My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick

I always look at the cover of the book to help me decide if it's worth reading. I had many thoughts going through my head as I looked at this book: what a strange title, what a strange cover illustration and what strange reviews written on the back cover of this book. But one review caught my attention -- "A finely written, bone-chilling gothic tale." - said Publishing News about My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick. I like a good mystery but I have never read a horror gothic tale and wanted to find out what this book was about.

The story takes place in Eastern Europe during the early seventeenth century in a small secluded village in the forest. I was halfway into the book and nothing horrific or scary was taking place. I was ready to give up and read something more to my liking. Then things started happening -- people were dying, animals were being attacked, and the villagers believed in old tales and songs of the past. People were acting very strange! The pace of the story picked up and I was able to finally finish the book.

I was completely surprised by the ending and was even more surprised by the "Author's Note" about his book. I had no idea that what I was reading was actually about......... Sorry, I can't tell you - maybe you should read this book to see if you are as surprised by the ending as I was.

Reviewed by Mrs. Finney

Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have by Allen Zadoff

I was so hoping to read a good book over the Christmas vacation. All those days off stretched before me and I imagined time to relax, be lazy, and just find time for reading. With a stack of books in my arms, I left my public library with so many choices. Not so fast!

The first two I tried were way too graphic. I like a good mystery but these were beyond being the simple "who dunnit" mysteries. I had to stop reading them because the images I created in my mind were just too gory.

Let me try a young adult fiction. How bad can that be? I usually find the authors of YA lit to be quite good with stories that keep me intrigued. So I opened Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have by Allen Zadoff. I knew this was going to be a story of a high school boy with very low self esteem - he was fat and bullied for it. What I didn't expect was a predictable story. You know what I mean - boy eats too much and feels depressed - boy gets bullied at school yet has a few friends who stand up for him - boy inadvertently connects with the captain of the football team - boy soon is a star player - boy discovers he was tricked into joining the team - boy stands up for himself and quits but not before the big game which he pulls off the big win - boy goes back to his original friends realizing the true meaning of life, family, and friendship.

Maybe I just wasn't looking for that kind of predictable story. Afterall, I did finish reading it and did not give up. What was I looking for? Maybe just a simple story that didn't task my brain. It was vacation.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm