Property of the State - Bill Cameron

First line: "'Joseph. Don't sit down.'"

Veteran crime fiction writer Bill Cameron makes a stunning entry into the world of YA fiction with Property of the State, the first book in his Legend of Joey series. Joey Getchie is a foster child biding his time in the system until he can emancipate himself. As with many fosters, Joey's been bounced from family to family. Currently he's tolerating the Bobbitt family in order to attend Katz, an elite magnet school in Portland, Oregon, but he is coming to the end of his rope with his foster father who uses Joey's school computer to surf porn and his foster mother who is addicted to prescription pain killers. He's keeping his eye on the prize--early graduation--in order to make it through.

Joey's good friend Trisha is also a foster kid, but she's been with her family more long-term. However, Trisha's foster father has made it clear to Joey that he feels Joey is a bad influence and doesn't want him around. So Joey and Trisha see each other at school and their favorite coffee house, Uncommon Cup.

Joey's plan for early graduation and emancipation is threatened, though, when Joey and his foster father get into a physical altercation. Joey walks out and Wayne Bobbitt changes the locks. In a desperate attempt to hide the current situation from his social worker, Joey begins hiding out at the Huntzel Manor, the home of his classmate Philip Huntzel. Joey has a job cleaning for Mrs. Huntzel four days a week after school. He knows that one room is never accessed by anyone in the family--Kristina's room--so he hunkers down there and slips in and out of the house to attend school.

Joey's plan gets another jolt when his classmate Duncan is hit by a car and fighting for his life in the hospital. The police are looking for the driver of the car and their investigation takes them to Katz, and to Joey.

Property of the State is a YA novel that will keep readers of all ages engaged and enthralled.  The characters are fully realized, dimensional, complex and fun. The story line is suspenseful, including strong plot twists and a mystery sure to keep readers guessing.

Cameron's humor is a bonus in this strong series starter. Joey, being an exceptionally smart teen, excels at the art of sarcasm. And his descriptions of riding in his social worker's car or meeting with his therapist are priceless. But Joey is also a typical young boy, baffled by and bumbling over his growing attraction for Trisha.

As an older reader, I found Joey endearing. His desperate need for solitude and quiet in his world of constant chaos, his desire to do the right thing--even when the universe seems to be conspiring against him--make him an empathetic character.

I'm ready to hand off Property of the State to my niece so she can read it and we can talk about it together. And then we'll both be eagerly anticipating the next Legend of Joey book.

Property of the State is available tomorrow in trade paperback (ISBN: 9781929345229) from The Poisoned Pencil. You can find it at your favorite independent bookstore or any of the following online retailers:

 

  

Empire - John Connolly & Jennifer Ridyard

First line: "The predators circled, each taking a turn to snarl at her, some more vicious than others, but every one determined to take their piece of flesh."

**NOTE: if you plan to read this series in order and have not yet read Conquest, you may want to save this review for later so as not to spoil your experience with the first book of the trilogy.


The second book in John Connolly and Jennifer Ridyard's Chronicles of the Invaders young adult series picks up after Syl and her best friend, Ani, have been sent to the Marque and the Nairene Sisterhood. Paul and his brother, Steven, were shipped off to the Illyri Brigades to fight.

Light years apart, Syl and Paul are both learning about the alien organism that Archmage Syrene of the Sisterhood infected Syl's father with. And both teens are determined to do whatever may be in their powers to fight back against the evil Illyri forces.

The audiobook of Empire is remarkably narrated by Nicola Barber. The cast of this trilogy and their various locations in space have anything but common names. Barber breezes through the pronunciations allowing them to naturally blend into the narrative while bringing out the strong personalities of characters. This is especially important in the Novice girls on the Marque. Their personalities range from naive to petty to downright cruel and Barber is attuned to the subtle differences in each. Much like a clique of high school girls, the Novices use the group mentality to wield power, and listeners will easily envision the distinct body language of callous adolescent girls.

The gifted Novices also have "special" talents. Their training on the Marque helps them hone these skills so that they can ultimately become part of the Nairene army and continue the evil reign of terror. This seasoned evil is present in the older members of Nairene, and Barber is just as adept with Grandmage Oriel's chilling malevolence as she is with Ani's innocent reverence.

