74: A Northern Light, by Jennifer Donnelly (2003 paperback)

Review coming soon.  Tell me what you thought!

71-73: Stormbreaker, Point Blank, Skeleton Key (Alex Rider series, 1-3), by Anthony Horowitz (2000, 2001, 2002 paperbacks)

Review coming soon.  Tell me what you thought!

70: The Book of Lost Things, by John Connolly (2006 paperback)

Review coming soon.  Tell me what you thought!

69: A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle, Book 1), by Libba Bray (2003 paperback)

Sent to an English boarding school after witnessing the death of her mother under mysterious cicumstances in colonial India, Gemma Doyle gets caught up in the occult. The first in a series, the plot is somewhat interesting, but the overall premise wasn't enough to make me pick up the next volume. Those who enjoy magic and the paranormal may fare better. And, check out Bray's more contemporary novels, Going Bovine and Beauty Queens for some quality satire written for a teen audience.  

68: Flip, by Martyn Bedford (2011 hardcover)

A teen boy wakes up in the body of another, more popular and wealthy teen boy. He struggles to find what has happened to his own body while also struggling to maintain appearances and play a new role. This is an interesting and well-paced read which will be enjoyed by girls and boys alike.

67: Eli the Good, by Silas House (2009 paperback)

I've seen this book listed as a top pick in a number of places, but I kept putting it down each time I came across it.  I'm less compelled to read TweenLit than TeenLit, and Vietnam-era references aren't my favorite either.  It's hard to ignore such regular recommendations, though, and I finally broke down and bought Eli on a visit to my local bookseller. And, the critics were right: this is a charming and compelling novel--a wonderful look into the summer of 1976 and the life of a young boy grappling with the effects Vietnam had on his country, his veteran father, and his family.

I turned nine the August after America's Bicentennial celebration, which gives me a natural affinity for the book's 10-year-old author.  While Eli's family and community are different than the one in which I was raised, the period details in the book--fashion, music, social norms--are genuine and richly developed.  It's a rare book that can make you feel as if the sun is beating on your back, the strains of Cat Stevens and Van Morrison are ringing in your ears, and the scent of evaporating summer rain is invading your nostrils.  House does all this and more, though. I'm reminded of another of my favorite books in recent years, The Mammoth Cheese by Sheri Holman, which also focuses on Americana, celebration, and turmoil.

In a nutshell, Eli the Good is an immersion. Take a dip in this wonderful book, swim through its pages, and emerge both tired and exhilarated.