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Caro Mitchell considers herself an only child—and she likes it that way. After all, her much older sister, Hannah, left home eight years ago, and Caro barely remembers her. So when Caro’s parents drop the bombshell news that Hannah is returning to live with them, Caro feels as if an interloper is crashing her family. To her, Hannah’s a total stranger, someone who haunts their home with her meek and withdrawn presence, and who refuses to talk about her life and why she went away. Caro can’t understand why her parents cut her sister so much slack, and why they’re not pushing for answers.
Unable to understand Hannah, Caro resorts to telling lies about her mysterious reappearance. But when those lies alienate Caro’s new boyfriend and put her on the outs with her friends and her parents, she seeks solace from an unexpected source. And when she unearths a clue about Hannah’s past—one that could save Hannah from the dark secret that possesses her—Caro begins to see her sister in a whole new light.
Alethea's review:
I've been an Anna Jarzab fan ever since reading her debut, All Unquiet Things. I found it to be literary, emotionally wrenching, complex and moving. I was especially intrigued to learn she was tackling another unusual topic: the homecoming of an estranged sister, not just any sister, but a Sister. I thought it strange subject matter from the get-go. What does an average YA realistic fiction reader care about a young woman taking holy orders?
Carolina Mitchell is a spoiled brat. Especially in the first half of the book, the author lets her have free rein--with all the tantrums and attitudes she exhibits, you would think she was about 7 or 8 years old and not a teenager. To Caro, her situation is incomprehensible: her sister Hannah, a virtual stranger now, has left the cloister she has lived in for eight years. She doesn't even remember how deeply she used to worship the golden girl Hannah was before, and in the face of this gloomy, withered sibling, Caro clings selfishly to all that she can hold.
I worried a little bit that the religious themes would be uncomfortable--they're not what I seek to read normally--but the author handles them with sensitivity and grace. One of my favorite characters was Father Bob, who relates to Caro in unexpected ways; he listens instead of berates and is a refreshingly positive portrayal of an authority figure in a YA novel.
I thought the elder Mitchells were very real, though some of Caro's friends are too flat to care about in any palpable way. I liked Pawel and the relationship that springs up between him and Caro, and I liked even more the fact that the romance takes a backseat to the Mitchell family's dynamics. I found the interactions between Caro, Hannah, and their mom and dad to be very touching.
The "mystery" of Hannah's vocation--the dark secret that she has to marry God to escape--is quite predictable, but the author's treatment of it from several angles renders its complexity as it boils down to the unavoidable core of Hannah's malaise. Jarzab skillfully peels away the onion skin layers of conflict, self-blame, and tragedy; I think it would take quite a cold reader to be able to look away, especially once Caro begins to grow into her role and take charge of the situation.
A lot of readers might find Caro's self-centeredness too off-putting to finish the book, but those readers would be missing the best part--a real transformation from holy terror, not into an angel, but into something more human.
I can't wait to see what Anna Jarzab will tackle next.
*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
this one sounds really unique. i can't think of a ya book that has anything to do with holy orders. maybe grave mercy but that's different. hadn't heard of this one but you've definitely piqued my interest.
I actually prefer this to her first book (which I already thought was good and rated 4/5 stars; the only thing I didn't like was the cover. But I didn't dislike it enough to even take a star off, haha :)
Emmy Rane is very young and unhappily married to a mean man. The only bright spot in her life is her Baby. Baby is her love, her life, her four month old child. And one day, when she's on a swing, Emmy goes inside to grab a blanket. And comes back to find Baby gone.
Sophie is home-schooled, works hard for her rigid mother and never gets to meet anyone or go out and play. She has no friends and spends all of her days studying. That is, until one day she meets a neighborhood boy and everything changes. Sophie begins to question everything about her lifestyle, her mother and herself.
You Are My Only is a beautifully written story about love, family and loss. Kephart's switching between Emmy's point of view and Sophie's point of view is flawless and leaves the reader wanting more. Emmy's voice is very strong. Her emotional response to her missing child seems real and heartbreaking. As she plummets deeper and deeper into despair, Emmy's journey takes on a few unexpected turns.
In contrast, Sophie's voice is equally strong, but in a different way. She's curious, suspicious and cautiously optimistic as she begins to explore the world outside of her home. As Emmy's life is spiraling down, Sophie's life is building up. She makes friends, disobeys her mother and starts to learn more about herself in the process. For me, the best part of reading this book were the strong narrations and the changing of point of views. This kept the story flowing quickly and easy. And the ending is perfect.
Take a chance and read You Are My Only, a well-written and emotional book.
Category: Young Adult Realistic Fiction Keywords: Sailing, Friendship, Boyfriends, Summer Format: Hardcover, eBook Source: e-ARC received from Netgalley
Jacket copy:
Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life.
Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now.
Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart?
Told in alternating chapters that chronicle the year that broke Clem’s heart and the summer that healed it, Unbreak My Heart is a wonderful dual love story that fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti will flock to.
Kimberly's Review:
Clementine's summer is not going as she planned. She lost her best friend, by doing something that wasn't so nice, and is now on a summer sailing trip with her family. Isolated from everyone and everything she knew, Clementine tries to learn from her mistakes, open her heart to the future and start the road to forgiveness, including herself.
The story jumps back and forth between the present day when Clem is on the boat with her family during the summer, and her memories of her life back home. She recounts how her and her best friend Amanda were insepera
2 Comments on Unbreak My Heart - Review, last added: 6/11/2012
I know a lot of bloggers loved James but I didn't feel he was anything special either. It was okay that he encouraged Clem to come out of her bubble but I liked the family elements more than him.
Here's some Asian Elephants from a book I'm illustrating by Michelle Lord called "Nature Recycles, Why Don't You?" It comes out Spring 2013. Happy Memorial Day weekend!!
"Don't even think of leaving...I will find you," he whispered. "Guaranteed."
Sara and her mom have a plan to finally escape Sara's abusive father. But when her mom doesn't show up as expected, Sara's terrified. Her father says that she's on a business trip, but Sara knows he's lying. Her mom is missing--and her dad had something to do with it. Each day that passes, Sara's more on edge. Her friends know that something's wrong, but she won't endanger anyone else with her secret. And with her dad growing increasingly violent, Sara must figure out what happened to her mom before it's too late...for them both.
Kimberly's review:
I have a confession. I cheated.
So, I'm always giving my one friend a hard time be
2 Comments on What She Left Behind - Review, last added: 4/16/2012
I've been hearing some great things about this book, but I've been on edge about whether or not I actually want to read it. But your review has just convinced me! I love books that are so good that you feel like you need to read the last page, just to know what happens!
Can't wait to read this book, thanks for the review!
You what is so funny? When I read paper copies of books, I cheat ALL THE TIME! I always flip to the back page to see if they are going to end up together, etc. But now that I am reading more and more books on my kindle its much harder to just flip to the back of the book, so I find that I'm not cheating as much. lol
Thanks for the great review, this is the first I am hearing about this book and now I really want to check it out.
Keyword: Middle grade, fiction, realistic, mystery, pie, family
Format: Hardcover, eBook
Thuy's Summary:
PIE starts with the unexpected death of The Pie Queen of Ipswitch, Polly Portman. A pie phenom, Polly has graced the town of Ipswitch with her delicious pies for years. She opens up her own pie shop, Pie, in order to share her creations with the world. Polly doesn't accept money for her pies. Instead, customers "pay" for their pies by leaving fresh and delicious ingredients at Polly doorstep. The town mourns her untimely passing but no one misses her more than her niece Alice.
Polly was her best friend and Alice misses the hours she would spend in Polly's company at the shop. When Polly's will is read and word gets out that her famous pie crust recipe was left to her cat, the whole town is in an uproar. Soon, everyone is up to their ears in pies as people in town try to be the next award winning pie baker. Then Aunt Polly's cat disappears and the pie shop is ransacked and Alice knows that there's more to the story than just teenagers getting their kicks. She and her friend Charlie start their own investigation to figure out what's going on and find the recipe to happiness along the way.
Thuy's Review:
Who can resist a slice of homemade pie? Not me, that's for sure. I picked up Pie on a whim from the library last week. The cute cover caught my eye and I just couldn't resist the title. A charming book with a lot of hear, Pie is a delicious reminder that happiness is more than just money or fame and that love, friendship and being true to yourself are the key to true happiness.
I had such a fun time reading this book! It's funny and smart without too much dr
Katie Sandford has a little problem. She's thirty years old and finally gets her dream job interview: to work for The Line, a music magazine. But the morning of the interview comes and she bombs! Why? Could be the serious drinking she did the night before. But redemption is here! In the form of... Rehab?
