Best Book Bets - 10/23/2012

Fall into a good book!

A Halloween is just around the corner and I have a few more sure-fire frights to put a little extra chill in your evening. Throw in some smart mysteries and a real life OMG scary nonfiction book and you are set for a week of quality reads.

(Thomas Dunne)

Little Star  by John Ajvide Lindqvist, trans. by Marlaine Delargy

CLOTH. John Ajvide Lindqvist has given us some of the most heartfelt horror in a decade. Let The Right One In and its two film adaptations has just as much heart as blood spewing from it. Equally his second novel, Handling the Undead, gave zombies and their loved ones a soul. Now instead of giving old horror conventions a humanist slant he creates a  new and terrifying vision. This spectacular piece of horror combines the contemporary scares of Stephen King,  and ventures into the pathological world of Peter Straub. A man finds a near dead baby in the woods and with his wife they raise her in their basement. She is stolen by their son and she ends up competing in a American Idol type competition. What results is a siren's song for the media bloated modern age. Then... wow! Its great to actually fear a book again. Its been a long while. The horror bar has just been raised!

(Algonquin)

The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro

CLOTH.  All around the world, but especially here in New England, no crime thrilled the imagination more than the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist. Boston was dumbfounded when 5 mil of irreplaceable treasures disappeared from its walls. This event is the jumping off point for this clever crime novel. Claire Roth is given the moral decision of her life; make a spotless reproduction of one of the Degas masterpieces that were stolen that day in exchange for a museum showing of her work and the fame that would surely follow. A deal with the devil is struck and what follows is one reveal after another. Was the stolen painting itself a forgery? If so, then where is the original? Who's deceiving whom? This novel will keep you guessing as its beautifully written passages transcend the usual thriller trappings being more about Claire battling selling out and her love of art. 

(Mysterious)

Jimmy The Stick  by Michael Mayo 

CLOTH. Another crime, decades before that captivated the American public was the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby. The homeland panicked, fearing for their own children and the authorities scrambled not only to capture the criminals but quell the mass panic. In the midst of this all is Jimmy, a career mobster and bootlegger who ran his own speakeasy. Prohibition's taboo pubs were a place where the police and the crooks met in private, each looking out for the other and looking the other way. Right after the abduction Jimmy is beat up for no apparent reason. He ends up being dragged back into the crime world  to protect his ex-partner's son from being kidnapped. There he finds new temptations and has run ins with the likes of Meyer Lansky and Lucky Luciano; people well aware of his shady past. A well researched historical crime novel that takes the back road to capture the most dangerous era in U.S. history. A great followup after reading Lehane's Live by Night.

(Knopf)

Phantom  by Jo Nesbo

CLOTH. If you are one of the millions of people who were caught up in the whole Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy madness, you MUST know of Jo Nesbo. If not, stop reading and run to your bookseller to pick up one of his novels now. The Harry Hole novels start with The Redbreast but his latest novel stands alone enough for you to start with the latest, Phantom. Here Harry has now put down his badge, and transplanted himself to Hong Kong. He searches to clear the name of a former lover's son. No longer an officer makes for a rewarding read for now its the mission of a solitary rogue. Back in Oslo he finds him back on the drug-addled streets fighting his old ghosts. The dank Norwegian backdrop that set the tone of Larrsen's books hangs here as well. Save for possibly The Snowman (now being made into a movie by Martin Scorcece) this is Harry's best outing to date. Even though there is not a strong female leads like Lisbet this series will become one of your new favorites.

(Chronicle)

True Blood; Eats, Drinks & Bites from Bon Temps 
 by Gianna Sobol w/ Alan Ball, Karen Sommer Shalet

NONFICTION/COOKING CLOTH. Just in time for Halloween! If you are like many True Blood fans and are less than whelmed by the latest season of the television adaptation to Charlene Harris' vamp/mystery series you are in need of something meaty to sink your teeth into. Here you get selections from the menus of Fangtasia and Merlotte's Bar and Grill from the series. Many recipes play off many of the crucial scenes of the series, presented by the many colorful, fictional characters of the series. Even the series creator pitches in. Most importantly, there are 85 party foods that will be the hit of your boo-tiful buffet! Tons of photos from the show of the delicious food that plays integral bit parts in the series. Take a slice of Bon Temps home and hope that the series finale can redeem its current lull. (or, better, just wait for Harris' finale!)

(W W Norton)

Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic 
 by David Quammen
NONFICTION, CLOTH. First published in the beginning of the year this alarming study gets the big pub treatment. Filling the population with more dread than IEDs is the question of what will be the next killer strain to come down the pike. Its a global fear that we find difficult to admit to. To date Ebola, SARS, AIDS, and Hendra all curse the population and baffle the medical community. Where do this resilient and relentless evils come from? Wild animals! Forget about fears of monkey attacks, horse kicks and bear maulings, its the bugs carrying this spillover that we need to worry about. This alarming study reads like a Michael Critchton novel as it analyses know super viruses and speculates on future catastrophies. Who needs distopian fiction when non-fiction reads like this.

 Young Adult Hot Picks of the Week!

(Harlequin Teen)

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

YOUNG ADULT, CLOTH. NO. This isn't another of those endless mash-up novels that followed Pride, Prejudice and Zombies. This is a young adult novel by paranormal romance queen-pin Gena Showalter. Alice wakes one morning to discover that the monsters her Dad told her of are real and are coming for her (They're coming for you, Barbara??- Night of the Living Dead reference... never mind.) Its her legacy of sorts. In this new world of survival she teams up with bad boy and conveniently available love interest Cole. Ali soon learns that some things are more dangerous than zoms. Boys with secrets. The melancholy journal approach to Alice battling her romantic dorkiness keeps this book from being just another rehash of zombie apocalypse scenarios. This is the first of the White Rabbit Trilogy so don't expect a lot of tied up ends here. WARNING: You must love romance for this to be a sure bet, but, if you do, its unconventional approach, weaving in Lewis Carroll references breathes new life into the genre.

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole
YOUNG ADULT, CLOTH. Another New York Times bestselling paranormal romance author who is throwing her hat into the YA novel ring is Kresley Cole. Part of me thinks its unfair for heavy hitters like Jodi Picoult and James Patterson to push there way into Young Adult fiction but sometimes it works when they show other authors how its done. Case in point, Cole's Arcana Chronicles, a post-apocalyptic tale  (sorry, devoid of zombies) of Evangeline, her horrific visions of the future, and the tarot cards that drive them. Evie, as every girl needs to in a romance novel, finds her bad-boy. Jack's talents exhibited on his mile-long rap sheet do well to keep her safe as she prepares for a kind-of teen The Stand, the ultimate battle between good and evil. If that's how the lines are being drawn, then which side would Jack be on? Hmmm. Showalter's novel is classic romance making Poison Princess more susceptible to the pitfalls of the genre. She is smart enough to keep the action flowing before the romance bogs the story down. Evie could save the world—or destroy it, but not for two more books worth of hubba hubba so expect a cliffhanger. Same WARNING as given about Gena Showalter applies here, for romance novel lovers only.

(Harcourt)

The Last Dragonslayer: The Chronicles of Kazam, Book One  
by Jasper Fforde

INDEPENDENT READER, CLOTH. Now if somebody has the imagination to take a break from genre-defying fiction to write a children's series its Jasper Fford. He gives us a wacky fairy tale set in the modern day. The Ununited Kingdoms is run by magic. Once magicians were revered and their feats amazing but now in the day of modern science it is nothing more than a birthday party novelty. Enter Jennifer, founder of Kazam, an employment agency for magicians, not a good business plan in a world where magic is drying up. Then comes the prophecies of the death of the last dragon and the coming of Big Magic. You can imagine, Jennifer's work and her life get busy and quick. The off-beat comedic writing keeps the whimsy of the tale intact and Jennifer's character is the logical anchor keeping this crazy world together. Overall an inventive social parody.

