Category Archives: Clean Fiction
Review: Suspicion by Alexandra Monir
Alexandra Monir
Random House Childrens’ Books
Published December 9, 2014
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After her parents die in a suspicious fire at their family estate, Imogen wants nothing more to do with her family or her heritage at Rockford manor. When her cousin, once her closest friend and ally, also perishes, Imogen stands as the last relative capable of inheriting the property. She returns home alone to the site of countless childhood memories, of which she is now the last survivor. When police uncover evidence that her cousin’s death may not have been accidental, Imogen realizes the murderer must be among the faithful few left nearest to her. The truth will shock her.
This is one of those stories which begins at the climax and leaps back to its beginning to retell events as they happened. It’s not my favorite plot device, but it’s difficult not to invest in this story for its own sake. The pace is quick and the stakes only get higher, sort of like one part Princess Diaries, one part fairytale and one part suspense. It has this sort of otherworldly yet historical flavor to it. Seems odd, but in this case it turns out to be a great mix.
The storytelling is solid and the characters thoughtful and sometimes surprising. The plot is peppered with these really strange moments that at the time seem too bizarre to work into the plot, but the author does a great job of pulling all those odd moments together to make the whole story make sense.
One instance of very mild profanity.
Sexual Content
Brief kissing.
Spiritual Content
Imogen has the power to cause plants to grow and flourish rapidly. There are rumors of a curse on the Rockford family from generations past and rumors of a secret hidden within the garden.
Violence
Police investigate the violent death of a teenaged girl. Few details given, but the cause of death was head trauma.
Drug Content
None.
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Ten Books For Your Young Reader’s Christmas Stocking
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Published by Zondervan January 28, 2014
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About One Realm Beyond
Cantor D’Ahma waited his whole life for this day. Born with a gift to jump between worlds, the young realm walker is finally ready to leave his elderly mentor and accept his role as protector and defender of the realms.
But mere hours after he steps through his first portal, Cantor discovers that his job will be more dangerous and difficult than he ever imagined. The realms are plagued with crime and cruelty, and even members of the once-noble Realm Walkers Guild can no longer be trusted. To make matters worse, his first assignment—finding a dragon to assist him on his quest—has led him to Bridger, who is clearly inept and won’t leave him alone.
With the help of his new friends Bixby and Dukmee, Cantor must uncover the secrets of the corrupt guild before they become too powerful to be stopped. But his skills aren’t progressing as fast as he would like, and as he finds himself deeper and deeper in the guild’s layers of deceit, Cantor struggles to determine where his true allegiance lies
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers on February 14, 2012
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About Wonder
I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.
August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He’s about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you’ve ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie’s just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, despite appearances?
R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels.
Published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers on January 28, 2014
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About Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy
A modern-day fairy tale set in a mysterious museum that is perfect for readers of Roald Dahl and Blue Balliett.
Unlikely heroine Ophelia Jane Worthington-Whittard doesn’t believe in anything that can’t be proven by science. She and her sister Alice are still grieving for their dead mother when their father takes a job in a strange museum in a city where it always snows. On her very first day in the museum Ophelia discovers a boy locked away in a long forgotten room. He is a prisoner of Her Majesty the Snow Queen. And he has been waiting for Ophelia’s help.
As Ophelia embarks on an incredible journey to rescue the boy everything that she believes will be tested. Along the way she learns more and more about the boy’s own remarkable journey to reach her and save the world.
A story within a story, this a modern day fairytale is about the power of friendship, courage and love, and never ever giving up.
Published by Little, Brown and Company on October 24, 2012
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About Who Could It Be at This Hour?
The adventure began in a fading town. Far from anyone he knew or trusted, a young Lemony Snicket started an apprenticeship for a secret organization shrouded in mystery and secrecy. He asked questions that shouldn’t have been on his mind. Now he has written an account that should not be published that shouldn’t be read. Not even by you. Seriously, we recommend that you do NOT ask your parents for this, the first book in his new ALL THE WRONG QUESTIONS series.
Lemony Snicket, in case you don’t already know, grew up to be the author of A Series of Unfortunate Events series.
Published by Random House Children’s/Schwartz and Wade Publishing on August 26, 2014
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About Gabriel Finley and the Raven’s Riddle
A tangle of ingenious riddles, a malevolent necklace called a torc, and flocks of menacing birds: these are just some of the obstacles that stand between Gabriel and his father, Adam Finley, who has vanished from their Brooklyn brownstone. When Gabriel rescues an orphaned baby raven named Paladin, he discovers a family secret: Finleys can bond with ravens in extraordinary ways. Along with Paladin and three valiant friends, Gabriel sets out to bring his father home. They soon discover that Adam is being held captive by the evil demon Corax—half man, half raven, and Adam’s very own disgraced brother—in a foreboding netherworld of birds called Aviopolis. With help from his army of ghoulish minions, the valravens, Corax is plotting to take over the land above, and now only Gabriel stands in his way.
Published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers on March 25, 2014
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About The Mark of the Dragonfly
Piper has never seen the Mark of the Dragonfly until she finds the girl amid the wreckage of a caravan in the Meteor Fields. The girl doesn’t remember a thing about her life, but the intricate tattoo on her arm is proof that she’s from the Dragonfly Territories and that she’s protected by the king. Which means a reward for Piper if she can get the girl home. The one sure way to the Territories is the 401, a great old beauty of a train. But a ticket costs more coin than Piper could make in a year. And stowing away is a difficult prospect–everyone knows that getting past the peculiar green-eyed boy who stands guard is nearly impossible. Life for Piper just turned dangerous. A little bit magical. And very exciting, if she can manage to survive the journey.
Review | Amazon | Goodreads
About Clifton Chase and the Arrow of Light
Clifton Chase is the latest target for bully Ryan Rivales. But after he finds a mysterious arrow in his closet, he takes Ryan’s bet to see who can hit the target. Ryan nails the bull’s-eye, but Clifton’s piece of junk arrow sails out of sight and when he finally finds it, something isn’t right. Somehow, Clifton has been magically transported back to 1485 England, where he meets two princes bullied by their tyrant uncle who locked them in prison to steal their throne. Only after Clifton learns the true meaning of friendship, bravery, and sacrifice can he help the princes escape and find the courage to face his own bully. Befriended by a dwarf, a mythical bird called Simurgh, and a cast of comical characters, Clifton’s fantasy adventure through medieval times is perfect for boys and girls of all ages, and the young at heart. For those who like fantasy kids books like Percy Jackson and Harry Potter.
Published by Little, Brown Books For Young Readers on November 4, 2014
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About The Map to Everywhere
Wherever you need to go–the Map to Everywhere can take you there.
To Master Thief Fin, an orphan from the murky pirate world of the Khaznot Quay, the Map is the key to finding his mother. To suburban schoolgirl Marrill, it’s her only way home after getting stranded on the Pirate Stream, the magical waterway that connects every world in creation. With the help of a bumbling wizard and his crew, they must scour the many worlds of the Pirate Stream to gather the pieces of the Map to Everywhere–but they aren’t the only ones looking. A sinister figure is hot on their tail, and if they can’t beat his ghostly ship to find the Map, it could mean the destruction of everything they hold dear!
In New York Times bestselling author Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis’s first installment of a fantastical new series, adventure, magic, and hilarity collide in the treacherous skies and dangerous waters of the Pirate Stream. Heart-pounding escapades and a colorful cast of characters will have readers setting sail through this wholly original and unforgettable tale.
Published by Random House Children’s on August 26, 2014
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About The Fourteenth Goldfish
Galileo. Newton. Salk. Oppenheimer.
Science can change the world . . . but can it go too far?
Eleven-year-old Ellie has never liked change. She misses fifth grade. She misses her old best friend. She even misses her dearly departed goldfish. Then one day a strange boy shows up. He’s bossy. He’s cranky. And weirdly enough . . . he looks a lot like Ellie’s grandfather, a scientist who’s always been slightly obsessed with immortality. Could this pimply boy really be Grandpa Melvin? Has he finally found the secret to eternal youth?
Review: Wonder by R J Palacio
R J Palacio
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published February 14, 2012
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Fifth grade student August Pullman faces his first day at school. After being homeschooled for his entire previous education, his parents have decided it’s time for him to be around other kids his age. He’s prepared academically. He’s even met a couple of students already who’ve been very kind. But no one has prepared the rest of the school for August and his unusual appearance. When some students turn cruel, Auggie and his few friends band together, determined to outlast the hazing.
