Kearsten's Book Club Wrap-up: The Name of the Star

Did you miss book club last week? Never fear, read on to find out what we thought of Maureen's Johnson's The Name of the Star!

Rory, of Boueuxlieu, Louisiana, is spending a year at a London boarding school when she witnesses a murder by a Jack the Ripper copycat and becomes involved with the very unusual investigation.

Overall, book clubbers *really* liked this one. We totally dug the boarding school, the ghostly element, and certain members seriously enjoyed the Jack the Ripper murders! (Though one teen lamented the lack of main character deaths. He felt those would have added more suspense and motivation on Rory's part. The rest of us mostly yelled at him for his wanting some of our favorite characters to die.)

We spent a lot of time speculating about ghosts in general - do ghosts exists? Why might ghosts happen? - and then moved on to the victims in the story and why those people - or anyone, really - becomes a victim of violence. We also touched a bit on the "Ripperoloigists" in the story (people who started flocking to the scenes of the books' murders to either sightsee, "help" with the investigation, or simply try to profit off of the spectacle), and how there are people/websites that devote their time to trying to solve unsolved murders from history and today. (For a one of Kearsten's favorites, see the link below.)

We had a great time discussing The Name of the Star, but if you've already read it, why not try one of these book-club-recommended "books to read if you loved The Name of the Star" titles?

Dead City by James Ponti. Seventh-grader Molly has always been an outsider, even at New York City's elite Metropolitan Institute of Science and Technology, but that changes when she is recruited to join the Omegas, a secret group that polices and protects zombies.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. Through twists and turns of fate, orphaned Mary seeks knowledge of life, love, and especially what lies beyond her walled village and the surrounding forest, where dwell the unconsecrated, aggressive flesh-eating people who were once dead.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. Though she is from a family of clairvoyants, Blue Sargent's only gift seems to be that she makes other people's talents stronger, and when she meets Gansey, one of the Raven Boys from the expensive Aglionby Academy, she discovers that he has talents of his own--and that together their talents are a dangerous mix.

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender. While in Paris, France on a class trip, Colette Iselin enlists the help of her charming French tour guide to help uncover a possible connection between Marie Antoinette, a series of gruesome murders, and perhaps her own family history, and he also gives her insights into herself.

Absent by Katie Williams. Seventeen-year-old Paige Wheeler died in a fall off the high school roof and now her spirit seems bound to the school grounds, along with Brooke and Evan, two other teen ghosts who died there--but maybe if she can solve the mystery of her apparent suicide they will all be able to move on.

Soul Eater by Atsushi Ohkubo. Maka is a weapon meister, determined to turn her partner, a living scythe named Soul Eater, into a powerful death scythe - the ultimate weapon of Death himself! Charged with the task of collecting and devouring the tainted souls of ninety-nine humans and one witch, Maka and her fellow meisters strive to master their weapons as they face off against the bizarre and dangerous minions of the underworld. But the meisters' own personal quirks may prove a bigger obstacle than any sultry enchantress!

Bonus recommendation!

Ghost Whisperer - this TV show about a woman who can talk to ghosts is off the air, but you can find it on various streaming services.

Teen Review: School Spirit by Rachel Hawkins

Today's recommendation is for a digital book and is from another book-lovin' teen: School Spirit by Rachel Hawkins.

Wanna to see your own review here? Fill out our What Did You Just Read form today!

What Did You Read? 

School Spirit by Rachel Hawkins.

I'd say this book was *mostly* about... 

An adventure, high school, mystery.

This book's main character(s)...

Should be my new best friend(s).

If others were interested in this book, I'd tell them...

Check it out RIGHT NOW.

Any other thoughts about this book?

Izzy and her family have sought out monsters for a long time. However, when they move to Mississippi and Izzy attends high school for the first time, she finds its being haunted. Filled with the hardships of high school and the danger of a troubled spirit, this book is great!

Insanity

Something in the hospital is stalking the living. . .

What good is the Halloween month without a at least one  frightening read? Okay, to be honest I like a good frightening read any time of year, but as the days edge closer to October 31st,  I feel incomplete without an arsenal of discomfiting fiction  in hand. Must. Have. Horror!

