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Annie Metcalf

YA FictionYA

Revenge after ‘Six of Crows’

Review by Annie Metcalf

After being double-crossed by rich merchant Jan van Eck at the end of Six of Crows, Kaz Brekker and his crew are more determined than ever to get the money they are owed—and their revenge. There are other forces in play, however, and the first attempt to best Van Eck crumbles in the face of rival gang interference, dangerous winged soldiers and a mysterious mercenary. Furthermore, something is hunting the Grisha of Ketterdam, putting Nina and Jesper in extra danger and inspiring Nina to insist on a Grisha rescue mission in tandem with the plot against Van Eck. In this epic novel, the young outlaws Kaz, Nina, Inej, Jesper, Matthias and Wylan must pull off one more major scheme, this time with all of Ketterdam—from the government to the gangs—aligned against them.

In contrast to the previous installment, Leigh Bardugo strikes a better balance between her characters’ ruthless determination and their youthful insecurities. Parental relationships—both in the main plot and in backstory—add welcome depth to the characters Inej, Jesper and Wylan. Jesper and Wylan also shine brightly in their romantic scenes. Bardugo maintains her excellent knack for writing tense passages. Moments such as Inej’s high-wire break-in are particularly gripping, sprinkled with beautifully written backstory in between the wonderfully nerve-wracking descriptions of walking the wire. Just as violent and thrilling as Six of Crows but tempered with more mature, quiet moments, Crooked Kingdom is an immensely satisfying follow-up.

After being double-crossed by rich merchant Jan van Eck at the end of Six of Crows, Kaz Brekker and his crew are more determined than ever to get the money they are owed—and their revenge. There are other forces in play, however, and the first attempt to best Van Eck crumbles in the face of rival gang interference, dangerous winged soldiers and a mysterious mercenary.

Mystery & SuspenseFictionMystery

Trust your instincts

Review by Annie Metcalf

Detective Antoinette Conway is doubly unique on the Dublin murder squad: She’s the only mixed-race detective and the only woman. She’s taken a lot of flak in her two years on the squad, and the strain is beginning to show. Though her new partner, Steve Moran, seems to understand and respect her, Antoinette is nearing the end of her rope. At the end of another long night shift, she and Steve are handed a case that at first seems like a textbook domestic violence scenario. A young woman, Aislinn Murray, is found dead in her home after an anonymous tip reported that she hit her head in a fall. The fall turns out to have been caused by a punch, but obvious leads—such as Aislinn’s boyfriend—don’t fit.

The clues lead Conway and Moran in circles, from an encrypted file on Aislinn’s computer, to the strange behavior of her best friend, to the hints that there may have been more than one man in her life. Plus, Antoinette knows she’s seen Aislinn’s face before, but cannot recall when or where. With leads sprawling fruitlessly throughout Dublin, Antoinette begins to wonder: Is there someone close to the investigation who doesn’t want the case solved?

Tana French excels at placing dedicated and talented detectives under stress, testing them with the case that will strike their unique anxieties the hardest. Antoinette’s intelligence and skepticism are charming, but these traits gradually give way to a surly paranoia. Despite the first-person narration, French provides ample moments for the reader to acknowledge Antoinette’s fears but also question them. Soon, the question of whether Antoinette will survive the case professionally becomes as gripping as the mystery of who killed Aislinn. Though it may not pack the same emotional punch as other French titles, The Trespasser delivers a great detective team in Conway and Moran and a satisfyingly dramatic conclusion. This is an intense and engrossing installment in the Dublin Murder Squad series. 

Detective Antoinette Conway is doubly unique on the Dublin murder squad: She’s the only mixed-race detective and the only woman. She’s taken a lot of flak in her two years on the squad, and the strain is beginning to show. Though her new partner, Steve Moran, seems to understand and respect her, Antoinette is nearing the end of her rope.

YA FictionYA

Rap like a girl

Review by Annie Metcalf

BookPage Teen Top Pick, October 2016

Sixteen-year-old Rani Patel is part of the only Indian family—Gujarati, to be precise—on the Hawaiian island of Moloka'i. And that family is falling apart. When Rani discovers her father’s affair, he is unrepentant. After years of unquestioning obedience, Rani’s mother finally finds the strength to kick him out. Feeling abandoned by her father and invisible to her mother, Rani deals with it all through the music that has always saved her: rap. Rani’s deep love of hip-hop culture empowers her to write lyrics and slam poems full of swagger, female empowerment and social awareness. But while her alter ego, MC Sutra, exudes confidence, Rani has yet to confront the horrific truth of her relationship with her father. As she hones her skills as an MC and a flirtatious relationship with an older man becomes something more, Rani’s past continues to intrude on her present.

