Book Review: Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

Hello again, blogging world! Sorry for the radio silence - life gets in a way a lot lately. Plus, I pretty much single handedly planned girls camp (a youth camp for my church for girls aged 12-18). It was crazy times. And blogging is really falling by the wayside. But here! Have a random book review!

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication date: March 2015
Pages: 368
Source: e-book from library
For: I heard good things and those shiny award stickers didn't hurt

Summary (from goodreads):

Everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps—gaps to trip you up, gaps to slide through so you can disappear forever. So when young, beautiful Roza went missing, the people of Bone Gap weren’t surprised. After all, it wasn’t the first time that someone had slipped away and left Finn and Sean O’Sullivan on their own. Just a few years before, their mother had high-tailed it to Oregon for a brand new guy, a brand new life. That’s just how things go, the people said. Who are you going to blame?

Finn knows that’s not what happened with Roza. He knows she was kidnapped, ripped from the cornfields by a dangerous man whose face he cannot remember. But the searches turned up nothing, and no one believes him anymore. Not even Sean, who has more reason to find Roza than anyone, and every reason to blame Finn for letting her go.

My thoughts:
I got really sucked into this story - right from the start. It's amazingly written, with gorgeous lyrical writing and there's some serious suspense going on. It also has a lot of surprising elements, though I did go in knowing there was an element of magical realism/fantasy. I liked figuring things out one little bit at a time and wondering if I'd been imagining it wrong all along. And I liked it. Worth the read, I think, despite some rather disturbing and adult-ish things.

Read-alikes:
Uh, drawing a blank here

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
there is some in there (no f-bombs, that I recall)

mrg-factor: X
some stuff

v-factor: ->->
it's been a while, but I think some intense stuff happens :)

Overall rating: ****

Book Review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: October 2011
Pages: 416
Source: Library
For: Fun (and Printz Project)

Puck Connolly has never want to be in the races - her parents were brutally killed by water horses - but she is compelled to sign up anyway.  Sean Kendrick is the returning champion, so in tune with the vicious horses and his mount in particular he's likely to win easily again.  The two must face off, along with many other contenders, in a race that always ends in bloodshed. 

Things I Liked:
Oh, this book.  (Don't dismiss it based on my horrible summary.)  I'm not sure what I think about this book.  On the one hand, it is, in true Stiefvater fashion, gorgeously written with this lovely prose that seems to drip from the pages like nectar and characters that worm their way into your affections so slowly you don't notice until it's too late.  On the other hand, I couldn't get into it.  It's kind of embarrassing to say that about a book filled with killer sea horses, but there it is.  I struggled to want to keep reading, with the slow plot and the characters I hadn't yet come to love.  I was nearly three-fourths of the way through before I decided that I did like the book, the characters, and the crazy killer water horse story.  And then it ended (in such a nice way, too).  I will admit that I won't soon be forgetting about the cappaill uisce or Sean or Puck.  It boasts a beautiful mythology in the perfect setting - with a creepy undertone and old magic simmering under the surface. 

Things I Didn't Like:
Like I said, I got nearly all the way through before I wanted to keep reading and see what happened.  It was, to be honest, rather dull at the start.  Depending on when you are grabbed by the characters or setting or story, you may love it more or less.  I'd say it's worth the effort of pushing through the beginning to get to the rest.

Read-alikes:
Um, I can't really think of anything!  Perhaps a bit like Lament and Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
some, not a lot

mrg-factor: X
a few dirty jokes, nothing action-wise

v-factor: ->
bloody killer man-eating horses!

Overall rating: ****

What did you think of these killer sea horses?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date: May 2011
Pages: 240
Source: Library
For: Printz Project

Cullen Witter has a lot on his mind - it's almost senior year and he's about to get the girl of his dreams, when his life is shattered by tragedy - his younger brother disappears. He must spend this summer trying to understand this new and different life, especially with the mania his small town experiences over a possibly extinct bird's reappearance.

Things I Liked:
Ok, that was probably the worst summary I've ever done, but this book is hard to explain. I'll talk about this more below, but I had a hard time getting into the book.  What I did enjoy was when I hit a point (probably around halfway) when the seemingly completely random and disparate story lines started to come together.  I was impressed with how Whaley brought them together and how they eventually made sense, especially because I was doubting it would at that point.  I loved the deep and complicated ideas the book discusses and the realistically portrayed teenage boy struggling to understand why his brother disappeared.  I think this one has a lot of merit and is skillfully woven.  I can see what elements drew the Printz committee (and Morris committee) to choose this one.

Things I Didn't Like:
As I said, I really struggled for the first half of the book.  I thought the completely different viewpoints and stories were too confusing, too random to interest me.  I only really cared about Cullen's story, so when the others would suddenly appear, I wanted to put the book down.  Initially, I really disliked the book, but I think it grew on me.  I especially hated the third-person weird zombie dreams Cullen had - totally distracting and confusing!  I'm not seeing this one having wide appeal and definitely it won't draw in reluctant readers with its slow and erractic beginning, but it does have a quiet power hidden in its depths.  And just the right touch of humor to balance it.  I guess it just didn't speak to me personally.

Read-alikes:
No idea.  Maybe a little like The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@# 
regularly throughout, one f-bomb

mrg-factor: X 
mostly off page things, but it's implied

v-factor: -> 
some zombie dream stuff and maybe a few other darker issues, nothing graphic

Overall rating: *** 

I'm really hit and miss with the Printz winners - doesn't it seem like they sometimes pick really odd books?

 

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Publication date: 2004
ISBN: 9780553376050
Source: Library

When Daisy is sent to visit her aunt and cousins in England, she little expects to stay there so long.  Soon after her aunt leaves on business, the country is invaded by an enemy and bombing of major cities begins.  But she and her cousins are far from cities, living on an isolated and independent farm.  They live an idealized life for many months, until war finally finds their small corner of the world. 

Things I Liked:
I'm not entirely sure about this one.  I didn't exactly like it and I didn't like the main characters, but I can recognize there was a lot of good in it.  First of all, I think the portrayal of teenagers (and probably most adults) in regard to war (or natural disasters, etc) is really accurate.  The fact that things like this happen all over the world is entirely true and I think we disregard it until it is right on our doorstep or until it personally affects us.  This was one of the book's most compelling points.  We don't want to think about others' problems until they become ours.  I'm pretty sure most of us would try to think about what's going on, but we'd still be caught up in our lives and petty distractions.  This would be such a great book to discuss in a book group, to see what other people think.  It's quite well written, in a stream-of-consciousness/diary type format and it puts you right in the action (or drama).  A unique and realistic book about teenagers in the middle of a war.

Things I Didn't Like:
I'll be the first to admit the romance made me uncomfortable.  And I got mad at their seeming inability to care what was happening around them, even while I recognized its verity.  I didn't much care for Daisy or any of the cousins, except perhaps Piper.  I was really confused too about the ending and the somewhat paranormal abilities that were just brushed off and not explained.  I wasn't entirely sure what they were or what purpose they served.  But, I have to admit, it held my attention from beginning to end.  

Read-alikes:
Totally reminded me of the Last Survivors series by Susan Beth Pfeffer

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#$
lots, some f-words

mrg-factor: XX
not too descriptive, but it happens, and they're cousins

v-factor: ->->->
some war scenes described and they are not pretty

Overall rating: ***

Any opinions on this book? I'd love to hear what others thought of it.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Retro Friday Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc." 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: 2005
ISBN: 9780375842207
Source: personal copy (reread for book club)

Guys, I really struggled with a summary of this book.  I just don't think it's possible for me to write it well enough.  But here's what I will say: story of a young girl growing up in World War II Germany.  All told from the narrative perspective of a compassionate Death, Liesel's story will break your heart and lift your spirits at the same time.

Things I Liked:
Does this book really need more gushing?  Could I possibly be able to say anything new about it?  Probably not.  I'll just say, if you haven't picked this book up, you really should.  The writing alone is worth the read - gorgeous, different, vivid and expressive, it will make you think differently about nearly everything you know about WWII Germany.  The story itself is slow to unfold, but you become acquainted with the characters and fall in love with them, and then suffer when they do.  It is a rich, detailed and simply lovely story, with such a unique and intriguing narrator that you will find yourself flying through the pages.  Read it.  And then read it again.  And again.  After meeting Markus Zusak, I loved the story even more.  Some of the many, many parts I loved:

I could introduce myself properly, but it's not really necessary.  You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables.  It suffices to say that at some point in time, I will be standing over you, as genially as possible.  Your soul will be in my arms.  A color will be perched on my shoulder.  I will carry you gently away.  At that moment, you will be lying there (I rarely find people standing up).  You will be caked in your own body.  There might be a discovery; a scream will dribble down the air.  The only sound I'll hear after that will be my own breathing, and the sound of the smell, of my footsteps.  The question is, what color will everything be at that moment when I come for you?  What will the sky be saying?  Personally, I like a chocolate-colored sky.  Dark, dark chocolate.  People say it suits me.  I do, however, try to enjoy every color I see - the whole spectrum.  A billion or so flavors, none of them quite the same, and a sky to slowly suck on.  It takes the edge off the stress.  It helps me relax. p 4

She was the book thief without the words.  Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like rain.  p 80

Many jocular comments followed, as did another onslaught of "heil Hitlering."  You know, it actually makes me wonder if anyone ever lost an eye or injured a hand or wrist with all of that.  You'd only need to be facing the wrong way at the wrong time or stand marginally too close to another person.  Perhaps people did get injured.  Personally, I can only tell you that no one died from it, or at least, not physically.  p 111

Yes, the Fuhrer decided that he would rule the world with words.  "I will never fire a gun," he devised.  "I will not have to."  Still, he was not rash.  Let's allow him at least that much.  He was not a stupid man at all.  His first plan of attack was to plant the words in as many areas of his homeland as possible.  He planted them day and night, and cultivated them.  He watched them grow, until eventually, great forests of words had risen throughout Germany....It was a nation of farmed thoughts.  p 445

Things I Didn't Like:
This being my second time reading it, I was struck again by how many swear words there are.  Mind you, many of them are German, but the religious exclamations also made me uncomfortable, but I don't think they'll bother many people.  I know it didn't detract much from the beauty and bitterness of the story for me.  Also, it really isn't a short book and might be a bit hard for those who can't invest much time and effort into the reading, but know it will be worth it if you can.  
 
Read-alikes:
Honestly, not much like any other WWII book I've read, but try  
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne 
Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli 
Hitler Youth by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
as mentioned above, mostly German or religious

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
not a lot in number, but necessary as part of the story

Overall rating: *****

Anybody out there not read this book?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

Hey! Look at me - posting again. Must mean we finally have internets at our new apartment. And I'm still alive (apparently).

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date: May 2010
ISBN: 9780316056212
Source: Library (though I should totally buy it)

Nailer has never had much, working on a ship-breaking crew, trying to avoid being beaten by his drunken father.  But, when he happens on a lucky discovery, he has the chance to have everything.  This chance, however, rests on a decision between stripping a rich ship or saving a rich girl from the ship.  Is Nailer willing to risk everything on the chance that this girl could change the course of his life?

Things I Liked:
Wow.  This is dystopian literature at its finest, I think.  In rich, vivid, and totally engrossing language, Bacigalupi has created a future world where the divide between haves and have nots is so wide it seems impossible to breach.  Nailer's world is so horrifying and so realistically portrayed, it almost makes me think that it was based in reality.  You get a real sense of what they feel, touch, even breathe from his gorgeous writing.  Which doesn't even get into the fascinating story that is told in its pages.  The action is fantastic and I really loved the characters, particularly Pima and Nita.  A fascinating and terrifying future world that seems like it might just be our future.  Totally deserving of the Printz award it won, in my opinion.  Here are a few of my favorite parts:

It was as if the Scavenge God had come amongst the ships, slashing and chopping, dicing the huge iron vessels into pieces, and then left the corpses scattered carelessly behind  And wherever the huge ships lay, scavenge gangs like Nailer's swarmed like flies.  Chewing away at iron meat and bones.  Dragging the old world's flesh up the beach to the scrap weighing scales and the recycling smelters that burned 24-7 for the profit of Lawson & Carlson, the company that made all the cash from the blood and sweat of the ship breakers. p 6-7

Now, though, the dark reek of the oil room filled his mind - the memory of being up to his neck in warm death staring up at Sloth high above him, her little LED paint mark glowing - salvation if only he could convince her, if only he could reach out and touch that part of her that cared for something other than herself, knowing that there was a lever inside her somewhere, and if only he could pull it, she would go for help and he would be saved and everything would be fine.  p 99

Dozens of futures extended ahead of him, depending on his luck and the will of the Fates...and the variable that this girl presented.  He could see those roads spinning away from him in different directions.  He was standing at their hub, looking down each of them in turn, but he could see only so far, one or two steps ahead at best.  p 111

Things I Didn't Like:
I kinda wanted a little more info, mostly about Tool.  He felt like an enigma the whole time, a wild card that conveniently arrived to help them out and then disappeared when he wasn't needed anymore.  I couldn't figure him out.  Also, the ending was a little too neat and clean for the way the rest of the story felt - harsh, gritty, painful.  Still, like I said, one of the best dystopians I've read!

Read-alikes:
The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness
Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
throughout but no f-bombs

mrg-factor: X
mostly implied stuff, nothing descriptive

v-factor: ->->->->
quite a bit, some rather gory 

Overall rating: *****

Seriously, if you love dystopian stuff, get your hands on this. You won't be sorry!

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer 
Publisher: Atheneum
Publication date: September 2002
ISBN: 9780689852237
Source: Library book club set and I own a copy, cause I love it so much!

Matteo is not your typical child.  He's a clone.  He spends the first years of his life alone with Celia, a servant, oblivious to what he is.  But, when he meets the family in the big house, he begins to learn just what being a clone means.  He's not human and no one treats him like that, except a very few people, including El Patron.  But, does El Patron treat him like a human because he is one or because of a more sinister interest in Matt?

Things I Liked:
I've loved this book since I first read it several years ago and this reread for my book group solidified my love.  There so much to discuss and think about!  I loved all of the ethical thoughts and questions that arise, simply because of the subject matter - human cloning.  Not only does it have these issues that make it interesting, but the story is fast-paced and you can't put the book down because you have to know what happens to Matt.  He is such an interesting character because you feel for him and all that he suffers, yet you also see he is flawed and makes stupid choices just like everyone else.  The world that slowly unfolds in the pages of the book is so interesting, because it feels real, like this is where our world is heading, which I think is a mark of a very good futuristic/dystopian book.  Great story, great characters, and our book group had a LOT to talk about.  It was a hit.  I think I like this one even more than The Hunger Games, which is really saying something!  All those shiny award stickers on the cover?  Totally deserves them.  One of my favorite parts:

What Matt hated about the creature was everyone's assumption that he and Furball were the same.  It didn't matter that Matt had excellent grades and good manners.  They were both animals and thus unimportant.  During Easter vacation Tom said good manners were no harder to learn than rolling over or playing dead.  Matt threw himself at him, and Maria ran shrieking for Tam Lin.  Tom was sent to his room without dinner.  Matt wasn't punished at all.  Which was okay with Matt, except that Furball wasn't punished for his crimes either.  He couldn't understand the difference between right and wrong.  He was a dumb beast and so, apparently, was Matt. p 85

Things I Didn't Like:
The beginning is a little slow, but picks right up after a few chapters.  I really wish we could have gotten a wider view of the world Farmer envisioned.  It seemed like there was so much more going on than just what happens in Opium and Aztlan (Mexico).  I'd really like for her to write another book set in this time and place (which I've heard is in the works).

