Spanking Shakespeare by Jake Wizner
There are a lot of bad names out there. There are even websites devoted to the crazy names parents give (or consider giving) to their children (such as this one). One name on that ever growing long list is Shakespeare Shapiro.
Shakespeare is a high school senior who feels the world is conspiring against him – starting with his parents – the adults who thought Shakespeare was a wonderful name for their oldest son. He has two friends – a guy who likes to discuss – and keep a diary about – his bowel movements, and a girl who likes to drink and who has a huge chip on her shoulder.
Seniors at Shakespeare’s school must write a memoir. Because of this, the novel is a mixture of the daily on goings of Shakespeare’s life, and the embarrassing moments in his memoir.
Mostly fluff and a ton of laughs, this book does have a few bit of seriousness added in here and there (teenage alcoholism, suicide of a parent). Definitely one written for the boys. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel – save for all the poop talk. I could have done without that (Ick. Ick. Ick)
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Freak Show by James St. James
Billy Bloom is has arrived! After his (unstable?) mother sends him to live with his father, Billy’s place as an outsider becomes more pronounced than ever. At the uber-conservative Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy, Billy is the only openly gay student, something on his first day of school he announces with style and flair that is the signature of Queen Billy.
Billy is harassed. He is abused. Eventually, he is brutally beaten in class. How can a queen survive such hostility?
With a few friends on his side, he strives to break through the hostility by running for Homecoming Queen and embrace his inner Super Freak.
Overall, I enjoyed the writing and most of the story, though at times it was predictable and a little trite. Throughout the novel, Billy’s voice is loud and true.
Billy Bloom is has arrived! After his (unstable?) mother sends him to live with his father, Billy’s place as an outsider becomes more pronounced than ever. At the uber-conservative Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy, Billy is the only openly gay student, something on his first day of school he announces with style and flair that is the signature of Queen Billy.
Billy is harassed. He is abused. Eventually, he is brutally beaten in class. How can a queen survive such hostility?
With a few friends on his side, he strives to break through the hostility by running for Homecoming Queen and embrace his inner Super Freak.
Overall, I enjoyed the writing and most of the story, though at times it was predictable and a little trite. Throughout the novel, Billy’s voice is loud and true.
Why is this post green? Take a look at the cover.
This was a March book club pick.
Undercover by Beth Kephart
This is yet another Cyrano de Bergerac retelling. Elisa is a secret poet…secret in that many of her classmates don’t know she is the one who writes the beautiful lines used by many of male classmates to capture the hearts of their crushes. Her home life is a bit depressing, as her father - the only family member who understands her - is away on a business trip that keeps getting extended. This is taking a toll on her parents’ relationship, as well as making Elisa feel even more like an outsider, as she has little in common with her mother and sister.
Add to this that she is falling for one of her clients. Her longing for a relationship with Theo and for her father to come home are two consistent themes throughout the story.
Elisa finds solace in the beauty of nature – especially the beauty of an abandoned lake near her home. As the weather turns colder, and the ice freezes solid, Elisa takes her mother’s old figure skates and teaches herself to skate.
Although the poetry is lovely, overall the story is boring and unlikely. With so much else out there to read, I’d skip this one.
This story was a March book club selection.
This is yet another Cyrano de Bergerac retelling. Elisa is a secret poet…secret in that many of her classmates don’t know she is the one who writes the beautiful lines used by many of male classmates to capture the hearts of their crushes. Her home life is a bit depressing, as her father - the only family member who understands her - is away on a business trip that keeps getting extended. This is taking a toll on her parents’ relationship, as well as making Elisa feel even more like an outsider, as she has little in common with her mother and sister.
Add to this that she is falling for one of her clients. Her longing for a relationship with Theo and for her father to come home are two consistent themes throughout the story.
Elisa finds solace in the beauty of nature – especially the beauty of an abandoned lake near her home. As the weather turns colder, and the ice freezes solid, Elisa takes her mother’s old figure skates and teaches herself to skate.
Although the poetry is lovely, overall the story is boring and unlikely. With so much else out there to read, I’d skip this one.
This story was a March book club selection.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
I'm a winner! You can be, too...
From the email I received:
From the email I received:
You've won a Pitch Black Prize Pack from www.harperteen.com! Your Prize Pack
includes the following books: The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The
Struggle, Jinx, Prom Nights from Hell, Wicked Lovely, Wicked Dead: Lurker,
Vampire Kisses: Blood Relatives, Volume I, and Vampire Kisses 4: Dance with a
Vampire!
So...go to www.harperteen.com and register. Click on the link for Contests and sign up to win. You never know...you might be as winner, too!
Book Updates
Back to the Shelves:
Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner – I sent this back, since it just wasn't catching my attention.
The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima (audiobook) - As I said before, I didn't like the narrator...so, back it went after listening to one disc. I may try the print copy...sometime.
Montmorency: Thief Liar Gentleman? by Eleanor Updale - This is back on my "to be read" pile.
Recently Finished:
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (audiobook) - I very much enjoyed this book. The story sucked me in. I can't wait to get book 2 to listen to. My complaint? The audiobook I picked up was an abridged version...something I wasn't aware of until the very end (when they said, "You have been listening to an abridged production..." :( I'm not sure why this wasn't clearly marked on the packaging (I've examined it since). There were a few parts that I felt something was missing or it was a little rushed. Now I know why.
The story is a good one. Gemma's mother dies in a tragic death - after an argument on Gemma's 16th birthday. Gemma is sent from India to England, where she will attend the Spence Academy. It is while boarding there that Gemma learns more about her powers, and about the legenday Order - a group of sorceresses with ties to the caves near the boarding school.
Now Reading:
Undercover by Beth Kephart - I just started reading this book yesterday, and haven't read more than a few pages. It's for the YA book discussion group I am part of. The storyline is yet another Cyrano de Bergerac plot. Hopefully it will outshine the others.
Back to the Shelves:
Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner – I sent this back, since it just wasn't catching my attention.
The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima (audiobook) - As I said before, I didn't like the narrator...so, back it went after listening to one disc. I may try the print copy...sometime.
Montmorency: Thief Liar Gentleman? by Eleanor Updale - This is back on my "to be read" pile.
Recently Finished:
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (audiobook) - I very much enjoyed this book. The story sucked me in. I can't wait to get book 2 to listen to. My complaint? The audiobook I picked up was an abridged version...something I wasn't aware of until the very end (when they said, "You have been listening to an abridged production..." :( I'm not sure why this wasn't clearly marked on the packaging (I've examined it since). There were a few parts that I felt something was missing or it was a little rushed. Now I know why.
The story is a good one. Gemma's mother dies in a tragic death - after an argument on Gemma's 16th birthday. Gemma is sent from India to England, where she will attend the Spence Academy. It is while boarding there that Gemma learns more about her powers, and about the legenday Order - a group of sorceresses with ties to the caves near the boarding school.
Now Reading:
Undercover by Beth Kephart - I just started reading this book yesterday, and haven't read more than a few pages. It's for the YA book discussion group I am part of. The storyline is yet another Cyrano de Bergerac plot. Hopefully it will outshine the others.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)