The Missing: Torn

By Margaret Peterson Haddix
Rating: 3 3/4 stars


In Book 4 of The Missing series, Katherine and Jonah have been hurtled through time from the year 1600 where their friends Andrea, Brendan and Antonio were stranded to the year 1611 aboard Henry Hudson's ship Discovery on its ill-fated voyage searching for the Northwest Passage.  Jonah must take on the guise of John Hudson, Henry's son, and help fix history again...but this time, he and Katherine are on their own as the Elucidator stops working and then the only person they find who can help them is the evil Second, who started all the trouble!  Second tells them if the pair helps him, then he can help them save their friends.  Can Jonah and Katherine stop time from unraveling?  Can they stop Second in his tracks?  And will they ever get out of time traveling and make it home?  Fans of the series will be intrigued by this new entry, and hope that there will be more to come down the road.

You'll Like It Here (Everybody Does)

By Ruth White
Rating: 4 1/4 stars


With an interesting twist in the beginning, we end up following a family of aliens who have assimilated into Earth--and American--life for years before they are discovered.  As they flee in panic in their craft, they end up in a parallel Earth where some things are the same,but others are extremely different, like uniqueness being a crime.  And who are the mysterious Fathers who are never seen but roundly praised?  What are the little pills everyone takes constantly?  Soon, the Blue family is trapped in a culture they aren't sure they want to be in.  Can they escape before something terrible happens to them?  A fast-moving plot plot and some fun cameos by people who are famous (at least, they are in OUR universe) will draw in readers by the boatload.  This is a fun departure from the author's other books--she will make some new fans!