YA Pick: The Voice in My Head

The Voice in My Head
by Dana L. Davis
Ink Yard Press
2019
308 pages with Questions for Discussion
Resources
ISBN: 9871335998497

The Voice in My Head is a WINNER!

Twins Violet and Indigo have always been close, but since Violet's diagnosis, Indigo feels pushed away. Her pretty, popular, perfect twin is dying. There is no cure, and worse, Violet has decided to die on her own terms: with dignity. Choosing assisted suicide and her death date puts her twin Indigo into a panic. How can Violet  think about leaving her? And why would she choose death? How will she (Indigo)  navigate without her sister? Feeling lost, Indigo climbs a building, considering suicide herself. Before she lets go, she hears a voice in her head. She realizes she doesn't want to die after all. Choosing life, Indigo tries to save herself but falls.

Waking up in the hospital, Indigo tries to make her family see it was an accident. As the voice in her head keeps her company, Indigo decides to take Violet to The Wave, a remote rock in Arizona where the voice tells her Violet will make the trip and live. Violet has her own rules. The entire family packs up with the help of a preacher and the church bus and travels to the desert. The family each reads Violet a letter, and little brother Alfred asks Violet (when she dies) to promise to be his best ghost IRL (Alfred talks in text lingo!)

The voice in Indigo's head is comic, irreverent and sounds just like Dave Chapelle. The voice tells Indigo that God is omnipotent and can do what she wants. She can make a bet if she wants because she's God. At one point, God responds, "duh." Indigo tells the voice there's no way God would say Duh, but the voice retorts that it invented language and it can say whatever it wants.

Alfred, Indigo, Violet and God (Dave Chapelle) are characters that will stay with readers long after
closing the pages. The bond between sisters and the entire familial vibe is so perfect that Davis better be looking to bring this story to screen, and no one is better at it than her! (Dana L. Davis is an actress and Hollywood insider).

The Voice in My Head is on its way to award season! I predict several state awards including Texas Lone Star list (grades 6-8) and/or Texas Tayshas list (grade 9-12). I predict The Voice in My Head will be on @Cybils Fiction shortlist and top 10 Teen Fiction (and I'm never wrong)!

Highly, highly recommended grade 7 and up. Suicide, assisted suicide, and death. Discussion questions are included as are resources for suicide prevention. The family is religious and God plays an important part in this book. The Voice in My Head is perfect for private and parochial schools and church reading groups. No profanity, violence or sex.

FTC Required Reading: I received the book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Big Foot Hunters Pick: Sasquatch, Love and Other Imaginary Things

Sasquatch, Love, and Other Imaginary Things
by Becky Aldredge and Carrie DuBois-Shaw
Merit Press
2017
270 pages
ISBN: 9781507202807

A fun frolic of a rom-com meets reality show and Jane Austen, Sasquatch, Love, and Other Imaginary Things is a sure winner!

Sam's Jewish family is big on Bigfoot and she is happy to help her father on "Myth Gnomers," a reality television show, to hunt Sasquatch. Her dad is an expert in the field of cryptozoology and a respected sasquatch hunter in their home state of Ohio. Sam's sisters and mother go along in support, but her father relies on Sam in all his hunting adventures. While Sam's sisters preen for the camera, Sam's mother has trouble keeping her lipstick on her lips and off her teeth. The cameras catch every cringe-worthy moment and make Sam aware of how unrealistic reality t.v. really is.

The family meets their match when they go head to head with a fancy prep school team whose equipment probably cost more than Sam's family's car. Sam was excited by the prize, thinking she could use the money for college, but she is even more determined to win when she finds out their home is in danger of repossession. If  she can help her father win that prize, they can stay in their home!

Sam doesn't trust the other team. They are a bunch of rich, spoiled brats she believes until she realizes that Devon, like her, is a person and has his own problems. The romance blooms and it is precious but not too sweet.

Readers will love Sam and her no-nonesense view of television and popularity.

Recommended grade 7 and up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

YA Pick: A Map For Wrecked Girls (Guest Reviewer Oscar Porras)

A Map for Wrecked Girls
by Jessica Taylor
Dial Books
2017
368 pages
ISBN: 9780735228115

"An exciting, high-stakes adventure." --School Library Journal 

Guest Review by Oscar Porras, library media specialist,  at Ysleta Middle School in El Paso, Texas. Follow Oscar on Twitter @oporras_LMS

A Map for Wrecked Girls is a gripping gem that YA readers will fall in love with. Emma narrates the story of her life both before and after she is shipwrecked with her sister Henri (Henrietta) and a boy named Alex who will change their lives.

Before the wreck, Henri and Emma live in San Francisco. Their father left the family to begin a new life with his girlfriend. The sisters'  lives are upended and their relationship falls apart. They travel to Puerto Rico with their mother who is attending a conference there. The three teens are shipwrecked together and forced to survive the island and each other. The two sisters must confront their past as they struggle to see a future. This is a book of survival, growth, personal demons and forgiveness.

Readers who are drawn to romance, thrillers and survival stories will love A Map for Wrecked Girls.


Highly recommended for grade 9 and up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

YA Pick Things I Should Have Known

Things I Should Have Known *
by Claire LaZabnik
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
2017
311 pages
ISBN: 9780544829695


What a breath of fresh air! Things I Should Have Known is that rare YA novel that stands out among all the dystopian novels, magical realism (?) novels, urban fiction, vampire/zombie/werewolf/witch paranormal novels, and sweet romantic tales. This novel has not only heart but SOUL, strength and brains!

From the outside looking in, Chloe Mitchell has it all. She's blond, pretty, popular, smart and dating the most handsome jock in school. Girls want to be her, boys want to date her. Chloe's sister Ivy is twenty and is on the autism spectrum. The girls' mother is remarried to Ron, a guy Chloe tries to "tolerate." Chloe's mother tries hard at pleasing everyone which quite simply pleases no one.

When Ivy begins to show an interest in finding a boyfriend of her own, Chloe thinks it is a fine idea and even gives Ivy a makeover. Chloe drives Ivy to her date with Ethan, a boy in her class. Ethan's brother David drove him to the date. Chloe sees DAVID and realizes that she is stuck making small talk with him while her sister and Ethan have their date. Chloe knows David from high school and hates him. He is rude and mean to her. He belittles her for dating James. David' s dry wit and sarcasm will win readers over early on.

Stuck together over several dates, Chloe begins to realize how adorable David truly is. He is sensitive, sweet, smart and a great brother to Ethan. Chloe starts to see all of her boyfriend James's shortcomings.

Things I Should Have Known is a sweet book about friendship, romance and sisters. Chloe, David, Ethan and Ivy are characters that readers will fall in love with. LaZebnik handles the subject of autism with grace, wit, and intelligence. It will open readers' eyes and hearts (I hope) to kids and adults like Ivy and Ethan. Cover art is mind blowing! The play on the title words is nothing short of brilliant. Kudos to the marketing design team.

If you read one YA novel this summer, Things I Should Have Known should be that novel!

Highly, highly recommended grade 9-up. Some mature content (heavy petting, innuendo) and mild profanity by today's standards.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.
*I hope I have not offended anyone by using the term autism or autism spectrum. This is an honest and helpful review that I hope shows my love of this book. No offense was intended.

Middle Grades Pick: Just Like Me

Just Like Me
by Nancy J. Cavanaugh
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
2016
256 pages
ISBN: 978149260427

"Tween readers will find much to identify with in this charming and refreshingly wholesome coming-of-age story. . . Filled with slapstick humor and fast-paced action, the novel will engage reluctant readers, while offering fuel for deep contemplation by those ready to tackle questions of identity and belonging."
says School Library Journal

"From pillow fights to pinkie promises, sock wars to s’mores, a red thread connects this energetic summer-camp story with Julia’s deeper journey to accept herself."
Megan McDonald, award winning author of the Judy Moody series and Sisters Club trilogy

My Review:

Who can resist a summer camp story? 

Just Like Me is more than just a summer camp feel good story about the woods, campfires, s'mores, canoes, and singalongs. It's a voyage of self discovery and self acceptance for main character and narrator Julia. She worries how she will ever get through a camp with her two Chinese "sisters." Though not sisters by blood, Julia, Avery and Becca were all adopted by American families from the same Chinese orphanage during the same time period. Avery and Becca live close to each other and  become best friends who love everything from the birth culture. They eat Cheetos with chopsticks and fan themselves with delicate Chinese fans. The girls are even learning Cantonese and Mandarin. Julia, on the other hand, is the "odd one out." She identifies with her adopted family's heritage: half Italian, half Irish but  decides to throw in half Chinese. Julia's mother pushes her to camp telling her it's a great time to be closer to her sisters.

Told through a series of introspective journal entries, the reader will see Julia become more accepting of herself and the others as the book progresses. When the three "sisters"  find themselves as roommates in a cabin with super-competitive campers and competition stars Vanessa and Meredith and Vanessa's "sort of" cousin Gina,  they must learn to work together to win camp games. 

Spot-on tween dialog makes this read a winner! Julia's journal entries add to the action of each chapter and allow the readers to connect with Julia's inner thoughts.

The cover art is a thing of beauty. Right away, you know the book is about summer camp. The girls in three canoes, a bottle of suntan lotion, a captured butterfly in a jar, dirty knees, mosquito bites covered with band aids and the perfect serene blue of the water capture that lazy summer day on the lake. The cover is sheer bliss!

For all those kids who never got a chance to go to camp (like me!) Just Like Me is that summer story they will embrace.
Highly recommended grade 4-7. Cavanaugh just gets it right!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review. 
]

Fantasy Pick: The Girl Who Drank the Moon

The Girl Who Drank the Moon
by Kelly Barnhill
Algonquin Young Readers
2015
386 pages
ISBN: 9781616205676

Editorial Reviews

Review

Top Ten Fall 2016 Indie Next Pick
A Booklist Top Ten Sci-fi/Fantasy/Horror Pick (August issue)


“Guaranteed to enchant, enthrall, and enmagick . . . Replete with traditional motifs, this nontraditional fairy tale boasts sinister and endearing characters, magical elements, strong storytelling, and unleashed forces.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Rich with multiple plotlines that culminate in a suspenseful climax, characters of inspiring integrity, a world with elements of both whimsy and treachery, and prose that melds into poetry. A sure bet for anyone who enjoys a truly fantastic story.”—Booklist, starred review

“An expertly woven and enchanting offering for readers who love classic fairy tales.”—School Library Journal, starred review

“Barnhill crafts another captivating fantasy, this time in the vein of Into the Woods . . . Barnhill delivers an escalating plot filled with foreshadowing, well-developed characters, and a fully realized setting, all highlighting her lyrical storytelling.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review


“Kelly Barnhill is a skilled storyteller, and she crafts wonderfully imperfect characters with poetic prose, warmth and wit. Rather than a strident good and evil face-off, Barnhill's complex story of relative truth allows each character to make his or her own choices, even very questionable ones. The resiliency of the heroes may be partly because of magic, but also because of critical thinking, empathy, deep love and the strength of family in all its unconventional manifestations. The Girl Who Drank the Moon takes a probing look at social complexity and the high cost of secrets and lies, weaving multiple perspectives, past and present, into one cleverly unfolding fairy tale. The knots of miscommunication, habit and assumption that tangle Barnhill's characters may inspire readers to question the stories we're told. It takes brave and creative young people with their power to transform reality to clear the air and spread some light. Thoughtful and utterly spellbinding.”—Shelf Awareness

“A misunderstood witch, a poetry-spouting swamp monster, a tiny dragon with a simply enormous heart, a girl fed from moonlight and a town filled with tragic sadness all come together in this brilliant new novel from the author of Witch’s Boy. Fans of Maile Meloy, Alice Hoffman and Shannon Hale will devour this sad, funny, charming, clever stand-alone fantasy adventure.”—Angie Tally of The Country Bookshop for Pinestraw Magazine (Southern Pines, NC)

 

 

My review:

 

 Refreshing, magical, oftentimes comical, and full of adventure and heart, The Girl Who Drank the Moon soars off the pages! Readers will be enrapt in a spell that will sing to them and wrap them up in a finely woven tapestry of  fantasy and magic. Few storytellers have the gift of so deftly arranging a fantasy or building a world so magical that readers want to live there, but Kelly Barnhill is the best at her craft. If you loved The Witch's Boy, you will love The Girl Who Drank the Moon even more!

 

Each year, the people of the Protectorate take a baby to a clearing in the forest and leave it as a sacrifice for  the witch. Xan, an old woman who lives with the poetic Swamp Monster and a tiny dragon with a huge heart, always rescues each  baby and travels through the forest to the other side where she will find a suitable family to adopt the baby. The baby will be loved and cherished and much better off than left in the woods to be eaten by wild animals.

 

One year, Xan is particularly tired, and after picking up the baby, finds herself stopping again and again to rest. As she rests, she feeds the baby goats' milk and then starlight. But

Xan makes a huge mistake. She was so tired and  must have dozed off and fed the baby moonlight. Everyone knows moonlight is dangerous magic.

 

Xan is happy to raise the child as her own. She knows of no one else who could understand and help the child learn to use her extraordinary gift. She names the girl Luna and insists that Glerk, the Swamp Monster and tiny dragon Fyrian, must learn to love the baby as much as she does. Each year Luna's magic intensifies and Xan begins to worry when and how it will "erupt." In order to quell the child's magic, Xan builds a spell that will keep the dangerous magic in check, at least for awhile. Glerk is worried. He knows that Luna needs to learn about her magic; he worries Xan will die before teaching Luna what she needs to know.

 

In the tower, a woman goes mad and begins folding paper birds that hold their own magic. Maps tell the way. A man with scars will read the maps and seek the witch. . A baby will be brought to the woods.

Luna's magic is about to be unleashed in a big way. Xan, Glerk and Fyrian will have to help Luna against powerful dark  magic in order to save the entire world.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon is an instant classic and will be a book that today's children will read to their children. Yes, it's that good! I expect this book to be awarded many state awards as well as national attention. I can see this book made into  movie magic as a  treat for the eyes and hearts.

Smart choices were made with cover art. The paper birds seem to glow against a backdrop of blue. The title is centered on the moon which commands half the cover. The child seems to be walking in a near trance following the magical birds as a small dragon hovers just near her face. The dragon also appears on the spine which will be easy to spot on a library shelf. Readers will choose the book after seeing the dragon. The design of the book is sheer delight.

Highly, highly recommended. I would recommend this book over all others this year! It is honestly the best book I've read in years.

Recommended grade 4-up. There are life lessons in these pages--important ones about love, friendship, bravery, family, and heart. Everyone 8-80 should read this one.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

 

 

  

Book Club Pick: The Children

The Children
by Ann Leary
St. Martin's Press
2016
246 pages
ISBN: 9781250045379

Praise for The Children:

“In this deeply satisfying novel about how unknowable people can be, intrigue builds with glass shards of dark humor toward an ending that is far from comic.” ―Kirkus, starred review

“The Children is populated by comically quirky characters reminiscent of Anne Tyler at her best. But in Ann Leary's capable hands, they come alive as funny, wise, sometimes confused but always hopeful as they navigate a plot rich with unexpected turns. Leary's unique voice and perspective make this the novel you won't be able to put down this summer.” ―Ann Hood, author of The Obituary Writer

"[Leary's] characters are a delightful blend of strong personalities, all with their own little touch of delicious evil, and her darkly comic send-ups of New England wealth, nouveau riche, and Internet culture should keep readers absorbed until the final, most shocking secrets are revealed." ―Publishers Weekly

"A witty, touching, unputdownable novel." ―Good Housekeeping

“A fast-paced, darkly funny novel.” ―Popsugar

"A read-in-one-sitting romp, Leary’s wry and searing satire of affluence and elitism comically yet steadily builds to a sobering and malevolent finale". ―Booklist


My review:


Hypnotic, fantastic, provocative, dark and oh, so very captivatingly cunning, The Children is this summer's guilty pleasure. This novel has it all: a fairy tale family who has an old  money  background, a sprawling lake front estate,  a trust that patriarch Whit Whitman has in place after his death in which his two sons inherit and his widow and two step-daughters are allowed to live in the home until Joan's (his wife) death, secrets, lies, and mysteries abound!

