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Book Reviews: May 2010
Fat Cat by Robin Brande
Overachieving high schooler Cat is determined to ace her science project and beat her ex-best friend Matt McKinney at the science fair. Since the competition is so intense, Cat knows she has to do something drastic — she will use herself as a test subject. She has always struggled with her weight, so decides to essentially live like a caveman by eating unprocessed foods and walking everywhere. What starts as an experiment changes Cat in unexpected ways and may just change her long-strained relationship with Matt. Cat’s transformation is inspiring, especially since it comes from a healthy relationship with food. The ending is fairly predictable, but the journey is fun and full of characters that you can’t help but love.
Gimme A Call by Sarah Mlynowski
High school senior Devi gets a surprise when she drops her cell phone in the mall fountain — she’s somehow able to call her 14-year-old self. She seizes this opportunity to shape her life, as the actions her past self takes immediately affect her present. And she especially wants to avoid ever dating her boyfriend of three years, who broke her heart right before prom. But not all of Devi’s past decisions have favorable outcomes and she starts to understand what’s really important in her life. Devi’s a likable character and it’s interesting to see the interactions between the past Devi and the present Devi. The unique time-bending nature of the story adds a fun level to this otherwise typical contemporary YA novel. The premise also lends itself to some fun discussion about what you would tell your past self and how little actions can have big consequences.
Vinyl Princess by Yvonne Prinz
This slice of life story about a vinyl music loving 16-year-old brings Berkeley, CA to life and makes the reader want to haul out a record player and some classic LPs. The plot is fairly straightforward and predictable, but the characters and their passions shine through.
June 1st, 2010 ♥ Books, Reviews ♥ No Comments »
Book Review: Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu
High school junior Lucy hasn’t been able to have a normal life because she’s constantly trying keep anyone from finding out her family secret. Lucy’s mom is an obsessive hoarder and every inch of their home is stacked with paper, trash, and other “treasures” that she can’t bear throwing away. Lucy is just beginning to make some good friends when she returns home to find her mom dead, buried under a pile of magazines. Unable to bear the thought of calling 911 and exposing their secrets to the world, Lucy goes to great lengths to make everything appear normal.
The premise of this debut novel is extremely dark and Lucy’s actions are completely irrational, so the fact that the author can get the reader to empathize with Lucy’s decisions and root for her says a lot about the author’s powerful storytelling abilities. I was completely engrossed from beginning to end, and while the conclusion was a bit far-fetched and left a lot of practical loose ends, I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, compelling read.
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Reviewed from an ARC received at ALA Midwinter.
May 18th, 2010 ♥ Books, Reviews ♥ No Comments »
Mini-Reviews
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de Luce Mystery by Alan Bradley
Eleven-year-old chemistry lover and amateur sleuth Flavia de Luce may be a little too precocious for her own good, but this philatelic mystery set in 1950s England is a delight.
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Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
Finnikin of the Rock, an epic fantasy tale, is a marked departure from Melina Marchetta’s usual contemporary realistic fiction, but she has crafted a rich, complex world full of intriguing and mysterious characters. The strong socio-political undercurrents have parallels to our own world, but they don’t overwhelm the core story about Finnikin’s search for a homeland for his displaced kingdom and his acceptance of his destiny to become king.
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Violet on the Runway, Violet by Design and Violet in Private by Melissa Walker
Melissa Walker’s Violet trilogy offers a fun, pop-culture-filled look at the modeling industry from the point of view of a regular teen girl plucked from obscurity to make it big on the runways of New York, Brazil, and Paris.
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Heist Society by Ally Carter
Kat Bishop grew up with a family of art thieves, but just wants to enjoy being a normal high school student for once. Her attempt at normalcy is short-lived, however, when the theft of a famous art collection is pegged on her father. Kat soon finds herself putting together a crack team of teen-aged thieves to pull off one last heist to clear her dad’s name. This book is pure fun featuring a strong female lead and a great cast of supporting characters.
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April 14th, 2010 ♥ Books, Reviews ♥ No Comments »
Book Review: Seventeenth Summer by Maureen Daly
Seventeen-year-old Angie just graduated from high school and thought this summer would be no different than any other. But that was before she caught the eye of Jack Duluth, the popular basketball star with the All-American good looks. It’s not long before she’s going to country club dances, hanging out by the lake, and, just maybe, falling in love.
Written by Maureen Daly when she was a teenager herself, Seventeenth Summer is often considered the first true YA novel. It’s still in print and Simon and Schuster will be releasing a new edition this month. But, as with most books written almost 70 years ago, the story is pretty dated and it’s not just in the social norms. Unlike modern YA books, there’s very little dialogue to be found here. It’s hard to tell why Angie and Jack even like each other, considering they spend so much time not talking (and don’t think they’re filling their time ‘necking’ — Angie can barely bring herself to utter the word). Angie’s other relationships aren’t much better. The minor subplot involving Angie’s sister Lorraine and her on-again-off-again male caller has some nuance to it, but Angie and Lorraine’s interactions are more about what they can’t bring themselves to say to each other. Modern readers may be frustrated by the lack of action, but the romance, while innocent, will still capture the hearts of teen girls. The story is also a fascinating look at everyday life in the late 1930s, which could be appealing for readers with an interest in past generations.
