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3.73 of 5 stars 3.73 · rating details · 333 ratings · 97 reviews

If this were a movie, you'd open to the first page of this book and be transported to a whole other world. Everything would be in black and white, except maybe for the girl in pink polka-dot tights, and this really great music would start to swell in the background. All of a sudden, you wouldn't be able to help it--you'd be a part of the story, you'd be totally sucked in....more

Paperback, 272 pages

Published June 5th 2012 by Simon Pulse (first published September 17th 2009)

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Jun 25, 2009 Courtney added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, mg-fiction

MAN, that cover is one of the best I have ever seen.

Dani Noir is so many things. The first of those things being a freaking spectacular book. An incredible debut. A new favourite. A forever favourite. Since I was lucky enough to get an early read on this one (!), I don't want to go into much--or rather, any--detail about the plot, so I'll confine my thoughts to how this awesome novel made me feel and how sharp and tight the writing was and then amend this review accordingly after it's released (...more MAN, that cover is one of the best I have ever seen.

Dani Noir is so many things. The first of those things being a freaking spectacular book. An incredible debut. A new favourite. A forever favourite. Since I was lucky enough to get an early read on this one (!), I don't want to go into much--or rather, any--detail about the plot, so I'll confine my thoughts to how this awesome novel made me feel and how sharp and tight the writing was and then amend this review accordingly after it's released (September 22, 2009--take note, people!). Also I just finished this book like five seconds ago so this review might be slightly all over the place because itwassogoodIwannatalkaboutitnowwww!

So how did Dani Noir make me feel? Well, it made me feel like I want to do right by every word I put on the page and create something that carries the reader along so effortlessly from one sentence to the next, one page after the other, like this book does. With a thoughtful and caring hand, Nova Ren Suma explores the life of a 13-year-old film noir buff during a tough period of transition candidly and honestly in ways that are charming, hilarious, and heartbreaking all at once. On one page, I would laugh out loud at one of Dani's sharp-as-heck zingers and observations (and Dani's zingers made me LOL a lot--oh my God, voice! It came right off the page!) and on the next, my heart would ache at her vulnerability and her need to find the kind of balance and control you need to find when things are changing around you in really difficult ways (yes, I cried--it was very touching! I loved Dani's rock solid relationship with and her loyalty to her mother).

The characters--all of them--are so fully realized. And Dani is definitely not someone's idea of a thirteen-year-old girl. Dani is a thirteen-year-old girl. Suma gives her targeted audience credit, stepping back and letting Dani tell her story and the way she tells it--let's just say I would read any book narrated by Dani Callanzano (and I will read every book written by Nova Ren Suma). I truly feel readers across the age spectrum are going to adore this novel for its protagonist and find much to relate to in Dani. And they will LOVE cheering her on. I was every single moment.

And Dani Noir is page-turner. Make that page-turner to the Nth degree. Once I started, I only stopped once--and that was to make POPCORN. Seriously, this book made me want popcorn something fierce so I made it (at like 3 in the morning) and then I read it while I ate the popcorn and it was magical, so I highly recommend doing that when you pick this one up. MAKE POPCORN. Also, that segues into my next favourite thing about Dani Noir: this book tickled my senses, it was so alive. The settings, the descriptions--wow. I could smell the movie theatre, I could feel it. The small town vibe and being able to understand every nook and cranny of the place through Dani's eyes--it was so vivid. And the ending was perfect.

And! And! And! The movies--the love for the movies, their stars. Oh, what Would Rita Hayworth Do? I'll tell you what Rita Hayworth would do.

She would LOVE this book.

I know I did.

Don't you dare miss it.(less)

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Apr 25, 2009 Molly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: authors-i-adore, books-i-wish-id-worked-on, love-the-jacket, middle-grade

Dani is one of the most refreshingly REAL middle grade protagonists I've read in ages, and I say that as someone who reads middle grade daily for a living. It's like she's standing in front of you, telling you her story, just telling it like it is, as she reads. I want to give Dani a hug, the same way I always wanted to give Katherine Paterson's Gilly in THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS a hug -- not because I pity her, but just to let her know that I'm rooting for her. She's so totally unguarded, so unab...more

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Apr 21, 2009 Annika Barranti rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: ages 9+ (including adults!)

