"The Scorpio Races" by Maggie Stiefvater

409 pages

Every November, the Scorpio Races come to the island of Thisby. Every November, riders attempt to keep control of their water horses long enough to cross the finish line. Some racers live, but others die. Nineteen-year-old stableboy Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He's quiet and keeps to himself, as he's much more comfortable with horses than people. He's never cared much for the races, despite his talent for winning them. But now his harsh employer has given him the chance to buy his best friend/horse, Corr, if he wins. Puck Connolly  has never ridden in the races--in fact, no female ever has. But with her parents dead, her older brother about to leave the island, and her little brother to care for, she needs the prize money. When she gets her first taste of racing during practice, however, she realizes she's in way over her head. Then she meets Sean, who has the knowledge of the races that she needs to know to have a chance. But only one of them can win, and the stakes have never been higher for either of them. 

I've never read a book quite like this before, and I really liked it. Stiefvater did a great job of creating the atmosphere of Thisby--it felt melancholy and beautiful at the same time. I could just see the dangerous capaill uisce and the water's thrashing waves. The plot is a bit slow and definitely predictable, but I enjoyed the writing so much that it didn't bother me. 

The Casual Vacancy

by J.K. Rowling
512 pages

Barry Fairbrother, a town councilman and leading citizen in the community has died suddenly.  This leaves a seat open on the town council and a huge gap in the hearts of many citizens of Pagford.  However not everybody is upset by Fairbrother's passing; his opponents on the town council see it as an opportunity to find a more "suitable" replacement.  Rowling portrays the  effect one person can have on a community, as well as they darker side of humanity.

This is definitely grittier than any Harry Potter novel.  The teenagers portrayed are far more "real" than Harry and his friends.  Drug use, bullying, welfare, and computer hacking play a prominent role in this novel.  This being said, I really enjoyed this novel and hope that Rowling writes more novels for adults in the future.

"The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce #1)" by Alan Bradley

374 pages

Flavia de Luce isn't exactly your average eleven-year-old. Her mother died when she was young, so her father is raising her and her sisters by himself in their decrepit English mansion. More bizarrely, she's a self-taught aspiring chemist with a passion for poison. In the summer of 1950, a series of suspicious events cause Flavia to add "detective" to her list of talents. First a dead bird shows up on the doorstep with a postage stamp pinned to its beak. That night, Flavia overhears her father arguing with a mysterious stranger. Then, only hours later, she discovers a dead body in the cucumber patch. A murder has been committed, and Flavia is determined to solve the mystery--especially after her father is accused of the crime. 

Flavia is my new favorite heroine! I have a feeling that she would totally creep me out if I knew her in real life, but in print she comes across as delightful and charming. It's refreshing to have a young female character who is fearless, intelligent, and more interested in science than boys. Plus, she just cracked me up. The mystery was unique and had enough twists to keep me interested. This is definitely a series that I will be continuing. 

"In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin" by Erik Larson

464 pages

In 1933, a mild-mannered professor named William Dodd was appointed US ambassador and moved from his home in Chicago to Berlin, bringing with him his wife, son, and daughter. At first, it seemed that the vicious rumors about the new chancellor, Hitler, were exaggerated. The Dodds found Germany to be lovely, and daughter Martha especially began integrating into Berlin's social scene. Before long, however, evidence of Jewish persecution became more troubling and more frequent. Dodd expressed his increasingly alarming concerns to the State Department back home but found it to be, for the most part, indifferent. As the atmosphere grew more tense, the Dodds began to see Hitler's true character and ambition come to light.

I thought this story was interesting, but not as fascinating as I expected. I was hoping for more griping first-hand accounts of the Nazis atrocities and an inside look at how such a madman as Hitler could rise to power. I thought this book had too much of Martha's social life and not enough of the real stuff. Larson certainly did his homework on that front, and perhaps Martha's correspondence and such is the bulk of what's still around from the Dodd family at this point (meaning that Larson was forced to make that his focus). Still, I was disappointed. 

"From the Bottom Up: One Man's Crusade to Clean America's Rivers" by Chad Pregracke

320 pages

Chad Pregracke grew up on the northern Illinois side of the Mississippi River. The mighty water, which flowed right beyond his back yard, was part of his daily life. Then, as he grew older, he began to notice how much trash his beloved river carried. As a teenager, he decided to do something about it. What began as a simple one-man operation became a full-time national movement. In this memoir, Chad explains how it all went down. 

Very inspiring! I love how Chad just saw something he wanted to change and made it happen--with lots of hard work and help, of course. When I finished reading, I felt all pumped up and ready to go out and tackle the world's problems. I like Chad's goofy, humorous way of looking at things, too. I felt like the book could have used a little more editing and maybe had some things rearranged for clarity, but for the most part I enjoyed the actual story as well as the motivational value. 

Nabari no Ou: Volume 5

by Yuhki Kamatani, 193 pages

Apathetic middle-schooler Miharu Rokujou is unfazed by the revelation that his body contains the nabari (or, hidden) world's most powerful and secret art, the Shinra Banshou.  So when various ninja and other clans' representatives start trying to protect / control / kill him, he's not overly concerned, much to the frustration of those trying to convince him they have his best interests at heart.  He does eventually settle for hanging out with the local Banten Village outfit, but largely because keeping their company offers the path of least resistance, since the familiar face of his kind teacher, Kumohira-sensei, is among them.  But when a quiet, expressionless young assassin from a different group, the Grey Wolves, secretly asks for his help independent of any clan, Miharu finds his habitual apathy shaken.  Yoite is dying.  His use of the nabari world's deadliest and most forbidden art, Kira, is quickly killing him.  Tired of knowing only emptiness and pain, Yoite wants Miharu to use the Shinra Banshou to erase his existence.  Miharu, sensing a kindred spirit, agrees to help.  But Kumohira-sensei, closely guarding his own painful secrets, is dead-set against the Shinra Banshou's use and vows to stop Miharu if he tries to invoke it--just as he has sincerely vowed to defend the boy with his life.

Meanwhile, Raimei Shimizu, one of Miharu's new friends and heir to a once-great samurai clan, is on the trail of her prodigal brother, Raikou, whom she believes murdered their family and destroyed their clan years ago.  But when she finally confronts him, will she be able to hear the truth he refuses to utter?

This is an emotionally involving series where the politics and mysticism confuse but the personal struggles of the protagonists draw you in and make you care, anyway.  The distinctive art's thin, fragile figures add to that attachment and make you worry all the more for the characters.  Frail, resigned Yoite makes me want to cry, and watching Miharu slowly emerge from his own self-imposed numbness to help him is bittersweet.

Library Wars: Love & War: Volume 8

by Kiiro Yumi (story and art) and Hiro Arikawa (original concept), 190 pages

Iku learns the truth of the inquiry against her and is asked to choose between saving herself and standing up for what she believes in as Shibazaki deals with a personal and professional betrayal of her own.

What makes a "prince" a prince?  Iku finally gets a clue!  As corny as this series is--and, boy, is it corny--it's still nice to see the gang bonding and learning to better understand one another as they fight the forces of censorship.  But do we really need to see Iku don a miniskirt instead of her gun to catch a molester of female library patrons?  *eye-roll*  If only the series didn't take such ridiculousness seriously, the cheeze would be easier to swallow.  *sigh*