Tag: mystery

The First True Thing

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Review:

Marcelle’s best friend, Hannah, asked Marcelle to cover for her. The next day, Hannah is missing, and Marcelle doesn’t know what to do.

Marcelle has been sober for just a couple of weeks, after drunkenly crashing her bike, ending up in the hospital, and being mandated to attend treatment at the Center. As part of her recovery process, she promised her parents she wouldn’t lie to them anymore – so now she feels like she can’t come clean about Hannah’s text that night. But the longer she goes without hearing from Hannah, the harder it’s getting to maintain the delicately balanced statements she made.

The First True Thing is told partially as a narrative of current events, and partially in flashbacks of Marcelle’s drinking days. This is a really heavy book, dealing with serious issues like drug and alcohol addiction, sexual exploitation, and death. It’s definitely not for younger teens, but it tells an important story. People who are in recovery might find some of the scenes triggering, so read with caution. I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book from the publisher, HarperTeen. It will officially be released one week from today – look for it on April 23!

Favorite Passage:

More than anything, I wish Hannah and I both could go back in time. But I know it’s useless to think this way. I am the girl who crashed on the Death Wish path. I can’t be any other girl.
— Chapter Fifteen

What I Loved Most:

Needell’s portrayal of addiction and recovery is raw and real. She doesn’t shy away from addressing how addiction can comprise someone’s identity, and how stopping addictive behavior often means removing the major thing that you identify yourself with. I am of the opinion that getting sober is one of the bravest things you can do. We’re starting to see more books being published for teens that address mental health issues like addiction, which I feel is crucial for helping teens identify these issues in their own lives or the lives of those around them.

Read this book if you like:

Suspense, identity searching, gut-wrenching honesty

Book Details:

The House in Poplar Wood

~ rachelbenzine ~ 1 Comment

Review:

Lee and Felix are brothers who live unusual lives. Their mother is Memory’s apprentice, and their father is Death’s apprentice. Lee helps his mother as she helps Memory, and Felix helps his father as he helps Death. An Agreement set by the two Shades (Memory and Death) binds Lee, Felix, and their parents to the work. Enter Gretchen, a girl who Lee goes to school with. She’s convinced that her classmate, Essie, didn’t die of an accidental death – instead, Gretchen thinks Death overstepped his boundaries and caused Essie to die. Gretchen, Lee, and Felix work together to figure out why and how Essie died, and they hope to break the Agreement in the process.

I got this book as an Advanced Reader’s Copy shortly before its release last fall from the publisher, Chronicle books. I started reading it on a Saturday, and finished it Sunday evening. Ormsbee has one of my favorite writing styles of all time; her series The Water and the Wild is one of my favs, and I’ll have to do a review of it soon. She paints vivid pictures with her words, but with a subtlety that draws you in. The House in Poplar Wood is not overly scary for any kids reading, but there are a couple sections closer to the end that are haunting enough that I wouldn’t recommend this for kids younger than 5th grade or so. It’s absolutely perfect for middle schoolers – and us adults who enjoy beautifully written and unique stories!

Favorite Passage:

But the memories of Love and of People — there was no rule to their labeling. They were equal parts “Remember” and “Forget”. Some precious, to be cherished. Some rotten, to be put away. And they were the only jars Lee was ever asked to relabel. Patients would return, begging to never remember former friends whose memories they once wished to preserve, while others asked to reclaim memories of love they once thought they did not want anymore.
— Chapter 6: Lee

What I Loved Most:

It seems like there aren’t many books coming out nowadays with a completely original premise. Many stories are retellings or tweaks of stories that have already been told. The House in Poplar Wood is absolutely unique. This is a world where Death and Memory aren’t just concepts, but actual beings. I was captivated after reading the Prologue, where  we first meet Lee and Felix and see the different tasks each is assigned. And as a side note, I’m a sucker for a good font, and the Hightower used in my copy of this book is to die for.

Read this book if you like:

Autumn, unusual family structures, spooky stories, mystery

Book Details: