The Lovely and the Lost
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Pub Date: 07 May 2019
Read courtesy of Netgalley.com
I really enjoyed the way the author had the character think like a dog. It added interest to the story. I LOL'ed at the "Boop." Look for it :o)
That being said, though, I'm not sure the author (or maybe it's the publisher) knows who her audience is. The vocabulary is very lofty, and it doesn't seem to match the genre of the story. Moreover, the author uses some old references that I'm not even sure today's readers would understand (for example, John Hughes movies, Fred Astaire).
I found myself not engrossed enough in the story to follow the mystery itself. Following the mystery, therefore, was more confusing than intriguing. As a whole I wanted to like it more than I did, but I struggled to finish it.
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Sunday, January 20, 2019
Book review: Mera: Tidebreaker
Book review: Mera: Tidebreaker by Danielle Paige; illustrated by Stephen Byrne
Pub Date: 02 Apr 2019
Read courtesy of netgalley.com
Mera: Tidebreaker is an origin story of Mera and Aquaman. It says so on the back cover. Otherwise, I never would have known these characters already existed. I'm not a comic book hero follower, so this was a total introduction to these characters for me.
As a graphic novel, it fell a little flat. As others have opined, the romance developed too quickly in story form; although, I could see the foreshadowing of Mera being unable to fulfill her plan and to end up loving rather than hating her father's foe. That's part of the story's flaws, too; it was really a quite predictable story. But there was confusion, too; without background knowledge of the characters, I had to read others' reviews of the graphic novel to know that Xebel was a penal colony.
I was enthralled by the drawing, however. It's difficult to give the ocean a personality, and illustrator Stephen Byrne's portrayal of water was fantastic. On the other hand, his portrayal of Mera was inconsistent.
Because of the terse treatment of the plot, I don't know whether or not this would best be recommend to fans of DC Comics or to people who are newbies of the DC Comics franchise. Both might be disappointed.
Pub Date: 02 Apr 2019
Read courtesy of netgalley.com
Mera: Tidebreaker is an origin story of Mera and Aquaman. It says so on the back cover. Otherwise, I never would have known these characters already existed. I'm not a comic book hero follower, so this was a total introduction to these characters for me.
As a graphic novel, it fell a little flat. As others have opined, the romance developed too quickly in story form; although, I could see the foreshadowing of Mera being unable to fulfill her plan and to end up loving rather than hating her father's foe. That's part of the story's flaws, too; it was really a quite predictable story. But there was confusion, too; without background knowledge of the characters, I had to read others' reviews of the graphic novel to know that Xebel was a penal colony.
I was enthralled by the drawing, however. It's difficult to give the ocean a personality, and illustrator Stephen Byrne's portrayal of water was fantastic. On the other hand, his portrayal of Mera was inconsistent.
Because of the terse treatment of the plot, I don't know whether or not this would best be recommend to fans of DC Comics or to people who are newbies of the DC Comics franchise. Both might be disappointed.
Book review: All Our Broken Pieces
Book review: All Our Broken Pieces by L. D. Crichton
Publishing date: May 7, 2019
Read courtesy of NetGalley.com
I didn't think I'd enjoy a sappy love story, but that's OK, because this wasn't sappy. I really liked these believable characters. Kyler was very romantic, and Lennon made for a very good example of how to understand OCD in others.
The OCD portion of the story was handled very well, both normalizing and explaining how it's not normal, or rather when it's not normal... when it interferes or embarrasses or makes others uncomfortable. The facial disfigurement part of the story was not quite as revealing as far as creating empathy, but it did allow for some insight.
Even though most YA novels entail hyperbolic parents, and All Our Broken Pieces is no exception, the author did a good job of reining in the parental extremes and bringing them back down to sensible characters. Any characters are good who can admit when they are wrong, and these adult characters do just that. Graciously, too.
I'll probably shelve this acquisition for my high school library in our "death/drugs/disease" genre sticker category, but it could easily just be categorized as realistic fiction or romance. In any event, I'm looking forward to recommending this title to my students.
Sunday, December 23, 2018
Book Review: Internment by Samira Ahmed
Book Review: Internment by Samira Ahmed
Publish date: March 19, 2019
Read courtesy of netgalley.com
This is an important, timely, well-written story - However, I willNOT be purchasing it for my high school library because in spite of the poorly veiled (i.e., blatant) innuendos to Trump as a bad Nazi-type president and Obama as the underdog who persevered. Regardless of which political persuasion our author and readers are in, direct allusions to our President in this manner in a YA book is in poor taste and, I'll go as far as saying, morally irresponsible. Granted, the book is current historical fiction, but I honestly cannot condone overlook the Presidential characterization in this book when the President has been identified and crudely fictionalized to match the author's political intentions. Which is a shame, really... this book deserves to be read.
I'm not the only one who identified the conspicuous negation of our government. Another NetGalley reviewer expressed similar sentiments while still giving the book high praise: "...scathing critique of our current civil environment. ...Internment will make you think twice about how the hatred and rhetoric of our current federal administration can cause real harm to people. I'm glad this one is fictional, and I hope it stays that way." One reviewer wrote, "The lack of awareness of society is what drives this story." YES! And THAT'S what the focus of the story could have been without Trump-bashing.
Damn. I'm doubting myself. I don't believe in censorship, and two of my favorite books were "scathing critique[s]" of their own times, 1984 and The Jungle. So, yes, I'll be getting this for my high school library, but I sincerely hope that my YA readers are willing to discuss how much "fake news" or "biased reporting" is in this book. I don't intend to ruin the story by making it a research assignment; I would rather use the story as a way to discuss our differences and our mutual morals and ethics, not our conflicting politics. This is, after all, an important, timely, well-written story.
Publish date: March 19, 2019
Read courtesy of netgalley.com
This is an important, timely, well-written story - However, I will
I'm not the only one who identified the conspicuous negation of our government. Another NetGalley reviewer expressed similar sentiments while still giving the book high praise: "...scathing critique of our current civil environment. ...Internment will make you think twice about how the hatred and rhetoric of our current federal administration can cause real harm to people. I'm glad this one is fictional, and I hope it stays that way." One reviewer wrote, "The lack of awareness of society is what drives this story." YES! And THAT'S what the focus of the story could have been without Trump-bashing.
Damn. I'm doubting myself. I don't believe in censorship, and two of my favorite books were "scathing critique[s]" of their own times, 1984 and The Jungle. So, yes, I'll be getting this for my high school library, but I sincerely hope that my YA readers are willing to discuss how much "fake news" or "biased reporting" is in this book. I don't intend to ruin the story by making it a research assignment; I would rather use the story as a way to discuss our differences and our mutual morals and ethics, not our conflicting politics. This is, after all, an important, timely, well-written story.
Monday, December 17, 2018
Book Review: The Similars by Rebecca Hanover
Book Review: The Similars by Rebecca Hanover
Publishing date: January 1, 2019
read courtesy of netgalley.com
I'm going to start at the end... there's a sequel in waiting. That gives you an idea about the ending: it's a cliffhanger. Unfortunately, I'll never find out how it all ends; I won't be purchasing the sequel for my high school library. I'm not sure how much my students recognize cliched writing, but since it interfered with my enjoyment of the book, I'm not going to expose them to the triteness.
As a mystery, Hanover did what she was supposed to do, provide clues or throw out distractions as to the "real" perpetrator. However, I found these clues too obvious -- they were spelled out instead of implied or alluded to -- which took some of the guesswork out of reading a mystery. Hanover also heavily depended on the readers' willingness to suspend disbelief that a 16-year-old girl would be able to save her best friend from the evil mad scientist when the friend'as own father couldn't or wouldn't -- in the guise of having to wait for his wife to die -- so it HAD to be the teenager to come to the rescue.
One of the Similars, who are all brilliant geniuses, couldn't estimate how large the place from which he came was, claiming that it was hard to "have a sense of scale" when you're inside the place. Really? That felt out of character. (If it sounds like a nitpick, it is; but it irked me to have such a blatant character misrepresentation.)
Basically, the story was a little too schizophrenic for me. the majority of the story was about cloning and clones, and then the last part suddenly became about virtual reality and two mad scientist brothers. Then at the end... I mean near the cliffhanger... a character who had been declared dead via suicide was found alive and returns to the boarding school. Clunk... the cliffhanger was only a 2-foot drop for me. In spite of those who knew cloning was involved, the rest of the world didn't (wouldn't the suicide have made the news?) How could a teenager reappear, and no one called the FBI? No one did because then it wouldn't be a cliffhanger. But like I said, it wasn't a cliffhanger for me. I stepped back up the 2-foot drop and walked away. It was my suspension of disbelief that was the only thing left hanging.
⭐⭐☆☆☆
Publishing date: January 1, 2019
read courtesy of netgalley.com
I'm going to start at the end... there's a sequel in waiting. That gives you an idea about the ending: it's a cliffhanger. Unfortunately, I'll never find out how it all ends; I won't be purchasing the sequel for my high school library. I'm not sure how much my students recognize cliched writing, but since it interfered with my enjoyment of the book, I'm not going to expose them to the triteness.
As a mystery, Hanover did what she was supposed to do, provide clues or throw out distractions as to the "real" perpetrator. However, I found these clues too obvious -- they were spelled out instead of implied or alluded to -- which took some of the guesswork out of reading a mystery. Hanover also heavily depended on the readers' willingness to suspend disbelief that a 16-year-old girl would be able to save her best friend from the evil mad scientist when the friend'as own father couldn't or wouldn't -- in the guise of having to wait for his wife to die -- so it HAD to be the teenager to come to the rescue.
One of the Similars, who are all brilliant geniuses, couldn't estimate how large the place from which he came was, claiming that it was hard to "have a sense of scale" when you're inside the place. Really? That felt out of character. (If it sounds like a nitpick, it is; but it irked me to have such a blatant character misrepresentation.)
