The White Darkness by by Geraldine McCaughrean

This is challenging reading--you have to really be ready for visualizing the action and setting. The main character, Sym, gets "kidnapped" by her "uncle" and and dragged off to Antarctica. Much of the book is the gradual psychological exploration of how Sym got to this place both physically and emotionally. It is also a pretty good review of the psychology behind some of the explorers and adventurers. I had read "Into Thin Air" a while ago by John Krakauer. It's about climbers dying on Mt. Everest (he was almost one of them). The idea of what makes people pursue extreme sports is one I like to explore sometimes.

Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik

Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was a reading accident. I download audio books to my smart phone and this was on the library's website. I went through a "dragon" phase about 6 years ago and decided to go ahead and listen to it. It was surprising. I hadn't read the first book so I started this cold and had to figure out the context. That wasn't too bad, but it would be a good idea to go back and read the first.



I'm definitely appreciating the historical perspective. I need to read up a bit on this period in China. I don't remember there being much of a French presence. Using fiction to explore history is a great idea. But, I worry that if authors don't get the facts right they may be creating misinformation in reader's minds.


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Still Life With Crows by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Agent Pendergast is at it again. This time he leaves the New York city area and Museum of Natural History for the corn fields of Kansas. This is quite a scary book and gripped me as a reader. It doesn't have the atmosphere of the Pendergast books set in New York, but it does explore the Plains Indians, caves, and Kansas a bit. (Also genetically engineered corn.)

I would definitely recommend this to young adults who like the horror genre. It has redeeming values for the study of history, politics, university funding, and sciences. It is appropriate reading for high school students and some junior high/middle schoolers. There is a minimum of sex, but quite a bit of violence that may be disturbing to some readers. (But that's what attracts the others.)


2.5 stars

Pendragon Book Two: The Lost City of Farr, by D.J. McHale

Another Pendragon series book. In this volume Bobby travels with his uncle Press to a water-world, Cloral. There they meet Spader and contend with Saint Dane (the force of darkness/evil). I think I'm going to give up on this series. Some young readers craving action, science fiction and fantasy will find this series of interest. It is rather predictable series book. These are good for developing reading muscle, but not really great works of literature.

My strongest criticsm of the series is the flatness of the characters and the lack of gray tones. Although evil disguises itself things are pretty much either evil or good.

The Pinhoe Egg, by Dianna Wynne Jones

This is number six in the Chrestomanci Series. I love these books. They are short, more ironic, but less complex Harry Potter-read a-likes. I found Dianna Wynne Jones looking for Potter read a-likes and found her book "The Dark Lord of Derkhelm." In "The Pinhoe Egg" you have two extended families of magicians hiding out right under the "great man Chrestomanci's" rule. The families have placed spies in the Chrestomanci household. Meanwhile the Pinhoe's gammer (female lead) has been befuddle by the Farleigh family gammer and the Pinhoe gaffer has died.

All the adults get so caught up in intriques and revenge that the children are allowed to carry on as they will (for the most part). In her attempts to help Marianne Pinhoe gives Cat Chant a globe from the attic. This begins the entire series of events: the globe hatches a griffin, curses and counter curses plague the towns, and Chrestomanci seems preoccupied.

Of course all works out for the kids. Meanwhile readers will get insights into friendship, trust, faith in others, honest, and feuds. This is a series I would recommend to children grades 4-7 depending upon their reading skills, interests, and interest in fantasy.

A Great and Terrible Beauty, by Libba Bray

This is a Victorian girl's finishing school story with a supernatural twist. Voya recommends it for 10-12 grade students. I agree with that evaluation. It is a somewhat challenging read, a longish book, and has some mature content although no explicit sex. However, all that being said, this is a book I am going to recommend to lots of students (and perhaps my daughter). It is complex and really delves deeply into the development of friendships between young girls and the temptations that many girls face.

I'm always looking for connections. It appears to be a good portrayal of Victorian girls schools and the era. It also begins in the British governed India. This is a book I listened to on my smart phone. There was a great surprise at the end--the author had a relatively long autobiography of the process she used to write the book including a trip to England for research. This alone is a wonderful addition. Young women reading may be motivated to consider sophisticated research for their writing projects.

The Cabinent of Curiosities, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

This is 0ne of a series of books featuring "Special Agent Pendergast"of the FBI. As a popular fiction "crossover" (adult/young adult) book it is a good read. I am always looking for interdisciplinary connections. In this book I find connections to the study of historical New York City, biochemistry, genetics, and antiques. It is a book that would appeal to many high school students and some junior high. If you have students who are fans of the suspense or horror genre this is a book that is better written than many, could be "taught" in a classroom (it doesn't have too much sex or violence), and has some opportunities to engage students in additional reading and study.

I was in NYC this fall and have read many books set in New York including almost all of Edith Wharton. I enjoyed this--it takes me closer to Central Park and spans both contemporary and historical events. There is also some brief exploration of immigration and sweatshops. It is a minor component of the book, but is treated in enough detail to be helpful in a history class. (At least the beginning of the book which could then be offered as an out of class reading for those interested in finishing it.)