The Peculiars

The Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry. Upon receiving on her eighteenth birthday two envelopes from the mysterious father who long ago abandoned her and her mother, Lena Mattacascar determines to use the money left in one of the envelopes to track him down and learn why he left and what he truly is. If he is part goblin as she suspects, what does this mean about her? She already has goblin-like, oversized hands and feet; has she also inherited her father's temperament and character? In an alternative world that resembles the 19th-century American West, goblins and other "peculiars" are scorned as uncivilized and soulless. There is a movement afoot to find peculiars and exile them to the northern territory of Scree, where they can be monitored and put to work for the government. Lena's efforts to get to Scree are fraught with complications: most of her money is stolen; she starts to work for Dr. Beasely, a rich and eccentric inventor who may be involved in illegal and inhumane trafficking with peculiars; she is torn between her attraction to Marshall Thomas Saltre, who needs her help to investigate Beasely, and Jimson Quiggley, a student of evolution who doesn't believe in goblins. She is also constantly aware of her own hands and feet and worries about being identified and persecuted as a peculiar herself. McQuerry has written a coming-of-age story filled with adventure and romance, with a strong central character. Recommended.

Art of Fielding

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach takes the prize as the most satisfying, entertaining novel of the summer [so far]. The setting is a small, Wisconsin school, Westish College, whose baseball team, the Harpooners, has suffered for years from mediocrity. That is, until phenomenally gifted shortstop Henry Skrimshander joins the team. Henry is first recruited and then mentored by team catcher Mike Schwartz. The Harpooners start winning, and the team looks like it will go all the way to a national championship. Then Henry inexplicably sends an errant throw into the Harpooner dugout, where it hits his friend and roommate Owen in the face. As a horrified Henry's life starts to unravel so do the lives of Westish College's president, Guert Affenlight, who falls in love with Owen, Mike, who can't figure out how to fix Henry's problems or his own, and Guert's daughter Pella, who finds herself caught between Henry and Mike while struggling to rebuild her life following a failed marriage. Harbach pokes fun at academia and college sports, but also shows great affection for his many flawed and complex characters. Highly recommended.

The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green has provided one of the most satisfying reads so far this summer. Teen Hazel Grace, diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer, confronts issues of life, death and love. Hazel meets cancer survivor Augustus Waters at a group therapy session which her mother forces her to attend. Attraction is mutual and immediate. Hazel's narration of their developing relationship is loaded with witty dialog and dark humor as well as explorations of what it means to die unremarked or forgotten. The plot turns around Hazel's need to contact the reclusive author of her favorite book, An Imperial Affliction, which is about a young girl who dies of cancer. The books ends abruptly, leaving exasperating questions about what happened to Anna's mother, her friends and her hamster. Hazel, with Gus's help, is determined to discover the answers, even though the author now lives in Amsterdam and has never acknowledged her many letters. Although Green emphasizes that the book is fiction, it nonetheless thoughtfully explores what life for a teenager dealing with cancer can be like. It is both serious and light-hearted: "Hazel GRACE!" he[Gus] shouted. "You did not use your one dying Wish to go to Disney World with your parents. . . . I can't believe I have a crush on a girl with such cliche wishes."

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman is a complex tale of political intrigue, struggle with identity, and of tests of love and loyalty. It is set in a world, the kingdom of Goredd, which is populated by both dragons and humans who are divided by suspicion, bigotry and a history of armed conflict. Seraphina Dombegh is the musically gifted daughter of an esteemed lawyer, tutored by a saarantras, a dragon in human form. When barely into adolescence, she begins to experience changes in her body and mind that reveal a terrible secret--her mother, whom she never knew, was a dragon and Seraphina is a half-breed. For her this means leading a life of deception and self-loathing, for there are people in Goredd who would gladly destroy such "misshapen, miscengenated abominations." Although her father commands her to stay silent and hidden, Seraphina loves music and accepts a position with the royal court as assistant to the music director. She becomes increasingly involved with the affairs at court following the assassination of popular Prince Rufus and the impending visit of the dragon Ardmagar to renew the tenuous peace between dragons and humans. She uses her special insights into dragon history and behavior to help compelling, attractive Prince Lucian, Captain of the Guard, solve the mystery of Prince Rufus's death and to help protect the Ardmagar. This is an entertaining tale of adventure seasoned with Seraphina's personal challenges of self-acceptance.

The Book of Jonas by Stephen Dau tells the story of a 15-year-old from an unnamed country in the Middle East who comes to America after his village and family are destroyed in a U.S. military attack. Jonas struggles to deal with his past--he has buried his memory of events deeply, but is obviously haunted by what has happened. Through his therapist, he meets the mother of a soldier who was declared missing in the same operation. Rose, too, is seeking answers. What happened to her son? Does Jonas hold the key? While the ending is somewhat predictable, the descriptions of what war does to individuals on all sides--non-combatant victims, soldiers and parents, are compelling.

Kill Switch by Chris Lynch is story with many themes: it is a quest to find a safe place for Daniel Cameron's grandpa, Da, who is losing his mind to Alzheimer's and becoming increasingly unpredictable; a loyalty test for Daniel as he struggles to understand why Da's former employers from the Department of Agriculture are tracking them; and a labor of love to keep Da focused on the present. It is easy to get caught up in Daniel's dilemmas, but increasingly troubling to see the consequences of the choices that Daniel feels he is forced to make. Newly graduated from high school, Daniel takes on the full time job of caring for his grandfather, determined to enjoy their remaining time together before he must leave for college. Listening to Da's rants, Daniel starts to suspect that Da's past was not simply one of a paper-pushing government bureaucrat. It also seems obvious that former co-workers are concerned about Da's failure to maintain secrecy about his past and want him silenced. Even Daniel's parents and sister have lost patience with Da. After Da has been put under observation to avoid prosecution for car theft, Daniel decides to take matters into his own hands. It is tragic to see the ravages that dementia wreaks on a proud individual, his family and society. Both Daniel and his grandfather are complex, challenging characters and the path they have chosen leads them into danger, violence and betrayal. Kill Switch is riveting and thought-provoking.

The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi

Bacigalupi, author of Shipbreaker, continues his exploration of a dystopian future in which major American cities have been flooded and turned into jungles. Gangs of armed children roam the ruins and surrounding countryside looking for enemies and vulnerable civilians to impress as slaves. Two children have managed to survive the violence, although Mahlia has lost a hand and Mouse is soon captured by a rebel band, with whom he must actively participate in killing and torture or be executed himself. Despite her desire to escape the violence, Mahlia chooses to return to the Drowned Cities to find and rescue her friend. She has one thing in her favor, she doesn't travel alone. Tool, a combination of man, dog, tiger and jackal, has escaped from his masters who first created and then used him as a killing machine. Tool owes Mahlia a debt--she stole medicines to heal his wounds and save his life. Still, he can't really figure out why he doesn't either abandon her or eat her. Tool and Mahlia face constant danger in their quest to find and save Mouse. Meanwhile, Mouse's captors are turning him into Ghost--an armed and ruthless soldier like themselves.The story unfolds with visceral violence and unending suspense.