The story is first narrated first by Auggie and then others in his life, each of whom battle a deep insecurity, often less visible than Auggie’s. The changes in point-of-view at first seem like it might distract from the depth and poignancy of Auggie’s story. Instead, each adds richness and harmonious layers and broadens the view and understanding of a remarkable boy and his equally remarkable family and friends.
When an author can include an entire commencement speech and make even that jaw-droppingly wow-worthy, the rest of the book can only be more incredible. And with Palacio’s novel, this is most definitely so. Each character is so lovingly crafted. Even Auggie’s parents (let’s face it, a lot of kids’ books have half-created, silly parents) were phenomenal. I adored his entire family.
Each time the story changed to a different point-of-view, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to like the new narrator as much as the previous one, and each time I was proved wrong. There were so many great moments, from the building of friendship between Auggie and his classmates to his sister’s struggles with her own friends. Ack! And the moment Auggie’s dad tells him what really happened to the mask? I was a blubbering mess. So moving.
Not since reading The Book Thief for the first time has a story so fully reached out and latched onto my heart and soul. This is an amazing story, one all young readers and their parents should read.
No profanity.
Sexual Content
Brief kissing.
Spiritual Content
None.
Violence
Boys pick on another boy younger than they are and a fist-fight ensues. It ends quickly.
Drug Content
None.
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Review: The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan and John Park Davis
Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis
Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
Published November 4, 2014
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Master Thief Fin is used to being forgettable. Moments after meeting him, no one remembers who he is. Until he meets Marrill, that is. Danger lurks around every turn when the two are swept up in a daring quest to find the missing pieces to assemble the Map to Everywhere. Fin hopes the key will lead him to his mother. Marrill simply wants to escape the fickle Pirate Stream and get back to her blessedly normal Arizona home. In order to find the map, they’ll have to outsmart a treacherous villain who sees the future and keep him from using it to end the world.
As a fan of an earlier series by Carrie Ryan, I looked forward to reading this book. Since her other book, The Forest of Hands and Teeth was more of a dystopian zombie story – super well-done, by the way – I wasn’t sure what to expect from this very different tale.
This novel is light and playful, full of mischief and warmth. The use of the Pirate Stream was particularly clever, I thought, and added a sense of unpredictability to the story but also made it feel connected to our own world. The unlikely friendship that develops between Fin and Marrill is really charming.
The wordplay is fun and quirky. Fans of Andrew Peterson’s Wingfeather Saga will enjoy this book. Because of the light content, it’s a great read for older elementary school-aged readers.
None.
Sexual Content
None.
Spiritual Content
None.
Violence
Brief battle scenes. Nothing graphic or gross.
Drug Content
None.
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Author Interview: Jill Williamson Talks Inspiration, Lingo and What’s Next
Author Jill Williamson took time from her busy schedule to talk to me about what inspired her award-winning series The Safe Lands Trilogy and what she’s working on next. Here’s what she had to say…
A story is often inspired by a question. What question inspired you to write this novel?
I was at my ladies’ Bible Study, and we were working on Beth Moore’s Daniel book. On screen, Beth asked us to think about some teenage boys we knew and how they might cope if they were taken from their homes and thrust into a Babylonian type of a world. And that’s the question that inspired the Safe Lands Trilogy.
Do you have a favorite character? Is there something about him/her which couldn’t be included in the novel that you’d like to share with us?
At the beginning of the series, Mason was my favorite. I liked his logical way of looking at the world, and his simply wanting to be himself and find acceptance. But by the end, Omar had overshadowed his brother in my heart. Omar makes a lot more mistakes than anyone else in the series, but he always fights to find his way back. I love that about him.
One of my favorite things about the Safe Lands books is the lingo you’ve created. Can you tell us a little bit about how that developed?
I love creating slang. I started by looking up 1920’s slang, which I felt was far enough back that no one would pick up on any matches. That’s where I got the word “Valentine” to be used as a word for a handsome guy. Many of the other words I came up with by brainstorming from my technology. For example, the word “shimmer” as a word for a pretty girl came from the idea that the girls would be wearing roller paint over their skin and that it would shimmer under lights. The word “shell” came from the idea that these people were living like shells of human beings. And “shellie” was a play on that for girls. “Femme” was short for female. And “glossy” was a word I used to mean sexy. For that one I was turning different adjectives around to see which ones might work as slang. It was fun.
What is one question about the Safe Lands series you are often asked by readers?
Whether or not I will write any more Safe Lands books. I don’t plan to. But I originally sold a prequel, which is called Thirst, and Captives to Zondervan. But when they learned that I had intended for the dystopian book to be a trilogy, they opted not to buy the prequel and instead bought the trilogy. So I did write half of a prequel book about a teenage Eli and his youth group friends during the Great Pandemic. Some of the revelations in the Safe Lands series are spoilers for how Thirst ends, though, so I don’t know that I’ll ever publish it.
There are a lot of moments in which Safe Lands characters really wrestle with deep issues, both emotionally and spiritually. What do you most hope that readers take away from this series?
We live in a world in which anything seems possible, and we often think that who someone else is or what they have is better than who we are and what we have. I hope these books might help readers see that sometimes what seems better might actually be worse. That the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of that fence. In fact, the grass might not even be real. It might be AstroTurf! We can all benefit from learning to be thankful and content with who we are and what he have in life.
If you can share, will you tell us a little bit about a new project you’re working on?
Yes! I’ve signed a contract for a new epic fantasy trilogy. I’m very excited about it. It’s tentatively called the Kinsman Chronicles. Here is my logline: In a fantasy world, a grieving prince struggles to solve his beloved’s murder—a mystery that uncovers a conspiracy of apocalyptic proportions.
The first book is scheduled to release in September of 2015.
You post a lot of really informative reviews on your web site. Is there a book on your reading list that you’re most looking forward to reading next?
I’m dying to read Brandon Sanderson’s Way of Kings. I bought it. It’s just really long and I’m so busy. But it’s epic fantasy, and that’s one of my favorite genres. And it’s Brandon Sanderson, and he is one of my favorite authors. So… 🙂
Jill is a Whovian, a Photoshop addict, and a recovering fashion design assistant, who was raised in Alaska. She loves teaching about writing, which she does weekly at www.GoTeenWriters.com. She lives in Oregon with her husband, two children, and a whole lot of deer. Visit her online at www.jillwilliamson.com, where adventure comes to life.
The Safe Lands Series by Jill Williamson
In a dystopian future, eighteen-year-old Levi returns from Denver City with his latest scavenged treasures and finds his village of Glenrock decimated, loved ones killed, and many–including his fiancée, Jem–taken captive. Now alone, Levi is determined to rescue what remains of his people, even if it means entering the Safe Lands, a walled city that seems anything but safe.
Omar knows he betrayed his brother by sending him away, but helping the enforcers was necessary. Living off the land and clinging to an outdated religion holds his village back. The Safe Lands has protected people since the plague decimated the world generations ago … and its rulers have promised power and wealth beyond Omar’s dreams.
Meanwhile, their brother Mason has been granted a position inside the Safe Lands, and may be able to use his captivity to save not only the people of his village, but also possibly find a cure for the virus that threatens everyone within the Safe Lands’ walls. Will Mason uncover the truth hidden behind the Safe Lands’ façade before it’s too late?
Since entering the Safe Lands, Mason has focused on two things: finding a way to free his village from captivity and finding a cure for the disease that ravages many within the walls of the Safe Lands. After immune-suppressive drugs go missing in the clinic, Mason discovers his coworker, Ciddah, may know more about the Safe Lands than imagined…and may have an agenda of her own. At the same time, Mason’s brother Levi is focused on a way to free the remaining Glenrock captives, while Mason’s younger brother, Omar, decides to take the rebellion against the Safe Lands into his own hands as a vigilante.
Soon all three brothers are being watched closely–and when Mason stumbles onto a shocking secret about the Safe Lands meds, his investigation just might get those closest to him liberated.
The Safe Lands have long kept the true meaning of Liberation secret from their people. But after being sentenced to Liberation themselves, Mason and Omar soon discover the truth.
Levi watched his brothers’ public sentencing and tries to hold out hope they are still alive. He is forced to focus his attention otherwise, however, when his new wife, Jemma, is captured and made the Safe Lands’ newest Queen. His only choice to save Jemma may be to take up Omar’s old role of undercover vigilante, leading the rebels in their quest to overthrow the government. But will Levi’s new role be enough?
Meanwhile, Jemma’s sister, Shaylinn, is ready to give birth to the “Safe Lands'” children … but not even Ciddah is sure they can be delivered safely in the midst of a rebellion. And Mason must face the fact Omar’s illness could be fatal.
If they can all unite their efforts, together they may be able to expose the Safe Lands’ lies to the people. But if they fail, they will all surely die.
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