Katie must go undercover at a rehab clinic to get close to a celebrity known as TGND "The Girl Next Door". If she can get the scoop and write an expose on this "IT" Girl, then she'll get a chance at the position at The Line. Katie accepts, but doesn't know what it will cost her.
Kimberly's review:
I really enjoyed this book. Katie's voice is strong and hilarious. The writing reminds me of Bridget Jones's Diary. Funny, personal and blatantly honest, Katie struggles through her time at rehab. At first, I thought she just had a bit of bad luck. But after reading further, Katie's character morphs into something more. She doesn't realize that this was probably the best place she could be--not for the story, but for herself. Katie's own self destruction is uncomfortable and frustrating to watch, another reason you can't put it down. Through the entire book, I was rooting for Katie, and you will too!
I wasn't sure what to make of her target, Amber T.G.N.D. Spoiled, damaged and suffering, her character's depth becomes more apparent as you read on. And Henry is... blush-worthy.
I'm surprised that this is considered YA. The protagonist is thirty years old, and all of her friends are older as well. The writ
Category: Young Adult Contemporary Keywords: Contemporary, romance, death Format: Hardcover (also available in paperback and eBook)
Alethea's note: The synopsis at the beginning seems to give away major plot points, but it really doesn't--you'll find the same info in the jacket copy :) So don't fret!
Thuy's Synopsis:
Anna, Frankie and Matt have been best friends forever. She and Frankie are like sisters and Matt (Frankie's brother) is her best-friend-that's-a-boy. On her fifteenth birthday, Anna's deepest desire comes true when Matt kisses her. Matt convinces Anna not to tell Frankie about their relationship just yet. He wants to tell her in a few weeks during their annual family vacation to California.
Anna doesn't like keeping secrets from Frankie but she agrees, believing that Matt knows what's best for his sister. They spend the next month meeting secretly at night and stealing moments with each other when they can. Then the unthinkable happens. Matt dies, leaving Anna and his family grief-stricken. Anna decides never to tell Frankie about what happened between her and Matt.
A year later, Frankie's parents decide to make the trip back out to California and invite Anna along. Frankie decides to make this the Twenty Boy Summer, but how can Anna think about meeting boys when the only one she ever cared about is gone?
Thuy's Review:
Contemporary YA fiction isn't usually my favorite but I couldn't put this book down. Twenty Boy Summer is a beautifully written and emotionally intense account of love, friendship, loss and finding the strength to move on. My own heart felt like it was breaking at times and I teared up more than once (which I never do).
Both Anna and Frankie are really great characters. They are emotionally complex and are dealing with their loss in different ways. Anna is the strong one, always looking out for Frankie and putting her own feelings away. Instead, she writes in her journal and pens heartfelt letters to Matt that he'll never see.
A sweet new summer romance throws Anna into a new maelstrom of emotions. I really understood what Anna was feeling--the conflict and guilt she feels as well as the overwhelming loss of what might have been. Frankie is a fascinating character. It's obvious that the wounds from Matt's death are still raw. She's dealing with it in her own way, becoming a boy crazy super-shopper almost overnight. I admit that I was often annoyed by her, as she seemed oblivious to Anna's feelings most of the time. However, by the end of the book, I started to understand Frankie a little more and she began to grow on me.
Despite the heavy subject, this book was surprisingly funny
3 Comments on Twenty Boy Summer - Banned Book Review, last added: 9/26/2011
Almira Abdul is trying her best to honor Ramadan, an entire month where she is not allowed to eat from sunrise to sunset. While her family is not overly religious, and she has only been to a mosque twice, she feels that it's a good challenge for her... She thinks she can stand to lose a couple pounds.
What happens though is more than just food temptation! Her crush, Peter, starts noticing her at the same time her best friend starts noticing him! And while her traditional grandfather is teaching her to drive, he's also showing her how things would be if they weren't living in America.
Almira is a hilarious character. Her voice is unique and her inner dialogue charming. A few times I laughed out loud to the reference to her love of chocolate or her great infatuation of Rob Pattinson (and therefore her hatred of Kristen Stewart.)
Pop references aside, this is no light book. Almira is suffering from what many minority teenagers have difficulty with--how to blend in with the American culture while still holding onto her family's beliefs. It's not just about Ramadan. Her grandfather is a strong and aggressive character, representing the old ways. Her mother and father are somewhere in between.
Almira's friends are a diverse bunch of characters. Each has their own distinct personality and culture too. The conversations between Almira and her friends over AIM are hilarious. And let's not even get started on the new bomb shell of a girl that just started their school...
