Showing posts with label family secrets. Show all posts

Seconds Away by Harlan Coben

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Steven

I had no idea this was a sequel. I also had no idea that it was a spinoff of Harlan Coben's adult series. I picked it up and started reading, and was tossed into the middle of a story I didn't know anything about. Seconds Away picks up immediately after the events of the first book, Shelter. Mickey Bolitar finds himself in the home of an apparently crazy old lady who informs him that his dead father is not in fact dead, and that the paramedic that supposedly helped them is in fact a Nazi from 80 years ago, unaged.

I didn't immediately understand any of this, but the story is well recapped so I got the gist of the previous book. Mickey and his outcast friends saved another classmate from a terrible situation, but it left the town and his new school under the impression that he was a troublemaking bad kid.

Now an even sorrier situation comes up: the most popular, prettiest girl in the school (who incidentally helped Mickey out in the previous installment) is now in hospital, having been shot. Her mother was murdered in the same incident. Mickey is determined to get to the bottom of this.

Also, he's trying to make the school basketball team. Priorities, you know?

Seconds Away feels forced, almost as if the author was holding back in the name of writing for teens. That said, it's still pretty page-turney. You can pick it up without having read the first book or the adult series and still get a good idea of what's going on. This is probably best suited to kids who are reasonably advanced readers but are still maybe a little too young for more mature sex and violence. Make no mistake, there is murder here, but nothing graphic.

Classic of the Day: Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Steven

I'm sure I would have loved this as a teen boy. It's short, it's fairly quick to read, it's weird, and it has a strange ending. Now, I'm not loving it, but it's not the book's fault or that of Mr. Vonnegut. Why? It came at the wrong time of my life, probably. But more on that later.

In Cat's Cradle, our narrator, John (or Jonah; he sort of explains that's it's both), tells us the story of his trip Caribbean nation of San Lorenzo and his subsequent adoption of the local religion "Bokononism". Or maybe it's not about that. Maybe it's about John (or Jonah's) investigation of the life of one of the (fictional) fathers of the atomic bomb, Felix Hoenikker and his odd children. Or it's not either of those things. It could be about the madness of the arms race and the uses and absues of science. Point being, a weird made-up religion that everyone believes anyway, a dying dictator, and a crazysuper weapon are all involved. Whatever: it's probably about all these things, and likely some other stuff that I haven't noticed.

Cat's Cradle is filled with lots of pop philosophy that is great for young minds. This is the kind of book the "cool" English teacher would give his students, the one that opens their minds and gets them thinking. It feels a bit rebellious, and is a frequent target of banning. The fairly simple writing and the light humour cover a deeper message, and makes for a thought-provoking story.

As an aside, while I never read this one when I was a teen, I read a couple of others that performed the same role for me: Time Enough for Love by Robert Heinlein and Jostein Gaarder`s Sophie`s World. Both explored philosophical ideas from various perspectives, both got weird in the end and both kept me up all night, just thinking about stuff. I`m sure if I went back I`d find them a bit less appealing, but I loved them at the time. Are there any books that affected you the same way?

Blog Tour: Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Virginia

Thank you for stopping by our blog for the Falling Kingdoms blog tour.

A story of three neighbouring kingdoms and the young people who are caught up in a brewing war, all because of a reckless display of power by an arrogant young lord that resulted in the death of a wineseller's son.

Princess Cleo of Auranos witnessed the whole thing. She could have prevented the tragedy, but she didn't. Now, bearing the guilt of an innocent death, Cleo is sneaking back to Paelsia to chase after a legend to cure her dying sister.

A dangerous endeavour, since Jonas Agallon will hunt her down if he knows she is back in his territory. Jonas, who swears to avenge his brother's death, is planting the seeds of a revolution and forming an alliance between Paelsia and Limeros to take on the wealthy and abundant Auranos.

The focus of Limeros' King Gaius though is not so much on the impending war but on a prophecy surrounding her daughter Lucia that is supposed to come true when she turns sixteen. He is starting to have doubt and is getting impatient, but it's only because Lucia hasn't revealed to him what she is turning into.

The only person she can confide in is her dear brother Magnus, but lately, he seems aloof and temperamental. Little does she know that Magnus suffers everytime he sees her, struggling with growing feelings towards his very own sister.

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes (pen name for Michelle Rowen) is a very readable high fantasy, and readers will easily immerse themselves in this world of political intrigue. The chapters alternate among the three kingdoms, and as the story builds to a crescendo, you eagerly await the inevitable collision of the characters. The cast is a bit uneven though. Cleo and Jonas are much more proactive characters that are fueled with a strong purpose, and the other two pale in comparison and it's difficult to sympathize with everyone's stories. Scenes that should make a bigger emotional impact often felt rushed or came out of nowhere, so they are not as convincing as they can be. I also wish the book will explore and expand on the magic mentioned, but overall, it's a good start to a series.

This book is quite different from the kinds of books we usually talk about on this blog, so just to add a note from our blog's perspective, even though the Assassin's Creed like character on the cover may suggest a promising read for boys, the melodramatic romantic scenes and the overarching theme of forbidden love can be off-putting to some.

Thank you to Razorbill, Penguin Canada, for providing the advanced copy of Falling Kingdoms and inviting us to join the blog tour. Visit the official website.

The Future We Left Behind (UK title: 1.4) by Mike A. Lancaster

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Virginia

A year ago I discovered Mike A. Lancaster's wonderful gem Human.4. I've booktalked this book countless times at the library and always managed to sell it, all thanks to a killer plot that effortlessly draw readers in (it also helps that the book looks short and not intimidating at all, with a killer cover). Coming in November in North America is the sequel The Future We Left Behind (1.4 is a better title) and it's one of the most satisfying sequels I've read.

Everyone reveres Peter's dad, a notable scientist who has successfully engineered artificial life and saved the honeybees from extinction, which in turn saved the plants and saved the humans. So when Alpha challenges his work in class, Peter is impressed. And curious. Who is this girl?

Turns out she is a Strakerite. Peter has been taught by his dad all his life that Strakertites are "superstitious primitives", who believe in the story one Kyle Straker has recorded on tapes detailing the upgrade of humans by aliens. Because people with power and status like Peter's dad have been so outspoken against the non-scientific beliefs of the Strakerites, they're ignored and relegated to the fringes of society.

Now Alpha, a Strakerite, is asking Peter for help. It's difficult for Peter not to be skeptical, but when Alpha shows him a picture of a committee that has conducted scientific research into Kyle Straker, Peter is shocked to recognize a man in the photo: his father. What is he doing there?

The Future We Left Behind is a refreshing sequel because it incorporates and recalls the first book in an ingenious way. The sequel features an entire new set of characters but still advances the story of the first book. Readers will eagerly peel back the layers of mystery surrounding Peter's family, and while reading Human.4 is like watching an episode of Twilight Zone, this second book has the same degree of intrigue and mystery, but feels more personal and has room for more readers' investment in the characters. I have to admit though the book can be hard to sink your teeth into right away, unlike the first book (well, that's what high expectations will do to you). At the same time, if you've read and liked the first book, you'll probably keep reading, and you won't regret it.

Do visit the author's website and blog, and thank you Egmont USA for providing this advanced copy via NetGalley.

Blog Tour: The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner

Posted on August 19, 2012 by Steven

Thanks for dropping by our blog for The Dead I Know blog tour.

The Dead I Know reminds me a bit of I Am Not a Serial Killer. Both are young men working in a mortuary with the dead. Both are lonely, troubled youth, though with different problems. Both have peculiar home lives. Neither was what I expected, and for both books that's where the problem lies. I expected a bit of supernatural story in this one.

Aaron feels like he doesn't quite fit in the world. He lives in a trailer park with Mam, but wakes up in random places. He has terrible, recurring nightmares. And now, he has a job in a mortuary. But with the owner and caretaker John showing him the ropes and helping him get through the stress of dealing with mourning families, Aaron gradually finds that he likes the work, and even comes to discover that maybe he doesn't have to bury his personal life so deeply.

Ultimately, it's hard to tell what this book is about. For me, it was a story about overcoming your past and finding your place in the world despite that past. Aaron suffered terribly, and never really had a chance to deal with it emotionally. The nature of his early experiences are really terrible, though, and that's what confused me about the story. For the sake of the story being told, did it need to be so rough?

Having said all that, the nature of working with the dead as a funeral director is a good draw. There's the potential for gruesome imagery and the possibility of some morbid humor. Whether it actually happens or not is irrelevant; the mere possibility is a selling point, especially for young guys who might otherwise avoid a story like this one about emotional self-discovery.

The Dead I Know is well-suited for book reports. It's not too long, has a troubled character, and a dark secret that stays secret to the even the reader deep into the story.

Thank you Penguin Canada for providing us with the preview copy of The Dead I Know.

Preteen Reads: The Daemon Parallel by Roy Gill

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Virginia

(We're going to take a reader's suggestion (thanks!) and start reviewing books for the preteen crowd too. Here's our first review.)

"It was over coffee and biscuits that Grandma Ives offered to return Cameron’s father from the dead."
Okay, who can resist and is not be intrigued by a first line like that?

When his dad was found dead by the beach, Cameron went to live with his grandma, whom he's met maybe once or twice. Before they get to know each other, she offers to resurrect his dad.
Grandma Ives is not your ordinary grandmother type. There is nothing warm and fuzzy about her, but she does know about The Daemon Parallel, a hidden world that co-exists with Edinburgh, and she knows spells that can raise the dead. That's just what Cameron needs. He misses his dad, and he wants to figure out the cause of his mysterious death, but first, we'll have to see if Cameron has inherited the special powers that will enable him to travel back and forth between the two worlds, to deal with the daemons, and to help his grandma get the right ingredients to complete the resurrection spell.

This impressive debut novel has just the right blend of action, mystery, adventure, magic, supernatural, humour and character development. Most of all, I was surprised at how "right sounding" the voice of Cameron is. The things he said are exactly the kinds of stuff I'd expect a kid to say. Despite the title and perhaps the cover, the book doesn't rely on just grossness or goriness to carry the story, even though you will encounter many daemons in the book, and underneath all the fantastical elements is a boy who is trying to figure out if he's doing the right thing or not. And what a gutsy ending! Not going to spoil it for you, but throughout the book, I was thinking, is the author really going to do that? No way. It's just a red herring I'm sure. No, wait, he's really going there. Nice.

Vodnik by Bryce Moore

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Virginia

Tomas and his family are moving back to Slovakia, a home they've left since he's five years old, after he almost drowned and burned to death at the same time. The first thing Tomas sees when he gets back: a ghost. Not a good start, but that's not all. A few otherworldly beings, and some past acquaintances, have their eyes on Tomas. He is hoping it's just sleep deprivation and jet lag, but when Tomas found out from Death herself that his cousin Katka is going to die, he will have to admit he can see things others can't, and try to figure out who is friend and who is foe to save his cousin.

Pitting humans against powerful figures from myths a la Percy Jackson seems to be the thing to do still, and Bryce Moore did a fine job introducing us to the folklore of Slovakia, and giving us another reluctant hero to cheer for. Good and evil are somewhat ambiguous when it comes to these mythical creatures, especially the trickster Vodnik, so you never quite know who you should like. The book touches on racism and bullying, but those elements become a bit of a distraction from the main plot. Nonetheless, it's a fresh and engaging read.

For extra fun, check out the publisher's blog posts on how the design of the book cover came to be. I prefer some of the other illustrated designs so the book doesn't get dated easily. How about you?
Lee & Low Books: Design 101: How a book cover gets made Part I Part II

Classic of the Day: The Chrysalids by John Wyndham

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Steven

I probably don't need to tell you the plot of The Chrysalids, but I'll give a quick overview of it. David Strorm is born and raised in a village where people with minor abnormalities are considered crimes against nature. He discovers a friend of his has six toes, and is thus if discovered would be banished or killed. As the story progresses, we find that this is likely the remnants of our society after what the locals call the 'Tribulation". Of course, it turns out David, too, has an abnormality: he, along with a few others, are psychic. The story goes as expected from here. People find out, a chase ensues, and our heroes pursue freedom, ultimately escaping to a more enlightened society.

This was the first book assigned to me in Grade 10 English class, and was the first book I read in school that I actually enjoyed. I decided to revisit the book last year to see if it held up, and fortunately it did. The story was engaging, and the rebuilding of a collapsed society is always a fascinating story to tell, particularly when they don't explain how is collapsed in the first place. Backstory is overrated (seriously, I mean that. There is something to be said for leaving details to the imagination). As gamer, the post-apocalyptic world is a familiar one, so that's a plus, and as a Canadian, the setting in remote Labrador is also pretty exciting.

I will say that the writing does seem dated; the language used is a bit formal and certainly full of britishisms. The edition I read used the classic Courier font printed small and close together (this stuff matters!), so that doesn't help the book. But the right sell (Mutants! Post-apocalyptia!) should get it in their hands.

Like I said for Lord of the Flies, I know this is often assigned reading. Get it to them before it gets that far. Nothing kills the enjoyment of a book more than being forced to write reviews and reports and studies on each and every line.

