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Taylor, Brooke. 2008. Undone.

Undone is a story of friendship and grief. Kori and Serena are best friends. Though when they first met they appeared to come from very different worlds. Now, after several years of close friendship, the girls are inseparable. In fact, the girls are becoming more difficult to tell apart. Serena, our narrator, could never imagine a day could come where she'd be separated from Kori. But Kori's tragic death hits Serena hard. Serena decides one way for her to deal, to cope with her friend's death is to complete her friend's list. A list which started as a school assignment--to list five things they would never dream could really happen--takes on a whole new meaning. What's on Kori's list? 1. Sing with Bleeder Valve. 2. Get a tattoo. 3. Work things out with Shay. 4. Confront D. 5. Tell Serena. The list doesn't make a whole lot of sense to Serena--there are mysteries to be solved, secrets to be discovered. Serena is not alone--although she may feel it at times. There are a few people--two guys especially--who become rather important to Serena on her journey. Then, of course, there is the friction between Serena and her mother, Destiny.

First sentence: There they were--the worst words in all of the English language, scribbled in my mother's perky handwriting. "Let's Talk." I snatched the Post-it off the refrigerator door and glared at it. It didn't matter who said them--parent, teacher, or police officer--nothing good ever came of those words. (5)

Undone is well written. And it's a good book--a very good book even. A fact which is neither here nor there is that this one is set in Colorado. I seem to have stumbled across a few books this year set in Colorado--just something odd that I've noticed with this years reading.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Twain, Mark. 1884. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

This was my first time to voluntarily read Huckleberry Finn. (Also my first time as an adult.) I think both of those are good reasons why I enjoyed this one so much. We first met the character of Huck Finn in Mark Twain's novel, Tom Sawyer. Sawyer makes for an entertaining narrator. All humor, little substance. But good fun. Finn, on the other hand, is a narrator with a bit more depth. (Okay a lot more depth.) The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a true coming-of-age story. Huck Finn grows in heaps and bounds as a person, as a soul, in this American classic.

The plot focuses on Huck and his relationship with a runaway slave, Jim. Huck had his own (very valid in my opinion) reasons for running away from home. While he is hiding out on "his" island, he discovers that he's not the only one hiding. Jim, a slave whom he's had a good amount of contact with in the past, has runaway. He's hoping to escape into freedom. The two end up running away together (by water mostly--various rafts and canoes, etc); their destinies become intertwined.

The two face more than a few hardships along the way. And face more than a couple of close calls. Most of their adventures escalate once "King" and "Duke" arrive on the scene and join these two. These two con men aren't likable, rather they're both despicable characters up to no good, but Huck and Jim can't seem to shake them. They're stuck with these two no matter how much they wish otherwise.

I don't want to go much more into the plot, but I will say that this one was a good read. The characterization of Huck and Jim is great. And the relationship between the two is really intricately and beautifully explored. The villains--King and Duke, Huck's father, etc.--are characters that are meant to be booed and hissed. Which shows--in some ways--that they're developed well enough to be thoroughly hated.

Definitely recommended.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Tanen, Sloane. 2008. Appetite for Detention. Photographs by Stefan Hagen.

Sloane Tanen has previously published books for adults and books for kids. But Appetite for Detention is her first work for teens. You may visit her website here to get an idea of her work.

Using photographs and texts, Appetite for Detention tells the stories of a handful of 'chicks' (in this case meaning both guys and girls) in a middle school setting. There is drama and angst galore within its pages. Full of humor and wit. It has something for everyone really. From Marissa's eating disorder to Helen's weight issues. Not to mention Andrew Rabbinowitz's dilemma...who on earth is he going to get to come to his bar mitzvah.

It's a quick and satisfying read if you like this kind of thing.



© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Tolkien, J.R.R. 1937, 1966. The Hobbit.

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort. (3)

Hobbits do like to be comfortable. That is a fact. But in The Hobbit, we read of one hobbit in particular, a Mr. Bilbo Baggins, who leaves his life of comfort behind him to go on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure with thirteen dwarves and one wizard. It is the story of how he went from being a respectable hobbit to a very unrespectable, "odd" little hobbit. Bilbo never meant to have an adventure. He was quite clear on that. But never say never. It all starts with a visit from a wizard, Gandalf. That visit leads to another visit--a visit by thirteen dwarves--who call upon him unawares and give him the surprise of his life. They want him--they expect him--to be a part of their expedition, their adventure, their journey to go off and kill a dragon, Smaug by name, and steal his treasure. It's laughable almost, at least at first, but slowly and surely Bilbo gets carried away with it all. And the adventures that follow--oh my!

The Hobbit is a charming and delightful though-not-a-thin adventure book that everyone should read. (Or at least attempt to read! By that I mean, while I loved it--while I think many many people love it--I suppose no one book can please everyone. But this one should at least be attempted, tested to see if you like this sort of thing.)

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews