One imperfect letter, one missing page

1. Mind the Gap: A Novel of the Hidden Cities by Christopher Golden & Tim Lebbon
This was a much better book that the previous Christopher Golden book I'd read (Myth Hunters), probably because it was co-written with Tim Lebbon. Mind the Gap follows the story of Jazz, a young woman who ends up uncovering the 'real' United Kingdom under the metro. The story is fast paced, Jazz is literally on the run through the whole novel. She was raised to trust no one (her mum instilled a strong sense of paranoia in her and it serves her well) and she finds that this is almost always the case. Golden and Lebbon create an alternate universe, filled with ghosts, magic and answers to questions Jazz didn't even know she wanted answered. As her mum tells her, there are no such things as coincidences -- something that rings true throughout the book as well. It's a good book, a fun read, though I was expecting something a little different. The 'hidden cities' subtitle is a bit misleading, but makes sense in an abstract way. Hidden cities doesn't mean a city within in a city, more that the city has secrets. I am curious as to what the next books in this collection will be about.

2. The Stone Murders by Matti Joensuu
A man is found, not quite dead, and the Finnish police must find the attackers. The man dies, and then another, and it's up to Detective Timo Harjunpaa to figure out how the cases are connected. Joensuu's novel is, at times, a fast paced an exciting novel about two young boys who end up at the center of a murder investigation. The story is told from two points of view, first, that of one of the boys involved and the second that of Harjunpaa. Through these, Joensuu allows us to be drawn into the story in such a way that surprising, if inevitable, conclusion will break our hearts. He holds nothing back, exposing us to a side of Finland rarely discussed. The Stone Murders is a sad and suspenseful book that will please any Scandinavian mystery fan, even though it's over twenty years old. Though it's sad, the story and characters are strong. I only wish my library system had more of his books.

3. Looking For Alaska by John Green
This is an extraordinary book about extremely smart teenagers. That doesn't quite sound interesting, but John Green's writing turns it into something beautiful. The first half of the book, the 'before' section, is full of teenage angst, romance, and the best kinds of humor. But in order to prepare us for what happens just over halfway through the book, there's this foreboding air where you obviously know something's going to go wrong. I figured it out, just before it happened, but couldn't believe that Green went there, though obviously it's a crucial part of the book. The 'after' portion of the book is no less beautiful, but it's beautiful in the sense of heartbreak, loss, guilt and a million other emotions relating to death. Green's writing is brilliant, witty and I felt he took great care of how his characters behaved -- all of them, main and minor. A lot of reviews talk about how they think Green tried to wrap the novel up at the end, with Miles' essay, I disagree. I think Miles tried to explain how he felt, that it would be okay, without ever being okay. I thought it was a good ending, strong and yet still heartbreaking. I felt Green was trying to say that while everything wouldn't be okay, it would just because we do move on.

3 / 100 books read. 3% done!