The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

Molly and Kip are siblings traveling from Ireland in order to find work. After leaving (or escaping as Molly knows it) the two set off across the English countryside in order to find work as servants. They find work in the home of the Windsors. As they approach their new home the feel something isn't quite right. The townspeople of have worn them numerous times to turn around and find work elsewhere. Not knowing if there is anything else the two head into the 'sourwoods' and arrive in front of a crumbling estate that is intertwined with a massive black tree. Work begins and the two feel there is hope on the horizon. This hope dwindles as Molly drifts off to sleep in her basement bedroom and hears a "thump, thump, thump" coming from above...

The Night Gardener is a great scary story for those readers that aren't too sure about scary stories (aka me). The book is set in a great time period, the late 1800's. It's a time of horse drawn carriages, when story tellers are still popular (remember there are no television sets), and dark mystery. Auxier does a great job of mixing these elements in throughout the story (Molly even asks the family's doctor about using leeches at one point). He has also created an amazing set of siblings that show such devotion and courage towards one another. I hope that my siblings may look to me as Kip looks up to Molly. This scary (but not too scary) book is located in the Tween section. If you are brave enough to give The Night Gardener a try you'll be lucky enough to notice that Oxford's copy has been signed by the author!

Enjoy!
-JAC

The Heir and the Spare by Emily Albright

As we all know you don't get to pick your family. We get stuck with them. For Evelyn (or Evie as she prefers) this is just the case. With her father as her only family member, nineteen year old Evie is sent on a sort of scavenger hunt around the globe where she embarks on a quest to find out more about her mother who passed when she was a child and more about herself. Her first task is to apply (and be accepted) at Oxford University, for a girl born and raised in the States with no one she knows in England this is a little scary. Here she finds an amazing group of friends that take her under their wings and show her what life is like across the pond. Among these new friends is Edmund. Once she meets him, there is an instant love connection. However, a love story can not be open and shut when the guy you are crushing on is a prince.

The Heir and the Spare is a super cute love story that is a quick and witty read. I love the romance in the book, however it is even topped by Evie's personality and the road she takes to find out who she is. Evie is a strong character that you can't help root for (don't worry you may 'boo' her a time or two as well). We are all afraid of life sometimes and I think the author does a great job at portraying this through Evie and Edmund's relationship. Once you pick this book up off of our new shelf, you won't be able to put it down.

P.S. If you were (or are) a fan of the Princess Diaries or The Prince and Me this will be right up your alley!

-JAC