Invasion by Jon S. Lewis

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Virginia

First book of the C.H.A.O.S. series
Colt McAlister has spent a day with real life aliens. Not that he remembers it. CHAOS (Central Headquarters Against the Occult and Supernatural) made sure of that when they invited Colt to a facility posing as a regular military academy to test his abilities and potential. Colt may have lived his whole life in ignorance and bliss, but when his parents were killed in a car accident, he got a tip from a stranger: Your parents were murdered. Your mom was about to expose the omnipotent Trident Industries' mind control scheme and so they had to get rid of her. And from that point on, Colt's normal life is turned upside down, when he discovers more than he ever wants to know about a secret organization and his grandpa's secret past.

I want to like this book, and when I read the first six chapters, I did kind of like it. A little thrown off because you were hit with the story without much explanation, but kids training to be secret agents battling extraterrestrials? Nothing super original, but it can be fun. The story then took a turn once the first CHAOS scene is over, and Colt and the readers both have to go through a lot of secrecy from all the other characters, and impatience started to seep in. There was too much conspiracy talk and the escaping from evil guys scenes got a bit repetitive. Some of the alien creatures and the high-tech weapons and vehicles were pretty cool, and there were some interesting story threads, but not enough to hold my attention. Danielle and Oz, the other two major characters in the book, are much more personable than Colt, which doesn't help either. Invasion did receive positive reviews, and a sequel is coming out in January 2012, so this may be a good one to include in your teen collection for your sci-fi readers.

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Steven

You work in a fast food joint, you've dropped out of college, and you have no prospects for the future. You work with your best friends, none of whom have many prospects either, so while nothing is great, it isn't that terrible either. But as hijinx ensue with your buddies, you bust the brakelight of on an expensive car, and the guy comes in to your restaurant read to bust heads. He sees you, and suddenly his attitude changes.

This is what happens to Sam. It turns out, much to his surprise, that he isn't in fact a normal guy. He's a necromancer. And the guy whose car he busted is one, too. Only much more powerful, the terrifying head of the local Council (of mythical and paranormal beasts and such). And he wants Sam and his powers.

This book reminds me of a YA version of Christopher Moore's style. I suspect the author would appreciate that comparison, and I think it's apt. Moore's books are set in the real world, with real locations and brands that help make the story more absurd when angels and demons appear and everyone in it is witty or sarcastic. Lish McBride pulls the same style here for a similar effect.

Set in Seattle, featuring real city locations, it feels more odd when the weird stuff starts, given that these are real places you could actually visit. It is firmly paranormal: werewolves, fey, necromancy, witches (real magic ones, not Wiccan), zombies, talking severed heads... But it never loses its sense of humour, and never takes itself too seriously. The story is told in a combination of first person from Sam and third person for everyone else, which I find an odd and initially jarring choice, but it settles in pretty well.

Not really for serious fantasy readers, this is more humour than paranormal. When reading the title, think of an Elton John song and of Phoebe on Friends. You'll get what the mindframe you need to be in for this book.

White Cat by Holly Black

Posted on July 19, 2011 by mel

Cassel is from a family of Curse Workers -- people with supernatural abilities to influence others with a touch of their hands. Some can change others' emotions, luck, and dreams -- others can modify memories or even kill.
Because of their dangerous abilities, Curse Workers are feared and considered outlaws. Thing is, though, Cassel is the only one in his family who isn't a Curse Worker. He's always felt like an outsider and been torn between trying to lead a somewhat "normal" life and wanting to be like the rest of his family. He's also haunted by a horrifying event in his life -- the fact that he killed his best friend, Lila, but doesn't understand why and cannot remember the details of the event.
When Cassel has a disturbing dream about a white cat and wakes up sleepwalking, a chain of events follow which cause Cassel to question whether or not Lila is really dead and search for the truth about what really happened that day.
It's difficult to find any paranormal teen fiction that isn't about stunning vampires fighting over werewolf boyfriends or zombies competing for popularity at the local high school these days -- all plots that are too close to chicklit for my taste -- and probably plots that wouldn't interest most teen guys. I did find this story pretty intriguing though. The plot moves quite well, and certainly has a darker, more serious mood, without the superficial high school drama or brand name dropping you sometimes find in other YA novels. The idea of Curse Workers kind of reminds me of the mafia and mobsters of the early 1900s, and the book has some good action and seedy characters.

