Five Chimneys

Author:  Olga Lengyelall

Publisher:  Academy Chicago

Pages:  229

Summary:  Olga Lengyel is a Jewish medical assistant and mother.  Like many other Jews in Germany at the time, she lives a relatively well off lifestyle with her doctor husband and two sons. 
In her profession, she had heard whispers of unspeakable mistreatment at the hands of the Germans, but dismissed them as pure fodder.  Her perceptions all change when she, her family and her parents are rounded up into cattle cars and shipped to Auschwitz.  In Auschwitz, Olga is immediately separated from the rest of her family and put to work at a woman's camp.  She witnessed many horrors that forced her to challenge her faith in God and humanity.  Her luck finally starts to turn around when she earns a position as a  nurse at the camp's infirmary.  Despite the terrible suffering she experienced at the hands of the Nazi soldiers, Olga refuses to give up hope for escape.  She finds small joys in her job as a nurse, though she was more often viewed as the go between for death than a healer.  In a land  where all concepts of time have been halted, and the main focus is survival, Olga's story is only the tip of the iceberg that was the Holocaust.
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Review:  "We must observe everything that goes on here.  Later, we shall write down everything we've seen when the war is over, the world must know about this.  It must know the truth."  This powerful quote essentially summarizes the essence of this entire story.  It was born from one brave woman who decided that the world needed to know the truth about the methodical horrors of the Holocaust.  Filled with graphic descriptions of unimaginable abuse, Olga Lengyel stuns readers with Five Chimneys.  A chronicle of her time spent in the concentration camp, Auschwitz.  As a history buff, I am always fascinated by nonfiction pieces, particularly those from the World War II era.  While many accounts of survivors begin to blur together like a never ending nightmare, Lengyel's story stands out amongst the rest.  She speaks with a dispassionate voice, emotionally removed from her situation.  This viewpoint enables her to analyze the actions of the Nazis with clarity and insight,  something I have yet to come across in most Holocaust books.  A constant ominous presence, the crematory ovens cast a dark shadow over the novel, symbolizing the ever present threat of imminent death throughout the camp.  Olga describes in heart breaking detail the cruelties she witnessed and the murders she was forced to participate in.  This novel makes you take a look at your fellow man and question how such acts can be committed.  If you are having a bad day, pick up this book and you will instantly realize that things could always be worse.  This story about a woman's incredible will to survive is one that will haunt you long after the final page.

The Clearing

Author:  Heather Davis

Publishing:  Graphia

Pages:  215

Summary:   For Amy, life in Seattle has become unbearable due to a toxic ex boyfriend.  After escaping the abuse of her high school sweetheart Mat, all of her friends have turned on her, leaving her utterly alone.  With her mother newly married, Amy feels like a burden and decides to trade in the hustle and bustle of city life for a peaceful existence in the country with her great aunt Mae.  Out in Rocksville, its like a completely different world.  There is only one strip of retail stores and it's green hills are peppered with small farms.  Life in this one horse town is so much simpler, or so Amy is led to believe until she meets Henry.  A good, old fashioned farm boy with Southern values, he lives just beyond the misty clearing.  But there's something not quite right with Henry.  He never leaves the farm he and his family call home, and speaks as though he is from another time.  Nevertheless, Amy feels an undeniable attraction to him despite being hurt in the past.  Henry has a gentle personality and she finds herself beginning to heal.  But when Henry's secret is revealed, her perfect fantasy is shattered.  She and  Henry can never be together.  Separated across time, but bonded by true love, the two must fight to save what matters most- each other.

Review: Heather Davis treats readers with an enchanting experience they will never forget.  An expertly assembled love story, The Clearing is, in my opinion, a better take on the concept of Tuck Everlasting.  The main difference lies in The Clearing's characters likability.  Henry is a perfect gentleman, and represents all the old fashioned qualities any modern girl would die to have in a boyfriend.  Amy is a broken down girl trying to heal her damaged heart, something everyone who's ever been in love can identify with.  In a way, her journey mimics that of Bella in Twilight.   An awkward girl moves from a big city to a small town so her mom can live a new life with her husband.  She doesn't make many friends at her high school and makes the acquaintance of a mysterious boy from another time.  Yet, unlike Bella, Amy isn't one to whine about her situation, instead choosing to look for a solution to her dilemma rather than brood over it.  Davis writes with an honesty that will really speak to her targeted teenage audience, making them rethink what they know about true love.   She approaches the tough topic of dating violence in a way that addresses the problem without preaching to the choir.  At a little over 200 pages, The Clearing is just the right length, and the alternating narrative allows you to view the story from all angles.  Overall, romance lovers will fall in love with this touching novel about that special person who captures our heart and refuses to let it go.

The A Circuit

Author: Georgina Bloomberg and Catherine Hapka

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Pages: 239

Summary:  Zara, Tommi, and Kate are three very different girls with one thing in common- they are exceptional equestrians.  At Pelham Stables, only the best of the best riders make the show jumper circuit, a prestigious honor above all else.  Born with a silver spoon in her delicate mouth, Tommi is accustomed to riding the best horses, wearing the most expensive gear, and getting virtually anything she wants.  Anything, that is, except her politician father's blessing to pursue a career as a profession  equestrian.  On the opposite end of the spectrum lies Kate, a blue collared beauty who works hard for every minute she spends in the saddle.  Unlikely friends, Tommi and Kate bond over their passion for the sport, and their mutual dislike for stable newcomer, Zara Trask.  A certified barn brat and spoiled daughter of rock star musician Zack Trask, her recent move from L.A to the East Coast brings plenty of unwanted attention from the paparazzi.  Meanwhile, Kate has caught the sights of resident hottie Fitz Hall, a notorious player and the only male jumper in the Pelham show circuit.  In the highly competitive world of show jumping, will these girls be able to put aside the drama and band together in time for the big event?

Review: Georgina Bloomberg makes the transition from equestrian to author with grace and ease, infusing bits of her high class world into this novel about the A circuit of show jumping.  With the help of co-author Catherine Hapka, Bloomberg crafts an imaginary luxury stable whose inhabitants are as different as night and day.  Unfortunately, as likeable as this cast of characters may be, they have a tendency to fall into clichés.  There's Kate, the hard working poor girl with a heart of gold; Zara, the spoiled celebutante; and rich girl Tommi.  However, Bloomberg makes a point to put parts of herself into each girl, making their unusual friendship work.  This novel features all of the horse terminology and barn time that horse enthusiasts will appreciate, and the juicy gossip that hooks fans of books like The A List.   This Gossip Girl-esque drama is an ideal combo for anyone who loves horses and YA catty female fiction, I expect great things from Georgina in the near future.

The Promise of Stardust

Author: Priscille Sibley

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 402

Summary: Matt and Elle Beaulieu are a match made in heaven.  In love since they were children, their only struggles lie in Elle's inability to carry a baby full term.  What started out as an ordinary day in their hectic lives turns tragic when Elle suffers a horrific accident.  Brain dead and on life support, Matt immediately recognizes her dim prognosis.  To him, his beloved "Peep" he has known all his life is already gone.  Just as he is about to pull the plug, a full body exam reveals the unimaginable.  Elle is eight weeks pregnant, and the fetus survived the accident.  Suddenly, the very thought of losing the last bit of Elle makes Matt physically sick.  Unfortunately, Elle has a pre-existing will in place, specifically outlining her strong views regarding being kept alive by extreme medical measures.  Matt finds himself pitted against his own family in a courtroom battle for Elle's best interests.  His own mother claims Elle wouldn't have wanted to exist as a vegetable, while Matt knows her true heart.  With her previous history of miscarriages and her autoimmune disease, the chances of the baby surviving to term are highly unlikely.  In this epic war of ethics, Matt must fight for what he knows is right, and the child he has always wanted.

Review: Priscille Sibley makes her writing debut in this heart wrenching moral dilemma drama.  Like a Jodi Picoult novel for the Young Adult set, Sibley jumps right into the story full steam ahead.  The conflict appears almost instantly, without much attention paid to setting the scene.  Usually, I prefer to have a little more meat to the beginning of a story.  It allows the reader the chance to become totally enveloped in the reality of the novel.  The author makes up for it by alternating the present with the past, filling in the holes of the backstory as she goes along.  As for Matt, I found his character to be a little off.  He claims to have a close knit relationship with his mother, yet he doesn't hesitate to completely shut her out when their opinions on Elle's fate differ.  His mother appears to feel remorseful of the conflict while Matt chooses to wallow in self pity, remaining indifferent.  Matt also believes that he knows everything about his now comatose wife, even though they spent the better part of a decade seeing other people before finally deciding to get married.  As the movie "Titanic" so eloquently stated, " A woman's heart is a deep ocean of secrets."  Unless Matt has morphed into Edward Cullen and can read minds, he couldn't possibly know everything about Elle. 
Elle, though dead from the get go, holds a strong presence throughout the entire book.  Her spunk makes her the most likable character in the novel, and you can't help but love her.  You will find yourself so engrossed in this story that it will take over every waking minute of your life until you close the back cover. 

The Lost Girl

Author: Sangu Mandanna

Publisher: Balzer and Bray

Pages: 418

Summary:  All her life, Eva had belonged to someone she has never met.  As an echo, a copy made for another person in the event of her demise, everything she eats, wears, and does is meticulously planned to match her "other's."  Made by the Weavers, her very existence is constantly in jeopardy, since the general population believes her to be an abomination.  One wrong move and Eva is all but dead.  Even so, she manages to rebel against the situation, creating wax birds, giving herself a name, and crushing on her teenage guardian Sean.  Her entire life changes when she gets the call confirming the death of her "other", Amarra, in a horrible car accident.  Faster than she can blink, Eva is on a plane to India to assume the life of her genetic counterpart. A half a world away, Eva feels isolated from the ones she loves, and all the training she received couldn't prepare her for what she will face.  Rejected by most, she finds small comforts in the adoration of Amarra's younger brother and sister.  Not everyone in her new family is so accepting.  While Amarra's mother Alisha is elated at her daughter's miraculous return, Amarra's father sees through her façade instantly.  And he's not the only one.  Amarra's former lover Ray is highly suspicious, and when her true nature is finally revealed, he is the first to turn on her.  With seemingly no one around to help, and her secret exposed, Eva has no other choice but to run.  A Sleep Order has been placed on her head, leaving her with less than a year left before she is unstitched.  Can Eva escape the very world that condemns her existence?

Review:   Move over Suzanne and Stephanie, there's a new young adult queen on the rise and ready to claim her throne.  Sangu Mandanna makes her grand debut with a novel unlike anything I have seen in quite some time.  A modern twist on the concept of Frankenstein, Mandanna's echoes are a breath of fresh air in the days monopolized by werewolves and vampires.  Eva is a star in her own right, both independent and self assured.  She has a great heart, but is far from perfect.  Her bad temper makes her more accessible to everyday girls, and bridges the gap between fantasy and reality.  Eva doesn't need anyone to take care of her, but chooses to let others in, which is only the tip of the iceberg for this complex character.  Her love interest, Sean, is a love sick puppy dog with some bite.  His affections for Eva do get in the way of his job, but he doesn't always swoop in to save the day  When the character of Ray was initially introduced, I was worried that they would fall into the stereotypical teen love triangle.  To my surprise, this aspect of the story never developed in that direction.  I enjoyed all the action without having to get caught up in the "who will she choose?" drama.  Mandanna's unconventional story is a strong start to what will undoubtedly be a wonderful career.





