The Vault of Dreamers

The Vault of Dreamers
by Caragh M. O'Brien

From the publisher:
"From the author of the Birthmarked trilogy comes a fast-paced, psychologically thrilling novel about what happens when your dreams are not your own.

The Forge School is the most prestigious arts school in the country. The secret to its success:  every moment of the students' lives is televised as part of the insanely popular Forge Show, and the students' schedule includes twelve hours of induced sleep meant to enhance creativity. But when first year student Rosie Sinclair skips her sleeping pill, she discovers there is something off about Forge. In fact, she suspects that there are sinister things going on deep below the reaches of the cameras in the school. What's worse is, she starts to notice that the edges of her consciousness do not feel quite right. And soon, she unearths the ghastly secret that the Forge School is hiding—and what it truly means to dream there."

I'm pretty torn about this book. There were some aspects I loved, some that confused me, and some I just didn't like. The part I loved was the Forge School/reality TV show. Being a little bit of a reality TV lover myself, I was intrigued by the idea of a reality show in a boarding school for the arts. Very cool concept!. The thought of always being filmed, during every waking moment, is a little daunting, but our main character signs up to do it so she can have a better life. It is fascinating to see her character go through all the peaks and valleys of life constantly on the screen, and being ranked at the same time by viewers. This book could have been amazing if the author had just stayed on that track. Unfortunately, it veers off into a weird territory - a combination of science fiction and paranormal - that kind of lost me. And I have NO idea what was happening at the end. However, it was a fun book to read and it will be interesting to see what happens from here.

Areas of concern:
15 year old girl keeps sneaking out at night.
A handful of bad language.
Some teenage kissing.
An abusive stepfather at the very beginning.
Drug use on teenagers so they will sleep.

Suggested Ages:
Booklist - Grades 8+
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

The Ability

The Ability
by M.M. Vaughan

From the publisher:
"Delve into the extraordinary abilities of the twelve-year-old mind in this thrilling start to a middle-grade series that expands the possibilities of power.

No one has any confidence in twelve-year-old Christopher Lane. His teachers discount him as a liar and a thief, and his mom doesn’t have the energy to deal with him. But a mysterious visit from the Ministry of Education indicates that Chris might have some potential after all: He is invited to attend the prestigious Myers Holt Academy.

When Christopher begins at his new school, he is astounded at what he can do. It seems that age twelve is a special time for the human brain, which is capable of remarkable feats—as also evidenced by Chris’s peers Ernest and Mortimer Genver, who, at the direction of their vengeful and manipulative mother, are testing the boundaries of the human mind.

But all this experimentation has consequences, and Chris soon finds himself forced to face them—or his new life will be over before it can begin."

I really liked this book, and I think middle-schoolers will LOVE it! It is a quick and exciting read. The characters are fun and diverse, the plot is original, and the whole time I was reading it I was thinking about what a fun movie this book would make. Picture Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi or Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill (without all the crudeness) as Ron and John. Awesome!

I really liked the main character and his loyalty and integrity. He is plucked from an incredibly dysfunctional home (I have hopes his mother may eventually improve) and put into an elite school. He was struggling in his old school, although the teacher and headmaster were a little (no a lot) over the top, but Chris excels at his new school, where his particular abilities are appreciated. There are a lot of topics in this book that could encourage good discussions. The Myers Holt Academy is a very skillfully drawn setting (again - great movie material), and it made me want to be a student there myself. There is action and suspense, and a reason at the end to be excited for the sequel, without an annoying cliff-hanger. It's just a really fun book. Read it and see who you picture in a movie version :) . Movie producers - take note.

Areas of concern:
A handful of the *d* word.
Creepy, evil twins.
An abusive home and school environment for the main character at the beginning.
The main character steals money for food, and then technically steals from cab drivers by not paying them. (I know I said he had integrity in my review, but you'll see what I mean when you read it.)

Suggested Ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 8-12
School Library Journal - Grades 5-8

Trial By Fire

Trial By Fire
by Josephine Angelini

From the publisher:
"This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily's other self in this alternate universe.

What makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected."

This is a hard book for me to review. The first 2 chapters involved all of the teenage behaviors that parents don't want to see, including drinking, smoking, partying, bullying, and sleeping around (with characters actually caught in flagantre). I almost stopped reading it. But in chapter 3 the "real" story begins, which is the worldwalking, and it was AMAZING! So original, imaginative and creative. A really, really unique premise and wonderful characters.
And THEN came a scene of extreme sexual tension that made me a little uncomfortable, followed by a scene of bacchanalian activity at a teenage club they called a "bonfire". Ugh.
Then came MORE amazing originality and excitement. Whew, I felt like I had been burning on a pyre before the whole thing was over (book reference there).
I am kind of clueless as to what to say about this book. Do I want a 6th or 7th grader reading this book? Definitely and resoundingly NO. Did I absolutely love and adore parts of this book? Yes! I ordered it for my middle school library because this author's other series, Starcrossed , is extremely popular, but I'm not feeling like this one is very appropriate for middle school. Parents will have to decide. As for me, I had big concerns about it but it was gripping, exciting and original.