Read-alikes:
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
The Maze Runner by James Dashner

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: ! 
very few

mrg-factor: X
they talk about affairs, but nothing happens on page

v-factor: ->->
there is some rather frightening stuff, not much physical violence

Overall rating: *****

What's your most highly recommended futuristic/sci-fi/dystopian book?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman

Charles and Emma seem like two very different people.  Charles Darwin is a tidy, scientific naturalist, always doing experiments with plants and studying animals.  Emma Wedgwood is a messy, religious woman, happy to remain at home and take care of her aging father and mother.  When Charles decides to take a leap and ask Emma to marry him, neither one could anticipate just how much they would come to mean to each other, or just how they would resolve their religious and moral differences.

Things I Liked:
I loved reading a biography of Charles Darwin that talked about his wife!  I thought it was very intriguing to see how much they disagreed on the subject of God and his role in the creation and in their daily lives.  I also thought it was very interesting to read about the kinds of difficulties Charles felt while trying to sort out and publish his ideas on natural selection.  I am both a religious and a scientific person (I studied physics and astronomy before I became a librarian) and I was particularly interested in Charles' friend Asa Gray's views on reconciling those two seemingly conflicting beliefs.  The book offers such a unique look at how people dealt with those kinds of discrepancies back then and probably still applies to many people today.  Reading about how both Charles and Emma interacted with their children and dealt with grief was much more interesting to me, however, than reading Darwin's work on natural selection or worms.  The relationship between them was very touching, despite their differences.

Things I Didn't Like:
I wish there had been more about Emma.  I kept wanting to know if she would discuss religion and God with Charles often or if she just let him take his own path.  We didn't get a lot of insight into her, but what we did see was intriguing.  I had to laugh a bit at the arrogance in this statement: "In The Origin, Charles wasn't trying to murder Emma's God; he was trying to show how he believed creation really occurred.  He knew he was right." (p 182).  He wasn't generally arrogant (at least that wasn't the impression I got from the biography), but this statement just made me want to laugh a bit.  I also found it highly ironic that he would often use phrases like "Thank God" in his letters - who did he think he was thanking?  I'm sure he was just using common phrases of the time, but I wonder if it ever struck him how humorous it was to use such phrases and not really believe in a God.

Read-alikes:
I kept thinking of Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande
A bit like The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
It also made me interested in picking up Darwin's The Voyage of the Beagle

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a very few

mrg-factor: X
a couple of suggestive parts

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

If you are a religious person, do you ever struggle to reconcile your religious beliefs with science?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The First Part Last by Angela Johnson

The First Part Lastis a short book, but really packs a punch. Alternating between "then" and "now" it looks at the struggles of a teenage father raising his baby daughter Feather alone. It is beautifully tender and also very real - exploring Bobby's conflicted feelings about fatherhood and his shortened youth.

Things I Liked:
The writing was beautiful. I really loved getting this look at how a teenage father feels. I was touched at his feelings for his daughter and also at the tender side of Bobby and his buddies. These tough guys soften up around Feather and I love that. I also thought it very balanced in its depiction - Bobby loves his daughter, but also feels just how hard, how limiting, how sleep-depriving this experience is - especially while he's still in high school.

Things I Didn't Like:
I really can't think of much for this. I kinda wish I'd known more about Nia, the mother, but it is clearly intended as a book about the father.

Read-alikes:
I haven't read a lot of stuff like this, but I did enjoy the classic YA Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jonesby Ann Head about teenage parenthood

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#$
plenty throughout
mrg-factor: X
innuendo, but not descriptive
v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

Book Review: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

An Abundance of Katherinesdumping him is all that Colin seems to experience in life. Despite his genius prodigy status, after Katherine XIX (K-19) dumps him, he hits rock bottom and ends up in the tiny town of Gutshot, Tennessee with his friend Hassan. There, despite nearly getting gored by a feral hog, chased by a hoard of angry hornets, and beaten up by The Other Colin (TOC), Colin realizes his missing piece can be found in unlikely places.

