Hedgie's Must Reads: July 2013

t's that time of the month again! The beginning of the end of summer! Normally, I'm very sad about that prospect, but not so much this time. I have too much to look forward to in the fall! Movies, books - and Season 3 of BBC's Sherlock!! While July was a great month, with a fun Independence Day, it wasn't as good of a month as June, when it comes to books. Still, I had some really awesome one!

The Caged Graves by Dianne K. Salerni (5/5)

A young girl returning to her childhood rural home. An arranged marriage that may not be as wonderful as she expected. A town full of secrets. And two mysterious caged graves, surrounded by rumors of buried treasure and witchcraft. Welcome to 1867 Catawissa, Pennsylvania. It isn't what Verity Boone was expecting. But she's determined to make the best of it - and to solve the mystery behind her mother's caged grave. I fell in love with these characters and was hooked to the intriguing mystery. I didn't know if it would turn supernatural or have a perfectly normal explanation. One of the best books of the year. Girl-read, fourteen-and-up, great for historical fiction and mystery fans!

Maid of Secrets by Jennifer McGowan (4/5)

The first book in a series, Maid of Secrets introduces Readers to cunning and light-fingered Meg - an Elizabeth-era thief who is recruited by the Queen's trusted adviser to become one of her Maids of Honor. These girls are the Queen's spies, each of them with their own special talents and cunning. Meg doesn't want to be there, but when the arrival of the Spanish at court reveals a plot that may threaten not only the Queen's life, but the lives of her fellow Maids of Honor as well, Meg finds herself entangled in a web of intrigue. Meg is a wonderfully capable and pretty sensible young woman with no Attitude. The romance is a bit annoying, but the overall plot overshadows it. Girl-read, sixteen-and-up, great for historical fiction and His Fair Assassin fans.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (5/5)

It is 1941, and the Soviets have invaded Lithuania. They are rounding up people who have been deemed anti-Soviet and shipping them to communal farms in frozen Sibera. Lina, her mother, and her younger brother are among them, while her father is somewhere in a prison. Based off of true survivalist accounts, Between Shades of Gray is a moving story of hardship and the resilience of the human spirit. It is a story that begs Readers to find out about this little-known part of history - of the thousands of people Stalin systematically starved and murdered - and it will leave you both uplifted and devastated. Mostly a girl-read, great for teens and adults alike, fans of historical fiction and moving stories.

• The End Games by T. Michael Martin (Worst Book of the Month)
• Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (Best Book of the Month)