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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-108903872015-03-26T14:04:20.943-07:00Finding Wonderland: The WritingYA Weblog...we won't grow upSarah Stevensonhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-45856380923993054672015-03-26T14:04:00.000-07:002015-03-26T14:04:20.972-07:00Thursday Review: THE WALLS AROUND US by Nova Ren Suma

Summary: Happy book birthday—two days ago—to Nova Ren Suma's latest YA offering, The Walls Around Us! This title shares a lot with Imaginary Girls, most noticeably the atmosphere of strangeness and the slow unfolding of past and present events; the unreliable narrators and their limited viewpoints which only let slip a little at a time of what really happened.

Our two narrators here are Violet and Amber. Violet is a talented dancer who shines onstage, but whose heart hides the pain of her best friend Orianna's imprisonment for a horrifying crime. Amber, locked in a girls' detention center, lives and relives day after monotonous day behind those walls, until someone new arrives and a shocking occurrence changes everything.

Peaks: One of the most wonderfully page-turning aspects of this book is the author's ability to slowly release tantalizing details, from each narrator's viewpoint, that subtly weave together in the reader's mind as the story progresses, until we gradually realize this tale has already been set in stone, the ending inevitable. This also means I can't say much without spoilers, but I will say that there is so much to this book—it's so deceptively simple on the surface but hides a myriad of delicate layers. The writing is literary and yet not self-conscious, focusing us on the characters and the mystery unfolding both inside and outside their minds.

Forming a backdrop to the mystery is the sort of train-wreck-fascinating world of ballet and the single-minded competitiveness and even viciousness that seems to pervade that environment, as well as the class implications of who each character is—Violet, who comes from wealth, but it's her cutthroat determination and hard work sending her to Juilliard; Orianna, mixed race (though that's not an Issue in the book), quirky and kind, decidedly not rich but devastatingly talented. And Amber, a bit of a cipher, trapped behind walls that are not simply physical.

Valleys: This one isn't a traditionally structured suspense novel. If you're looking for the kind of mystery that offers consistent action and a clear sense of what's going on at all times, this may not be the book for you. The Walls Around Us is far more mysterious, circling the truth and coming closer and closer each time, rather than progressing in a straight line toward the big reveal. I wouldn't call that a negative thing at all, just something that may attract a different set of readers.

Conclusion: This book is hard to talk about, elusive, difficult to pin down without telling too much. You'll just have to read it. The writing is luminous, and the genre not easily categorized, though you could call it magical realism. If you've enjoyed Nova Ren Suma's other YA books, you'll have an idea of what to expect. Readers who like a distinctive voice and an intense, literary style—I keep thinking of A.S. King, or Beth Kephart—would probably enjoy this one.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of the publisher. You can find THE WALLS AROUND US by Nova Ren Suma at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

Sarah Stevensonhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-85792634749820681302015-03-25T05:21:00.000-07:002015-03-25T05:21:00.100-07:00TURNING PAGES: LEGACY, by ELLERY KANE
I was attracted to this novel first by the cover depicting the SF Bridge, second by the name of the author, Ellery Kane which of course reminded me a great deal of Ellery Queen. Third, the author is a forensic psychologist which was the eventual when-I-grow-up goal of one of my best friends in high school - back when I though forensics only had something to do with guns. I'm always intrigued and enlightened with people with backgrounds other than in English lit write books. This dystopian novel begins with the fragmentation of a family... then of a belief system... and finally, a nation.

Summary: Lex remembers when her father still loved her and her mother. When her mother had been a psychological researcher instead of a superstar, making biopharmaceutical news with mood-suppressing drugs which gave a anxious and fearful populace the ability to go on. When they lived happily in Tiburon, and things were normal, the internet was safe and everything was fine. Now she's eighteen, the world has unraveled, and "fine" hasn't been seen for a long, long time.

 The drug Emovere, her mother's brilliant invention, turned out to be a chemical evil unleashed on an unsuspecting world. Thought to be useful to the government as a way to prevent wartime post-trauma stress, it was instead embellished upon and given to Guardian Force soldiers - the elite government-appointed military police force - to block all of their emotions and to turn them into emotionally deadened machines. After speaking out forcefully and repeatedly, Lex's mother resigned from the biopharmaceutical company and cut ties with the government, and now spends her time at home being harassed by men in unmarked black cars. The government believes her a disloyal defector -- but they have their hands full with riots, mobs, drug addicts, and a rapidly devolving society. San Francisco has been evacuated by Guardians - but Lex has to get to them with hew information for the Resistance. It's her mother's plan - her face is simply too well known to sneak into the city, and if she goes missing from the house, the men in the black cars will have questions... Lex is the only one who can do this, and the only way to contact the Resistance is to go into the bombed out, silent, evacuated city.

Or, so Lex's mother says.

They'll come to her, Lex is assured, if she just waits in the place they select. The Resistance knows she's on her way. But, it's not as easy to find the resistance as Lex had hoped - and once she does, she's not sure she trusts them. The big, military-looking boy, Quin McAllister, who leads her to the underground has a Guardian tattoo on his arm - so, how is he safe? Why does the leader, Augustus, give her the creeps, with his wide, genial smiles and his lifeless eyes? And when can she go home?

Truths within lies and more lies are revealed as Lex joins the Resistance. There has to be a way to fight - and retrieve the world they know from the hands of General Ryker, the sadistic head of the Guardians. But Lex keeps finding out more about the people she's working with - and more secrets about the boy she's come to love. In the end, your history matters more than you might think - your legacy, and what you leave behind. And, what you don't know - and what your mother has kept a secret out of what she thought was love - can still hurt.

Peaks: This is a fast-paced, fairly typical dystopian novel with some interesting twists. Fans of books like ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, the CHEMICAL GARDEN series or other novels wherein the populace is keep complacent or breeding or whatever with drugs or fans of novels like PARTIALS which have super-soldiers will find something to like. Lex's relationship with her mother - and with other dynamic leaders - is at the core of this novel, and made me think of how I react to people in leadership. I think that's always a good topic to delve into for young adults. Layered on top of that are her issues with love and trust which thread through the novel - and her ability to see personalities and reactions and behaviors are a direct result of having a mother who is an extrovert and who explains her work to her. This makes her a good protagonist and the reader feels like they understand what's going on. This also makes the action feel very close and the suspense very suspenseful.

There is an ensemble of friends who become important to Lex, in contrast to her somewhat isolated life before this crisis. The Resistance allows the novel an authentic-feeling diversity, and for once supplies a dystopian novel with someone other than just teens to save the world. Of course, this being a YA novel, the teens play a large role.

Valleys:It's never clear what happens to the world initially - and how it all comes so far apart. Why is the government recruiting so hard for the Guardians? Is there an outside threat? A lot of the antecedents for this crisis are murky.

There is a romance in this novel - one that is both a little speedy and intrusive for me, in light of the danger that they're in. It also is a little questionable. Love is put forth as a panacea to soothe the savage beast, and Lex is in a relationship with former soldier, Quin, who after his drugging has trouble controlling his. When his jealousy spikes and he's punching walls, it's clear he's dangerous - but it seems the answer is that "love conquers all." After Lex withdraws from him, Quin decides he's going to be a better person, and works to understand himself and while this is indeed the baseline of what it takes to make changes, it all seems to happen pretty quickly. This is unfortunate, especially since this appears to be a series - I think it would have been okay to let the situation develop - and let readers see and understand the time this sort of thing takes, and let Quin and Lex be just friends a bit longer.

Conclusion: A cleanly-written beginning to an action-packed Bay Area dystopian adventure - though San Francisco seems to be the city most often destroyed in dystopia, at least in this book, it's only the Bay Bridge that's been bombed flat. Sequels forthcoming - maybe they'll rebuild.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of _____. You can find THIS BOOK by This Author at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

tanita✿davishttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-6892214151251891022015-03-23T07:42:00.000-07:002015-03-23T07:42:00.151-07:00In Tandem: BLACK DOVE, WHITE RAVEN, by ELIZABETH WEINWelcome to another edition of In Tandem, the read-and-review blog series where both A.F. and I give our two cents at the same time. (You can feel free to guess which of us is the yellow owl and which of us is the purple owl...we're not telling!) We're discussing the latest book from Elizabeth Wein today, the well-regarded NY Times bestselling YA fiction author, and, in the interest of disclosure, a personal friend.

Told, as it is, in a series of essays, a letter, and flight logs, the novel is a pastiche of places and histories. Our discussion, to reflect this, will be more thematic than linear summary, so be warned. We also won't go into more detail than the jacket copy supplies, so you can read without fear of spoilers, if you worry about that kind of thing. This imagination-capturing story is an unforgettable work of historical fiction dealing with airplanes, Ethiopia, and love of country. It's billed as a historical thriller, a novel put together with a series of other documents - pieces of essays, a letter - detailing lives and purpose - and a need to go home. Join us. We're...

Two writers,
& Two readers,
With one book.

In Tandem.

A new historical thriller masterpiece from New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Elizabeth Wein

Emilia and Teo's lives changed in a fiery, terrifying instant when a bird strike brought down the plane their stunt pilot mothers were flying. Teo's mother died immediately, but Em's survived, determined to raise Teo according to his late mother's wishes - in a place where he won't be discriminated against because of the color of his skin. But in 1930s America, a white woman raising a black adoptive son alongside a white daughter is too often seen as a threat.

Seeking a home where her children won't be held back by ethnicity or gender, Rhoda brings Em and Teo to Ethiopia, and all three fall in love with the beautiful, peaceful country. But that peace is shattered by the threat of war with Italy, and teenage Em and Teo are drawn into the conflict. Will their devotion to their country, its culture and people, and each other be their downfall or their salvation?

We received copies of this book courtesy of the publisher, via NetGalley. After March 31st, you can find BLACK DOVE, WHITE RAVEN by Elizabeth Wein at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you.

LANDS, PEOPLE, PLACES & EMPIRE

ts davis ~ As always, I appreciate a good Elizabeth Wein book, and this one is no exception. This is a biiiig book. A big book. Not so much in terms of ... size dimensions, although I guess it's three hundred and sixty-eight pages, which is about a little longer than average, but it's a big book because it contains... multitudes. It's about love. It's about loss. And it's about ...history. The history of an old, old world that Westerners, really, but mostly Americans - know not that much about. Africa has been misidentified too many times as a single culture, a single story; a country and not a continent. And now here's this piece of a piece of a place, broken down to give us a little bite -- and it's just not enough. Though I'm not usually a fan of "reader directions," per se, like glossaries and forewords and the like, I love the afterword by the author, because she gives us a little more history and places the story within context - but lets us know how much more there is to know. I realize that everything I want to know about Ethiopia will never be enough. This is a novel which makes me want to both think, and travel. Maybe even time travel.

...many don't know the history of Marcus Garvey and Liberia and African Americans in the early part of the 20th century leaving the United States, and longing for a place where no one would mess with them. As an African American now, I have a different perspective - and no real connection to any nation in Africa, as it's not an empty continent onto which we can impress our stories - it has its own stories, and yes my ancestors were taken from there hundreds of years ago, but stories move on. Their story is no longer my own, and the people who were kind of "deported" to Liberia eventually figured that out... Anyway, I was intrigued by the whole concept - of what Americans would have had a connection with Ethiopia, and how they would have seen it.

sj stevenson ~ The whole idea of Empire as not "constructive" (constructing a vast landscape) but destructive (of what it already there) is something that we are given a vivid glimpse into in this story. Both kids, having grown up pretty much American in some critical ways, are our eyes, through which we see the problematic early-20th-century history of a place in which many nations were still clinging to the last vestiges of the old-style empires. And Ethiopia too was clinging to their own past, their own great empire and history. It never ceases to awe me that they were the last country to retain its independence against outside empirical powers. Really, there is a lot in this book to be inspired by: the accomplishments of women and African American pilots, just for a start. The movement between worlds, opened up and made possible by air travel.

Bessie Coleman; Photo: Smithsonian Institution

ts davis ~ Travel seems like it was so much easier back in the 20's and 30's - between the British and their Grand Tours and their "empiring" everything in sight, and the Americans "empiring" everything that was left (which wasn't much, granted), there were wealthy white people colonizing things all over the place. It was really nice in this story to see historical brown faces in the mix, too -- some I'd never heard about before, but then some I'd known about for years. I love so much that Bessie Coleman was included in the book as an inspiration for Em and Teo's mothers, who were at that time just pretty ladies sitting on the sidelines, to become barnstormers.

sj stevenson ~ Yes - I was fascinated by this unusual, adventuresome, determined family who are so dedicated to carving a space of their own, and how Ethiopia fit into that space (and they into IT). "I want to live in a place where people can do what they like, and it is ordinary." It is amazing to remember that this is still something many are struggling with--the right, the ability to simply live their lives and be who they are. And Africa as a setting is something that many people still see as an undifferentiated, monolithic place. We see the overarching (yet less important) similarities and know nothing about the vast differences between cultures. This book breaks down that monolith and introduces us to distinct landscapes, to concrete places we can feel (Beehive Hill!), to individual human beings and their stories.

MOTHERHOOD, MANHOOD, WOMANHOOD, PERSONHOOD

ts davis ~Em and Teo's mothers are striking - Delia, because she is game for anything, and makes it work, and Em's mother, because she appears, at first read, ...flighty. There's really no other word for her - at first read. She has that post-Great War, 1920-30's enthusiasm thing - everything's a bright, lovely game! Let me drink champagne out of your slipper! And stand on the wings of my plane - wheee! - It's like they were all making up for the Great War, and dancing as hard as they could, Gatsby style, and yet, despite her breathless narrative, there was something more to this woman - because she was raised Quaker and a believer in equality? I don't know. What would make her really befriend this Colored woman, Delia? And what would make Delia really trust her? So much in that relationship - in the barnstorming and the friendship - depended on so little - one tiny point of congruence: absolute trust.

I also loved that though Em & Teo's mothers - and the shadows they cast - were immensely impacting in their lives that they were still different - they didn't allow their mothers to overwhelm them, force them into identical roles, etc., though at times it was a near thing!

sj stevenson ~ I completely agree with your characterization of the two mothers. Their personality contrast is fascinating, and yes--making up for the Great War by almost WILLING themselves into a different world, some parts of which were real and other parts fantasy, perhaps. The two women have a fascinating story in and of themselves for sure. Something I didn't really HAVE to know--but which kept popping into my head time and again--was the nature of their relationship. They were "soul mates," yes--and I really loved the fact that Grandma characterizes a soul mate as something unique and qualitatively different, not necessarily your life partner or spouse (though they could be) but your best friend in the whole world, someone who understands you better than anybody else. Besides that, though--clearly the moms were best friends, they were partners in flight, they were a team. They are the kids' parents, and that trumps any other possible aspects of their relationship. The four of them are a family and that is the important part and nothing else matters. There was something profoundly simple about that which I loved.

ts davis ~ As with the friendship of Diana and Anne in ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, there are those people who feel that Elizabeth Wein's books have lesbian subtexts - that the relationship between the original Black Dove and White Raven is romantic, and maybe it is - but I have also often heard the author rail against the idea that there must be a romance in every single YA - that if you're not romantic, or if you're just not there yet or choose not to partake in relationships that there is no story for you. I think that these women could have had a romantic relationship, but I think they were truly and deeply soul mates, in truth, above all and before other considerations. And I find that I am intrigued by that, in many ways, because I don't know how to do that with girls... most of the female friendships in the Western world are not that trusting. I mean, we get the idea of "Mean Girls" shoved at us in the second and third grades. A misogynist society pits women against each other, as if men are some resource we're running out of -- so we don't know how to be this kind of friends.

Wouldn't it be amazing if we could learn?
With the exception of Teo and a few of the Ethiopian guys, in this novel, men - makers-of-rules, bringers-of-war, goers-back-on-deals - don't fare too well. Historically they were the makers of empire, the writers of history - but this time, they tried to write history on a place which had its own. Even the Emperor Selassie didn't fare well - his mistakes, in tolerating some things in the name of support in other areas is a political trade-off that happens all the time - this time with fairly disastrous results. And yet, Teo grows up to be a man -- a good man. Why? Because he was raised with his eyes open, observing men... and observing women.

I liked the roles in which this novel depicted women. They didn't always need or want husbands, that they didn't always have or show maternal caring. Some of them have children and love them traditionally, and others, differently. Despite the hard-and-fast roles for women in that time, this novel showed them crossing continents, and their love - for families, children, partners, friends - surviving, even in an age without electronics, where the only connection comes via airmail. This love doesn't have to be in the same room to be love. Love doesn't have to be on the same page, of the same color, of the same family. I think that, for some people, will be a discovery most profound. Some people will not see this mother as a loving mother - but she was, and she remained so... but she also loved herself. That's not something we see a lot of in fiction -- mothers, if they don't love the character as they want, are uniformly bad. This seems like it opens up so many possibilities. I'm liking the non-binary trend I am seeing in realistic and historical fiction -- that there is more than black and white, more than one story, areas of gray. This is, at last, truth.

METAPHOR, IDEOLOGY & MEANING

ts davis ~ "Doing the thing you are scared of is much harder than not being afraid of anything. It is easy to be brave. It is not so easy to be scared and do a brave thing anyway." Sometimes, breathless optimism wears you out. Sometimes it can feel like recklessness. Then, desperation. As I read this novel, I was both glad NOT to be a mother, and that no one was asking anything adventurous or protective of me, in a time of war.

Emperor Haile Selassie

sj stevenson ~ It was so painful to witness Teo being caught up in events in Ethiopia simply due to his parentage, something he had no control over. And yet, in the end, seeing him realize that if people had only ASKED him if he wanted to perform the task, rather than turning right away to their ownership of him, he would have done it freely--Wow.

ts davis ~ Who owns us - what we owe - these things are SO HARD. As an Ethiopian of African American descent, Teo wasn't a caricature of a black Southerner as is so often the case in YA historical fiction where we see black kids on a plantation or something -- he was depicted as a regular, 1930's kid, someone who wore his sweater backwards and wrote stories and read comic books and flew planes and went to school and had a mom who died -- and someone whose life was just as suddenly shot out of the air like a previously soaring bird. He was just... downed. Boom. All that potential, crumpled up and ricocheting off the edge of the garbage can. Doomed by history. And even in the calmest manner, the book doesn't shy away from this: "Are we important, or just valuable?"

Part of me - cynical, person-of-color me - was really mad at Em's mother and thought, You fools! You walked him right into this snare! And again, this idea is reflected by Em: "Everything is all your fault. You are our momma, and you are supposed to protect us."

I like the way the book talks about that ownership, though -- how it is something which just grows with you, like the cells with which you were born. That inevitability of Teo and Ethiopia meeting up in negative ways felt a lot like how inescapable everything has been, since last summer, about all the racial violence and tension just floating in the air... it owns you, in a way, even if you don't think you know or care about it... because it's written on your skin, it's a birth...debt, instead of a birthright. You, by virtue of your birth, are owned by this faceless THING and you can't escape it -- "The whole way out, White Raven worried about how they were going to get rid of Black Dove's invisible chains without hurting him any more." The metaphor in that story that Em and Teo wrote together is just kind of mind-blowing. Invisible chains. It's what shackled Teo at every turn. At every turn. That realization within the narrative was, for me, just huge.