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Covers Throughout the Years
April 12th, 2010 ♥ Books, Reviews, YA Decades Challenge ♥ No Comments »
Book Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
In the opening pages of Lauren Oliver’s debut novel, Before I Fall, popular high schooler Samantha Kingston dies in car crash on the way home from a party. But her life doesn’t end there, as she wakes up the next morning to relive her last day over and over again. Realizing how terribly she’d treated her family and many of her classmates, Sam uses her borrowed time to make amends and alter the day’s events. Her actions don’t always create favorable outcomes, however, and she comes to some powerful realizations about friendship, love, and the nature of fate. As a typical mean girl, Sam is not the most likable character, but her actions and reactions are believable and make her easy to root for. Some of the book’s events are truly heartbreaking and the ending will surely provoke discussion for readers. This truly gripping and relatable debut will be especially appealing to fans of If I Stay by Gayle Forman and Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.
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Reviewed from an ARC received at ALA Midwinter.
April 6th, 2010 ♥ Books, Reviews ♥ No Comments »
YA Through the Decades: 1930s and Earlier
It’s time for the first post for the YA Through the Decades Challenge. First up: 1930s and earlier.
Looking at young adult literature from the early parts of the 20th century and earlier is a tenuous exercise, considering that no one published books targeted to that age group. Up until the early part of the century, teenagers didn’t even exist as a separate cultural group. Those in their teenage years often went into the workforce after some years of schooling and most married young and started families before they were 20. Just as teens transitioned from childhood straight to adulthood, so did the literature. Teens certainly found both adult and children’s material that appealed to them, though, so that’s what we’ll be talking about here. We’ll also be focusing on American books, since that’s what I know and the concept of literature published specifically for teens seems to have originated in the US.
Books featuring teens with teen appeal began to appear after the Civil War. Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, a book that has continued to enthrall young readers, was one of the first in 1868. Other popular books for girls in this time period were of the domestic romance type, like St. Elmo by Augusta Jane Evans. Boys tended to enjoy dime novels featuring Westerns, mysteries, and detective stories. Other influential books from this earlier era include Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, which has endured as a literary classic, and Horatio Alger’s Ragged Dick, which was widely read, but dismissed at the time as mindless fluff.
Some of the earlier dime novels and boys’ series paved the way for the wildly successful Stratemeyer syndicate. Known most now for the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books, Edward Stratemeyer’s book publishing company produced dozens of series for kids and teens in the first half of the 20th century. The first series, the Rover Boys, featured three regular teen boys getting into mischief. Thirty volumes were published between 1899 and 1926. The other series were a mix of stories for girls and boys, with the earlier ones featuring mostly true-life adventures. For girls, Ruth Fielding, an ambitious young woman who joins the Red Cross and goes to college, was one of the syndicate’s most popular. Starting in the 1930s, mystery stories became de rigueur and the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew were born. The early books in both series were heavily edited in the ’60s to remove many racist stereotypes.
Both teen culture and teen literature began to take shape in the 1930s. The Young People’s Reading Roundtable (YPRRT) was established as part of ALA’s Children’s Library Association in 1930 and began publishing a list of “books for young people” that eventually became today’s Best Books for Young Adults. While this list for high school students consisted solely of adult titles with teen appeal, it’s clear that librarians and others were beginning to see this age group as its own entity.
Read on for my challenge review and a giveaway of the Puffin Classics edition of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott!
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February 2nd, 2010 ♥ Books, Reviews, YA Decades Challenge ♥ 4 Comments »
Book Review: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. Dutton Juvenile (2010), Hardcover, 304 pages.
Release date: April 6, 2010
This is the story of two Will Graysons. One is the unassuming, regular kid, always lurking in the shadows of his best friend, the 6 foot 6, fabulously gay Tiny Cooper. The other is a tortured soul, bolstered only by his online flirtation with Isaac. Their paths cross one night in downtown Chicago, leading both of them on unexpected, usually hilarious, but often poignant, relationship journeys, culminating in one high school musical spectacular.
John Green and David Levithan are masters in examining the male psyche with equal shades humor and authenticity. Each of the Will Graysons are not without their flaws, but still manage to be likable and relatable. But the true heart of the book lies with Tiny Cooper, who helps shape both of the title characters. His character will resonate with lots of teens, whether they’re straight, gay, bi, questioning, or anything in between. With alternating points of view, especially when the characters have the same name, the story takes a few chapters to settle into a rhythm, but the narrative doesn’t get bogged down with too many plot points or side characters. There are a few points when reality gets stretched or sped up to further the plot, but I was willing to allow a temporary suspension of disbelief for the sake of the story. This book might not be for everyone — John Green critics will find the usual regular guy meets manic pixie dream girl trope here and the casual acceptance of the gay characters by the other high schoolers is a little too easy — but there’s a lot to like here.
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Reviewed from an ARC received at ALA Midwinter.
February 2nd, 2010 ♥ Books, Reviews ♥ No Comments »
Book Reviews: Cracked Up to Be and Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers. St. Martin’s Griffin (2008), Paperback, 224 pages.
Parker Fadley used to have it all. She was head cheerleader, got straight As, and was dating the hottest guy at her Catholic high school, but she gave it all up after one eventful party her senior year and now everyone’s on constant suicide watch. Now the new guy at school may be the only one who gets her to open up about what happened and survive.
In Courtney Summers’ debut novel, she has created a compelling narrative that begs to be read in one sitting. Revealing the events of the fateful party slowly and from Parker’s hazy memory keeps the reader wanting the full story, even though all signs point to the truth being tragic. Summers also has a way of making characters that are extremely flawed, yet somehow still sympathetic and relatable. Parker makes so many questionable decisions, but you still root for her until the end.
Reviewed from a personal copy.
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Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers. St. Martin’s Griffin (2010), Paperback, 256 pages.
Regina Afton has been second-in-command of the Fearsome Fivesome since high school started. Their inner circle is known for wild parties, cool clothes, and their ability to make anyone’s life miserable. But after Regina gets sexually assaulted by Queen Bee Anna’s boyfriend, Regina finds herself on the receiving end of the group’s vicious tactics.
Courtney Summers paints a brutal picture of high school bullying that is all but ignored by school administration and parents. With a subject matter that can easily fall into after-school special, cautionary tale tropes, Summers creates a main character that is tragically flawed, yet is still someone the reader wants to root for. They story is hard to read in its unflinching depictions of vindictive one-up-manship, but it’s also hard to put down in the hope of some sort of redemption for Regina.
Reviewed from an ARC received through LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
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January 30th, 2010 ♥ Books, Reviews ♥ No Comments »
Book Review: Soulless by Gail Carriger
Alexia Tarabotti, unmarried in her late 20s, is considered a spinster by Victorian London standards. As such, she must tolerate her flighty mother and younger sisters by dutifully attending parties, dressing modestly, and staying out of trouble. But that last part isn’t so easy when you lack a soul and can inadvertently kill hungry vampires with a single touch.
It’s Victorian London, but with a twist. Vampires, werewolves, and ghosts coexist (mostly peacefully) with the straight-laced, proper English society. The status quo is upset, however, when rogue vampires start turning up around London and Alexia gets caught up in the middle of the investigation led by the brackish, yet alluring werewolf, Lord Maccon.
Soulless is nothing more than a guilty pleasure read, but it’s a rollicking, fun one. Carriger has managed to blend aspects of historical fiction, paranormal romance, mysteries, and science-y steampunk in a wry, humorous manner. The main characters tend to be a bit on the bland side, but the side characters, especially Professor Lyall and Lord Akeldama provide plenty of fun moments. The romance aspects got a little hot and heavy, though never progressed beyond what was acceptable by Victorian standards. Fans of paranormal lit looking for something on the lighter side should eat this up. And lots of librarians agree, since this just won an Alex award for adult fiction with teen appeal.
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January 28th, 2010 ♥ Books, Reviews ♥ No Comments »
Book Review: Very LeFreak by Rachel Cohn
Columbia University freshman Veronica, better known as Very, has a technology problem. Sure, she could focus on her schoolwork and her work-study job, but she’d rather organize killer parties and ridiculous flashmobs using the social networking site she created with her dorm-mates. Oh, and there’s the alluring El Virus, a fellow technophile she’s been flirting with online. All the fun has to come to an end, however, when El Virus suddenly disappears and her college friends stage an intervention that ends up with her in technology rehab.
I really wanted to like this book. Rachel Cohn wrote half of one of my favorite YA books, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and the introduction to Very reminded me a bit of Norah — a sarcastic music lover with a romantic side. Unfortunately, I just never connected with the character. She was a little too caustic and Cohn packed her with too many issues to deal with in 300 pages. The side characters were one-sided and came in and out of the narrative at strange intervals. Plus, I found the technology addiction plot a little eye-rolling and fear that it will be outdated quickly. This could be a fun diversion for older teens (also note: plenty of drugs and sex), but I doubt it will have much staying power. Isn’t the cover awesome, though?
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Reviewed from an ARC received from the publisher at the ALA Midwinter Meeting.
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