Shelves: fiction, mg-ya

This is, hands-down, the best middle grade book I've read since I was *in* middle school. Nova is the next Paula Danziger!

Dani is the most REAL 13-year-old I've read since Marcy Lewis. Every word of this book is a work of art.

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Apr 04, 2012 Brian Williams rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Loved the old movie connections in this story. The book has as one of its strengths how it uses pop culture references and it does so better than most books I have read. A lot of writers could learn from how references are used in Dani Noir. I know I'm taking note. The references are not just thrown in, they are threaded into the soul of the story.
The lead character, Dani Callanzano is not the most likable young lady and that is actually how I like young lead characters because looking back, b...more Loved the old movie connections in this story. The book has as one of its strengths how it uses pop culture references and it does so better than most books I have read. A lot of writers could learn from how references are used in Dani Noir. I know I'm taking note. The references are not just thrown in, they are threaded into the soul of the story.
The lead character, Dani Callanzano is not the most likable young lady and that is actually how I like young lead characters because looking back, be honest, weren't most of us jerks in our own ways either to others of our own age, to parents, or siblings? This characters has weakeness that are right there for you to see. As with most young people of her age, the world spins around her. This story paces its way through a short period of time in the life of a young lady as she deals with the divorce of her parents, an uncoming remarriage, and she does so by finding a mystery. While the mystery is explored she gets her first taste of love, well puppy crush love, the complicated nature of relationships, and how hero worship when it comes to fictional characters can mislead you in real life, especially when you are young.
Dani Noir has the best cover of any book I've read in a long time. It's a wraparound cover that really makes you glade you pulled it off to give it a full look. A great cover is a part of the book and could also hang on your wall just as easy. I'm not a fan of photo covers which is the popular cut and paste for most YA novels. I only mention YA novel covers in a review for a Tween book because I wish and pray that more YA novels would follow the idea. One out of every fifty photo covers work, the rest, no...no....just no. I give thumbs up to the cover artist for Dani Noir because this cover enhances the story and makes me happy to see artwork on a book cover instead of photos pulled from stock.
From reading a few places online it looks like the next book from Nova Ren Suma will be a YA novel and I will be reading it when it is released but I hope she also returns to the area of Tween fiction soon and if she does so I double hope she brings back Dani. I give this book four out of five stars. I highly recommend Dani Noir.(less)

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Jun 11, 2010 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2010

Told from the funny and imaginative point of view of thirteen-year-old Dani, Dani Noir is hands down the best middle grade novel that I have read in ages. Though it has been *cough* *cough* years since I was last in middle school, reading this novel brought back some interesting memories from that period in my life. Personally, I loved Dani as a character, but I did have a few minor bumps in the road with relating to her-- divorced parents vs. mine which are still married for example. However, I...more

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Jan 10, 2010 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mg-other

Full disclosure: I picked this book up because the author, Nova Ren Suma, is a lovely person who I know from a forum and have met for coffee once. Generally, when browsing, I lean more towards scifi/fantasy (shock, I know), but I think I probably would have picked up Dani regardless, because the title is catchy, the cover is gorgeous, and the idea of a tween girl heroine who loves noir movies is awesome.

The book stands up. It’s very voice-y, and Dani is a great character. She’s interesting, but...more Full disclosure: I picked this book up because the author, Nova Ren Suma, is a lovely person who I know from a forum and have met for coffee once. Generally, when browsing, I lean more towards scifi/fantasy (shock, I know), but I think I probably would have picked up Dani regardless, because the title is catchy, the cover is gorgeous, and the idea of a tween girl heroine who loves noir movies is awesome.

The book stands up. It’s very voice-y, and Dani is a great character. She’s interesting, but not always very nice, striking a great balance as a character who was often selfish and inconsiderate, but still likable; whose motivations are always clear and make her bad behavior understandable, even sympathetic. But what really stood out to me were two elements. First, the setting, a small town in upstate NY. Hey, I’m from one of those! I kept smiling at the descriptions throughout. My town is actually even more rural and much smaller than Dani’s, but it’s also a town where all the adults know who all of the kids are, where someone might see you when you’re hiding and call your mom because everyone knows everyone’s business.

Then there was Taylor. Taylor had been Dani’s best friend growing up, but they’d grown apart; Taylor was kind of weird and nerdy, and Dani was frustrated with her for not getting that maybe the friendship was past its sell-by date. The friendship story arch was great, but it also made me cringe and have to read through my fingers like I was watching a horror movie, because I am Taylor. Or at least, I was when I was in middle school.

Actually, that got me thinking: I’ve always read scifi/fantasy as escapism, and someday I’ll probably write a much longer post on that. But reading about the relationship between Dani and Taylor drove that home to me: genre fiction is much further removed from my own experiences, and I’m much more comfortable reading it. But the fact that it made me cringe is, I think, a testament to how right the book gets things.
(less)

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Mar 11, 2010 Treasa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children, grades-3-5, realistic-fiction, broken-families, mystery

Dani's life is falling apart: since the divorce, her mother spends most of her time crying; Dani's best friend, Maya, moved away weeks ago and has yet to call; and Dani is being forced to spend a weekend with her father and his girlfriend. At least she has the solace of the Little Art, a one-screen movie theater in her small town that is showing only film noir reels this summer. When a glimpse of a girl in pink polka-dot tights makes Dani suspect that something sketchy is going on, she begins to...more Dani's life is falling apart: since the divorce, her mother spends most of her time crying; Dani's best friend, Maya, moved away weeks ago and has yet to call; and Dani is being forced to spend a weekend with her father and his girlfriend. At least she has the solace of the Little Art, a one-screen movie theater in her small town that is showing only film noir reels this summer. When a glimpse of a girl in pink polka-dot tights makes Dani suspect that something sketchy is going on, she begins to investigate. Along the way she learns about friendship and about herself, and she learns that, while film noir might be fun to watch on the big screen, it is not as glamorous as Rita Hayworth makes it seem.

I love a lot of film noir, so I was excited to read this book. And it was ok. But I felt that it could have been better. Dani is a fairly realistic, self-centered, clueless 13-year-old girl. Frankly, I didn't like her very much. Before she became friends with Maya, she had been best friends with Taylor for years, until they hit 6th grade and Dani thought Taylor was too immature (still interested in unicorns). I was like Taylor (although I was never interested in unicorns) and therefore have little sympathy for Dani "dumping" her.

I recognize that Dani is going through a very difficult time because of her parent's divorce... but she is just so completely self-centered. I was very pleased when Austin points out to her just how selfish she is. She breaks the rules all the time for stupid reasons, she is rude to her mother and to her friends' parents... seriously, the only thing I liked about her was her taste in movies.

I appreciate how the author includes Facebook and cellphone cameras in an attempt to bring a film noir detective's investigation to the present day. But the book just didn't grab me. Nevertheless, it was still worth reading, and I would not hesitate to recommend it to a child I thought might be interested. It is certainly a different sort of mystery, which is kind of fun.

I can't decide whether the references to old movies and the actors and actresses that starred in them would cause confusion or whether they would inspire interest in the old movies... However, I would be willing to take a chance and hope that it would be the latter.(less)

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Dec 02, 2011 Erin Forson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dani Noir
by Nova Ren Suma
Not many teenagers have a taste for old-school movies with actors like Humphrey Bogart, Rita Hayworth, and Bette Davis, but Dani does. The Little Art Theater is her hang out—when times get tough, and they are tough for Dani—everyone knows she can be found there, curled up with her buttery popcorn getting lost in the big screen. She has reason to want to escape, her best friend moved away, her Dad cheated on her mom, and something is up with her friend Jackson who runs t...more

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Jul 11, 2010 Linda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book. Author Nova Ren Suma has perfectly captured the sarcastic voice of 13-year-old Dani, who is struggling with her parent's divorce, and how quickly her dad is moving on with his life. Dani would prefer to spend the entire summer hiding in the tiny movie theater in her small town, but instead becomes entangled in a web of lies, mystery and deceit much like all of the Rita Hayworth movies she has been viewing.

What is that old expression - sarcasm is actually repressed hostility? I...more

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Jan 21, 2011 Jenifer Rosenberg rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

I have often felt that most adults completely forget what it was like to be a child or a teen, and lose sight of how the complex emotions work in those age groups. After reading Dani Noir, I feel confident that there are still adults out there who DO remember. I was extremely impressed with Nova Ren Suma's amazing ability to channel the intricate feelings and reactions of a thirteen-year-old going through a difficult time in life. The style is unique and captivating, and the characters genuine....more

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Nov 30, 2009 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dani Noir was fun read. Dani was this feisty, charming, bluntly honest, thirteen year old protagonist who was definitely the type of people who liked to 'take charge' of things and not wait for things to happen. She does seem quite dramatic at times but I suspect it's due to the fact that she loves watching movies and imagining herself in the movies. I quite liked her bubbly unique personality. Dani's anger and frustrations were understandable and so were her struggles. Her best friend moved awa...more

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Apr 28, 2011 Alan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-school

ATOS Book Level: 4.1
Interest Level: Middle Grades (MG 4-8)
AR Points: 7.0
Lexile: 660L
Word Count: 51945
Dani is a thirteen year old girl who loves Film Noir and Rita Hayworth in particular. I don't think this will draw many Middle school kids to this book, but I think Dani's character will as she struggles through the summer before the 8th grade in her small town where nothing happens, as she tries to come to grip with her parents divorce and her dad's new girl friend, as she struggles with lonelin...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Ashleigh Paige rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: damn-i-wish-i-could-write-like-that, the-great-shelf-of-awesome

Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker.

Typically, middle-grade isn't my genre. It never has been; even when I was a tween, I skipped right over middle-grade books and went straight to YA. About a week ago, I went to the bookstore with the intent to buy Fade Out, which is Dani Noir updated and marketed as YA, but when the bookstore had no copies of Fade Out in stock but had multiple copies of Dani Noir on clearance priced at $3.97... Well, I left with Dani. Though the novel lacked the delicious...more
Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker.

Typically, middle-grade isn't my genre. It never has been; even when I was a tween, I skipped right over middle-grade books and went straight to YA. About a week ago, I went to the bookstore with the intent to buy Fade Out, which is Dani Noir updated and marketed as YA, but when the bookstore had no copies of Fade Out in stock but had multiple copies of Dani Noir on clearance priced at $3.97... Well, I left with Dani. Though the novel lacked the delicious creepiness that made me love the author's second novel Imaginary Girls, Dani Noir was fun in its own right and a great coming of age story.

Dani was a such a witty narrator and a great character too. Her problems and emotions felt so real, and I wished I could do away with all the pain she felt concerning her father cheating on her mother, leaving, and then deciding to marry the other woman. Dani wasn't perfect (she was extraodinarily selfish and I was happy to see her get called out for it), but she was someone I wanted to read about.The movie motif was a great choice because of how it illustrates Dani's dissatisfaction with real life. History has already shown people escape to the movies during tough times.

Though the novel is a bit of a mystery (who is the girl in the polka-dot tights? Is Jackson cheating on Elissa with her?), it's very easily solved and not that impressive. Then again, the novel isn't really about the mystery of the girl; it's about Dani. On a side note, it was a little strange reading about the love triangle through Dani's eyes. Because of my love of YA, I've gotten used to seeing love triangles where the narrator is one of the angles as the focus. In Dani Noir, it was like seeing the YA triangle through the younger friend/sibling of someone who is part of the triangle.

Not that I expected anything less than a great novel from one of my favorite authors. It's simpler than Imaginary Girls, but it's much easier to relate to and it's not quite as out-there. This makes waiting for the author's next novel, 17 and Gone, even more painful. Why does spring 2013 have to be so far away?!(less)

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Jan 10, 2012 Alexandra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the second book I've read of Nova Ren Suma's and still not a single gripe or complaint.
I really love her writing.
Dani Noir is supposed to be a children's book but I think it leans more toward Young Adult. It can be both. If it absolutely has to be classified as Juvenile, then I think it is more geared towards middle school kids. And very advanced elementary school students, I guess.
The book's main characters are a mix of middle school students and some high school students so there is...more

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Feb 14, 2013 steph rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2013, enjoyable, fiction-family, juvy-fiction, library-torrance

3.5 to 4 stars.

I'd read more middle school books if I could be guaranteed they'd be as entertaining and realistic as this one. Dani isn't perfect -she's selfish at times, was mean to her ex-best friend other times and she lives more inside the fantasies in her head then the realities of the real world but she's a THIRTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL and that is what thirteen year old girls do (or, at least I did at that age). They are very self absorbed even when they know they are self absorbed. They can't h...more

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Nov 27, 2009 Michelle Delgado rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children

This book took me back thirty years. That's a strange statement since this book is set in the 21st century with references to cell phones and the internet. However,as times change adolescence remains the same in many ways.It reminded me of what it's like to be a thirteen year old girl. Dani loves old black and white noir movies and has a vivid imagination. When she happens on a mystery of her own,she (in her own mind) becomes a noir heroine as she seeks to solve the mystery and protect a friend....more

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Nov 29, 2009 Sandra Stiles rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grades, mystery

I have several students who would identify with some of Dani’s problems. The one problem that seemed to set the tone for this book was the fact that Dani’s parents are divorced, she lives with mom and is forced to spend some time with her father and his soon to be wife. She lives in a small town that is for all purposes, uninteresting. The most exciting thing for her is watching old movies in the old movie theater. She loves the old black and white films that feature her heroine Rita Hayworth. D...more

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Sep 21, 2009 Chelsea Campbell rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book has an amazing voice. Thirteen-year-old Dani is funny and charming and always makes you feel like you're right there with her. Right away from the first line--"A slow fade-in on my life:"--her voice totally sucked me in, instantly feeling familiar and fun, like reading a letter from your best friend. I love how she compares her life to noir films while trying to cope with her parents' messy divorce. This book really captured what it feels like to be thirteen--every change that happens,...more

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Jan 04, 2010 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: juvenile-fiction, realistic-fiction

The first time I heard a synopsis of this book at ILA, I simultaneously thought why haven't I read this book, and why didn't I write this book? Dani Noir is a true-to-life thiteen-year-old heroine, who acts like she's really thirteen: she can be selfish and oblivious, and she lets recent events involving her soon-to-be-divorced parents dictate her worldview. She also loves the old movies she watches at her town's Little Art Theater so much and has such an overactive imagination that she turns he...more

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Feb 16, 2010 Peter rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: girls 10-14

Dani is a 13 (ok, almost 14) year old girl with a passion for cinema. She is struggling with her feelings regarding her recently divorced parents, her dad's fiancé, her stepsister-to-be and all other people in her surrounding. While being stuck in her boring little mountain town during summer holidays, she unexpectedly finds herself in the middle of a film noir.

The book is very well written with a good feeling for suspense and it's fun to read if you're a tween girl or (like me) someone who like...more

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Nov 09, 2009 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dani Callanzano is a great 13 year old. The summer before 8th grade is shaping up to be a little rough, her best friend has moved away and her newly divorced parents take some getting used to. Luckily, the town's movie theater, the Little Art, is having a "Summer of Noir" and Dani's enchanted by the old time femme fatales and the air of mystery these movies portray. Soon, real life seems to be imitating art as Dani is on the trail of what may be a mysterious, present day femme fatale. Suma did a...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Nafiza rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, contemporary

I said this initially and I will reiterate: I liked Dani Noir much better than Imaginary Girls if only for the fact that it's less abstract and more cohesive than the latter title. Dani Noir, in shades of melancholy and bewilderment, beautifully explores a girl's struggle to make sense of her parents' divorce. It exquisitely deconstructs the myriad of feelings of a child when she comprehends her father's betrayal. And how the consequences of this betrayal shapes her subsequently. I really liked...more

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Nov 29, 2009 Abby Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: blogged

Thirteen-year-old Dani has an awful summer ahead of her. Not only is she dealing with her parents' divorce, but her best friend has moved away and isn't calling her. The only good thing about this summer is that her small town's little movie theatre is showing film noir all summer long. Dani's crazy about the femme fatales and when she senses a mystery brewing in her own town, she knows she has to investigate. Ever since her father betrayed her, Dani doesn't know who to trust - just like in the...more

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May 11, 2010 Jodysegal rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: 5th-7th grade

Shelves: middle-school, psc, realistic-fiction, tweens, divorce

Thirteen-year-old Dani's love for old-fashioned black and white film noir provides the perfect setting for the loneliness and anger she feels when her father moves in with another woman and her daughter, her best friend leaves town and can't be bothered to call, and Dani discovers that her friend, the movie projectionist, is secretly dating two girls. While her plans to expose him for his lies backfire, in the process, Dani gets a little perspective on her father's behavior. Dani Noir gives this...more

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May 20, 2012 Emilia added it · review of another edition

Shelves: library, 2012-to-read, noir

My pick this week is Dani Noir by Nova Ren Suma. This book is only a few years old (2009) but I never see this book mentioned that much. I was first drawn in by the cover and the name of the book. The cover deliciously illustrates the mood and tone of the book. It harkens back to old film noirs, which is what the book is also based on. This is truly a cover that fits the book and the themes within.

It's the summer between 7th and 8th grade and Dani lives in a small town in upstate New York. She i...more My pick this week is Dani Noir by Nova Ren Suma. This book is only a few years old (2009) but I never see this book mentioned that much. I was first drawn in by the cover and the name of the book. The cover deliciously illustrates the mood and tone of the book. It harkens back to old film noirs, which is what the book is also based on. This is truly a cover that fits the book and the themes within.

It's the summer between 7th and 8th grade and Dani lives in a small town in upstate New York. She is obsessed with old movies, especially movies with Rita Hayworth. She uses films to narrate her life and to understand it, and she spends massive amounts of time at the local movie theatre, which shows old films exclusively. Her life is complicated by the fact that her parents are divorcing and her mother is falling apart while her father has moved across the river. Her best friend has moved away and Austin, son of the local theatre owner, spends his time annoying her or so she thinks. Dani is struggling with her parents' divorce and when she discovers that Jackson, Austin's older cousin, is being visited by a mysterious femme fatale, she finds herself in her own film noir. To unravel the mystery of this girl with the polka dot tights, Dani uses the detective skills she learned from watching these films.

The best way I would describe this book is cozy. I knew what was going to happen just from the first chapter, but I still enjoyed the book. The book is a mystery/noir and a coming of age story. I liked the combination of the two genres and thought the author did an excellent job of using the medium of film to illustrate the divorce between Dani's parents and the turmoil she is experiencing. Dani's favorite actress at the beginning is Rita Hayworth and this shifts at the end of the novel, which is a nice way to show the changes in her life.

The most interesting thing about the novel were the characters. Dani is not a perfect person, but she grows throughout the story. She is bratty, intelligent, selfish, curious and even caring at some points. At the beginning, she is selfish and while she doesn't completely outgrow this at the end, she has begun to realize that she has flaws, and that her parents, friends and acquaintances are flawed and complex as well. My favorite realization that Dani has is when she realizes that Austin has a crush on her and Taylor, her former best friend, has also changed and maybe their friendship can be rekindled. I also loved the character of Austin and while Dani found him annoying at first, his friendship with her was very sweet.

As this is Nova Ren Suma's debut, I thought she did an excellent job at making complex characters and I already have her second book on my to-read list. (less)

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Aug 13, 2012 Brittany rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, wishlist, mystery

Dani loves film noir movies. Little Art plays those lovely black and white flicks, which is the only good thing in her middle-of-nowhere town. Dani wishes her life were more like the movies and less like the suck-fest it has become now that her parents are divorced. Then one day, a mystery presents itself and Dani is on the case. There's a girl in polka-dot tights and she knows she has to figure out who she is and what she's doing. There's deeper reasons why this mystery means so much to her, an...more Dani loves film noir movies. Little Art plays those lovely black and white flicks, which is the only good thing in her middle-of-nowhere town. Dani wishes her life were more like the movies and less like the suck-fest it has become now that her parents are divorced. Then one day, a mystery presents itself and Dani is on the case. There's a girl in polka-dot tights and she knows she has to figure out who she is and what she's doing. There's deeper reasons why this mystery means so much to her, and as she unravels the mystery she discovers things about herself and the people around her that she never would have known.

This was such a fun read. Even though she is selfish and sarcastic, she was quite a great character. Dani is going through a tough time with her parents divorcing, so it's no wonder she's acting out. Of course Dani is aware that she's in a bad situation and knows that she can get away with being a brat. She was a very real character though and that I liked. I loved that she was into film noir and had a cute little theater to watch them in. I would love to have an amazing little place like that in my town. She is very into the whole solving the mystery of the girl in the pink polka-dotted tights, that she doesn't really think things through. Dani never focuses on the big picture, because the case hits too close to home and she seems to have a hard time removing the personal touch from it.

I was a little disappointed in the lack of drama in the dramatic conclusion to the mystery. I feel like the scene should have been more explosive. It would have made it more entertaining and more realistic. I don't think those things fade quietly into the night. DRAMA! Regardless it was still a good conclusion.

I think this book could use a sequel, because there are just too many unresolved emotion with Dani and the new family. I think there was never any closure either way, she still hadn't decided if she was okay or not. Those things do take time, but I would really like to see what terms she comes to.

The other characters were pretty unique, at least the ones we get to actually meet. Even though Dani made him out to be annoying, I grew quite fond of Arthur. He was an okay kid, sweet. He just seemed like a really nice boy, bored, but keeping himself occupied.

If you get the chance to check out his book, I highly recommend you do. It was a fun romp with a teen sleuth in a small town.

First Line:
"A slow fade-in on my life:
There's this little mountain town, smack between two long highways that go nowhere in either direction."

Favorite Line:
"A femme fatale can be an enigma all she wants. She can walk off into the sunset as one, dragging his heart along with her."

Read more: http://www.areadingnook.com/#ixzz23Qk...(less)

1 like · like · see review

Sep 29, 2010 Crowinator rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-middle-grade, contemporary, 2010-reads

I ended up enjoying this children's middle-grade novel once I realized that it wasn't really a mystery. Dani, the titular classic movie-lover (she worships Rita Hayworth) and amateur sleuth, spends the summer trying to figure out if Jackson, the older boy working at the movie theater in their small town, who Dani has connected with over old films, is cheating on his girlfriend. This matters not just because she likes Jackson and his girlfriend, but because Dani's still dealing (or not dealing) w...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 22, 2010 catherine james rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kids-tweens-teens, fiction, 2009, favorites, keepers

I was drawn to Nova Ren Suma's debut novel DANI NOIR the moment I caught sight of its title and attention-grabbing covers. Thanks to my love of pink, polka dot tights, and noir cinema, I found a new favorite author and another great addition for the keeper shelf.

Dani's having a rough summer dealing with the fallout of her parents' divorce. It's horrible watching her dad move on (and in) with his girlfriend, knowing her best has moved to a town more than an hours' drive away, and feeling so lonel...more I was drawn to Nova Ren Suma's debut novel DANI NOIR the moment I caught sight of its title and attention-grabbing covers. Thanks to my love of pink, polka dot tights, and noir cinema, I found a new favorite author and another great addition for the keeper shelf.

Dani's having a rough summer dealing with the fallout of her parents' divorce. It's horrible watching her dad move on (and in) with his girlfriend, knowing her best has moved to a town more than an hours' drive away, and feeling so lonely she's actually starting to miss her annoying brother who's gone off to soccer camp.

Dani's only solace comes when she enters the Little Art and disappears into the moody, atmospheric mysteries of noir films. There's a comfort in walking away from the theater knowing exactly who the good and bad guys are, not to mention hanging out with the projectionist and her former baby-sitter's new boyfriend, Jackson. Being left alone and not asked stupid questions like: "How are you *feeling* about your parents divorce?" is almost worth the hassle of getting past her classmate and Jackson's younger cousin, Austin. Until one day when Dani catches Jackson in a lie about a mysterious girl in pink, polka dot tights she spies leaving through the theater's fire exit. Now Dani is on the trail of a real-life puzzle, but off screen mysteries almost never wrap up as neatly as those in movies.

Every character in DANI NOIR is so real, with their fallibility and raw emotions - especially Dani. I didn't always like her - at times she's bratty, even downright mean - but I understood the reasons for her behavior. Her entire world has been destroyed by the people she loves and trust more than anyone else. It's one of life's most difficult experiences and in it's the aftermath of suspicion that sets Dani on the mystery girl's trail.

Nova Ren Suma transported me to Dani's world: the tedious heat small town summers; nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one to see. I *was* Dani, sweating in front Taco Juan's while peering down the street towards my mother's office at newspaper headquarters, the mountains off in the distance. sun beating mercilessly on my aching head. What a relief to escape my sadness and worries in cool comfort of celluloid, where dames are glamorous, private eyes know all and problems are solved in under two hours.

Originally written for and posted at TeensReadToo.(less)

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Aug 09, 2010 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teen

Dani lives in a little town with nothing going for it except a movie theater. The theater shows old movies, her favorites being the ones with Rita Hayworth. Dani likes her movies in black and white, with dramatic backgrounds and a femme fatale.

Her real life is not quite so much fun. Her parents are getting divorced. Her dad has moved in with his new girlfriend and he can't wait for Dani to get to know her soon-to-be stepmother. Dani is not so thrilled. She can't wait to get out of there and get...more

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Jun 30, 2010 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews, trt-gold-star-award-winner

Reviewed by Cat for TeensReadToo.com

I was drawn to Nova Ren Suma's debut novel, DANI NOIR, the moment I caught sight of its title and attention-grabbing cover. Thanks to my love of pink, polka-dot tights and noir cinema, I found a new favorite author and another great addition for the keeper shelf.

Dani's having a rough summer dealing with the fallout of her parents' divorce. It's horrible watching her dad move on (and in) with his girlfriend, knowing her best friend has moved to a town more than...more Reviewed by Cat for TeensReadToo.com

I was drawn to Nova Ren Suma's debut novel, DANI NOIR, the moment I caught sight of its title and attention-grabbing cover. Thanks to my love of pink, polka-dot tights and noir cinema, I found a new favorite author and another great addition for the keeper shelf.

Dani's having a rough summer dealing with the fallout of her parents' divorce. It's horrible watching her dad move on (and in) with his girlfriend, knowing her best friend has moved to a town more than an hours' drive away, and feeling so lonely she's actually starting to miss her annoying brother, who's gone off to soccer camp.

Dani's only solace comes when she enters the Little Art and disappears into the moody, atmospheric mysteries of noir films. There's a comfort in walking away from the theater knowing exactly who the good and bad guys are, not to mention hanging out with the projectionist and her former baby-sitter's new boyfriend, Jackson. Being left alone and not asked stupid questions like: "How are you *feeling* about your parents divorce?" is almost worth the hassle of getting past her classmate and Jackson's younger cousin, Austin.

Until one day when Dani catches Jackson in a lie about a mysterious girl in pink, polka-dot tights she spies leaving through the theater's fire exit. Now, Dani is on the trail of a real-life puzzle, but off-screen mysteries almost never wrap up as neatly as those in movies.

Every character in DANI NOIR is so real, with their fallibility and raw emotions - especially Dani. I didn't always like her - at times she's bratty, even downright mean - but I understood the reasons for her behavior. Her entire world has been destroyed by the people she loves and trusts more than anyone else. It's one of life's most difficult experiences, and in it's the aftermath of suspicion that sets Dani on the mystery girl's trail.

Nova Ren Suma transported me to Dani's world: the tedious heat of small town summers; nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one to see. I *was* Dani, sweating in front Taco Juan's while peering down the street towards my mother's office at newspaper headquarters, the mountains off in the distance; sun beating mercilessly on my aching head. What a relief to escape my sadness and worries in the cool comfort of celluloid, where dames are glamorous, private eyes know all, and problems are solved in under two hours.(less)

like · see review

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About Nova Ren Suma

Nova grew up in small towns across the Hudson Valley and can currently be found in New York City and online at her blog distraction no. 99.

Nova Ren Suma has an MFA in fiction from Columbia University and a BA in writing & photography from Antioch College, and has been awarded fiction fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts and the Corporation of Yaddo, and, twice, from the MacDo...more

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