Only Mostly Dead

Seventeen year-old Li Lan is saddled with an impossible decision; marry the recently deceased son of her father's creditor, or helplessly watch her family sink deep into poverty.  But before she can choose, she finds herself lost and alone in the afterlife, neither living nor dead, where she must uncover the secrets of her would-be bridegroom.  In The Ghost Bride, Yangsze Choo masterfully recreates 1890s Malaysia and takes the reader on a spectacular ride through mythology and fantasy as we accompany Li Lan into the spirit realm.  Truly enchanting.  HM

A Little Sci-Fi with Your Fantasy

I'll be honest, Among Others by Jo Walton is kind of a weird book.  Told as journal entries written by 15 year-old Mori, we learn through the narrative that she is coping with life after the death of her twin.  Forced to start over amongst strangers, Mori consoles herself by voraciously reading Sci-Fi novels and trying to envision an unexpected life for herself.  Oh yeah, and her mother is a witch who she must ultimately face in order to save the world.  Part coming-of-age story, part fantasy, Among Others is a little outside the box, but definitely worth a read.  HM

Magic in everyday life

Among Others by Jo Walton is the story of a young girl, a teenager who is an outcast at the English boarding school she attends. She is also estranged from her mother, a witch, and her twin has died in a mysterious accident in which she herself was crippled. Her escape is literature, specifically science fiction, and her reading list is all the great science fiction and fantasy available. How she survives and prospers in spite of the difficult circumstances of her life is an inspiring read. Great character development and an original story line elevate this coming of age story. ML

Mysterious powers

In The Hum and the Shiver, author Alex Bledsoe tells the tale of the Tufa, a small group of people who arrived in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee long before white settlers. They have deep superstitions and magical powers mixed with the music they all play. When Private Brown Hyatt, a Tufa, returns home from Iraq she is wounded in body and spirit. The omens her family can read point to an impending death, can she read the signs in time to help her family? Good storytelling for those who like magical reality. M.L.