Chances are, you've heard the name Joshua Henkin. You know, the one who's been promoting the heck out of his book Matrimony. He's also been vocal about the importance of book clubs, keeping the book industry alive, and the power of book bloggers. The man obviously loves books and writing - watch out, his enthusiasm is contagious!

So many reviewers rave about Shannon Hale; after reading two of her novels, I can certainly see why. I loved The Goose Girl for its gentle, poetic telling and its endearing characters. It also had an innocence to it that left me thoroughly charmed. Its sequel, Enna Burning, thrills for the same reasons - lush language and an enjoyable cast - but it's not nearly as innocent as its predecessor. In fact, it's a little dark. And almost ... erotic. Okay, I'm blushing now, but I don't know how else to explain it - this book is passionate, intense and absorbing.

Not surprisingly (given the title), Enna Burning focuses on Enna, Isi's friend from The Goose Girl. After her escapades in the city, Enna has retired to the forest, where she tends house in the place of her dead mother. Although she's glad to care for her brother Leifer, she misses the excitement of the city. Unbeknownst to her, more excitement than she ever dreamed of is about to waltz right through her front door.

When Leifer comes home one night, clutching an old piece of vellum, Enna senses that he has changed. Indeed, the fabric holds the key to fire-speaking, a gift which allows one to command fire. Having witnessed Isi's gifts with wind and animals, Enna is no stranger to such skills, but Leifer's sudden abilities scare her. The fire seems to burn within him so fiercely that he's not exactly himself. When war breaks out in Bayern, Enna witnesses Leifer's powerful skill, a scene that brings about great tragedy. Still, she wants the fire-power for her own. When she can no longer resist the vellum's lure, she devours its secrets. As it burns inside her, she comes alive with a passion she's never before known. The fire takes over - she can barely resist the excitement, the release, the thrill that the blazes bring.

Enna's greatest desire is to carry on Leifer's legacy by aiding the war effort. Knowing she will never be accepted as a soldier, she begins launching secret attacks on the enemy. When she loses control and sets fire to a human being - something she swore to herself she would never do - she realizes she needs help. To her rescue come two loyal forest boys - Razo and Finn. Together, the threesome scour the countryside, setting enemy camps and arms alight. It's not long, though, before Enna sees fear in her friends' eyes - her all-consuming power scares them.

It scares the Tiran as well, so much so that they would do anything to use it in their fight against Bayern. They capture Enna, drug her, and threaten her with death if she will not spill her secrets. As she lays in a stupor, only one shows her kindness - the handsome Sileph. As the days pass and the two grow closer, he urges Enna to teach her the fire-power. Only then, he promises, can she be free. Weary from captivity, Enna must decide - help the Tiran and save herself or rescue her people? She can't forget the fright in the eyes of her friends - do they even want such a monster living among them? Sileph offers her everything - power, acceptance, love - more than any poor forest boy could. She has to make a decision, even as the fire blazes inside her, distracting her with its seductive flame. What can she do? How can she save her friends, herself, before the fire burns her alive?

Enna Burning, as you can see, gives readers plenty of dizzying action. The characters - most of whom we know from The Goose Girl - continue to delight. Hale's writing has a fairy-tale quality that makes her words charming and readable. Together, these elements make for a fast-paced adventure story that is absorbing all on its own. However, it's the whole fire thing that gives Enna Burning that extra somethin' somethin'. I spent the entire novel trying to figure out the metaphor - Is Hale telling us to bridle our passions? That if we step too close to the fire, we're bound to get burned? - then wondering if I was reading way too much into the text. I love this kind of multi-layered story that not only makes me feel, but also makes me think. I adore The Goose Girl for its innocence; I love Enna Burning for its depth. Just what will the great Shannon Hale do next? I can't wait to read River of Secrets and find out.

Grade: A

Frankie Landau-Banks wants what most sophomore girls desire: a good education, a hot boyfriend, and entrance into her school's most exclusive group. This year, she'll get all three. But at what price? Through the antics of the title character, E. Lockhart's The Disreputable History of Frankie-Landau Banks asks the eternal question: How far would you go to get what you want?

After an unremarkable freshman year at Alabaster Prep, Frankie's returning with a vengeance: she's sprung out from under her sister's shadow; developed a killer figure; and sharpened her natural wit. This year, she's determined to get noticed. Her plan succeeds far better than she ever expected it would - she lands a place with the in crowd, courtesy of rich, gorgeous Matthew Livingston. Frankie loves the camarederie between Matt and his buddies, loves being a part of his inner circle. As time goes on, however, she notices a disturbing trend - whenever Matt's friend Alpha beckons, her boyfriend goes running. Even when it means breaking dates with her. Worse, Matt's vague about his whereabouts, leaving her to wonder where he and his buddies are sneaking off to all the time. So, Frankie follows him one night. What she discovers gives her a shock and a thrill - he's part of a secret society called The Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds.