Off the Marque, Barber is tasked with the slight dialect differences of the Brigade soldiers, in addition to their unique personalities. As Connolly and Ridyard develop an unusual bond between the rag-tag group of conscripted soldiers, listeners connect with them and ride along in their space odyssey.

Barber is keen to changes in the plot's pacing and intensity, adjusting for boosts through wormholes, covert investigations of the Marque and all the creepy, crawly, deadly creatures that rear their heads throughout the book. Empire is a bit more dark and graphic than Conquest.

The series is engrossing and will captivate the young adult science fiction fans, possibly those looking for alternatives to Star Wars or V. For the readers who may struggle more than others, the audiobook version is a great option to engage them in an exciting fantasy world where they can discover the magic of story. Stellar readers can also take away a good deal from this recording as Barber tickles the imagination and ignites the creativity of her audience.

Empire is available as an unabridged audiobook download (ISBN: 9781442376540) from Simon & Schuster Audio. Empire is also available in hardcover (ISBN: 9781476757155) from Atria/Emily Bestler Books.

       

Conquest - John Connolly & Jennifer Ridyard

First line: "In the beginning was the wormhole."

In my continued quest to cover crime genre books for younger readers as well as adults, I picked up the newest U.S. publication from John Connolly and his partner, Jennifer Ridyard. Not only did I find a book that is great for older young adults, but I was transported (possibly through the wormhole?) back to my own youth, the last time I enjoyed a sci-fi adventure like this. I let go of reality's gravitational pull and entered the world of Conquest, the first book in the Chronicles of the Invaders series.

Conquest opens on a very different Earth than our own. It has been invaded and is now controlled by an advanced life form not unlike humans, the Illyri. Across the planet a human organization known as The Resistance is battling to take back control of Earth. 

Meanwhile, within the ranks of the Illyri, there is unrest. The species is divided into the Military and the Diplomatic Corps who are constantly battling each other for the upper hand. 

Syl Hellais is the first Illyri born on Earth. She's also the daughter of Governor Andrus, the Illyri Military leader on Earth. When Syl and her friend Ani slip out of the castle in disguise on Syl's 16th birthday, they have no idea that it's a turning point in both of their lives. The girls encounter two human brothers, Paul and Steven, just before a bomb explodes on the Royal Mile. The brothers help the girls escape the scene unharmed and both Syl and Ani believe the encounter to be the end of their connection to the human boys.

But fate had other plans. Paul and Steven are both members of The Resistance. So they are prime targets to be framed for the bombing when they witness secret activity conducted by the Illyri Diplomatic Corps. The brothers are hauled in by the Securitat--the law enforcement group within the Diplomatic Corps--and sentenced to hang by Grand Consul Gradus, who has conveniently arrived on Earth to inform Governor Andrus of the Illyri President's death. This is essentially the end of Andrus' leadership and he finds himself powerless to undo the death sentence on the two boys.

Since Andrus is powerless to help Paul and Steven, Syl and Ani agree they will have to do it. And thus begins their life-altering odyssey.

While Conquest technically takes place on the same planet we inhabit, Connolly and Ridyard still managed to build an entirely new world in which to tell their story. The blending of Earth's geography and history with fictional technology, species, and governance gives the book a mystical element, almost a shift in dimension.

And through the enjoyment of this fantastical world come strong universal themes dealing with differences, conflict and ethics.

The differences in species can easily be translated to any kind of difference: race, religion, ethnicity. The lack of understanding and the unwillingness to try is the greatest enemy.

The conflict occurring between species and within species is symbolic of every range of human conflict from wars between nations to spats between individuals. The repeated message of taking the high road and doing the right thing instead of the easy thing reverberates through levels of the plot.

Technology plays a large role in the novel, so the ethical use also comes into play. As does the ethics of power and hierarchy.

Finally, a big part of Conquest is the idea of identity and one's true self.

Conquest is an exciting, action-packed adventure. The plot, populated with intensely memorable characters--both good and bad--will keep readers engaged for its well over 400 pages. The disappointment of the end will be mollified by the fact this is only Book 1 in the series; there is more to come. The added bonus is the rich and multiple layers of the story as well as the universal relevance of its themes.

If you have an older young adult around, I do recommend Conquest, quite highly. But I also recommend that if you're going to get them a copy, buy it early so you can read it yourself first...or buy your own copy as well. This is most definitely a book that can be enjoyed by all.

Conquest is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9781476757124) from Emily Bestler/Atria Books and as an unabridged audio (ISBN: 9781442369078) narrated by Nicola Barber from Simon & Schuster Audio. Below is an audio excerpt for your listening pleasure!

Game - Barry Lyga

One of the blog goals I had set for myself this year was to read YA crime fiction in the mix of my regular crime fiction to give more diversity to the genre representation (was that wordy enough or what?). At first I was having trouble finding some YA I was willing to read--paranormal seems to be all the rage in YA these days. But I've found some I'm excited to share with you and today is the first of those. Read on...

First line: "She had screamed, but she had not cried."

Barry Lyga's Game is the sequel to I Hunt Killers. I missed I Hunt Killers the first time around, but it didn't keep me from understanding and enjoying Game.

Jasper "Jazz" Dent is the son of Billy Dent, one of the most notorious serial killers in the world. The seventeen-year-old boy lives with his paternal grandmother who is suffering from dementia and most days is a threat to herself. So when a NYC police detective shows up at his door asking for Jazz's help with the Hat-Dog murders, Jazz is resistant. Not only does he not want to get caught up in more murder and carnage, but he can't leave his grandmother alone in their small Southern town of Lobo's Nod. The detective is persistent. He believes that Jazz's knowledge of serial killers--from growing up under the tutelage of his father--is exactly what the NYPD needs to find the Hat-Dog killer.

Jazz's resistance is short-lived. The need to prove that he isn't his father, that killing isn't genetic, wins out. Jazz recruits the help of his Aunt Samantha, Billy's sister, and his best friend Howie to take care of Grandma while Jazz heads off to NYC with his girlfriend Connie.

The unabridged audiobook of Game is narrated by Charlie Thurston who does a stellar job of balancing the seriousness of a serial killer with the humor that Lyga peppers throughout. The humor doesn't diminish the authenticity of the plot, rather it enhances the authenticity of the characters. Lyga is writing about teenagers after all. And he does so without condescension.

Thurston's job as narrator is a challenging one as he volleys back and forth between the teenage issues and the adult world of crime--his careful blending of the two makes for an engaging story. And his representation of Howie is probably my favorite. Lyga has created a supporting character rich enough to take the lead himself, at times even overshadowing his protagonist, which is not at all a bad thing. Howie is both endearing and hysterically funny! Thurston nails that combination.



The relationship between Jazz and Howie is also a major strength of this series. Two outcasts of different sorts using their unique strengths and talents to compliment the other's.

There are a few elements of the novel that felt awkward to me, but I wasn't sure if these were overall awkward or if they're awkward from an adult perspective, not so much from a YA perspective. Jazz's dream scenes were one of these times as well as the teenagers' mentality that they were "adults" once they turned eighteen. Several times Connie tells her parents that she will be eighteen in a matter of months and can do whatever she wants. For Jazz, as an orphan of sorts, this makes sense. But for Connie, it isn't as straight forward. At least, it wasn't straight forward in MY house as a teenage. If I was still living under my parents' roof, then it didn't matter if I was eight or eighteen. I still had to live by their rules. So, the parents' reaction to her demands didn't exactly ring true to me. Teens, however, will likely connect with the feeling.

Lyga's grip on the teenage dialogue is strong, and Thurston enhances it even more. From humor to sarcasm to teen angst, the duo creates a smooth and natural sound.

The overall production of Game is excellent. The focus stays on the story with no distracting breaths, edits or other outside noises. It's an engaging, suspenseful novel that listeners of all ages can enjoy, whether they are familiar with I Hunt Killers or not.