Twenty-nine year old Charlotte never leaves the property. Her life revolves around her secret on-line life. She writes a mommy blog about her fictional family: her handsome, loving husband and her two beautiful children--all of whom do not exist except in Charlotte's fictionalized world. She gains giant corporate sponsors who pay her to basically blog. The diaper company, of course, has no idea Charlotte is a fake and neither do her millions of followers. Her blog is so popular she's one of the Top Ten Mommy Bloggers according to The Huffington Post. She hides her true identity by not using her real name and never posting photos of her "children," and she also invents fake blog readers who comment on her blog posts as if they are her real neighbors. All this chicanery is just enough for her to gain thousands of mommy blog readers.

The story is told through Charlotte's eyes, who is an incredible and novel storyteller. Readers will not know whether to believe Charlotte's version because she is a fake and a liar of supreme proportions.

Favorite son golden boy Dartmouth educated and athletic god Spin comes home to introduce the rest of his family to beautiful and charismatic Laurel, a girl who is too good to be true. Once a celebrated skier of Olympic talent, she sets her dreams for gold aside after an injury but still manages to excel in yoga and gains online near celebrity status. Stepmother Joan and her grown girls are ready to hate Laurel. Charlotte begins to engage in Internet sleuthing to discover flaws in Spin's new fiancé. Step-sister Sally doesn't question anything about Laurel's past and seems to accept Spin's choice.

There's something about Laurel. Something sinister. Behind that perfect smile and beautiful face lies the mind of a sociopath, and although she suspects something Charlotte has no idea of the consequences Laurel will bring upon everyone involved.

The property is worth millions, but sons Spin and Perry can do nothing to it as long as Joan lives. Their fate is sealed by their father's trust. Wedding plans are set into motion and everything leading up to the wedding begins to snowball.

Secrets are about to be revealed and readers will savor every gleeful word. If you loved The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl, you will love The Children.

I LOVED this novel! The narrator choice is sheer genius. Pick this one up and you won't be disappointed.

Highly recommended for adult readers. Book clubs will love this book!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Halloween Pick: The Sweetest Witch Around

The Sweetest Witch Around
(a companion to the NY Times bestselling a Very Brave Witch)
by Alison McGhee
Illustrated by Herry Bliss
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2014 (paperback edition 2015)
32 pages
ISBN: 9781442478336 (hardcover)
9781442478350 (paperback)
Also available as an Ebook


School Library Journal:

"Borrowing a few elements from comic books, the text consists exclusively of speech balloons...Full page ink and watercolor spreads contain some funny details, like 'Graveyard Barbie' or a can labeled, 'Slugs, Organic.''

My Review:

Sweet and wonderful, brimming with charm and humor, The Sweetest Witch Around is one sweet treat just in time for Halloween!

A pair of sisters discuss human behavior on Halloween. The older sister realizes that humans are not frightening--not at all as scary as the other witches fear. She thinks that she should introduce human behaviors to her younger sister. She introduces her younger sibling to something humans love: candy! And since it's Halloween, the younger sister decides she will go on an adventure to watch humans in their natural habitat and score some candy for herself.

The sisters with their funny, trusty cat in tow set off on broomstick to experience Halloween night. Humor abounds as humans encounter the trio. From a cat who says, "Holy whiskers," and "Holy catnip!" to  a bulging witch's hat full of candy to a flying broom to delighted Trick or Treaters who scream with joy to see the witches streaking across the night sky dumping their load of candy, this book is perfect for Halloween or anytime.

I loved the sweet sibling relationship of the older sister who takes it upon herself to educate her younger sister in the ways of humans and who tries to keep her safe. The cat is the perfect pet--nearly human himself. If you're out for Halloween this year, keep your eyes on the sky. You just might spot the sisters spying on human youngsters.

Highly, highly recommended for Halloween and anyone who loves a witch tale. Perfect for introducing Halloween and Trick or Treating.  Beginning readers.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the F & G from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

The Truth Commission
by Susan Juby
Illustrated by Trevor Cooer
Viking
2015
309 pages
ISBN: 9780451468772

Praise for
The Truth Commission

Publishers Weekly (starred review)

 

“With a deft hand and an open mind, Juby (the Alice trilogy) presents many layers of truth while evoking Normandy’s pain over being the subject of ridicule in her sister’s books. This is a sharp-edged portrait of a dysfunctional family with some thought-provoking ideas about what is real.”

Kirkus (starred review)

 

“Hilarious, deliciously provocative and slyly thought-provoking, Juby's welcome return is bound to ignite debate.”

Luann Toth, School Library Journal (starred review)

 

“The narrative/book is smart, darkly funny, sad, and heartening as Normandy learns some hard truths, how to stand up for herself, and how to take charge of her own destiny. While there is no reconciliation in sight, there’s no doubt that the truth has set her free. A surprising, witty, and compulsive read.”

Jaclyn Moriarty, author of “The Year of My Secret Assignments” and “A Corner of White”

 

“I absolutely loved The Truth Commission. Every page made me laugh aloud, while all the time the tears were creeping up on me. The characters were so real I wouldn’t be surprised if they knocked on my door right now. I hope they do; I want to spend more time with them.”

Susin Nielsen, author of “The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen” and “We Are All Made of Molecules”

“You know how we have terms like "Dickensian?" I vote that from here on in we should also have "Jubyesque," to describe something particularly funny, offbeat and original. The Truth Commission is Juby at her best - I wanted to be at that school with those unique, flawed and utterly believable kids. It is a fantastic and highly original novel. I heart Susan Juby.”

Kim Carter in VOYA

 

“Smart and witty, eclectic and engrossing, introspective and insightful, The Truth Commission is a creatively crafted treasure of a novel which will be deeply appreciated by readers who like their existentialism wrapped in practical reality.”

