The company's first soul was Ebenezer Scrooge. Over the years, Project Scrooge chose someone who was in similar danger and the Christmas ghosts would pay that person a visit on Christmas Eve. One of those Scrooges was Holly Chase. Holly, however, did not become a changed person by the visits and she died being hit by a car. She becomes the next Ghost of Christmas Past. She has to research by going into the mind of the Scrooge and sifting through memories to find examples of Marley, Belle, and other similar characters. Then one year, Ethan becomes the selected Scrooge. Holly begins her research, but she quickly realizes that Ethan is no ordinary Scrooge. This one she wants to meet before Christmas Eve. This was a fun take off on Charles Dickens' classic Christmas tale. This is one I will recommend to young adults at Christmas time.
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Spanish author Carlos Ruiz Zafon has written a beautiful and mysterious series featuring a strange bookstore in Barcelona, Spain, that is hidden away where people rescue books that have been long forgotten. The stories do not center around the bookstore but it appears in all three books.
In Shadow of the Wind, Daniel Sempere is taken to the bookstore by his father in 1945 where he discovers a book called Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax. He loves the book and wants to know more about the author, but he finds himself in danger when someone is going around trying to destroy every copy of the book. The Angel's Game tells the story of David Martin who is a struggling author living in an abandoned mansion. A mysterious publisher offers him a deal he cannot refuse, he jumps at the chance, but is this deal too good to be true? The Prisoner of Heaven takes place in 1957. Daniel is now married and with a infant son. When a stranger comes into their bookstore with a mysterious message for their family friend, Fermin Romero de Torres, Fermin sits down with Daniel and tells him about when he was held prisoner in the 1940s. There in the grotesque prison, he met a writer -- David Martin! Not only are all three novels dark, suspenseful, and beautifully written, what made these books enjoyable to me are the characters. Ruiz Zafon brings them alive so much they grab onto your heart and latch on even after you finished the last page and return the book back on the shelf. I look forward to when The Labyrinth of the Spirits is released in English. Strongly recommend this series to those who like gothic style literature, suspense, and strong characters. |
AuthorMr. Andrusyk is a school librarian at IC Catholic Prep in Elmhurst, Illinois. Past Book RecommendationsClick here to view a listing of Mr. Andrusyk's list of favorite authors, series, fiction, and nonfiction. Archives
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