Sharif does a fantastic job navigating these touchy waters. Almira's voice is touching, desperate and loving. She is torn, observant and just doing the best she can. When there's drama at the end of the novel, Almira's sadness and panic came through brilliantly. This really feels like a high school teenager's account of her one month during Ramadan.
I really enjoyed this book. I didn't know what to expect from the back synopsis, but it's an adventure I'm glad I didn't miss. Kudos to Sharif whose story made me sit down in a quiet corner, with no distractions, and quietly ate up Almira's journey. To be honest, I wouldn't have normally picked this book up, let alone read it! (Or seek it out for that matter. I went to three Borders and two Barnes and Nobles with no luck. I had to buy it on amazon.) But it's well worth it!
Thank you for sharing today. It is interesting to see such a timely title being reviewed, as this is the month of Ramadan for this year. I think it is lovely for young people to get a taste of different cultures and religious beliefs, as well as how these affect a young person's everyday life. For me this sounds like a thought provoking fun read.
Publication date: 12 April 2011 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN 10/13: 0316074039 | 9780316074032
Category: Middle Grade Historical Fiction Keywords: Historical Fiction, African American stories, Orphans, Great Depression Format: eBook, Hardcover, audiobook
Kimberly's review:
The year is 1937 and the Great Depression has hit everyone hard, especially African-Americans. Three orphans, all alone for different reasons, live at Mercy Home. These three orphans, all with different stories, backgrounds, families, and histories have one thing in common. They are going to root and hope and pray for Joe Louis, the first African-American boxer to become heavyweight champion of the world.
I'm not going to lie. If not for the Diversity in YA challenge, I probably wouldn't have known about this book. I had to seek it out, ordering it from the library. I'm glad I did.
The story is filled with hope, even in dark and desperate times, these three children give each other something more to hope for. The writing is solid, and I felt Otis's story was particularly strong and heartbreaking. While Willie's story is strong, it's Hibernia's voice which caught me. Her attitude, her strength is clear on the pages, especially when dealing with her Reverend father, whose secret longing for her lost mother is finally revealed after too many years.
Well-written with three distinct voices and a strong story! Go on! Root for Joe Louis and Hibernia, Ottis and Willie too!
Category: Young Adult Contemporary Fiction Format: Paperback (also available in hadcover and eBook) Keywords: Love, taboos, obsession
Kimberly's review:
Uncomfortable topic? Yes. Well written? Yes.
Carolina "Nine" begins a parent's nightmare of having an affair with her
teacher, the complicated, tortured and sensitive Mr. Mann. As the
romance intensifies, and then abruptly ends, Nine must deal with the
consequences and face who they were to each other; great loves or Mr./Mrs. Right Now. As with most teenage breakups, this one is full of
drama, loathing, conflicted feelings and anger. But unlike most, because
of the taboo situation, it adds another layer of heartbreak.
Nelson does a fine job showing the relationship as Nine sees it--two
lost souls who have finally found each
other. Never mind the age
difference. Never mind he's her teacher. Never mind she's 17 when they
meet. It's first love. It's young love. Then why is it so wrong?
Granted,
the novel brings up questions no one has the answer to. Is it wrong
because of the age difference, because she's so young, or because of the
teacher-student relationship? Perhaps all three.
All of these questions are there as Nine begins her descent into
chaotic madness. Her drastic actions cause a lot of pain. But she's
hurting. Does he deserve it? Didn't he know it was wrong?
I can't say I was rooting for Nine and Mr. Mann. They're both selfish,
self-absorbed creatures, so in that way they are perfect for each other.
But I'm also sympathetic. I can say she's just a teenager, but really
at 17 teenagers aren't quite so innocent as we may like to think. Her
obsessive, sad, self destructive behavior I can relate
to, as most
people can. She goes a little crazy, and really who doesn't go a little
crazy when love is gone.
Nelson's writing captures the despair of a
teenage break up, the confusion and abandonment. And the ending, well,
it does answer who they were to each other, or who they could have been: bittersweet.
So in the end, I thought this book is one that should be read and digested slowly: every exciting second of falling in love with
Mr. Mann, every uncomfortable moment of tearing out Nine's heart.
And putting it all back together again.
Now I want to read this book--I love books that give me something to think about, and this seems like that kind of book. But I'm also a little scared to read it. Thanks for the review! Book Light Graveyard
Until now, high school junior John Keats has only tiptoed near the edges of the vortex that is schoolmate and literary prodigy, Gordon Byron. That is, until their mutual friend, Shelly, drowns in a sailing accident.