STORY & STRUCTURE

sj stevenson ~ I wasn't entirely absorbed at first by the narrative format, but once the story got going, as always, the author is a master of using an epistolary storytelling method. And the "Theme for Miss Shore" provoked echoes for me of Langston Hughes' "Theme for English B" and its honest, self-exploratory, subtly provocative style.

ts davis ~ I love that Hughes piece, so much, and I think it's a brilliant little leap from that to this. If I could write essays like Em and Teo could when I was a teen, I would've been happy... It was a happy-sad thing for me how they wrote stories when they were completely overwhelmed and out of ...countenance with the world. When they needed to think. When they needed ... a bedtime story themselves, they wrote themselves one. Very poignant, and true-to-life as a coping/comfort mechanism.

sj stevenson ~There is some really awesome stuff in this book about the power and role of story, how we can turn to stories in times of trouble and they will strengthen us for the times when we need to put the book away and ACT. Em and Teo create their own stories, their own alter egos, and find strength in them. They are "maps to help you navigate." I love that.

ts davis ~ That larger theme is what makes this a crossover, to my mind - and that's one of the other things I like about the writing of Elizabeth Wein. It's not like she writes FOR teens, and tries to simplify things, or FOR adults, and tries to write... up, or what have you. She just writes, and tells her true. Honestly, this is not going to be an easy book to read for everyone. It's like paging through a scrapbook and finding an historical mystery, and putting the pieces together - an essay here, a flight log there, a little bit of backstory, a fragment of history -- and then you find this family. And they're real. And they're vital. And they -- change things; maybe even their own hearts and mine, maybe how we think of slavery and freedom and people of color, maybe nothing... but maybe everything. And this is a Wein book. She writes her truth, and I think her books always find their tribe.

As noted, we received copies of this book courtesy of the publisher, via NetGalley; all quotations from the book are from the uncorrected review copy and may not reflect the final version. Thanks for joining us on this journey. And if you've read the book, feel free to join in the conversation!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

tanita✿davishttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-9729089659352166752015-03-20T10:30:00.000-07:002015-03-20T14:00:50.059-07:00TURNING PAGES: HARRISON SQUARED by DARYL GREGORY
I guess you know I'm not a "real" old-school Science Fiction person - "real" Science Fiction people can make it through H.P. Lovecraft. I can't. I've tried. It's not his labyrinthine sentence structure and 19th century word choices - I've read a lot of 19th century British and American lit; I can deal with that. It's just that I find his intense, twisted, and morbid work a little hysterical, gruelingly dark, and at the end of the day, I don't find that style of dramatic, gimmicky horror compelling. I get bored. What I like are books with a hint of Lovecraftian style -- novels that leaven Lovecraft's weighty Gothic sensibilities with just enough quirk to let us know it doesn't take itself too seriously. This novel is one of the best examples of the Lovecraftian I've read - and one of the few with a young adult protagonist. While not technically marketed to YA perhaps, I think this crosses over beautifully and am calling it early - this one needs to be a Cybils nominee.

Summary: Harrison Harrison - H², as his mother calls him - is the fifth male of that name in his family - H²5. Harrison the Fourth was killed in the accident that lost H²5 his leg when he was just a toddler and their boat overturned somewhere on the California coast, and from that accident, Harrison remembers... tentacles. And rings of pointy teeth. That's entirely wrong, of course. A piece of metal practically sheered off Harrison's leg, there aren't any toothy, tentacled monsters in California, regardless of what he remembers...and regardless of the lingering terror of water which it seems will haunt him for the rest of his life.

 Aside from an irascible grandfather and an incredibly flighty aunt, most of H²'s family is in Brazil and his mother is all he has left. When she's in Absentminded Professor Mode, which is most of the time lately, he fends for himself, which is why he's come along to Massachusetts on her latest research venture. Harrison and his mother are trucking across country to the grim little Northeast coastal village of Dunnsmouth, because there have been sightings of something ginormous in the water - possibly a giant squid. Dr. Harrison's just going to set out buoys at certain GPS coordinates, buoys which will ping back information to the computers at the research center in San Diego. Only, Harrison isn't feeling like Dunnsmouth is an entirely healthy place. The kids in the junior class all look the same - pale with dark hair, like an extensive cult of sun-avoiding vampire zombies. The teachers are another lot of weirdies, the villagers scuttle about bearded and gloomy like something out of Melville or The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, and some weird half-fish dude - no, seriously, he was slimy and he had gills - stole Harrison's comic book. Exactly WHAT is going on in this freaky little town? And, why does his stump hurt here all the time? When Harrison's mother vanishes - the mysterious little town turns deadly. All Harrison wants is some straight answers and his mother back, - NOW - but it will take heart, determination, and the team of total misfits he's gathered to help him.

You KNOW you want to read an excerpt, so here, have one.

MORE BONUS HARRISON CONTENT! A FREE Harrison Squared choose-your-own-adventure game!! Try not to kill him before you read the book, though...

Peaks: The obvious WEiRdNeSS in this novel just sells it for me, from the tentacle-festooned cover onward. It spools out from the first scenes like a fisherman's line, hooks the reader, and drags them seamlessly beneath waves of odd. Strange, strange people - with descriptions that liken them to sea life - descriptions of the grayish little town with its clammy weather, depressing architecture and utterly bizarre school. I loved this dry humor, the references to Dr. Harrison's Terena ancestry and H²5's biracial Presbyterian-Terena ancestry (according to Harrison, "like 'eggshell' and 'ivory,' 'Presbyterian' is a particular shade of pale") being cause for concern in the very white, very backwards village - an oppositional poke to H.P. Lovecraft's blindly virulent racism - and how in general racists become a little joke poked at repeatedly. It's interesting how Harrison's fatal flaw - a rotten temper - works for him and against him. He's truly a take charge of things in his own life, and makes them work kind of character.

Harrison's voice is confiding, snarky and bewildered by turns. He's slightly delusional in the beginning of the novel, but unlike many YA heroes, he's never self-deceiving. I love him as a character because he KNOWS there's stuff going down in Dunnsmouth, and he's not afraid to look at it and find out. Also, because he's hilarious. To wit: "Mom once said Selma wasn't a woman but an ad in a women's magazine: glossy, two-dimensional and smelling like a perfume insert." Snark! The zingers are a great deal of fun, even the dumb science jokes and the manga references. Each chapter begins with a piece of Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," which is another lovely thing that will make readers feel smart - especially if you were a reader assigned this for school and never enjoyed it before - you will now! All together, this novel is sheer enjoyment.

Valleys: This is only a valley to ME, but this book is actually a prequel to an adult novel, WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY FINE. If we all buy this book, maybe we can talk the author into writing more for YA? It's worth a shot, isn't it? This novel has a messy ending - no shiny bluebirds flying around the HEA, but a grimly determined monster hunter, having been tried in the fire, stands ready to use the power of science to make things right... which is a good thing, since evil never sleeps... Frankly, I want more of KID Harrison, not adult Jameson Jameson, who is apparently Harrison under a pseudonym. This also makes me want to pick up WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY FINE, which I can't guarantee is a YA crossover but will undoubtedly be interesting!

Conclusion: You know I am a wuss about horror, yet I cannot properly convey to you the charm of this book, which is ...kinda horror. Just pick up a copy. This is a great book for anyone who loves adventure and horror-lite, and is a quick, engaging read that will leave you craving more.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of Tor. After March 24th you can find HARRISON SQUARED by Daryl Gregory at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

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tanita✿davishttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-40344428440400847592015-03-18T04:50:00.000-07:002015-03-18T04:50:00.599-07:00♦ ACL 2015 ♦ KidLit Community ♦ Our Peeps

ALL DUE RESPECT. A Dialogue about Diversity, Equity, and Creating Safe Spaces for All Youth. Friday, April 10, 2015. The keynote for the Association of Children's Librarians Institute is prolific children's book writer Jacqueline Woodson, and the effervescent Maya Gonzalez, whom we met in person for the first time at KidLitCon, is giving a creativity session.

Children's book editor Laura Atkins - also a KidLitCon attendee last October - is speaking on a panel chaired by Nina Lindsay, the children's services coordinator for the Oakland Public Library who recently published this intensely important SLJ piece on the challenges and choices ahead for diversity in children's publishing. Co-paneling with Laura are author Jacqueline Woodson, writer, blogger and activist Malinda Lo, and poet, activist and writer Aya de Leon. Does this not sound weighty and thought-provoking and fabulous with potential? And the Institute is open to the public. Register for the day here.

Meanwhile in other KidLitCon attendee news...

Recognize the name of your Cybils Overlord? Of course you do.

 Coming August 4th from Skyhorse Publishing.

Hat tip and curtsey to blog-buddies Laura and Overlord Anne for letting us know what they're up to in the community.

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

tanita✿davishttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-71284491778832105892015-03-17T01:24:00.000-07:002015-03-17T01:24:00.689-07:00TURNING PAGES: ENCHANTMENT LAKE: by MARGI PREUS
One of the things I love about mysteries is how much they vary. This mystery could be described as "cozy," because of the presence of old ladies, but the main character is an out of work child actress who really is the most reluctant of Miss Marples. A little bit of humor, a lot of atmosphere, and a bit of a mystery make this a perfect complement to a wish for summer-to-come. It's difficult to describe without spoilers, so I won't go into it too much - but pick this up if you need a break from annoying characters who don't ask enough questions -- Francie is insatiably curious, quick on her feet and determined - even when she doesn't intend to be.

Summary: Seventeen year old Francine - "Frenchy," to her nutty aunties, Astrid and Jeanette, and "Francie" to the people around the lake where they live - has been left behind one time too many. First, by an absent mother, and than by a father who died too soon - in an inexplicable car accident. Packing her heart away, Francie's preferred interaction with the world is taking on other roles and other personalities, though it seems those other roles are drowning her. A former child star, Francie's auditioning in Manhattan and going to summer school as her grandfather wants her to when she receives a baffling phone call from the aunts in northern Minnesota. Something is happening, or has happened. Maybe. People are dying - they're in imminent danger - or they're not. Francie isn't clear what's going on, and by the time she gets all the way out to Enchantment from New York, the water is even muddier. People around the lake have been dying - lots of them. But in odd little accidents, not murders. A tree falling through a roof. A well being poisoned. Snakes -- on the island which has none. Nobody could be doing all of that, no matter what the Aunts say. Unless the developer who wants their land has been offing them all? Are her aunts in danger? Or did they just want her to come back to Enchantment - to the dark little box in her heart she's been avoiding since her mother's desertion and her father's death?

"To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.
 To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,
 and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,
 and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.

 ~ Wendell Berry, "To Know the Dark"
from Farming, A Handbook (Harcourt Brace, 1970)

Peaks: Francie reads poetry, which is a delight. At times she seems a bit world-weary and mature for seventeen, but she is a loner, an independent who has chosen to fend for herself, instead of getting too involved with others. Much of who Francie is comes through in the snippets of poetry -- but mostly what she's NOT is bandied around the town. Loudly. She's NOT a detective - but she did play one on TV...

This is a wonderfully evocative novel; the sense of place is second to none. The screen door's slap, the trill of the chickadees and the sound of the boats on the lake give deeper layers to the idyllic town of Enchantment. The friendly, slightly scruffy people who make it their home are charming and real. Francie alone seems solitary and aloof. She's a stranger to herself, but Astrid and Jeanette help her begin to see who she is again. Returning to Enchantment only focuses her view.

The mystery in this novel isn't hard-edged or hard-boiled. There really ARE mysterious deaths, spooky sounds in the woods, watchers and stalkers and kinda-confessions -- though it's all introduced in as bumbling and roundabout a way as the aunts minds work. The reader shares Francie's affection for - and exasperation with - the pair of them. Hints about a mystery under the lake, environmental issues, unscrupulous real estate agents and land grabs are derailed with red herrings in killer casserole dishes. Nerve-wracking night-walkers are diffused by an indifferent, near-retirement Sheriff but a sweet legal assistant who pays attention gets things stirred to a nice simmer, and finally - eventually - things reach a surprising boil. A quiet novel, but don't let that fool you.

Valleys: While this isn't a particularly diverse cast of characters, this is nonetheless a lovely afternoon read and a perfect lakeside accompaniment to a float chair, sunscreen and mosquito coils. (Let's all think hopeful thoughts that direction, right?) Some readers who like a straightforward plot, and to be told everything rather than allowing it to unfold may be impatient with the pacing, but I feel that this moves along in exactly the right way, and will find its home as the returned-to favorite of many readers.