Areas of concern:
There was some bad language, but not really that much. There wouldn't be any for chapters and chapters, and then suddenly the *b* word would appear twice on the same page.
The above-mentioned bad teenage behavior.
The above-mentioned sexual tension.
There is definitely violence. The main character starts out abhorring the violence, but by the end she is kind of craving the death of her enemies.

Suggested Ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+
School Library Journal - Grades 8+
*Mrs. Duke says 8th grade at the VERY earliest, but preferably older.*

The Screaming Staircase

The Screaming Staircase
by Jonathan Stroud

From the publisher:
"When the dead come back to haunt the living, Lockwood & Co. step in . . .

For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions.

Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career. Instead she finds herself joining the smallest, most ramshackle agency in the city, run by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood. When one of their cases goes horribly wrong, Lockwood & Co. have one last chance of redemption. Unfortunately this involves spending the night in one of the most haunted houses in England, and trying to escape alive.

Set in a city stalked by spectres, The Screaming Staircase is the first in a chilling new series full of suspense, humour and truly terrifying ghosts. Your nights will never be the same again . . .   "

Who ya gonna call? Lockwood & Co.! That is what was going through my mind the whole time I was reading this book. It is like Ghostbusters with children as the main characters. But is has scarier ghosts (no Stay Puft Marshmallow Man here), and ectoplasm that doesn't just slime you, it can kill you. I actually really liked this book. I don't usually read scary ghost stories, and as a middle-schooler this would have scared me to death, (I read Jane-Emily in Jr. High and still get creeped out just thinking about it), as an adult it just made me a little leery of dark, cold places.

The main characters were really likeable and were at times brave, funny, and heart-wrenching. The whole premise of the book is that young children are more receptive to psychic experiences than adults, so when The Problem of hauntings arises, children are used to hunt the ghosts. In talking about her companions when she first entered "the business", main character Lucy says,
"I was close to them. We worked together. We had fun. We saved each other's lives a bit. Their names, if you're interested, were Paul, Norrie, Julie, Steph, and Alfie-Joe. They're all dead now."
There is a lot of talk of the death of children in this book.

I found it kind of strange that there was no mention of a screaming staircase until about the 60% mark of the book. However, there is action a-plenty from page one. If you like a creepy, spine-tingling ghost story, this one's for you!

Areas of concern:
The *d* word was used a handful of times.
The main characters are all children living together without any adult supervision - that is actually a main part of the storyline. I wish that there could have been at least one positive adult figure.
High spookiness factor - not for sensitive readers.
Suggested Ages:
Kirkus Reviews - Ages 11-13
School Library Journal - Grades 6-9

Rose

Rose
by Holly Webb

From the publisher:
"Rose isn't like the other orphans at St Bridget's Home for Abandoned Girls. Instead of dreaming of getting adopted by loving, wealthy parents, Rose wants to get a job and be independent. She doesn't need anyone but herself. She finds her escape working as a maid for Mr. Fountain, an alchemist. Unable to ignore the magic that flows throughout the grand residence, Rose realizes that just maybe; she might have a little bit of magic in her too. This new series featuring magicians, witches, talking cats, mist-monsters, and friendships will have young readers in a trance!"

This is a little gem of a book. It is a short, quick read that is delightfully creative. I have read other reviews that said it is Downton Abbey meets Harry Potter , which is a total win-win for me. I was immediately drawn to pragmatic Rose, the main character. Surrounded in the orphanage by dreamers who are waiting for unknown parents to show up and claim them, Rose just wants to leave the orphanage and make her own way in the world. She is spunky but knows her place and doesn't bemoan her circumstances. She is hard-working, loyal, and just wants to do her job well. She didn't ask for her magic, and doesn't want her magic. It sets her apart from the other servants and makes her feel strange. In this book, magic is just for the rich, and the servants distrust it. Because of her magic, she is drawn into some very scary situations and realizes that she had better learn how to control it.

The secondary characters in the book are also very well drawn. I love how the author portrays Isabella as such a spoiled brat, but then lets us see who she could really be. Interaction with different characters are woven seamlessly into the story. This book draws you into it's magical world and holds you spellbound.

Areas of concern:
There is a very evil villain who does very evil things to little children.
There are a couple of mild cuss words.

Suggested Ages:
Kirkus Reviews - Ages 9-12
School Library Journal - Grades 4-7