Rani’s environment leaps off the page in vivid and satisfying detail, from the winding roads and small shops of Moloka'i to the intricacies of ’90s hip-hop fashion. The lyrics she writes are particularly convincing—good enough to show that her talent is serious, but just unpolished enough to be written by a teenager. Author Sonia Patel is a psychiatrist, and her determination to portray Rani’s response to trauma truthfully is unrelenting. Rani’s past affects her choices again and again, despite her undeniable intelligence and drive. 

As young readers root for Rani, they will gain a deeper understanding of abuse and addiction through this powerful and gripping novel. 

 

This article was originally published in the October 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Feeling abandoned by her father and invisible to her mother, Rani deals with it all through the music that has always saved her: rap. Rani’s deep love of hip-hop culture empowers her to write lyrics and slam poems full of swagger, female empowerment and social awareness.
Children's & YAMiddle Grade

Fitting into a new home

Review by Annie Metcalf

Twelve-year-old Reena is shocked when her parents decide to move the family to a small coastal town in Maine. She and her little brother, Luke, are excited, if a little nervous, to explore their new home. But their parents have another surprise in store when they volunteer the kids to work for Mrs. Falala, a prickly old woman who lives with a motley assortment of animals. 

Reena and Luke soon discover that Mrs. Falala needs help from each of them. Luke teaches Mrs. Falala to draw, and Reena takes on the task of readying Zora, a very stubborn cow, for the fair. Reena comes into her own in the barn, building confidence as she gradually gains Zora’s trust. 

Reena is a witty but gentle narrator, well attuned to the feelings and insecurities of others, even adults. The relative simplicity of the storyline, coupled with Reena’s mature observations, translate well to the book’s structure, a series of poems. Some poems are strictly narrative, while others are more abstract, providing a good balance of familiarity and challenge for readers. Award-winning author Sharon Creech delivers another charming and satisfying novel-in-verse, perfect for independent young readers.

 

This article was originally published in the September 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Twelve-year-old Reena is shocked when her parents decide to move the family to a small coastal town in Maine. She and her little brother, Luke, are excited, if a little nervous, to explore their new home. But their parents have another surprise in store when they volunteer the kids to work for Mrs. Falala, a prickly old woman who lives with a motley assortment of animals.
Mystery & SuspenseFictionSuspense

Friendship gone wrong

Review by Annie Metcalf

Edie is in her 30s, lives alone, works as a waitress and is pregnant. Hers is an unremarkable life, except for the horrific secret she keeps buried in her past. Edie has all but erased that moment by cutting off contact with her mother, moving far from her sleepy hometown and, most importantly, not speaking with Heather—her best friend who was also involved—for 17 years. But when Edie suffers from severe postpartum depression, she becomes physically incapable of caring for the baby. When Heather unexpectedly appears at Edie’s side, offering to move in and help with little Maya, Edie knows that for the sake of her daughter, she cannot refuse. As she emerges from the haze of her depression, her fears return. What does Heather want, and why has she returned after all this time?

A teenage Heather narrates passages that take place before the incident, while Edie recounts chapters occurring in the present. As the narrative voices alternate, the reader’s loyalty to Edie waxes and wanes. Present-day Edie has lost some of her spark; she is more reserved than her teenage self, but is kind and intelligent. Her fear of Heather is absolute and visceral, and author Camilla Way adeptly transfers this paranoia to the page and the reader. But high school-aged Heather is also a sympathetic character. Awkward and anxious, her devotion to beautiful, confident Edie is understandable. Heather’s strangeness and unpopularity are skillfully written as pathetic yet relatable.

Way proves to be an expert at setting narrative traps, providing enough information for readers to make inferences and assumptions, but stealthily holding back the key elements as long as possible. While much psychological suspense has focused on spousal relationships, Watching Edie thoughtfully explores female friendships and betrayal. A compelling voice in suspense fiction, Way keeps readers guessing throughout this smart, taut psychological thriller.

Edie is in her 30s, lives alone, works as a waitress and is pregnant. Hers is an unremarkable life, except for the horrific secret she keeps buried in her past. Edie has all but erased that moment by cutting off contact with her mother, moving far from her sleepy hometown and, most importantly, not speaking with Heather—her best friend who was also involved—for 17 years. But when Edie suffers from severe postpartum depression, she becomes physically incapable of caring for the baby.

YA FictionYA

Piecing together the truth

Review by Annie Metcalf

Near the end of her senior year of high school, Jill Charron wakes up in a hospital bed with no memory of the events that led her there. She learns that the trip to Italy she was longing for has already happened, that she was in a horrible car accident there and that her best friend, Simone, died at the scene. Reeling from the news, Jill slowly comes to realize that Italian authorities believe she caused the crash intentionally and want to try her for murder. As she recovers from her physical injuries, Jill also fights to regain her memories of the past six weeks, hoping they will confirm what she knows in her heart—she would never harm her best friend.

Told from Jill’s perspective but punctuated with police evidence and articles from blogs and travel books, With Malice unravels the notion that young women can be easily categorized. As the media rushes to vilify Jill and sanctify Simone, the readers will instinctively defend the protagonist—but are we, too, jumping to conclusions about a character? Veteran YA author Eileen Cook (Remember) uses snippets of testimony from other characters to deepen the mystery and nudge readers further into uncertainty. Cook creates a disturbing portrait of female friendship and doesn’t shy away from dark, complex characters despite the age of her readership. Readers paying close attention won’t be as shocked by the ending as the marketing suggests, but Cook has still delivered a solid summer thriller for the teen set. 

Near the end of her senior year of high school, Jill Charron wakes up in a hospital bed with no memory of the events that led her there. She learns that the trip to Italy she was longing for has already happened, that she was in a horrible car accident there and that her best friend, Simone, died at the scene.

YA FictionYA

Finding the superhero strength to be who you are

Review by Annie Metcalf

Adrian is gay and perfectly content to blend into the background at his stereotypically conservative Texas high school. He prefers to escape into the world of his Renaissance-inspired art and his superhero creation, Graphite. But when he intervenes during the brutal beating of another gay student, he draws unwanted attention to himself. No longer in the background, Adrian must decide whether he (and Graphite) should stand for something more than solitude and invisibility. 

Laurent Linn’s debut novel is less “coming out” and more “coming-of-age,” as it asks compelling questions about responsibility, retaliation and integrity. Adrian’s two sidekicks, the drastically different Audrey and Trent, are well-rounded characters who support and challenge Adrian in equal measure.

The text is interspersed with beautiful snippets of the Graphite comic, drawn by the author, and a believable budding romance lends lightness to the otherwise violent plot. Despite the novel’s length, the story unfolds over just a few weeks, which underscores how quickly and drastically circumstances can change, an especially important message for young readers. Draw the Line does leave a few loose ends untied, but readers will appreciate the happy place Adrian finds himself in at the story’s conclusion and the admirable choices he made to get there.

 

This article was originally published in the June 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Adrian is gay and perfectly content to blend into the background at his stereotypically conservative Texas high school. He prefers to escape into the world of his Renaissance-inspired art and his superhero creation, Graphite. But when he intervenes during the brutal beating of another gay student, he draws unwanted attention to himself. No longer in the background, Adrian must decide whether he (and Graphite) should stand for something more than solitude and invisibility.
YA FictionYA

The world below

Review by Annie Metcalf

As the Monarch’s heir, Kali is devoted to her floating kingdom of Ashra, even when doing her duty involves entering an arranged marriage. But on the night of her engagement ceremony, Kali overhears a disturbing conversation, suggesting that the history of Ashra, as recorded in the official annals, might be fabricated. What’s more, some of the citizens may have discovered the truth, and the possibility of a rebellion looms. Kali is desperate to alert her father, but before she can find him, she rescues her fiancé from falling off the edge—and falls to earth herself.

Mysteriously, Kali isn’t killed by the fall. She meets a young monster hunter, Griffin, who agrees to help her find her way back to Ashra. Despite her inexperience, Kali surprises herself, and Griffin, with her determination and bravery against the dangers on the earth’s surface. Along the journey, Kali meets more human survivors, learns the true violent history of Ashra and becomes even more determined to return home and set things right.

In Heir to the Sky, Amanda Sun has created a likable cast of characters and an intriguing plot, but the true star of the novel is the landscape. The floating lands of Ashra and the deserted earth are fascinating and original. The earth is a lush riot of color, texture and danger that leaves the reader craving more descriptive passages. Science-fiction and fantasy elements—an unknown world, a suppressed history and larger-than-life mythical beasts—blend into a rich and unforgettable world that lingers in the readers’ imagination well beyond the final page. 

As the Monarch’s heir, Kali is devoted to her floating kingdom of Ashra, even when doing her duty involves entering an arranged marriage. But on the night of her engagement ceremony, Kali overhears a disturbing conversation, suggesting that the history of Ashra, as recorded in the official annals, might be fabricated. What’s more, some of the citizens may have discovered the truth, and the possibility of a rebellion looms. Kali is desperate to alert her father, but before she can find him, she rescues her fiancé from falling off the edge—and falls to earth herself.

