Review: The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson

Title: The Mark of the Dragonfly
Author: Jaleigh Johnson
Publisher: Random House BFYR
Pub. Date: March 25, 2014
Genre: Middle Grade
Rec. Age Level: 10+

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Piper lives a hard life. Only 13-years old and an orphan, her survival is tenuous, but, thanks to her considerable skill as a machinist, she's able to keep food in her stomach and a roof over her head. But Piper wants more from life and she thinks she may have found a way out when she discovers a young girl with a dragonfly tattoo in a caravan destroyed during a meteor storm. Those marked by the dragonfly are protected by the ruler of the neighboring Dragonfly Territories and Piper is sure that returning this girl to her home will result in enough money to start over.  But returning the girl, Anna, to the territories will be no easy task, especially when Piper discovers that there's a man after the girl, a man who Anna doesn't remember but fears nonetheless. Their only chance of eluding the man and reaching the territories is to jump the 401, a steam powered locomotive that travels between the countries and costs more than Piper could ever afford. Illegally boarding the train is risky, but Piper and Anna are out of options and their lives are very likely in jeopardy.

Jaleigh Johnson's standalone debut, The Mark of the Dragonfly, is a fast-paced, magical MG fantasy novel. The novel also features some smart steampunk elements as well, which I really love to see in middle grade literature! One of my favorite things about this novel is the tagline: "One is smart. One is brave. One is hiding a secret that could cost them their lives." What's great about this tagline is its ambiguity - all of the characters are smart, brave, and hiding secrets - but which one has the secret that could cost them their lives?

There are more and more female characters that excel at traditionally male roles in children's literature, but I'm always happy to see more. In The Mark of the Dragonfly, Piper is a skilled mechanic, in part because of her innate ability but also because she's focused and a hard worker.  She's smart and capable, surviving on her own in a harsh, unforgiving landscape after losing her parents. Piper dreams of seeing the world and finding success, but she stays true to herself and morals, doing what she believes is right and choosing the difficult path over an easy, but morally faulty, alternative. 

Anna, the girl Piper rescues from the meteor shower, was a charming, mystery of a character. She constantly reminded me of River Tam, a character from Firefly, so I was immediately fond of her.

 The final main character featured on the novel's cover is Gee. He was one of the most interesting characters because his mystery was a bit more subtle than Anna's and Piper's. He and Piper clash in wonderful ways that highlight each character's strengths and weaknesses.

The Mark of the Dragonfly will be one of my new go-to recommendations for MG fantasy. The main trio of characters is diverse and works well together and the world is well-developed. Plus, I like that this novel is a standalone, but that there is the possibility for more novels set in this world.

Q&A Session with Jeff Strand, author of I Have a Bad Feeling About This

Author Jeff Strand is at The Hiding Spot today to answer a few questions about his newest book, I Have a Bad Feeling About This, and more! Jeff is the author of many demented books and a Three-time Bram Stoker Award finalist. Three-time Bram Stoker Award loser. Four-time Bram Stoker Award Master of Ceremonies. You can find out more about Jeff and his books on his website and on Goodreads. Don't miss my review of I Have a Bad Feeling About This here!

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Did you have trouble writing any of your characters or specific scenes within the novel? Or, were any characters or scenes particularly easy to write?

The book basically had the "easy" half and the "hard" half. The first half of the book has lots of scenes where our heroes (a small group of teenaged boys who are way out of their comfort zone) have to go through various wilderness survival exercises. It wasn't a case of "Gosh, this book just wrote itself!", but it's not that difficult to squeeze comedy out of scenes where kids who've never spent any time in the woods try to, say, build a shelter that won't fall apart. In the second half of the book, a trio of gangsters show up and the situation suddenly becomes much more serious. I wanted the second half of the book to be just as funny as the first, so it took more work to get the laughs in there.

If you were sent to Strongwood’s Survival Camp, how would Max respond to your performance and survival skills?

Max would not be impressed. At all.I'm really glad this book is fiction.

Has the title changed or stayed relatively the same as your novel journeyed towards publication?

The book was sold based on a very brief pitch and I didn't have a title for it, so I was calling it Grimwoods Survival Camp, even though that was never going to be the real title. (And I ended up changing the name of the camp.) The publisher wanted to call it Camp Doom, which I really liked, so that's the title on the contract. Later, the marketing department decided that Camp Doom sounded like more of a middle grade novel than a young adult novel, so they proposed I Have A Bad Feeling About This. I counter-proposed This Can't End Well. A quick glance at the book's title shows how it turned out!

What book or author has most influenced you as a writer or in general?

It's probably a combination of Douglas Adams, Dave Barry, and Richard Laymon.

What jobs did you have on your way to becoming a published author? Is there a certain work experience that has shaped your writing?

Retail clerk, dishwasher, telemarketer, photocopier, general ledger guy, remittance processing analyst. Aside from using the occasional detail in a book, these jobs really haven't shaped my writing. I've been at my current job for seventeen years, and it's the perfect blend of "keeping my mind occupied all day" but not "sucking away all of my creative energy." Because I spent a few weeks as a telemarketer, I used to be understanding when people called me to sell me stuff, but I'm long over that.

If you had to pick a favorite word, what would it be and why?

Kumquat. Because it's such a goofy word that it's hard to believe it's an actual name for a kind of fruit, and it also sounds dirty even though it's not. I've got a kumquat tree in my backyard, although that's unrelated to my feelings for the word. Also, I wrote a novel called Kumquat. I'm waiting to hear back from a publisher. If they buy it, it'll be even more my favorite word. If I'm unable to find a publisher for this one, I will disavow my love of the word, and make it my lifelong quest to slap kumquats out of the hands of people who are eating them, which is not a very ambitious quest since I have not, as far as I can recall, ever actually witnessed somebody eating a kumquat. It's bound to happen sometime, and I'll be ready.

My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Who, what, or where can be credited as your personal escape from reality?

Jeez, this feels like the kind of question where I should have a really fantastic answer, especially since it's the last question of the interview. But really, it's just "I put on my iPod and go for a walk." I love my iPod.

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Check out my review of I Have a Bad Feeling About This here.

Review: I Have a Bad Feeling About This by Jeff Strand

Title: I Have a Bad Feeling About This
Author: Jeff Strand
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pub. Date: March 1, 2014
Genre: Middle Grade/Young Adult
Rec. Age Level: 12+

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There are many things Henry Lambert would rather be doing instead of attending Strongwoods Survival Camp, but Henry's dad is convinced Strongwoods is exactly what he needs to transform from a skinny nerd into a man. Things could be worse: his best friend Andy is at camp too, so at least he doesn't have to suffer alone, and, just through the woods, there's an all girls music camp. Maybe Max, the possibly unhinged macho drill sergeant in charge of Strongwoods, really will make Henry into a manly man... a guy capable of sweeping the girls at the neighboring camp off their feet... or maybe not. Henry and his fellow budding survivalists fail pathetically (and hilariously) at every attempted lesson, never suspecting that those skills will be unexpectedly put to the test when some very unhappy armed killers descend on Camp Strongwoods in search of Max.

Having never read anything by Strand before, I was not expecting I HAVE A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS to be so ridiculous and laugh-out-loud funny. I'm not one of those people that laughs aloud easily, but this book is hilarious in a "it's so funny because it's so true" way, which is my kind of funny. The jokes and witty quips are casual and perfectly timed so that readers will laugh through the whole book, never becoming overwhelmed or feeling like Strand is trying too hard.

I HAVE A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS feels a lot like a action/comedy flick, which makes sense because, in the book, the events that Henry recounts have been made into a novel and then into an action movie. If this book was made into a movie, it'd be all sorts of confusing to explain to people: "It's a movie based on a book about a movie based on a book based on a true story." Confused? I think that means you should just read the book to figure out what the heck I'm talking about! ;)

Looking for a good laugh? Look no further! This book will definitely appeal to guy readers and crosses over nicely between MG and YA. Recommended!

Review: Strange Sweet Song by Adi Rule

Title: Strange Sweet Song
Author: Adi Rule
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pub. Date: March 11, 2014
Genre: Young Adult
Rec. Age Level: 14+

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When Sing da Navelli is offered a place at the prestigious Dunhammond Conservatory, an elite boarding school for talented musicians, she resolves to live up to her name. Sing, both blessed and cursed with an expectant command of a name, grew up surrounded by music and the pressure to be as musically gift as her great, musically renowned parents. Dunhammond offers Sing a chance at greatness, but she knows that there's something missing - from her voice and from her heart - as she sings, a shortcoming her vocal coach, the dark, brooding Nathan Daysmoor never fails to highlight. The void in her voice coupled with her insecurity lose her the lead role in the conservatory's reproduction of Angelique, a darkly fantastic opera inspired by Dunhammond and the gothic landscape. Sing has always been drawn to the opera, but she never imagined that the darkly dangerous story it tells could hold any truth... until now. Myth and reality blur and legend becomes truth in this compelling novel from Adi Rule. Soaring magical realism, STRANGE SWEET SONG will captivate readers until the final, lingering lines.