                            

(Little, Brown)

Who Could That Be At This Hour?   
by  Lemony Snicket

INDEPENDENT READER, CLOTH. He's back!!! This is not the further adventures of those meddling kids but the first of Snicket's autobiographical quadrology, All The Wrong Questions. (but, can we really believe anything this narrator says?) So begins another foray into the world of subversive children's storytelling. First things first; this book should NOT be read, it speaks truths best untold and tells the secrets of secret societies. Read at your own peril. That said, this is actually a bit of a prequel to A Series of Unfortunate Events. Here we find the author's incessant wordplay and similar oddball characters but this time its more hard-boiled, a kid caper noire. The solution to this novel will be revealed while leaving a dozen Red Herrings and MacGuffins in his wake. Or are they?? Great fun, welcome back!

Halloween Treats 10/16/2012

Celebrate All Hallow's Read with this selection of ghastly good reads for boils & ghouls, from adult to little ones. We present these in time for you to special order them from your local bookseller if they don't already have them on their shelves. When you order them, tell them the Literary Bookie sent you!

(CHECK OUT THE ALL HALLOW'S READ TAB ABOVE TO LEARN OF THIS NEW TRADITION AND FIND A LIST OF PREVIOUSLY RECOMMENDED SCARY READS FOR TEENS) 

(Ballentine)

The Twelve by Justin Cronin

CLOTH. If you haven't already read Cronin's The Passage (now available in mass market paperback!) then you missed the best epic scare this side of King's The Stand. The combination of government conspiracy, post apocalypse survival and man-made vampire killing machines keeps you riveted to the page as you follow a small group of survivors from different walks of life search for meaning in the nightmare. The second installment in The Passage Trilogy  has to battle the sophomore jinx and does so with the minimum amount of slack. Pre-viral attack history exposition starts to distract from the main characters quest but that's because Cronin has ratcheted up the suspense to such a high level that anything less than salvation would be a distraction. It is a trilogy and he can't give up the marbles midway. The hefty volume reads like a Hollywood blockbuster war movie with the future of humanity in the balance. Big plus for recommending this is, well, if you read The Passage, you have no choice but to read The Twelve, if just to get to the finale of the next book. Also, after reading, you'll never want to look at a sparkly vampire again.

(Pantheon)

The Fifty Year Sword  by Mark Z. Danielewski

CLOTH. If you ever read (or is it fair to say experienced) House of Leaves then you know who Danielewski is and what to be prepared for. This novella, first published in 2005 finally hits the States in time for All Hallow's. The Storyteller reads at a Halloween Party. The stories wind down the sides of the pages, color-coded for the orphans being read to and about, as the real scary story, the tale of a seamstress tortured by a rocky divorce battling her needs for revenge unfolds. The Storyteller character and the author Danielewski both play the puppet masters as they use their at times experimental skills of tale telling to leave you with a palatable feeling of disquiet (the author is famous for typographic mischief). This dissertation on our darkest impulses will make conventional readers perhaps scratch their heads but for Danielewski's fanbase, it will bring a devilish smile.

 (St. Martin’s Griffin)

A Book of Horrors edited by Stephen Jones
ANTHOLOGY, CLOTH. (reviewed last week but...) 'Tis the season with Halloween just around the corner! In a day when practically every anthology in horror and sci-fi has a theme or sub-genre (or just a general regurgitation of reprinted classics) it is refreshing to find a new compendium of stories by a cross section of contemporary masters. Yes Stephen is King and a new short story from him is always welcomed and trust me when I say the tale The Little Green God of Agony does not disappoint. Add veteran Ramsey Campbell, the incomparable Caitlin R. Kiernan (her Charcloth, Firesteel and Flint one of this book's highlights) and horror master Richard Matheson's progeny Richard Christian Matheson (like King's son, Joe Hill) and you are building quite an ensemble of macabre. A welcome addition to any horror lover's library.

(Pelican)

Halloween Nation: Behind the Scenes of America's Fright Night  by Lesley Pratt Bannatyne 

NONFICTION TRADE. Next to Christmas, Halloween is the biggest holiday here in the States, frightening as that sounds (just ask any retailer). Its no longer just kiddies and candy either and Bannatyne acts as a Halloween archeologist as she examines how the holiday went from Samhaim to the cultural phenomena it is today. To quote one of Edgar Winters' album titles, They Only Come Out at Night. and Lesley walks with them in that dark night and we get up close and personal with everyone who can't wait until October 31st, from Goths to pumpkin enthusiasts, Bannatyne unearths just what fuels our obsession.Moo ha ha!

(Carolrhoda)

The Curiosities; a Collection of Stories 
by Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, Brenna Yovanoff

YOUNG ADULT, CLOTH. Otherwise known online as The Merry Sisters of Fate, this triumvirate of teen paranormal novel writing decided to clean out the drawers of their writing desks and publish a collection of short stories. The Curiosities is a great title for this collection, especially for their fanbase. Within this collection of the best of over 250 stories they had posted online you see the writer's revisit themes more fleshed out and their major works. The stories serve as a work place where they can flex their creative muscle. Coolest attribute to this collection is the author's sidebars that serve like bonus material when you buy a DVD. They explain their thought process pertaining to the story being read, a glimpse at process that is valuable to fans and aspiring teen writers alike. Who knows, this book might spawn another Fate Sister. That would be quite scary.

.

(Farrar, Straus,Giroux)

The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski

YOUNG ADULT, CLOTH. Like living through the great Chicago fire wouldn't be scary enough, imagine waking up to an alternative reality where the event didn't happen? That's just what happens to Darcy. She tries to adjust to how she perceives this new world (how many teens always feel like its not the world gone mad, it must be them.) She acclimates to school and even a new love interest. Meanwhile pesky monsters called Shades plague the earth and her existence may be tied to them. To save her sanity and possibly this troublesome new world she infiltrates the society of the Shades to learn their plans for world annihilation and to discover her true fate. Smart, romantic, action-packed, and down-right spooky, Rutkoski delivers a fresh take on the apocalypse.

                              

(HarperCollins)

The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver, illus. by Lacopo Bruno

INDEPENDENT READER, CLOTH. Take your classic brother/sister combo and throw in a dollop more creepy than in your average IR fantasy and you get this welcomed adventure of Liza. Her life gets complicated when she wakes up to find that Spindlers, spidery soul stealers had gone off with her younger brother's as he slept. To save her brother Patrick, Liza, a broom as her sole weapon, will need to go to the ends of a phantasmic world full of creatures, both familiar and original, that serve as obstacles and alliances on her trek to save her brother. Yes, there is an evil queen and instead of flying monkeys, sleazy rats do her bidding. All the storybook conventions are here but Oliver makes it all seem fresh. The results is a nail biting ride for our heroine as she fights to protect that which she loves. A new scary  for the younger reader.
 

(Random House)

Tales From Lovecraft Middle School by Charles Gilman

INDEPENDENT READER SERIES, CLOTH.  
Welcome to Lovecraft Middle School, where creeps roam the hallways and the entrance way to the underworld may be just behind your homeroom door. We're not talking Grimm, Poe, or especially Lovecraft here, but series like this, R.L. Stines' Goosebumps and Cirque de Freake are a good stepping stones to more substantive writing. These are easy reads with a nice serving of slimy scares to keep the hesitant reader turning pages. Volume 1 - Professor Gargoyle. Here we are introduced to the bizarre school where our new student Robert meets up with the "mad" science teacher, an infestation of pests and the secret of the school, that it may be the portal to the realm of the Ancient Ones.

(Random House

Volume 2 - The Slither Sisters
 Robert continues investigating his new school only to discover that two of his female classmates are actually Medusa-esque monsters. Don't you hate that when that happens? We are not talking a brain trust of clever writing that would keep an independent reader entertained but that is with intent. Gilman knows what keeps early readers reading and there he succeeds big time. Throw in some obligatory tentacles (Lovecraft without tentacles, are you daft!?) and monsters that get ticked off when you start discovering their secrets and you have a superior sequel in this series. Throw in an alternative universe and portals and you keep the kiddos guessing. BONUS: Each volume is illustrated (less words, happy non-reader) and features a lenticular portrait on the cover (that means they change from normal to monstrous as you pass by!)
      

