just a list

So...I just found this post that I started way back on October 31.  Yes...nearly two months ago.  Holy.  I'm just going to post it now as it.  

Due to lack of time lately, here is a list of what I’ve been reading – complete with very sparse notes.

• The art of seducing a naked werewolf by Molly Harper. – Adult supernatural romance. #2 in the series.
• Nice girls don't live forever by Molly Harper. – Adult supernatural romance. #3 in the series. Can’t wait for #4 – due out next spring!
• Putting Makeup on Dead People by Jen Violi – teen debut
• Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper – Adult supernatural romance. #2 in the series
• I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett - #4 in the Tiffany Aching/Wee Free Men subseries.
• How to flirt with a naked werewolf by Molly Harper. – Adult supernatural romance. #1 in the series
• Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall – teen debut. Made me cry.
• The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson – teen debut
• Nice girls don't have fangs by Molly Harper – Adult supernatural romance. #1 in the series. LOVE IT!
• The mark of the golden dragon: being an account of the further adventures of Jacky Faber, jewel of the East, vexation of the West, and pearl of the South China Sea by L.A. Meyer – #9 in the series. Not the best of it. Felt it was lacking in comparison to others in the series. Teen
• Goliath by Scott Westerfeld – final in trilogy. Great series. Ending was meh. Tween/teen
• Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi – teen debut
• Witchlanders by Lena Coakley – teen debut
• Moonglass by Jessi Kirby – teen debut

long overdue

Um….Hi? It’s been a while. I haven’t forgotten about you. Truly, I haven’t. I’ve just been busy reading and working and getting ready for Christmas. Perhaps I need to make a New Year’s resolution to blog more frequently.

I haven’t been listening to many audiobooks the past couple of months. I attempted a few, but they just didn’t catch my interest. The audiobook slump will hopefully be ending, as I have found something fun to listen to during my daily commute. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After by Steve Hockensmith; read by Katherine Kellgren. Katherine Kellgren is on my short list of favorite narrators. So far her narration skills have not disappointed.

I’ve been reading a lot as well. I’m not going to do a full review of each book completed over the past couple of months, but will give a short rundown of the titles.

• Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu – Hazel and Jack have always been best friends, but then something happens that changes their friendship. When Jack disappears into the woods, Hazel is determined to save him. With nods and references to many other beloved children’s stories (Harry Potter, A Wrinkle in Time, When You Reach Me, Andersen’s fairy tales and many more), this is a wonderful story that fantasy book lovers will enjoy.
• Bonk by Mary Roach – Definitely in the adult category, this non-fiction title discusses the science of sex. Often enlightening and humorous (and sometimes a bit painful to read).
• Bunheads by Sophie Flack – Hannah has been living the dream for several years, but being a ballet dancer with the Manhattan Ballet Company isn’t fun and games. Sure there are parties to attend and beautiful outfits to don. There is also a lot of pain and very hard work – and no real social life. This is a great look behind the scenes of what seems to be a glamorous life.
• Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wonder – Debut. Seventeen-year-old Cam has been fighting cancer. The latest news is not good. Hoping for a miracle – something Cam doesn’t believe in – her mother packs up Cam and her younger sister and heads from Orlando to a small town in Maine rumored to be magical.
• Darth Paper Strikes Back: an Origami Yoda book by Tom Angleberger – As the new school year begins Origami Yoda finds a strong foe in newcomer Darth Paper. When his creator, Dwight, is kicked out of school for being a “troublemaker”, Origami Yoda asks Tommy to make a new case file proving that Dwight is not to blame for all his mishaps.
• Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai – 2011 National Book Award Young People’s Literature winner. At the end of the Vietnam War, Ha and her family barely escape their native land. They end up in Alabama. There are times when Ha fondly dreams of being in war torn Vietnam – instead of being in a country where she is such an outsider. Told as a novel in verse, this is the story of one family becoming accustomed to their new country – and their neighbors becoming acclimated to them.
• The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan – The second book the Heroes of Olympus series (a spinoff of the Percy Jackson books), this time the hero with memory loss is Percy Jackson. Finding himself in a camp for Roman demigods, Percy must prove that he deserves to be there – while figuring out who he is. When his new friend is chosen for a quest, Percy joins the trip to the land beyond the gods – Alaska.

Audiobooks (I listened to these ages ago):

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney – As preparation for an upcoming program, I attempted to listen to all of the Wimpy Kid books. I had previously listened to the first in the series. I didn’t get too far. I can’t stand the main character. What a brat and a horrible friend. Ugh!
• A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond – if I had ever read this book as a child, I don’t recall. What a sweet and fun story!
• Bossypants by Tina Fey – Narrated by Tina Fey, this is a great book. There are some parts, however, that she speaks more softly – in a kind of aside type of tone – that made listening to the audiobook a bit difficult. I was disappointed in the photographs in the book (I looked at them after listening to it). Overall, though, great read!

In other news:

As some may know, I am on YALSA’s 2012 Morris committee. Earlier this month we released a shortlist. On the morning of January 23, we will announce which of the five books on the list is the winner. The shortlist includes – in alphabetical order:

• "Between Shades of Gray" written by Ruta Sepetys, published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group USA.
• "The Girl of Fire and Thorns" written by Rae Carson, published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
• "Paper Covers Rock" written by Jenny Hubbard, published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books.
• "Under the Mesquite" written by Guadalupe Garcia McCall, published by Lee and Low Books.
• "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley, published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.

What does this mean? The next few weeks will be spent rereading – again – the list of finalists. Then, after January 23 I can devote my time to pleasure reading once again.

more quick and dirty

Last week I was lucky enough to be on vacation.  Much of that time was spent fairly disconnected from the internet - and at times - cell phones.  It was a wonderfully relaxing time; however, it did absolutely nothing to get me caught up on this blog!  So...here are some more "quick and dirty" reviews.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young– debut book.

In an post apocalyptic world, Saba and her siblings have spent their whole lives in seclusion, sporadically seeing a few neighbors. For years it has been only Saba, her beloved twin Lugh, their younger sister Emmi and their father. When Lugh is captured by mysterious riders, Saba is determined to rescue him despite the great trials she must face. Along the way she realizes that with the power of friendship she is stronger. (Teen)

Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy– debut book.

Modern day Afghanistan. A young Afghani teen must live with the horrible facial defect with which she was born. This is compounded by gender issues that are traditional to her society and the lingering effects of the Taliban’s rule. When American soldiers come to their village, the culture clash brings fear, anger, and – most importantly – hope.(Teen/Tween)

Sister Mischief by Laura Goode– debut book.

Proving that hip hop culture transcends socio-economic and racial boundaries, suburban high schoolers and close friends Esme, Rowie, Marcy and Tess let the rhymes fly. When their school opposes hip hop to the point of writing a policy against the music and its culture, the foursome develop a student group to discuss the movement and how it corresponds with reality. Along the way there is first love, finding of one’s self, and the realization of true friendship. (Teen)

Three down...several more to go. 

quick and dirty - but at least they are done

In the interest of getting caught up, I've decided to post a series of mini-reviews.  These are all books I have read over the past couple of months but just haven't had the chance to write a proper review. 

Love times three: our true story of a polygamous marriage by Joe, Alina, Vicki and Valerie Darger with Brooke Adams. – Adult non-fiction. In some ways fascinating, though I wasn’t overly impressed by the actual writing. The title pretty much tells you what the book is about.

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab – debut book. Set during an unspecified time period (the far past?) in an unspecified English speaking place (the main character mentions that she speaks English). When a stranger comes to Near, young children turn up missing.  Could the two be related or is it the work of the fabled Near Witch? Realistic supernatural fiction. An intriguing read.

Tall Story by Candy Gourlay– debut book. Two half- siblings. One lives in London with their mother and her father, waiting for the day when her older brother can be with them. The other lives in the Philippines with their aunt and her family, growing taller and taller as he waits for the approval to immigrate to the UK. When he finally arrives, nothing is as expected. Told in alternating voices, this is a wonderful debut. I’m just not 100% sure who its audience is, feeling that it is more of a tween book than anything else.

Madapple by Christina Meldrum– debut book. Previous Morris finalist. Charged with the murder of her aunt and her cousin, Aslaug is on trial. What unfolds is an often confusing story of true reality versus perceived reality, interspersed with religion and science. While a solid novel, it reads more like a book written for adults than a teen novel.

