The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry 
by Gabrielle Zevin

On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto "No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World." A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means.

A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island-from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who's always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.'s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.

And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It's a small package, but large in weight. It's that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn't take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.'s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn't see coming. (Description from Goodreads.com) 

This quirky story is set up in chapters, each headed by a different "review" of a book. As A.J.'s life changes, the reader sees the reflections in the vignettes of his life, and in the ways that the "reviews" change. The story is touching and heartfelt, I could not help but be charmed as cranky A.J. went from being the curmudgeonly bookseller to being a family man and part of the life blood of his small town.    

Zevin is an author that I like in general and I loved this foray into the adult world.  I felt that the characters were interesting and the whole concept was exceedingly well done.  The way the story unfolded was easy to follow and drew me right in, making me much more emotionally invested than I had thought I would be.  This was one of my favorite summer reads. 

Full disclosure: Borrowed from my Library

The Case of the Deadly Desperados

The Case of the Deadly Desperados
by Caroline Lawrence
Western Mysteries, book one

When twelve-year-old P.K. (Pinky) Pinkerton's foster parents are murdered by Whittlin' Walt and his gang of ruthless desperados, Pinky goes on the run and is forced into hiding with Ma's priceless last possession: the deed to a large amount of land and silver mines in the Nevada Mountains. But relying on disguises will only keep Pinky hidden for so long, and the desperados are quickly closing in . . . (Description from Amazon.com)

I loved this book SO much more than I ever thought I would.  P.K. is a spunky, interesting (maybe autistic) main character that I had no trouble rooting for... I loved all of the side characters.  There were mean desperados, and helpful townsfolk, a new "foster" parent to look up to, and even an appearance by Samuel Clemens himself! The mystery was great and the setting was way more interesting than I'd thought it would be.  I found myself smiling as I listened (I did this as an audio book) and hope to read the follow-up soon! 

Full disclosure: Borrowed from my Library

The Voyage of Lucy P. Simmons

The Voyage of Lucy P. Simmons
by Barbara Mariconda

Ever since her parents died, Lucy's house has magically awakened. An enchanted flute plays when danger is near. A sparkling mist unlocks drawers of family secrets. A mysterious woman named Marni arrives.

The magic helps Lucy keep her house out of the hands of her greedy Uncle Victor. As Lucy and Marni fight to stop Victor, Lucy makes unexpected friends and discovers the power of courage. But will it be enough to prevail in the face of her evil uncle? (description from Amazon.com)

I liked this one a lot. It has a great atmosphere to it. You could feel the magic in the air as the house responds to Lucy's wishes. I felt really bad for Lucy as she lost her parents and had to deal with her greedy uncle. I was extremely happy when she found Marni and her new friends. Watching Lucy transform into a stronger, more confident girl was great and I can't wait to see where her adventures take her in following books.

Full disclosure: Borrowed from my library 

Knightley Academy

Knightley Academy
by Violet Haberdasher

All Henry knows is life as an orphaned servant boy at the Midsummer School, bullied by the privileged sons of aristocracy. But all that changes when Henry is the first commoner to pass the entrance exam for the prestigious Knightley Academy, where he will be trained as a modern-day knight alongside the cleverest and bravest fourteen-year-olds in the country.

Henry and his roomates, two other students from decidedly un-Knightley backgrounds, are not exactly greeted with open arms by their classmates. In fact, it soon becomes apparent that someone is going to great lengths to sabotage the trio's chances at becoming knights. But Henry soon learns that there is more at stake here than his future at Knightley, and only he can sound the alarm. Is anyone going to believe a former servant on the brink of expulsion? (description taken from Amazon.com)

I devoured this book...and then I sighed with happiness. It is very reminiscent of Harry Potter. To clarify, it is not one of the carbon copy wizard books that came out just after the whole wizarding explosion in MG/YA. What it has is the feeling that Rowling was able to evoke in her readers.

Yes, there is an orphan, some downtrodden, looked poorly upon friends, a slight romantic tension, and the struggle to fight for what's right...manners, valiance, fighting oppression, tyranny, and discrimination.

What makes this book special is that you are drawn into a new world with fantastic, well drawn characters. Henry, Frankie, and even his school nemesis, Valmont are mutli-faceted characters that grow and support each other right in front of the reader's eyes. The narrator's voice is also really funny, sarcastic, and similar to Lemony Snicket.

Another thing I loved was the blend of modern and medieval. This is what I would refer to as steampunk without the sci-fi feel. This book is set in "modern" times, yet there are still knights in society. They are detectives, police officers, and more, but they are KNIGHTS. Awesome!

If you've been missing something since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out, ending an era, you need to try this new series!!