The fourth in DuPrau’s Ember series.  I very much enjoyed the first book, The City of Ember.  I can’t remember much about the second two books.  In The Diamond of Darkhold, Lina and Doon are back, this time searching for a way to make life easier for the people of Sparks.  They come across an old book that seems to be leading them back underground, to the city of Ember, where they will find a treasure to bring back to their new city.  A great book until the last chapter.  There, DuPrau apparently wants to quickly wrap up this series, so she writes a nice neat fairy tale ending for everyone, while adding to a random subplot that is just weird.  If you read this book, just stop at Chapter 26 and you’ll enjoy it so much more!

The industrialized world is done.  The population is decimated by climate change, epidemics and war, and the survivors are trying to carve a new life for themselves.  Robert and his fellow townspeople must come together if they are going to survive in this new world.  A good story with all the great elements of post-apocalyptic ficion.  I definitely don’t agree with Kunstler’s views of God as an uninvolved, uncaring deity.  Nonetheless, Kunstler does tell a good story.

Anne of Green Gables’ fans–Rejoice!  There’s a new book about Anne.  Wilson does a wonderful job bringing Anne’s childhood to life.  I so loved reading about Anne’s early years.  While she has a different writing style than Montgomery, and parts of the book come off almost as a biography, Wilson has done an amazing job writing about a character that so many know and love.  When I finished the book, I wasn’t ready to leave Anne just yet, so I started re-reading the rest of the Anne books.  I’d love for Wilson to write another book about Anne, set after the series ends.

A modern day fantasy book, based on the ballad “Scarborough Fair.”  Lucy, her mother, her grandmother and all of her ancestors have fallen under the curse of an evil elfin knight.  They must either complete 3 impossible tasks, or belong to him forever.  When Lucy discovers the curse, she and her foster family have only a few short months to complete the tasks before the elfin knight comes back to claim his prize.

One unique thing that struck me about this book was how Lucy, her friend Zach and her foster parents all came together to complete the tasks.  Usually in young adult fiction, the adults are incapable, out of touch, or absent.  In Werlin’s book,  Lucy is able to turn to her foster parents for support and help.  I like that.

Lily has stopped talking, because if she talks, she will have to tell what happened the day her brother died.  Instead, she secretly reads every Nancy Drew book she can get her hands on.  When Tinny moves to town, Lily puts her detective skills to work, trying to discover Tinny’s secret, but realizes that she may have to start talking in order to save Tinny.

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