Conclusion:A quirky, disarming gem of a mystery about the lovely, lake-filled Midwest, this moves as sweetly and simply as a loom skimming over sunlit waves - but as with every lake, there's more than you imagine underneath. I'm hopeful we'll see Francie again.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of University of Minnesota Press. You can find ENCHANTMENT LAKE: A Northwoods Mystery by Margi Preus at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

tanita✿davishttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-45195459606545695722015-03-16T11:05:00.000-07:002015-03-16T11:05:21.549-07:00Cybils Finalist Review: THROUGH THE WOODS by Emily Carroll

Summary: Horror fans take note: if you're a fan of, say, Holly Black, Neil Gaiman, Edgar Allan Poe--you will not want to miss this graphic novel compilation of spooky tales by webcomic artist Emily Carroll. It's beautiful, and frightening, and difficult to describe. It's as if you took all the scariest folk tales--like Bluebeard, like the Armless Maiden--and put them all together in a striking, can't-look-away visual format. But these aren't any tales you've already heard, though they have echoes you might recognize. And they aren't going to posit any implausible happily-ever-afters; these stories will introduce you to the wolf lurking in the dark forest, the unknown monsters that disguise themselves all around us. Bring a night light, and prepare to be chilled.

click to embiggen

Peaks: For teens into dark and gothic literature, or fantasy, or retold fairy tales, this one is fantastic, in terms of both artwork and writing and overall style. The tales are well-written and creepy, echoing existing stories without feeling in any way derivative. The art and text were wonderfully integrated and just right for this set of stories: striking and evocative and perfectly interwoven. I loved the hand-painted look of the images and text, and the atmospheric feel of the pages that utilized blank space to great visual advantage. It really looks unlike anything I've seen before.

click to embiggen

Valleys: Other than being a bit scary for some readers (I wouldn't hand it to younger kids; this is definitely a YA title), I wouldn't say there are any valleys here. Not all of the stories provide a tidy explanation; this one rewards readers who are comfortable with ambiguity and want to read and re-read and ponder what is being said between the lines and in the empty spaces.

Conclusion: This was a title that got a lot of rave reviews and positive comments and oohs and aahs from the Cybils graphic novel panel in Round 2. Take a gander at the sample images here and you'll quickly see why. It's just so well done, and immerses the reader immediately into a world of darkness and danger and unease. Gorgeous and frightening.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of my library. You can find THROUGH THE WOODS by Emily Carroll at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

Sarah Stevensonhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-32110015970583642122015-03-15T16:42:00.002-07:002015-03-15T16:42:28.899-07:00Yes, You Want ALL The Books! 2015 Diversity in YA Giveaway

Diversity in YA is giving away 100 books with main characters who are of color, LGBT, and/or disabledto celebrate their birthday! Visit the rafflecopter and drop your name in the bag  to be one of the twenty winners eligible to win the raffle! You have until Friday, April 10th.

Happy Birthday, Diversity in YA!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

tanita✿davishttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-58341202579980971722015-03-12T10:18:00.002-07:002015-03-13T09:14:04.774-07:00...because he could not stop for Death

DEATH KINDLY STOPPED FOR HIM. AND WILL PROBABLY LET HIM RIDE BINKY. EVENTUALLY.

From the bottom of our broken hearts, thank you, Sir Terry.

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

tanita✿davishttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-33887692398688049362015-03-10T04:18:00.000-07:002015-03-10T16:47:34.587-07:00TURNING PAGES: NOBODY'S SECRET by MICHAELA MACCOLL
Those of us who were English majors can be some of the biggest sticklers for facts, just the facts, ma'am, when it comes to our literary giants. We might argue loudly about canon, be Holmes buffs who tend to be wary of fan fiction, and dispute over details of costume in a Victorian cosplay. We're picky, picky, picky, some of us.

You might approach this young adult mystery -- starring Emily Dickinson -- Yes, that Emily -- THE Emily -- she of the dashes -- with trepidation --

 -- but, you have nothing to fear.

Summary: In a tiny, claustrophobic New England town lives the daughter of a very well-known and wealthy, busy, fussy founder of Amherst College and his fussy, hypochondriac wife. Their eldest, Emily, is the plain older sister to lively, merry, beautiful little sister Lavinia; suffering ill-health for much of her life, she is like a wren caged. Even though she doesn't get out much, Emily Elizabeth knows she's ...different than other girls. She doesn't mind dirt, prefers to be outside as often as possible and loosen - or outright lose - part of her whalebone stays, and always has grass or leaves somewhere they oughtn't be. Except when her mother fusses at her, Emily's unbothered by being thought peculiar; scribbling in her "odd ideas" in her "secret notebooks" and closely observing the world is what makes her happy. That, and ducking out on chores. A chance meeting with a charming man who not only has no interest in her well-known parent, but styles a "Mr. Nobody" brightens her day. Emily knows well what it is to be a Nobody, too. When she finds Mr. Nobody face down in the family's pond, however, the blooming friendship crumbles into grief. If only she had asked his name a second time!

No one seems to know the identity of the dead man, though the whole village trots through to take a look at him -- Worse, no one seems to really care how he died. The Reverend and the doctor are prepared to put him in an unmarked grave, and go about their business. But he's not a nobody - not to Emily. Perhaps nobody but Emily cares to discover the truth behind the mercurial and troubled young man she met, but she - scribbler and thinker, observer of minutiae... she, Emily Dickinson, girl poet, is on the case -- whether it sends her mother into a fit of vapors or not.

Peaks: Obviously, from the time spent on the summary, I want you to read this book, so I crammed in as much detail as I felt. Reading this book feels much like time-traveling to a lovely little place - albeit one where a murder has taken place.

The joy of this book is that its voice is so clear it feels like meeting Emily Dickinson for a second, better time than in school, in a time and place set aside for such wonderful things. The character seems drawn from life - by turns impertinent and guilty, protesting and apologizing. She is so very real - and so very charming, quirky and unsentimental -- a wonderfully apt understudy for Sherlock and Mycroft's little sister.

Valleys: As this is a novel set in 1845 in Massachusetts, one of the earliest of the states to both adapt to slavery and to abandon it, that there is a singular person of color featured seems unusual. Perhaps since Emily doesn't leave the house much, she had limited opportunities to see freed slaves and workers about their work. At any rate, the one freed workman is caricatured as "big," and "simple," with "darting eyes" and "giant fists." When confronted, he speaks briefly, then runs away. It seems a shame that this description hews so closely to the 19th century stereotype of the African American male as oversized, brutish, childlike/childish, slow-minded and easily spooked.

Conclusion: This book has so much to offer - a charming sense of place, the unique voice and inner-mind of a closely-written and researched character, the freshness of a vividly real dead-body-whodunnit mystery, the eye-opening inclusion of snippets of Emily Dickinson's actual poetry. All of this combines to create a well-told tale "told slant," and this short but engaging mystery will delight readers and provide an afternoon's respite from less palatable chores.