(Simon & Schuster)

Creepy Carrots  
by Aaron Reynolds, illus. by Peter Brown

CHILDRENS, CLOTH. What child doesn't think that his food is out to get him? Maybe beets or cauliflower but his nor her favorites? A lot might after being read this little, creepy gem. Jasper the rabbit starts getting stalked by the very carrots her loves to eat, especially the ones he takes from the field. Think of this as Peter rabbit in The Twilight Zone. Brown's illustrations are whimsical and grow increasingly spooky as Jasper's paranoia builds. A fun tale of guilt, greed, and obsession (sounds heavy but trust me it isn't, it just has a morsel of a moral as all good storybooks should.) In the end this book will make parents smile as well as the child. Also has an eBook to pair with your reading.
      

(Little/Brown)

Monster's Monster  
by Patrick McDonnell

CHILDRENS, CLOTH. The juxtaposition of proportions makes this spooky book a real treat. Three mini monsters think they are the scariest, baddest, and especially biggest monsters that ever walked the earth. That is until they stumble upon a Frankenstein monster that towers over them making them reconsider just how monstrous they are. They learn something more too, not all big things are scary and friends can come in all size packages. The illustrations are precious and the story is spooky lite with a tender message tucked in as a little treat.


      

(Little Simon)

Hush Little Monster  
by Denis Markell, illus. by Melissa Awai

CHILDRENS, CLOTH. I'm a sucker for stories that rework lullabies and the like (5 Little Pumpkins for example) They are fun to read in a sing-song manner and boils and ghouls love that. Here we have a reworking of Hush Little Baby that's perfect for a Halloween night, especially if the little one got the willies scared out of them during the evening. Empowering the child as a monster always does the trick! Starting with,  Hush, Little Monster, don’t you howl. you will be on the way to a happy little creature fearless against the dark.

(Scholastic)

Monster Mash  
by David Catrow

CHILDRENS, CLOTH. In 1962 The Monster Mash was a graveyard smash. The novelty record by Bobby (Boris) Pickett and his Crypt Kicker 5 was all the rage, hitting number 1 spot on Billboard and became the most loved Halloween song of all time. David Catrow applies the same sentimental reverence in this storybook adaptation that pairs the lyrics with remarkable illustrations that are a celebration of the hit single in all of its goofiness. They're all here, Drac, Wolfman, feasting vampires and jolted ghouls. Before you know it both you and your creeps will be singing along, maybe even trying the mash for yourself! (FYI- take the Mashed Potato and add some Frankenstein moves and you've got it.) Question is still out there though, "Vhat ever happened to the Transylvanian Twist?" 
  

(Holt)

Awesome Autumn by Bruce Goldstone

CHILDRENS NONFICTION, CLOTH. O.K., I get it. Some parents get all bent out of shape about Halloween and recruiting children into the legion of the dark lord. Well, everyone has to admit Autumn rocks! I feel bad for people who live where it is a non-event because, in New England, it's... it's, well, awesome. Here is a collection of nature's events (leaves changing, harvest, migration, etc.) with a minimum of the Halloweeny. It even celebrates football, leaf piles and ultimately Thanksgiving. Its not all boring facts either. A bunch of photographs and crafts are crammed inside. Almost as fun as making a costume, getting treats and reading a spooky story.

Best Book Bets - 10/09/2012

Put another log on the fire!

A week without blockbusters is a great excuse to focus on some superb titles who's subtlety can be easily dismissed when perusing the stacks. I am fascinated that, quite by coincidence, many of the following titles share thematic attributes. Take a deep breath of the mulled-cider before you and prepare to be moved.

(Knopf)

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

CLOTH.  How would you reconnect with a parent who is only month away from hospice. Embrace their bucket list, maybe. How about a literary bucket list? Will does just that with his mother Mary after she is diagnosed with a fatal cancer. She shares her world view through her selections and he offers up some contemporary chestnuts as the two embrace life through the pages of books. The result is a triumphant testament to the power of the written word as it illustrates how our relationship with reading shares the same spiritual bonds as those between parent and child . “What are you reading and what does that say about you?” To share a book is to share something that helped sculpt your soul.