I almost overlooked STRANGE SWEET SONG. The cover is beautiful and I am drawn to it, but it features another girl in a flowing dress... so, despite the fact that it's beautiful, I wrote it off and nearly moved on. Then, I read the synopsis and my love for boarding school mysteries got the best of me - thank goodness!

One of the most notable aspects of STRANGE SWEET SONG is how gorgeous the writing is and the overall story. The premise described in the description is interrupted throughout the novel by short chapters from the point of view of the deadly creature that stalks Dunhammond, a creature that has always been considered a fanciful legend. I loved these chapters; the creature is complex and dark yet, somehow, I found myself drawn to it as I tried to figure out its intentions and motivations. 

Though it isn't clearly mentioned in the synopsis, STRANGE SWEET SONG also features a romance. I went into the novel unaware of this storyline, but it ended up being one of my favorite elements of the novel. It has a starcrossed lovers vibe happening that was really engaging.

Don't let the cliched cover of STRANGE SWEET SONG deter you - this one is not to be missed!

Review: The Edge of Falling by Rebecca Serle

Title: The Edge of Falling
Author: Rebecca Serle
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pub. Date: March 18, 2014
Genre: Young Adult
Rec. Age Level: 14+

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Caggie lives every day haunted by her failure to save her little sister from drowning. Even though no one ever says it, Caggie knows that her parents blame her just as much as she blames herself. Everyone at school thinks she's a hero after saving a classmate from plummeting to her death at the beginning of summer, but only Caggie - and the girl she saved - knows what really happened on the rooftop ledge. Caggie has formed a wall of secrets and lies to keep everyone at arm's length, including her best friend, who keeps pushing her to move forward, and her ex-boyfriend, who can't seem to understand that Caggie isn't the girl she used to be anymore. Then new boy Astor enters Caggie's life and he seems to understand the darkness that threatens to overwhelm her every day and, best of all, he doesn't push her to talk about what happened or to move forward. But Astor has secrets of his own and his demons might be hungry enough to swallow both of them... dead or alive.

Last year I read and very much enjoyed Rebecca Serles' debut novel, When You were Mine, but I must admit that it pales in comparison to The Edge of Falling. Caggie's story of grief and guilt is remarkably powerful and painfully captivating. It begins slowly but builds with a steady intensity that leaves the reader completely invested in Caggie and her search for meaning and redemption in the aftermath of her sister's death.

Review: Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald

Title: Under the Egg
Author: Laura Marx Fitzgerald
Publisher: Penguin
Pub. Date: March 18, 2014
Genre: Middle Grade
Rec. Age Level: 8-12

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Renaissance secrets, World War II tragedy, and present day drama build to an unforgettable crescendo in Laura Marx Fitzgerald’s middle grade debut starring Theodora Tenpenny, an intelligent, self-reliant girl who stumbles upon a mystery that spans decades, continents, and oceans. 

When Theodora, startled by an unexpected rodent, spills rubbing alcohol on her late grandfather’s painting, she discovers the unimaginable. Beneath the innocuous painting of an egg, Theodora finds what appears to be a Renaissance masterpiece. Excitement and worry war within Theodora; her grandfather’s sudden death left Theo and her mother with a mere $463 and a mysterious message to “look under the egg” to the Tenpenny name, which is not enough to keep their ramshackle house standing, nor to keep them in food for any length of time. Theo’s mother spends her days lost in mathematic formulas and theorems and is more Theo’s responsibility than guardian, so Theo is on her own. Perhaps this is the answer to the riddle of her grandfather’s last words… But Theo worries that the painting was not acquired through strictly legal channels. After all, her grandfather had access to priceless art as security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and why would he hide something that was rightfully his? 

Thus begins Theo’s search for the painting’s origins and the meaning of her grandfather’s last words. Secrets, some centuries old, some decades, some only a matter of weeks, days, and hours, come to light, forever changing the landscape of Theo’s and countless others’ lives. 

A sophisticated mystery featuring a resilient and intrepid protagonist, UNDER THE EGG is middle grade literature at its best.

Review: Liv, Forever by Amy Talkington

Title: Liv, Forever
Author: Amy Talkington
Publisher: Soho Teen
Pub. Date: March 11, 2014
Genre: Young Adult
Rec. Age Level: 14+

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Artist Liv Bloom never imagined she'd find a place at the exclusive Wickham Hall, but her promising talent earns her one of the few scholarship openings, complete with room and board, her very own stocked studio, a possibly crazy new friend, and the interest of charming legacy student, Malcolm Astor. Sure, Wickham Hall is a bit odd, with its secret societies, rumored hauntings, and snobby cliques, but its all worth it. Things couldn't possibly get better for Liv... but they could get a lot worse. When her new friend, Gabe, tells Liv that he can see the gruesome ghosts that haunt the school, she assumes he's crazy - until she ends up dead too. Liv doesn't know why Wickham Hall students are being murdered, but she's determined to find out. From beyond the grave, Liv enlists Gabe and Malcolm to help her solve the mystery before the murderer strikes again. A dark paranormal murder mystery and a tale of love that transcends death, LIV, FOREVER will bewitch readers.

THIS BOOK. Oh my goodness. LIV, FOREVER is such a beautifully written, compulsively readable novel. Talkington wastes no time, immediately plunging the reader into the drama and sinister mystery of Wickham Hall. I was briefly worried that Liv and Malcolm would undergo the dreaded insta-love treatment, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that Talkington handled their whirlwind romance with skill. I found myself falling for Malcolm early in the novel, which made Liv falling for him almost inevitable. Their romance is almost sweet, but it has an edge and intensity that's really satisfying.

Despite the fact that I have no artistic talent, I really love art, so was delighted to discover that, throughout the book, Liv often references specific works of art. Each piece of art fits like a puzzle piece into the story, adding unique depth and an unexpected, almost emotional weight. I was familiar with much of the art mentioned, but readers can find images of all the art referenced in the book on the author's website!

Review: My Life With the Walter Boys by Ali Novak

Title: My Life With the Walter Boys
Author: Ali Novak
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Pub. Date: March 1, 2014
Genre: Young Adult
Rec. Age Level: 12+

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When Jackie Howard's entire family dies in a tragic car accident, she's forced to leave her entire life in New York behind and move in with her new guardian, a woman she's never met. Katherine Walter was her mom's best friend in college, but that's all Jackie knows about her. It isn't until she's on a plane bound for her new life that she finds out Katherine is mother to over a dozen kids, all boys save for one tomboy daughter. As Jackie tries to acclimate to her new surroundings and life without her family, she forms relationships with a few of the new boys in her life, some of which are friendly and some that are a bit more complicated. When two of the brothers start to show more than brotherly interest in Jackie, tensions in the house and between the siblings rise. How can Jackie choose between these two very different brothers when she has feelings for both? 

I really thought I'd love My Life With the Walter Boys. There's romance, there's a crazy boy-filled premise, some drama, some humor, but, in the end, I couldn't really connect with any of the characters and I found the love interests really off putting. There were things I liked about this book, like some of the friendships between Jackie and the brothers, but I just didn't love this one. 

Both of the love interests are incredibly selfish and, in my opinion, don't treat Jackie particularly well. I was actually unfazed by this at the beginning - after all, there was plenty of time for redemption - but I didn't get the redemption I craved. There were reasons given for their behavior, but it just wasn't convincing enough for me. I think this might have been because none of the characters felt fully developed to me... I hate to say it, but I think it might have been because there were so many Walter boys. Too many maybe. I know, it's almost blasphemous to say there were too many cute guys in this book, but it's true. I think Novak would have been better off having a few less Walter boys in the book and making them all really compelling characters. Each had an unique interest or schtick, but there was no depth, no connection. In this situation, I would have preferred quality to quantity.  

My Life With the Walter Boys is a quick, fun read and I don't regret reading it, but I wanted more from the boys in this book... and for Jackie!

