(Image from Book Depository)

After her young daughter dies in a freak accident, photographer Clare Porterfield struggles to move on.  Consumed by grief, the 30-year-old can't summon the energy to save her collapsing marriage, let alone dig herself out of the deep, dark hole of sadness in which she's been wallowing since her daughter's death.  So, when she receives an invitation from a wealthy philanthropist to put together a photography exhibition in her hometown of Galveston, Texas, she welcomes the chance to flee.  

The peculiar rhythm of life on the island comforts Clare, even as it reminds her how out of synch she now is with the place she once called home.  Rifling through historical photographs of Galveston reminds her why she loves the island, a spot still as vivid and mysterious as it's always been.  She's particularly fascinated by the story of Stella Carraday, a local woman said to have drowned in the Great Hurricane of 1900.  The image of Stella swinging from her dining room chandelier, her long hair tangled in the crystal light fixture, has always haunted Clare's imagination.  Somehow, she knows there's more to Stella's oft-told story.  As she digs into the dead woman's history, Clare can't help but reflect on her own dealings with the enigmatic Carrady Family.  Secrets, old and new, swirl in the air of their grand old house, secrets Clare vows to bring to light.  

Although she's urged—more than once—to leave the past where it belongs, her fascination with Stella is the only thing that's keeping Clare going.  When she solves all Galveston's mysteries, she'll have to face her personal problems—a terrifying prospect.  And yet, her issues are more tied to the island than she ever imagined.  Finding the answers she seeks may just give her the closure she seeks ... or destroy her fragile psyche forever.  

Atmospheric and eerie, The Drowning House by Elizabeth Black is an evocative, assured debut.  The writing brings Galveston to life in all its complex, contradictory glory.  While most of the characters aren't particularly likable, they're definitely interesting.  The mystery of Stella Carraday's fate captured my imagination just as surely as it did Clare's.  With all of these intriguing elements, The Drowning House should have been an intense, satisfying read.  And yet, it falls flat somehow.  Maybe it's because of the novel's anti-climatic ending or its sad, depressing subject matter or maybe just the fact that so many things in the story were wrapped up in ways that felt incomplete and just clumsy.  I'm not sure exactly why, but I wanted to love this one a lot more than I actually did.  Still, considering the skill I see in this first-time novelist, I foresee some great things coming from Elizabeth Black.  And, believe me, I'll be watching for them.

(Readalikes:  Reminded me a bit of Karen White's novels)

Grade:  

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Dana Carlson's in the middle of a demolition job when she gets a distressed call from her 16-year-old niece, Peyton.  Dana's got enough problems of her own—especially when a body is found in the building she just cleared for collapse—but Julie, her big sister, is dying.  It's been almost 20 years since the sisters have seen each other; still, it's Julie.  The secrets that have kept them separated all this time don't matter now.  Dana needs to see her sister, needs to see if she's a candidate for kidney donation, needs to try to save the person who once saved her.  

But she's too late.  When Dana arrives in Black Bear, Minnesota, the little town where she grew up, her sister's already gone.  Dead at 39.  Julie Kelleher leaves behind a grieving husband and a shattered teenage daughter.  Neither seem particularly eager for an intrusion from Julie's estranged little sister, but Dana's determined to stay.  She wants to know Julie's family, the only blood relatives she has left.  More importantly, she needs to figure out just what caused Julie to get sick.  Everyone warns Dana to leave it alone—her blunt inquiries around town are doing more damage than good—but she can't.  Something in Black Bear is not right and she's going to get to the bottom of it, no matter what it takes.

As Dana steps on toes all over Black Bear, she sees just how much things have—and have not—changed since her childhood days in the little town.  The residents are still tight-lipped, judgmental and very, very good at keeping their own secrets.  Secrets that could get them all killed.

Novels featuring small towns with big secrets always sound appealing to me, which explains why I picked up Invisible by Carla Buckley.  As intriguing as its premise is, though, its execution leaves plenty to be desired.  The characters aren't overly likable, the plot's pretty generic, and little about the story really rings true.  Dana's sudden interest in the goings on in Black Bear is especially odd, considering she hasn't cared a lick about them for almost two decades.  Ditto goes for her new-found concern for Peyton.  Dana swivels from uncaring to passionate so fast that the shift seems too false, too contrived.  It bugged me throughout the whole novel.  So did the predictable storyline, the wooden characters, and the gaping plot holes.  So, yeah.  Invisible didn't quite do it for me.  Ah, well.  You win some, you lose some.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of dozens of other novels, although nothing's coming to my tired mind at the moment.  Suggestions?)

Grade:  

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

(Note:  While this review will not contain spoilers for Al Capone Does My Homework, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from earlier Alcatraz books.  As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.) 