After stealing Shelly's ashes from her wake at Trinity Catholic High School, the boys set a course for the small Lake Erie island where Shelly's body had washed ashore and to where she wished to be returned. It would be one last "so Shelly" romantic quest. At least that's what they think.
As they navigate around the obstacles and resist temptations during their odyssey, Keats and Gordon glue together the shattered pieces of Shelly's and their own pasts while attempting to make sense of her tragic and premature end.
I very much believe that every book has its reader, and while I liked this novel, it didn't wow me. I want someone to have this who will love it. It's got historical elements, poetry and drama. This is a YA novel with some very adult topics--sex and violence--so please, if you're young and impressionable, don't enter the giveaway :/ I don't want to be in trouble with your parents!
Read the review and if you think you would like to win this book, comment below (not on the review post) and tell me why you'd like to read this book. Make sure your email is in there somewhere--so I can contact you if you win.
I'll choose a winner at Midnight on May 1, using the random number generator. I'll mail to the US or Canada.
Tweet the link to this page for an extra entry (leave the link in the comments!)
Good luck!
24 Comments on Win So Shelly - Giveaway, last added: 4/29/2011
I'm with Ricki. I like the nefarious aspect of this story while also being in the Catholic school environment (especially since I attended a Catholic school from 5th-12th grade and now teach at one). That is very intriguing to me.
I am drawn to the MC's names being close or the same as some historical writers, poems and such. Seems interesting! My email is lpcoolgirl@xplornet.com and yep :)
I'd love to win a copy of this ARC because (1) The pitch is fascinating; I love books about finding out about another character, and (2) I love the cover (cover's important!!).
I'd love to win a copy of this book. My daughter is a YA nut. The plot seems like something she would like to read because she loves books that have a mysterious air about them. That cover is amazing, I love it.
I would love to win this ARC. It's really important to showcase 2011 novels and support new YA authors. The cover/synopsis of this novel is so intriguing to me, especially since I haven't read a "gritty" novel in a while.
the (dot) zealous (dot) reader (at) gmail (dot) com
I want to read this book because I just have to find out if they get to spread her ashes by the shore that she washed up on! mamabunny13 at gmail dot com
Until now, high school junior John Keats has only tiptoed near the edges of the vortex that is schoolmate and literary prodigy, Gordon Byron. That is, until their mutual friend, Shelly, drowns in a sailing accident.
After stealing Shelly's ashes from her wake at Trinity Catholic High School, the boys set a course for the small Lake Erie island where Shelly's body had washed ashore and to where she wished to be returned. It would be one last "so Shelly" romantic quest. At least that's what they think.
As they navigate around the obstacles and resist temptations during their odyssey, Keats and Gordon glue together the shattered pieces of Shelly's and their own pasts while attempting to make sense of her tragic and premature end.
How I found out about this book: Alethea picked up the ARC at ALA Midwinter in San Diego, having lusted after the cover.
Alethea's review: I don't know what I was expecting from a novel that's essentially a present-day retelling of the lives of three (or rather, four--Shelly is a composite of two Shelleys--Mary Wollstonecraft and Percy Bysshe) of the most talented but messed-up people to ever grace the pages of literature. There are a ton of things in the novel that most mainstream YA readers won't like. It's chock-full of sex (specifically incest, rape, and molestation), obsession, and grief. There is, at one point, a murder in which one of the three main characters figures prominently, yet doesn't seem to undergo any emotional change, other than to remove himself from the situation. The thing is, they're in the book because they reportedly happened to their real-life counterparts, not just to titillate.
I'm not saying the novel is without merit. The characters are engaging, though they skew more towards cautionary-tale rather than model-citizen. Keats is a sympathetic narrator and the most relatable of the three. Shelly and Gordon have the tendency to go off the deep end--in massive ways, especially since they are spectacularly privileged (Shelly having been born rich; Gordon having the pedigree but restoring family fortune by writing an Eragon-type novel at a very young age). Never before has the lack of parental supervision been so blatantly exploited as in the love-polygon of Shelly chasing Gordon, and Gordon chasing every other woman who isn't her, including various of his relatives, caretakers, and best-friend's-stepsisters.
While the novel does a great job of capturing the spirit of Romanticism and retelling, piece by sordid piece, the lives of three great writers, So Shelly would best be enjoyed by those who can appreciate--or maybe tolerate--erotica and shameless depravity. Ultimately the themes of friendship, loyalty, and forgiveness
4 Comments on So Shelly - Review, last added: 4/24/2011
I wanted to like this book. It had potential. But I found it painfully slow and thought it would have been better written for adults, rather than the YA market for which it was written. I couldn't even finish the book far enough to post a legitimate review. I'm glad I wasn't the only one who was less than enthralled by it.
Whoa, my first reaction was 'Pretty Cover!' and I was planning to get it instantly but now that I've read your review I've learned a bit more... caution. Thanks for the review. :)
Star basketball player Chelsea "Nitro" Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college—and everyone's admiration back home. Then she took a horrible fall during senior year. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family. That summer, Chelsea's dad hires Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player and "boot camp" trainer, to work with her at a northern Minnesota lake resort.
As they grow close, Chelsea finds that Clint's haunted by his own tragedy. Will their romance end up hurting them all over again—or finally heal their heartbreak?
Alethea's review: I had a really hard time rating this one. I liked it--it was definitely an enjoyable read. Chelsea and Clint are both very likeable, almost-perfect-but-not-too-perfect young people. The tension between them is palpable--practically wafting off the pages in pulsing waves of lust. The fact that Chelsea has a boyfriend, and not just any boyfriend, the almost-perfect kind--sure to trigger massive amounts of guilt in any girl who's considering cheating.
I thought the sports metaphors were going to be a little more heavy-handed; thank goodness Schindler knows how to lay an even coat of schmaltz, otherwise it would have been unbearably sweet. Apart from the hookups (yum) this could be a made-for-tv special on ABC or the Disney Channel. I don't say that to belittle the story at all--Chelsea is dealing with some major disappointments and frustrations, while Clint is still grieving for his girlfriend, who died in a car crash during a winter storm. It's definitely got the angst and conflict that makes good drama.
Readers of romance will thoroughly enjoy this sexy, well-paced novel. Chelsea and Clint both work through injuries, physically and emotionally. In the end, Playing Hurt leaves you with a sense of longing as well as a satisfying feeling of healing and hope. If you're going on spring break, this is the perfect book to take with you--not too heavy, but not too light!
Playing Hur
1 Comments on Playing Hurt - Review, last added: 4/17/2011
I turn you over once again to KimberlyBuggie, who is saving my life, one review at a time. If you want the blurb, click on the cover image above.
Kimberly's review: Growing up, I was a big fan of Louis Sachar. The Boy Who Lost His Face, There's A Boy In The Girl's Bathroom and all the stories from Wayside School. Years later, (many, but I won't say how many), I'm happy to find that Mr. Sachar has still kept his sense of humor, good writing and sharp observations.
I'm not going to lie. The Cardturner does have A LOT of information about the game of bridge, which some may find boring. I don't know how to play bridge, nor do I have any interest in learning. And for all that information, it really is just a vehicle used to move the story. Sachar does a fun trick where he'll show you a whale, you'll have to read it to find out why, and what follows is a particularly long scene about bridge. At the end, he'll summarize it for you. (Thank you for realizing that I do not necessarily want to learn how to play bridge.)
But the story is about a boy and his search for his own identity. About his Uncle, a loner and a mysterious figure who may have more in common with him than he thought.
The story is filled with wonderful characters. (Toni, Gloria, and of course Lester) And while it's not a page turner, a thriller, a stay up late all night--it is a charming story about finding some friends, interests and yourself, in unexpected places.
"Y" is for "yowe", a Scottish word for "ewe" This image is in Scottish Alphabet (2008) from Pelican Publishing, which has just released Irish Alphabet.
“It’d been a good three days: crackers and cheese for breakfast, TV; crackers and cheese for lunch, TV; crackers and cheese for dinner, TV, bed. Nothing to think about but TV and cheese. A perfect world. Then I ran out of cheese.”
Like most children (if books are to be believed), Aubrey covers for her mother after she disappears. She doesn’t tell anyone that she’s all alone, she doesn’t answer the phone, and she doesn’t answer the door. When she runs out of cheese, she takes the money she got for her birthday and goes to the store, buying only the important things, like SpaghettiOs with meatballs, Cheerios, bread, some vegetables, and a pet fish. The aloneness doesn’t last long. Aubrey’s grandmother is worried and comes down to Virginia from Vermont on the train (and she hates to travel!), and when she understands that her daughter Lissie has gone off and left Aubrey alone, she takes her back to Vermont with her while she tries to find her. The story just gets better from here. Aubrey doesn’t want to give in and be happy, but Gram is too good at getting her to cooperate for her to fight it for long. Also, she becomes instant friends with the girl next-door, Bridget. Aubrey bottle up her feelings inside (this may be why she feels sick to her stomach so often) and really only lets them out in letters she writes to her younger sister’ imaginary friend. The author only gradually lets the reader in on the back story –what happened to the rest of Aubrey’s family. In the end, Aubrey has to make a difficult choice: whether to go back to Virginia with her mother, or to stay on in Vermont for a little bit longer. Review by Stacy Church
0 Comments on Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur as of 3/4/2010 5:45:00 PM
I love the beginning of this book, where Melody talks about words and how she loves them. It’s not until the end of the first chapter that you find out what words really mean to her: “I have no idea how I untangled the complicated process of words and thought, but it happened quickly and naturally. By the time I was two, all my memories had words, and all my words had meanings. But only in my head. I have never spoken one single word. I am almost eleven years old.” Melody has cerebral palsy. She’s unable to move voluntarily (except for her thumbs), although she sometimes moves in a jerky, spastic way, especially if she’s upset or excited. She can’t really communicate, but there’s plenty going on inside her head. Luckily her parents always believed in her intelligence, and her neighbor Mrs. Valencia, who has been babysitting her since she was born, has pushed her to try and do what she can for herself. School, though, has been terrible up until fifth grade, which is when the story takes place. Now there are some inclusion classes, there’s a special ed teacher who believes her students are capable of learning, and Melody gets her own aide, Christine, a college student. Things really start to look up for her when she gets a computer that can talk for her. Melody is alternately ignored and made fun of at school, and it’s not until the tryouts for the Whiz Kids quiz team. Melody, with her computer to help her communicate, gets all the questions right, and the other kids are forced to recognize that maybe she isn’t an idiot after all. The ending is good, because it’s not too pat. Review by Stacy Church
0 Comments on Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper as of 1/1/1900
A tribute to the popular producer of electronics, as a background for the iPhone and iPad version of the Clockwiser puzzle game. Ideal for usage as a wallpaper for your iPhone or iPad.
Sevensheaven images and prints are for sale at sevensheaven.nl
Life has been treating Nicky pretty unfairly lately. He had to move with his mom from their really nice house in a suburb outside of Boston to a tiny, run-down apartment in Charlestown. His mom works all the time now, and never seems to have the energy to make dinner. She also drinks too much wine and watches too much TV. Then instead of bringing home groceries, she brings home an 80-pound German shepherd named Reggie. Nicky doesn’t even want a dog. He tries to make her take him back, but his mom is determined to keep him. As Nicky gets attached to Reggie, he becomes obsessed with finding out who his former owner was and why he was given up for adoption. Nicky’s obsession leads him to explore his new neighborhood and make some new friends. Unfortunately, he lies to the new people he meets, pretending to be Reggie’s previous owner’s grandson in order to get information from them, and of course, in the end, he tells too many lies to get away with. Nicky’s mom makes him go to a therapist to deal with his feelings about the divorce, and Nicky refuses to talk to him. I’ve never heard of a therapist treating a parent for 1/2 an hour and a kid for the other 1/2 hour, and it doesn’t seem realistic that Nicky’s mom expects the dog to eat human food because she refuses to buy more than one can of food at a time. I hate how Nicky endangers Reggie’s life by dragging him into his own drama, but I guess it could happen. All in all, I enjoyed reading about Nicky and Reggie, but the book was far from perfect. Review by Stacy Church
0 Comments on How I, Nicky Flynn, Finally Get a Life (and a Dog) by Art Corriveau as of 1/1/1900
This book is a hilarious account of what happens when a nice, normal 13-year-old girl is forced to spend her summer at Camp Frontier having an authentic 1890’s pioneer experience instead of doing the kinds of things most 13-year-old girls in America do in the summer. You know, there’s a reason why society has progressed, and the reason is that life in the 1890’s wasn’t all that great: no indoor plumbing, no screens on your windows, no heat for cooking or bathing unless you cut and haul wood…I could go on and on. At first I was too afraid that the snarky heroine of the book, Genevieve, was going to end up getting all mushy about how changed she was from the experience to really enjoy how funny the writing is. Of course that is kind of what happens in the end, but not before Gen gets in a lot of digs at the owners of the camp, their nasty daughter Nora, and frontier life in general. Even though campers are supposed to surrender all their personal belongings when they arrive at the camp, Gen makes enough of a fuss that her mom insists they let her keep her tube of Clearasil, in which she has hidden the new cell phone her mom promised her in exchange for her giving in gracefully (relatively gracefully, anyway) about the vacation. When Gen starts feeling the pain of frontier life, she takes the phone out to the fields and texts some very funny messages to her friends back home. What she doesn’t know is that her friends turn them into a blog, and before they know it, there are lots of people reading about Gen’s adventures on the frontier: “Week 1 – Monday 11:16 am I am standing in the middle of a cornfield. I am holding a hoe. As my mom said when we were setting off to work in the field, we are farmers now.” “Week 1 – Monday 11:17 am Here’s the thing: being a farmer is BORING. I am halfway down one row, there are ten rows to go, and it’s already taken TWO HOURS.” “Week 1 – Monday 1:24 pm You know what’s worse than being caught by your little brother singing “Beat It” at the top of your lungs while you do a little corn-weeding dance? Having him follow you down the row singing, “Showin’ how funky and strong is your fight. It doesn’t matter who’s wrong or right,” doing a little dance of his own, and stopping only to say, ‘Come on, Gen, you know you’re feeling it.’ All morning long.” There’s some romance and intrigue along the way, too. Review by Stacy Church
0 Comments on Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell as of 1/1/1900
In the summer of 2010, the state of Arizona passed a law that requires police to check the identification papers of anybody they suspect of being an illegal immigrant. In Crossing the Wire, we read about such an illegal immigrant. Victor is a fifteen-year-old boy who tries hard to make a living for his family on a mountain farm in Central Mexico. His father has died, and Victor takes care of his mother and younger siblings. Everything had been working out well until the time came when he couldn’t sell his corn. In a desperate attempt to save his family from starvation, Victor heads north to cross into the United States in Arizona to find a job and send money back home. On his journey north, Victor faces many challenges, including traveling through freezing cold and scorching hot landscapes. The people who offer Victor a helping hand are not always trustworthy. How will Victor find a way to cross the border safely and not be caught or attacked, or worse, be sent back to Mexico? Will Hobbs has written an action-packed adventure story of one brave young man’s struggle to “cross the wire” into the land of freedom and opportunity. Review by Trudy Walsh
0 Comments on Crossing the Wire by Will Hobbs as of 1/1/1900
Zitlally is eleven years old and lives with her family in a trailer park. After her father gets deported to Mexico because he does not have the proper papers, life changes drastically for Zitllally. To get away from all the family worries, Zitlally escapes into the forest surrounding the trailer park. Near an old abandoned car she finds a dog in need. Zitlally befriends the dog, which she names Star, and starts to feed him and take care of him. Deep down, Zitlally believes that Star is a magic dog sent to her to be taken care of. She believes that Star’s life, somehow, is tied to her father’s life. If she can nurse Star back to health, she is sure her father will return. Star in the Forest is a beautifully written story about a young Mexican girl growing up in Colorado whose family is caught up in the newly enforced immigration laws. Review by Trudy Walsh
0 Comments on Star in the Forest by Laura Resau as of 1/1/1900
Emma and her family are ready to head north to Maine for their summer vacation. The cars are loaded, but before the family can leave, everybody has to line up for the traditional “before vacation photo.” There will be an “after vacation photo” taken also at the end of the summer, when everyone will look tanned, relaxed, and happy. As the family cars are ready to drive off, Emma has one more emergency stop to make in the house. She quickly stuffs something into her backpack and is finally ready to leave for Maine. Without telling her parents, Emma has secretly stuffed her pet ferret into her backpack. This is a wonderful summer vacation story with many humorous incidents, as Emma tries to hide her pet ferret as long as possible. Review by Trudy Walsh
0 Comments on Emma Dilemma, the Nanny, and the Secret Ferret by Patricia Hermes as of 1/1/1900
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0 Comments on The Cardturner - Guest Review as of 1/1/1900
this one sounds really unique. i can't think of a ya book that has anything to do with holy orders. maybe grave mercy but that's different. hadn't heard of this one but you've definitely piqued my interest.
I actually prefer this to her first book (which I already thought was good and rated 4/5 stars; the only thing I didn't like was the cover. But I didn't dislike it enough to even take a star off, haha :)