I picked up my copy of this book @ KidLitCon, courtesy of Lara & Jamie from Chronicle Books. You can find Nobody's Secret by Michaela MacColl at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

tanita✿davishttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-13998057059801053362015-03-09T08:00:00.000-07:002015-03-09T08:00:09.152-07:00Cybils Finalist Review: HIDDEN: A CHILD'S STORY OF THE HOLOCAUST

Summary: Told through the eyes of a grandmother recalling her childhood during the Nazi occupation of Paris, this story takes the wrenching events of the Holocaust and shows how important it is to remember our history and set it free so that the healing process can begin. In the book's frame narrative, the grandmother, Dounia, begins to tell her story to her granddaughter Elsa, a story she has kept secret for decades: a story of survival during a dark time, and of the kindness that still existed in others despite the horrors of persecution. As a young French Jewish girl during World War II, Dounia is cared for and hidden away by friends and neighbors even after her own parents are taken away; suffused throughout with hope and small kind acts, the story ultimately leads to a heartwarming and touching ending.

Peaks: This book provides another entry (on an admittedly already-crowded bookshelf) into an important historical event, and it does so with a particularly deft and gentle touch. The love between the family members and the kindness of their allies is clear, and provides a strong uplifting note throughout—instead of showing how the Holocaust brought out the worst and most desperate in people, it shows how people were brought closer together and showed heroism in small, individual ways.

click to embiggen

In my opinion, this one avoided being didactic and remained rather sweet and innocent despite the subject matter, making it a good one for very young readers. The main character, Elsa's grandmother, makes a relatable narrator, and we see everything convincingly through her eyes: the story is faithful to a child's perspective, including the idea that children see a lot more than we give them credit for.

Valleys: Will kids say "oh, no, not another Holocaust story"? I'm not sure. As already mentioned, there are plenty of stories about this time in history, but on the other hand, there are as many individual stories of the Holocaust as there are individuals around to tell them. For readers who aren't quite ready for Maus by Art Spiegelman, Hidden takes a gentler approach that nevertheless conveys the hardships of the Nazi occupation on Paris's children.

Conclusion: With characters that are cute, funny, even unintimidating, the overall effect is perfect for a book for younger readers that deals with heavier historical themes. Moments of humor balance the seriousness, and in the end, the message is conveyed that storytelling itself can heal.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of the publisher. You can find HIDDEN by Loïc Dauvillier, Marc Lizano and Greg Salsedo at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

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Sarah Stevensonhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-17857381554450018702015-03-06T03:47:00.000-08:002015-03-06T03:47:00.576-08:00TURNING PAGES: OUT OF THE DRAGON'S MOUTH by JOYCE BURNS ZEISS
Narrative non-fiction is generally the only type of non-fiction we review here at Wonderland, 'cause we're all about the story. This novel isn't non-fiction, despite the jacket copy calling it an authentic immigrant story. Those writing historical fiction often tell the stories of others, for various reasons, so though my first impulse is to read a novel written by someone who actually experienced the event in question, I read a bit more about the author, who, I discovered, wrote this novel based on the story of a woman she knew, a fellow teacher.

 Other books which touch on this piece of Vietnam and the Mekong Delta's history are Laura Manivong's ESCAPING THE TIGER, wherein she tells her husband's story of escaping to a Thai refugee camp; LAST AIRLIFT: A Vietnamese Orphan's Rescue from War (and its companion novel, One Step at a Time: A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way), Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch non-fiction account, and the well-received New York Times bestseller, Newbery Honor, and winner of the National Book Award book, INSIDE OUT & BACK AGAIN, by Thanhha Lai, where the author tells of her personal experiences during the fall of Saigon.

Summary: Mai is fourteen, sheltered and educated. Life for a Vietnamese girl of Chinese ancestry has been reasonably easy - but South Viet Nam has fallen to the Communists, and everything is in chaos. Already, Mai has had to leave her beautiful home and hide in her grandmother's village. Teens are being impressed into the Communist military, and her father is anxious to get her older brother out of the country and to America, where his older brother lives. But, when Mai's brother falls ill the night before their boat leaves, she is put on the boat in his place. Terror, seasickness, limited space, air and food are only the beginning of her journey. In America, the streets are paved with gold, she knows. If she can just hold on until they get to Chicago, she will go to school and be important - and the Communists will all be like a bad, bad dream.

But circumstances twist and change. Mai's luck gets worse and worse and worse -- and soon, it's all she can do to survive from day to day - but survive she must, for this was her father's last word to her. Only with the help of friends, a half-American boy named Kien, and sheer grit will Mai ever hope to make it through.

The cover of this book is evocative -- symbolic -- and stunning. Though Mai never has to actually climb over barbed wire literally, metaphorically she had to drag herself through barbed wire to reach safety, as over and over security was wrenched from her grasp. A great book for readers seeking stories of immigrant experiences, this Mai's tale is easy to read, though painful in places. It celebrates the spirit of those coming to America with hopes and dreams, and hopefully will help young readers empathize with those from war-torn nations.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of Flux. After March 8th, you can find OUT OF THE DRAGON'S MOUTH by This Author at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

tanita✿davishttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-18891752709802699572015-03-05T18:48:00.001-08:002015-03-08T22:25:08.397-07:00Toon Thursday Flashback Edition: Social Networking for WritersSadly, the passage of time has not made this one any less accurate... Happy Thursday!

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Sarah Stevensonhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-24740157167460105272015-03-03T00:44:00.000-08:002015-03-03T00:44:00.082-08:00TURNING PAGES: SHADOW SCALE, by RACHEL HARTMAN
When I read SERAPHINA in 2012, I was just about out of words to describe it. It was, I decided a medieval mystery, based on its woodcut American cover, only it's not really set in medieval times, and there are dragons, half-dragons and dragons-in-human-form; there is aggression and an alleged peace accord between people and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd - and there is murder most foul - and most obviously dragon-done. In the first book, a quiet musician was almost instantly plunged into big trouble - and how she rode it out, and what she did and how she did it was utterly absorbing.

And Seraphina won ALL the things - the 2013 YALSA Morris Award for Best YA Debut Novel Finalist for the 2012 Governor General's Literary Award (Canada), Short-listed for the Kitschies' Golden Tentacle Award (UK), Long-listed for the Carnegie Medal (UK) and it was a New York Times bestselling children's chapter book. EVERYONE loved it, and I know I joined thousands of readers jonesing for more from that world.

And, if I couldn't find the words to talk about the FIRST book, you can be pretty well assured that I couldn't find a single-phrase description to do this story justice. It was, by turns, quiet, suffocating, infuriating, harrowing, depressing, triumphant and brilliant. I want to reread the first one and read the second one again. There are VERY few books I reread, dear people, very few. So, this says a lot about my review, right up front. If SERAPHINA was a medieval mystery, SHADOW SCALE is a pilgrimage novel, wherein our heroine travels the world to find out that she really didn't need to leave home.

And the question on hundreds of young fans minds, fans who waited anxiously (and less than patiently, not gonna lie) the two and a half years for the perfected second book - the question is, "Is SHADOW SCALE worth the wait?"