Boo!

Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol

After coming to America from Russia as a child, teenager Anya has worked hard to fit in with her peers, though she still feels like an outcast. While ditching school one day, she falls through an old well where she is stuck, undiscovered, for two days. It is there that she meets Emily, the ghost of a teenage girl who was murdered ninety years ago.

When Anya is rescued, Emily follows her. The two become close friends, as Emily helps Anya with school and with the boy she likes. However, there’s more to Emily than she is letting on, and soon Anya realizes she needs to know the truth.

Likes

The illustrations, inked in grayscale with hues of “purpley-blue”, are expressive. The minimal coloring adds to the spookiness in some scenes.

Not fitting in with your peers, having a negative body image, and being embarrassed by one’s family all resonate with most readers. Who hasn’t felt that way at least once in their lives?

The story is interesting and flows well.

Of course, I love how Anya uses the library to solve the mystery!

Other

The author has a very cool post on her blog that shows the process of making this graphic novel. Check it out!

This Girl is Different?

This Girl is Different by J.J. Johnson

Evensong Sparkling Morningdew (Evie) is different. Having never been to The Institution of School, she decides to embark on an experiment for her senior year and attend the local high school, against her counter-culture mother’s wishes. Evie knows that she isn’t like other teens; however, when she launches a mini-revolution at the high school, she has a hard time accepting that other teens may not want to be like her.


Likes
I like the idea of the main character being a former homeschooled teen.

Dislikes
I was very annoyed by most of the book. My eyes got a huge workout from rolling so much! Instead of taking the opportunity to show that homeschool kids aren’t geeks and freaks, the novel shows a homeschool family as being completely outside society’s norm.

Evie’s mom is a very anti-establishment…yet works at Walmart, where she hasn’t been fired yet for putting her little messages on various products.

I don’t think Evie’s mom ever calls her by her name. It’s almost always “darling”.

Bleh. I could go on and on why I didn’t like this book. I won’t though.

Picture Paige

Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge 

When her family moves from their quiet Virginia town to New York City, Paige feels alone. Using her new sketchbook, she develops a list of rules to help herself along the path of developing a new identity as an artist. Over the next year Paige struggles with her own insecurities both as a friend and as an artist, while exploring her relationships with her family, friends and, through her sketchbook, herself.

Likes

Although colorless, the illustrations are vivid and bring the story to life.

One of my favorite lines in the book, in a scene where Paige and her new friends are talking about their ethnicities (Japanese American, Italian Latinos), Paige remarks:

Wow, you guys are so exotic! Me, I’m just like if all the pale countries got together and had a big orgy.

Love it. Why? Because it is something I could totally utter.

Dislikes

While I do kind of understand why the book is in black and white (Paige sketches in pencil), I wish there was some color.

I read the paperback of this book. The hardcover has illustrations on the end pages that reflect the story. Both were published at the same time.

Leverage

Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen

At Danny’s high school, football is king. The other male athletic teams (gymnastics and cross country running) are not just picked on and hassled by the football players, but are physically bullied and abused. Danny and the other gymnasts try to keep their heads down and remain unnoticed.

When big guy Kurt is recruited to their football team, the rest of the school are certain he is as dumb as he looks and, thanks to his stutter, sounds. Yet no one cares as long as he keeps them on a path to championship stardom. When he realizes what his teammates are doing to the smaller athletes, Kurt must choose between keeping quiet and staying part of the team or standing up for those who have shown him real friendship.

Told in chapters alternating between the two athletes, this is a sports novel that is about much more than sports. It is about trust, friendship, family…and about doing what is right.

Likes

I had a hard time getting into this book, mostly due my lack of experience of extreme hazing. Trust me; this is something that I am very content in not experiencing. I was also resisting reading this novel because I am not a fan of typical sports novels. However, once I sat down and allowed myself to get past page sixteen, I found this novel to be a hard-hitting tale about life. Yes, sports play a role in the story, but more of a backdrop to the real tale.

The narrative is well crafted. You are transported into the scenes: cliff diving and rock climbing with one group of guys and hunting with another; flipping on the high bar with Danny and rushing across the football field with Kurt; hiding in the storage room with one teen and trapped in a box with another.

Dislikes

One of the positive attributes of this novel is also one that I didn’t like. Perhaps that is also what makes it such a strong narrative. As I said, this is a hard-hitting story. The abuse and violence that happens is, at times, graphic and very hard to read. The bullying between the football players and the other male athletes begins early – page fifteen. While I didn’t like these aspects of this novel, I think that they are also part of what makes it work.

Other

The cover of this novel is very striking, grabbing your attention and illustrating elements of the story. The stark white front cover: a muscular and veined fisted arm in the air. The title on the front and side: the first four letters in brown, the last four (RAGE) in red. The back cover: an extreme close-up of a football.

Graced

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Lady Katsa, niece to King Randa of the Middluns, is a Graceling, as shown by her eyes being two different colors. Her grace is an odd one for a girl and a dangerous one for any Graceling to possess. She can kill with the slightest touch of her hand. After years of being used as a deadly tool by her uncle, Katsa forms a council of trusted friends. Together they travel around the seven kingdoms and help those in need.

It is on one such journey that Katsa first meets a mysterious Graceling from Lienid.

Likes
Katsa is a strong role model. Though she sees herself as a lethal animal, she truly has a softer, caring side. This is exhibited by the formation of the Council and by the journey with Bitterblue.

Katsa and Po’s relationship. (SPOILER ALERT) I will admit that there was a part of me that wanted the two to end up happily married and raising a family; however, I'm glad they didn't.  It would have gone against Katsa's nature.

Dislikes
This was a full cast audiobook. One annoyance to me was the lack of accent. This wouldn’t have been much of an issue other than there are a few instances where a character (such as Po) is described as having a particular tone or accent to his speech.

Bitterblue’s name. Really? A child named Bitterblue? Bleh.

Bitterblue doesn’t act or speak much like a child, even when considering her upbringing.

I contemplated changing audiobooks because the story didn’t grab me as deeply as I would have liked. It’s been a couple of weeks since I finished listening to the book, and I am left with an overall negative feeling towards it.

Other
Book two in the trilogy is Fire. However, from what I have read it takes place many years prior to Graceling.

Debut / 2009 Morris Award finalist.

a tale of 12 princesses

Entwined by Heather Dixon

Christmas Eve and the night of the Royal Yuletide Ball should have been the beginning of a season of parties and dances for the oldest princess, Azalea. Yet, when tragedy strikes the royal family, the twelve princesses are plunged into a year of mourning for their beloved mother and left with only their distant father. Mourning means a year of black dresses, covered windows, no visitors and, most devastating to the girls, no dancing.

After learning about secret and possibly magic passageways in their palace, Azalea stumbles upon one this takes the princesses to an enchanted land of silver and white. There they meet Keeper who invites them to visit nightly to dance for as long as they wish. This brings much joy to the grieving royal children.

All isn’t as it seems. Keeper harbors secrets that are based deep in the history of the country. The King isn’t as cold and uncaring as his daughters believe. And love can be found in the most unexpected places.

Likes

Retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses fairy tale. I’m a sucker for fairytale rewrites (such as the series created by Terri Windling).

I loved the way the King got around the whole “no visitors” part of mourning rules and made it possible for his daughters to still meet eligible bachelors. Those passages were full of fun.

Dislikes

Too many characters to keep track of. Yes, many of the princesses were not primary characters, but it felt like the author was trying to make each one stand out with individual personalities (other than the youngest, Lily). Perhaps it would have been less distracting if there had been a cast of characters listed at the beginning of the novel.

Dancing is an integral part of the plot. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and to be somewhat expected considering the fairy tale that the story is based on. The description of the dances were often detailed, which was great…except I don’t really know much about dance, so felt compelled to gloss over those sections.

Will the real Princess Nalia please stand up?

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

Imagine finding out that your whole life has been a lie of royal proportions. Shortly after turning 16, Princess Nalia is told that she is really a commoner named Sinda. Now that the prophecy against the real princess has shown to not come true, Sinda is sent away and the real Nalia is returning to claim her rightful position.

Bring raised as royalty has not prepared Sinda for a life as a dyer’s niece. Try as she might, she does not fit in with the simple village life. When the magic hidden deep within her suddenly emerges, Sinda knows she must return to the capitol city and learn how to handle her new powers. Once there she reconnects with her childhood best friend, the noble born Kiernan. Together they uncover a plot that started with the prophecy. Now it is up to Sinda and Kiernan to solve the mystery without anyone losing their lives.

Likes

Strong female characters. Sinda, her aunt (the village dyer) and several other characters are portrayed as having strong personalities.

Dislikes

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve read this book. Nothing is sticking out as one thing that I didn’t like about it. However, nothing is sticking out as one thing that is really and truly spectacular either.

Between Shades of Gray

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

With a pounding knock at the door Lina’s life as the teenaged daughter of a university professor changes into a nightmare. Lina, her younger brother Jonas and their mother have just moments to pack what they can before they are taken away from their home by Soviet guards. Thus begins their grueling journey from Lithuania to Siberia. Lina documents their journey through her art, drawing what she can in hopes to pass it along to her father, a prisoner in a different Soviet prison camp.


Likes

When thinking of genocide during World War II, most will think of the Nazi death camps, yet there were millions of people forcibly relocated or murdered under Stalin’s Soviet rule. The relocation was, for many, essentially a death sentence, as they endured starvation, exposure to the elements, hard labor and disease. This novel is a beautifully written tale of one family’s experience.

Lina struggles to maintain a sense of her self while enduring the horror her life has become. She mourns the loss of her life of a carefree teenager and of her younger brother’s childhood innocence. Her feelings are what make her seem more real.

A taste of bitter melon

Bitter Melon by Cara Chow


Growing up in San Francisco’s Chinatown during the late 1980s, Frances, the only child of a strict Chinese mother, has only one task: do whatever Mommy says. When it comes to her education, she is expected to go to Berkley and become a doctor. Frances is compliant with this path…until a scheduling mix-up places her in a Speech class instead of Calculus. Through speech Frances finds her voice and realizes that she must do what is best for her, not what makes Mommy happy. The realization is easy, but the path to happiness comes with great struggles as Frances pushes against the traditional mindset of her immigrant mother.

Likes
Learning about another culture, especially one that is not as well represented in teen literature.

Dislikes
Derek is not a well developed character. Too much credit is given to him.

Some items are treated as being very relevant to the story or to Frances’ self discovery, but then they are not continued throughout the story.

I kept wondering if the author was writing about her own past and relationship with her mother. The time period in which the story is set – 1989-1990 – is fairly irrelevant to the story.

Other
While reading this book I was constantly reminded of the debate around a recent book titled Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua. Frances’ mother is undoubtedly a “Tiger Mother”.

Somewhere out there

Across the Universe by Beth Revis.

At the beginning sixteen-year-old Amy says goodbye to her parents, both essential crew for a colonization mission into space, knowing that they will be reunited 300 years from now, when their cryogenically frozen bodies will be revived. Then Amy goes through the painful process of being frozen. Over the years she dreams – and sometimes hears voices.

Teenaged Elder is the next in line to lead the inhabitants of the spaceship Goodspeed, now only 50 years from landing. Attempting to learn his place in society and what his future duties will hold, he struggles against the tyrannical ruling of Eldest, his predecessor and current ruler.

When Amy’s chamber is unplugged, she narrowly escapes death and is thrust into a world she never imagined. Physically different from the rest of the ship’s inhabitants, she stands out, something that Eldest does not like. As Amy struggles with trusting Elder, she also worries about the safety of her parents – especially as more of the frozen occupants are unplugged. Can Amy and Elder figure out who is trying to murder the hidden frozen inhabitants before another one dies?



The story unfolds in alternating chapters told by Amy and Elder, giving the reader both sides of the tale. Both characters are well developed. Amy’s original apprehension at joining her parents, her confusion about life on the ship, sadness about life before leaving Earth and her fears of being without her parents for at least 50 more years are all written with honesty and realism. The same can be said of Elder’s conflicting feelings about one day being in charge of the ship and his questioning of how things are done. The two are teenagers, and at times do act as expected; however, they are also forced to act as adults, especially when it means saving the ship from total disaster.

The story made me think, long after I finished reading. However, even with a solid ending, I want to know more about Amy, Elder and the journey from Earth to Centauri-Earth.

Dystopian novels are all the rave right now. I like the genre well enough but have been getting annoyed reading the same formula again and again. That being said, this look into the future has some differences that I very much enjoyed, the most noticeable being location: a ship in outer space.

Now…if I could only get the title to not bring the Beatles song to my head, I would be a lot happier. Lovely song, but not as an earworm.

Three sides to every story: his, hers and the truth.

Exposed by Kimberly Marcus

They’ve always said that nothing can come between forever-best friends Liz and Kate, but when the unspeakable happens, even being one another’s forever-best friends can’t keep the friendship alive.

Told in verse, the story unfolds as Liz – the narrator of the story – discovers the real reason why Kate stopped talking to her. As the story progresses Liz must manage her conflicting feelings about her older brother, her best friend and even about herself.

Likes

Due to the style of writing, the book is a quick read. The story is compelling and makes you think. The verse style adds to the drama without taking away from the story.

Photography, which is important to Liz, serves as a thematic device. For example, Liz often sees things in black and white; however, when the incident between her brother, Mike, and Kate is “exposed”, Liz starts to realize that what appears in the picture has many shades of gray.

Dislikes

Understandably, we only have Liz’s view on Mike and Kate. However, I wish the characters were more thoroughly developed, especially Mike.

Hello, my name is...

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan.

Ever since her father’s tragic death 12 years prior, Bronwen hasn’t felt like she belonged in her family. Her perfect and blond older brother and their equally perfect and blond mother shared so many traits, none of which the naturally brunette Bronwen possessed. She had felt so much like an outsider in her own family that she imagined a Real Family that would one day collect her.

At the end of her junior year of high school, Bronwen becomes reacquainted with an old friend of her brother, the handsome Jared Sondervan. In him – and his family – she finds what she had been missing for so many years – a place where she belongs. As their relationship quickly progresses from maybe dating to being engaged and planning a summer wedding, Bronwen thinks her life is perfect…but is it really what she wants right now?

Likes

The setting was fairly well drawn. I wasn’t surprised to see that the author was from that part of Michigan. While I was only in that area for a long weekend several years ago, I could picture much of the locations described.

Dislikes

The characters all seemed flat, even Bronwen.

The timeline went quickly…a bit too quickly. I think that it actually took a bit from the story. Most of Bronwen’s senior year of high school was glossed over. I felt like if I blinked between paragraphs I might have missed several months of her story.

Other

This is a debut book. The author has some skill. I would like to see subsequent works, as I think with each one she might develop into a great writer.

Hush

Hush by Eishes Chayil

Gittel lives in a Chassidic community in New York where religion is more than belief in a higher power but a way of life. By most of today’s society, Gittel would be considered extremely naive.

When she was just a young girl, she witnessed something so horrible that she doesn’t know how to explain it. She is told to forget about it. Pretend it didn’t happen. But it still haunts her.

Now as a married woman and about to become a mother, Gittel cannot remain quiet any longer. If her child is a girl, she wants to name her Devory, after her childhood best friend who committed suicide.

Likes

The author’s writing has a wonderful voice. I could “hear” the characters as they spoke – their tones, their cadences, their accents.

Wow. The scene when Devory commits suicide. I am not giving anything away about the story by saying she was abused and commits suicide. You know this from the beginning. It is always striking to read about anyone being abused or taking one’s own life. It is even more so when the person is a young child. While I can’t say I “liked” this scene, I felt it was remarkable and added more depth to the story.

There’s a glossary in the back of the book to help with the Yiddish terms used throughout the story. This is very helpful.

Obviously I am not a Chassidic Jew, and my viewpoints on life are radically different from those in that community. The author writes about the Chassidic community as they are. Not condemning them and saying that they need massive changes or to “get with the times”. Not saying that they are perfect. Just saying this is who they are and how they live. In doing so she presents a story of a people and their way of life.

Dislikes

While I liked that there is a glossary available in the back of the book, I didn’t like having to flip to it so much. I thought it was distracting from the story. Additionally, I wonder how many teens would even bother

Other

2011 YALSA Morris award finalist

Gaurdian of the dead

Guardian of the dead by Karen Healey.

While her parents are on a vacation of a lifetime, Ellie is spending a year at a boarding school located on New Zealand’s South Island. After accidentally bumping into her classmate Mark, odd things start happening. When Kevin, her closest friend, talks her in to helping with the local university’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Ellie reluctantly agrees. There she meets the stunningly beautiful – and stunningly rude – Reka, who only has eyes for Kevin. Ellie knows there is something not right with how Kevin acts around Reka, but can’t figure out what it is.

Then she discovers a world she previously couldn’t see. A supernatural world where myths and legends are real, and Ellie is about to walk hip deep in the trouble brewing. Can she do anything to save those closest to her?

Likes
The mythology. I love myths and legends, but know little of Maori mythology.

The characters. Ellie and Mark were both richly drawn. I would have liked a little more depth on some of the other characters, though.

Dislikes

I don’t know much about Maori mythologies. While I’ve read many myths and fairytales, most of them have been European. So, I found myself often confused by the names and myths in this novel. I wonder if it would also confuse most American teens reading it.

I was a little annoyed by Ellie and her view of herself. I wanted to keep telling her to have a little more self confidence. On the other hand, it made her a bit more real.

I’m not sure who I would suggest this book.

Other

This book is on YALSA’s 2011 Morris Award shortlist

Crossing the Tracks

Crossing the tracks by Barbara Stuber

It’s been ten years since Iris Baldwin’s mother passed away. Now her father, who has always been distant, has arranged for fifteen-year-old Iris to spend the summer in the country, working for a doctor by taking care of his elderly mother. Meanwhile, her father and his fiancée will head to Kansas City to open a new shoe store. Iris, upset about her father’s plans and his lack of communication with her, she voices her complaints to her closest – an only – friend, Leroy.

Iris’ notions of the doctor and his mother are far from reality. Instead of a bed ridden invalid and a distant, self-important professional, she finds two people who are warm and inviting.

Over the next few months Iris will be challenged by family, friends, enemies and even herself.



Likes
As you know, I’m a bit of a sucker for good historical fiction. This is a lovely example of it. Iris’ world of Midwestern America during the 1920s is richly described.

Iris changes and grows in a realistic manner. It doesn’t happen overnight. She stays true to how she is described early in the story. At the end, you can tell she is maturing emotionally and coming into her own, but also that it is something that will take time. Iris seems real.

Mrs. Nesbitt – the doctor’s elderly mother. She is a wonderful character. I love that she takes the opportunity of Iris’ employment to return to her former self. Vibrantly written, she is one of those fictional people I would love to meet.

Dislikes
The Deets part of the story. While I see how it enhanced the tale a bit, in a way I think the story could have been fine without it. Or without so much of it. How’s that for not giving away any parts of the plot?


Other
This book is written by a debut author, and is on the 2011 Morris shortlist.

I love this song!

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

Sam really doesn’t have much direction in life. True, he has an apartment of his own, but he dropped out of college and is working at a fast food joint. He does have some close friends and a mother and sister whom he loves. This is good – especially after meeting Douglas, a suit wearing, imposing man who claims that Sam is a necromancer…like him. All of a sudden Sam’s slightly below average life becomes very interesting. Oh, and a bit violent, too.

One friend loses her head (and yet “lives” to tell Sam and others about it). A new friend has a tendency to turn into a wolf from time to time. His mom has a few things she’s been hiding from him as well.

Sam isn’t sure what to make of his life, and with Douglas’ promises of more violence and death pressuring him to make some difficult decisions (a la “come to the dark side or I’ll torture and kill everyone you know”), he doesn’t have much time to figure everything out. What’s a guy with newly found supernatural powers to do?


Likes

Almost every - if not all - chapter is a lyric (or a play on lyrics) – mostly from well known songs. The chapter titles are subtly linked to the events in the chapter. I’m not sure how many teens would get this, but I loved it.

Because of the title I keep having the chorus of Elton John's Tiny Dancer going through my head. I'm not sure that is a like, though. While I enjoy the song, it gets old quickly!

This book is full of humor, which I adore.

There’s appeal for both guys and gals. There’s a little romance…and there’s a bit of gore. A great balance of the two. There’s adventure. Magic. Sex. Skateboards. What more could a reader want?

Dislikes

Um…the story ended? Really, I enjoyed this book so much that I was kind of sad when it was finished.

Other

This book is on the 2011 Morris award shortlist.