YA FictionYA

Beyond victimhood

Review by Annie Metcalf

BookPage Teen Top Pick, April 2016

In the town of Palermo Heights, the cheerleading squad is the high school’s most successful team. Cheer captain Hermione Winters is determined to fill her senior year with more victories. She’s hard at work at preseason training camp when the unthinkable happens: She wakes up in a hospital to learn that she was drugged and raped, and soon finds out she was also impregnated. With her memory blank and the evidence compromised, there is little hope of finding Hermione’s attacker. 

While some rape narratives might focus on lurid details, the whodunit aspect and the protagonist’s downward spiral, E.K. Johnston’s latest novel works on more nuanced ground. Hermione is surrounded by a great support system, which allows her to keep cheering, stay in school and stand strong. Her best friend, Polly, is a case study in how to lend support to someone who has suffered an assault. But there are small changes to confront as well. Hermione feels a strange mix of pride and resentment as she watches friends find their own strength because of her circumstances, and she navigates fear and uncertainty as her memories begin to resurface. Johnston avoids unrealistic clichés by exploring Hermione’s emotions in vivid detail.

It may be pointed out that Hermione is too perfect a victim, one whose narrative undermines more complicated assault scenarios. However, Johnston’s carefully crafted novel makes this simplicity work, thanks to its focus on how strongly Hermione advocates for herself after the fact. Should a young reader ever need guidance following an assault, she could do much worse than to emulate Hermione Winters.

 

This article was originally published in the April 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

In the town of Palermo Heights, the cheerleading squad is the high school’s most successful team. Cheer captain Hermione Winters is determined to fill her senior year with more victories. She’s hard at work at preseason training camp when the unthinkable happens: She wakes up in a hospital to learn that she was drugged and raped, and soon finds out she was also impregnated. With her memory blank and the evidence compromised, there is little hope of finding Hermione’s attacker.
YA FictionYAFantasy

A desert girl’s thrilling journey

Review by Annie Metcalf

Amani Al’Hiza is desperate to escape the tiny village of Dustwalk. Her best chance at making the money for the journey to Miraji’s capital is her gun. Dressed as a boy to enter a shooting contest, Amani makes an unlikely alliance with a mysterious foreigner. The contest ends in chaos, and Amani barely escapes with her life, let alone the prize money. When the foreigner, Jin, reappears on the run from the Sultan’s army, Amani knows it could be dangerous to help, but she can’t shake the idea that Jin may be able to help her in return.

The nation of Miraji and its rivals are rooted in geopolitical themes from our own world, adding to the sense that Amani’s journey takes place within an ancient and well-established society. Most impressive, though, is author Alwyn Hamilton’s care not to conflate the danger and poverty Amani wants to leave behind with the Miraji culture as a whole. Amani’s respect for the legends and myths of her people and her explicit pride in being “a desert girl” show the beauty of Miraji, rather than making it a wasteland to escape at all costs.

The stakes are raised significantly in the final third of the novel, which may disappoint readers who were enjoying the relative realism of Amani’s quest. However, this brilliantly executed plot twist will thrill readers anxious for true fantasy. 

In Rebel of the Sands, Hamilton creates a robust mixture of gritty reality and fantasy, delivering a satisfying beginning to what promises to be an electrifying series.

 

This article was originally published in the March 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Amani Al’Hiza is desperate to escape the tiny village of Dustwalk. Her best chance at making the money for the journey to Miraji’s capital is her gun. Dressed as a boy to enter a shooting contest, Amani makes an unlikely alliance with a mysterious foreigner. The contest ends in chaos, and Amani barely escapes with her life, let alone the prize money. When the foreigner, Jin, reappears on the run from the Sultan’s army, Amani knows it could be dangerous to help, but she can’t shake the idea that Jin may be able to help her in return.
Children's & YAMiddle Grade

A big heart comes to a small town

Review by Annie Metcalf

Unlike most 12-year-olds who face being uprooted, Jeremiah is excited to move. Hillcrest, Ohio, has one of the best high-school baseball teams in the country, with a state-of-the-art field and a town full of fans. Baseball is especially important to Jeremiah following his heart transplant. Since he can no longer play, Jeremiah must stay on the sidelines and work on his new dream of becoming a coach.

Everything in Hillcrest seems perfect at first, but then the Hornets’ star pitcher dies of a heart attack. Soon the coach is being investigated for giving steroids to his players. Hillcrest’s winning tradition has withered into a culture of winning above all else, and the town is fed up. This complicates Jeremiah’s plan to revive the defunct middle-school team, but his health problems have taught him tenacity and optimism. With Coach Jeremiah to remind them of the true importance of baseball, the middle-school team just might be able to restore Hillcrest’s faith in the game.

