Nothing Natural About It

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
New York : Hyperion, [2013]
308 p. ; 22 cm.

It's probably no surprise that I didn't care for this novel.  Most of what I wrote about Barry Lyga's I Hunt Killers applies here.  I'm just not interested in being entertained by the lurid retelling of serial killer exploits, but this novel scored VOYA's perfect 10s, so I kind of felt like I had to give it a chance.

So how was it aside from the serial killer aspect?  It was all right, but I just never could really believe that the characters were real people.  The novel for me felt like watching a TV show (and it's interesting that many of its fans reference TV shows in their reviews).

I don't want to be too negative about the book, so I'll just defer to fans of serial killer and murder/thrillers.  They love it! So if there's a student who is interested in this topic, I'll be sure to mention that this is a fun, thrilling and interesting read in that direction - with a plot that is sure to satisfy.

Peculiar, Creepy, and Wildly Inventive

A found photo from Riggs' collection.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Philadelphia : Quirk Books, 2013.
382 p. : ill. ; 21 cm.

I might have missed this book if not for a donation from our local Barnes & Noble store.  They gave our library several copies of various books from their "World Book Night"- including Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.  I was intrigued by the cover...

...and thumbed through it to see that it was filled with enigmatic,evocative and unsettling photographs from times gone by.  I was definitely hooked.

The novel combines history (WWII and Holocaust survivors), time travel, monsters, the supernatural, danger, and romance - as Ransom Riggs weaves a great story sparked by his own hobby/obsession with old photographs.

I really enjoyed the wonderfully imaginative interweaving of photos and story.  As you read the novel, you will find the related photo reprinted within close proximity the page you're on. The photos are memorable and haunting in their own right, and add an element of "is this true" to what is otherwise a truly "out of this world" thriller.

I will definitely recommend this book to students looking for "something different," students who like fantasy/supernatural, and to any student who enjoys horror/monster/paranormal stories, too.