(Simon/Schuster)

Love Anthony  by Lisa Genova 

CLOTH. I can't tell you how many people who's family has been effected by Alzheimer's disease whom I have recommended Genova's Still Alice. I was taken by its emotional honesty as it put into words conflicting emotions. Her latest effort presents another delicate subject with the same unflinching style; grief and how healing can come from the least expected places in your life. Set in Nantucket (I always love a good New England setting) Olivia mourns the passing of her young autistic child while Beth is trying to move ahead with her life after a marriage of infidelity. Beth uses writing as therapy and discovers the voice of her protagonist just may be autistic. The two women support each other in their emotional rescue guided by a wide-eyed child who may have never left. The paranormal suggestion makes for a  great device to allow both women to move on.
   

(Random/Hogarth)

The Forgiven  by Lawrence Osborne

CLOTH. The clash of Western opulence and destitute survival is the underlying theme of this disturbing personal thriller eloquently written by journalist Osborne who obviously walked the sands of Morocco where this novel is set. A member of the privileged 3%, David, and his friend Jo accept an invitation to a three day party at a desert villa. During the weekend they go on a drunken road trip where David kills a local in an accident. He returns to the party with the body, the identity of the murderous infidel is discovered, and a fatwa of sorts is cast on him. What follows is a power keg on tension as the revelers continue partying on in spite of the tragedy and the help, the grieving father and the surrounding community seek accountability and revenge. The novel reads like a Moroccan Bonfire of the Vanities. As other-worldly as the locale reads the underlying political tension couldn't feel more like home in the land of the haves and have-nots.

 

(St Martins)

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend  by Matthew Dicks

CLOTH. There are so many hues in the spectrum of autism and Asperger’s it proves difficult to identify and manage the children who are differently challenged. Also, behavioral conditions aside, how many people had an invisible friend at one point in their lives to help them through some difficult times. Most eventually move on relying on things grounded in the here and now. Not so with Max who clings on to his imaginary pal Budo longer than most. What follows is an adventure of sorts as adults try to do what's best for Max, Max himself tries to defend the existence of his friend in the cruel world of childhood and learn to survive in a world without imagination. Did I mention that the book is written in the perspective of Budo? Now you have to read it, right? You'll be glad you did. To quote Budo, "Just believe."

(Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

CLOTH. The setting of this inventive, I guess you could say, work of speculative fiction rather than traditional science fiction, reminds me of a high tech version of Ye Olde Curiosity Shop. The title is where Clay finds himself working after jettisoning himself from the hungry do eat dog world of tech design. The store is not what it seems it is and Clay becomes obsessed on learning the truth behind the idiomatic store and its mysterious owner. What follows is the literary equivalent of The Matrix, a tale worthy of Vonnegut. Sloan has fabricated a novel that is not only a celebration of high tech tom-foolery, but a testament to the transformative powers of print.

 (St. Martin’s Griffin)

A Book of Horrors edited by Stephen Jones

ANTHOLOGY, CLOTH. 'Tis the season with Halloween just around the corner! In a day when practically every anthology in horror and sci-fi has a theme or sub-genre (or just a general regurgitation of reprinted classics) it is refreshing to find a new compendium of stories by a cross section of contemporary masters. Yes Stephen is King and a new short story from him is always welcomed and trust me when I say the tale The Little Green God of Agony does not disappoint. Add veteran Ramsey Campbell, the incomparable Caitlin R. Kiernan (her Charcloth, Firesteel and Flint one of this book's highlights) and horror master Richard Matheson's progeny Richard Christian Matheson (like King's son, Joe Hill) and you are building quite an ensemble of macabre. A welcome addition to any horror lover's library.

Young Adult Hot Picks of the Week!

