Book Obsession

Touch

2009-07-16T17:12:00.008-07:00

The title and cover art on this book pretty much indicate what it's all about--realistic fiction, some sort of sexual misconduct. Indeed, that's what it's all about. But to be more specific: ninth grader, Maisie, suddenly can't fit in with the three guys who have been her best friends all her life. The enormous breasts she's suddenly grown are, literally, coming between them. Things were much simpler before everyone went through puberty. Back in the day it was okay for a girl to be friends with three guys. But when Maisie spends a year away at her mother's house in Wisconsin (a big mistake) and then returns at the start of ninth grade, the friendship is forever altered. In her absence, the boys have become guys and Maisie, though she feels the same inside, is so changed on the outside that she is no longer accepted. Since she has always had guys as friends she doesn't know how to make girl friends either. Then there are the confusing more-than-a-friend feelings she has for "Shakes," the guy she's always felt closest too. Suddenly they're making out on the bus everyday before everyone else gets on. It's their little secret until one morning the other two guys ask Maisie if they can get a little action too.

What happens next is the crux of the book. The guys say one thing and Maisie says another. Was she forcibly touched or did she, as the boys say, offer to let guys touch her for money? When Maisie's narcissistic step-mother brings a lawsuit against the school, the situation worsens. What really happened, and can Maisie herself even face the truth?

I read Francine Prose's novel for adults, Goldengrove, so I was curious to see what her teen novel would be like. It's good, though I couldn't help but feel it was also ever so slightly pedantic. Much of the same information seems to be repeated, and my mind began to wander to such random thoughts as, Exactly how many times does the word "breasts" appear in this manuscript? I like the issues Prose raises about the confusion of puberty, the loss of friendship, and the nature of truth. Somehow it wasn't as satisfying a read as Goldengrove though, and I think teens would also enjoy that book which is from a teen girl's point of view as she tries to manage her grief over her sister's drowning death. The strongest part of Touch is Maisie's conflicted relationship with her step-parents and her voice when speaking of them. Also strong is her conflict about her new feelings for Shakes and the secrecy involved in it, followed by betrayal.

Broken Soup

2009-07-15T18:27:00.003-07:00

Oh, dear. There has been little to no time to blog this summer, but seeing that there hasn’t been an update in over a month I feel compelled to post. Also, I just got back from the ALA convention in Chicago with an armload of advanced reading copies, most of them teen books. So stayed tuned for new posts coming soon.

The last teen book I read was Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine. The title is explained about midway through the novel when the protagonist’s little sister tries to make a meal. She drops the tray and cries out, “I tried to make things all nice and now look at this broken soup.” This is a metaphor for how life in general is going for the family in the aftermath of the drowning death of their brother/son. Rowan (the teen protagonist) is trying to keep things together after her brother dies, her father leaves, and her mother breaks down into depression. Suddenly Rowan is responsible for her little sister and for hiding the truth of their increasingly desperate home situation. In the meantime, a handsome boy comes into Rowan’s life after he hands her a photo negative he claims she dropped. Rowan knows the negative isn’t hers, but he insists it is so she takes it. A new friend helps her develop the photo and Rowan is shocked to find that it’s a candid shot of her dead brother. Where did this photo come from? Who took it and how is the handsome boy involved? What kind of secret life did her brother live?

I liked this though I found that some parts dragged ever so slightly. Rowan's story is less compelling than the story of the other characters she tells, which might explain the slow bits. Still, Rowan is likable as are all the characters. I saw some of the plot twists coming but it didn’t spoil the story. This is a well-written, realistic novel about how difficult it is for life to go on after the loss of a loved one.

Wings

2009-06-05T13:20:00.004-07:00

Basic plot synopsis: Preternaturally lovely teenage girl discovers she is something other than human—the big tip-off is when she starts growing wing-like flowers out of her spine--and that she is to play a key role in securing the future of her supernatural kin. Insert love triangle between girl, human boy, and supernatural boy. Add villains for conflict. Mix and enjoy.

It took me about 50-60 pages to get into this book. Honestly I almost gave up on it, but I hung in there and did end up enjoying the read. I only wish the first several chapters weren’t full of awkward dialogue, flat character development, and way-too-obvious clue dropping. Things steadily improve once the plot gets going. I wish the author had truncated the whole discovery-of-supernatural-self portion since the reader knows from the book cover that this discovery is coming. Once the character, Tamani, (the more alluring of the two guys in the love triangle) appears, the book gets infinitely better. The author slips back into cliché dialogue when the Big Conflict with the Bad Guy scene unfolds—for instance: “You’re not going to get away with this,” and “You can scream all you want now. No one’ll hear you.”--but happily this sort of dialogue passes quickly, and the interesting elements of the story resume.

