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An up-and-coming stage director, Alex Morris' life takes a tragic turn after her fiancé is stabbed to death while trying to defend a stranger.  Overcome by grief, the 26-year-old is in desperate need of a change—of scenery, of career, of everything that reminds her of Luke.  A friend offers her a job in Edinburgh teaching drama to students at a last-chance high school.  Alex is as overqualified for the position as she is underqualified; although she has plenty of acting/directing experience, she's never taught school before.  Though petrified, she vows to do her best.  

Alex's most challenging class consists of five prickly teens who refuse to cooperate with anything she says.  It's not until she lets them choose which Greek dramas to study that the kids start to take an interest.  Feeling triumphant, Alex fails to recognize just how seriously her students are taking their learning until a shocking tragedy occurs.  What actually happened?  And who is truly at fault?  

Written from two perspectives—Alex's and that of a student whose identity is revealed only at the end of the story—The Furies by Natalie Haynes is a well-plotted psychological thriller.  Not a particularly surprising one, but it's a solid, suspenseful read nonetheless.  Dark and depressing, the novel tells a sad, somber tale of grief and obsession.  As compelling as the book is, I didn't mourn its end—by the time I finished The Furies, I was more than happy to move on to something lighter.  

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  Can you?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for strong language, violence, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of The Furies from the generous folks at St. Martin's Griffin.  Thank you!

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January 1945—World War II is ending in East Prussia, with the merciless Russian Army pushing the bloodthirsty Germans back toward Berlin.  Desperate to evacuate, thousands of refugees flee toward the Polish coast, frantic to board ships that will whisk them away to safety.  Enduring brutal winter weather conditions, the frayed tempers of war-weary soldiers from two different armies, and the deadly effects of disease and starvation, the refugees are in dire straits.  Salvation waits in the form of a re-purposed German pleasure cruiser called the M.S. Wilhelm Gustloff.  But fate will not be kind to the ship, nor to her passengers ...

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys tells the largely unknown story of the unlucky refugees who strove so hard to leave East Prussia only to become victims of one of the greatest maritime disasters in history.  The tale unfolds through the voices of four distinct narrators, all from different backgrounds, all with something to hide.  There's Joana (a cousin to Lina from Between Shades of Gray), a 21-year-old Lithuanian nurse who's evacuating without official orders; Florian Beck, a Prussian on the run with a treasure stolen from the Führer; Emilia Stozek, a pregnant Polish girl with no papers; and Alfred Frick, a German sailor who dreams of proving his greatness.  As the lives of the first three intersect, they'll learn astonishing truths about each other—about who they've become and what they've done in the name of survival.  Although wary of trusting anyone at all, the three will come to need each other more than they could have ever imagined.  Alfred, who is so eager to prove himself, will get the chance.  But will he succeed or fail? 

When the fates of all four narrators intersect aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, the quartet must once again battle for their own survival.  Some will prove themselves heroes, others cowards.  At the end of the day, will any of them be among the meager survivors?  Or will their efforts to reach Gotenhafen be in vain, their bodies committed forever to a watery grave?

If you've read Between Shades of Gray, Sepetys' first novel, you already know the author is a master at creating vivid, affecting prose.  That gift is never more evident than in Salt to the Sea, her third novel (which is a companion to her first).  Not only does she create a cold, terrifying setting that feels like a nightmare come to life, but she also forms intriguing, complex characters that help us see the horrors of war from four different points of view.  Both are extremely effective devices which combine to make Salt to the Sea a rich, deeply moving tale.  So much of the story is brutal and bleak, but it's also surprisingly buoyant and bolstering.  It's been a couple months since I read this book, but I'm still haunted by it.  One of my favorite reads of 2015, Salt to the Sea is a rich, moving novel that simply cannot be missed.  

Note:  Considering the fact that 9,000+ people (more than three times the number who perished on the Titanic and Lusitania combined) died in the Wilhelm Gustloff disaster, it's amazing that I'd never heard of the boat until reading Salt to the Sea.  The story is a fascinating one, tragic and true.  If you'd like to read more about it, try www.wilhelmgustloff.com and wilhelmgustloffmuseum.com.

(Readalikes:  Reminded me of Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, blood/gore

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-galley of Salt to the Sea from the generous folks at Penguin via those at NetGalley.  Thank you!

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For Priscilla, Marla, Eleanor and Astrid, dealing with their mother's alcoholism and violent mood swings is just a way of life.  They're used to it.  But when the girls move with their parents into their mother's childhood home in New Hampshire, things grow even more difficult.  The worst thing of all is that Priscilla's older sisters are hiding something from her.  At eleven, they think she's too young to know what's going on around her.  Which is ridiculous.  "Silly" is just her nickname—Priscilla knows her mother is sick, knows her sisters are up to something, and knows she wants to be part of it.

When Silly is finally let in on the big secret, she's dumbfounded.  The closets in the girls' new home are doorways that lead to fantastical worlds, beckoning them far away from the harsh realities of their real lives.  Best of all, Silly is able to manipulate the closet magic in ways her sisters can't.  Finally, she's getting the kind of attention she's always wanted from her older siblings.  Silly could stay in her own magical world forever!  When she discovers a scary truth about the closets, however, she begins to fear for herself and her family.  Will the mind-boggling wizardry that's bringing the sisters together be the very thing that tears them apart?  Can Silly save them all before it's too late?

Rules for Stealing Stars by Corey Ann Haydu is a tender story about a family that's falling apart at the seams.  It's impossible not to sympathize with the girls at its center as they struggle to deal with their unpredictable mother.  While the reader will cheer when the sisters find a happy escape from their unhappy lives, she will also realize the importance of their reemergence.  After all, despite its actual thickness, this is a novel fat with wisdom.  As sad as it is, Rules for Stealing Stars teaches some great lessons about facing problems, finding good in even the most difficult circumstances, and working together to create solutions that work, even if they're not perfect.  Although it's a little depressing, this is a poignant gem that will touch readers old and young.  

(Readalikes:  Reminded me a little of Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for scary scenes and serious subjects (alcoholism, death, parental neglect/abuse, etc.)

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

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For the last twelve years of her life, 17-year-old Minnow Bly has lived in the Montana wilderness with 100 or so other members of a polygamous cult led by Kevin, their Prophet.  Kevinians live by strict rules—no music, no outsiders, no reading for girls, etc.—all of which are violently enforced.  No one is more aware of this than Minnow, whose hands were chopped off as a punishment for disobeying her leader.  

Hiding a secret that could get her killed, the teen knows she has to leave the Community to save her own life.  A fire at the commune offers a perfect escape, especially since the Prophet lies dead in its wake.  But, a scared, handless girl wandering around Missoula alone is bound to attract attention.  Soon, Minnow finds herself imprisoned in a juvenile detention center for assaulting a stranger.  She's offered leniency in exchange for telling the FBI what she knows about Kevin's death, but Minnow refuses to bite.  She'd rather rot in juvie than spill her secrets.  

The more time Minnow spends at the center under the tutelage of her world-wise cellmate, Angel, the more her world expands.  Allowed to study and think for herself for the first time in her life, Minnow begins to realize how much the world has to offer.  The more alluring freedom becomes, the more tempted she is to reveal what she knows.  But can she risk confiding in the FBI?  Or will that be the end of everything for her and everyone she loves?

As you can tell from the plot summary, The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes, is not a light, frothy read.  Not at all.  It's a bleak, heart-wrenching story about the dangers of religious fanaticism and blind faith, and the capacity of human beings to commit acts of both great cruelty and great kindness.  Above all, it's about a young woman discovering her own surprising potential.  Grim though it may be, in the end, The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly is a novel about hope.  Haunting and heartbreaking, it's also a taut, compelling page turner that will stick with you long after you turn the last page.  If you're looking for a discussion-worthy pick for your next book club read, you may have just found a worthy contender.  I can't say I loved this book, but it definitely kept me reading and thinking.  

(Readalikes:  Reminded me of The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for strong language and violence

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find