The problem is though, that the covers published in the US (especially the second and third books with photos of a female looking vacantly into space), might put off some guy readers.

I'm not sure if the covers published in the UK are that much bit better --the dripping red glove is kind of cool but the White Cat cover looks a bit drab.

I've only read the first in the Curse Workers series and reviews of the second and third books makes me fear that the story might morph into more of a romance... which would be a shame as this series really does have a good premise.

The Compound and The Gardener by S. A. Bodeen

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Virginia

Bodeen's books are natural and lend themselves so easily to booktalks. If you work in a school or library, you're probably constantly looking out for books with that great premise or hook to lure potential readers in. In the summer at our library, we get more kids / teens / parents asking for recommendations, and for the guys, my first go to book is The Maze Runner, but when that's out, and it often is (yay!), The Compound and The Gardener are fine choices too.

It's been six years since Eli and his family took refuge in the compound. Luckily his dad had the foresight to build an underground shelter before the nuclear attack. Eli lived with his parents and his two sisters, and he missed his twin brother Eddy and his grandma, who didn’t make it on time. Eli could still hear the sound of the compound door closing on them.

Being cooped up six years in one place will drive anyone crazy, even if your billionaire dad has created an almost exact replica of your old mansion. Lately things had gone for the worse. They discovered that their food supplies had been contaminated and it didn't look like it’s going to last them another nine years before they could safely go back outside. It’s odd that his father would make such an amateur mistake. His father, who'd thought of everything…

One day Eli was messing around with Eddy's laptop, which he only discovered recently when he finally had the courage to enter his brother's room. He was sitting outside his father's office wanting to ask him about his Math homework, and suddenly Eli got an internet connection. Could there be survivors like him outside? Eli quickly signed into chat to see if anyone is online, and then he saw it: Eddy's name on chat. Shaking, he started to type, "Eddy?" and almost immediately, he got a response in caps: "WHO ARE YOU? HOW DID YOU GET MY BROTHER'S LOGIN?" "IS THIS SOME SICK JOKE?" Before he could ask any more, he heard his father's voice: “What are you doing out here, Eli?”

Mason's mom seemed to have an irrational anger towardsTrodyn, one of the world's leading company in global warming research, and had forbidden him to apply for a summer internship there, but what did Mason find in her drawer one day? An old Trodyn employee batch! She's worked there before? Why didn't she say so? That was the last straw. Mason had had enough with all the family secrets. He's old enough now and deserved answers, like where was his father all these years, so he marched right up to the nursing home where his mom worked to confront her.

His mom didn't take care of old people like he had always imagined, but young teens just like him, except that they suffered major brain injuries in various accidents and basically just sat there, neither talk nor move, and stared out all day. While he's waiting for his mom to come back to explain this all, Mason took out a DVD of the only video he had of his dad and put it in the player to calm himself down. You couldn't even see his face, just his hands holding a copy of the Runaway Bunny, but it was enough to relax Mason.

"If you become a mountain climber," said the little bunny,
"I'll be a crocus in a hidden garden."...

"Where am I?" Mason turned and saw one of patients staring wide awake at him.

"If you become a crocus in a hidden garden," said his mother,
"I will be a gardener. And I will find you."

Mason stopped the DVD and walked over, but that was it. The girl had gone back to being totally unresponsive. Maybe he had dreamt it all, so he restarted the DVD, but when it got to the same line about the crocus, again the girl spoke, "Where am I?" As soon as the next line was uttered though, she was gone again.

Why did his father's reading wake her up?

Both of these books are thrilling pageturners. The crazy and scary premises in both of the books will draw readers in right away, and then along the way, you'll be sitting on the edge of your seat waiting to see what's going to happen next. The books are about the difficult choices you've to make in life, and it's frightening to see what people believe to be good intention and what they would do because of it. Can't wait for the author to write another novel...

» Visit the author's website and blog

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Virginia

I have to admit I'm often suspicious of a YA novel written by a bestselling adult author. It seems to be the "in" thing to do these days and the result is sometimes mediocre at best. And taking a quick look at Richard Paul Evans' bibliography leaves me to wonder how he's going to pull off a subject matter quite different from what's in his adult books, but I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed this first book in the series.

Much like Percy Jackson, trouble seems to follow Michael Vey. He's not on his principal's "good" list, and he's a magnet for bullies. Michael tries to stay calm and keep a low profile, because if he doesn't, bad things happen. Well, not to him, but to others, because Michael zaps people with electricity from his hand every time he loses his cool. It's a power his mom has wanted to keep secret, and Michael certainly tries his best to do so, but when he fights back one day against the school bullies, he catches the eye of a couple people. One being Taylor the hot cheerleader, who has more things in common with Michael than he ever would have imagined, but then there is the man who wears sunglasses at night. Just in case the interest is not mutual, he decides to kidnap Michael's mother to get his full attention.

The plot moves along and the mystery unfolds nicely, as Michael discovers the origin of his power and why all these people are after him and Taylor. The guys are very likeable in this book, especially Michael's powerless but loyal best friend Ostin, and the villain is just plenty crazy and scary. Great resourceful kids but not too invincible, and the ending wraps up the action in this book but also provides a good set up for the next one, without being an annoying cliffhanger type. Riordan fans will enjoy this one, and I think it can work for the upper elementary school crowd too.

» Visit the official website

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for providing an eGalley for this novel.

Department 19 by Will Hill

Posted on June 5, 2011 by Virginia

A book I was really looking forward to after reading lots of good things about it on the web, with endorsements like "full of old-school vampires who would rather tear your throat out than kiss your face off" (from the Book Zone) or as the publisher puts it, "make a Darren Shan novel look like a romantic comedy", you've got to wonder what kind of book this is.
Jamie Carpenter was constantly reminded that his dad was a traitor to the country. He remembered the night they came for him and the menacing shadows in the tree. He resented his dad. It's because of him that he and his mom had to keep moving to get away from the gossip. Somehow each town they stop had a way of finding out.
Then one night on his way home, he's attacked by a girl of inhuman speed. It's obvious that this girl could kill him pretty effortlessly, but she hesitated, and that's when Jamie got rescued by a large man who introduced himself as Frankenstein. When they got back home, his mother was gone. Kidnapped. Jamie wanted nothing more than to go find his mom, but Frankenstein forced him into the car and drove him to Department Nineteen, a top secret government agency that specialized in the supernatural, and Jamie found out that his father used to work here, and someone wants revenge and payback and is going to hunt Jamie down till he gets it.
A non-stop action book, with an abundance of gore and some pretty disturbing scenes. A lot of interesting details, especially when it flashes back to the story of Van Helsing and Stoker and the first Dracula, and how Department 19 was created in the first place. Those gothic scenes were great. Love the old-school vampires. What a relief from you-know-what! Love the stakes and the weapons the guys carry. It makes me feel like watching From Dusk Till Dawn again. I also like the slow transition of Jamie from being completely helpless and clueless to taking matters into his own hands. Somewhat predictable plot-wise, but it didn't really take away from the enjoyment of the book. And what a cover! Love it!

The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Virginia

Published originally in 1994 in Spain, this is the story of twin siblings Ben and Sheree, separated at birth by their grandmother, Aryami Bose, to protect them from a mysterious stranger, who has already taken the lives of their parents. Ben was left in the care of Thomas Carter, the head of St. Patrick's Orphanage in Calcutta, where he forms a close allegiance with six other children and forms a secret club called "The Chowbar Society". Meanwhile, Sheree is always on the move with her grandma, hiding out in small villages, not knowing what friendship is. The only companion she has is her father's writings, which she reads and rereads to try to get to know him.

Sixteen years later, Aryami Bose came back to her hometown to pay Thomas Carter a visit in the middle of the night. She knows the stranger is coming back for the twins, he has promised that at their birth, and she must warn Carter. As they discuss the matter at hand behind closed doors, Sheree patiently waits at the entrance of the orphanage. These two visitors at midnight do not go unnoticed though, and among the curious onlookers was Ben, who decides to walk up to Sheree to offer her lemonade.

It was almost impossible to put this book down. It's very well-written and the scenes plays out in your mind so naturally and effortlessly. The story is intense and terrifying, as Ben and Sheree try to evade the evil man with flames. But because of the unwavering friendship of the Chowbar Society, it's so much more than just the story of the twins. Readers will relish peeling open the different layers of the story. My only complaint is that when you get to the very last bit, I didn't quite like who the murderer turns out to be. It doesn't quite work for me, but nonetheless, it's a darn good story.

It's interesting to read other reviews of this book. Many say it's good but it's not "their kind of book". It's marketed as YA so they're expecting something else. Maybe that's why I liked it so much, 'cause it's not a "typical" teen book. I can see it as an upper elementary read though.

Boys Do Read