The Night in Question by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson

I reach for YA fiction when I'm in need of an escapist read. I've been waiting for The Night in Question - the second 'Agathas' book from  Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson.

The first book (The Agathas) was so much fun to read, relive my teenage angst, and provided a nice murder mystery to try and solve before the final pages. (I love channeling my inner Nancy Drew). But it's Agatha Christie that is the inspiration for our lead characters Alice and Iris, and the rest of their cadre. WWAC do? The Castle Cove police are sloppy and take the easy way to a closed case. So our amateur investigators employ their own methods of detection.

This time 'round, the body is found at a school dance that was held at the home of a wealthy local family. The problem is that there's at least 150 possible murderers. The mansion is also the home to a historic murder that had a questionable resolution. Again, Glasgow and Lawson have created a'not so easy to solve' case. There's many a red herring on that garden path to the last chapters. Every time I thought I had sussed out the whodunit, a new piece of evidence changed my guess.

Take the time to read the quotes at the top of each new chapters. Some are from Agatha Christie and some are from a 1940's film star. Each one ties into the chapter it heads.

The characters are so well done and readers will be drawn to them. (Iris is my fave) The authors have really captured the teen vibe in terms of dialogue, actions, emotions and life in general. The setting is well described and easy to imagine. (Yup, a bit of a Riverdale feel) The murder is cunningly crafted and not easily solved. Loved it all!

See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Night in Question. And my fingers are crossed - I hope there's a third book!

Never Coming Home - Kate Williams

Time for some YA fiction reading in the hammock! What book came with me?Kate Williams' new novel, Never Coming Home. 

Never Coming Home takes a bit of inspiration from Christie's 'And Then There Were None.' Ten teen influencers are invited to be the inaugural guests of a super secret resort on Unknown Island. Upon landing on the island, each guest feels like something is off with the vibe, the accommodations aren't as luxurious as the photos promised and where are all the staff? 

The ten are a diverse group that don't really know each other, but they've checked out each other online. Who has the most followers? Why this group of ten? What's the connection? Well, the connection is a dark one as each guest has a similar secret. And those secrets are about to see the light of day. 

This premise lends itself to so many ways the book could play out. I loved the social media component. Nothing is ever as it appears on a screen, is it? There is a screen in the lounge on Unknown Island.....and someone is posting. 

And then there were nine.

And the methods of dispatch? Decidedly devious! 

I enjoyed trying to figure out who the culprit was, changing my choice quite often. Williams puts a nice spin on the final whodunit with a surprise twist. I did feel the epilogue was a bit too detailed. Shorter and snappier would have matched the pace of what came before.

Never Coming Home was a fun, escapist read that was hard to put down. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Never Coming Home. 

The Agathas - Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson

My last few reads have been 'heavier', so I was ready for a fun escapist YA read. And The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson was beckoning to me!

From the publisher: "Who killed Brooke Donovan? It’s the biggest mystery of the summer, and everyone in Castle Cove thinks it’s the wrong guy. Fans of One of Us Is Lying and Riverdale can’t miss this page-turning who-done-it that’s sure to be the next must read Young Adult thriller!"

Yup, you caught my attention with that description. But what clinched it for me was the fun premise. WWAC do? What would Agatha Christie do! Yes, our intrepid teenaged sleuths take their inspiration (and lots of tips) from Christie's mystery novels. Each chapter opens with a Christie quote that is perfect for what's going on in the chapter.

What about the cast of characters? Oh, Glasgow and Lawson capture high school life perfectly. Our lead pair of investigators come from very different backgrounds and school social cliques. Alice is wealthy and a member of the 'Mains.' You know - the popular 'it' crew with money to burn and lots of attitude. And for her, school is really just a place to socialize. Iris is from the wrong side of the tracks and is one of the 'Zoners' - the kids that are smart, the nerds, and kinda the bottom of the social strata. This unlikely pair find common (but a bit rocky) ground in their pursuit of a murderer. There's a large cast of supporting players that provide lots of sub plots - and many, many choices for the 'whodunit'. 

My guess for whodunit changed many times as the book progressed. Glasgow and Lawson lead the reader down the garden path many times on the way to the final pages. The mystery is well done. But, the other bits that's also well done are the situations, emotions, stressors, highs and lows of being a teenager. Of that hard bit of finding yourself and what you want. 

I could easily picture the settings of The Agathas. The school, the roller rink, the country club and more.(Maybe more than a little bit of Riverdale in my mind as well) 

The Agathas was the perfect, fun, escapist read. And it looks like the door might be open to another 'Agatha' tale? I'd be happy to visit Castle Cove again. Fingers crossed! See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Agathas.

What We Harvest - Ann Fraistat

What We Harvest is Ann Fraistat's debut novel - a YA read entitled What We Harvest. 

For 150 years, the four founding families of the small village of Hollow's End have prospered. Their animals and crops are marveled at by visitors. Wren's family grows 'rainbow' wheat that is delicious in bread. Some even say it has almost magical health benefits. All four families are thriving until…the blight arrives. The last farm to be touched is Wren's family farm. Wren believes it's up to her  to save the farms - as she thinks she caused the blight. There's one other person she can ask to help - her ex boyfriend Derek who is also a descendant of the original four families. The will they, won't they romantic storyline is well done. And - what book doesn't benefit from a loyal dog?

If you’re kind of a fan of zombie movies (raises hand) you’ll enjoy Fraistat's world building. The blight is mercurial, slithering and sliding into everything and everyone. It gave me goosebumps. Wren is great lead character - she’s strong, brave, a bit reckless, but determined save the farms and folks of Hollow's End. What she finds isn’t it at all what she expected. Or  me either. 

There’s lots of action and danger as encounters and skirmishes with the blight increase both in frequency and danger. How can the blight be beaten? Will Wren have to sacrifice herself for the good of the town and it's inhabitants? I do think there was perhaps one too many skirmish for me. It started to feel just a tad repetitive to me. I was eager to get to the resolution.

Isn't the cover gorgeous? And I liked the title's nod to the phrase "You reap what you sow." What We Harvest is a strong debut. I would happily pick up the nest book from this author. See for yourself - read an excerpt of What We Harvest.

The Fear - Natasha Preston

Rainy days are meant for escapist, just plain fun to read titles. And most often I like to lose myself in a YA book on those days. The Fear is Natasha Preston’s latest book. This is a first read of this author for me - and it certainly won’t be my last!

You know all those teen slasher movies? The ones where the adults and teachers are a bit useless and the teens are determined to solve things on their own, even as someone picks off their friends one by one. Preston's plot takes inspiration from that idea, but with her own twist on things. Would you repost a meme that asked you to detail your biggest fear about dying?! I for one wouldn't. But a number of teens in the town of Rock Bay have done just that. 

You know what’s gonna happen next don’t you? You got it - they're being murdered by the fear they posted online. Our lead character Izzy is one of the few that didn’t post what she’s most afraid of. She's a great lead, determined, somewhat innocent and very likable. Rock Bay is a small town, where everyone knows everyone and their business. School politics, friends, frenemies, hookups, sports, the in crowd, relationships and more. And of course there's that mean girls group, the popular ones. There's some 'love' interests as well. Because it wouldn't be a teen read without one - or two. 

Everybody’s under suspicion as Preston waves a delicious 'don’t go in the basement', 'oh my gosh why are you doing that' kind of read. Chances are taken, silly moves are made, but that’s the fun of this kind of book. 

We get chapters written from the killers point of view and they’re labelled Fear. I had my suspicions, but was kept guessing as to who the killer was going to be for most of the book.  Kudos to Preston for a heck of an ending - I did not see that coming. I absolutely loved The Fear - five stars for a fun, addictive tale.  See for yourself - read an excerpt of  The Fear. 

You'll Be the Death of Me - Karen M. McManus

Time for a YA fiction read! Karen M. McManus is one of my favourite teen fiction writers. Her newest is You'll Be The Death of Me.

Cal, Mateo and Ivy were the best of friends in Grade eight. They've since drifted apart and are now seniors. A chance meeting outside the school entrance has them all deciding to pull a Ferris Bueller day. They've each got their own reason for wanting to ditch school. It's a great idea - until it's not. They stumble across a crime scene....