There are quite a few people on hold for this book and it’s the kind of story that will appeal to Twilight fans. Many readers won’t mind or notice the things that gave me pause. One thing I did like is that the main character is a very strong girl who takes action. The end is set up for a sequel or a series, and I would certainly read more. Hopefully the second book will be a little more subtle than the first with less canned dialogue and even more emphasis on the love triangle.

Jack Tumor

2009-06-01T17:26:00.004-07:00

Aren't brain tumors just hilarious? Okay, you might not think so now but you will after reading Jack Tumor, a British novel for teens in which our hero, Hector, a firm member of the nerd tribe, experiences a huge turnaround when he develops a brain tumor that begins speaking to him. Jack Tumor, as the brain tumor is known, realizes his days are numbered and he wants to enjoy his symbiotic life experience with Hector to the fullest. He gives Hector direction, sometimes even taking over Hector's body when Hector shows reluctance. Soon Hector finds himself standing up to bullies and catching the attention of Uma Upshaw, a girl way out of his league. Yet he's also drawn to a "freak" girl whom Jack Tumor assures him isn't worth his time. Likewise, Jack finds Hector's circle of nerd friends less than satisfactory and makes several attempts to sabotage the friendships. Either Jack Tumor is going to fix Hector's whole life or ruin it. . . not to mention that the tumor threatens Hector's mortality entirely.

It's odd to find yourself admiring the character of an animate tumor. But Jack is a wonderful voice and has such charisma you can't help but like him. The humor in this book is ongoing and often of the bawdy sort. Much of Hector's ruminations are on snogging (British term for kissing), bosoms, bodily humor, and the gross things that teenage boys find endlessly appealing, yet it's done with such flair and aplomb that Hector's adolescence seems somehow sophisictaed. Maybe it's the British thing. Speaking of, some readers might be thrown by the British slang---"taking the piss" means making fun of someone, not anything relating to the bathroom, for instance--but many more will suddenly find words like "gormless" peppering their vocabulary.

Jack Tumor was great fun. Funny and satisfying.

Creature of the Night

2009-05-22T11:04:00.006-07:00

The story is set in Ireland and it certainly sounds like a vampire or werewolf tale, but it isn't. How about a story involving the sidhe? The wee people or perhaps, wee person, play a role in this slightly creepy tale.

Bobby gets himself in one too many scrapes. He and his cousin are part of gang of thieves in Dublin. Bobby's mother decides the best way to keep Bobby out of trouble and to avoid the moneylenders she owes money to, is to move to the country. Bobby does not like the idea and once he gets a look at where they wind up, he tells his mother he's going back to Dublin.

The previous tenant of the cottage they are renting, simply left. No one knows where he went. Since on identification or money was found, it was assumed he just left. No one seems overly concerned. However, as Bobby's curiosity gets the better of him, he finds evidence to suggest that Lars never left. There are also some strange drawings and writings of Lars' that sound somewhat like the superstitious tales of fairies.

None of the main characters are likable. Bobby is a troubled teen who has no respect for his mother and shows it. His mother leaves much to be desired as a mother, but she was very young when she got pregnant and her family more or less deserted her. Dennis, Bobby's younger brother is to be pitied since both his mother and brother treat somewhat cruelly.

Creature of the Night is more a study in how Bobby begins to see the world in a different light and how he has to change in order to relate to this new world. The old tales and the gruesome discovery of Lars also make him wonder about the reality of the Tuatha de Danaan. It is interesting and the ending is not neatly tied up, but I see a more mature man with perhaps a chance at a future.

Welcome to Lovecraft

2009-05-20T10:09:00.005-07:00

Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft is a compilation of a creepy six-issue comic book story arc by horror master Joe Hill (son of Stephen King---I almost didn’t mention this because I’m sure Joe would like to make a name for himself that doesn’t also include the name of his legendary father…However, I did mention it, so…Best of luck with that Joe!) and Chilean artist Gabriel Rodriquez. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Joe Hill’s New York Times Bestseller Heart-Shaped Box, the story of an aging rock star who gets much more than he bargains for when he buys a man’s ghost online through an ebay-like website. So, when I discovered that Joe had co-created a graphic novel, I checked it out at the library as soon as I was able to get my hands on it.

Not much time is wasted before things start getting gooey (an amusing term that one of my co-workers uses to describe books or movies that are gory or gruesome). By page three, the body count begins. As the story unfolds, the reader witnesses the brutal murder of Rendell Locke by a mentally disturbed teen (Sam Lesser) who attends the school where Rendell works as a guidance counselor in San Francisco. After the funeral, Rendell’s widow and their three children (teens Tyler and Kinsey, and six-year-old Bode) move across the country to live with Rendell’s brother in the Locke family home. There, they attempt to get past the trauma and carry on with their lives. However, weirdness abounds in this spooky New England mansion…A mysterious doorway enables the spirit of anyone who passes through to leave its body, and an insidious creature beckons to Bode from inside an old forbidden well-house.

Welcome to Lovecraft is packed with surprises, including a “what the heck” ending that had me backtracking through pages to insure that I wasn’t missing something. Although the violence is intense, Hill and Rodriguez have done an amazing job of infusing a real sense of humanity into their characters…At one point, I even found myself feeling a bit sorry for Sam the psycho killer. A second compilation in the series, Head Games, is due to be released in September of this year.

Because I Am Furniture

2009-05-18T19:15:00.004-07:00

Odd title, good read. This novel in verse should appeal to fans of Ellen Hopkins. High school freshman, Anke, lives in an abusive home. Her father beats her brother and molests her sister. But Anke is ingored. Sometimes this is a relief and other times Anke wishes for negative attention, just so she knows she's not as easily overlooked as a piece of furniture (hence the title.) When she starts high school, Anke finds her own ground as she joins the high school volleyball team and becomes a valued member of a group. Soon though, things at home can no longer be ignored. As the family dynamic worsens, Anke must find the power to become visible if she ever hopes to change her family's situation.

Response by Paul Volponi

2009-05-10T15:15:00.002-07:00

The author is well acquainted with young people in less than idyllic settings. He has worked with troubled youth. Thus when he writes, the reader feels very much a part of what is happening. Mr. Volponi does not waste words, he simply writes it like it is. He does not embellish or is over descriptive of either characters or the settings.

Noah Jackson is a black high school student, who already has young daughter and is working at McDonalds to help with expenses in raising his daughter. His girlfriend makes him feel guilty for not providing enough money, so Noah decides he needs to get the money anyway he can. Unfortunately, that means going into a white neighborhood and steal a car. Noah and his buddies almost get caught so they start back to their own neighborhood. As they are leaving, three white boys spot them and start chasing them.

It looks like they might get away safely with only epithets being hurled at them, but Noah winds up tripping and gets a trip to the emergency as a result of the severe beating he incurs. One of the other boy uses an aluminium bat on Noah. Miraculously he survives and a trial ensues.

The beating, the media coverage and trial causes tensions to rise even higher. Volponi, during this time, lets the reader experience the emotions, attitudes, perceptions and prejudices of the the black and white communities. We also see how Noah begins thinking about what has happened to him and we see how he begins to change his outlook on his life and the world in which he lives. His family's expectations of him and the values his grandmother, who is an exceptional woman, has tried to instill in him begin to make sense to Noah.

It is hard to read, knowing that although people have changed, there are still those who have not. As a person of color, I want a better world for everyone, but I know that there are still battles to be fought. Noah realizes that and he also knows that in order to both honor his grandmother and to make a better world for his daughter he will have to work hard.

I ended the book rooting for Noah and hope that he realizes his hopes to become an engineer. I would certainly not mind finding out what happens to this young man. Perhaps Mr. Volponi might write another book and let us know what happens to Noah Jackson.

Somebody

2009-05-08T14:46:00.004-07:00

For a fast, satisfying real-life fiction read, try Somebody by Nancy Springer. Our fifteen-year-old main character has had many names in her life. It isn't until adolescence that she begins to realize how unusual this is. Why does her father move her and her brother around so much, always changing their identities? What is he running from? Are the stories he tells about their mother--he says she was a cheater who didn't love her own children--really true? When the narrator begins to search for her past, she uncovers the secret her father has been hiding and then must decide what to do with that knowledge.

This one won't take long to read but that doesn't mean it's fluffy. The author raises interesting questions about identity and responsibility. Once the mystery of the narrator's past is solved the story still continues as she tries to proceed without hurting anyone--a goal that becomes increasingly difficult as time goes on. I liked the characters Springer created, especially the narrator's flawed older brother and the nerd boy the narrator befriends. I'd have liked to see more of the father character and gotten a better sense of him as he was the only really one-dimensional character, but our narrator makes up the difference.

Worth the read.

The Farwalker's Quest

2009-05-08T14:44:00.002-07:00

This sounds like the beginning of an interesting possible series. I know that some people are not fond of series and I myself am somewhat ambivalent. I really like them and then sometimes I do not.

I do not know if this is set on Earth and it does not really matter. This is a slightly different twist on humans rediscovering a past history and fearing the discovery. The past destroyed civilization and there is fear that finding out about the past and its machines, etc will cause destruction once again.

Two youngsters Ariel and Zeke are on the threshold of taking possession of their "special" gifts/power. As young adulthood approaches, each individual will be tested for their aptitudes. Some will become Healers, others Fishers, others tree-singers, etc. A strange device and strangers coming to the village cause problems before Namingfest occurs. Namingfest is when the youngsters get their last names. For instance, Ariel is expected to become a Healer since her mother is a Healer. If she passes her Namingfest test, her name will become Ariel Healer.

Namingfest arrives and so does the disappointment and tragedy that marks the beginning of Ariel's and Zeke's momentous journey. Neither youngster ever dreamed that they would be leaving their village and begin walking a path of danger and uncertainty.

The main characters are all very interesting. Ariel and Zeke must hurriedly adapt to world that can be wild and life threatening. They must grow up much faster than either likes. The changes as they take place show the adaptability of both youngsters. It is painful sometimes to see how they are forced to mature so soon. Scarl, who abducts Ariel, is not at all what he seems. It took me some time to figure out whether he was a white hat or a black hat. It is only later in the book when one better understands his circumstances that one decides which he is.

As I said, the ending certainly leaves this open to further adventures of Ariel and Scarl and perhaps Zeke. It is an interesting premise when the possible hope of this world lies in a young girl who is still learning what and who she is.

Nightmare at the Book Fair

2009-05-08T12:54:00.002-07:00

Trip gets into more adventures and trouble than I thought possible. Of all the places for these adventures--the library!! Trip is not a reader, mostly he likes anything else. However, he gets stuck helping the PTA President.

The story moves along pretty quickly and the adventure is varied. There are puns galore, hopefully this is not lost on the youngsters reading the book. Some of them are kind of cheesy, but you still have to laugh.

Trip is funny and likable. I think that boys can probably relate to him and feel a part of the adventure. There are also some gross moments that boys are sure to enjoy! It is also a fast read, another sure thing to recommend itself.

Love Is Hell

2009-05-05T17:43:00.003-07:00

Did you like Prom Nights from Hell? Well, prom night might be over but there's a new collection of supernatural stories in town. . . Love Is Hell, a collection of five paranormal love stories by big name, popular teen fiction writers. I'm not sure who edited the book--either it doesn't say or I'm too blind to see it--but it's well worth the read. My two favorite stories are Scott Westerfeld's "Stupid Perfect World" and Gabrielle Zevin's "Fan Fictions." The first is really science fiction not paranormal, but why quibble about a good read? The second. . . is it supernatural or isn't it? That's for the reader to decide. I hadn't read Zevin's fiction before but now I will be seeking her out. Each of the stories is fairly long, so you get five, fleshed-out short stories in one volume. The other three tales are by Melissa Marr (of Wicked Lovely fame, Laurie Faria Stolarz, and Justine Larbalestier. Go read Love is Hell. I bet you like it so much, you'll give Prom Nights from Hell a whirl too.

The Lit Report

2009-04-30T13:09:00.004-07:00

Two best friends go to Christian school, one the daughter of a hardcore fundamentalist preacher, the other the daughter of a divorced mother who came to Christianity later in life. Neither girl feels the same way their parents do about faith, and they have plans for a fabulous city life far away once they graduate high school. Then the preacher's daughter becomes pregnant. Her life seems to be over until our narrator, non-pregnant Julia, devises a plan--they'll hide the pregnancy and she will deliver her pal's baby at a cabin in the woods. Of course, the best-laid plans often go awry. . .

