Book one - Variant
"Trust no one."
Seventeen-year-old Benson Fisher has been shuffled between thirty-three foster families since he entered the system at the age of five. Some placements last several months. One only lasted a few hours. Currently with the Coles, all of his free time outside of class is spent working in the family owned gas station without pay. Looking for some stability in his otherwise chaotic life, he applies for a scholarship to Maxfield Academy, a private school in New Mexico. Arriving from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Benson is shocked to see that the campus is surrounded by a twelve foot tall chain link fence topped with razor wire and security cameras.
After driving through a thick steel gate set into a tall brick wall, the school representative, Ms. Vaughn, drops Benson off at the main building. She tells him to find Becky Allred and promptly leaves. Walking up the stairs he notices the upper story windows are crowded with faces looking down on him. Some are banging on the windows and shouting, which he cannot hear, but others just stare. He notices that not everyone is wearing a school uniform. Some are wearing old fashion looking outfits while others are dressed like rappers. Suddenly, the front door opens and a boy and a girl run out chasing after Ms. Vaughn’s car. The boy stops are warns Benson not to listen to Isaiah or Oakland when they say “we can’t get out of here.” He chases after the girl leaving Benson behind.
Benson is greeted by Becky who informs him that she conducts all new student orientations. He begins to question Becky about what he has seen so far. He asks about the kids at the windows and she lets him know that they are just excited to meet him. She avoids answering about the runners by linking arms and entering the building. When Benson asks about Isaiah and Oakland, Becky becomes flustered and states that every school has troublemakers. He demands to see the principal but she states that her job is to be the first person to talk with all new students. Everyone at Maxfield has a job and there are no adults around.
Becky takes Benson to the floor where the boys’ dorms are located and drops him at the door. On the other side, the hallway s packed with boys waiting to meet him. They greet him warmly and one leads him into a quiet room and begins to talk about the gangs. Without the gangs, Maxfield would resemble Lord of the Flies. Isaiah’s group believes in being civilized and the other groups operate like gangs. He and Becky belong to the Society, the largest group at school who believes in following the rules.
Someone begins banging on the door and some of Isaiah’s boys try to keep them out. Isaiah tells Benson that one of the other groups, Havoc, is trying to get in. Society’s jobs include administration, teaching and security. Benson is not happy to learn that they are supposed to keep everyone inside the gate. Finally, the boys in the hallway break into the room and their leader is dressed in a hoodie, wearing gold chains. He also sports a tattoo around one eye and looks like he is itching for a fight. He introduces himself as Oakland and says that his gang takes care of their members. He verbally bullies Isaiah and tells Benson not to believe his nice boy act. Joining up with Havoc means they protect one another’s back.
Looking for a way out and not to assimilate, Benson gets into a fight with Oakland. Between the two of them, Benson can hold his own but is quickly outnumbered when other Havoc members join in. Benson is getting a pretty good beating when Oakland suddenly falls. Behind him stands the guy who chased after Ms. Vaughn’s car, Curtis. "He said he doesn’t want to join Havoc or the Society.” Curtis said. “That means he’s in the V’s.” he looked at Benson. “Isn’t that right?” Benson nods his head and with that he is the newest Variant at Maxfield Academy.
Benson learns that Havoc wants complete rule, the Society thinks that playing by the rules is their ticket out and the V’s consist of everyone else. They aren’t accepting of the situation and are buying their time until they can figure out a way to escape. Everyone at Maxfield is the Benson; no friends, no family, no one to know they are missing. And when Benson comes across the secret behind Maxfield, he realizes that playing by the rules could mean death and escape is nearly impossible.
Is Maxfield Academy a prison, school or laboratory? Who runs Maxfield and what secret does it hold? Will Benson be able to escape and be able to take anyone with him? What is the purpose of holding the students prisoner?
Book two - Feedback
"They are not alone."
SPOILER ALERT! Do not read any further if you don't want to learn the secrets of Variant and Maxfield Academy if you have not read the first book.
Picking up immediately where Variant left off, the secrets of Maxfield Academy run deeper than Benson Fisher ever imagined!
Visit Robison Wells' website.
“Two sisters. Three Men. One Decision.”
Eighteen-year-old Kate has dreamed of going to college at Stanford to become a doctor since her mother took her for a visit four years ago. She promises her mother to continue to work hard to earn a scholarship and to keep her dreams a secret from her father, who wants her to go to school in El Paso and her younger sister Mary. Kate continues to work hard for her college dreams even after the accident that left her mother in a vegetative state.
Sixteen-year-old Mary would like nothing more than to stay at home and paint. An aspiring artist, she studies her influences to see how to become a better painter. The two sisters deal with the unexpected twists in their lives, each in their own separate ways. Their minister father has kept his two daughters on a tight leash as they deal with the care of their mother at home instead of removing her from life support. Never having a close relationship, the bond between the two sisters is put to the test when their father suddenly dies, leaving them alone to care for themselves and their mother.
Not only does a new world open up for the girls now that they are no longer living under the strict confines of their father but the pressing responsibilities of caring for themselves and their invalid mother come down. Three men, each offering what they think the girls need, come into their lives in the hopes of swaying their futures. Mary meets Marcos in art guild, a gang member who is trying to better his life and help her out of her shell. Kate's boyfriend Simon offers marriage and stability for the family. And Andy sees Kate's ambition and suggests that she shouldn't throw away her dreams of Stanford. When the question arises of what to do with their mother, the girls become divided on what is best for her.
What will Kate and Mary decide about their mother? Will Kate choose to follow her dreams and go to Stanford or marry Simon to provide for everyones' futures? What part will Andy play in Kate's future? Can Mary find her way back to her love of art and will Marcos help with that endeavor? Will these two sisters find their way back to each other or will their split be permanent?
Visit Francisco X. Stork's website.
SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't read the third book in the series, Beautiful Chaos, Stop! I don't want to ruin the story for you.
"Is death the end ... or only the beginning."
In the aftermath of the climatic events at the end of Beautiful Chaos, Ethan Wate is forced to leave everyone and everything he had ever cared about behind. On a journey to head back to the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, Ethan must complete a seemingly impossible task.
Back home in Gatlin, Lena must work with her friends, family and even trust long-time enemies to bring Ethan home to those who love him and to rectify the shocking events that occurred during the Eighteenth Moon.
What is the reason for the events that caused Ethan to be separated from those he loves? Can Lena rally those on Gatlin who can help bring Ethan home? And what price will Ethan and Lena ultimately pay?
With twists, turns and unexpected developments occurring up until the end, readers will be satisfied with how the events in Gatlin are wrapped up. The film version of Beautiful Creatures will be out in theaters on February 13, 2013.
Visit the Beautiful Creatures novels website.
SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't read the first three books in the series starting with The Demon King, Stop! I don't want to ruin one of my favorite series for you.
Raisa 'ana Marianna has ascended the throne as Queen of the Fells but the queendom is far from peaceful. Everyone wants to become Raisa'a consort, including the wizard Micah Bayar. Her father, Lord Averill Lightfoot Demonai hopes to make another clan match with Reid Nightwalker Demonai, his newly appointed heir. The new king of Arden, Gerard Montaigne, has the Fells in his sights as his newest conquest, whether it be by marriage or by force. Raisa's deepest wish is for the Fells to be at peace once again; no more fighting between the wizards, the clans and the Valefolk. Her other wish is to marry for love, not political gain. The former streetlord turned wizard, Hanson Alistair has stolen her heart.
Han Alistair finds himself in a situation he doesn't think he can win. Desperately wanting to be with Raisa as her equal, not as her "down low lover", Han is also busy trying to protect her life from whoever is trying to assassinate her. Discovering a secret that will bring peace to the Fells, Han soon is in a fight to save his own life as he attempts to bring new information to light. On a constant lookout for not only Raisa's safety but his own, Han finds himself in the midst of the battle to be named the new High Wizard against Micah Bayar. And when wizards start turning up dead in Ragmarket, all signs point to Han.
Who is killing the wizards in Ragmarket and why? Can the Fells once again be a peaceful queendom? Whose agenda will win out in the end? Will Han live to unveil the secret he discovered after it has been lost for the last thousand years? What is this secret? What impact will it have on the Fells? Can Raisa survive to be the queen she desperately wants to be? And will Raisa and Han have the happily ever after they deserve?
In this epic conclusion the the Seven Realms quartet, readers will be shocked and well rewarded with the ending to the story of the Fells.
Visit Cinda Williams Chima's website.
“Blue Sargent had forgotten how many times she’d been told that she would kill her true love.”
Blue Sargent comes from a family of fortune tellers whose predictions tend to deal with nonspecific items or events but are always accurate. But when Blue would have her readings, they were always the same no matter who gave her the blunt and specific conclusion. “If Blue was to kiss her true love, he would die.” For awhile, this bothered Blue but at the age of sixteen, she decided she just wouldn’t fall in love. But everything changed when her aunt Neeve came to town. Upon opening the front door, Neeve states “You’re Maura’s daughter, this is the year you’ll fall in love.”
Although Blue isn’t psychic like the other women on her family, she does have the ability to hone the powers of her clairvoyant family. Which is the reason on every St. Mark’s Eve, April 24, at midnight, Blue sits with her mother at the old, abandoned church to await the spirits of those members of the community who will die during the next twelve months. This year Blue is keeping watch with Neeve. While waiting on the parade of those spirits to pass, Neeve asks Blue is she goes to the school she passed on her way into town, Aglionby Academy. Finding humor in the seemingly innocent question, Blue lets her know that it is an all-boys school for the wealthy whose uniform consists of “khaki pants and a V-neck sweater with a raven emblem." Raven boys are easily identifiable during the school week. “Aglionby Academy was the number one reason Blue had developed her two rules: One, stay away from boys, because they were trouble. And two, stay away from Aglionby boys, because they were bastards.”
While transcribing the names Neeve tells her, Blue can actually see a spirit in the graveyard, a young man in slacks and a sweater. Neeve sends Blue over to get a name since he won’t answer her. Knowing that if he steps over the church’s threshold she will never get his name, Blue is shocked to see that he is in the Aglionby uniform. The boy answers “Gansey” and Blue cannot quit staring since he looks so real. He falls to his knees and fades away while Blue and Neeve look on. Blue asks her why she could see him. “There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve, Blue. Either you’re his true love,” Neeve said “or you killed him.”
The next morning, Gansey calls his roommate Ronan Lynch to pick him up since his car had stopped on the side of the road. He is stranded after being out all night while scoping out the grotesquely modern Church of the Holy Redeemer with his recorder in an attempt to contact the future dead on St, Mark’s Eve. In playing back the night’s recording, Gansey’s voice can be heard saying “Gansey” followed by a far away female voice asking “Is that all?” Gansey’s voice replies “that’s all there is.” He tells Ronan that nothing, absolutely nothing was happening when the voice were recorded. Knowing that voices from other places and times can be transmitted across the ley line, Gansey’s voice being recorded is a mystery.
Having spent the last four years looking for the straight, supernatural energy path known as a ley line, Gansey has a knack for finding the impossible and doesn’t believe in coincidences. He believes that Own Glendower was brought from Wales to be entombed in Virginia and is eternally sleeping, like the legends of King Arthur. Whoever finds and wakes him is believed to be granted a favor. Knowing that he is onto something, Gansey asks for suggestions on what to do next. His other roommate, Adam hands him the phone number for a psychic. Perplexed, Gansey wants to know what he is going to ask a psychic. Adam says to find out who Gansey was talking to on the recording.
Blue and Gansey’s worlds collide when Gansey and his friends go to Nino’s restaurant where Blue works. Noticing the group of Raven Boys but not knowing who they are, Blue offers to take their table but the other waitress refuses. Later that night, her mother calls to let her know that Gansey schedules a reading for the next afternoon. Blue will take off from work to be there. Blue is then perturbed when the pompous-looking Raven Boy (Gansey) taps her on the shoulder. He asks her if she would do him a favor and talk to his shy friend (Adam). He inadvertently offends Blue. After her shift is over, Blue finds Adam waiting for her in the parking lot to apologize for the actions of his friend. After talking a while, Blue notices that Adam is unlike his friends, there is not an air of wealth about him. She gives Adam her phone number and he promises to call the next day and leaves. Then her manager catches her to ask if she knows who left behind a strange journal. Having an inkling, she says she will locate the owner but is immediately enthralled with what she finds inside; Gansey’s ramblings about Glendower and the ley line.
The reading with Gansey, Adam and Ronan is eventful to say the least and Blue’s mother is furious that she and Gansey have already met. Disobeying her mother, Blue soon finds herself wrapped up with the Raven Boys. Will Blue help the Raven Boys find the ley line? Why does Blue’s mother not want her involved with Gansey and his friends? What favor does Gansey wish to ask Glendower? Is Gansey Blue’s true love and is he truly destined to die the next twelve months? Will Blue really kill him? What part does Blue’s attraction to Adam play in the future? Will Blue confess what she knows about Gansey’s future?
The Raven Boys begins an epic quartet that will sweep readers into the happenings of Henrietta, VA. The author is currently working on the second book in the series.
Visit Maggie Stiefvater's website.
Coraline Jones and her parents have moved into a new flat. They live in the middle of the converted house. Two elderly ladies, Miss Spinx and Miss Forcible, live on the ground floor. Above Coraline, beneath the roof, lives a crazy old man who said he was training a mouse circus. No one can see the mice because they aren’t ready. All three call her Caroline even after she corrects them.
Coraline began exploring soon after. For two weeks, she searched the garden and grounds. Then it began to rain and Coraline was stuck inside. Bored, her father suggests that she explore the flat. She counts everything blue (153), the windows (21) and the doors (14). Thirteen of the doors could open and close. The fourteenth door was locked. It was a “big, carved, wooden door at the far corner of the drawing room.” When she asks her mother about the door, she tells her that it goes nowhere. Coralline doesn’t believe her until she finds the door key and unlocks it. On the other side is a brick wall. Her mother explains that there is an empty flat still for sale on the other side. Coralline comments that her mother didn’t lock the door back. Her mother tells her that there is no need.
Later that night, almost asleep, Coraline hears a noise. She climbs out of bed to investigate. Seeing nothing more than a shadow, she follows it to the drawing room where it darts to the far corner. Turning on the light, the only thing there is the old door from earlier that is now slightly ajar. Remembering that her mother closed the door, Coraline opens it to the brick wall and shuts it again. Going back to sleep, she dreams of “little blacks shapes with little red eyes and sharp yellow teeth.” They sing to her in a whiney, whisper voice that makes Coraline uncomfortable.
The next morning while exploring the garden, Coraline runs into the crazy, old man. He tells her that the mice have a message for her. “Don’t go through the door" and wonders if she knows what it means. She says no and leaves. Later in the day, a bored Coraline goes downstairs to visit Miss Spinx and Moss Forcible. They sit down for tea sand Miss Spinx offers to read Coraline’s tea leaves. She tells her that she is in terrible danger. Miss Forcible asks to see them. She agrees with what Miss Spinx saw and neither of the elderly ladies can tell her what she is in danger from.
After a morning of shopping for new school clothes, Coraline and her mother come home at lunch time to an empty refrigerator. Her mother runs back out for some food while Coraline stays behind. After a bit, Coraline decides to go back to the drawing room with the key to the door. This time when she unlocks it, the brick wall is gone. Instead she finds a duplicate of her own flat but with a strange, musty smell and things don’t seem quite right. Soon she runs into someone who looks like her mother but she doesn’t look quite human. Her eyes are big black buttons. She introduces herself as Coraline’s other mother and her other father is in his study. At lunch, they let her know that they have been waiting for her for a long time.
Afterwards Coraline’s other mother send her to her bedroom to play with the rats. There the rats form a pyramid and sing a creepy song in a whispery voice. The crazy old man comes to collect them. Coralline also meets the other Miss Spinx and Miss Forcible and the weirdness ensues. Finally her other parents ask her to stay and be a family with them. Coraline leaves back through the door and into her own flat. She locks the door.
Coraline’s mother isn’t back from the market yet so she makes herself some toast. Neither of her parents is home for dinner or at her bedtime. They weren’t at home the next morning either. Alone the entire day, Coraline goes to bed but wakes up crying in the middle of the night. She falls back asleep in her parents’ bed only to be woken up later by a cat. The cat takes her to her parents but they are only reflected back to her in a mirror. Their only communication is HELP US written in their side of the mirror.
Coralline decides to be brave and go back through the drawing room door. Face to face with her other parents, they tell her that her real parents don’t want her. Knowing that it is a lie, she refuses to believe her other parents. Angry, her other mother locks the door, trapping her inside the other flat.
What does Coraline’s other parents really want her for? Will Coraline not only be able to escape herself but free her parents? And what part do the rats play in everything?
There is a very detailed graphic novel version as well.
SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, The Girl of Fire and Thorns, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite series for you!
When an animagus appears in the city during Queen Lucero-Elisa’s birthday parade, Joya d’Arena is thrown into turmoil. The animagus declares that Elisa, the only living bearer of the Godstone, belongs with them. Fear ripples through her citizens as rumors of another invasion by Inviernos begin. Locked out of the palace by one of her Quorum members in the ensuing panic, Elisa and her private guard, Hector, sneak back in through a hidden passageway. Once back inside, her right hand men all claim someone else made the decision to close the gates.
Elisa is seen by some of the Quorum as being too young and inexperienced and talk of a regent soon turns towards a political marriage. Knowing she is being set up and deciding to play along, Elisa goes to Alejandro’s tomb in the catacombs to pray in solitude. Unfortunately, she is attacked by an unknown assailant and left for dead. Barely alive when she is found, Elisa recovers quickly from the injury because her Godstone deflected the knife and speeded her recovery. Determined to uncover who in the palace is undermining her efforts, Elisa quickly realizes there are few people whom she can trust; Ximena, her nurse, Mara, her lady-in-waiting and Hector, her personal guard and friend whom she is slowly developing feelings for.
Trying to rebuild her country, Elisa is faced with the possibility that her prophecy has yet to be fulfilled. Ximena believes that the gates or paths of the enemy and of life are real places that she must go. As she continues to meet with an Invierno defector from the Wallows named Storm, he tells Elisa of the legend of the place where the Earth’s magic flows near the top and is easily tapped. Only those chosen by God can find the gate of life and pass through. Elisa knows that Storm speaks the truth because her Godstone flares to life, bringing her to her knees. Storm knows she will go searching for it and asks to go along.
Under the pretense of betrothal negotiations, Elisa, Hector and some of the others head off for the southern islands in search of zafina, the legendary gate of life. Soon after their departure into the desert, they discover that someone is following them. Who want Elisa dead and what are their political reasons? Will Elisa be able to fulfill her destiny and tap into her magic or is she setting herself up for failure? Can Elisa rise to be a great queen? What happens when Elisa realizes that one of her closet advisors doesn’t have her best intentions at heart?
With spine chilling action and a dramatic cliff-hanger in the final chapter, readers will be left clamoring for the dramatic conclusion to Elisa’s story in The Bitter Kingdom out in the fall of 2013.
Visit Rae Carson's website.
Book one - Variant
