The Witch Hunter

About 18 months ago, I first encountered writer Virginia Boecker via her blog. She was a Pitch Wars mentor, and of the mentor posts I read, hers was one of my favorite. Imagine, then, my thrill when Virginia chose me as her mentee. I will say that her feedback changed my book--she encouraged me to dramatically increase the pacing, and that advice was just the kick I needed to cut a substantial part of the story.

Needless to say, I pre-ordered this book as soon as I could. (It has taken me a shamefully long time to get to it--I need to stop going to the library when I have other books to read, because the library books always end up taking precedence.) I finally had a chance to read it, and am happy to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. (Of course, I might be a tad biased. See above). 

Elizabeth Grey is a witch hunter in an alternate Elizabethan England where magic is not only forbidden, but an offense punishable by death. Despite Elizabeth's skill, her loyalty blinds her to certain dangers, and when she is betrayed and herself accused of witchcraft, she discovers that the only thing that might save her is allying with the very witches she once fought against.

The premise is great: high stakes that were borne out in the strong pacing. I liked Elizabeth, who struggles to reimagine her place in a world that no longer values her, but who remains strong and determined. But I loved her friends, and the tentative threads that bind them as their adventures unfold. Her growing relationship with a handsome healer was particularly strong, and I look forward to seeing where Virginia takes their relationship in the sequel.

This Monstrous Thing

Mackenzi Lee's debut, This Monstrous Thing, reimagines Frankenstein in an alternate steampunk world, where the resurrection is accomplished through gears and gadgets. So far, the book is easy enough to sum up. But Lee has done much more with this retelling. It's a lovely homage to the original, down to the inclusion of Mary Shelley herself as a complicated character. The historical details shine, creating a vivid story world. But the heart of the story is the relationship between brothers Oliver and Alasdair--and in keeping with real sibling relationships, this heart is complicated, bruised, hopeful, loving, powerful.

Circus Mirandus

After seeing a couple of friends raving about this new middle grade novel, I snatched it up at my library. I'm glad I did. Cassie Beasley's debut, Circus Mirandus, is a charming, magical story about a boy and his grandfather--and a magical circus.

Micah Tuttle has believed in magic his whole life, thanks to his grandfather Ephraim's stories about the Circus Mirandus. But now his grandfather is dying, Micah's life is being overrun by his horrible aunt Gertrudis, and a miracle from the Lightbearer (a Circus magician) may be the only thing that can save his grandfather. With the help of his friend Jenny Mendez and a few unexpected visitors, Micah sets off to find a miracle.

I thought the story was delightful--just the right amount of magic and heart. Now I'm trying to get my kids to read it.

Convicted

I picked up CONVICTION after it was short-listed for the 2016 Morris award, so my expectations going into Kelly Loy Gilbert's debut novel were already pretty high. And this book still blew me away.

First, there was Gilbert's prose--clear, deft, and powerful. The way Gilbert writes about baseball made even me interested in it. Braden felt like such a real character, trying to live up to the rules of honor expected both on the playing field and in the church. The plot, of course, was wrenching, as Braden struggles through the aftermath of his father's being accused of murdering a local cop. But that wasn't what kept me reading so compulsively. The heart of the book was the relationships: Braden's relationship with his father, with his friends, with his half-brother Trey--and with God.

What stands out to me the most about this book is its sensitive, true depiction of teen faith. Without ever seeming condescending, Gilbert present's Braden's evolving faith as a real thing. When so many YA books don't even touch on the issue of faith (unless it's to gloss over it), I thought Gilbert's book was brave and much-needed.

Did I enjoy this book? I don't know--what I felt (continue to feel) about it isn't easily summed up in enjoy. It moved me profoundly. It made me hurt, it made me angry, it made me hopeful. I'm still mulling over the ending. A powerful book by a powerful new writer.