My Review:

Comic and irreverent, teen angst and teen art collide (I mean can you have one without the other?) in The Truth Commission. Younger sister Normandy Pale pales in comparison to her older, more talented, more artistic, and well known debut graphic novelist Keira. Teachers and students at Normanday's art school speak of Keira with hushed tones, reverence and awe in their voices. Keira sold her first graphic novel to a publishing house and made a fortune. When Keira comes home from her new school, Norm knows something is wrong, but is too afraid to ask. Their parents treat their oldest daughter as a reigning queen worshipping her every move and catering to  her every need.

Normandy is best friends with Dusk (whose real name is Dawn, but she prefers the darker version) and dapper dresser Neil. All three attend a prestigious and expensive school of arts  but Normandy is a scholarship student  since her older sister is  an art prodigy. The school probably is hoping the same holds true for Normandy. If you think high school is full of weird cliques, wait till you read about Green Pastures art school! There is a dragon (mean, pancho-wearing ostrich lover Mrs. Dekker in the front office, a kind counselor, and several strange artists (no surprise here) in residence.

The three kids decide that "the truth will set you free" and begin a campaign to have people tell their truths. It begins with Mrs. Dekker. Then the kids target a student that everyone has wondered about. He is a handsome loner whose movie star looks have everyone wondering whether he is gay or straight. The kids decide that they must find out or the sake of the truth.

Keira begins to spill the truth about what happened to her at school, but Normandy is afraid to hear the truth and she begins to investigate her sister on her own. Each student at school has a project to present at year's end and Normandy is presenting her work of creative non-fiction--which is what she is writing...and what readers are reading. I love the way the book works. Normandy slips in footnotes on nearly every page. I find that endearing and clever.

Highly recommended grade 9-up. Mature subject matter and some language.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Teen Pick: Backlash

Backlash
by Sarah Darer Littman
Scholastic Press
2014
336 pages
ISBN: 9780545651264

Available March 31, 2015



The trouble with the Internet is that in the click of a mouse, you can ruin lives. One click, and someone can die. One click, and someone is destroyed. One click, and someone can crack. On some sites, you can disguise who you are. You can pretend to be someone that you're not. With no repercussions unless...someone is hurt or someone dies. Then there's an investigation. As in police investigation.

Teen  neighbors Lara and Bree were BFFs in middle school, but Bree joins the ranks of the popular kids in high school and all but ignores old friend Lara completely. Bree becomes a cheerleader and Lara gets lost in the shuffle. At the next year's tryouts both girls try out. Lara is picked for the squad and she's over the moon with happiness. Bree is not picked for the squad and she drips jealousy and is out for revenge. Who knows Lara better than anyone else? Her old BFF, and she's up to no good. She begins her revenge using the Internet and it becomes bigger than her. Now she can't stop the repercussions of things she's posted, and the saddest thing is--she's not all that sorry for the fallout she's caused.

It's neighbor against neighbor and the press and police are now involved.

A cautionary tale that is all too true in today's society of "post everything" and try to get more hits than anyone else. Popularity is defined by how many followers you have. Teens are thrilled when their tweets are re-tweeted and to be "trending" is their ultimate obsession.

Recommended grade 9-up. Really, really bad behavior and bullying.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Series Pick: Atlantia

Atlantia
by Ally Condie
Dutton
2014
320 pages
ISBN: 9780525426448

Praise for Atlantia:

"A fast-paced fantasy adventure tale in a richly drawn dystopian future . . . this is a title that’s sure to be immensely popular with teens." —School Library Journal

“Utterly captivating. A heroine unlike any I’d met before, a setting I’d never glimpsed, a story I’d never imagined. Atlantia is fresh, wild, and engrossing. I love Ally Condie.” —Shannon Hale, award-winning, bestselling author of Austenland and Dangerous

My Review:

Sure to please dystopian fiction fans and readers of her Matched trilogy, Ally Condie's latest foray into world building and YA dystopian fiction features a heroine unlike any other. Readers will be fascinated with the story and engrossed by the adept storytelling. Condie has a gift of drawing the reader in--hook, line and sinker (pun intended). I was all in and hooked by the end of chapter two.

Twin sisters Bay and Rio live Below in Atlantia. At the age of fifteen, each teen decides what their future holds--whether they will live Below or go Above. After the untimely death of their mother, Rio decides to stay Below to keep her twin sister company. They are like one...after all. Rio declares  her choice to stay Below, but Bay comes next. She chooses Above. Rio is horrified and hurt. How could her sister ever leave her? Now she has no one, and she longs to leave Atlantia. She has always dreamed of going Above and seeing the stars for the first time and feeling dirt beneath her feet.

Rio begins to make plans to escape Below. It is a sure death sentence; no one ever survives. Rio's aunt Maire tries to help Rio, but Rio does not fully trust her. Maire may have had something to do with the death of her mother, and Rio won't quit until she finds answers.  When a chance to go Above presents itself, Rio takes it. She needs to see Bay again and find out why she deserted her. Will Rio find the answers she's looking for? Or will she uncover the secrets of Atlantia and her mother's death? Atlantia is in danger and no one else can save the future. Rio is called upon to save her home, but can she save Atlantia alone?

At first I thought, Oh, brother ! Not another mermaid or mer-people book! I was proven wrong. Atlantia is much more than that. Atlantia is actually an underwater city created to preserve life after the Divide. Rio and Bay and everyone in Atlantia are human--well, sort of. Atlantia seems otherworldly and beautiful--serene, almost--until the suspicious death/murder of Rio's mother who just so happens is the leader of Atlantia. When the safety of Atlantia is breached, Rio knows there's a conspiracy somewhere and makes it her business to uncover the guilty and punish them.

Highly recommended for fans of dystopian fiction and Ally Condie. Her fans won't be disappointed. Highly readable and entertaining. Readers will not want to wait for the next installment of this series.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

YA Book Giveaway: Atlantia

 I have ONE free SIGNED copy of Atlantia, the exciting new YA book from accomplished author Ally Condie.

For your chance to win, post a comment to the blog. Please include your first name, city, state, and email contact (U.S. addresses only, please). Deadline for posts is November 3 at noon MST. The winner will be chosen randomly by Randomizer. The winner will be contacted on that date. Please check your email. The winner has 24 hours to respond to my email. The book will ship from New York. For more information on the book, read below. Good luck, and start posting! Pamela

Atlantia

by Ally Condie

Dutton Children's Books

2014

320 pages

ISBN: 9780525426448

Available October 28, 2014

From the publisher:

ATLANTIA tells the story of two sisters who live Below, in the underwater city of Atlantia. Rio has always dreamt of going Above, where her powerful siren voice will not need to be hidden. However, when her mother unexpectedly dies, Rio promises her twin sister, Bay, that she will remain Below for the rest of her days. When Bay suddenly abandons Rio for the Above, Rio becomes determined to join her sister and leave the constricting world of the Below behind. Ally Condie is the award-winning author of the Matched trilogy.

From Penguin's website:

“Utterly captivating. A heroine unlike any I’d met before, a setting I’d never glimpsed, a story I’d never imagined. Atlantia is fresh, wild, and engrossing. I love Ally Condie.” —Shannon Hale, award-winning, bestselling author of Austenland and Dangerous

Can you hear Atlantia breathing?

For as long as she can remember, Rio has dreamed of the sand and sky Above—of life beyond her underwater city of Atlantia. But in a single moment, all Rio’s hopes for the future are shattered when her twin sister, Bay, makes an unexpected choice, stranding Rio Below. Alone, ripped away from the last person who knew Rio’s true self—and the powerful siren voice she has long silenced—she has nothing left to lose.

Guided by a dangerous and unlikely mentor, Rio formulates a plan that leads to increasingly treacherous questions about her mother’s death, her own destiny, and the corrupted system constructed to govern the Divide between land and sea. Her life and her city depend on Rio to listen to the voices of the past and to speak long-hidden truths.

Praise

“A fast-paced fantasy adventure tale in a richly drawn dystopian future . . . this is a title that’s sure to be immensely popular with teens.” —School Library Journal

“Utterly captivating. A heroine unlike any I’d met before, a setting I’d never glimpsed, a story I’d never imagined. Atlantia is fresh, wild, and engrossing. I love Ally Condie.” —Shannon Hale, award-winning, bestselling author of Austenland and Dangerous

Graphic Pick: Sisters

Sisters
by Raina Telgemeier
Graphix (Scholastic)
2014
208 pages
full color
ISBN: 9780545540067

Available August 26, 2014

Raina Telgemeier has done it again! She continues to reach tween and teen readers with her humor, candor, teen angst, sister sibling rivalry and captivating art.

Only child Raina dreams of becoming a big sister, but she has no idea how horrible her life is about to become. From the time baby Amara arrives, Raina's world is turned upside down. Not only is she not the center of her parents' universe, she is expected to act like an older sibling. As a toddler and small child, Amara has nothing in common with Raina.

Both girls set off on a road trip with their mother and little brother. The trip takes several days and they see the glorious southwest. The travel by day and camp out at night. Once their van breaks down, the girls are left behind to wait in the car for help or their mother's return. This is just what the two girls needed--time to stew over their troubles and an enclosed territory. They both realize that they are sisters and family and family sticks together through thick and thin.

Tweens and graphic novel enthusiasts will love Sisters. Even though I have no sister, I could empathize with the rivalry between the girls; it's no different with my brothers. All kids vie for their parents' attention and love.  Recommended for reluctant readers and visual learners.

Grade 5-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the arc from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

YA Pick: In the Shadows

In the Shadows
Text by Kiersten White
Art and art story by Jim Di Bartolo
original story concept by Jim Di Bartolo
Scholastic Press
2014
384 pages
ISBN:9780545561440

Available April 29, 2014

Transcendent and beguilingly beautiful full color artwork  and gothic (creepy but romantic) story go hand in hand to capture readers and lead them on a mysterious journey. Cora and Minnie are sisters living in their mother's boarding house. Minnie gets excited when she learns new boarders Thomas and Charles will be staying on with them.

Evil lurks up the  road and Minnie  likes to tempt it. What lengths will Minnie  go to in order to have some fun? The closer the four get to answers about an ancient secret, the more danger they are in. What if life never had to end? What if you could live forever? Would you want to?

Readers are in for a treat--the art tells one part of the story and the words tell another part. The YA market just got more exciting! It was exciting for me to hear from the artist and writer at the Texas Library Convention about their new book. In a session of Speed Dating the Authors, Di Bartolo and White sat at our table and discussed In the Shadows and how they came up with the idea and how it came to fruition. The art is sublime and the story masterful.

Highly recommended for every type of reader. Grade 7-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the arc from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Early Reader Pick: Zoe's Room (No Sisters Allowed)

Zoe's Room (No Sisters Allowed)

by Behanie Deeney Murguia
Arthur A. Levine Books
2013
40 pages



view the sweet book trailer

Meet Zoe. She's fun, funny, quirky, cute, and regal. She is, after all, Queen of the Universe. That is, until an interloper appears--meet Addie. She's Zoe's little sister and an unwelcome guest in Zoe's world.