McManus has created three very different protagonists. They're all likable and each brings a different dynamic. McManus always captures and portrays her teen characters in a believable manner. You'll Be the Death of Me is told in rotating chapters from each of the three. As readers, we're privy to their thoughts, angst - and secrets. McManus devotes time to the romantic entanglements as well as family issues of the the three, but this only adds to the overall feel of the book. 

That crime scene? Each of them has a connection to what has occurred.....

McManus gives us lots of choices for the whodunit. The final aha won't be overly hard to suss out, but it's the journey there that's the most fun. And I did have fun reading this one. Ferris Bueller with a side of Scooby Doo. McManus has a formula that works - and she had me happily ensconced on the couch for on rainy Saturday afternoon. See for yourself - read an excerpt of You'll Be the Death of Me. 

Small Favors - Erin A. Craig

Erin A. Craig's new novel, Small Favors, has just released. It kept me company in a hammock for the weekend as I got lost in the tale of Ellerie and the town of Amity Falls. 

Amity means friendship and goodwill and the town of Amity Falls seems to be the epitome of that description. The isolated town was founded many years ago in a forest far from others. The strict set of rules the elders wrote has kept the town safe, both within and without. But when a lone horse is the only one to return from a supply train, the questions arises...have the monsters returned...?

Small, seemingly inconsequential events begin to happen - a broken tool, a rumor spread - and then grow in severity - crops destroyed, deformed animals being born, rumors growing to outright hate - and more sightings of the monsters. Oh, yes! An isolated town, clashing personalities, winter coming on and supplies are low. A recipe for trouble. Craig ramps up the tension to frighteningly creepy levels. To the point when you want to shout out loud at the characters - No, no, no!! Don't go there, don't talk to them, don't do that....

Eighteen year old Ellerie Downing is our protagonist. She is perfect for her role in this book. Kind, intelligent, responsible, determined, but also on the cusp of coming of age. And she does all the things you're going to want her not to do. She meets with a young man who traps in the pines beyond the town limits. He is welcomed into the Downing household. As are Ellerie's long lost uncle and his son. There are a number of supporting players as well. And Craig also provides a who's who list at the beginning of the book to help you keep track. 

Small Favors is a fairy tale of sorts - the kind with a dark, dark wood, an isolated settlement, an evil lurking presence, townsfolk not seeing the madness until it may be too late, and a golden haired heroine who may have the answers to save them all. Oh, and a prince of sorts.

I loved it! Kudos to Erin A. Craig on weaving a tale that kept me totally engaged. (And I'm long past my teens.) I loved the plot, was on side with the protagonist and couldn't wait to see what was on the next page. Craig's writing is excellent. Small Favors was an great, escapist read. See for yourself - read an excerpt. (And don't you love that cover!)

That Weekend - Kara Thomas

Is there anything better than a lazy day in the hammock, reading an entire book? Especially when its YA fiction - my guilty pleasure! What was the book? That Weekend by Kara Thomas.

Claire, her best friend Kat and her boyfriend Jesse all decide to head to Kat's family's mountain getaway instead of going to prom. A great idea....but things don't go to plan....Claire wakes up in the woods with a severe head injury and amnesia. And Jesse and Kat are missing....

A great premise that opens up all kinds of avenues for the plot to take. And the lead character has amnesia? Another device that I really like - trying to figure out what the truth is and what is misconception. 

Now, I'm years past, but I think Thomas has nailed the dialogue, the worries, the pressures and the complicated relationships that the teen years bring. I liked Claire as a lead character and was behind her as she tries to deal with the aftermath, the guilt and the suspicion. It is her voice we hear for the most part, but Kat is also given a voice. Thomas artfully manipulates the reader as the book continues - I had bought into the lies being told by some of the supporting characters and was caught completely off guard by the twists and turns woven into the last bit of the book. Especially that last one - I'm still not completely on board with it, but it's a darn good one. I did have to suspend disbelief for some of the police procedures (or lack of), but that's just my pragmatic nature. Just go with it. That Weekend makes for some entertaining summer reading. 