This book was an absolute riot. I hardly stopped laughing all the way through. I don't normally like this kind of book either, but I found myself enjoying it and marking parts that I loved. Colin was quirky and I love nearly all of the minor characters - particularly the Gutshot residents. The footnotes just added to the overall excellence as well. The book was not only humorous, it was also real - the characters were believable, the struggles of trying to understand who you are and what you want to do all seemed natural. And the writing was just fabulous. I guess the major drawbacks to this are the swearing and the mrg-content. I imagine that walking down the hall of a high school would sound exactly like this, but I got really tired of it. Anyway, I really enjoyed my first foray into John Green novels. I think I'll have to pick up another.

Read-alikes:
From what I hear, all Green's books have similar plots, so try Looking for Alaskaand Paper Townsby him

Just wanted to list a couple of my favorite quotes:

"What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? How very odd, to believe God gave you life, and yet not to think that life asks more of you than watching TV." p. 33

"Because like say I tell someone about my feral hog hunt. Even if it's a dumb story, telling it changes other people just the slightest little bit, just as living the story changes me...I will get forgotten, but the stories will last. And so we all matter - maybe less than a lot, but always more than none." p. 213

"Books are the ultimate Dumpees: put them down and they'll wait for you forever; pay attention to them and they always love you back." p. 110

RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#$
Yeah, it's everywhere. Interesting change from the usual "ck" ending to "g," though I guess it was Norman Mailer's idea.

mrg-factor: XXX
Boy, they sure talk about it a lot, though it isn't described really.

v-factor: ->
Some people get beat up.

Overall rating: ****

My Printz

I haven't signed up for a challenge before, but when I saw this new one, the Printz Project, I couldn't resist. The Printz Award is for outstanding young adult literature, the Newbery of YA. Since I have been highly interested in reading the winners, I thought I may as well do it for a challenge.

Here we go!
2012
Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

2011
Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

2010
Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman

2009
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 2: The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Nation by Terry Pratchett

2008

2007
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party
by M.T. Anderson
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

2006

2005
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel

2004
The First Part Last by Angela Johnson

2003
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

2002

2001
Stuck In Neutral by Terry Trueman

Read Pre-Blogging:
The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean (2008)
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (2007)
I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak (2006)
A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly (2004)
Monster by Walter Dean Myers (2000)
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (2000)

DNFs:
Going Bovine by Libba Bray (2010)
Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan (2009)

Book Review: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Description of Jellicoe Roadfrom Amazon:

"Abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven, Taylor Markham, now seventeen, is finally being confronted with her past. But as the reluctant leader of her boarding school dorm, there isn't a lot of time for introspection. And while Hannah, the closest adult Taylor has to family, has disappeared, Jonah Griggs is back in town, moody stares and all. Nothing is as it seems and every clue leads to more questions as Taylor tries to work out the connection between her mother dumping her, Hannah finding her then and her sudden departure now, a mysterious stranger who once whispered something in her ear, a boy in her dreams, five kids who lived on Jellicoe Road eighteen years ago, and the maddening and magnetic Jonah Griggs, who knows her better than she thinks he does. If Taylor can put together the pieces of her past, she might just be able to change her future."

I enjoyed the mystery aspects of this novel most. Jellicoe Road recently won the Printz award for young adult literature, and very obviously deserved it with its engaging descriptions and interesting story. I found there were parts that I thought were a little over the top and a bit too melodramatic, but it also seemed very real in other parts.

RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#$
A lot of swearing.

mrg-factor: XX
Some situations and scenes, fortunately not graphic.

v-factor: ->->
Some disturbing and violent parts.

Overall rating: ***

Book Review: Nation by Terry Pratchett

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Nationis the story of Mau and Daphne (also called Ermintrude, but really, who would want that name?) After a huge wave devastates Mau's island and wrecks Daphne's ship, the two of them must fight the ghosts of their past and the terrors of being alone, but together they can be the start of a new Nation.

The book started out kind of slow for me, even with Pratchett's sarcastic humor scattered throughout. However, even if a lot of the story was more psychological in nature than actual things happening, it became more interesting. I really enjoyed Mau's internal struggles with his religious thoughts and his realistic ones. It became a very well-crafted coming-of-age story for both Mau and Daphne.

RATINGS:
s-factor: !
A few.

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
Some fighting.