Review: Donna of the Dead by Alison Kemper

Title: Donna of the Dead
Author: Alison Kemper
Publisher: Entangled
Pub. Date: March 4, 2014
Genre: Young Adult
Rec. Age Level: 14+

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Cruises are a routine event when your dad works on cruise ships for a living, but what should be a laid back trip takes a turn for the deadly when a mysterious illness finds its way on board. Donna is in the middle of the ocean with her dad and, much to Donna’s annoyance, his dad’s older girlfriend and her grandson, Donna’s classmate, Deke, when the first reports of a debilitating illness that leaves the infected looking suspiciously like zombies take over the news. Donna pays little attention to the reports, after all, she has her own problems, like why Deke is acting so weird, whether her best friend, who hasn’t been answering her calls, is mad at her, and figuring out if the odd voices she keeps hearing in her head mean she’s crazy. When the fast acting illness takes over the ship, turning everyone on board into zombies except Donna and her family, it’s the voices that keep her one step ahead of the zombies. Donna and Zeke make it off the ship, but are forced to leave her dad and his grandmother on board. The adults assure Donna and Zeke they have a plan to make it off the ship and send them inland to search for shelter and safety in the meantime. When they stumble across a ragtag group of classmates barricaded within their high school, including Donna’s longtime crush, Liam, Donna and Zeke join the group hoping that, together, they can survive long enough for Donna’s dad to come up with a safe, zombie-free hiding place. As the situation escalates, the teens struggle to put aside their differences and rivalries to outlast and outsmart the growing horde of zombies surround the school. Some will break under the pressure, losing their grip on reality, some will be rescued by a pepper spray wielding librarian, and some will experience the magic of a first kiss in the is thrilling and laugh-out-loud funny zombie-filled coming of age story from Alison Kemper.

I have a weakness for apocalyptic zombie stories, so of course I had to read Alison Kemper’s Donna of the Dead. While this story wasn’t particularly unique and surprising, I still enjoyed it and had a hard time putting it down. The great thing about this particular premise is that it doesn’t have to be entirely original, the predictability is half of the fun!

My opinion on Donna wavered throughout the book. Sometimes she her selfishness and tendency towards self-preservation was infuriating, but she finally pulled it together in the latter half of the novel. Deke, on the other hand, I loved from the start. I liked that Kemper allowed a guy who, in Donna’s eyes, is a nerdy video game player to become the hero. After all, he’s spent years virtually training for a zombie takedown. Gotta love an underdog!

I did feel like some of the details that played an important role within the novel weren’t fully explained or fleshed out. Some elements just felt rushed and haphazard.  I think those issues could be remedied with a second book about Donna or, if not about Donna, at least set in the same world. Still, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from Kemper!

Must-Read-Monday (3): Under the Egg

Must-Read-Monday is a new feature here at The Hiding Spot. Each week I'll feature a book that, if it isn't already, should be on your radar!

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Under the Egg

by Laura Marx Fitzgerald

  

Available March 18, 2014 from Dial/Penguin
Recommended for Ages 8-12

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Renaissance secrets, World War II tragedy, and present day drama build to an unforgettable crescendo in Laura Marx Fitzgerald’s middle grade debut starring Theodora Tenpenny, an intelligent, self-reliant girl who stumbles upon a mystery that spans decades, continents, and oceans. When Theodora, startled by an unexpected rodent, spills rubbing alcohol on her late grandfather’s painting, she discovers the unimaginable. Beneath the innocuous painting of an egg, Theodora finds what appears to be a Renaissance masterpiece. Excitement and worry war within Theodora; her grandfather’s sudden death left Theo and her mother with a mere $463 dollars and a mysterious message to “look under the egg” to the Tenpenny name, which is not enough to keep their ramshackle house standing, nor to keep them in food for any length of time. Theo’s mother spends her days lost in mathematic formulas and theorems and is more Theo’s responsibility than guardian, so Theo is on her own. Perhaps this is the answer to the riddle of her grandfather’s last words… But Theo worries that the painting was not acquired through strictly legal channels. After all, her grandfather had access to priceless art as security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and why would he hide something that was rightfully his? Thus begins Theo’s search for the painting’s origins and the meaning of her grandfather’s last words. Secrets, some centuries old, some decades, some only a matter of weeks, days, and hours, come to light, forever changing the landscape of Theo’s and countless others’ lives. A sophisticated mystery featuring a resilient and intrepid protagonist, UNDER THE EGG is middle grade literature at its best.

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