwoven with the supernatural plots. Even so, though Zombies vs. Unicorns is a fun collection with a lot to love, beware when recommending it to younger or more sensitive readers as many of the stories contain mature content such as profanity, teenage sexuality, violent imagery, and, in one instance, alluded-to bestiality.

The official book trailer is appropriately hilarious:

Read-alike suggestions:

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

The Gates by John Connolly

White Cat by Holly Black

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maburry

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

American Gods

American Gods by Neil Gaiman
published by William Morrow, 2001
480 pages
approximate age level: 16+
Hugo, Nebula, and Bram Stoker award winner

Shadow is a guy down-on-his luck, but as he nears the end of his 3 year prison sentence, he is hoping things will turn around. He's got a job lined up, a beautiful wife to go back to, and a best friend who's throwing him a party. Yet, before he's even out of the big house, Shadow learns his wife's dead, she was having an affair with his friend who was going to hire him, and he's dead too. Then, on a plane caught in a sudden violent storm tearing across the United States, Shadow meets Mr. Wednesday, a mysterious gentleman who has one eye, knows more about Shadow than a stranger possibly could, and wants him to be his bodyguard. When Shadow eventually accepts, one unplanned rental-car road trip later, he learns that Mr. Wednesday is a neglected god, fading from the consciousness of modern America – but not quietly. Mr. Wednesday is preparing for a great battle between the old gods and new ones, those born of humanity's love of technology -- a showdown that will probably result in complete annihilation of both. A storm is definitely brewing, and Shadow is standing right in its path.

American Gods, companion novel to Anansi Boys (Mr. Nancy being the connecting character), is a fantastical road trip and compelling mystery. Sure to appeal to older teenagers, especially boys, American Gods is a darker and more mature read than Anansi Boys and, unlike the latter, does include some rather explicit sex scenes and violence, so recommend to younger readers or groups with caution. Despite the many mythological and folklore aspects, readers don't need to know all the references to enjoy the book (for those that are curious, the American Gods Wikipedia page helps make many of the connections between characters and myths). While enjoyable overall, some readers may feel that sometimes that the plot gets a little dull as it meanders through all the road trip stops when the main mystery is sidelined since Shadow's character isn't nuanced enough to maintain reader interest alone. However, Gaiman's use of real-life attractions to play host to marvelous events is pretty neat and sure to make you want to take a road trip of your own. Shadow reappears in Gaiman's short story "The Monarch of the Glen," found in his collection Fragile Things.

Read-alike suggestions:

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman

Sandman graphic novel series by Neil Gaiman

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me edited by Kate Bernheimer

Anansi Boys

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
published by HarperTouch, 2005
416 pages
approximate age level: 14+
Alex Award recipient

Charlie Nancy is a rather banal young man. He has a mundane job, a passionless relationship with his fiance, and has no desire or ambition to improve his circumstances. Then his crazy, flamboyant father suddenly dies, with his hands on a buxom blonde while singing karaoke, and Charlie discovers his life isn't quite what he thought. First, his father was not just a strange eccentric, but was Anansi, the African trickster god. Second, he has a brother, Spider, who is everything Charlie is not – outgoing, lucky, charismatic, and in possession of god-like powers. When Spider decides to meet Charlie, and, unasked, takes over the spare room in his apartment, as well as a few other things, Charlie finds that his uninteresting life is over and he must come to terms with everything wild and mysterious he has been trying so hard to avoid, or face devastating consequences.

Companion novel to American Gods, Anansi Boys is a fun and original adventure that never takes itself too seriously. In this tall tale that expertly weaves African folklore into a modern plot, Gaiman is at the top of his game creating likeable, well-rounded characters, crazy scenes, and propelling the story forward with a fast moving, page-turning plot. This is an adult novel, but doesn't contain any content that should dissuade you from recommending it to teens. Gaiman is a big name in both adult and YA/children's lit (known by many as the "rockstar writer") and I think it would be easy to get teens interested in his works if they aren't already. Anansi Boys is also a recipient of the 2006 Alex Award.

Read-alike suggestions:

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Stardust by Neil Gaiman (Alex Award recipient)

Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman

Sandman graphic novel series by Neil Gaiman

The Gates by John Connelly

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Going Bovine by Libba Bray (Printz Award winner)

Dust City

Dust City by Robert Paul Weston
published by Razorbill, 2010
304 pages
approximate age level: 12+

Henry Welp has had a tough life. His mom is dead, his dad is in jail, and he's locked away in a reform school outside of town. Oh, and one more thing - he's the son of The Big Bad Wolf – yes that wolf, cold-blooded killer of Little Red Riding Hood and her Granny. When Henry's therapist dies under mysterious circumstances and his best friend Jack hightails it out of school with the help of some magic beans, Henry decides he, too, needs to escape to nearby Dust City, a gritty metropolis that's not so magical ever since the fairies vanished years ago. But when Henry discovers that his dad may have been framed by crime bosses who monopolize a black market of extra-potent fairy dust, Henry's life becomes a lot more dangerous.

Dust City is both a fractured fairytale and a dark romp through a seedy urban underbelly. While populated with a fantastic cast of characters, including ravens, wolves, nixies, and elves, the story touches on topics that are relatable to teens such as racism and drug use. Though at times the plot seems hurried and some situations feel more like ways to advance the story rather than believable events, even within the make believe world Weston has created, Dust City is still an enjoyable and quick read. Narrator Henry is very likeable and all the action and plot twists make it a hard book to put down. Teens will also like seeing their favorite fairy tale characters reborn into such a serious, mature setting. While rather mild in terms of content compared to other YA lit, there is some violence, including a torture scene, and the fairy dust use is equatable to drug use, though it is not promoted by either Henry or the plot.

Read-alike suggestions:

Gentlemen by Michael Northrop

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

Fables graphic novels series by Bill Willingham