I really liked Thomas's writing. This was a first read of her, but won't be my last! See for yourself - here's an excerpt of That Weekend. 

Genuine Fraud - E. Lockhart

E. Lockhart had a New York Times bestseller with her 2014 YA novel, We Were Liars. Her latest book is Genuine Fraud.

Lockhart starts her book with the ending. Jule is alone in a Baja resort, enjoying life - doing whatever she want when she wants. Then a woman appears, asking Jule about herself. Jule gives her name is Imogen. But the appearance of this woman triggers fight or flight response in Jule. Why? Is she in hiding or on the run? Who is she - Jule or Imogen?

And it is that last question that drives the book.

"If only she could go back in time, Jule felt, she would be a better person. Or a different person. She would be more herself. Or maybe less herself. She didn't know which, because she didn't any longer know what shape her own self was, or whether there was really no Jule at all, bu only a series of selves she presented for different contexts. Were all people like that, with no true self? Or was it only Jule?"

Lockhart's timeline as I mentioned, starts with the ending and weaves it way back to the beginning. I was curious to find out about Imogen. Who is she and why is Jule pretending to be her? Who is Jule really? Initially I was quite intrigued, but as the book progressed, I found myself growing somewhat bored with Jule's repetitive deceptions. What is truth and what is fiction are inextricably intertwined. I also found myself predicting what the beginning (end) would reveal. Turns out I was right - and slightly disappointed. I think I was perhaps expecting a twist such as the one in We Were Liars.

I found the timeline used a bit confusing. But it did mirror Jule's mind. Lockhart's descriptions of that mind's inner workings were quite chilling....

"Her mind was cinematic. She looked superb in the light from the streetlamps. After the fight, her cheeks were flushed. Bruises were forming underneath her clothes, but her hair looked excellent. And oh, her clothes were so very flattering. Yes, it was true that she was criminally violent. Brutal, even. But that was her job and she was uniquely qualified for it, so it was sexy."

Genuine Fraud echoes some actual cases and some other mystery works of fiction - The Talented Mr. Ripley comes to mind. But at the end Genuine Fraud was just an okay read for me. Read an excerpt of Genuine Fraud.

Giveaway - Stone Rider - David Hofmeyr

Are you an YA fiction fan? A sci-fi fan? Both? Well, I've got a great giveaway for you today if any of those descriptions apply!

Stone Rider is David Hofmeyr's debut novel - and film rights have already been optioned by Working Title, with a screenplay development under way!

From the publisher, Delacorte Press:

"In the vein of the cult classic Mad Max series, crossed with Cormac McCarthy’s The Road and S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, this inventive debut novel blends adrenaline-fueled action with an improbable yet tender romance to offer a rich and vivid portrayal of misfits and loners forced together in their struggle for a better life.

Adam Stone wants freedom and peace. He wants a chance to escape Blackwater, the dust-bowl desert town he grew up in. Most of all, he wants the beautiful Sadie Blood. Alongside Sadie and the dangerous outsider Kane, Adam will ride the Blackwater Trail in a brutal race that will test them all, body and soul. Only the strongest will survive.

The prize? A one-way ticket to Sky-Base and unimaginable luxury. And for a chance at this new life, Adam will risk everything."

"With a special section comprised of excerpts from The Riders Code: A Manual for Riders of the Vodden Circuit and a Q andA with the author, STONE RIDER is an action-packed page-turner that will appeal to fans of fantasy and adventure." For ages 12+. Read an excerpt of Stone Rider.

"David Hofmeyr was born in South Africa and lives in London and Paris. In 2012 he was a finalist in the SCBWI Undiscovered Voices competition, and in 2013 he graduated with distinction from Bath Spa University with an MA in Writing for Young People. He works as a Planner for Ogilvy and Mather in the UK. Stone Rider is David Hofmeyr’s first novel. He also wrote the companion novel, Blood Rider." You can connect with David at his website as well as on Twitter and Facebook.

If Stone Rider appeals to you, enter to win a copy using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to US and Canada. Ends Aug 22/15.

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