The Casual Vacancy, by J.K. Rowling

All right, everyone- I am one of the biggest Harry Potter fans out there, which is why I put Harry Potter completely out of mind as I read Ms. Rowling’s new literary work. 

It is a very good read.  She is, as ever, and excellent writer, and despite the harshness and dark elements of her story, she draws you into the lives of her characters as skillfully as any good storyteller. 

It seemed to start out as a social satire, but as I read further I could see that there was a definite line of thinking that the author is pushing us, as readers, to pursue. 

I highly recommend this book: I enjoyed reading it and appreciate what Ms. Rowling is capable of, no matter how far off it is from her debut series!  That being said, THIS IS NOT A CHILDREN’S BOOK.  It is really for readers 16 and up.  It is not a beach read either: the subject matter is very heavy, so be in the right mindset when you read The Casual Vacancy.

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte & Jane, by April Lindner

Okay, here is the deal: read the original Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte first before you read April Lindner’s re-imagining of the story.  I first read Jane Eyre when I was 12 years old, and I LOVED it.  It was one of those days when I was done with all my library books and needed something new to read, and had to raid my mom’s and dad’s bookcase.  I did not have any problems understanding the language or the plot, and when I read it again a few years later for English class, I understood what was going on even better the second time.  I loved it!  In my mind, it's one of the greatest love stories ever told.  Jane by April Linder takes place in the 20^th century and substitutes a rock star for Mr. Rochester (appropriate, I think, since the original Mr. Rochester is a VIP in his own right) and is pretty much the same story, but for a teenage audience (15 and up).  It’s still a fun book, though, and what I would call a “beach read”.  

The Scorpio Races, by Maggie Stiefvater

This book is excellent.  I really liked Stiefvater’s Shiver trilogy, which was more like a darker werewolf beach read (as opposed to a lighter werewolf beach read; I mean exactly what I say), but I loved The Scorpio Races.  It is a fantasy, but unique from many other fantasies I have read over the last few years.  

The Scorpio Races takes place in this world, sometime before 1950, possibly between the World Wars, maybe before both of them.  It takes place on a small island off the coast of the United Kingdom: most likely Ireland, since Kate Connolly and Sean Kendrick are the names of the main characters.  Every year in October, the water horses start coming out of the ocean.  Those who are inclined catch and train these horses in time for the Scorpio Races in November, which draw tourists from several parts of the world.  Water horses look like regular land horses, but they are violent and carnivorous.  They will kill man and beast alike if hungry and left to their own devices.  Sean Kendrick is a four-time winner of the Scorpio Races and something of a water horse whisperer.  He works for one of the most wealthy and powerful men on the island, and wants his freedom.  Kate Connolly lives with her two brothers in their dead parents’ house, and enters the Scorpio Races with a mind to win them herself and so avoid eviction of her family.  She is the first girl to enter the Scorpio Races in the history of the island.  Both Sean and Kate embark on unforgettable journeys that cross paths with each other; they learn, among other things, what it is to love this harsh island that is their home and how to make firm decisions about their lives so that they can continue to live there.  It’s a beautifully written story and I highly recommend it; it’s really for readers 13 and older, though a mature 12-year-old could probably read it (there are some graphic depictions of the carnage instigated and left behind by the water horses).  If this book had come out when I was 12, I probably would have read it; then again, I read a lot of things at age 12 that were far advanced in writing style and content.  In any case, The Scorpio Races is a great read.