Game is available as an unabridged audio download from Hachette Audio and in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0316125871) from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

The Book Thief is the story of Liesel Meminger, a young German girl living smack in the middle of World War II and Nazi Germany, as told from the point of view of Death. At the onset of the novel, Liesel is traveling with her birth mother and her brother to be turned over to a foster family. Liesel's brother, Werner, dies on the train traveling to the foster family, so Liesel is left alone with the two strangers, Hans and Rosa Hubermann.

Liesel slowly grows to be one of the Hubermann family. She forages a special bond with Hans, her "Papa" who is a painter, plays the accordian and teaches her to read. Hans committed a grave faux pas by painting over Jewish slurs on a building. He, therefore, is ostracized by "the Party." That does not deter the Hubermann family. They are compassionate people, who take in a Jewish man named Max and hide him in their basement.

With the help of her Papa, Max, Rosa, her best friend Rudy and the mayor's wife, Ilsa Hermann, Liesel learns the power of words in a world that is literally falling apart around her.

The book jacket for The Book Thief reads "'It's just a small story, really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist fighter, and quite a lot of thievery...'" This was far from a small story at 552 pages, but they literally flew by. Markus Zusak is extraordinary, plain and simple.

The Book Thief is classified as a young adult novel, and I have to admit that I have not read much young adult literature since I stopped teaching high school English. I am grateful that this book was on the reading list for the East Bay Mystery Reader's Group this month. I would not have known about it otherwise, and I would have missed out on an incredible reading experience.

Zusak picked an appropriate, yet unique, perspective from which to tell the story of Liesel Meminger. Who could be more qualified to "see all" during this world's most horrifying era than Death? Death's description of himself is wonderful:

***A Small Piece of Truth***
I do not carry a sickle or scythe.
I only wear a hooded black robe when it's cold.
And I don't have those skull-like
facial features you seem to enjoy
pinning on me from a distance. You
want to know what I truly look like?
I'll help you out. Find yourself
a mirror while I continue.

And Zusak didn't choose to tell this story from the experience of a Jewish person but rather from the vantage point of a young German girl. While Liesel, the Hubermann's and their neighbors are waiting in a basement during an air raid, Death says,

As is often the case with humans, when I read about them in the book thief's words, I pitied them, though not as much as I felt for the ones I scooped up from various camps in that time. The Germans in basements were pitiable, surely, but at least they had a chance. That basement was not a washroom. They were not sent there for a shower. For those people, life was still achievable.

In this small segment I heard Zusak telling his reader not to think that the suffering of the innocent people outside could begin to be comparable to the suffering of the Jews in the camps, but to remember that most everyone suffered during this abomination; there were innocent people who tried to do the right thing and were overpowered by the evil prevailing.

One of the most powerful strengths of this novel is the way Zusak develops relationships between Liesel and the other characters. Liesel and Rudy, her best friend, are inseparable, always taking care of each other. The bond between Liesel and Ilsa Hermann can best be seen when Liesel smacks Ilsa with verbal insults:

Blood leaked from her nose and licked at her lips. Her eyes had blackened. Cuts had opened up and a series of wounds were rising to the surface of her skin. All from the words. From Liesel's words.

Ilsa had offered a gift because she felt bad that she had to stop sending clothes to be cleaned by Rosa. Liesel, being a young girl and not being able to see beyond herself, only felt betrayed and the gift was no consolation. The words Liesel threw could not have harmed Ilsa if she didn't care about Liesel. One of only many images in this book that illustrate the power of words.

And of course, the relationships between Liesel and her Papa, as well as that between Liesel and Max. They guide her in her growth, but she teaches them as well.

Sadly, we all know the plot of World War II, so this story isn't about the plot. It's about the characters. It's about the relationships between the characters. And it is told in such a way that you close the book at the end having felt every emotion you know of.

Zusak's talent with language is mesmerizing. The images that are conjured up for the reader enhance the tone of death and destruction, but still bring through the life that is happening in the midst of despair. At times there is literally music emanating from the words on the pages. And at other times, it is solemn or foreboding.

While you might have to venture into the Young Adult or Children's section of the library to find this book, if you haven't done so already, I highly recommend you do. It's a must read for us all; a reminder of the power of words and how blessed we are to hold that power!