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

The Passage

The Passage by Justin Cronin
published by Ballantine Books, 2010

784 pages

approximate age range: 15+

Technically this book contains vampires. Technically. But none of them are named Edward, none of them sparkle, and no one is falling in love with them. Not even a little bit. Spanning almost a hundred years, The Passage is a prodigious epic that takes us through America as it descends into a devastating cataclysm and then follows survivors trying to build lives in a horrifying post-apocalyptic world. At the beginning we meet Amy, a normal 6 year old who is living an impoverished life with her mother who loves her, but does not have the means to care for her. We also meet Wolgast, an FBI agent with nothing to lose since the death of his daughter and his divorce. These two are thrown together when Wolgast is assigned to bring Amy to a secret facility in Colorado where military scientists are working on Project Noah, a series of experiments involving infecting death row inmates with a virus from the jungles of South America in the hopes of making them into the ultimate weapons -- soldiers that have super strength and live forever. Not surprisingly this research does not go according to plan and the unstoppable vampire-like creatures that the scientists have created escape, killing or infecting everyone in their path and bringing forth the demise of an entire nation, and possibly, the entire world.

For teens that like being completely immersed in a world, getting to know a handful of characters, and following them on their journeys, The Passage will be a satisfying and engaging read. While the novel starts off with a lot of action, the pace slows throughout the middle of the work, becoming more of a character study than a thriller. At over 750 pages, this is a long book, and as Cronin has noted, The Passage is the first in a trilogy, so there is much more to come. Consequently, readers who love engrossing themselves in books and have hearty attention spans will enjoy this saga and appreciate Cronin's detailed timeline and attention to creating very realistic and relatable characters.

However, many readers may feel that The Passage is simply too long and would benefit from having a few hundred pages edited out. The middle of the book moves slowly, turning immediately from an adventure tale that takes place during the heart of an apocalypse to a slow story about a town of survivors 90 years later, their thoughts and feelings, and how they formed a society in a drastically different world. It is not until the last third of the work that the action picks up again and re-energizes readers, by which time it may be too late for many teens. Another post-apocalyptic book like Jonathan Maberry's Rot and Ruin would be a better bet for most teens as it contains many of the same scenarios and themes (a town of people alone in a desolate world overrun by monsters, the struggles survivors face daily, how they have formed a new society when the world was destroyed), yet the pacing is much quicker, the action is more frequent, and the dedication needed to finish it is much smaller (Rot and Ruin is only 480 pages).

Still, don't be daunted in recommending this book to interested teens. While the action in The Passage does get a bit bloody at times, not surprising when murderous vampires are on the loose, it never becomes overly graphic. In addition, while sexual relationships are discussed, they also remain more hinted at than explicitly described and though mature themes are brought forth through secondary characters who, for instance, have pasts laced with murder, pedophilia, and rape, for the most part the particulars of these events are not discussed in detail.

Cronin has mentioned in interviews that a sequel is on its way, though his most hopeful estimate of its release date is 2013, so fans who want to learn what happens after The Passage's cliffhanger ending will have a long wait ahead of them.

The Passage has an official website with news, video, and even an I-Phone app: http://enterthepassage.com/

There is also a book trailer:

Read-alike suggestions:

Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

The Enemy by Charlie Higson

The Walking Dead graphic novel series by Robert Kirkman

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

ghostgirl

ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley
published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2008
336 pages
approximate age level: 12+

Charlotte Usher has been virtually invisible at high school, but she hopes all that is about to change. After a summer of personal improvement, Charlotte starts school with a brand new makeover and one goal: get gorgeous Damen to fall for her, take her to the Fall Ball, and give her an exquisite midnight kiss. Not even Damen's popular and perfect girlfriend Petula can stop her, especially after Charlotte lucks out when she's assigned as Damen's lab partner and he asks her to be his physics tutor. Swoon! But then fate deals Charlotte a terrible blow just when she thinks things are going her way -- death by asphyxiation on a gummy bear. Now, Charlotte really is invisible, but she's not going to let that stop her from achieving her dream. With the help of her new friend Scarlet, Petula's goth little sister and the only person who can see her, Charlotte must find a way to get to the Fall Ball with Damen -- even if it means breaking every rule there is to being dead.

More satire than romance, ghostgirl is a surprisingly lighthearted comedy about high school and death. Hurley's novel is full of a lot of hilarious scenes, snappy dialogue, and tongue-in-cheek caricatures of well-known high school stereotypes: the popular girl, the crushable guy, the in-crowd clique, the goth girl. Reluctant readers will love the short chapters, quick pacing, and adorable black and pink illustrations that begin each chapter.

Even so, parts of ghostgirl fall a bit flat due to many of the characters being, well, flat. Though Charlotte does grow a lot throughout the book, for the first half she is a rather one-dimensional, and pathetic, character without many likable traits due to the fact her entire being is centered around achieving popularity and getting Damen. Scarlet is much more interesting right from her first appearance, and it might puzzle readers why a self-assured individual like Scarlet would give Charlotte the time of day, especially after the novelty of having a ghost as a friend has worn off. Petula, too, is a static villain with no redeeming qualities and who is clearly only around as an obstacle for Charlotte and for comedic effect. However, readers will enjoy Hurley's treatment of Damen, which is much more detailed as he emerges as an interesting leading man with a real personality and unique interests.

Yet despite these drawbacks, many aspects of ghostgirl are very enjoyable like the descriptions of the new ghost high school Charlotte attends, especially her morbid classmates who still show the injuries that caused their deaths -- some of which are delightfully gruesome. ghostgirl ends with a satisfying conclusion, one which proves just how much Charlotte has evolved from the beginning of the book. Currently, there are two sequels which follow Charlotte, Scarlet, Damen, and Petula on a few more supernatural adventures: ghostgirl: Homecoming and ghostgirl: Lovesick.

The ghostgirl series also has a wonderful official website: http://www.ghostgirl.com/

The third book in the series has a trailer with an original song by musician Polly Scattergood:


Read-alike suggestions:

ghostgirl: Homecoming by Tonya Hurley

ghostgirl: Lovesick by Tonya Hurley

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney by Suzanne Harper

Lockdown

Lockdown: Escape from Furnace, book 1 by Alexander Gordon Smith

published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2009

288 pages

approximate age level: 13+

14 year old Alex knows that his life of petty theft and home invasions isn't going to end well, but it's hard to give up when his family is poor and his best friend keeps inviting him on new jobs. Finally, Alex promises himself he'll quit -- right after he helps Toby hit one more house. It should be easy since the owners aren't even home, but things go terribly wrong when horrifying men come out of nowhere, kill Toby, and frame Alex for his murder. Unfortunately for Alex, because of a bloody crime spree a few years ago, all juveniles convicted of murder are sent immediately to Furnace, a privately owned prison built underground where kids and teens will spend the rest of their lives without visitors, sunlight, or any hope of parole. And that's not even the worst part -- not many teens in Furnace survive long since if the other inmates, the guards, or the vicious dogs don't get them, the strange men wearing gas masks that come in the middle of the night will. As soon as he arrives, Alex finds out that Furnace really is a hell on earth and he has only one hope of survival -- escape.

Lockdown is part mystery and part thriller, with some very creepy, supernatural elements thrown in for good measure. Alex is a likable narrator, and readers will be rooting for him as he tries to uncover the mysteries of Furnace and plot his escape. Boys will love the all-guys prison atmosphere, compete with inmate fights, skinless, man-eating dogs, mutated guards, and even, perhaps, the devil himself playing warden. The descriptions of the prison are detailed enough to set a dark tone and put reader nerves on edge, and the action is continuous from first page to last. However, action is not the only compelling element, as the relationships between the boys are very believable and the main characters well-rounded and sympathetic. Because it's the first in a series, Lockdown doesn't answer all the questions it poses and ends on a dramatic cliffhanger that guarantees readers will be looking for the next book (luckily, Solitary has already been published).

Book trailer:

Bonus video of author Alexander Gordon Smith introducing his Furnace series:

Read-alike suggestions:

Solitary: Escape from Furnace, book 2 by Alexander Gordon Smith

The Enemy by Charlie Higson

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

Gentlemen by Michael Northrop

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

The Zombie Chasers

The Zombie Chasers by John Kloepfer, illustrated by Steve Wolfhard
published by HarperCollins, 2010
224 pages
approximate age level: 9-12

On the way home one Friday Zack Clarke is a bit puzzled that his neighborhood seems dead quiet, but he has more important things to worry about – like his older sister Zoe and her awful friend Madison forcing him into a “makeover” and plastering his lipsticked shame all over the internet. Then Madison eats the last slice of his super delicious birthday cake that he had been craving all day and Zack thinks his day can't possibly get any worse. But it does -- Zack soon finds out that everyone in his neighborhood has become a brain-eating zombie when they descend upon his house and turn his sister into the walking dead. Now, on the run for his life with snotty Madison and his dorky friend Rice, Zack must evade the zombies, make it to a safe zone, and possibly un-zombify Zoe, preferably before his parents find out.

