Monday, July 13, 2020
The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake
Twelve year old Sunny St. James doesn't feel very sunny - she just survived critical heart surgery and her adoptive mom is clearly hiding something about her birth mother. Now that it's summer, Sunny only wants to get lost in first kisses and reoccurring dreams about a mermaid that looks just like herself. But her world only tumbles further upside-down when she not only meets this dreamy mermaid for real, but her old best friend who remains emotionally and physically distant, and new best friend Quinn who throws a serious monkey wrench into her "first kiss" plans. The themes Sunny explores in this first person narrative - loss, family, and even LGBTQIA issues and discovery - are not unique even in the Middle Grade space, but Sunny's voice and Herring Blake's masterful utilization of this beach setting transcends mere exploration, delivering a coming of age story ambitiously beautiful for peer readers and heartrendingly nostalgic for older fans. Herring Blake uses Sunny's voice to not simply talk about LGBTQIA issues or family, but illustrate that heartache, new and old love and self-discovery are wondrous and enriching for everyone. Herring Blake pens a heady love letter to emerging adulthood and emotions that will satisfy fans from Louis Sachar to John Green to Erin Morgenstern.
Monday, March 9, 2020
The Porcupine of Truth by Bill Konigsberg
This is a wonderful novel that fans of All the Bright Places and Adam Silvera, John Green or Becky Albertalli will very much enjoy. Much like those stories, this story is set against the backdrop of a roadtrip, which Kongisberg uses to great effect to build up poignant character moments through a combination of quiet moments and interaction with new people and locales the main characters encounter for the first time. And again, as with those other stories, these characters discover not only who they are with each other, but with themselves and how to deal with the problems they are running away from, figuratively and quite literally. At a page count of just over 300, it’s not an overly long read either. For new fans, people who are already fans of Konigsberg or of other YA staples, this is an excellent book to pick up!
Thursday, July 4, 2019
And now for something completely different: a random poem about space
Space is a place
called Space
It has Asteroids
Not to be confused with Astronauts
With hemorrhoids
Do Astronauts get those?
Only in Space do they know!
Space has Stars
And Mars
And Planets
And when people read this poem
they will tell me to Can It.
But most of all
which is better than a trip to the mall
It is nice that Space
happens to rhyme with Place.
called Space
It has Asteroids
Not to be confused with Astronauts
With hemorrhoids
Do Astronauts get those?
Only in Space do they know!
Space has Stars
And Mars
And Planets
And when people read this poem
they will tell me to Can It.
But most of all
which is better than a trip to the mall
It is nice that Space
happens to rhyme with Place.
Girl Against the Universe - A meaningful look at survivor's anxiety without getting in the way of fun and enjoyment
Paula Stokes' Girl Against the Universe is one of those rare titles that actually lives up to the accolade of being for "fans of John Green, Rainbow Rowell and Mathew Quick." Like those three authors, Girl Against the Universe focuses on a protagonist who has to overcome her own anxiety brought about by outside causes - in this case, being one of the few members of her family to survive a horrific accident - and finding another external means to focus herself internally and come out on top by the end of the narrative. At once inspiring and entertaining, Girl Against the Universe should be identified as one of Stokes' greatest classics yet.
Many authors have employed strong characters with tragic backstories and anxiety issues as a shortcut to a great narrative. Stokes' narrative does not fall for this, but presents a fully-realized, three-dimensional character where, while her tragic backstory is a major focus, is not all that defines her. Unlike many stories that fall shorter, the narrative isn't completely consumed with how Maguire navigates her tragedy, nor is it completely shoved into the background. It does, however, frame how Maguire deals with school, love interests and how joining the school's tennis team becomes an important - but again, not completely defining - part of her character, in concert with her closest friends. As such not only does it offer a meaningful and insightful picture of how Magurie deals with her anxiety and tragic past, but also an entertaining but again meaningful look into her every day life and how she conquers the school's social ladder.
Grade: 5/5 stars, Goodreads.com scale (an exemplary reading experience that the reader will find highly satisfying with extremely memorable plot, narrative or characters and will likely carry for some time to come, with a very high likelihood of returning to reread).
