Ladies in Waiting

Ladies in Waiting by Ms. Laura L. Sullivan follows three girls named Elizabeth (Zabby, Beth and Eliza) who have positions as ladies in waiting for Queen Catherine right after her wedding to King Charles the II.  The three girls must learn to navigate through the ways of the court and figure out what they are going to do with their lives.  Will they be forced to live the life that someone else chooses for them or will they be able to make their own decisions.  Choose who they love.

I enjoyed this book, it had parties and great dresses and everything a reader wants when reading this type of historical romance.  It has enough history to make the reader want to do a little research but not so much that the reader feels like they're in history class. The three girls were great friends and each had their own issue to overcome which showed a different part of their society.  The story however was slow at times.  I felt like I was reading a 550 page book when in fact the book was under 400 pages. 

Appropriateness:  This book didn't feel like a young adult book however, it did feel like the historical romance novels that I read when I was a teen (except without the sex).  It was not a fast read and there was some MASSIVE vocabulary (words that can be figured out in context but many that I was not familiar with).  There wasn't any sex however, there was an obsessive amount of talk of virginity and sex as it related to the girls in their time period.  I would recommend this book to readers 14+

Something To Hold

Something To Hold by Katherine Schlick Noe tells the story of Kitty a white girl who moves onto an Indian reservation in the early 1960's with her father who works for the forest service.  Kitty's year starts out very rocky, she feels like an outsider in a world she doesn't understand.  She soon makes friends and finds herself confused by the differences in the way she is treated compared to her Indian classmates and neighbors.

This is a fantastic book, based on the authors own childhood, that explores what life was like for those on the reservation.  This is the type of book that belongs on a library shelf to be explored by kids for years to come.  It presents several complex issues such as racism, child abuse and injustices that Native Americans had to deal with.   I enjoyed Kitty's story and finished the book without putting it down.

Appropriateness:  There are some difficult topics in this book (addiction, abuse, racism) that are handled very appropriately for the intended audience although some adult discussion to the full context of these issues would be helpful for readers to get a full understanding of the topic.  Kitty is eleven and there is no romance.  I would recommend this book to readers 9-14.

Review Copy obtained from Amazon Vine

Winter in Wartime

Winter in Wartime by Jan Terlouw has been a classic in the Netherlands for decades.  It is a story of a boy who works for the resistance while his country is occupied by the Nazi's.  Michiel spends his time riding his bike to do errands for his friends and neighbors while staying out of the way of the Nazi's that have occupied his town.  When his friend gives him an envelope to pass on to a member of the resistance before he goes missing Michiel finds himself doing his part to help the resistance and must find who is leaking information to the Nazis.

This is a fantastic novel that tells a side of WWII that hasn't been told much before in children's literature, what it was like to live in a land occupied by the Nazi's and the male viewpoint provides a protagonist that boys will be able to relate to.  There is danger and heartache and mystery.  This is a book that I would recommend to teachers and parents alike.

Appropriateness:  This book like most books taking place in wartime covers some difficult subjects, however it is not as difficult as many WWII books because Michiel is a member of a town that is occupied as opposed to being in a concentration camp or having to hide so it can be read by younger readers.  There are deaths of people close to Michiel that can be a bit traumatic but he is never in a large amount of danger.  I would recommend this book to readers 9-14 and would highlight this as a good book for boys. 

The Revenant

The Reveant by Sonya Gensler takes place at a female seminary in Talequah, Oklahoma before statehood.  Willie has stolen her roommates identity and teaching certificate and her job opportunity teaching girls at the seminary to avoid moving home to help her mother with the farm.  When she arrives she finds things are not as she expected, the girls are more educated and her room holds a secret.  It's former occupant died in an accident the prior year and many think it's haunted.  Willie must keep her identity secret and figure out how to be respected by her students while unraveling the mystery.

This is a very interesting historical paranormal.  The setting and time period is interesting and the author researched her background well.  Hearing Willie talk about herself (at 17) as an eternal spinster and being reprimanded for stepping out of the room with a boy is a stark contrast to how girls can act today.  The mystery surrounding the spirit is interesting and doesn't cause the author to make any huge jumps to imagine that it was true.  There was a bit of a romance that was sweet and approached in a fairly historically accurate manner.  The bits of poetry and Willie's love of literature are a nice addition to the story.  I was constantly engaged while reading and finished the book quickly.