Frankie knows all about the Basset Hounds thanks to her father, Senior Banks. When he and his high school cronies get enough wine in them, they love to reminisce about the secret, decades-old club to which they once belonged. Frankie knows enough about the club to know it's a silly, boys-only society that exists mainly to let its privileged members "experience the thrill of rebellion, a glimmer of unconventiality, and plain old naughtiness without risk" (151). Still, she can't help herself. She wants in, if only so that she can have Matt's full attention. There's only one problem - whenever she drops hints about joining, her boyfriend denies the club's existence. Clearly, there's only one way for her to be a part of the exclusive group - beat them at their own game. Frankie sets her brilliant plan in motion - soon she has the Basset Hounds barking at her command. Finally, she's got a little of the power the boys wield so easily over her. Only, someone else is taking the credit for her genius, stealing the spotlight she deserves. Will her greed prove to be her undoing? And what happens when silly pranks carry serious consequences? Frankie is about to find out.

Although I finished this book last week, I'm still mulling over my opinion. On the one hand, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is an absorbing, fast-paced read that kept me turning pages. It stars a smart, independent young woman who goes after what she wants with a vengeance - endearing traits that mark her as a stand-out heroine. Plus, the book makes a powerful statements about individuality and the dangers of power and obsession. On the other hand, I didn't find the characters that likeable; in fact, some of them were downright annoying. I also got tired of the feminist rant, the teenage angst, and the melodrama. Lockhart also has a tendency to go off on odd tangents (like the whole "neglected positive" thing), which are not only distracting but also confusing. So, I don't know ... I'm really ho hum about this one. It's an engrossing read for sure, but did I like it? I'm not sure. Would I recommend it? Maybe, maybe not. I guess I feel about Frankie as I do about this entire book - interesting, but just not all that likeable.

Grade: C

Most 30-year-old's would envy Emily Rhodes' life - she works for a prestigious law firm; owns her own Manhattan co-op; and dates a loyal man who's ready to commit - so why is she ready to run for cover? This is the question that permeates Jill A. Davis' second novel, Ask Again Later. It's the story of a woman who lives life with one foot out the door, always ready to bolt. But when her mother receives a shocking diagnosis - cancer - Emily knows she can't run. She has to face the fact that she may lose her mother. Facing that fact makes her face several others - 1.) She's a workaholic, whose career sucks away all her time, 2.) She's going out with a great guy to whom she's terrified to commit, 3.) She's still grieving the father who took off when she was a kid and 4.) Her most satisfying relationship may just be with her coffee machine.

Desperately needing a change, Emily quits the job, walks out on the boyfriend, and vows to take care of her mother. If she thinks that's going to be easy, she's forgotten with whom she is dealing. Joanie Rhode may be dying, but she's certainly not going to go quietly. First, she has to phone everyone she's ever known - including her arthritic former hairdresser, and the exchange student who lived with her in the early '90s - to suggest they stop by to pay their final respects. Of course, the cancer is only Stage 1, and the oncologists fully expect her to beat it without even undergoing chemo, but Emily's determined to do what she can. So, she hangs out with her mom watching soap operas and sipping green tea. Eventually, she takes a job at her father's law firm, even though it's a receptionist gig where nothing's really expected of her. With help from her therapist, Emily uses the time to evaluate her family, whose history is "a never-ending surprise party" (69); her relationships; and her own future. With a whole lot of humor and a whole lot of heart, she just might make it out alive.

I'll be honest - it took me a little while to get into this book. In the first chapters (which are incidentally, short, fast and very readable), I couldn't help being annoyed with Emily - I mean, seriously, all she did was gripe and make weird observations (like whether or not her refrigerator would be jealous of her new coffee machine). Twenty or so pages into it, though, I was hooked. Davis, who's written obits, a humor column, and Top 10 lists for David Letterman, knows how to write brisk, snappy prose that entertains while keeping the plot moving right along. Her characters are flawed, but endearing. I especially loved Joanie, whose every antic made me laugh. All of these elements combine to create a novel that is both laugh-out-loud funny and subtly poignant. It's a novel about grief, survival, and finding happiness through self-discovery. It's about mothers and daughters, so you know there's going to be drama, but there's also a whole lot of heart in this funny, surprisingly moving little book.

Grade: B