I don't want to give away too much here. I will say this definitely isn't Christian fiction. There's much swearing and little religious faith, at least from our main characters. I enjoyed the book, especially the humor. Julia--who always has a plan--has to face reality when life gets complicated, blowing her carefully constructed plans to pieces. The only thing that troubled me is this, and here I will warn you that there are. . .

Spoiler Alerts Below!!!!!!

When Julia's friend becomes attached to her new infant and decides to keep the baby, the two teens have to break the news to their respective parents. As expected, the fundamentalists lose it, but Julia's mom, dad and step-mom are so surprisingly laidback about the whole thing that I found it really stretched credulity. Then, the midwife from whom Julia has been slyly gatehring information, finds out and congratulates Julia on doing such a good job delivering an infant in the middle of the woods. I'm sorry, but what mystical adults are these? Where was the "hey, your friend could have died from labor complications" lecture? It never came. This troubled me.

Aside from that, I really liked the book. I expected that something disastrous would happen during the baby's birth but it didn't and in retrospect that would have been too predictable. The author doesn't glamorize pregnancy at all. She makes it clear that giving birth and caring for a child is a messy, messy business. Luckily, Julia and her friend have a strong support system in each other and in Julia's family. The relationships between people seemed real, and by the end of the book I felt like I knew everyone in the book.

Two New Books

2009-04-17T10:02:00.005-07:00

One of the advantages of working in a library is knowing what new books are coming out soon and putting them on hold. The drawback is that those books tend to arrive all at the same time. Case in point: the eight new teen books that materialized on my desk yesterday afternoon. I have to read fast (not a problem) and prioritize which titles I want to start with (a little harder).

The first book on my list is The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King. Today I'm 50 pages in and hooked. The premise is a fabulous one---female pirate, Emer, buries a great treasure right before she dies. However she is also cursed right before she dies. Emer must live 100 lives as a dog before being reincarnated as a human. Through each of these lives she retains her memory and knowledge of her first life as a pirate. Which means that when Emer is finally housed in the body of Saffron, a twentieth century teenage girl, her whole focus is on getting out of suburbia and back to the Carribbean to dig up her treasure. So far I am loving this. Even if the prose is sometimes a little clunky, the humor is great. This is the most original premise I've encountered for some time. Plus, I quite like the cover, which you might remember is something that's probably more important to me that it ought to be. Call me shallow.

Second on the list, The Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amanda Asbhy. I've got to say it's the cover that draws me to this book. That cover gets an A+. In fact I was so distracted by the cover that I had to look up a book review to remember what the book is about. In short, a teenage girl, attempting to cast a love spell, accidentally turns her entire high school into a bunch of flesh-eating zombies. Man, do I like zombies. Haven't read this yet so I can't give a review, but it's next on my to-be-read list and I have high hopes for it.

Wintergirls

2009-04-10T17:04:00.004-07:00

Brand new Laurie Halse Anderson novel.

Absolutely. Brilliant.

I could end my review there but that doesn't tell you much about the plot. So. . . on the first page our narrator, Lia, learns that her dearest childhood friend, Cassie, has been found dead in a motel room. This sends Lia, already on precarious balance, right over the edge. Lia's a "recovering" anorexic, or that's what her father and step-mom think. In truth, Lia is going to extreme measures to appear less thin she really is. While she weighs in at 107 pounds, she's actually down to 99, then 98, then 97. Her goal is 85. But she knows when she hits 85 she won't be satisfied until it's 75. . .

The brilliance of this novel is in the narrator's voice, the dichotomy between what she reveals to her family and what she reveals to the reader. Lia's pain, both physical and emotional, sears off the page. The author has created a strong, heartbreaking character in Lia, while the side characters--her mother, a brilliant cardiologist unable to connect with her daughter; her father, a man in denial; her step-mother, a woman who wants the best for her child and tries to fit a stepdaughter into the equation with some difficulty; her little sister, the only one Lia loves without complication, and Cassie whose ghost is haunting Lia--or are these only delusions?--are all fully realized as well. No one is completely perfect and no one is utterly demonized. The characters feel like real people, flawed, but bound together in their love for a girl slipping away from them. Anorexia is a huge part of the story, but so is grief. This isn't an "issues" novel--those often suffer from unrealistic characters and pat endings--but a human novel.

Not only are the characters great but the tension is intense. I honestly did not know if Lia would survive the book. Usually the reader is fairly certain that a main character will pull through. I wasn't certain, not at all, and I won't tell you whether Lia lives or dies. The read is too good to be spoiled.

Absolutely. Brilliant.

Go read now!

The Switch

2009-04-10T16:19:00.002-07:00

Tad Spencer is very, very smart and RICH. His parents own a company that sells skin care products and cosmetics. Tad can have anything and everything he wants. When he cannot have his way about going to an amusement park, Tad decides he wants to be someone else!

To his horror, he wakes up the next morning with a different body and with a different life. As he adjusts to being Bob Snarby and life as a "carnie", the adjustments in attitude and outlook on life are very interesting.

I enjoy Horowitz's books. The reader gets to share how his main character thinks and feels. Granted in this book, Tad's experiences are pretty drastic and the change in values come fairly quickly, it is still believable. The mansion Tad grows up in, is based on Horowitz's own home.

At first it was hard to sympathize with Tad or Bob, but as time went on Tad became a more likable individual. Most of the other characters were definitely lacking in being the kind of people you would want to be around. I also like the environmental message in the book. It was not heavy handed but it was handled very well, I thought.

Usually switches like this wind up with the switchees being glad to be who they are. In this one, both were glad to be back in their own bodies, but were glad to be different people. Tad and Bob both had a chance to start their lives anew and both were looking forward to it. I like that premise and hope they have better luck the second time around.

Hollywood and Maine

2009-04-10T12:02:00.002-07:00

Charmaine Upshaw in the 1970's in Pennsylvania. With typical teenage concerns like getting a first "real" boyfriend and having to put up with a younger brother and cousin. She has indeed got her first boyfriend. A very intelligent, well-manner, vegetarian boyfriend, Raymond. What she did not count on what having to give up her room to her ex-convict uncle!

Maine as she is called by her family, seems to be a fairly well grounded girl. She is intelligent, well read and has ambitions on becoming a famous model or famous actress. Maine has a strong family ties and her dreams include helping her family.

The characters are all likable. The changes Maine goes through because of her uncle E and Raymond are what most teens in the 70's would probably have gone through. It is kind of interesting because these changes seem rather mundane compared to what life is like for the teens of today.

There is not a great deal of action just a picture of one family's life in the late 70's. It is a fast read and one I enjoyed. I also was glad to see how Maine changed for the better at the end of the book. There is a previous book "Sweet Thang" in case anyone is interested in reading another book about Maine.

Elk's Run

2009-04-08T16:38:00.006-07:00

Elk’s Run is one of the few graphic novels in my library that is rarely checked out. Whenever I browse the collection in search of a graphic read, it always seems to be there…just waiting like a lonely shelter dog for that right person to take it home and cherish it. A couple of weeks ago, I needed something good to share during my library’s graphic novel book discussion group. So, I decided that I would let this “dog” have its day.

Author Joshua Hale Fialkov offers up a fairly intense tale of the fall of a utopian society. Elk’s Ridge is the name of a small-town community in West Virginia built by Vietnam War veterans supposedly seeking a peaceful existence for themselves and their families away from the crime and corruption of the outside world. However, when an Elk Ridge teenage boy is hit and killed by a drunk driver, the town’s bloody transformation from “Mayberry” to “Waco” is set into motion. Violence ensues and a group of teens attempts “the forbidden”…to leave Elk’s Ridge. The teens don’t get far before discovering that the intentions of the town’s founding fathers may not have been altogether harmonious.

As I finished reading Elk’s Run, I found myself hoping that more library patrons would discover this graphic novel if for nothing more than the fantastically gripping artwork. I thoroughly enjoyed the story as well, though the “fall of utopia” plot line might seem a bit tired and familiar to some readers.

Be warned, Elk’s Run is not for the squeamish. The “F” bomb is dropped repeatedly and blood flows like a river through the illustrations.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

2009-04-04T14:59:00.004-07:00

In the Forest of Hands and Teeth Carrie Ryan creates a post-apocalyptic world you wouldn't want to live in. Imagine a world in which the Unconsecrated (we know them as zombies) outnumber the living and only a series of metal fences keep the reanimated dead from feasting on the flesh of the last surviving humans. Naturally the bite of an Unconsecrated infects the living, killing them and turning them. So those dead folk milling around bear the faces of people you once loved, and if you stumble too close to the links in the fence, you could shortly be joining the rank of the monsters . Good times!