Overall rating: ***

Book Review: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Volume II by M.T. Anderson

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Wavescontinues the story of Octavian as he escapes from his owners. He eventually ends up joining Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian regiment - a group of ex-slaves who were told they would be set free if they joined (only if they were owned by rebels). His experiences in that regiment during the year 1776 will change the way he thinks and views the world forever.

Wow. This book was a huge eye-opener for me. I was pretty much clueless about the experiences of slaves during the Revolutionary War. This story revealed a new and interesting view of that war, the American cause, and slavery. I was not as interested in the first volume of his story (reviewed here), but this second one, while continuing the somewhat inaccessible language, is told mostly in first-person and is much more story-oriented. The message was very powerful.

RATINGS:
s-factor: !
Some language, but not a lot.

mrg-factor: none.

v-factor: ->->
A story about slavery and war - it has violence.

Overall rating: ****

Book Review: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks- the title says it all! Frankie starts her sophomore year at a prestigious prep school with a new boyfriend. She dreamed of dating this boy all last year and now it's come true. She becomes more and more bothered, however, by his membership in an exclusive all-male secret club and her perceived inferiority as a girl. She finds an interesting way to feel included and assert her own power.

While I enjoyed the prep/boarding school prank elements, I thought the story really didn't feel complete. Frankie's changes, while interesting, were not entirely developed. The conclusion wasn't satisfying and I didn't really know what the point of it was. The third person telling really threw me off, especially since the title almost implies a journal/diary format (which is misleading as well). I also loved some of the funny parts (particularly the grammar jokes) but found some of the teen issues to be superfluous. Maybe I just need to start reading more books for adults. :)

RATINGS:
s-factor: !
Surprisingly few for a contemporary teen novel.

mrg-factor: XX
Some annoying references.

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ***

Book Review: Airborn by Kenneth Oppel

Airborn is the story of a world where airplanes were not invented and the sky was ruled by airships. Matt Cruse is a cabin boy on the same airship his father worked on. He was born in the skies (literally) and doesn't feel comfortable on the ground. During one fateful trip across the Pacificus, he and a young passenger named Kate make a remarkable discovery.

I thought this was a very fun book. The adventure and suspense were well done and kept me guessing until the end. There was also a lot of fun humor. The characters were realistic and believable. I also loved the "alternate" history feel of the story. The only problem I had was the poor editing - I was surprised at the number of mistakes made in the text (really only a handful, but still!)

RATINGS:
s-factor: !
A handful of mild words.

mrg-factor: none.

v-factor: ->
Some violence and intense parts, but definitely not graphic or gory.

Overall rating: ****

Book Review: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson

In The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party, we are introduced to Octavian, and slowly learn about his childhood and life. Information about him is revealed one piece at a time. He grows up in a scientific institute with his mother and lots of "fathers" who are scientists interested in his development. When Octavian learns more about his role and his mother's in this institute, he must come to terms with that reality.

The book began very slowly for me. I couldn't really get into the story at all, since it was more a group of vignettes of his childhood. I thought that the somewhat archaic language used (which was historically pretty accurate) was a real drawback some of the time. I only began to get really interested in the book later on. The last hundred or so pages are very well done and emotionally involving. I was also annoyed at exceedingly long and confusing title. This is a very good cross-over title (meaning it is sufficiently "literary and intelligent" to be an adult title as well).

RATINGS:
s-factor: !
Very little swearing.

mrg-factor: none.

v-factor: -> ->
A few fairly disturbing scenes, but not gory.

Overall rating: ***

Book Review: Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman

Stuck in Neutralis an interesting look inside the mind of a young boy suffering from cerebral palsy and unable to speak or communicate in any way. Shawn, despite what many people assume about him, does have thoughts and feelings and even managed to learn how to read. But, it is hard for his father to deal with Shawn's limitations, because he doesn't know how Shawn feels or what he knows and understands.

A really interesting attempt to understand what a person suffering from this disease might think and feel. I found the views of his father to be difficult to swallow, but probably because I knew about Shawn. The ending is very open to interpretation, making it even more powerful.

RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
Some language.

mrg-factor: X
He has a teenage boy mind.

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****