Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things

Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things by Kathryn Burak
3/5 stars
Roaring Brook Press, 2012
233 pages
YA Literary Mystery

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Claire has been through so much that she’s pared her life down to one goal–to get out of high school (finally)–until the night she wanders into Emily Dickinson’s house and finds everything suddenly changing.

Claire, new to Amherst and desperate to get out of high school, vows she’ll try to be invisible. She retreats deep into thee poetry of Emily Dickinson to help her understand her mother’s suicide and best friend’s disappearance, until one night, when she finds herself running through the woods in the poet’s dress. The next morning she starts a different life, one with totally new complications.  -goodreads

I picked up this book with pretty high expectations. I love mysteries and have enjoyed seeing more pop up in the YA genre; I have liked books from this press before; and the ratings on goodreads are pretty high. However the book I read did not quite align with those expectations. I would say this is very much a case of book not meshing with reader.

That would stem largely from the writing style, which I found very confusing and distancing. I admire the poetry in it (and indeed there is a mix of poetry from I believe Emily Dickinson and the author's own construction) with the prose but it is very much not to my taste. Additionally there is a surreal blending of the past and the present, which only gave me more confusion. I guess I expected a more straightforward story and it took me nearly half the book to feel situated in what was occurring.

As for the titular "missing things," we have Emily's dress, actually accidentally stolen by Claire who sneaks into Emily Dickinson's house some nights to cope and ends up running out while still wearing the dress. Other missing things are Claire's best friend Richy whose disappearance heavily impacted Claire and Claire's mother, whose suicide haunts the family still. I thought the mystery around Richy was the part that worked best for me. After a year, Claire puts herself to the task of solving it and does so to my delight.

Part of the way she solved it was through sharing her grief in writing to her English teacher and a student teacher. The latter pushes her on it and they sort of develop a romance. He's a junior while she's a second-year senior, having needed to repeat after losing Richy. I think this is supposed to make the age difference more palatable but it did not appease me. For those who do like romance though, Claire's father receives a paramour and good for him to go after some happiness after years of mourning.

Takeaway Points:
1. Poetic writing that is not my cup of tea
2. Mystery was by far most satisfying aspect
3. Icky romance for MC but cute one for her father.

Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things is scheduled for release October 2, 2012. This review is based on an e-ARC received from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl Is Trouble

The Girl Is Trouble by Kathryn Miller Haines
4/5 stars
Roaring Brook Press, 2012
325 pages
YA Historical Mystery

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Although not enthused with the behavior of main character Iris in The Girl Is Murder, I loved the setting and was eager to return. Thus I was very pleased that my request was accepted on Netgalley and I happily dove into this part two.

More good news-Iris has somewhat learned her lesson about lying and sneaking around although she still does quite a bit in this book. But unlike last time, it didn't really bother me. In fact, I was very much Team Iris, supporting her through her trials and travails.

And it is very good that I liked Iris so much as she is our guide through this book ramping up the suspense and danger. Iris' first problem is the threatening notes Jewish students at her school are receiving; although Iris is no longer practicing, her family background in investigation makes her an obvious candidate to figure out who is harassing them. One of the suspects is her best friend Pearl, who has been ostracized and given the unfortunate nickname Pearl Harbor. But Iris cannot imagine Pearl doing such acts and wants to get to the bottom of the case.

That is, she wants to do so until she uncovers some shocking new evidence in her mother's suicide. Let's just say there is nothing simple or straightforward but instead lies and undercover shady acts abound. This comes to consume Iris and test her beyond anything she's done so far. Because of the personal nature of the case, I was easily able to feel for Iris. Her entire world was rocked and Iris' bravery in pursuing the truth really impressed me even as she was sometimes foolhardy when considering the potential danger.

So I've shared that I liked Iris in this book but what about the other characters? First, Pearl-one of the best best friends I've read in YA lately. She is in sync with Iris and aids her at several key junctures besides just being good emotional support. Then there is Iris' love interest, the bad boy Benny. Although I don't usually like the bad boy in YA lit, it helps that he seems to have a sweet heart deep down below his juvenile delinquent antics. As for the adults, I loved Iris' aunt and continue to adore her Polish landlady. I also loved getting to know more about Iris' mother in her final days-the love she had for her daughter and husband is touching and her end is very heartbreaking. The villains, being largely pro-Nazi/anti-Semitic, are quite easy to dislike and mostly receive their justice by the end. That may not always be the case in the real world, but I'm glad it usually happens in book world.

Overall: A strong second book, successfully evoking the 1940s WWII era while also strengthening the characterization and tying together two strands of mystery into one cohesive story. I'm expecting there to be a third book that will even top this!

Cover: I love pretty much everything about this, even including the fact that she's kind of looking at me-I think it helps that her face is pretty small and she seems suspicious of me. I really love her skirt as polka-dots are my favorite pattern. It's actually the same outfit as on the cover of the first book, which is great as not much time as passed and Iris doesn't have money for new clothes.

The Girl Is Murder

The Girl Is Murder by Kathryn Miller Haines
Roaring  Brook Press, 2011
342 pages
YA; Mystery; Historical Fiction
3.5/5 stars

Source: Library

I love the cover for this, as it immediately conjures up a historical mystery for me. This one is set in 1942 New York City, with a young girl and her injured private detective father (lost his leg at Pearl Harbor).  Beyond references to the war and topical events like the zoot suits beatings, the most obvious reference to the time period was the slang. There was a lot of slang, which was a little jarring with how much is peppered through the novel but still easy enough to understand.

Obviously the war plays a huge role. Most of the characters have at least one relative serving or who has served and the uncertainty about their fates hangs over them; food and cloth is rationed and the draft is about to be implemented which will call up most of the young men at the main character's school. I really enjoyed all of these elements as they painted a vivid picture and created a great world. I felt immersed.

What I didn't like was the main character Iris, who starts the book out okay. She's worried about her father and his ability to pay the rapidly piling up bills; she's missing her dead mother; she's scared about starting at a public school after years at a tony private girls school; she seems pretty normal. As the book progressed though, she grated on me. She lied and lied and lied and continually acted in ways that she knew were wrong! She was also a bit of a snob in her transition from private to public school, although the quality of her education definitely decreased.

The other characters were a mix of fun and annoying. They definitely had suspicious qualities and they also had their own changes in personality, with lying, wrong-doing, and double-crossing. They were not nice people. The only characters I liked were the adults, Iris's father and Mrs. Mrozenski, who owns the place where Iris and her father are lodging. She is an immigrant who gives Iris space but does care for her.

I did not solve the mystery and actually ended up a little confused with all of the players involved and their twisted motivations and actions. But I think there is the possibility for more stories in this mystery setting and hopefully Iris will have learned her lesson and behave more correctly.

Cover: Beautiful-love her hair! However it does remind me of some other YA covers so perhaps it isn't exactly distinct enough.

Flirt Club

Flirt Club by Cathleen Daly
Roaring Brook Press, 2011
281 pages
MG; Contemporary
3.5/5 stars

Source: Library

I loved the premise of this novel which is two geeky best friends communicating the story through notes and navigating the complicated world of middle school friendships and romances by forming a "Flirt Club." Over the course of the novel, they learn some surprising things about boys, old friends, and relationships.

This was a pretty cute book; I especially love that it's told through notes as I am a sucker for epistolary novels. Main characters Annie and Izzy were super tight best friends (except for a brief period of time) and I loved how they were usually on the same page and supportive of each other. They also make some more friends and spend a lot of time talking about drama including musicals. More YA books should have the main characters be in musicals!

I was a little surprised by some of the content, which involved 13-year olds drinking and coming very close to having sex. Is that what middle school is like now? I had none of those pressures although admittedly I was even nerdier than these girls. If it is like that, I'm very glad to be away. The other topic was one girl's semi-frequent constipation and discussions of such under euphenisms. Kind of gross to me but someone with a different sense of humor could find that hilarious.

Overall: A cute novel, recommended for 13/14 year olds.

Cat Among the Pigeons

Cat Among the Pigeons by Julia Golding
Roaring Brook Press, 2006
362 pages
YA; Historical
4/5 stars

Source: Library

I didn't mention this but just like the first book, the first pages of this book share hilarious blurbs from such distinguished personages as Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Beethoven.

Sequel to The Diamond of Drury Lane, where we are introduced to Cat Royal, Pedro Hawkins, and her assorted friends, acquaintances, and enemies in and around the theater.

I think I actually liked this even more than the first book as the personalities were already established so we got to dive right in to the story, which revolves around a very important historical event: the battle for abolition of slavery across Great Britain and its territories.  Per my research, slavery was abolished in England itself in 1772 but it was not until 1833 that is was abolished across Great Britain and its colonies.  Consequently it was a hot button issue.  Pedro had thought he had escaped his cruel master Hawkins but that man shows up here, determined to reclaim his property.  Although he cannot do so in England, once he sets sail for the West Indies, he can legally do as he wants.

Cat, of course, inserts herself fighting on behalf of Pedro and finds herself wanted, leading to a series of improbable disguises.  First she masquerades as a boy in Lord Francis's public school and then she hides out with Quakers, attempting to act as a prim and proper lady.  I loved those scenes of her disguise and Cat continued to be a charming narrator.

However I am somewhat uncomfortable with the role of Billy "Boil" Shepherd, whose twisted relationship with Cat becomes even more so. His behavior is really quite frightening, even if he does have some scruples.  He has also moved up in the world, gaining more areas under his control for his power and financial prosperity. SPOILER: I think I've read that they become a couple in later books and I'm wondering how Cat gets past his boorish behavior in this and the previous book. There must be a lot of development of his character. END SPOILER

Overall: Another enchanting diversion with Cat Royal; superior to the first book and with the promise of a Parisian trip amid revolution in the third.

Read for British Books Challenge.

The Diamond of Drury Lane

The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding
Roaring Book Press, 2006
419 pages
YA; Historical
4/5 stars

Source: Library

Read for YA Book Battle and also because the sequels looked really intriguing.

Cat Royal is an orphan living in the Theater Royal in 1790 London.  She has been unofficially adopted by the theater folk and has lived there as long as she can remember.  Living among the actors, writers, and designers as well as the gangs that control the seedier sections of town is a not too bad existence.  Then one night she hears about a diamond hidden in the theater, which sends her off on vivid imaginings and kick-starts this story.

The next day she meets a new friend, Pedro Hawkins, a former slave (not sure how as slavery wasn't abolished in the UK until 1833) with a remarkable agility and incredible talent with the violin.  His skill attracts the interest of Lord Francis and Lady Elizabeth and a mystery around the treasonous cartoons of "Captain Sparkler" springs up.

Cat is a great heroine.  She's a colorful heroine with the plentiful sprinkling of the slang of the times and she speaks her mind.  In general, she's up for any adventure and she's very loyal.  Cat also begins writing, something I bet becomes more prominent in later books as she ages.

Besides being a fun adventure, this book also treats themes of gender, race, and class. Cat would love to be part of her friend Syd's gang but he will only let boys join, even if he's only known them for a few hours.  She protests the unfairness of this and hopes that Syd doesn't harbor deeper feelings for her.  Pedro is easily accepted but some of the meaner characters do mock him based on the color of his skin and claim their own superiority over him because of that.  Class is another element; lords have the final say while penniless orphans can only hope for some protection.

My main quibble is that it was a little long and the mystery is a bit simplistic (my rationale is that I figured it out and I hardly ever do that).  There's a lot of promise for future books.

Overall: Great historical mystery with an engaging main character-definitely excited about the sequels.

Read for British Books Challenge.