Soar explores some familiar territory with sickness and sports themes, but Joan Bauer’s detailed novel feels unique and realistic. Jeremiah’s life is not a cliché, but a series of challenges to be confronted with resilience and hope. Jeremiah’s relationship with his adoptive father, Walt, is charming, and his frank musings about his birth mother and the girl who died so he could have a heart are intensely moving. (He named the heart Alice since the doctors wouldn’t disclose her name.) Jeremiah’s wry humor and charm keep his personality believable and, most importantly, likable. For these reasons and so many more, Soar stands apart from the crowd of sports novels for middle-grade readers.

Unlike most 12-year-olds who face being uprooted, Jeremiah is excited to move. Hillcrest, Ohio, has one of the best high-school baseball teams in the country, with a state-of-the-art field and a town full of fans. Baseball is especially important to Jeremiah following his heart transplant. Since he can no longer play, Jeremiah must stay on the sidelines and work on his new dream of becoming a coach.

YA FictionYA

Adventures in Bronte-created lands

Review by Annie Metcalf

Through an otherworldly power of imagination, Charlotte and Branwell Brontë are able to transport themselves to the fictional world they created as children, sometimes bringing their younger sisters Emily and Anne along. Now 19 years old and the eldest sibling, Charlotte admits that the price they pay for crossing over is too great, and she attempts to abandon her beloved characters and the shining city of Verdopolis. But it’s soon clear that the inhabitants of Verdopolis will not be left behind quietly, and the Brontës must use their shared influence over the city to break free completely, before irrevocable damage is done.

Lena Coakley’s remarkable intuition for subtle differences in the Brontës’ personalities shines as chapters alternate between the four young writers’ perspectives. Emily’s wild passion, Charlotte’s moral strength and Anne’s quiet steadfastness are quickly established through short but deft moments of dialogue or internal monologue. Branwell, who didn’t leave behind novels that hint at his personality, is portrayed as a young man filled with love and admiration for his brilliant sisters, especially Charlotte, but also struggling with intense anxiety over his own talent and the limited options for a poor parson’s son. Coakley carefully avoids anachronistic language, keeping the reader firmly rooted in the “real” setting of 19th-century Yorkshire despite the plot’s supernatural elements.

Nearly seamless in its meld of believable historical fiction and unbridled fantasy, Worlds of Ink and Shadow will be enjoyable not only for teens discovering the Brontës for the first time, but for any reader intrigued by this remarkable family.

Through an otherworldly power of imagination, Charlotte and Branwell Brontë are able to transport themselves to the fictional world they created as children, sometimes bringing their younger sisters Emily and Anne along. Now 19 years old and the eldest sibling, Charlotte admits that the price they pay for crossing over is too great, and she attempts to abandon her beloved characters and the shining city of Verdopolis. But it’s soon clear that the inhabitants of Verdopolis will not be left behind quietly, and the Brontës must use their shared influence over the city to break free completely, before irrevocable damage is done.

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

New home, new team and second chances

Review by Annie Metcalf

Jayson Barnes’ nickname on the basketball court is Snap, because he moves so quickly when stealing the ball. But when his mother dies, he begins stealing in real life to hide the fact that he’s living alone. He gets away with taking small items from the corner store, but eventually he needs new basketball shoes and tries to lift a pair from Foot Locker. Finally caught, he's placed with the Lawtons, a wealthy family on the other side of town. All at once, Jayson has a new school, a new family and, worst of all, new teammates. Without his old team, which was sure to be the best in the league, how can Jayson hope to make it to the tournament?

There’s a reason Mike Lupica is one of the most popular sports writers for children: The basketball scenes in Fast Break, though acted out by characters in middle school, are as riveting as watching a Final Four game. Jayson’s passion and talent are treated as seriously as if he were already a professional player, which will resonate with readers who understand his commitment to a sport. Besides the basketball games, the strongest moments are between Jayson and his foster mother, Carol. Jayson’s wariness and Carol’s warmth are believable, and their gradual bond is touching. While the provided age range is 10 and up, independent readers as young as 8 could read the book without much trouble.

Though somewhat formulaic, Fast Break is heartfelt and fun, especially for young sports fans.

Jayson Barnes’ nickname on the basketball court is Snap, because he moves so quickly when stealing the ball. But when his mother dies, he begins stealing in real life to hide the fact that he’s living alone. He gets away with taking small items from the corner store, but eventually he needs new basketball shoes and tries to lift a pair from Foot Locker.

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