(Hyperion)

Jepp, Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh

INDEPENDENT READER, CLOTH. This existential fairy tale has everything I love in a classic children's tales. The consummate underdog, Jepp, a dwarf who has been denigrated as a court jester, an insurmountable Goliath of oppression, in this case the Spanish Infanta, and a cast of star-crossed characters with enough heart to make the impossible possible. Marsh's research of the time and place coupled with the magic of being awestruck by a night sky and perhaps by the limitless potential in life delivers a slap dash plot that fulfills the promise of the best children's classics. This book is as destined as is characters for greatness.

                            

(Greenwillow)

The Peculiar by  Stefan Bachmann

INDEPENDENT READER, CLOTH. 'Do robotic owls dream of electric mice?' Just askin'. Take classic fairy tales and add a steam punk aesthetic and you get this fresh debut by 18-year-old Bachmann (who was a mere teen when he started writing) who's rich writing style belies his age. Like suggesting children read Paoli's Eragon because he was near their age when he wrote it is just one of many reasons to suggest this book to children of all ages. Everything old is new again as peculiars Bart and Hettie are takes on the Irish legend changelings, babies taken in infancy and switched with inhuman doppelgangers. Neither human, nor fairy, they are shunned by society when discovered. When the two investigate some very odd goings-on they quickly wish to be ignored. This wind-up Gothic tale adds a humorous slant to fairy tale conventions as characters like Jack Box, Raggedy Man (all composites of classic characters) and the changeling children get swept into a murderous mystery that could only occur in the mind of the young.

Best Book Bets - 10/2/2012

Pumpkins, cider, and a great read!

The winds have changed. The leaves changed hue, struggling to stay on their soon-to-be-bare limbs. The skies have grown darker and so has the bounty of powerful reads this week. Wrap yourself in your favorite comforter with one of these sure-things, spike your drink with cinnamon, and welcome Fall in all its richness.

 

(William Morrow)

Live by Night by Dennis Lehane

CLOTH. If you thought J.K. Rowling was the big Fall release then this book simply wasn't on your radar. Talk about a perfect storm of book release timing, just when Boardwalk Empire has made everything prohibition era hip, mystery writer extraordinaire, Lehane gives the era the Boston Irish treatment in this powerful stand-alone novel. Cutting his teeth on his great American novel, The Given Day, has allowed him to balance this thriller with a historical resonance that in previous efforts took a back seat to his plotting. Its the classic prohibition story a young lad armed with ambition seduced by the underbelly of society but in Lehane's hands what could feel like cliches come across as vital flesh and blood. As our protagonist, Joe Coughlin, rises to power in the world of crime in Florida's Ybor City he becomes a prohibition Tony Montana, clouded by excess and haunted by a doomed fate. With a brilliantly realized cross section of 20's society, this novel raises the bar once again for this formidable master who has elevated what was once genre fiction into literature.

(Simon and Schuster/Atria)

Something Red  by Douglas Nichols 

CLOTH. Trust me, give me a fantasy novel with a sword-wielding hero protecting a damsel from beasts and I start to grown as I quickly put it back on the shelf. That's just me, perhaps I was spoiled by La Morte D'Arthur. But take the setting of a good English murder mystery and throw in a cast of sorcerers, shapeshifters and other mythological icons and you have one unique novel in the works. Molly, a gifted healer, struggles through a 13th century winter. She is keenly aware that her loved ones and her are being pursued by something otherworldly. They seek shelter in a castle that isn't really there and things start getting strange and fast. The combination of real characters being thrown into this fantasical world of ninja monks and battling knights and a well paced menace in the dark of the woods keeps the pages turning. Good first outing, Nichols!
 

 

(St. Martin’s Dunne)

This Book Is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don’t Touch It   
 by David Wong

CLOTH. Wong's first novel John Dies at the End had the most repugnant cover in recent memory, a severed hand in full color.  Now the book is in production as a movie with Paul Giamatti in the lead role and the author delivers one equally grotesque and humorous sequel. As a unique combination of Clerks slacker mentality with F. Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack's resourcefulness, the dubious John and Dave discover that the whole zombie craze in the media has created a type of mass hysteria that creates what at first seems like a zombie apocalypse. What is really happening makes zombies seem like puppy dogs as this rollicking tale fakes you out with humor only to give you a few good gut-wrenching thrills. You got horror in my comedy! No, you got comedy in my horror. Either way, heed the warning, beware,but, come on, touch it, touch it, touch it.

