A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis

A Madness So Discreet is a YA historical suspense novel by Mindy McGinnis. When it's obvious that Grace is with child, her family places her in an insane asylum to wait out the birth. Not insane, but definitely damaged, Grace becomes mute. When Grace loses her calm and lashes out, she's banished to the cellar. While there, she's discovered by a doctor who decides to rescue her and use her as an assistant. Moved to a different asylum, Grace is able to find friendship and family. While assisting the doctor, she learns that the line between madness and sanity is not as clear as she once believed.

Sex: There are several rape victims in this book. Nothing is told in detail. A few characters are prostitutes. One character is sick and has been institutionalized because of a sexually transmitted disease.

Language: Mild.

Drug/Alcohol Use: Minor drinking and the use of ether by a criminal.

Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are several deaths. Grace and the doctor use criminal psychology to try to track down a murderer.

Final Note: This was a great YA suspense novel. While there was some mature content, the book didn't go into too much detail. This novel keeps you guessing and the main character, Grace, is extremely likeable. I would recommend this for older high school/college students.

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The Ethan I Was Before by Ali Standish

The Ethan I Was Before is a middle grade fiction novel by Ali Standish. Ethan and Kacey were the best of friends. But when a terrible accident rips them apart, Ethan and his family pick up and move from Boston to a small town in Georgia. Now Ethan must figure out what life looks like moving forward. He meets Coralee and is enthralled by her marvelous stories. Can the two of them share secrets and give each other the friendship they both long for? Sex: None. Language: None. Drug/Alcohol Use: None. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There are several suspenseful scenes. Death is a big part of the story line as well. Final Note: I loved this book! This is Ali Standish's first novel and she hit it out of the park. It was hauntingly beautiful. My heart ached for Ethan. I think readers grades 6-8 would really like this one.

What is The Rapid Reader?

Hello fellow parents and friends! My name is Danielle. I had the idea for this blog a couple of years ago when I was working in my son's school library. It was a known fact that I was an avid reader of middle school and young adult literature and several parents would ask me about books before checking them out for their kids. (Or buying them at the book fair!) Because I read so much, I've never worried too much about what my kids might be reading. My oldest is only eight years old and anything he's read, I've read already! But what about parents who don't necessarily enjoy reading or have the time? I wanted to offer a resource that gave these parents the chance to make educated decisions about books their kids are reading. That's how this blog was born! Before we go any further, I want to point out that I am strongly opposed to book banning. I believe in freedom of speech and expression of art through literature. But I also feel strongly that kids should ...

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

My Lady Jane is a YA fiction novel by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. Written in three different perspectives by three different authors, this romantic comedy tells readers what really (maybe) happened in history with Lady Jane Grey. This book was on Publishers Weekly's list of top YA books for 2016. (And it was well-deserved!) Sex: During the Edward and Gifford chapters, the boys often comment on the figures of women. People are under the impression that Gifford is a "ladies man." Two of the characters are in an arranged marriage and the book does mention in the last chapter that they "totally consummated." There are sexual innuendos but nothing graphic. Language: Extremely mild, especially for a YA book. Drug/Alcohol Use: A few mentions of drinking. Violence/Gore/Frightening Scenes/Death: There is a war and plenty of people are threatened with losing their heads, but since this book is a comedy, it's nothing graphic or seriou...

The Rapid Reader

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