The Dead Winter by Chris Priestley

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Set in the Victorian England we meet Michael on the worst day of his life; his mother’s funeral. After the service he is told that he has a benefactor and he must move far into the country for Christmas at his benefactor’s county estate. As soon as he arrives he starts to hear and see strange and unusual things. The house and those in it are hiding some great secret that threatens to destroy them all.

This is a horror story with an ending that I saw coming about half way through. I found it predictable, but I really like the characters and the pace of the story. I also liked the ending, which takes place many years in the future. I think a lot of teen guys would like the story. Overall it is a good ghost story without too much gore.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

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Andi is devastated by the death of her little brother and the end of her parent’s marriage. She blames herself for a lot of what happens and she tries to save her mom from a deep depression while attempting to hide from her own dark feelings of desperation and sorrow. Andi is a wealthy girl who goes to an elite school. When situations start to get out of control at home her father takes her on a business trip to Paris. He thinks she will work on her senior paper and get away from the things that are troubling her. What she finds in Paris is the diary of a girl her own age. The girl lived during the French revolution and was nanny to the last heir to the throne. In alternating stories we hear the events of both girls’ lives as they deal with two separate but oddly similar tragedies.


I usually don’t read said or realistic fiction. I like zombies and ninjas thank you very much, but this book blew me away. The pain is so realistic and not at all gratuitous. Donnelly tells the story so well that you can smell the gun powder from the fireworks, and feel the chill of a New York City night. I recommend this for anyone who likes realistic fiction, historical fiction, or stories about the intricacies of families. If you’ve never read YA fiction this book would be a good place to start. I also recommend Donnelly’s other book, A Northern Light.

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The Agency: A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee

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In 1853 London, Mary is an orphan who is sentenced to be hanged for stealing. She is soon rescued and offered a place in a home for girls. She attends school and becomes a young lady. When she turns seventeen she is no longer satisfied with the life of a school teacher. She wants something more, so she talks to the headmistress of the school and is let in on a secret. The school is a front for an all-female agency that investigates crimes. Mary is soon the newest agent and gets her first assignment. She must find out information about a merchant by posing as a ladies companion to his daughter.


This was not the book for me. I’m not much of a historical fiction reader, and I like books with stories that unfold a little faster than this. That said the book is well written, and historically accurate. The manners, actions, and crimes are realistic for the time period. Mary is a strong and intelligent female character with a quick wit and the ability to fight. I would recommend this book to girls who like historical fiction.

SIlverFin by Charlie Higson

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It’s the 1930’s and James Bond is an English school boy arriving at Eaton for the first time. While at school he meets and quickly becomes the enemy of a popular and wealthy boy. Nothing sinister happens, but there is a tension on campus. Imagine James’s surprise to learn that the boy’s father owns a castle in Scotland very near where James will be staying for vacation with his family. When a village boy and a Pinkerton investigator go missing, James gets sucked into action, adventure and a little spying.


I thought this book would be a little bit of fluff; an easy action read. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The story is well written and incredibly readable. The pacing is dead on and it keeps the reader interested. The descriptions and imagery put you in the place and time of the story. Overall I was impressed with how well the book was written, the historical accuracy, and the route the author took to get the reader to the end. I recommend this book to guys 12-18. It’s a clean read without cursing or sex. (You might think “How can there be Bond without sex?” I can assure you there is a Jr. Bond girl in the story, but James is only 13 so the book keeps it G rated.)

Much Ado About Grubstake by Jean Ferris

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During the end of the gold rush, in the Colorado mountains you can find a town called Grubstake; population 62.  Arley is the sixteen year old owner of a boarding house.  The town is down on its lich, and no one has found any gold in the mountains for some time, so when a stranger comes to town and starts buying up people’s claims Arely gets suspicious. 

This book is a fun and clean read for younger teens.  (11-14). There is no bad language or any explicate content. The main character is a pluck girl who solves a mystery and meets a mysterious stranger who may be a good guy or a bad guy.  It has action, adventure, and a little romance; he perfect combination for a younger teen reader.