Many authors have employed strong characters with tragic backstories and anxiety issues as a shortcut to a great narrative. Stokes' narrative does not fall for this, but presents a fully-realized, three-dimensional character where, while her tragic backstory is a major focus, is not all that defines her. Unlike many stories that fall shorter, the narrative isn't completely consumed with how Maguire navigates her tragedy, nor is it completely shoved into the background. It does, however, frame how Maguire deals with school, love interests and how joining the school's tennis team becomes an important - but again, not completely defining - part of her character, in concert with her closest friends. As such not only does it offer a meaningful and insightful picture of how Magurie deals with her anxiety and tragic past, but also an entertaining but again meaningful look into her every day life and how she conquers the school's social ladder.
Grade: 5/5 stars, Goodreads.com scale (an exemplary reading experience that the reader will find highly satisfying with extremely memorable plot, narrative or characters and will likely carry for some time to come, with a very high likelihood of returning to reread).
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz - Deep Character (And Narrative) Flaws Don't Prove Fatal
Hannah Moskowitz's Invincible Summer is written in a breathy, staccato voice that allows for the protagonist to bear his feelings and emotion and puts it several notches above average YA faire, especially for an alleged beach read - but certain readers may find the depiction of certain characters and events surrounding them extremely problematic or even triggering.
Invincible Summer, published in 2011, is like many YA titles from the SimonPulse imprint advertised as a fun, sexy and seductive teen/young adult beach read with promises of heady, alluring romances. In many respects Invincible Summer fails to deliver on that promise - but also proves that often a bait-and-switch, at least in literature, can deliver much more than what the reader was expecting. Moskowitz's narrative style is terse, hard-hitting and effective in its mood, not unlike writers currently dominating the YA marketplace like Rainbow Rowell, Matthew Quick or John Green. The plot moves far beyond the sultry confines of most romance beach reads and asks hard questions of the protagonists' relationships with family, lovers and what he's really searching for. Progressing through the protagonist's developmental teen years (specifically each summer), the reader feels a part of his journey and with a complete picture of his growing up, thoughts, tribulations and all. The reader's biggest takeaway is a very satisfying yet tragic conclusion to a young boy's memories and sentimental teenagehood in his mother's beach getaway.
That is not to say Moskowitz's narrative is without flaws - indeed, the sexy, seductive and sultry contribution is fulfilled by the protagonist's encounter with his brother's girlfriend, and the experience for the reader can become questionable and confusing, with conflicting and nonsensical attitudes shared between the brothers and the depiction of the girlfriend in question becoming potentially disturbing and troubling for some readers after the revelation of what happened to her in college. However, this doesn't mar the narrative enough to deny it from being a top-shelf pic.
Grade: 5/5 stars, Goodreads.com scale (an exemplary reading experience that the reader will find highly satisfying with extremely memorable plot, narrative or characters and will likely carry for some time to come, with a very high likelihood of returning to reread).
Invincible Summer, published in 2011, is like many YA titles from the SimonPulse imprint advertised as a fun, sexy and seductive teen/young adult beach read with promises of heady, alluring romances. In many respects Invincible Summer fails to deliver on that promise - but also proves that often a bait-and-switch, at least in literature, can deliver much more than what the reader was expecting. Moskowitz's narrative style is terse, hard-hitting and effective in its mood, not unlike writers currently dominating the YA marketplace like Rainbow Rowell, Matthew Quick or John Green. The plot moves far beyond the sultry confines of most romance beach reads and asks hard questions of the protagonists' relationships with family, lovers and what he's really searching for. Progressing through the protagonist's developmental teen years (specifically each summer), the reader feels a part of his journey and with a complete picture of his growing up, thoughts, tribulations and all. The reader's biggest takeaway is a very satisfying yet tragic conclusion to a young boy's memories and sentimental teenagehood in his mother's beach getaway.
