Chime by Franny Billingsley

I will admit that I read the novel Chime less because it was a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature than because it was part of this year's controversy surrounding the award. And though I'm sad that its author Franny Billingsley was dragged through an ugly mess that should never have happened, I'm so glad the turmoil put the book on my radar.
This inventive tale about self-perception and memory defies classification, or more accurately, meshes the best elements of many genres seamlessly. It is a coming-of-age story told in first-person by 17-year old Briony Larkin, a self-described witch who believes herself unloveable and controls her awful powers with a combination of strict self-control and self-loathing. It is part historical fiction and magical realism, set in a rural swamp village in England at the height of the Industrial Revolution, where uneducated fishermen, rich businessmen and even the clergy (Briony's father) believe in the Old Ones--the mythical creatures like witches,  pixies, and monsters that control the elements of nature. It is a novel of mystery and suspense as Briony reveals her troubling story: daughter of a distant and oblivious father, twin of a sister whose childlike mentality leaves Briony in the role of constant caretaker, griever of her beloved step-mother whose suspicious death is believed to have been a poisoning. When wild-hearted Eldric arrives in town with his "boy-man" charm and uncomfortable questions, Briony begins to thaw against her will. She finds herself acting like a normal girl when in his company, though always returning to her senses when she remembers how it was her uncontrolled power that caused her sister to fall from a swing and her terrible magic that crippled her step-mother before her death. Briony must ever remind herself she can never have the love story.

While the novel is dense with dialogue and less plot-driven, I was completely riveted by the conflict of Briony vs. Briony and the slowly unraveling mystery of her power and her step-mother's murder. But the true tension comes from the expert use of dramatic irony as I found myself wanting to scream at Briony to realize what was happening at the end...so I suppose the novel is bit horror as well. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would recommend it highly, especially to those who enjoyed The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. And do yourself a favor and get this one as an audiobook because actor Susan Duerden is fantastic in this production by Listening Library.

Newes From the Dead

Anne Green wakes to pitch blackness. She can't move or speak or even open her eyes. The last thing she can remember is walking up to a scaffold to be hanged for the murder of her baby. Is she in purgatory? Or has she been buried alive?

So begins this chilling and fascinating tale based on the real-life story of a British serving maid convincted and hung for infanticide in 1650. The story begins with Anne regaining consciousness and shifts back and forth between her recollections of how she got to her current state and the perspective of Robert Matthews, a young medical student originally assisting with the dissection of Anne's body and later with its resuscitation. Even though you know what will happen, the creepiness of the circumstances and the horrorific details concerning Anne's seduction, labor, and jailing give the book a nice tension and suspense. The historical details are fascinating, though the book remains accessible to those not used to the historical fiction genre. All in all, Mary Hooper has crafted a creepy, bewitching tale perfect for a long car trip or airplane ride.

There's a great book trailer by the publisher at YouTube as well:

Ten Cents a Dance

Ten Cents a Dance, the second novel from Christine Fletcher, is a riveting tale about a 15-year old girl living near the slaughter yards in 1940s Chicago. When her Polish-American father died, her Irish-American mother went to work for a meat-packing house, doing dangerous, thankless work for very little pay to support her daughters. When she is nearly crippled with rheumatoid arthritis, it is up to Ruby to quit school and support her family. Ruby quickly sees that this work will make her old in just a few years and will never earn them enough to get out of debt and poverty and when local bad boy Pauly tells her she could be making $50 bucks a week taxi dancing, Ruby jumps at the chance. But taxi dancing, or dancing with men for ten cents a dance plus tips at a dance hall, is not considered respectable work, and Ruby must hide what she does from her family while providing them with the money they need to improve their lives.

Ruby grows up quickly in this world of men, racism, jazz clubs, and chop suey joints, learning that the only way to make the big money is to reel in the "big fish" who will pay for dinners, clothes, and other luxuries. Ruby has talent and could be the best of the bunch, but is she willing to pay the price to get there?

Interestingly, the author wrote the book after learning that one of her ancestors had worked as a taxi dancer in secret, which led her to research the "ten cents a dance" girls. Rich in period detail, this fascinating and fast-paced novel had me hooked from page one. It has drama, suspense, history, and romance all rolled up into one and this book would certainly get my vote for a Printz award. This is an author to keep your eye on.