Moose Flanagan's a worrier.  Always has been.  The 13-year-old worries about Natalie, his autistic older sister.  He worries about Darby Trixle, the prison guard who's had it in for Moose ever since the Flanagans moved to Alcatraz Island.  He worries about Piper Williams, the girl he likes on the outside, but not so much on the inside.  And, now, he's got to worry about his father, too.  Moose stressed enough when his dad was just an electrician—with his dad's new job as associate warden, the teenager's worrying slams into overdrive.  When Piper informs him about a deadly game the cons play with Alcatraz's leading men, Moose can hardly breathe, he's so scared for his dad. 

In the meantime, all kinds of weird stuff is happening on the island:  Piper's acting stranger than usual; a mysterious fire forces the Flanagans out of their apartment; Darby Trixle's more adamant than ever about kicking Natalie off the island; and the cons are up to something sinister.  With the aid of his friends (which just may include the infamous Al Capone), Moose has to figure out what's going on before it's too late for his sister, his dad, and himself.

Ever since I read Al Capone Does My Shirts, the first installment in Gennifer Choldenko's appealing upper middle grade series about life on Alcatraz in the 1930s, I've been captivated.  Not just by the unique setting, but by the colorful characters, the day-to-day problems Moose faces, and the authentic, yet entertaining ways he goes about solving them.  Each of the books in the series brings something new to the table; Al Capone Does My Homework (available for purchase on August 20, 2013) is no exception.  Choldenko just has a gift for bringing the world of Alacatraz to life in books that enchant both children and adults.  Be warned, though—the Alcatraz stories are edgier than they seem.  Still, this is one of the most original, well-written historical middle grade series out there.  My only complaint with the newest book is that it will be the last one in the trilogy.  Anyone got a tissue?  I'm really going to miss the always endearing Moose Flanagan.  

(Readalikes:  Al Capone Does My Shirts and Al Capone Shines My Shoes, both by Gennifer Choldenko)

Grade:  

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of Al Capone Does My Homework from the generous folks at Penguin Young Readers Group.  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

When her beloved Grammy Claire passes away, Tara Doucet feels like her own life has ended.  The 12-year-old can't imagine going on without her warm, vibrant grandma.  Especially when everything else around her seems to be falling apart as well.  The Doucets may be descended from one of the oldest families in Louisiana's New Iberia Parish, but their distinguished genealogy isn't helping them now—their big, old plantation home is crumbling to ruins; Mamma's taken to her bed, distancing herself like she always does; Daddy ran off a long time ago; and Tara and her 17-year-old sister Riley are at each other's throats.  Things are spinning out of control faster than Tara can say "grief."  She needs her Grammy Claire so desperately it hurts.

Then, come the butterflies.  Tara knows it's crazy to believe the beautiful creatures can understand her, that they carry secret messages from her dead grandmother.  But she does.  When a  mysterious package arrives for her from Grammy Claire, Tara's even more convinced the butterflies are trying to tell her something.  Something important.  As Tara follows the clues Grammy Claire has left her, she embarks on a remarkable journey.  It's a wild adventure that will take the preteen to the edge of the world—and change her life forever.

If you've been paying attention, you know I have a connection to Louisiana that draws me over and over again to books about that part of the U.S.  From its murky bayous to its creepy cemeteries to its vibrant celebrations of life, there's just something about The Pelican State that makes it a vivid book setting (bland state nickname notwithstanding).  And nowhere does the region come more to life (for me, anyway) than in the books of middle grade author Kimberley Griffiths Little.  Her bayou novels—which are not really a series, more like loosely interconnected stories—are family dramas set against this lush, intriguing back drop.  The setting becomes a character, as charming and complex as any of Little's others.  This is my favorite part about Little's books, but she also creates intricate plots, studded with enough (but not too much) magical realism to keep things interesting.  Her stories are warm, imaginative and well-crafted.  I *might* be a little bit of a fan girl :)

When the Butterflies Came, Little's newest, didn't, however, win my undying love like its predecessors, The Healing Spell and Circle of Secrets, did.  Why?  Mostly because of the ending.  Without being too spoiler-y (I hope), let me just say that something's revealed about one of the characters that totally changed my opinion of them.  And soured me on the book in general.  I'm kind of picky that way.  Despite my misgivings, though, I did enjoy the book overall.  Annoying ending or not, Little just writes books that speak to my heart.  When it comes to this author (I *never* name drop, but we do happen to be IRL friends), a fan girl I am and a fan girl I will always be.

P.S.  I'm not a huge lover of book trailers, but this one's kind of creepy-fun:

(Readalikes:  The Healing Spell and Circle of Secrets by Kimberley Griffiths Little)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated: