Howard, A. G. RoseBlood.

Howard, A. G. RoseBlood. Amulet see Abrams, Harry     2017  419p  $18.95      ISBN 978-1-4197-1909-7       hs/adult  Fantasy   VG

When Rune goes to school in France, she is forced to confront her destiny.  Born with an angelic voice, she alone possesses something the elusive and imortal Phantom of the Opera wants. In this unusual pairing of characters, Howard brings a young opera singer to France, where she discovers not only the reason why she collapses after every song she sings, but also the reason why she nearly kills her boyfriend Ben when she uses his emotions to feed her needs. Surprisingly, as the rising action builds in this drama, she rather casually accepts that she is not human, but rather some kind of vampire. The trip to France and her attendance at the RoseBlood School seem to be inevitable, as Rune begins to learn, especially when she meets Thorn, a man with whom she feels a kindred spirit. He hides from everyone at the school, and Rune learns why much later in the book. Will he be her protector or the conduit to her demise? Rune finds herself bullied, but she is not at all certain who is behind the theft of her school uniform, among other torments she must bear. She also finds herself in the contest for the lead in the school’s opera, a role that she does not covet since she knows her weakness always renders her incapable of completing one aria much less an entire show.  An avid reader, she voraciously pours through all things relating to the legendary Phantom of the Opera, Erik, and when she meets him, she learns about his thirst for her voice. A scientist who performs experiments on animals, he is searching for a way to transfer Rune’s voice to bring back his beloved Christine. Erik is a demon with deformities that have shaped his life, and he cares little about Thorn, the son he adopted. There is too much detail to thoroughly explain this convoluted plot in one review. Let it suffice to say that Howard’s descriptions are stellar, her storytelling complex, and her interest level high for the right reader. Vampire fans will enjoy Howard’s new take on sucking out emotions rather than life blood. They will equally enjoy diving into the complexities of this story, but they will have to be patient to find out the resolution.           

With complex descriptions and plot and some sexual content, this novel is best for high school and older.  With its unique take on the story of the Phantom and Christine and its new type of emotion-stealing vampire, the book deserves a spot in a high-school library.   

Summary: When Rune goes to school in France, she is forced to confront her destiny.  Born with an angelic voice, she alone possesses something the elusive and imortal Phantom of the Opera wants.  She meets Thorn, her soulmate, and together, they attempt to turn the tables against Erik before he takes Rune’s voice forever.  The Phantom of the Opera meets non-bloodsucking vampires in this new book by A. G. Howard. 

Phantom of the Opera-Fiction                                —Martha Squaresky

Howard, J. J. That Time I Joined the Circus.

Howard, J. J.  That Time I Joined the Circus.   Scholastic Press  2013  262p  $17.99      ISBN 978-0-545-43381-5    hs  Realistic Fiction E-BN 

This refreshingly original plot takes the reader on a journey with Alex/Xanda/X (depending on her mood) as she leaves everything that is familiar to her to try to find her mother. The reader feels Alex’s emotions, empathizes with her, and finds him or herself rooting for her to find happiness and a place to call home.

When Alex’s father dies suddenly, in the middle of her senior year of high school in New York, she is informed by her father’s attorney that he has sent her inheritance on to her mother in Florida. Having left the family to join the circus years ago, Alex’s estranged mother’s last known whereabouts were in Florida with the circus.  Alex finds herself on a Greyhound bus to the circus, but finds when she arrives that her mother had left the circus several months before.  Alone, and with no money, Alex joins the circus.

This exciting page-turner of an adventure involves the reader on the difficult voyage of the lone, struggling Alexandra.  Allusions to musical lyrics that begin each chapter and are woven through the story add intrigue.  What transpires along the way and the ending that results are not what the reader expects.  This is a different, modern, and fun story that will engage and entice young-adult and reluctant readers.

Circuses-Fiction                                                                                             --Virginia McGarvey

Howard, A.G. Splintered.

Howard, A.G.  Splintered.     Amulet see Abrams, Harry  371p  $17.95    

978-1-4197-0428-4 2013  ms/hs   E-BN  Fantasy  

Alyssa Gardner hears the thoughts of plants and animals.  Her great-great-great-grandmother was Alice Liddell, who told her magical stories to Lewis Carroll, who in turn spun them into the novel Alice in Wonderland.  This is Alyssa’s story about why she went back down the rabbit’s hole to free her family from the curse of insanity.   Alyssa’s home life was centered on visiting her mother in an insane asylum.  She also had to work for spending money because of the expenses paid out for her mother’s support.

Alyssa’s hobby is collecting bugs, moths, and butterflies to make beautiful mosaics.  And as a typical teenager she has a crush on Jeb, the boy next door.  However, things are not right between Alyssa and her mother because of the curse from Wonderland.  Alyssa decides to go down the rabbit hole with Jeb as her trusty companion.

While Alyssa is in Wonderland she finds that all is not what she thought. The characters are different from what they were in Carroll’s novel (for example, Rabid White and Queen Grenadine), and it was all a game in which the characters played the parts from a book written by a human.  She also learns that the original Alice did not come back to the real world. Instead, the exiled Queen Grenadine escaped Wonderland and returned to the human world to marry and give birth to netherlings (half human, half magical).  The magic only passes through the female line, and since queens rule Wonderland, that makes Alyssa heir to the lost throne of Wonderland.

The author has written an alternate magical interpretation of the Alice In Wonderland story.  Readers will love the characters’ antics and outlandish behavior.  The magical wonders of Wonderland and the unique abilities of the fantasy characters will encourage many a reader to wonder about the magical world of plants and animals in their own gardens.        

Fantasy–Fiction, Alice in Wonderland–Spinoffs              --Linda McNeil

Howard, Ellen. The Crimson Cap.

Howard, Ellen. The Crimson Cap.
Holiday House 2009 197p 16.95 978-0-8234-2152-7 ms/jr Eleven-year-old Pierre Talon leaves his family to join LaSalle’s expedition to find the mouth of the Mississippi River. Because he cannot refuse the honor, he heads into an adventure that will change the lives of many and give readers an insight into the hardships of settling our New World. Pierre Talon was responsible for his mother and sisters since his father disappeared. They were part of LaSalle’s expedition, funded by Louis XIV of France to settle the New world in France’s name. The expedition suffered many setbacks when they lost their ships and couldn’t find the mouth of the Mississippi River. The remainder of the expedition set up a settlement but they were stressed by illness and Indian attacks. Pierre fills the gap as provider for his mother and siblings when their father disappears. As a 10 year old he finds that he has a way of communicating with the Indians and other s. This is why he is so valuable to LaSalle when he takes off in search of help for the settlement. Pierre’s mother dresses him in some of his father’s clothes. Of which was a red wool cap that he will keep throughout the story. The group struggle not only with the harshness of the land but also the power struggle between the men. LaSalle is murdered and many of the men scatter. Pierre falls deathly sick and is taken in by the friendly Hasinai Indians. In time Pierre, with his Indian friends, returns to the settlement only to find devastation. He then set out on another endeavor to find his missing siblings who have been taken captive by a group of Indians. The red cap that Pierre has cherished throughout his travels serves him well when it is the one thing that allows his siblings to recognize him as their brother. It is a story of hardship and self enlightenment for someone growing up during the period of exploring the New World. McNeil, Linda