James Klise

Fire, fraud, and fakes are the themes in this Edgar YA winner. I always try to read the Edgar's yearly nominees, and I think the thing I liked best in this book was the twist in the tale. It's a story told in multiple first-person POVs, making it unique. You're often reading Saba Khan's journal--given to her after her family's apartment caught fire--by her school social worker. There are chapters from others in Saba's life too, friends, high school teachers, her father, and a first-love show more interest. But things are not what they seem. The plot thread follows a dumpster-dive found piece of art and a planned high school fund-raising auction to help Saba's family recover their losses. It has a subtle layer of the immigrant's experience in America, yet its unpredictable ending is what I think made this book a winner. show less

I’ve never read a book quite like THE ART OF SECRETS by James Klise. Told in multiple perspectives, almost entirely in the form of discourse and conversation (with the occasional journal entry from protagonist, Saba Kahn), THE ART OF SECRETS is part mystery, part drama, and so very fun to read.

In the wake of a fire that destroyed her family’s home and all of their belongings, Saba Kahn has gone from almost invisible at her Chicago prep school (where she is a scholarship student) to show more borderline notorious, with a basketball star as a sort-of boyfriend and school do-gooders organizing a charity auction to help her family.

She’s got a lot to deal with, though. Saba’s family is getting too much attention at school, and from the police. Authorities can’t seem to decide if her family are victims or culprits, which means the rumors are flying at school. And then there’s the whole art thing — an item in the auction, which new girl cum auction organizer and her brother found in an alley, has turned out to be some seriously valuable paintings by a famed but reclusive Chicago outsider artist. When the art goes missing, Saba has another mystery plaguing her and her family. And more rumors to try and ignore.

With points of view ranging from Saba’s father, to Saba’s boyfriend, to the school principal, to her classmates running the auction, THE ART OF SECRETS is a unique mystery, as well-designed as it is well-written. Klise‘s characters are wry and witty, and even with so many narrators, the voices are compelling and distinct. I’m still excited about the book. I can’t stop being excited about it. And while it’s a rare book that I think is a contender for the Printz, the National Book Award, and the Edgar, I fully expect to see these and other accolades for James Klise in the near future. show less

I really liked this book, despite it starting slow.
Unlike a lot of historical works, this one actually feels like it's set in the past. Everything from the slang, the expressions and the movie references feel like they're part of the setting. The only thing that made raise my eyes was the word 'sayonara' which i'm not sure would have been in use in 1930s America.

The blurb made it sound like a gay romance, but the romance was more of a side thing. It's mainly about Joe getting tangled up in show more various problems, and the more he lies the more gripping the book becomes. Through Joe's experiences, the book discusses the ethics of the era. When is a person rich enough to steal from? And how responsible is the middle man for the crimmes committed indirectly through him?
In the second half of the book I really wanted to know how it would end and which parts of Joe's lies would withstand the consequences.

I read an ARC of this book so things might be sifferent in the published version. show less

High school freshman Jamie has a big secret - he's gay - and when someone at his school finds out, he'll do anything to change who he is, to become "normal". When Jamie discovers a new miracle drug that promises to "cure" homosexuality, he jumps at the chance to take it. But when the side effects get worse and worse, Jamie has to decide whether it's worth it.

The main character has a lot of heart and I was rooting for him the whole way through. I also loved the tone of the book, which show more strikes a nice balance between funny and serious. I wish secondary characters had been more three-dimensional, but overall I really enjoyed this debut novel.

More on the blog: http://www.abbythelibrarian.com/2010/09/love-drugged.html show less