 

Fateful

Author: Claudia Gray
Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 328

Summary: It is 1912, and young Tess Davis' life is just about to take off.  As the ladies maid to one of England's most prominent upper class families, she has secured passage on the RMS Titanic, with the hopes of starting a life anew in America. Leaving a dark past behind her, she has full intentions of escaping from the Lisle family's servitude and striking out on her own with the money she earned over a number of years.  While caring for Irene, the young lady of the house, Tess first meets the dapper  Alexander Marlowe, a first class steel fortune heir who harbors a dangerous secret.  And he's not the only one.  Something evil lurks in the corridor, something not quite human.  Tess encounters both men within hours of her beginning voyage, one leaving an indelible impression, the other frightening her to her core.  Despite her low status, Alec sees Tess for who she really is, and in return she becomes the guardian of a secret greater than anyone could possibly imagine.  With her life and future on the line and a doomed passage ahead, will Tess break free of her past, or will fate intervene?

Review:  For starters, I am admittedly a huge fan of Claudia Gray.  Ever since I got my hands on a copy of her novel "Evernight", I have started a love affair with her honest voice.  Her latest work does not disappoint.  A blend of two of my favorite things, a paranormal romance and the Titanic, Claudia Gray creates an effortless love story that transcends across time.  Tess is a good natured but brazen servant with aspirations for a life with more purpose.  You find yourself rooting for every small victory she  makes in the war against classes, and cringe as she falters.  But as in all of Claudia's protagonists, she possesses the incredible quality to bounce right back and overcome nearly any obstacle.  She also created a great supporting cast of characters, all lovable and full of depth.  This new approach to the timeless saga that is the Titanic will shake you to your core with it's inventive storyline.  Gray shows a remarkable insight that exudes style and an effortless flow that goes uninterrupted.  It is obvious that she spent countless hours researching the time period, yet Gray doesn't dwell on specifics that would drag the storyline down.  Rather, she opted to focus on the story itself, punctuating it with tidbits of historical significance. It refuses to fade away into time, just like the Titanic itself.  Overall, this epic tale of love and loss on the high seas is one that won't soon be forgotten.

The Dead-Tossed Waves

Author: Carrie Ryan

         Carrie Ryan is back and better than ever with her stunning sequel to the post apocolyptic zombie thriller, "In the Forest of Hands and Teeth". This follow up YA novel chronicles the life of Gabrielle and the Vista, the compound where she and a colony of humans have band together to ward off attacks from the infected "Mudo". In the small town bordered by the ocean and large fence barriers, any knowledge of the diseased zombies have become a thing of legend. With the village elders still reeling from the catostrophic plague that devestated the world, the young teens begin to grow restless. Seeking out forbidden thrills, Gabrielle, her friend Cira, and a couple others set out towards the abandoned amusement park, a final relic from a world before the "Return". What the teens find there is the unimaginable. A Mudo girl had infiltrated their formly safe haven, attacking and infecting two kids, including Cira's brother Catcher. Gabrielle managed to escape the horrors of the blood bath unscathed, while Catcher suquesters himself deep into the woods, far from anyone he loves. With the fallout of the amusement park yielding serious consequences, Gabrielle finds herself compelled to lie, remaining mum about her involvement as to not upset her mother. But Gabrielle's mother is harboring dark secrets about her past, secrets that threaten to destroy the only life she has ever known. Can Gabrielle repair her relationship with her mother and save Catcher before the disease ravages his body? Find out in "The Dead Tossed Waves".

        Carrie Ryan has once again proven her talents and staying power with this vastly creative sequel. In the novel, Carrie delves even deeper into the very fabric of the dystopian world she has concocted, adding details so life like you can practically taste the sea salt air blowing off the ocean spray. Her character developement and interaction only further enhances an already pleasent reading experience, making it all the more terrifying. Using tips from the throwback days of Steven King, Ryan uses visual context clues to keep her audience on the edge of their seats and glancing over their shoulders. Overall, "The Dead-Tossed Waves" is a unique and magical journey well worth taking.