A little Guilty Pleasure

Take a great cover, a classic Fairy Tale, and the Prom. Put them all together and what do you have? A little book that I can't say no to. Enter Cindy Ella by Robin Palmer.

 

This was a fun, cute read with a likable main character. There big revelation of Cindy's on-line "friend" isn't that big of a surprise, but that really doesn't matter. I still found myself rooting for Cindy as she tried to stay calm and unaffected in the middle of LA and Prom craziness. This book was a fun little detour in between heavier books, and I would totally recommend it to someone who needs something light and fun with a happy ending. 

Catch a Wave!

So perfect for summer. Sometimes, I even impress myself with my timing. I just finished The Wave: In Pursuit of Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean by Susan Casey.

This book? Not too shabby. It contained a lot of interesting information, facts and theories about waves, the oceans and climate change. Casey alternates between the science and the "adventure" sides of the ocean experience. For the science piece, she delves into the unpredictable and precarious nature of climate change and the ocean itself. She touches upon famous storms, tsunamis and shipwrecks as well as the mysterious disappearances of ships both large and small. There are a lot of fun facts and trivia bits peppered into the narrative, and although the science can get a little heavy at times, Casey finds a way to keep it accessible. This book was published in 2010, and it's fascinating to think about all that has happened since then, especially with the tsunami in Japan. 

As for the "adventure" side, Casey focused on the Big Wave riders, especially Laird Hamilton. This part of the book? Crazy! These surfers are insane! But, it was so cool to read about their adventures and there were some great pictures. If I had one comment about all of this, it would be that I think the author was totally crushing on Laird Hamilton (not that I can blame her!).  

I didn't always love the juxtaposition of the two story threads. Sometimes it was jarring to read an "adventure" chapter that ended in a cliffhanger and then turn the page and get a science chapter. I do think it was neat to show both perspectives, but maybe it should have been broken down into Part I & Part II. 

Overall, a good read that I would recommend.   

SUMMER READING!

It's here! & It has to be done, so make it fun! Join us tomorrow at the YA Summer Reading Kick-Off Party from 6-7pm. Our theme this summer is "You are Here." To celebrate we'll have music, snacks, games, prizes and more. All this crazy fun will happen in the Young Adult room. Hope to see you there! 

Creepy!!

 

Yikes! This one rates pretty high on the creep-o-meter. The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle is a prelude to Wuthering Heights, telling the story of Heathcliff as a boy. The main character, Tabby Akyroyd is hired from an orphanage and brought to Seldom House to serve as a nursemaid for young Heathcliff. Seldom House turns out to be a ghoulish, haunted home located on the desolate Yorkshire moors. There is no shortage of ghosts, spirits and mystery in this story, and the epilogue serves as an intriguing historical note, lending the story an eerie credibility. Clare B. Dunkle also has an author Web site, with a whole section devoted to the House of Dead Maids. It features pictures, some back story and more, and is definitely fun to explore if you want to know more about the story. My only advice? Don't read it late at night! 

How much is too much?

So, a recent editorial article/opinion in the Wall Street Journal sent ripples through the world of Young Adult literature. The author was questioning the level of explicit abuse, violence, and depravity in current YA fiction. Many authors and librarians looked on this article as an attack, and proceeded to defend YA fiction with everything they had. Me? Well, I find myself in a very strange position indeed. I see both sides of the issue, and I think there are valid points to be had for each side. As luck/karma would have it, I was reading Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeevs when I read this article. Talk about gore, violence, strong language, sexual situations, self-mutilation and more. This book has it all, and I have to say, at times it seemed excessive. I did not love this book, I felt like it was violent just for violence's sake, and I had a really hard time empathizing with the heroine, Hannah. I feel like the author wanted her to be a racier, more modern Buffy, but she just fell flat for me. The author had a lot of great ideas and creativity, and Reeves is definitely a good writer, but I could not embrace this story. This is most definitely a read for older teens.

But, back to the Wall Street Journal article, I do think there should be a variety of YA books available in every topic, and I know that many children and teens have lived through difficult, sometimes horrifying experiences. Having books with characters they can relate to is essential. The choice of reading material is a freedom that should never be taken away. I think it all comes down to a matter of personal preference and choice. While people can make all kind of suggestions and recommendations about what you should read, at the end of the day, you control your own destiny.

Dark Tide

Back to non-fiction for me. I know, I'm amazed as you are! Anyway, I finally read Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 by Stephen Puleo. This is another book that had been on my "to read list" for years, and I'm so glad that I have now read it. It really was a great book. Rich in historical detail, but sprinkled with enough story and narrative to keep the story moving. It reminded me a lot of the Dennis Lehane novel, The Given Day, primarily because they covered the same tumultuous time period in Boston. I find it so interesting to read different author's perspectives of the same series of events. Another interesting storyline that stood out for me related to immigration, especially the history and treatment of the Sicilian Italians. I couldn't help but to draw parallels to their treatment and the treatment of the Chinese as described in The Snakehead.

Any and everyone living in or near Boston should be required to read this book. It's an incredibly well-told story and an invaluable look at the structure and history of Boston. Reba definitely recommends!! 

Caught Red-Handed

Rats! Erin so called my bluff. In my post-Memorial Day post, I only commented on one of the two books that I vowed to read over the weekend. I went on and on about The Snakehead hoping that no one would notice I didn't review Chime. Well, there was a reason for it. Despite my best intentions, I didn't finish Chime over the weekend. But, that's all in the past and I have finally finished it and I am ready to comment.

(Great cover, hm?) Simply put, I really liked it. I may have even loved it. It's the kind of story that's hard to describe, but it was so beautifully written. At times it read like a fantasy, at times like a mystery, and at times like a novel with paranormal themes and a touch of romance. The main character Briony is hiding a terrible secret. She knows she's a witch and that she caused her Stepmother's death and serious injuries to her twin sister. Now, there's someone new in town, and he is determined to look below the beautiful exterior and learn about the real Briony. Trouble is, who is the real Briony, and will it mean her death if that is revealed? You'll have to read this book to find out!  

A Reader Reviews

Yay!! Finally! You all get a break from me for at least one post while I feature some entries from a guest reviewer, Shannon. Thanks Shannon!!

Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford

Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters got off to a great start and through most of the book, it was all very satisfying. I liked how the author used the three different views of each sister and made it so you couldn't decide which of the sisters had a guiltier confession. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, except there was one small glitch at the end of the book. The ending was something of a fast last-thought that made you wonder why the author even wrote the three confessions of the sisters in the book because they didn't matter in the end, except as a common moral lesson. As much as I enjoyed the book, I was hoping for a better ending, but otherwise, it was great. 

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

The Ghost and the Goth was a very entertaining and fun book. A classic popular girl who thinks the highest of herself and a misunderstood boy clashed for an unlikely purpose. Although the ending was a bit confusing because the evidence leading up to it proved it couldn't happen, it made you think about the afterlife and what actually happens. If our ancestors are around us as spirits who haven't moved on, or if they have seen the light and left earth. 

The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald

The Anti-prom was certainly a book of unexpected events. It kept you guessing about what would happen next and most of the time, it was a surprise. It does show the truth about life and what happens under the shiny surface of high school. Unfortunately, although this book wasn't very long, it seemed like the ending could have happened at any time. Many points in the book could have been perfect ending but the book kept going on and on. It went on and on with a purpose, but it didn't become any more interesting than it would have been if it ended earlier.