The other day I picked up Insanity by Susan Vaught.  As soon as I read the dust jacket I was intrigued. Susan, you had me at "insane asylum."

I can't give this a proper review yet as I have only read the prologue, but the prologue has me hooked. Abandoned insane asylum. Check. Kid alone in the middle of the night followed by a growling dog. Check. The suggestion of people with powers, unnatural. Check. Scary stranger emerging out of the dark. Check. No escape. NO escape!!! Check, check, check.

And that's just the prologue. The dust jacket promises a tale set in "Never, Kentucky," which is an awesome name for a scary small town. It also promises tunnels winding deep beneath the insane asylum, unstable patients running through the halls, screaming, and  a girl named Trina who can see the dead in the corners of the room.

I already have the shivers. Can't wait to read more.  What's your favorite Halloween horror selection?

Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough

Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough is based on an old English ballad about the bloody murder of a woman and her baby by, depending on the version (there are several), a man or a boogeyman. Barraclough went with the latter and created an intensely creepy and atmospheric tale set in rural post–World War II England.

When Cora and her younger sister Mimi are sent by their father to live with their strict and eccentric Aunt Ida in a creepy old manor in a backwater English village, it’s quite clear from the start that Aunt Ida is not happy to have them in her home. Cora strikes up a friendship with local boys Roger and Pete and the three begin to slowly make sense of unspeakable family secrets that Aunt Ida seems determined to keep hidden… Frightening secrets concerning the abduction of children and an ominous monstrosity named Long Lankin that lurks in the marshes and seems to have taken a special interest in Mimi.

I use the word “slowly” above for a reason in describing the rate at which Cora, Roger, and Pete attempt to make sense of things… While I would never describe any part of the book as boring, it does take a while for the story to really gain momentum and for various plot items to fall into place. Also, I found myself on occasion becoming a little confused trying to keep track of the various characters. Having said this, when things finally kick into high gear, patient readers will be rewarded with an edge-of-your-seat climax that makes it nearly impossible to put the book down. I might also add that the monster, Long Lankin, is especially disturbing and gruesome and definitely not something you would want glaring at you through your bedroom window…Yikes! :@

Break My Heart 1,000 Times

I haven't been excited about very many teen books lately. It's something to do with so many new titles sounding the same. i mean first, it was vampires, then anything paranormal, now it's dystopian and all the time it's romance. Blah! I know, I know. I should be lynched for writing that! But hey, the library still buys all those dystopian, paranormal love triangle books!

But then comes along this book, Break My Heart 1,000 Times by Daniel Waters. I picked it up through Net Galley--so hey, thanks to Hyperion for sharing it with me!



After the Event, there are ghosts every where. Seriously, every where. And now instead of getting lesser ghosts around, new ones are popping up like the teacher who appeared in class one day at the chalkboard. Veronica and her friend Kirk investigate and film ghosts who have died to help a teacher with his own hypotheses about the dead and their left behind images. The investigation leads them straight into a man who believes he can make his dead daughter re-appear if he takes matters into his own hands.

Wowzers, I really liked this book. I read it during my tiny breaks at work and I kept having to tell myself to get back to work. There's a great amount of suspense building throughout the book. Waters slowly unveils the different "shocks" in such a manner that because I'm reading an advanced copy, I'd pause and think "Is that a mistake or omg is he that nutty?" (In case you're curious, he's that nutty).

The characters are sooo good in this novel. The side characters aren't forgotten and actually grow throughout it. Veronica and Kirk are good together as they date and ghost hunt. The ghosts themselves are beautifully memorable as well.

I've already talked this book up to my teens at the library--well, it might have been gushing about the book.

Break My Heart 1,000 Times is hauntingly beautiful. If you're looking for something new and different to read this fall--you need to read this one. 

Anna Dressed in Blood

In the mood for a spooky read? Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake tells a story in the spirit of legends and ghost stories like Bloody Mary and the ghostly hitchhiker.

The ghost of sixteen-year-old Anna Korlov, who was violently murdered in 1958, is said to haunt the now abandoned house where she once lived in the town of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Local legend claims that anyone who dares venture into the house risks being torn limb from limb by Anna’s vengeful spirit.

Cas Lowood kills dead people, a skill and curse that he inherited, along with a ghost-killing sword or athame, from his father who was violently murdered by a powerful spirit. As the story opens, the reader witnesses Cas in action as he uses his athame to slay a ghostly hitchhiker that lures unsuspecting drivers to their deaths. Soon after, Cas and his mother, a practitioner of witchcraft, move to Thunder Bay to track down the ghost of Anna Dressed in Blood. Cas enrolls in the local high school and soon becomes friends with Carmel, the school socialite, in hopes of finding out more about the legend of Anna. As part of a mean-spirited prank, Cas is taken to Anna’s house after a party one night by Carmel’s ex-boyfriend Mike and his cronies. The evening takes a bloody turn for the worst when Anna appears, all decked out in a dress stained red by her eternally dripping blood, and kills Mike by ripping him in half…Yikes!

Together with help from friends Carmel and Thomas, a nerdy and likable teen intuitive, Cas attempts to discover why Anna has become such a powerful entity and how she can be stopped. However, as the secrets surrounding her tragic story begin to unfold, Cas finds that he is unprepared for the feelings that he has for Anna, and equally unprepared for the dark entity that may be stalking him.

Anna Dressed in Blood is a definite stand-out among the multitude of teen paranormal love titles available these days. It features some truly creepy moments, interesting and well-developed characters, a healthy dose of gore, and just enough romance to not repel those non-romance readers like myself.

Tighter

Give me a ghost story and I’m a happy reader. Adele Griffin’s new book, Tighter, is a ghost story and more—a problem novel, a drug addiction novel, and a bit of a romance novel too. (It's also the modernized re-telling of a famous ghost story. A famous ghost story I have never rea, actually.) Our main character, seventeen-year-old Jamie, has many a trouble. She’s haunted by the ghosts of her suicidal family members, and if that isn’t bad enough, she’s become addicted to perscription drugs. Any pill will do. Often, Jamie takes pills without even knowing for sure what they are. In short, she’s a mess. So, obviously the best job for Jamie is—babysitter! Her mother, in an attempt to get Jamie out of her "mope," arranges for Jamie to become the au pair to an eleven-year-old girl on secluded Bly Island. As soon as she gets to Bly, the ghosts Jamie encounters increase by two—the ghost of last summer’s au pair and her angry boyfriend. A very Romeo and Juliet story there. Or was it? They both died together, no doubt about that, but what exactly were the circumstances? Throw into the mix the fact that the dead au pair (Jessie) looked an awful lot like the current au pair (Jamie), plus a reticent, lisping housekeeper, a disturbed little girl, and a whole family who doesn't want to talk about what's really going on, and the story gets even creepier. Just what has Jamie gotten herself into?

There's a lot going on in this book, and every now and then it feels like a little too much going on. However, it all comes together in the end when all of the meandering threads of the tale get sewn up. The big reveal scene might confuse some readers, but if the reader is paying proper attention, the ending will make sense. I enjoyed the plot line of the Romeo and Juliet-like couple and the way the author revealed the truth of their deaths. Of course, Jamie gets her own love interest, but in the way of many a teen novel, he's a bit too good to be true. People this cool and understanding simply don't exist in real life. If they do, I want to meet them.

paranormal romance

Hey all, did you know that Tuesday's Teen Book Cafe is all about Paranormal Romance? As everyone who notices the new bookshelves in the teen area will know, there are a lot of paranormal romances written for teens. Seriously, a lot. I have a bookcart filled with them next to me right now waiting for the program. Here's a sneak peek at some of books I'll talk about:

Ghosts--A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb

Helen has been a harmless ghost for 130 years. Her current haunt is an English teacher--she loves reading over his shoulder. One day in class she looks up to see a boy staring at her. The first human to be able to see her since she died.

Vampires--Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block

After the death of her human friend, Charlotte finds herself slowly turning back to human. What a great cover!

So there's a sneak at two of the books. I'll post more after the program. And if I'm ambitious there will be a craft activityin the program too.

Have a great weekend!

Spirit

I read the dust jacket and just had to read this book. It sounded interesting and certainly sounded like a more than run of the mill witch tale. I figured it would only take a few pages and I would be in its grip.

Well, I was REALLY mistaken. After reading the prologue, I was patting myself on the back for picking a good thriller. Unfortunately, I started on chapter 1 and found I did not like the characters. The more I read, the more I disliked them. Obviously, they was something about them that made them extraordinary individuals. They were witch hunters.

The author's writing style did not appeal, it was just too old fashion for me. If I wanted something like that I would read H. P. Lovecraft. It is completely devoid of any kind of pleasantry. It is so dark that the reader got dragged down and it was very difficult to want to read on anymore.

I read the last few pages and I did not even care that Tobias and Tess wound up in a rather ugly ending. What a waste of time. I managed to get approximately halfway through it and then thought, "I can't do this anymore!" There are probably other readers who will pick this up and like it. That's what's so great about reading, we all have our particular tastes and I'm glad there are writers for each of those tastes.

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Here is a list of themes I've long suspected I had an affinity for (this suspicion was confirmed as soon as I began cataloging the books I read on LibraryThing): magic, supernatural, vampires, superheroes. Clearly, my subconscious wants me to be a powerful vampire magician who works with other supernatural beings to protect the world from evil. All that's left for me to do is figure out how to turn my subconscious' wish into next year's Halloween costume without resorting to vampire fangs, wand, and a sign that reads, "I work with other supernatural beings to protect the world from various forces of evil." Hmmmm. I should probably just focus on reading about those themes instead...

One book that satisfies nearly all my theme preferences is Kelley Armstrong's first teen novel, The Summoning. Set in the same "universe" as her adult novels (our world, only, unbeknownst to us, vamps, werewolves, witches, etc., exist and are *mostly* hiding their presence from we intolerant/scaredy-cat humans), The Summoning focuses on Chloe Saunders, a seemingly normal, happy fifteen-year-old. Normal, that is, until the day she finally gets her period, sees a ghost in her high school's hallway, and has a teeny, tiny, screamingly violent meltdown. The school's administrators consider her episode an indication of encroaching mental illness and insist she spend a few weeks in a group home for mentally ill teens for observation before returning to school. At Lyle House, Chloe meets her house mates, and it soon becomes apparent that their "mental illnesses" just might be supernatural in nature. And their teachers might be doing more than simply caring for the students...

This was fantastic! Armstrong's writing is exciting, her characters are richly drawn, and the story gripped me so I could barely stand setting the book down to go to work and to sleep. Unfortunately, I am forced to dole out a mere four-and-a-half stars out of five because The Summoning ends on a cliff-hanger worthy of the best television season finales. And now I have to WAIT for the next one to find out what happens next!!! ARRGGGHHHH!!!!

I Heart You, You Haunt Me

I wish this book had a better title. I Heart You, You Haunt Me? I mean, seriously? With a title like that, the potential reader can’t be blamed for thinking this book might be a light-hearted, supernatural romance. Actually it’s a much more serious book about how a teenage girl handles the grief of her boyfriend’s unexpected death. Told in a series of free verse poems, the book opens with Ava attending her boyfriend Jackson’s funeral. Understandably, Ava is depressed, and she sinks further in depression, withdrawing from her friends and family, as the book progresses. Though the reader does not learn why until about the middle half of the book, Ava feels responsible for Jackson’s death. When his ghost begins appearing—only Ava is able to see him—both in glimpses in the mirror and then in her dreams where they can hold one another again, Ava feels relieved that he isn’t gone from her life forever. But over time, the haunting begins to feel less like a blessing and more like a curse. And Ava still can’t let go of her guilt. . .

This is a fast read. Some of the poems are more effective than others, but mostly they work together to draw the reader into the story. The first half of the book got a little repetitive for me, as though the author was stuck in a series of “Ava-is-really-sad” poems that dragged the pace down, but the book picks up for the reader willing to hang in there. All of the poems are from Ava’s point of view, which was a nice switch from many novels-in-verse which tend to rely on ever-shifting perspectives to tell the complete story. Since this book is about Ava’s guilt and grief, it only seems right that she narrate it. The ending was satisfying though I felt like I was getting a few pat lessons about living life to the fullest, which I could have done without. Thankfully, the lesson learned portion was pretty light-handed and didn’t spoil the whole thing. A quick read with a slight supernatural touch, this book is really about how a person deals with personal tragedy.

Vamps and Gummies and Ghosts, Oh My!

I know, I know, “who is this Kearsten person and why is she posting here?!?” Yes, it’s been awhile, but I’m finally making another appearance here, even if I’m slacking by blogging about two books that are smack-dab in my genre of choice: the supernatural!(cue spooky music). However, these books do differ in subject matter: one is a graphic novel involving slacker vampires, while another is a soon-to-be-released novel about a teenage girl who is dying to be popular and gets her wish – sadly, she gets the dying part, not the popularity.

Life Sucks, by Jessica Abel, Gabriel Soria and illustrated by Warren Pleece, tells the story of Dave Miller, undead night-manager at Last Stop, a vampire-owned convenience store. Turned when the vampire owner (and Dave’s new Vampire Master), Radu, needed to fill the night-manager position, Dave’s vampire life is boringly routine, consisting of sleep, blood from a bottle and the monotonous manning of the Last Stop’s front counter. The only highlights of his evenings are when Rosa, a goth vampire-wannabe, drops in for snacks with her fellow goths. It’s not until a mean-spirited fellow vamp, Wes, decides to compete with Dave for Rosa’s affections, that Dave’s unlife gets complicated. The view of vampire life in Life Sucks is very different than in, say, Twilight, but Dave’s boredom, his frustration with a literally dead-end job, an obsession with a Spanish soap opera and his fierce crush on Rosa – not to mention his refusal to feed from the living – help make Life Sucks charming and funny. It’s a quick read and you, like I, will finish thirsting for more…

Now, I’m kinda cheating with this next book – I haven’t actually read it, though I did get a chance to “sample” two chapters of Ghostgirl, an August release by Tonya Hurley. The “ghostgirl” in this story is Charlotte Usher, a high school senior who, on the first day of school, chokes to death on a Gummy Bear right after finding out that she’s won the BEST kind of lottery: her hot crush Damen as a lab partner. Talk about life sucking! From the chapters I read, it seems Ghostgirl will be funny and snarky, though there were a couple of references that struck me as a bit old for a teen audience (Young Frankenstein? An old Twilight Zone episode? Election? I knew what she was referring to, but I’m...old.) Truth be told, the biggest reason I’ve already put a hold on Ghostgirl is the promotional material I received for it while at Comic Con this past weekend (yes, I’m a geek, and holy cow was it fun!): cute and ghostly black and hot pink temporary tattoos, and a teeny metal tin (containing gummy bears, of course) upon which is inscribed, “WARNING: EATING MAY RESULT IN SUDDEN DEATH AND EXTREME POPULARITY.”

Hee!

Ghostly Romance

I don't know why I enjoy supernatural relationship stories so much. Maybe it's the forbidden love aspect--maybe it's the supernatural aspect, I don't know. All I know is that every time I read one, I thoroughly enjoy it! This one that I just finished, is one that Karen has always recommended, but I had never gotten around to reading. A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb is about Helen--a ghost who haunts hosts--people--for their lifetime. Her hosts of choice are literature fans. Her current host is Mr. Brown, a high school English teacher. No one has ever been able to see her until one day when a teen boy stares at her in his class. The boy, Billy, terrifies her and entices her to discover how he can see her when no one has ever seen her in the 130+ years she had been a ghost. Billy is actually James, a ghost of 85 years who has taken over Billy's body when he overdoses on drugs. James and Helen learn about possession and love in this lovely written tale of ghost romance.

There are wonderful bits about literature and the ackward attempt at living a teenage life in current times while having the mentality of a 20-something from the 1800s. There's a hilarious scene when James tries to convince Helen to drive so she can get her license. He tells her that it hasn't changed since they had been alive and she has to inform him that she wasn't alive when the automobile had been invented. This for some reason, cracks James (and myself) up, causing Helen to ask primly "Are you making fun of my age?" So there's romance, relationships, trying to adjust to a new life with no memories of that body's life, and most importantly their past life and what happened to them to cause them to die.

Older teens who like Twilight by Stephenie Meyer as well as the Mediator series by Meg Cabot, which I also adored, will enjoy this ghost story!