Now Zoe has to be quiet at bedtime and leave the lights off. She can't set the table for morning tea or build empires. She can't explore or gaze at stars. Zoe hates sharing her room and giving up her freedom.

Then a terrible thunderstorm occurs and Zoe is frightened. She cuddles with her little sister and realizes that sharing a room makes her feel safe. She embraces Little Queen Addie and realizes that there's room in the kingdom for two queens.

Cute pen and ink and watercolor art by the author brings Zoe and her kingdom to life. Readers will like Zoe and empathize with her. Her winsome sense of adventure and wonder for the world will touch readers.

Highly, highly recommended pre-school-K.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the F & G from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for his review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Adult Fiction Pick: Daddy's Gone A Hunting

Daddy's Gone A Hunting
by Mary Higgins Clark
Simon & Schuster
2013
338 pages

Suspenseful, powerful, and masterful, Daddy's Gone a Hunting will not disappoint Mary Higgins Clark 's fans. When a powerful fire and explosion destroys their family's antique furniture reproduction plant, sister Hannah is injured and in a coma. Officials know someone set the fire, possibly to recover insurance money that will bail out the failing business. Kate doesn't believe her sister Hannah has anything to do with the explosion, but what on earth was she doing at the factory in the wee hours of the morning? Kate suspects her own father, Doug Connelly. He is dogged in his attempts to save his business and will stop at nothing to save his own name.

As officials tighten the investigaion, the real arsonist is getting jumpy. A cold case of a missing girl is reopened when her body is discovered, further complicating matters. Hannah is starting to come out of the coma and remembering things...things that happened a long time ago, and her memories will blow the case wide open.

As entertaining as Daddy's Gone a Hunting is, it lacks depth of character, at least  for me. I wanted to know more about Kate--other than the fact that she's an up and coming designer and that she loves her sister Hannah, Kate was underdeveloped. The reader never knows Hannah either. It's a real missed opportunity to build the story of their sister bond.

Recommended for fans of crime capers, murder mystery and fans of Mary Higgins Clark.
No sex; no language.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Fashionista Pick: The Look

The Look
by Sophia Bennett
Chicken House
2013
336 pages

Available March 1, 2013

Read Chapter One here

Sisters Ava and Ted couldn't be more different. Ava is fashion forward, beautiful and talented. Ted is awkward and gangly and never feels pretty. She has a wild head of hair and is giant tall.

All of this changes with the chance encounter with a man who hands Ted a business card. He claims to be an agent who works at a modeling agency and he thinks Ted has "the look." Both sisters are shocked! Awkward, bony Ted? Not the more beautiful and put-together fashionista Ava? Ava tells Ted that it's probably a scam. A lot of girls are taken in by slick talk and they pay hundreds of dollars for head shots--only to find it it's a scam and they won't have any modeling jobs.

Ava has been sleeping too much lately and the lump on her neck is getting larger. Their mother decides to take Ava to the doctor for a check up. The doctor discovers that Ava has cancer. While waiting in the specialist's office, Ted picks up a copy of Marie Claire magazine and reads an article about Model City, a modeling agency. Ted catches her breath...the logo is the same logo that was on that guy's business card.

Ava pushes Ted to go down to the modeling agency and see if she really does have "the look." Ted is quickly snatched up by Frankie for a test shoot. Ted knows her mother would never approve, so she and Ava get her dad to sign all the agency's paperwork.

Soon, Ted is heading all over London for calls. She never gets any jobs and feels like a failure. Meanwhile. Ava's cancer is diagnosed as Stage II cancer. She begins losing her gorgeous hair and both sisters visit a salon and shave their heads. Ted looks absolutely amazing with the buzz cut like Xena, the Warrior Princess.

As Ted's star rises and her career turns white-hot, Ava fights for her life. Ted takes a job in New York City  with one of the world's best photographers but walks out on the shoot and flies home to London to her sister's bedside.

Will Ted be able to make it in the fast paced fashion industry where one day you're "in" and the next day you're "out"?

Sophia Bennett keeps getting it right. Beads, Boys and Bangles, her earlier work, was a more girl-y novel. The Look is a serious book with some witty moments. Sisters Ava and Ted will pull at your heartstrings.  Author Meg Cabot says of The Look, "No girl will be able to put it down."

Highly recommended grade 7-up. Snogging (kissing), a thong (for model shoot), a bathtub full of snakes (again, modeling). No language.

Fashion forward teens and teens who love anything British (including One Direction) will likely love The Look.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I recieved this book from the author. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Girl Pick: Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Smart Miss Know-It-All

Tales From a Not-So-Smart Miss Know-It-All (Dork Diaries, book 5)
by Rachel Renee Russell
Aladdin
2013
321 pages

Visit the author's website and check out the fun stuff!

Once again readers check in with Nikki Maxwell and her BFFs Chloe and Zoey. This time, Nikki joins the school newspaper staff and gets to work alongside her crush Brandon and yucky, mean girl MacKenzie Hollister.


MacKenzie undermines Nikki's attempt to work with Brandon and Nikki is almost overlooked by the newspaper advisor. Mr. Zimmerman gives Nikki a chance to write the school's advice column and she takes on the pseudonym of Miss Know-It-All. She doesn't have any letters at first, but she gets help from Chloe and Zoey and they put up posters around the school and decorate letter boxes for students  to drop their pleas for help in. Miss Know-It-All's identity is a big secret and only Nikki and her BFFs and Mr. Zimmerman know who she is.

MacKenzie does her bad girl best to drive Nikki crazy and steal Brandon's heart. At first, the advice column is off to a shaky start but then the letters come pouring in...there's one from a football player who keeps his love of baking secret, another from a student who wants help with a math word problem, and one from an older sibling who can't stand his little brother...Nikki gives them all sound, and good advice. The school is buzzing with excitement over Nikki's column and even more letters are filling the Miss Know-It-All  boxes.

Nikki tells the football player to embrace his love of baking and maybe even bake his girlfriend some red velvet cupcakes and present them in a creative, romantic way. He takes her advice wrapping his girlfriend's locker in wrapping paper like a giant present and fills it with decorated red velvet cupcakes and roses. The girlfriend is so happy, but the plan backfires when all the cheerleaders are now crushing on the boy because he's so romantic.

The letter boxes begin to overflow and Nikki needs help! She spends hours each day answering letters for advice, but it pays off wehn Mr. Zimmerman awards her with the MVP award for the month. BFFs Chloe and Zoey help Nikki with her column and everyone attends Brandon's birthday party.

Highly, highly recommended for girls (and boys) and fans of the series will have to pick up a copy. Nikki Maxwell is highly entertaining and her friends Chloe and Zoey are friends that every girl would be lucky to have.

Grades 5-up. Just some mean girl behavior and a night of toilet papering MacKenzie's house.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I purchased this book for my library. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Beauty Pageant Pick: Revenge of the Girl With the Great Personality

Revenge of the Girl With the Great Personality
by Elizabeth Eulberg
Point
2013
272 pages

Available March 2013

Lexi is sick of her pageant-ly obsessed mother who parades seven year old MacKenzie in every "Little Miss Somebody" Pageant she can find. Lexi doesn't want to be part of "Team MacKenzie" anymore. Her mother is spending thousands of dollars on gowns and costumes for the Toddlers and Tiaras circuit, and they are in danger of losing their home.

Lexi is pretty and smart but she's never been that "girl-y" girl. She's been told that she has "a great personality." Just what every girl longs to hear! Her friend Benny tells her to start glamming it up--wear some make-up, dress like a girl, put on earrings. When Lexi follows his advice, suddenly people notice. Even Logan (her secret crush) finds her "suddenly" attractive. Looks can certainly be deceiving.

Lexi hasn't changed; her personality hasn't changed; she hasn't suddenly become the "nice" girl, but because of her appearance, people are inviting her to parties.

After a huge blow-out with her emotionally empty mother, Lexi puts her foot down. Her mother has robbed Lexi of her life savings and Lexi is not only furious but feels violated. She has to stop the pageant madness at all costs. Even MacKenzie is tired of performing for the judges. She wants to quit pageants but is afraid to tell her controlling mother. She wants no more of her "Honey Boo Boo" moments.

When Lexi realizes that people aren't always who they seem and that building up the dream of someone never matches the real someone, she is okay with having a great personality.

My favorite part of the book is the last. Lexi's mantra, "...it's only a matter of time before the Beautiful People will be wishing they had great personalities, too. Good luck with that, oh Beautiful Ones. Because we Great Girls are the rarest breed."

I loved Lexi and teen girls will relate to her. She is spunky and outspoken, snarky and quirky, fun and sweet.

Receommended grade 7-up. Lexi's friend Benny is not "out" yet but he does like the same boy bands that Lexi does and they have a sweet talk about what it means if Benny does like boys. Not sexual, just matter of fact. Benny states the facts, "I'm fat and gay in live in the heart of football-loving Texas. Me finding love or respect ain't gonna happen in this high school life." Readers will empathize with his struggle to feel okay about himself. Anyone in high school has the same struggle--trying to find their inner voice.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Tween Pick: My Summer of Pink & Green (sequel)

My Summer of Pink and Green
by Lisa Greenwald
Amulet
2013
272 pages
Available May 7, 2013

Lucy Desberg is back and now she’s helping her family open an eco-friendly green day spa inside their pharmacy. At the end of the first book My Life in Pink & Green, Lucy just won a grant that will finance the spa idea and save her family’s business. She’s happy it’s summer because her sister Claudia is due home from college and Lucy is looking forward to spending hours at the pool with her cool sis. When Claudia shows up with boyfriend Bean and announces that they are in love, Lucy is jealous and hurt. She thought she had the whole summer with Claudia to herself.

The spa was Lucy’s idea, but her grandmother and mother hire a consultant to help them open the spa. Lucy feels underappreciated by her elders and sister. Then Lucy is left out when some close friends begin making plans excluding her. What is going on? The last straw is when investor Gary shows up with his pesky, but earnest daughter Bevin. The summer is going down the tubes, and fast!

It seems the grown-ups don’t give Lucy any credit or want to hear any of her fab ideas. If Anais, the spa consultant, would only listen, Lucy has great ideas for make-overs and make-up. Lucy can set up scheduling and check emails and track new appointments. Lucy can come up with great marketing ideas like giving free two minute massages at the Grand Opening. She says they can pass out samples of make-up and product. No one seems to listen.

Lucy secretly attends a meeting for new business owners at a nearby library. She is serious about learning all she can about business to help her family; even if it means sneaking around behind their backs. The spa finally opens with a full house, Lucy is able to make a few apologies and reach out to people she’s been short with, and old friend Yamir is pleased that Lucy is back to normal.

This tween novel will resonate with any reader who is caught in the middle between being treated like a child, but experiencing the changes and angst of puberty.

Recommended for tweens and teens (grade 5-up) and anyone who loves make-up and spa treatments. Fans of the first book will want to pick up this read.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)