Appropriateness:  The author went to pains to make the book historically accurate so there is no adult content and the romance is limited to glances and a few clandestine kisses.  Willie is seventeen and living and working as a teacher in a society that views her as an adult making this a good read for older teens.  I would recommend this book to teens 14 + with it being fully appropriate for younger readers.

Prairie Winter

Prairie winter follows the life of a sixth grader in the fifties who faces many challenges during a long winter in South Dakota.  Rachel and her sisters face many challenges during the winter including a massive snowstorm that causes them to move into town by themselves so they can attend school.

This book works well as a read aloud. It has fairly short chapters and mini-plots that finish in small arcs of two or three chapters at a time which is good for a book that is going to be read to a child or a class over a long period of time. The descriptions of events in the books are well written and colorful and the voice is strong, serving as a good example for young writers.

Appropriateness:  There is a discussion of a controversy involving strip poker which could be "controversial" for younger listeners/readers. It ends up being nothing more than gossip, but there is a vague description of how the game is played.  the lexile is 720 putting it at a fourth grade level.

Revolution

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelley follows Andi, a suicidal young girl dealing with the aftermath of her brothers death.  Andi who is flunking out of school is dragged to Paris by her geneticist father who is doing tests on a heart to determine if it belongs to a young prince who was killed during the revolution.  Andi finds a diary of a young girl, Alexandra who had a close relationship with the prince and becomes engrossed in the diary and her research.

This book had many intricate layers woven together and for the most part it worked.  It took me several chapters before I got into the book because Andi at first is so unlikeable.  She's spoiled, mentally ill and constantly popping pills.  Alexandra's story ultimately is what keeps the reader interested for most of the story while Alex is relegated to narrating and explaining the history.  When the diary is over the reader is given an irritating plot device to wrap everything up.  However, even with the problems this is a very engrossing read.

Appropriateness:  This is an extremely complex book that I think will speak most to the high school and above young adult audience.  There are also some adult situations which while are situational and appropriate for a high school audience would cause some concern with middle school aged readers.  The main character is suicidal and pops heavy duty anti-depressants like they are candy and spends large chunks of the book hallucinating and stoned because of the number of pills she's popped.  She follows people she meets on the street and gets herself in several dangerous situations.  None of these bad behaviors are seen as positive and could easily be combated by talking to your child about prescription drug abuse, depression and suicide.

Between Shades of Gray

 Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys tells the story of Lina an artist who is sent with her mother and brother to a Siberian work camp.  The story begins with Lina being forced out of her home by Russian Police, she then has to endure the long journey to Siberia and is assigned to a work camp.  Lina and the others that share her journey face sickness, starvation, overwork, and death throughout their journey.  Lina uses her art as and outlet and continues to draw, keeping her artwork carefully hidden so it doesn't cause her to

This is a beautifully written tragic historical novel about a period in time that many are not familiar with. The author did extensive research and many of the incidents that happened in the book are based on real accounts from survivors of this horrific period.  I was completely engrossed by the story which was both powerful and heartbreaking.    I fully expect this book to be able to hold it's own and make it onto recommended reading lists for years to come.

Appropriateness:  This book like many that detail horrific historical incidents is difficult to read at times.
would compare it to a Holocaust novel like The Devil's Arithmetic in content with it being difficult to read but well suited for the middle/high school audience that will read it.  There is no rape, no physical torture and the kids survive.  There are deaths of main characters and plenty of difficult incidents.  I would recommend this book to readers 12 and up and would encourage parents to read the book along with their kids and discuss it together.  It is a very good book that can be equally enjoyed by teens and adults.

Prophecy of the Sisters

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink tells the story of Lia who finds out after her fathers death that she is part of a prophecy and must battle with her twin sister in a fight of good versus evil.  This first book of the trilogy follows Lia as she meets friends who will help her in the fight and searches for the missing pieces of the prophecy.

This historical paranormal is beautifully written.  The historical period and mythology make for an original read that is original and new.  I did find the writing to be slow at times and would have liked to have seen more of the romance.

Appropriateness:  There is nothing inappropriate in this book that would bother parents.  I would recommend it for older teens as it is a slower and more difficult read.

Plain Kate

Plain Kate follows Plain Kate, a orphaned girl who is forced to leave her town because of accusations of witchcraft.  Plain Kate is born in a superstitious town and with an extraordinary talent for carving and is spat on by townspeople because of her "witchy" eyes.  When her father dies she looses everything and is forced to live on the street.  She then sells her shadow to a traveler (and receives a talking cat as payment) and joins up with a band of roamers.  There she meets a great friend and they work to solve her problems and save others from the traveler's evil deeds.

This is a fantastic story that will be enjoyed by many.  The paranormal and historical elements are interwoven perfectly and the strong bond of friendship will speak to many readers.

Appropriateness:  This is one of the rare young adult paranormal books about a girl that I have read that is neither excessively violent and that doesn't have any romance.  It is also drug and alcohol free.  This makes it a must read for younger advanced readers as well as middle grade readers.  The lexile is 630 which puts it around a fourth grade reading level.

The Vespertine

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell stars Amelia, a girl who is sent to Baltimore by her brother to participate in the season and find herself a husband.  She stays with her cousin Zora and the two develop a quick friendship.  While at her first dinner party Amelia meets Nathanial an artist and they quickly find themselves in a forbidden romance which threatens the life she has planned.  Amelia then starts seeing visions of the future which she shares with anyone who asks. 

I liked this book.  It seemed like a  more innocent version of the historical romances that I read in college.  It had all the excitement of the season with a forbidden romance with a forbidden love and a bit of paranormal thrown in.  The girls experiences with freedom and rebellion is enjoyable.

Appropriateness:  The heroine is in her late teens and spends her time looking for a husband and talking about marriage so I would put the interest level at 14+.  There is a bit of drinking done by the girls but otherwise there is nothing inappropriate in the book.  The main character is rebellious but not out of control and while Amelia talks about her relationship being hot it's in an 1800's way with a touch making her feel steamy.

Lily of the Nile

Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray is a fictionalized account of Cleopatra's daughter Selene.  When Cleopatra kills herself Selene is taken to Rome to live with the emperor.  Selene faces religious persecution and sexism as she enters her new life and grows from a young girl to a powerful woman.

This isn't the type of book I usually read and honestly I bought it because the cover was pretty and it sat on my shelf for a while before I got started.  It is a fantastic story.  This is the type of novel that makes one want to do some research.  The author did a fantastic job with characterization and managed to keep the book moving throughout.  Selene was in her teens during the time of the book and the issues she faces are interesting and the themes of feminism and religious freedom are ones that young people can be passionate about. 

Appropriateness:  This book was marketed as an adult novel with crossover appeal for the young adult audience.  It was a more difficult read than most young adult novels (but not as difficult as anything you'd read in a high school literature class) but I think it certainly could appeal to high school readers.    This would be a great mother daughter read and the discussion questions at the end of the book would be great book club starters.  There isn't anything in this book that would disturb a young adult.  There are some big historical issues (mistreatment of slaves, whippings) but nothing that would be a problem for anyone who had the desire to get through the book.  It is a little slower than most YA books (there is no frantic plot or angsty romance) as it is a fictionalized biography.

Wildthorn

Wildthorn follows Louisa, a girl who is locked up in an asylum because she is not feminine enough.  The book goes back and forth from her life at the hospital to her memories of her life before.  She meets a worker and develops a relationship with her that leads to her escape.

I enjoyed reading the novel but it was not a fast read.  While the romance was unexpected the ending of the book was fairly predictable and the story wrapped up a little to perfectly.  The descriptions of the asylum felt real but weren't excessively graphic.  The lesbian plot was well done (surprisingly to me) and very accessible even to those who are uncomfortable with the topic as the relationship is sweet and does not take up a huge part of the plot. 

Appropriateness: The book has scenes of drug abuse and gambling and talk of sexual abuse shown in all age appropriate manner which works as a teachable moment.  There is a fleeting sex scene at the end which is not excessively descriptive.  I found the book appropriate for middle school and above.  The story will interest a middle school and high school audience.