Basically, the story was a little too schizophrenic for me. the majority of the story was about cloning and clones, and then the last part suddenly became about virtual reality and two mad scientist brothers. Then at the end... I mean near the cliffhanger... a character who had been declared dead via suicide was found alive and returns to the boarding school. Clunk... the cliffhanger was only a 2-foot drop for me. In spite of those who knew cloning was involved, the rest of the world didn't (wouldn't the suicide have made the news?) How could a teenager reappear, and no one called the FBI? No one did because then it wouldn't be a cliffhanger. But like I said, it wasn't a cliffhanger for me. I stepped back up the 2-foot drop and walked away. It was my suspension of disbelief that was the only thing left hanging.
⭐⭐☆☆☆
Sunday, December 09, 2018
Book review: XL by Scott Brown
Book review of
XL by Scott Brown
Pub Date: 26 Mar 2019
Read courtesy of netgalley.com
I love Scott Brown's writing style: interesting vocabulary, descriptive metaphors, a glimmer of breaking the fourth wall, and a bit of dry, subtle humor. It works. If you don't like being given one of the funniest lines of a movie during a trailer, don't read the next part of this sentence since I'm going to ruin a chuckle for you: car mitzvah, when you turn 16 and get your driver's licence and your parents buy you a car. OK- you can resume reading. I also like that Brown gave me things to ponder, like if are there only two kinds of quests (end of chapter 2).
I do beg to differ with one factoid that seemed to play a large (pun intended) part in the plot; Will says, "Fact. Small things don't live as long." But that's not true; small dogs live longer than big dogs. Just sayin'.
Brown did a nice job of consistently characterizing each of his secondary characters; they had unique personalities. He also did well with his extended metaphor of the gorillas in the zoo at which his father worked with the three-way relationship of Will, Drew, and Monica - the three main characters. In chapter 6 Will's impending experiences are even foreshadowed by the gorilla's behavior. Some symbolism was just a little too obvious, though, like the placement of the necklace given to him by one girl when he was in the presence of another (chapter 12).
I stayed interested in how the conflicts were going to resolve themselves, but I was, unfortunately, slightly disappointed with the unfinished, happy ending. So, they all stay friends, but... What happens to Will and his XL situation? Does Monica, who is a strong character throughout the story, end up compromising her Plan? Now that Drew abandoned his Plan, where does that leave his future? I know... "the best-laid plans of mice and men..."; that's the message in itself. But I'm not sure I've been given enough information about the characters to strongly speculate about their futures. In spite of this, I enjoyed the underlying premise of, "Be careful what you wish for; you might get it."
⭐⭐⭐⭐/☆☆☆☆☆
XL by Scott Brown
Pub Date: 26 Mar 2019
Read courtesy of netgalley.com
I love Scott Brown's writing style: interesting vocabulary, descriptive metaphors, a glimmer of breaking the fourth wall, and a bit of dry, subtle humor. It works. If you don't like being given one of the funniest lines of a movie during a trailer, don't read the next part of this sentence since I'm going to ruin a chuckle for you: car mitzvah, when you turn 16 and get your driver's licence and your parents buy you a car. OK- you can resume reading. I also like that Brown gave me things to ponder, like if are there only two kinds of quests (end of chapter 2).
I do beg to differ with one factoid that seemed to play a large (pun intended) part in the plot; Will says, "Fact. Small things don't live as long." But that's not true; small dogs live longer than big dogs. Just sayin'.
Brown did a nice job of consistently characterizing each of his secondary characters; they had unique personalities. He also did well with his extended metaphor of the gorillas in the zoo at which his father worked with the three-way relationship of Will, Drew, and Monica - the three main characters. In chapter 6 Will's impending experiences are even foreshadowed by the gorilla's behavior. Some symbolism was just a little too obvious, though, like the placement of the necklace given to him by one girl when he was in the presence of another (chapter 12).
I stayed interested in how the conflicts were going to resolve themselves, but I was, unfortunately, slightly disappointed with the unfinished, happy ending. So, they all stay friends, but... What happens to Will and his XL situation? Does Monica, who is a strong character throughout the story, end up compromising her Plan? Now that Drew abandoned his Plan, where does that leave his future? I know... "the best-laid plans of mice and men..."; that's the message in itself. But I'm not sure I've been given enough information about the characters to strongly speculate about their futures. In spite of this, I enjoyed the underlying premise of, "Be careful what you wish for; you might get it."
⭐⭐⭐⭐/☆☆☆☆☆
Sunday, October 14, 2018
Book Review: What We Buried
Book Review: What We Buried by Kate A. Boorman
To be published February 26,019
Read courtesy of Netgalley.com
Riveting. RIVETING!
From the double-meaning title to the adept use of flashbacks entwined with the glimpses of memory, What We Buried by Kate A. Boorman epitomizes a psychological thriller. I'm so glad I read this and cannot wait to get this book for my high school library.
I read this in one sitting, from 9am to 2pm on a Sunday, and it was time well spent. Most of us would admit that we hold a secret prejudice against kids who sue their parents; OK, I'll admit that I didn't have sympathy for children suing their parents (it's Kramer vs Kramer-esque and shades of my-parents-owe-me-a-college-education lawsuits that have shaped my thinking); however, I really appreciated how Boorman validated a child's experiences and perceptions. The author did an amazing job of having Liv and Jory explain how the siblings had their relationship marred by how each of them had been treated by their parents, and she did so without being preachy or obvious or by making the characters seem blaming and whiny.
Moreover, the author flawlessly made this skeptical reader accept the validity of how untrivial Liv's lawsuit against her parents is. In Liv, Boorman created a character who grows up right before our eyes ... albeit flawed ... but, hey, that's what makes a character so interesting!
What We Buried deftly fits together convoluted puzzle pieces of memory and plot, making this a psychological thriller I wanted to figure out. I kept flipping back and forth as to whom I believed was in the cabin, and even after finishing the book and reading the book flap teaser, I still can make a case for multiple perceptions of the ending. It would be fun to make a book discussion out of the possible endings with my teen readers.
As I read, I had shades of Lovely Bones and Thelma & Louise float into my consciousness at different times, but What We Buried is its own unique story. Highly recommended!
To be published February 26,019
Read courtesy of Netgalley.com
Riveting. RIVETING!
From the double-meaning title to the adept use of flashbacks entwined with the glimpses of memory, What We Buried by Kate A. Boorman epitomizes a psychological thriller. I'm so glad I read this and cannot wait to get this book for my high school library.
I read this in one sitting, from 9am to 2pm on a Sunday, and it was time well spent. Most of us would admit that we hold a secret prejudice against kids who sue their parents; OK, I'll admit that I didn't have sympathy for children suing their parents (it's Kramer vs Kramer-esque and shades of my-parents-owe-me-a-college-education lawsuits that have shaped my thinking); however, I really appreciated how Boorman validated a child's experiences and perceptions. The author did an amazing job of having Liv and Jory explain how the siblings had their relationship marred by how each of them had been treated by their parents, and she did so without being preachy or obvious or by making the characters seem blaming and whiny.
Moreover, the author flawlessly made this skeptical reader accept the validity of how untrivial Liv's lawsuit against her parents is. In Liv, Boorman created a character who grows up right before our eyes ... albeit flawed ... but, hey, that's what makes a character so interesting!
What We Buried deftly fits together convoluted puzzle pieces of memory and plot, making this a psychological thriller I wanted to figure out. I kept flipping back and forth as to whom I believed was in the cabin, and even after finishing the book and reading the book flap teaser, I still can make a case for multiple perceptions of the ending. It would be fun to make a book discussion out of the possible endings with my teen readers.
As I read, I had shades of Lovely Bones and Thelma & Louise float into my consciousness at different times, but What We Buried is its own unique story. Highly recommended!
Saturday, October 06, 2018
Book Review: Roam
Publication date: February 5, 2019
Read courtesy of NetGalley.com
In spite of the serious nature of homeless families, this is a warm fuzzy, feel good, happy ending kind of story. With a new boyfriend too good to be true and an instant flock of new friends, teenage Abby allows her homelessness to color her daily life (but who could blame her?). None of the people in her new school know that her family's "house" is a van or a church basement, and Abby tries desperately to keep it that way. The difficulty Abby has keeping her secret is exasperated by her new neighborhood -- an uber-rich area near the Mayo Clinic -- a jealous ex-girlfriend, and a homecoming dance.
With a fairy tale, full-of-forgiveness ending, readers might feel the story tied together too neatly, but it was refreshing to read a story where there really was a plausible ending. Well, believable if the readers accept a school where teachers and counselors are helpful and caring, where the hottest guy in school is also always a gentleman, where everyone accepts the out-of-the-closet gay kid, and where people still want to date the class bitch.
I chose to believe, and I had a great time doing so. Because of this, I am able to give the story 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. The story was tight and left me with no questions. I thought the characters were well drawn out, and the plot flowed naturally. I recommend this book for anyone who sees silver linings and is able to put aside skepticism.
Monday, August 06, 2018
My NetGalley.com Book Reviewer BADGES
Book Review: Any Second
Book Review:
Any Second by Kevin Emerson
Pub. date: November 20, 2018
Read courtesy of netgalley.com
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review!
I cannot wait to get this book for my high school's library!
My students are taught to be an upstander instead of a bystander. In Any Second, Maya did this... and beyond. Kevin Emerson wrote a story that is both unique and scarily possible, which is what makes it such a compelling read.
Emerson did a great job with the pace of the storytelling and the points at which the narrator's focus switched between Maya and Eli. There was also enough detail to create mental pictures without being grossed-out to the point at which the story's narrative could have been overshadowed by the horror of the circumstances. There was enough to make the reader squirm without having to be told the minutia of Eli's torture and captivity.
The author created an atmosphere that allowed the reader to be drawn into Maya's and Eli's decision making. As a reader I was being told things each character couldn't know, and since I had no way of telling them, I had tension, sympathy, relief, anxiety, and hope right along with them.
The main characters had consistently true personalities, which helped this reader connect with the plot and action. The minor characters never felt extraneous and were used well to move the story forward. One Second will appeal to many different kinds of readers and could be recommended to readers of realistic fiction as well as of action/adventure or suspense fiction.
[The only negative critique -- a hiccup I encountered -- is in chapter 17, where Eli contemplates "how some commentators said Eli's disappearance would have been a bigger deal if he'd been white." Emerson has already made the book uber-inclusive (ex., religion, sexual orientation, gender roles, class, etc.), so this one line struck me as intrusive to the flow of the story, an extraneous or obvious attempt to highlight what the author had already made clear about Eli's ethnicity when discussing Eli's names.]
Any Second by Kevin Emerson
Pub. date: November 20, 2018
Read courtesy of netgalley.com
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review!
I cannot wait to get this book for my high school's library!
My students are taught to be an upstander instead of a bystander. In Any Second, Maya did this... and beyond. Kevin Emerson wrote a story that is both unique and scarily possible, which is what makes it such a compelling read.
Emerson did a great job with the pace of the storytelling and the points at which the narrator's focus switched between Maya and Eli. There was also enough detail to create mental pictures without being grossed-out to the point at which the story's narrative could have been overshadowed by the horror of the circumstances. There was enough to make the reader squirm without having to be told the minutia of Eli's torture and captivity.
The author created an atmosphere that allowed the reader to be drawn into Maya's and Eli's decision making. As a reader I was being told things each character couldn't know, and since I had no way of telling them, I had tension, sympathy, relief, anxiety, and hope right along with them.
The main characters had consistently true personalities, which helped this reader connect with the plot and action. The minor characters never felt extraneous and were used well to move the story forward. One Second will appeal to many different kinds of readers and could be recommended to readers of realistic fiction as well as of action/adventure or suspense fiction.
[The only negative critique -- a hiccup I encountered -- is in chapter 17, where Eli contemplates "how some commentators said Eli's disappearance would have been a bigger deal if he'd been white." Emerson has already made the book uber-inclusive (ex., religion, sexual orientation, gender roles, class, etc.), so this one line struck me as intrusive to the flow of the story, an extraneous or obvious attempt to highlight what the author had already made clear about Eli's ethnicity when discussing Eli's names.]
Friday, July 27, 2018
Book Review: The XY
Book Review:
The XY by Virginia Bergin
Publication Date: 01 Nov 2018
read courtesy of netgalley.com
I wanted to like this more than I did, and one of my hold-outs was that it felt more cavewoman-ish than future-society-ish. I presume that the dialog and use of language was intended to show that society's catastrophe had caused a setback to 'progress,' but it made the characters sound less sophisticated instead of people who learned from past mistakes. This is especially true since they still had electronic communication and tablets. [On the other hand, if the author used this dumbed-down language because the readers are young adults, that's even worse.]
The XY also didn't tackle the stereotypes and preconceived notions of gender. Though it did dismantle and deconstruct them, the gender-assigned traits as our current society identifies them still played a dominant role in the characters' motivations. I felt as though the traits were magnified rather than neutralized. While I don't mind that Bergin used the genders in this way, it felt like a disingenuous way to show that society had improved - or even just developed - if the story was intended as a thought experiment.
I was especially surprised that Bergin skirted (pun intended!) the issue of sexual pleasure (not merely procreation) within an all-female society, except when it referenced males. It felt like the elephant in the room. For example, though River said she loved Plat, the love was undefined and stated with no more explanation than Plat was River's best friend. (Plat, by the way, was a weak character and seemed to exist only to be River's society-based moral compass.)
Regardless, as far as storytelling, Bergin did do some things rather well. Mumma Zoe-River, as the middle, transitional generation of the story, flipflopped her character's personality and actions to match the split situations in which she found herself. And though the ending came a little abruptly, Bergin provided a satisfying conclusion that matched the protagonist's, River's, personality.
In spite of its flaws, this book would make a good reference point for a book group on which to start a discussion on gender.
The XY by Virginia Bergin
Publication Date: 01 Nov 2018
read courtesy of netgalley.com
I wanted to like this more than I did, and one of my hold-outs was that it felt more cavewoman-ish than future-society-ish. I presume that the dialog and use of language was intended to show that society's catastrophe had caused a setback to 'progress,' but it made the characters sound less sophisticated instead of people who learned from past mistakes. This is especially true since they still had electronic communication and tablets. [On the other hand, if the author used this dumbed-down language because the readers are young adults, that's even worse.]
The XY also didn't tackle the stereotypes and preconceived notions of gender. Though it did dismantle and deconstruct them, the gender-assigned traits as our current society identifies them still played a dominant role in the characters' motivations. I felt as though the traits were magnified rather than neutralized. While I don't mind that Bergin used the genders in this way, it felt like a disingenuous way to show that society had improved - or even just developed - if the story was intended as a thought experiment.
I was especially surprised that Bergin skirted (pun intended!) the issue of sexual pleasure (not merely procreation) within an all-female society, except when it referenced males. It felt like the elephant in the room. For example, though River said she loved Plat, the love was undefined and stated with no more explanation than Plat was River's best friend. (Plat, by the way, was a weak character and seemed to exist only to be River's society-based moral compass.)
Regardless, as far as storytelling, Bergin did do some things rather well. Mumma Zoe-River, as the middle, transitional generation of the story, flipflopped her character's personality and actions to match the split situations in which she found herself. And though the ending came a little abruptly, Bergin provided a satisfying conclusion that matched the protagonist's, River's, personality.
In spite of its flaws, this book would make a good reference point for a book group on which to start a discussion on gender.
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Book Review: Body Swap
Book Review
Body Swap by Sylvia McNicoll
Read courtesy of netgalley.com
Publication date: 09 Oct 2018
I think that Sylvia McNicoll and Dundurn are selling themselves short: This is not just a YA Middle School novel. While it's appropriate for middle schoolers (i.e., no cursing), I'm sure it would be appealing to high schoolers and adults, too. It reminded me of a seamless mash-up of the stories behind Cocoon, Big, and Lovely Bones (the book, not the movie 😝). Magical realism at its best.
At first I was confused by both the swapping of bodies and the alternating chapters. It took me a while to make the mental switches back-and-forth while I read. I do wonder if some readers will find the double switching confusing. I thought that might detract from my enjoyment of the story, but I got used to the seesawing. I'm glad I did.
The characters were believable and played both of their parts really well. Their duality offered the introspection we often can only assume occurs within characters; McNicoll allowed the reader inside of the characters' heads, which allowed the readers to contemplate what their own reactions might have been under similar circumstances. This provided a very powerful way to get absorbed into a story.
McNicoll provided a means of exploring one's own preconceived notions (in this case about ageism) without being preachy, which is hugely important for our YA readers. I'm looking forward to getting Body Swap for my high school library and will recommend it for my middle school library, as well.
Monday, July 23, 2018
Book Review: Words We Don't Say
Book Review: Words We Don't Say by K.J. Reilly
Pub Date: 02 Oct 2018
Read courtesy of netgalley.com
Guilty admission... I skipped the "rambling monologues." I know, I know. They were part of and points of the story, but I guess I 'got it' by just skimming them. Otherwise, I enjoyed the characters and the 'message' of the book. It's a good message: Learn from your mistakes... or start your life from here 'cause you can't go back... or look for the good as well as the bad, and you'll find it. The characters all had a place in the story; I didn't feel any of them were just-because. And there was true growth in the characters over time.
I suppose my hesitancy to love the book comes from the author including both humor and rambling monologues. I found it distracting to pick through the monologues, especially when two different characters used the technique. (Yes, one could argue that it was exactly that quality that brought the two characters together, and I'd agree with you.)
Another hesitancy is that the front end storytelling took up 85% of the book, and then the last 15% of the story snowballed quickly and had all of the depth, action, and meaning. So, yeh, the pace of the book threw me off. I almost stopped reading 60% through the book because nothing was happening. But since I liked the characters, I pushed through.
While this isn't a 'humorous' book, I might categorize it as such because I think it's written 85% too lighthearted to be in my 'realistic fiction' section. I'm sorry to say that humorous books don't get enough circulation off of my high school library shelves, so I don't know how well this would circulate, either. It's also not quite fodder for my 'death, drugs, and disease' section; not dark enough and too much of a happy ending.
I will say that it is a well crafted story - hints and innuendos are neatly entwined and tied up, behaviors and actions are connected and followed through.
Sunday, June 24, 2018
Book Review: Plague Land: Reborn
Plague Land: Reborn by Alex Scarrow
Courtesy of netgalley.com
Publication date: September 4, 2018
Like Remade #1 (Plague Land), Plague Land: Reborn (#2) has some of the most descriptive writing in YA novels. And it's not description as filler; the descriptions become part of the characters, make them horrific and visceral, help them achieve creepy-crawliness. For those who didn't read #1 yet, it probably could read as a stand-alone and still be understood. HOWEVER, (spoiler alert) it has an unfinished, i.e., cliff-hanger ending.
#2 is more horror-bound than #1 was, and it crosses the line from sci-fi into horror. Scarrow does a good job of hiding who the bad guys and the good guys are, until he doesn't. It's a little easier in #2 than in #1 to figure out who - or what - has morphed into something ominous (spoiler alert) especially when a child or children are found without any adults two years after the first outbreak; Scarrow asked the readers to suspend disbelief that the uninfected characters would accept such a find, regardless of how compassionate they've been.
If you don't take the premise too seriously, you'll enjoy part #2. Go with the flow, be naive, suspend disbelief, and you'll be rewarded with a fun-filled horror ride. Think too hard, and you'll miss the joy of Scarrow's creepy tale.
Courtesy of netgalley.com
Publication date: September 4, 2018
Like Remade #1 (Plague Land), Plague Land: Reborn (#2) has some of the most descriptive writing in YA novels. And it's not description as filler; the descriptions become part of the characters, make them horrific and visceral, help them achieve creepy-crawliness. For those who didn't read #1 yet, it probably could read as a stand-alone and still be understood. HOWEVER, (spoiler alert) it has an unfinished, i.e., cliff-hanger ending.
#2 is more horror-bound than #1 was, and it crosses the line from sci-fi into horror. Scarrow does a good job of hiding who the bad guys and the good guys are, until he doesn't. It's a little easier in #2 than in #1 to figure out who - or what - has morphed into something ominous (spoiler alert) especially when a child or children are found without any adults two years after the first outbreak; Scarrow asked the readers to suspend disbelief that the uninfected characters would accept such a find, regardless of how compassionate they've been.
If you don't take the premise too seriously, you'll enjoy part #2. Go with the flow, be naive, suspend disbelief, and you'll be rewarded with a fun-filled horror ride. Think too hard, and you'll miss the joy of Scarrow's creepy tale.
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Book Review: Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful
Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys Dayton
Publication date December 4, 2018
Read courtesy of NetGalley.com
FAN-TAS-TIC!!!!
There was a tadd* of a thread throughout this book of consecutive stories. Amazingly well done and thoroughly enjoyable. I will definitely be getting this for my library!
Each story could be a stand alone, but they are also smoothly interwoven... and thought provoking. The first vaccine, first heart transplant, and first clone (remember Dolly the Sheep?) perpetuated the human ability to dream of a stronger, faster and more beautiful human. Dayton has helped us imagine some of the future possibilities, and some we'd like, while others we'd find quite disturbing. And that's the point.... to consider what our tinkering could mean to our future. Butterfly effect, ripple effect, call it what you want, but Dayton masterfully creates realistic what-ifs (realistic what-ifs: is that an oxymoron?)
I enjoyed every story in here. None of it felt redundant, repetitive, or reused. The uniqueness of each possible inevitably (another oxymoron) kept me turning those pages. Bravo, Ms. Dayton. I accept the challenge to work through these oxymorons in the hopes that it keeps humans from simply becoming morons.
*intentional spelling 👍👌
Publication date December 4, 2018
Read courtesy of NetGalley.com
FAN-TAS-TIC!!!!
There was a tadd* of a thread throughout this book of consecutive stories. Amazingly well done and thoroughly enjoyable. I will definitely be getting this for my library!
Each story could be a stand alone, but they are also smoothly interwoven... and thought provoking. The first vaccine, first heart transplant, and first clone (remember Dolly the Sheep?) perpetuated the human ability to dream of a stronger, faster and more beautiful human. Dayton has helped us imagine some of the future possibilities, and some we'd like, while others we'd find quite disturbing. And that's the point.... to consider what our tinkering could mean to our future. Butterfly effect, ripple effect, call it what you want, but Dayton masterfully creates realistic what-ifs (realistic what-ifs: is that an oxymoron?)
I enjoyed every story in here. None of it felt redundant, repetitive, or reused. The uniqueness of each possible inevitably (another oxymoron) kept me turning those pages. Bravo, Ms. Dayton. I accept the challenge to work through these oxymorons in the hopes that it keeps humans from simply becoming morons.
*intentional spelling 👍👌
Sunday, June 03, 2018
Book review: Nightingale
Nightingale by Amy Lucaviks
Publishing date: September 25, 2018
Courtesy of netgalley.com
I couldn't figure out whether this was a Sci Fi or Fantasy novel. Turns out it was a horror novel. This confusion followed me throughout the whole story. I even made a note to myself, "Is this One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" or"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children"? Apparently, it was neither, or both, or ...? In spite of all the eye gouging, face destroying, and bone crunching, I found the most disgusting (disturbing?) part of the book when "Both girls ignored Robert as he stood to pour the dirty water from his bucket in the sink, then immediately began to wash the dishes that were piled in the sink." EWWWW!
The main character's parallel story to the one she's writing is summed up in the author's own text, "...just letting it flow out of her like vomit on a page." It might have been Lukavics' intention to write like the 1950's B movies; if so, she succeeded. Aliens, zombies, and monsters...Oh My! They're all in here. I'd recommend this to teens who like to read about alien abductions.
Friday, June 01, 2018
Infographics: The Professional Role of School Librarians
Thanks to Dr. Kira Berggren, I've added yet another infographic - more of a poster this time - to my repertoire of advocacy resources.
Book review: Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens
Unbroken
by Marieke Nijkamp
Pub Date: 18 Sep 2018
Thanks to netgalley.com for access to this book
This is a hot topic for our YA readers - diversity... finding oneself in society. "Unbroken" will surely fill this need. In addition to disabilities, subjects of race, sexuality, and nationality all play a part in these stories. I only gave it 3 instead of 5 stars, however, because there were some stories I found myself plodding through instead of absorbing. Suffice it to say that there is some really great storytelling in here, and some that are 'meh.' I do think the book should be given a chance because the disabilities are diverse - although sometimes difficult to decipher. I suppose that's purposeful in some ways, since we don't always blatantly know what's going on in others' lives.
The first two stories grabbed me right away, and I found myself looking forward to the whole book: "The Long Road" (good characters and believable ending) and "Britt and the Bike God" (multi-leveled story with a non-human character element -- I can't explain further without a spoiler). I also really enjoyed "The Day the Dragon Came," "Dear Nora James, You Know Nothing about Love," and "Ballad of Weary Daughters." However, the fantasy-based stories didn't work for me; they're just not my genre of interest: "The Leap and the Fall," "Found Objects," and "Mother Nature's Youngest Daughter." Yet in spite of elements of fantasy - I'll call it wishful thinking instead - making it into my top 3 is "One, Two, Three" because of the deep thoughtfulness into which the author brought the characters. "Per Aspera Ad Astra" realistically portrayed school anxiety. I enjoyed the main character in "Captain, My Captain," but the story was one of my mehs, and I'm on the fence about "Plus One."
With 13 stories, one's bound to be a miss instead of a hit; I found this to be true for "A Play in Many Parts." For me, it was a DNR (a 'did not read'). I couldn't wrap my head around the format enough to understand the story, plot, or message. This is one story that maybe someone can help me to understand.
by Marieke Nijkamp
Pub Date: 18 Sep 2018
Thanks to netgalley.com for access to this book
This is a hot topic for our YA readers - diversity... finding oneself in society. "Unbroken" will surely fill this need. In addition to disabilities, subjects of race, sexuality, and nationality all play a part in these stories. I only gave it 3 instead of 5 stars, however, because there were some stories I found myself plodding through instead of absorbing. Suffice it to say that there is some really great storytelling in here, and some that are 'meh.' I do think the book should be given a chance because the disabilities are diverse - although sometimes difficult to decipher. I suppose that's purposeful in some ways, since we don't always blatantly know what's going on in others' lives.
The first two stories grabbed me right away, and I found myself looking forward to the whole book: "The Long Road" (good characters and believable ending) and "Britt and the Bike God" (multi-leveled story with a non-human character element -- I can't explain further without a spoiler). I also really enjoyed "The Day the Dragon Came," "Dear Nora James, You Know Nothing about Love," and "Ballad of Weary Daughters." However, the fantasy-based stories didn't work for me; they're just not my genre of interest: "The Leap and the Fall," "Found Objects," and "Mother Nature's Youngest Daughter." Yet in spite of elements of fantasy - I'll call it wishful thinking instead - making it into my top 3 is "One, Two, Three" because of the deep thoughtfulness into which the author brought the characters. "Per Aspera Ad Astra" realistically portrayed school anxiety. I enjoyed the main character in "Captain, My Captain," but the story was one of my mehs, and I'm on the fence about "Plus One."
With 13 stories, one's bound to be a miss instead of a hit; I found this to be true for "A Play in Many Parts." For me, it was a DNR (a 'did not read'). I couldn't wrap my head around the format enough to understand the story, plot, or message. This is one story that maybe someone can help me to understand.
Sunday, May 27, 2018
Book Review: The Prodigy
The Prodigy by John Feinstein
Publication Date: 28 Aug 2018
Read courtesy of Netgalley.com
Can reviews have dedications? If so, I dedicate this review to my husband, whose passion for golf rubbed off on me enough to understand this story 😀
Since I'm not a sports enthusiast, I'm pleasantly surprised how much I liked this story. Feinstein provided this reader with a fun time: fictionalized famous golfers (McIlroy, Spieth, Mickelson, etc.), sportsmanship and cheating, the lure of money, and loyalties. I was especially pleased that I was tricked into thinking I knew who the bad guy was at the end. I was wrong, and it amused me to find out I was wrong.
Feinstein knows the game of golf well enough to explain to a non-golfer just enough to follow the main character's journey without being bogged down in the game instead of the action. Characters were well developed and provided a believable plot with realistic emotions.
I'm looking forward to having this book on my high school library's shelves this Fall.
p.s. My H.S.'s golf coach is an avid reader. I'm going to get his take on the story, and I'll then update this review...
Publication Date: 28 Aug 2018
Read courtesy of Netgalley.com
Can reviews have dedications? If so, I dedicate this review to my husband, whose passion for golf rubbed off on me enough to understand this story 😀
Since I'm not a sports enthusiast, I'm pleasantly surprised how much I liked this story. Feinstein provided this reader with a fun time: fictionalized famous golfers (McIlroy, Spieth, Mickelson, etc.), sportsmanship and cheating, the lure of money, and loyalties. I was especially pleased that I was tricked into thinking I knew who the bad guy was at the end. I was wrong, and it amused me to find out I was wrong.
Feinstein knows the game of golf well enough to explain to a non-golfer just enough to follow the main character's journey without being bogged down in the game instead of the action. Characters were well developed and provided a believable plot with realistic emotions.
I'm looking forward to having this book on my high school library's shelves this Fall.
p.s. My H.S.'s golf coach is an avid reader. I'm going to get his take on the story, and I'll then update this review...
Saturday, May 26, 2018
Book Review Badges Being Accumulated!
Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me this amazing opportunity to preview and review the newest young adult literature
It's a librarian's privilege and honor.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)