Gold Rush Girl by Avi

Gold Rush Girl by Avi. Candlewick Press, 2020. Historical fiction.
In 1848 Providence, Rhode Island, young Victoria Blaisdell longs for adventure and to be out from under Aunt Lavinia's stern instructions on how to be a proper young woman. When her father decides to go to California to search for gold, Victoria and her younger brother, Jacob, go, too. Sickly Mother stays behind, hoping to join them later.

In California, Tory finds not only adventure, but danger, friends, work, and a new sense of identity and self- worth. Jacob disappears and only Tory, Sam, and Thad (a Mod Squad team of teenagers if ever there was one) may be able to find him and rescue him from a kidnapping in time to save his life. The ending is neatly tied up so that young readers can enjoy the danger, but, yet not be too scared. Tweens will probably want to read more about early California, the gold rush, and earthquakes.

No one does adventure better than Avi. The pacing, the historic details, and the narrative itself move the story. The characters themselves have interesting back stories and skills that contribute to the plot. Senor Rosales even teaches Tory a good bit of Spanish! So many people abandoned their ships to rush to the gold fields that Rotten Row became an area of floating, disintegrating ships. Avi ties the locations in with a map of San Francisco and where such ships have been found.

Half Moon Street by Alex Reeve

Half Moon Street by Alex Reeve. Felony and Mayhem Press, 2018. Mystery.      Ready for a Victorian mystery  that will take you back to the times of Charles Dickens' London? This unusual mystery stars Leo Stanhope, a neatly dressed young man who works at the morgue. But, Leo's big secret is that he was born a female. He thinks he is in love with Maria, a beautiful prostitute, and dreams of a future with her. Alas, murder comes between them and Leo is the prime suspect.

Thus, begins an adventure to find the killer, save a loyal friend with the only means at Leo's disposal, outwit a wealthy landlord who is both greedy and deadly, to find a job that doesn't require blood and death exposure, and to keep himself safe.

The details are extensive, the writing smooth. The novel is dense, rich with the atmosphere of soot and dirt. Leo Stanhope just may be the hero in a whole new series. Give him a chance!

Spindle and Dagger by J. Anderson Coats

  Spindle and Dagger by J. Anderson Coats. Candlewick Press, 2020. Fiction.        The teen heroine of this medieval tale, set in 1109 Wales, will need both spindle and dagger in order to  survive and make a life. A warband has set upon her home and killed her family. Elen is taken away to become the property of Owain, the son of the leader,  a son who longs to be recognized for bravery and prowess. Elen treats a wound that would have killed Owain and spins a lie to protect herself. Owain thinks if he keeps Elen near and safe that she will ensure that Saint Elen protects him.

So Elen has a home travelling with the violent band of brigands, but longs to get away and find a real and safe home. When Owain abducts Nest, a beautiful mother and her three small children who is the wife of a Norman warlord, Elen begins to see that she might have a better future.

The Welsh names are a bit confusing, but readers of medieval tales will relish this Welsh tale. The sexual nature of Elen's kidnapping and life make this at least a young adult tale, but her story is well written. It is refreshing that Elen is not a superheroine, uses no magic, and thinks much like a typical teenager might. A historical note in the back talks about the Middle Ages and the actual historical fighting and skirmishes that are the basis for these events.

Almost, Maine by John Cariani

Almost, Maine by John Cariani. Feiwel and Friends, Macmillan, 2020. Fiction, Young Adult and up.

Almost is a small town. It's so far north that it's almost in Canada. Its people are like people you will recognize. They live, work, fall in love, and have complicated lives that intersect with each other's. On one particular Friday night in the heard of winter when the Northern Lights shine their brightness over all, things get really strange. People fall in love. They fall out of love. They find new love. They find unexpected love. The whole book is based on a play by the author.

Honestly, this is the perfect book to read in the midst of a pandemic. Things happen. People react. It's easy to get lost in the sweetness and quirkiness of these characters. Certainly it makes readers think and gives a short vacation from current events!