The Zombie Chasers is a silly romp with slap stick action, snappy dialogue, and cartoon illustrations of scenes from the story cropping up every couple of pages. Boys will love all the zombie vs. kids confrontations, especially the multiple gross-out scenes, and the illustrations will appeal to reluctant readers. It's not going to win any awards for exemplary literature, but The Zombie Chasers is a lot of fun and a quick and easy read that kids will find appealing enough to pick up – and finish. Try to stay alive for the sequel Undead Ahead coming out March 29, 2011.

The Zombie Chasers also has a nifty official website with games and a zombie survival guide.

Read-alike suggestions:

Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey

Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot series by Dav Pilkey

My Weird School Daze series by Dan Gutman

Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney

The Curse of the Wendigo

The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey
published by Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, 2010
448 pages
approximate age level: 12+

Will Henry and Dr. Percival Warthrop are back again with another bone-chilling mystery. Although he studies extraordinary creatures that most would consider to be monsters, Dr. Warthrop considers these monsters to be no more than interesting animals and his research to be very respectable. So, when he finds out that his colleague and former teacher Dr. Von Helrung is about to publish a paper that claims a mythical, magical beast, the Wendigo, is real, Warthrop takes it upon himself to disprove Von Helrung's claims, afraid that they will discredit Monstrumology. But, disproving the Wendigo may be harder than Warthrop first thinks when a fellow monstrumologist and his one-time best friend, John Chandler, goes missing in the Canadian wilderness while hunting the beast. Suddenly finding himself on a grueling chase with his master through the untamed woods in search of Chandler, or what's left of him, twelve year old Will Henry starts to see things that Warthrop can't – strange, unexplainable things that point to one conclusion – the Wendigo is very real, and very, very hungry.

Fans of The Monstrumologist are in for a real treat with The Curse of the Wendigo as the sequel lives up to the expectations of the first novel, and even exceeds them. Wendigo is a taunt thrill ride that's full of the nightmarish situations, scary monsters, and unbridled gore that readers have come to know and love. Yet, Wendigo also greatly expands on Warthrop's character, showing readers there is much more than meets the eye to this seemingly one-dimensional scientist. In fact, the nuanced and subtle way Warthop's character is expanded is so well done, it would not be out of place in a literary adult novel. Some strong ladies also make their debut and hold their own against Will and Warthrop, proving monstrumology isn't just for men. The constant changes in location, thrilling chases, dark mystery, and a new, even more gruesome monster, make The Curse of the Wendigo a hard book to put down, and perfect for teen readers with short attention spans. Hopefully Yancey will soon add a third volume of Will Henry's adventures for us to enjoy.

Read-alike suggestions:

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

The Last Apprentice Series by Joseph Delaney

The Enemy by Charlie Higson

Bad Girls Don't Die

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender
published by Hyperion Book CH, 2009
352 pages
approximate age level: 12+

Alexis is a high school outsider with pink hair, a slacker attitude, a crusade against a group of mean cheerleaders, and only a camera for a best friend. Life's not great, but she can handle it, until she notices a strange light moving around her house and her little sister Kasey starts acting very odd. First Kasey's love of dolls turns into an obsession, leading her to break her friend's arm when she harmlessly tries to touch one. Then Kasey starts to act even stranger, speaking in old-fashioned diction and losing her memory of periods of time; her eyes even change color – from blue to green. When doors start to open and close and appliances turn on and off on their own, Alexis finally has to admit what's happening, as unbelievable as it sounds – her sister is possessed. But the spirit isn't content with parlor tricks and Alexis needs to save Kasey before whatever is controlling her carries out its evil plans that put Alexis and her whole family in serious danger.

Bad Girls Don't Die is a legitimately frightening mystery and Alender is an expert at creating a chilling atmosphere while also writing believable characters and situations. Alexis is a stellar narrator with a very appealing smart, sarcastic tone and independent spirit. Despite her misfit actions, she's a positive role-model for teenage readers, especially as she constantly stands up for herself and grows and recognizes her mistakes and prejudices. The ghost story is somewhat formulaic, but still compelling, and the way it slowly builds is a real page turner. There is a bit of romance, but it stays to the sidelines, though I was pleased to see that the object of Alexis' (eventual) affections is not your stereotypical prince charming – he's a fully formed character in his own right, and is as realistic as she is. A sequel, Bad Girls Don't Die: From Bad to Cursed, which finds Alexis investigating a new supernatural mystery, is set to be released in June 2011.

Read-alike suggestions:

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor and Jim DiBartolo

The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney by Suzanne Harper

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Leviathan

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
published by Simon Pulse, 2009
448 pages
approximate age level: 12+

Alek is an orphaned prince who is on the run and hiding from powers that want him dead. Deryn is also hiding, pretending to be a boy in order to fulfill her dream of joining the Royal Air Navy. In any other time, Alek's and Deryn's paths would never cross, but something terrible is happening in Europe that will change everyone's lives - World War I has just begun. Yet, this isn't the same war you've read about in the history books, as it's not only a war between countries, but one between different branches of science – fabricated beasts vs. steam-powered machines, Darwinists vs. Clankers. When thrown together under dire circumstances, natural enemies Deryn, a Darwinist, and Alek, a Clanker, must put aside their differences and work together, or risk losing everything.

Leviathan is an alternate-history steampunk adventure that pits fantastical, genetically created, living beast-machines against technologically advanced, steam-powered metal mechanisms. While some of these creations may be hard for readers to imagine, plenty of detailed illustrations pepper the story, helping to both explicate scenes and add some visual interest. Deryn and Alek are strong, well-rounded characters who grow and change throughout the book and their dual narratives provide a draw for both male and female readers. An interesting afterward by the author connects Leviathan to the real life events during WWI. Westerfeld spins a riveting, action-filled tale, but the rather abrupt ending may leave readers unsatisfied and anxious to continue the story. Luckily, sequel Behemoth is already available.

Read-alike suggestions:

Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld

Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith

Airborn by Kenneth Oppel

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi (Printz Award winner)

The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith

The Monstrumologist

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
published by Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, 2010
464 pages
approximate age level: 12+
Printz Honor Book

12 year old orphan Will Henry is the assistant to Doctor Warthrope, a scientist in a small New England town in the late 1800s. But Will isn't learning about physics or chemistry as his master is a monstrumologist – a studier of monsters. When one night a grave robber stumbles upon the corpse of a hideous beast and brings it to Warthrope, Will finds himself suddenly preparing for a battle that pits the Doctor against a group of Anthropophangi, headless monsters with stomachs full of thousands of razor sharp teeth and a taste for human flesh. But the Anthropophangi have never before been seen in North America, so how have they appeared in the Doctor's town – and why?

The Monstrumologist is a beautifully written horror and mystery that teems with tension and abounds in creepiness. There is enough action to keep those with short attention spans entertained, but Yancey pays plenty of attention to characterization, setting, and language, making this a pleasing read for more discerning readers. Will is a great narrator, and by seeing the events through his eyes we are not only drawn into the story through our attachment to him as a character, but we also share his emotions and reactions – confusion, fear, surprise, terror – making for quite an intense and riveting reading experience. Don't be surprised if the hair stands up on the back of your neck and you find yourself looking over your shoulder more than once while reading. Boys will love the gross-out gory scenes (of which there are plenty), but the eerie mystery is also a big draw that will keep teens turning the pages. Fans will want to follow up with the sequel, The Curse of the Wendigo.

Read-alike suggestions:

The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey

The Last Apprentice Series by Joseph Delaney

The Enemy by Charlie Higson

The Enemy

The Enemy by Charlie Higson
published by Hyperion Book, 2010
448 pages
approximate age level: 14+

In a dystopian world where everyone over sixteen has contracted a disease that has turned them into mindless zombie-like creatures, a group of surviving kids and teens try to traverse the dangerous streets of London to get from the grocery store in which they have been living to a promised refuge in Buckingham Palace.

The Enemy is a fast-paced horror/thriller packed with action from page one. Yet, though the story is plot driven, a handful of characters are well-rounded and surprisingly relatable despite their circumstances. Told from constantly shifting viewpoints, we follow the events from the eyes of both boy and girl narrators, making the story appealing to readers of both genders. The action between teens and zombies does get pretty gory and violent and teens are killed - and eaten - so this book isn't for everyone, but it is an engaging, quick read and would be a great choice to booktalk to reluctant readers, especially boys. With the recent resurgence of zombie popularity seen in the success of shows like The Walking Dead, and the cinematic way The Enemy is told, I doubt it'll be hard to get an audience of teens interested. Though ending with a satisfying conclusion, not all loose threads are tied up as this title is also the first in a series. I'm anxious to see where Higson takes the story in his sequel, The Dead, which is set to be released in June, 2011.

The official website for the book offers a creepy book trailer, excerpts, author information, and even a zombie gallery.



Read-alike suggestions:

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

The Walking Dead comics by Robert Kirkman

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey