Piper Houdini: Apprentice of Coney Island by Glenn Herdling

Piper Houdini is a YA fiction novel by Glenn Herdling. Piper has been shuttled back and forth between foster homes since she was a baby. When she's twelve years old, someone claiming to be her father takes her to Harry Houdini's house, who happens to be her uncle. Here she encounters a mysterious and magical world that Piper had no idea existed.

Sex: There are several sexual references. One character comments on the fact that she's "slept with lots of men." She is also nearly raped in an alley but is rescued

Language: Mild.

Drug/Alcohol Use: This book is set in the 1920s during Prohibition, but some characters do still drink and are known to visit speakeasies.

Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: This book deals with things that are mystical. The occult and vampires play major roles in this story. There is also a character who is considered a zombie.

Final Note: This book wasn't at all what I thought it was going to be. Harry Houdini frequently insists that he is an illusionist and he works to disprove any sort of mysticism. But, "magick" is considered real in this story and it's very dark. The book changes perspective with nearly every chapter and it's pretty hard to follow.

Comments

My 2020 5 Star Reads

I'm a few days late, but here it is! My top books from 2020! Because of quarantine, I was able to finish 321 books - 83,718 pages. I decided to organize my favorites by genres so they are easier to pick out for those who care! 😊 Middle Grade: -All the Greys on Greene Street by Laura Tucker -New Kid AND Class Act by Jerry Craft (graphic novels - 1st two books in the same series) -Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina -A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee -To Be a Slave by Julius Lester (Nonfiction) -Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks by Jason Reynolds -Mistakes Were Made and We Meet Again by Stephan Pastis (Timmy Failure series) -Guitar Notes by Mary Amato -The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden -The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon -Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus AND Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling (1st two books) -The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones by Daven McQUeen (Historical fiction) -My Year in the Midd...

The Pearl Thief by Elizabeth Wein

Purchase this book on Amazon here! The Pearl Thief is a YA historical fiction novel by Elizabeth Wein. The prequel to Code Name Verity , this book gives readers a look into Julie's life. When she was fifteen years old, Julie spent her summer saying goodbye to her grandfather's estate. While there, Julie is attacked but cannot remember the circumstances surrounding the incident. A family employee is also missing and no one can find him. Julie makes it her mission to find out what really happened and to help the Scottish Traveller family she has befriended. Sex: There are no explicit scenes, but Julie explores her sexuality, with both an older man and a female friend. Both scenes just involve kissing, but the details are pretty sensual. A man is naked when searching in the water. Language: Mild. Drug/Alcohol Use: Some drinking and smoking. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are suspected deaths and Julie is attacked. There are a couple of f...

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Dorothy Must Die is the first book in the YA Dorothy Must Die series by Danielle Page. Amy Gumm wants to escape. Her mother is an alcoholic and everyone at school seems to hate her. But when a tornado strikes and sends her from Kansas to the Land of Oz, Amy discovers she's much stronger than she originally thought. Dorothy has taken over Oz and the love of power has left her evil. Now Amy, the new girl from Kansas, must fight Dorothy, and hopefully bring the magic back to Oz. Sex: None. Amy comments on how seductively Dorothy dresses. Language: Strong. Drug/Alcohol Use: Amy's mother is an alcoholic. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are several deaths, some gruesome. There's also several battles and fighting. Final Note: While it was an interesting concept and retelling, I didn't particularly care for this book. The language was needlessly strong and the story wasn't as captivating as the original. This is part of a series and I don't in...

The Rapid Reader

Search This Blog