Pick 6: murder mysteries

The world of fiction is full of mysteries and when those books are aimed at teens, they take on a decidedly murderous bent. Murder mysteries are full of intrigue and danger, making them rather thrilling to read. Here are six murder mysteries for teens published in the last six months.

6 new murder mysteries

1. When by Victoria Laurie

2. The Third Twin by C.J. Omololu

3. Dead to Me by Mary McCoy

4. Enchantment Lake by Margi Preus

5. The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma

6. Ask the Dark by Henry Turner

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?
All the Rage by Courtney Summers
Romy thought her date with the sheriff's son, Kellan, would be a dream come true. It turned out to be more of a nightmare. When she told the truth about him, people branded her a liar. She takes refuge in a job outside of town, trying to forget about Kellan. When a girl with ties to Kellan goes missing, Romy isn't sure she can remain silent anymore. No one believed her but can she let her silence harm other girls?

This is a very timely topic and I look forward to seeing how Summers treats such a sensitive issue.
 
What did you recently finish reading?
Eden West by Pete Hautman
Jacob has lived in Nodd since he was very small, working the land and waiting with the other Grace for the arrival of the Archangel Zerachiel and the apocalypse. He has always been content in Nodd - until he has a chance encounter with a neighbor, a Worldly girl named Lynna. Soon after a new family arrives in Nodd and a lone wolf begins wreaking havoc on their land. For the first time Jacob's belief in the Grace wavers.

This book is fairly standard for a cult novel, plot-wise. Nothing too revolutionary but it's well written and worth the read.

What do you think you will read next?
Andreo's Race by Pam Withers
A tale of international intrigue, baby trafficking, and family.

Book review - Last of the Sandwalkers

Title: Last of the Sandwalkers
Author: Jay Hosler
Genre: graphic novel/adventure
Similar books: Crogan's Loyalty by Chris Schweizer
                     Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
Rating:

sneaky

Summary: For generations the beetles have been satisfied to live quiet lives in their isolated village. Lucy, on the other hand, dreams of discovery. It takes some work but she convinces their leaders to allow her to lead a team of researchers into the desert where they will learn things that change the way they see the entire world.

My opinion: This book is a cool, sneaky way to teach some science. Much less obvious in its teaching than easy reader sci-fi, though also aimed at an older audience as it goes into more detail and brings some more complicated issues into play. I liked the combination of the adventure with message to observe and question. Plus, the art has the perfect combination of detail and cartoony style.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Selections from my puppet archive

Apparently my life was pretty busy this week because I didn't manage to finish any crafts. Instead, here are some projects I've done in the past.

Sock puppet rock star

T-rex marionette

Magician rod puppet

Monster pillow puppet

Book Review - The Ghastly McNastys

Title: The Ghastly McNastys: the Lost Treasure of Little Snoring
Author: Lyn Garnder
Genre: humor
Similar books: Claude in the City by Alex T. Smith
                     Mr. and Mrs. Bunny - Detectives Extraordinaire by Polly Horvath
Rating:

too much fun

Summary: The McNasty twins are the most despicable selfish pirates sailing the seas. When word gets out that there is a valuable treasure buried somewhere in the village of Little Snoring, the McNastys are determined to get their hands on it by any means necessary. It's up to Tat and Hetty, local kids who are also seeking the treasure, to protect their village and send the pirates packing.

My opinion: Talk about ridiculous fun. Like all the best absurd books it recognizes its absurdity and embraces that role. It is playful and exciting without a real sense of peril, making this an excellent read aloud for even young kids. Older readers will appreciate the author asides, things like a parrot that gets tossed off of one page only to land some forty pages later. And it has really fun place names - like the Big, Scary, Very Dark, Dense Forest Where No One In Their Right Mind Would Want To Go.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Picture books for everyone

Larf by Ashley Spires

Larf is a fairly straightforward story about taking a chance and making a new friend. Two things broaden it's appeal
1.) It's about a Sasquatch. A vegetarian Sasquatch who wears a scarf, makes snarky comments about movies, and carries his pet bunny in a baby carrier.
2.) There are loads of little details to notice on each page. I've read this to 3rd graders and they love to find little hints about the plot.
The writing is clever, great details without becoming clumsy and cluttered. This book is a favorite among the youth department staff at my library and is a general hit with the kids who hear it.

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?
Genuine Sweet by Faith Harkey
Genuine has just learned that she has the ability to fetch wishes for people, a skill her Gram warns her to only use to help other people. She quickly learns that wishes can really improve people's lives and she enjoys helping as many people as she can. Life finally begins to seem better, until she starts to encounter problems that wishes can't fix.

What I've read of this book so far reminds me of Savvy by Ingrid Law, a book that I really enjoyed.I look forward to finishing this book and seeing if that resemblance remains.
 
What did you recently finish reading?
Kissing Ted Callahan (and Other Guys) by Amy Spalding
Neither Riley nor Reid has ever been in a relationship so when they discover their bandmates in a compromising position, they make a pact to help each other out. They will record their interactions with the opposite sex in a notebook and give each other dating hints. As they go to increasingly great lengths to catch their crushes, the information in the notebook becomes more sensitive and their relationships with other people become more strained.

I don't think anyone could read that description and not predict disaster. It's a rather predictable plot built on a somewhat shaky foundation. Definitely not my favorite book this week.
 
What do you think you will read next?
The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things by Ann Aguirre
The description of this teen romance hints at some emotional complexity and painful pasts for the main characters.