In Case You Missed It - Tamar by Mal Peet

Published: 2007
Publisher: Candlewick Press
# Pages:424
Copy provided by: Bought from Book Closeouts
Summary: Book closeouts

In the "Hunger Winter" of 1944, two Allied spies parachute into Nazi-occupied Holland, sent to support the Dutch resistance movement. Half a century later, fifteen-year-old Tamar inherits a box from her grandfather containing a series of clues and coded messages. Out of the past, another Tamar emerges - a man involved in the terrifying world of resistance fighters. His story is complex, filled with passion, love, jealousy, and tragedy set against the daily fear and casual horror of the Second World War. Unraveling it will transform Tamar's life.

I have long been a fan of novels that have 2 stories running parallel to each other, particularly 2 different time-lines. Tamar is an amazing example of this. The first story is that of 15 yr-old Tamar, who is trying to solve the mystery left by her grandfather when he commits suicide. She and her friend Yoyo travel around Britain trying to puzzle out the clues, and the interaction between these two characters in wonderful.

The 2nd story-line is a harrowing account of 2 spies in war-torn Holland during one of the coldest winters on record. This story is so well written that you are transported into the cold dutch countryside and it feels real. I used to sit with a blanket wrapped around my knees when I read it, because I never felt warm enough. The hardships that the two spies encounter are completely unknown to us and are extremely compelling. There is a love story that runs through this that will break your heart and completely surprise you as you reel from the betrayal between friends.

Another very interesting part of the story are the activities of the Dutch resistance. It's hard to imagine how anyone survived at all. For anyone who is at all interested in World War II and how it affected 'regular' people, you will really enjoy this book and the journey Tamar takes you on. The ending of the book will leave you reeling and you will remember the characters for many weeks afterward.

I'm going to leave you with a quote from the prologue that I think, sets up the mystery quite nicely.

'Marike was pouring gravy onto Sonia's plate. She looked up, puzzled. "Name? What name is this?"
Sonia said, "Tamar. It's perfect. I love it."
Marijke dropped the jug. It fell onto Sonia's plate, snapping a chunk off the rim. Gravy ran across the table and, before anyone could react, spilled onto Sonia's distended belly. ' (p6)

Note: This would make a great ISU novel, but don't let that put you off. It's just one of the best YA war stories I have read.

Such a Pretty Girl by Laura Wiess

Published: January 2, 2007

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Pages: 212 pages

Copy provided by: Library

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

They promised Meredith nine years of safety, but only gave her three.

Her father was supposed to be locked up until Meredith turned eighteen. She thought she had time to grow up, get out, and start a new life. But Meredith is only fifteen, and today her father is coming home from prison.

Today her time has run out.

This was a quick read, something to break up my Supernatural book run.  I wanted to read something that was going to impact my emotions and really set me off.  This was it.  Such a Pretty Girl is not a light-hearted read.  This book is about a man who abuses his daughter, goes to jail and then is released back into her life again.  It was so painful to watch the lamb return to the wolves.  Not only does Meredith have to deal with the possibility of her father harming her again, but someone she should trust (her mother) is emotionally unavailable and does not see the potential for abuse.

Throughout the story, you see Meredith flashback to times when her life was innocent.  She had unconditional love for parents who were meant to protect her, and it was heart-breaking to see this thin veil torn away and turned into something ugly.  I found it interesting to watch the ENTIRE neighbourhood rally behind Meredith and do subtle things to provide protection for her or indicate that they did not approve of her mother and father.

This would be a great ISU read for someone who is a reluctant reader.  It is short with a big impact.  Another book that is about abuse which could be used for comparison would be Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott.

Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan

Borrowed from the Library

Synopsis from Goodreads

Mae Crawford's always thought of herself as in control, but in the last few weeks her life has changed. Her younger brother, Jamie, suddenly has magical powers, and she's even more unsettled when she realizes that Gerald, the new leader of the Obsidian Circle, is trying to persuade Jamie to join the magicians. Even worse? Jamie hasn't told Mae a thing about any of it. Mae turns to brothers Nick and Alan to help her rescue Jamie, but they are in danger from Gerald themselves because he wants to steal Nick's powers. Will Mae be able to find a way to save everyone she cares about from the power-hungry magician's carefully laid trap?


Review


Hi all, saw Christinabean's review for Demon's Lexicon and just had to add my two cents worth for the sequel. (By the way, she was right, I did guess the twist at the end - it was amazing!)


As much as I enjoyed Demon's Lexicon, and that was a whole lot, I enjoyed its follow-up, Demons' Covenant, even more. The characters of Mae, Jamie, Nick and Alan are fleshed out in this second book, and to be honest I couldn't make up my mind whether I loved some of them or hated them. I think that is often a sign of great writing. You become so invested in the characters that you get mad at them for doing stupid things and feel for them when bad things happen, even though you may not actually like them very much at the time. I just can't decide what to think about Nick - most of the time I really don't like him very much, then he does something unexpected and I have a change of heart.
By the way, if you're looking for the usual werewolves and vampires, you won't find them here, but there is lots of magic and mayhem, which is just as much fun, IMO.
This is one of those stories that you can't really say a lot about without giving away the story, and I don't want to spoil things for anyone who hasn't read the first one yet. My advice - put this book at the very top of your TBR pile and don't put off reading it, especially if you like a bit of darkness in your urban fantasy. I know for sure that I will be first on the waiting list for the as yet un-named third in the trilogy, as long as Christinabean doesn't get there before me!

Christinabean here...sounds like a great read.  I hope you returned it to the library Miss Curlypow 'cause I think I'm next on the list!  BTW, I had a nice little chat on Twitter with Ms. Rees Brennan.  She is a lovely lady...hoping to get a quick author interview from her in the future!  Look her up and follow her on Twitter if you get the chance!

Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

Borrowed from the library

Synopsis from Goodreads

Synopsis:

Nick and his brother, Alan, have spent their lives on the run from magic. Their father was murdered, and their mother was driven mad by magicians and the demons who give them power. The magicians are hunting the Ryves family for a charm that Nick's mother stole -- a charm that keeps her alive -- and they want it badly enough to kill again.

Danger draws even closer when a brother and sister come to the Ryves family for help. The boy wears a demon's mark, a sign of death that almost nothing can erase...and when Alan also gets marked by a demon, Nick is des-perate to save him. The only way to do that is to kill one of the magicians they have been hiding from for so long.

Ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse, Nick starts to suspect that his brother is telling him lie after lie about their past. As the magicians' Circle closes in on their family, Nick uncovers the secret that could destroy them all.

This is the Demon's Lexicon.

Review:
Hey everyone, Christinabean here. I'm still new to reviewing so I'll try not to blather on as I normally might. When I first heard about this book, I really didn't know what to expect. There was some buzz on my favorite blogs and it looked interesting. When I saw the cover, my first reaction was - "How did they get Johnny Depp to pose for this?". Am I the only one who thinks that this cover could pass for Johnny Depp or even Milo Ventimiglia (Peter Petrelli) from Heroes?

So back to the review...I really enjoyed this book. I LOVED the way it twisted and turned and as the book started to pick up speed, I truly could not put it down. All the way through I kept thinking - Why does Nick have such a complex?  It's like he's emotionally inept!  I cannot wait to read the next book - Demon's Covenant.  As an introduction to the characters, you really start to identify with the brothers' relationship but I'm looking forward to how their relationship is strengthened through their adventure.  Surprise ending for me.  I think Curlypow guessed it but I didn't!  This is book one in a trilogy (who doesn't have a trilogy nowadays?). If you liked other supernatural reads such as - The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, you would probably enjoy this one.  Sarah Rees Brennan is also part of the Smart Chicks Kick it Tour so you might want to check her out along with a ton of other great authors.