Cemetery Girl Book One: The Pretenders

Friday, February 13, 2015

Cemetery Girl Book One: The Pretenders

Written by: Charlaine Harris

First line: I'm pretty sure I died.

Why you should read this book: On the one hand, pretty much every detail in this book (main character with amnesia, dark secrets; kid living in cemetery, able to see ghosts; teenagers dabbling in the dark arts, a ghost in search of justice, a cell phone with all the evidence on it) has been done before, but on the other, it's a decently satisfying story that seems to stake its own territory. Calexa Rose Dunhill isn't her real name, but she's happy to use a pseudonym while she figures out which close family or friend tried to kill her and leave her for dead on a dark and stormy night. Living in a crypt and spying in the darkness like a little ghost, she doesn't get much closer to solving her own mystery, but she does end up uniquely situated to solve someone else's.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're sure your reanimation spells will work if you just kill enough people. Or, you're just looking for something a little more original.

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You can learn more about children's books at the American Library Association website. Your public library is a great place to introduce your children to books. They will have special programs and incentives for kids of all ages to love reading. In most systems children are entitled to their own library cards from the time they are old enough to write their own names. It's a great way to teach responsibility as well as foster a lifelong love of learning and books.

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Friday, February 13, 2015