"Beauty is truth, truth beauty" -- LOVE LETTERS TO THE DEAD by Ava Dellaira

Love Letters to the Dead

by Ava Dellaira

“I thought she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I wondered if anyone could ever think that about me.”

“Beauty is truth, truth beauty,--that is all / Ye know on earth, and all  ye need to know.”

Laurel has a secret. Only she knows the entire truth of the night her sister, May, fell to her death from an abandoned bridge. When Laurel’s English teacher asks her to write a letter to a dead person as an assignment, it feels cruel—but Laurel cannot stop writing. Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Amelia Earhart, Jim Morrison, and John Keats are just some of the recipients of her epistolary musings.

You see, Laurel has a lot to discuss. Her older sister’s death hangs over her like a shroud; Laurel is living but not alive. Her mother has fled to California (from Arizona) and Laurel knows her mother blames her for May’s death. Laurel’s father grapples with his newfound status as a single father. And Laurel herself is falling in love with Sky.

Sky presents a kind of salvation to Laurel—she can be her whole person with him, which unfortunately ends up presenting itself as sobbing into the night air. They are each other’s first loves, and the depth of their love will surprise even the most jaded thoughts about young love. When Sky breaks up with Laurel, she relies on her two friends, Hannah and Natalie, to support her through the pain. Hannah and Natalie, though, are working through their own issues, namely their love for each other, Hannah’s abusive older brother, and Natalie’s disenchantment with Hannah’s promiscuity.

When I got the end of the book, I felt entirely wrung out—emotionally, this book takes you through the gamut and sparks memories of first loves and the pain that springs from them. Written entirely in epistolary style, the author does a tremendous job of paralleling the dead person’s life with Laurel’s. Be warned, however, that this book contains sexual situations, underage drinking (a LOT; they drink alcohol every opportunity they get), and some language. I would recommend it for 15+ depending on the maturity of the reader.

A test of loyalty: AN EMBER IN THE ASHES by Sabaa Tahir

An Ember in the Ashes

by Sabaa Tahir

In the recent spate of alternate-world-type dystopias, Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes is a true standout. Combining tense action with thoughtful emotional undertones, the narrative is breathtakingly paced--I finished it in two days.

Laia enlists the help of the Resistance, a band of rebels uprising against the Martial Empire, when her brother is imprisoned by one of the deadliest soldiers of the empire--a Mask. A Mask wears a silver mask over his/her face and trains to kill at the Blackcliff academy. When the Resistance asks Laia to infiltrate the academy as a servant/spy, she does so, and becomes “Slave Girl” to the fearsome Commandant.

The Commandant’s son, Elias, is not like his mother--while he does kill, he has serious doubts about the Martial Empire. Once he is tapped to participate in the Trials, from which the next Emperor arises, he begins to place his trust in unforeseen places and people.

Elias and Laia have a connection which is complicated by Elias’s best friend and comrade, Helene, as well as by a red-haired Resistance fighter named Keenan. As the Trials wage on, Laia becomes more deeply immersed in dangerous Resistance missions--culminating in a tense, action-packed ending that paves the way for a sequel.

This book is different in that it more fully explores philosophical ideas of freedom and love. What does it mean to be free? How many different types of love are there, and what are the consequences of loving the wrong person? In a hierarchal society, who sits at the top, and why? How far are you willing to go to be loyal to your cause?

All in all, this one is not to miss. Can’t wait for the sequel!

A graphic novel for all ages: EL DEAFO by Cece Bell

El Deafo

by Cece Bell

It’s adorable, poignant, and timely. El Deafo follows the story of Cece, a rabbit who contracts meningitis when she is four and becomes deaf as a result. Cece grapples with classmates who condescend to her because of her hearing aids, and classmates who become friends with her solely because she is different. We even follow Cece through her first crush; her mannerisms and thoughts are spot-on. 

At the heart of it all is Bell’s message that we are all different in our ways, and those differences are to be celebrated and understood instead of trapped in societal expectations. The full-color illustrations are well-done, although the characters’ facial expressions could be more revealing. Overall, a great graphic novel to recommend to elementary and middle school children.

