Dance of the Assassins by: Herve Jubert

This is book one in The Devil's Dances Trilogy of Jubert.

I didn't know quite well what to think about this novel, it was pretty weird. In the book the main character is Roberta who works for the ministry of defense and is also a witch. She partners up with a fresh out of the academy cop to go to the historical city of London and find a killer. These historical cities are tourist spots that made out to be famous cities from certain time periods. London is set in the late 19th century . The whole time I wondered what was the actual time period of the book but there was no reference to what year it was.

What they find is that Roberta and Clement (rookie cop) have stumbled on a diabolical plot to summon the root of all evil, Satan himself. Now Roberta and Clement must travel to different historical places and stop this evil plan from unfolding. The book has a fantasy feel for it but it soesn't run the whole novel. Its a good thriller novel.
RH

Last Chance in Texas By: John Hubner

This is a detailed account of a way one remarkable prison tries to rehabilitates its inmates in Texas. The teens are convicted of crimes ranging from aggravated assault to murder. This is a moving story about the teens, who grow up to inflict on others, the violence that they themselves have suffered.

I learned that youth who grow up abused, and neglected learn to hide themselves in coping. Violence has to do with fraud. It's about trying to feel alive in an environment where you feel dead.

We need to remember, we've got to make teens take responsibility for their actions.

On the whole, I reccomend this book to anyone teen, or adult who wants to read about hope, and light in this violent, and cruel society.

LRD 12/17/05

Witch Dreams - Vivian Vande Velde

Witch Dreams is the story about a sixteen-year-old girl named Nyssa who is a witch. She has the power to enter peoples dreams. She does this by having a token from that person, whether it be a lock of hair, a piece of clothing, or something the person has touched or owned. Six years ago her parents were murdered and now she wants to find out who murdered them. With her powers she enters the dreams of Elsdon, the person who was accused six years ago of the murder, to find out the truth about her parents murder.

Tom Burnham

DARK ANGEL by David Klass

Are human brains controlled chemically? Are we really making choices or can behavior be reduced to chemical reactions. Is there such a thing as good and evil? Can people be blamed for what they do? Jeff's brother has just been released from the penitentiary after serving 5 years for murder. Is he really a reformed man or is he still the cold calculating, brilliant, manipulative person Jeff remembers him to be? How will Troy's return affect Jeff's life and that of his emotionally fragil mother? When classmate Franchise Fraser disappears, Jeff suspects his brother is behind it. But, there is more to the case than it at first seems. Still it is Jeff, just as brilliant as his brother who unravels the entire scheme. Does that make Jeff like his brother?
In a lot of ways this reads like the very famous "Silence of the Lambs" but for a slightly younger audience. JDW 12/13/05

Lord Loss: by Darren Shan

Grubbs is just a ordinary kid with a some what normal family, some what mainly due to the fact that his family is obsessed with the game of chess. As the family gets ready for a ballet and Grubbs not really into it, he spends the day with his aunt. Grubbs though senses that his family is up to something and he is determined to find out what the problem is.

Grubbs finds out that family is still at home and he makes his way up to his big sister's room, knowing imediatly that something is terriably wrong. What he finds is that family is no more and the name of the monster that did this to him, Lord Loss. Can Grubbs get himself together and face this demon before it consumes his life and what is Lord Loss's link to Grubbs Great Grandfather that he has to worry about as well?

Shan is one of the great writers for young adults in the horror genre. A good read for his first book in the Demonata Series.
RCH

A Room On Lorelei Street by Pearson

It meant freedom from caring for her alcoholic, dependent mother. It meant freedom to have a little for herself for a change, privacy, a place to entertain friends and even someone who cared that she was one of the top tennis players on her school team. But ultimately she couldn't stay, grandma tried too hard to prevent that, unexpected money problems got in the way, finally she even had to give up her beloved tennis-but there is hope for a better future here for the girl from the toxic family, just like in Helen Frost's Keesha's House

Dead Girls Don't Write Letters by Gail Giles

Jazz has always been the perfect kid, parents favorite. Sunny has always been considered difficult. Jazz moves from home and is killed in an apartment fire. When a girl arrives at the family home claiming to be Jazz, but isn't Sunny investigates and discovers the real truth. Except that things are not as they seem in this psychological mystery-page turner.
JDW 11/05