 

(Penguin)

Your House Is on Fire, Your Children All Gone  by Stefan Kiesbye

CLOTH. So you don't like to laugh out loud when you read horror, then here's one for you. Even the title voices the primal fears of every parent, right? Just like the cover, this novel recalls the disquieting eeriness of the film classic, Children of the Damned. Hemmersmoor is a great Gothic backdrop, remote, shrouded in superstition, secrets behind the lips of all its inhabitants. Sometimes children's games and tales of long ago are based on horrible truths and the mystery behind the village's evil un-spools with the voice of an assured storyteller. This is the type of story that leaves shadow images that you recall long after bed. Put another log on the fire, this is going to be a long, creepy night.

(Macmillan)

Sailor Twain: Or: The Mermaid in the Hudson  by Mark Siegel

GRAPHIC NOVEL. Coming in at 400 pages, this is not merely an epic achievement in graphic novels, it is a haunting epic of American mythology. What starts as a steamboat captain rescuing a mermaid in peril grows into a personal tale of love, longing and purpose. The words are as carefully chosen as each charcoal smudge evokes atmosphere and emotion in every panel. Siegel's work has taken the strength of the written word and the power of the visual medium and created a hybrid of storytelling. These illustrations are still presented in classic graphic novel form rather than as a device as in the work of Brian Selznick's Hugo Cabret. Still, the static panels create quiet spaces of mystery and introspection as the novel grows its haunting and hypnotic tone with every page turn. 

(Weinstein)

Bully; An Action Plan for Teachers, Parents and Communities to Combat the Bullying Crisis 
by Lee Hirsch, Cynthia Lowen, and Dina Santorelli

NON-FICTION, CLOTH. October is officially "Stop Bullying" month so its appropriate that film moguls the Weinstein Brothers would release this companion to their documentary. This is the bible of bullying education, an exhaustive reference for all parties effected by this phenomena that had gained muscle with the text and post generation.  As the titles implies, it doesn't matter how you are affected by this nine-headed Hydra, this book will help all begin the healing. Pair this with this year's bully-themed novel, Wonder by R.J. Palacio, and you have a good foundation for approaching the topic with your children. 13 million children will be bullied in the U.S.this year unless we all make an effort, just sayin'. 

Young Adult Hot Picks of the Week!

(HarperTeen)

The Turning by Francine Prose

YOUNG ADULT, CLOTH. Everybody loves a good haunted house story. Throw in a couple of ghostly kiddos and you crank up the spooky gauge. That's just what National Book award finalist Prose does in her tale of Jack, who should have known better than to babysit in an isolated house, on an island, without access to the world on shore. He quickly discovers that the odd-ball kids he is supposed to care for aren't what they seem, possibly, not even real at all. As the summer progresses the line between reality and madness grows thin in Jack's mind. This updated meditation on madness is a re-imagining of Poe's Turning of the Screw and has maintained the unsettling timbre of the original while making the scares and the underlying themes assessable to a new generation. Moral might be that babysitters should also do background checks on who they will be working for.

                            

(Farrar/Strauss/Giroux)

Crewel by  Gennifer Albin

YOUNG ADULT, CLOTH. Here's a new spin (sic) for paranormal fiction. Alice is ostracized from her schoolmates not unlike Stephen King's Carrie White. Instead of psychokinesis, Alice has the gift of time weaving, literally weaving timelines. She has been chosen to be a Spinster, an honor that brings eternal beauty but probably makes you what is generally accepted as the tradition translation of the word; forever partner-less. That may be the downside of being able to embroider the very fabric of life. Alice just wants to be normal as every teen does, and she makes every effort to dodge her fate. So begins her adventure in a metaphor-laden, but a refreshing take on  teen angst.