Destiny Is Not a Matter of Chance: ASH by Shani Petroff & Darci Manley

Ash

by Shani Petroff & Darci Manley

After the Event, in which seven billion people died, the survivors created a system to ensure nothing like that would happen again.  People are placed into what is essentially a caste or “ring” system, starting with the highest, most powerful Purples through the rainbow to the lowly Ashes.  As people are born, specialists extract their destinies, down to the day and time – and to maintain order, all must fulfill their destiny. Dax is a rarity, a Blank – one whose destiny could not be extracted, the lowliest of the low.  Madden is an elite Purple, being groomed to take over a position on the ruling board.  After Dax’s brothers commit the ultimate sacrifice in the name of breaking free from predetermined destinies, Dax and Madden are thrown together in a plot of intrigue, secrecy, and danger.

While many elements of the plot are left unexplained – for instance, how exactly does a specialist extract a destiny from a baby? – the action is never sparse in this newly-wrought science fiction novel by Petroff and Manley. 

VERDICT: For lovers of stories about rebelling against “the system,” like The Hunger Games and Divergent, the Destined series is bound to entertain and enthrall.

Note: I reviewed this book for School Library Journal.

Sci-Fi Thrills: MARKED by Laura Williams McCaffrey

Marked

by Laura Williams McCaffrey

In McCaffrey’s dystopian science fiction thriller, Lyla lives in a society where criminals are tattooed—Marked—and the schism between the rich (barons) and the poor (miners, farmers, and so on) is palpable and volatile. After becoming Marked for visiting a black market, Lyla undertakes a dangerous spy mission to infiltrate the Red Fists, an unlawful band of misfits, in order to erase her Mark. Complicating the situation is her intense feelings for a childhood friend and newest misfit, Gill; once drawn into the Red Fists’s web of rebellion, Lyla must make important choices on what and whom to sacrifice. Comic-style strips are included throughout that give some background on Lyla’s society. 

VERDICT: Full of fast-paced action and ethical quandaries, fans of Daughter of Smoke & Bone and The Forest of Hands & Teeth will enjoy this latest offering from McCaffrey.

Note: I reviewed this book for School Library Journal.

They Call Me the Voodoo Woman - GATHERING DEEP by Lisa Maxwell

Gathering Deep

by Lisa Maxwell

More of a companion novel than a sequel to her well-received Sweet Unrest, Maxwell focuses on Chloe and Thisbe in this atmosphere-packed fantastical mystery. Reeling from the aftermath of finding out that the evil witch Thisbe is her mother, Chloe becomes determined to sever all ties and influence from Thisbe’s dark magic. When her on-off boyfriend, Piers, vanishes on his way to deliver a historical artifact, Chloe knows that Thisbe is behind his disappearance. Enlisting the help of friend Lucy, Voodoo queen Mama Legba, and Mama Legba’s nephew Odane, Chloe gathers all her strength in order to conquer Thisbe’s nefarious influence. The narrative is peppered with fascinating Voodoo rituals and beliefs, heightening the suspense.

VERDICT: As with Sweet Unrest, where Maxwell’s novel excels is in its heady, Southern-drenched mood. Recommended for fans of Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Jackaby.

Note: I reviewed this book for School Library Journal.

The Self-Absorbed Artist: THE DREAM LOVER by Elizabeth Berg

The Dream Lover

by Elizabeth Berg

Boy, where do I begin with this one? I love a good historical fiction, especially if the historical fiction in question is focused on a famous literary figure. For instance, I recently read Mr. Emerson’s Wife, and was pleasantly surprised at the supposed nuances of Mrs. Emerson and Mr. Emerson himself. Even though they were not perfect characters, I rooted for them to each find their own version of happiness.

But Aurore Dupin, as known as George Sand, is a severely unlikeable character. The novel bounces around from her childhood to her rise to literary prominence. I imagine the childhood scenes are to paint a picture of a complex girl, but all it does is cause me to wonder what made George so unlikeable.

George marries a man she does not love, and regularly abandons her children to go write and hussy around in Paris. Even during her “scheduled times” with her children, she often left them with the servants and went away on love trips. Someone so self-absorbed and selfish is not a heroine in any sense of the word.

Everything must revolve around George and her happiness with her love life; she takes on many different lovers, which in itself is not a big deal, but she is still married for the majority of them. Also, she becomes so wrapped up in her love affairs that she neglects her children and her home.

While I realize that many “great artists” of that time were definitely outside of the societal box, there is not much to redeem the character, and/or the person, of George Sand. If Berg’s goal is to create a thoroughly reprehensible character, then she succeeded. The mere fact that this novel's protagonist enrages me so much is testament to the excellent character building by Berg. Recommended with the caveat that you will be annoyed with George!