That is not to say Moskowitz's narrative is without flaws - indeed, the sexy, seductive and sultry contribution is fulfilled by the protagonist's encounter with his brother's girlfriend, and the experience for the reader can become questionable and confusing, with conflicting and nonsensical attitudes shared between the brothers and the depiction of the girlfriend in question becoming potentially disturbing and troubling for some readers after the revelation of what happened to her in college. However, this doesn't mar the narrative enough to deny it from being a top-shelf pic.
Grade: 5/5 stars, Goodreads.com scale (an exemplary reading experience that the reader will find highly satisfying with extremely memorable plot, narrative or characters and will likely carry for some time to come, with a very high likelihood of returning to reread).
The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott - Not Up to Par
Elizabeth Scott has authored many excellent books covering a wide range of topics and narrative, from simple romantic comedies to harder-hitting material. I've particular enjoyed two other novels by her: Bloom, a romantic comedy with a Judy Blume-like twist, and Living Dead Girl about a victim of a kidnapping. I've also enjoyed two other of her romantic comedies, Something, Maybe and Perfect You. I had high expectations for her 2010 novel The Unwritten Rule but sadly those expectations were not met.
In comparison to her other works, The Unwritten Rule comes across both more disorganized but also more formulaic. The protagonist has a love interest, and another girl serving as a barrier to that love interest - not exactly original. The fact that the other girl is a friend or relative is also not newly-treaded ground. Too much of the narrative is spent following the protagonist agonizing over her indecision, and a more interesting sideplot involving "the other girl" is present only at the absolute bare minimum that it needs to be. The biggest let-down is a conclusion that feels greatly unsatisfying, incomplete, and with the character coming off as perhaps more smug than she deserves.
Grade: 3/5 stars, Goodreads.com scale (an average reading experience that is worthwhile for entertainment value or for completing a series, but readers may be feeling little of value to take away from the reading experience).
Grade: 3/5 stars, Goodreads.com scale (an average reading experience that is worthwhile for entertainment value or for completing a series, but readers may be feeling little of value to take away from the reading experience).
A Really Nice Prom Mess by Brian Sloan - A Product of its Time
2005's A Really Nice Prom Mess by Brian Sloan is clearly a sign of its time - although a (relatively) early YA novel depicting LGBTQ+ positivity with a gay protagonist, it also shows just how far values have come since then. The novel is rife with arguable examples of slut shaming and body shaming; alcoholics are portrayed in a humorous manner and alcoholism closely tied to slut-shaming; certain negative gay stereotypes are reinforced (namely gay men being attracted to underaged teens) and abusive relationships and partners are portrayed positively until near the end of the book.
A Really Nice Prom Mess has a relatively short read at just 266 pages (1st HC edition), and even then the page count (and adult themes/narrative) belies an overestimation of the reading difficulty. Teens, young adults and even older readers who appreciate farcical reads and even "ironic reading" especially when it comes to prom-related subject matter or extremely busy comedic plotlines akin to The Hangover might appreciate this book enough to overlook its faults, but parents might find the content offensive to modern sensibilities. That said, most actual readers, even pre-teens, will probably feel well-insulated from any offense and appreciate the book either in an "ironic" fashion or simply to pad out book reading list counts.
Grade: 3/5 stars, Goodreads.com scale (an average reading experience that is worthwhile for entertainment value or for completing a series, but readers may be feeling little of value to take away from the reading experience).
A Really Nice Prom Mess has a relatively short read at just 266 pages (1st HC edition), and even then the page count (and adult themes/narrative) belies an overestimation of the reading difficulty. Teens, young adults and even older readers who appreciate farcical reads and even "ironic reading" especially when it comes to prom-related subject matter or extremely busy comedic plotlines akin to The Hangover might appreciate this book enough to overlook its faults, but parents might find the content offensive to modern sensibilities. That said, most actual readers, even pre-teens, will probably feel well-insulated from any offense and appreciate the book either in an "ironic" fashion or simply to pad out book reading list counts.
Grade: 3/5 stars, Goodreads.com scale (an average reading experience that is worthwhile for entertainment value or for completing a series, but readers may be feeling little of value to take away from the reading experience).
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