Teenaged Mary loses first her father, then her mother to the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Then her brother turns her out of the house. No man will speak for Mary, so she winds up at the Cathedral, destined to join the religious Sisterhood. The reader immediately gets the heebie-jeebies about these Sisters, who clearly know more about the zombie situation than they're letting on. The Sisters insist that nothing exists beyond the forest, that once the fences run out there are only more Unconsecrated and certain doom. But Mary's mother told her tales of an ocean and Mary's obsession with finding a life beyond the limits of her village begins to overshadow everything, even her budding love for her childhood companion,Travis. This love is already complicated by the fact that Travis is bethrothed to her best friend and then complicated further still when Travis's brother finally asks for Mary to be his wife. Luckily at this point the zombies attack.

I loved this, though the first few chapters went a little slowly at first. Perhaps it was just my mood but I found some of the information repeated more times than neccesary. Luckily the story quickly picks up. It's gripping, exciting and eerie, just as a zombie tale is meant to be. I liked that Mary was torn between love for a man and her obsessive goal of finding life beyond the confined village. The constant backdrop of moaning zombies was a nice touch---the reader can practically hear the constant caterwauling and it's easy to imagine how unnerving that would be. I also got the willies every time the author described how close the main characters would get to the fences, close enough for the zombies to run their ragged fingers through the humans' hair.

I really only have two complaints about the book: 1) Exactly how much did the Sisters know? I never felt like this was adequately answered. Perhaps it was a subtlety I missed entirely; and 2) Couldn't we have gotten a better cover? This cover does not scream ZOMBIE NOVEL! Portrait of a contemplative teenage girl is fine for mainstream contemporary, but let's up the ante for post-apocalyptic zombie love triangle. Honestly! That said, this book is well worth reading. Settle in for a creepy ride, and hope and pray you never find yourself face to face with the Unconsecrated.

SLJ Battle of the Books

2009-03-30T11:10:00.002-07:00

So I had heard of this last week, but wasn't clear as to what it was all about. This blog post by SLJ announces the books and the judges. Sixteen of the top books published for kids and teens in 2008 are battling it out to determine which book is the ultimate champion. The judges are well-known children and teen authors who each create their own criteria.

If you want to follow along or read the books to see how they would match up to you, here is the list.

Round 1 (Week of April 13th)
Match 1: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves vs Ways to Live Forever

Match 2: The Graveyard Book vs The Trouble Begins at 8

Match 3: Chains vs Washington at Valley Forge

Match 4: Here Lies Arthur vs Tender Morsels

Match 5: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks vs We Are the Ship

Match 6: The Hunger Games vs The Porcupine Year

Match 7: Graceling vs The Underneath

Match 8: The Lincolns vs Nation

Project Book Babe Event

2009-03-27T15:12:00.002-07:00

Okay so I just found out about this cool author event being held in Tempe on April 4th. And how did I find out about it? A teen librarian in Massachusetts had a link on her blog about it. I'm assuming the event is aimed at the fans of the dozen or so authors instead of the librarians out there. Here's the link to their website: http://projectbookbabe.com/

This 3 hour event (2-5 p.m.) costs from $25-$100 and proceeds help Faith Hochhalter (AKA Book Babe) fight breast cancer. So not only do you get a seat to hear these great authors speak, a chance to win raffles and bid on auctions, and at least one signed book, you get to support a great cause.

I'd totally be going to this if I wasn't most likely having a newborn to deal with then! So, check out the website and see if any of these authors are your cup of tea (by the way, there are some big names here--including Stephenie Meyer and Shannon Hale).

Spirit

2009-03-23T13:26:00.003-07:00

I read the dust jacket and just had to read this book. It sounded interesting and certainly sounded like a more than run of the mill witch tale. I figured it would only take a few pages and I would be in its grip.

Well, I was REALLY mistaken. After reading the prologue, I was patting myself on the back for picking a good thriller. Unfortunately, I started on chapter 1 and found I did not like the characters. The more I read, the more I disliked them. Obviously, they was something about them that made them extraordinary individuals. They were witch hunters.

The author's writing style did not appeal, it was just too old fashion for me. If I wanted something like that I would read H. P. Lovecraft. It is completely devoid of any kind of pleasantry. It is so dark that the reader got dragged down and it was very difficult to want to read on anymore.

I read the last few pages and I did not even care that Tobias and Tess wound up in a rather ugly ending. What a waste of time. I managed to get approximately halfway through it and then thought, "I can't do this anymore!" There are probably other readers who will pick this up and like it. That's what's so great about reading, we all have our particular tastes and I'm glad there are writers for each of those tastes.

If I Stay

2009-03-18T20:03:00.004-07:00

Kristin gave me the advanced reading copy of If I Stay by Gayle Forman yesterday afternoon. Less than 24 hours later I was putting it back on her desk, already having torn through it. So far it's gotten starred reviews, and I can see why. I liked it quite a bit.

The book opens on what seems like a perfect day, a snow day in Oregon when school is cancelled and seventeen-year-old Mia is looking forward to spending the day with her family--an actual cool mom and dad plus a little brother she truly loves--before seeing her boyfriend and his band play that evening in Portland. A few hours into the day everything changes. In the aftermath of a horrific car wreck, Mia finds herself in a supernatural limbo. Her body is in a coma while the spirit version of herself watches everything. Her mother and father are dead. Her little brother is barely alive. And Mia realizes she has a choice to make. Stay or go. Live, realizing she must do so as an orphan, having lost some of the people she loves most. . . or go, leaving behind the boyfriend and friends who love her and are desperate for her to survive. As the hours pass in the ICU, her body hovering between life and death, Mia recounts the story of her relationship with her boyfriend and how the musical talent she has for playing cello--she's so talented she has auditioned for Julliard, with a great chance of getting in--may actually tear their relationship apart. What choice will Mia make? Will she stay or will she go?

A fast, beautiful, sometimes painful read. This book is due out in April, and we have it on order for the library. As soon as it turns up in our catalog, you can place a hold on it. It's hard to categorize the novel. In some ways it's very much realistic fiction, but since Mia is narrating events from her limbo state, it also falls into "supernatural." Readers who enjoyed The Lovely Bones would probably like this too.

Kisses and Lies

2009-03-17T17:02:00.003-07:00

Ages ago I wrote about Kiss Me, Kill Me, a mystery book whose conclusion was postponed until the second volume of the series could be written and released. Happily that book, Kisses and Lies, has just come out. I got my grubby hands on it and I finally know who killed Dan McAndrew, using our heroine, poor Scarlett Wakefield, as the unwitting weapon. As you may or may not remember, in Kiss Me, Kill Me, Scarlett locked lips with Dan, the object of her affection only to watch him drop dead at her feet moments later. Turns out he was deathly allergic to peanuts, and someone had laced the chips at the party with peanut oil. Scarlett ate the chips; there was peanut oil on her mouth; she kissed Dan; and Dan dropped dead. Quite tragic, and not the ideal circumstances for a girl’s first kiss. But who put the fatal plan into motion? Was it Plum Sayborne, the rich and wicked leader of the snottiest clique in school? Or did someone else have reason to see Dan dead?

Book Two answers all the questions. This was a pleasant surprise for me since I’d somehow got it into my head that the mystery would be a trilogy, and I’d have to wait until the release of a third book to find out what was what. Nope! The mystery is solved at the end of Kisses and Lies. I know who did it, and you do not! Book Two is worth the wait. It was satisfying, keeping the reader guessing throughout. The characters remain strong and intriguing. Even if you haven’t read the first book, the author sums up the events succinctly so the reader can carry along with the second book. Only a very few things troubled me about the ending—namely that even while solving the mystery Scarlett doesn’t truly get to clear her name, and that the final dramatic scene of the tale seemed a little chaotic, as though events were almost too much for the author to manage—but mostly I loved it. I especially liked the surprise ending, which indicates to me that the author isn’t quite finished with Scarlett and her other characters. I’m hoping for another book to continue the story of the characters I came to enjoy reading so much.

One final note: I just love that Lauren Henderson dedicated the book “To every teenage girl out there whose first kiss didn’t quite go as she’d hoped it would.” Nice touch!

Wonder Woman: Who Is Wonder Woman

2009-03-09T15:41:00.002-07:00

I loved the artwork, the colors are stunning, the team who did the artwork did a great job. When I was growing up and reading comic books, I wish that they had been as dynamic as this was. I was a big fan of the DC heroes and this took me back.

The storyline was interesting. I never thought about what Wonder Woman's mission was except to fight evil like all the other heroes. It was interesting to see her questioning her intentions and those to whom she supposedly owed her allegiance. I had to admire her decision and how she found herself.

I also liked that the other DC heroes made some minor appearances. Like I said, it took me back.