UNEQUIVOCALLY, YES.

Summary: Despite all that she and her friends have tried to do to stop it, war is coming to Goredd. The story picks up a couple of months after the conclusion of SERAPHINA and the princess Glissenda is no longer her music student - or a princess. Glissenda's mother and grandmother are unable to take up their duties, so she has to step up and be queen. The first thing the new queen does is send out a SOS to the expatriate dragons who had emigrated from Goredd years ago to the surrounding kingdoms - and send Seraphina as her envoy to gather the exiled dragons home - to fight for a land which once harried and rejected them.

What could possibly go wrong?

It's a marvelous opportunity for Seraphina, who, in the previous book discovered the connections she has to other half-dragons in her mind's garden, and who wants desperately to connect with them in person, and rally them to her cause - and to her home, where they can be part of her family. But, like Glissenda, Seraphina is operating on the assumption that her way is the best way, and that her home is the best home -- and it seems that not everyone can be relied upon to be as goodhearted and true as she and her friends are. There are sickening betrayals, manipulations, and terrifying invasions ahead. War is coming - but the biggest war Serephina will fight will be in her own mind.

Peaks: Some of the good which was in the first of this duology is magnified here - subtle and less-subtle diversity. There is a freedom in a non-binary novel; there is no either/or, yes/no answer. Moral ambiguities abound, which make you have to set the book aside and think, "Huh. What what do I think of that? What would I do about that?" It's really good for the wee brain, that is. Early on in the book, Seraphina is introduced to an arch-nemesis who is utterly terrifying - at least she was to me. She blames herself for causing hurt and keeps putting off hard choices. In the end, because of that, someone - two someones, actually - take irreparable injury. There are consequences, cause and effect, and even in the land of dragons and magic, there is realism. I love it.

There is romance in this novel, as there was in the first - mostly a cerebral sort where things are thought, and longings felt, as at times a romance must be, in a time of war - but even in that detail, the emotions aren't limited to an either/or sigh-inducing triangle sort of thing. It's a "this is our answer, what works here and now, and the details are none of yours." I loved that, too.

Valleys: This is a tiny valley - a divot, really - and it probably has less to do with the book than it does with me. For reasons I cannot entirely lay a finger on, I had a hard time getting into this book. SERAPHINA hooked me instantly, absorbed me fully, and caused me to neglect or delay all kinds of necessary doings, yet this novel seemed dense with detail and remembered city scenes, but somehow, I didn't feel so drawn. I was able to put it down, which, frankly, scared me. I wondered if it had simply been too long since I'd read the first book - then boom. Suddenly, I was in, and meals went uneaten, and necessary things went undone. SO. Don't fret if you feel, in the first few pages of the book, that it's missing something. It's like a quiet roller coaster that goes slowly up...sits a moment at the top, lets you survey the landscape... and then drops you forty feet, jerks around at a ninety degree angle, and starts corkscrewing wildly. Hang in there 'til the ride starts to REALLY move, people.

Conclusion: There is a satisfying - though sobering and a little heartbreaking - conclusion to the novel. It ends. It does end. This duology is IT for Seraphina's storyline. Except: there are enough little dangling... rootlets? To create a whole 'nother tree. This is not on accident:

(Hat tip to Goodreads user Elaine for the screen cap.)

REJOICE! All that amazing class structure and world building and saints and folklore and philosophies and lesser dragons and music and linguistics and massive libraries and awesome peoples will still exist, just across the bridge, in another room, in another book, in the kingdom of Goredd. Happy dance.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of the publisher. After March 10th - just a few more days! - you can find SHADOW SCALE by Rachel Hartman at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

tanita✿davishttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-56630412710439605762015-03-02T08:00:00.000-08:002015-03-02T08:00:10.345-08:00Cybils Finalist Review: THE HARLEM HELLFIGHTERS by Max Brooks and Caanan White

Summary: The Tuskegee Airmen of World War II are, by now, well-known to American and African American history. But the regiment known as the Harlem Hellfighters--the Army's 369th infantry unit--were the first American unit to reach the Rhine in the First World War, and yet despite being highly decorated, they faced racism and discrimination during their time. Less violent, but no less shameful, is their relegation to the sidelines of history that is arguably still going on. (For more information on that, check out this Time/Life article.)

Peaks: Obviously those who like history, war stories and/or action will be the most interested in this one. It is violent, hard-hitting, and pulls no punches – something that will appeal to some readers and not others. It is definitely one for older YA readers because of the raw honesty with which the ghastliness of war is depicted--and because readers with less knowledge of the historical context and/or less life experience might find some aspects of the story hard to figure out. (I relied heavily on my experience with other WWI stories and war stories.) Beyond the war story aspect, though, it's a wonderful story of a little-known group of courageous men, a history that should be better-known, and it's great to see it brought to life.

click to embiggen

Valleys: There were some confusing aspects to the graphic storytelling in particular that tripped me up here and there. While the art overall was very good, the noir-ish style of the drawing became confusing and hard to follow during the chaotic war scenes, or other busy scenes. At times this affected actual story transitions and I had to take a moment to speculate about what had just happened. I couldn't help wishing that the book had included one or two colors, or at least more values of gray, instead of using only line art.

Conclusion: This graphic novel, a gripping story, brings to life some lost voices from our own historical past. The story is sure to inspire both pride and outrage, and readers will be shocked to see in "graphic" detail the realities of what it was like to be a black man in this era, not to mention the horrors of war that did not spare anyone regardless of skin color.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of my local library. You can find The Harlem Hellfighters by Max Brooks and Canaan White at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

Sarah Stevensonhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-65154168415907169362015-02-27T11:59:00.000-08:002015-02-27T11:59:00.395-08:00TURNING PAGES: INFANDOUS, by ELENA K. ARNOLD
"Have you ever had the feeling that you aren't the main character in the story of your life? That you fill a more minor role - supporting cast, maybe, comic relief, or even antagonist? If that is true - if you aren't the big deal in the story of your life, if your whole purpose is to act as a foil or a catalyst for someone else - then maybe it doesn't matter what you do. Or what you don't do.
Maybe all that matters is what others do to you."

- INFANDOUS, by E.K. Arnold, from an Advanced Review Copy.

Infandous is an old, old word from the Latin infandus, which straight up means abominable. Indeed, there is something fairly horrible hiding behind a corner in this novel - a horrible, meaningless error that the reader knows could have been prevented. Where does one go from something unspeakable? This novel is a series of snapshots - before - after - during of a truly bad moment in sixteen-year-old Sephora's charmed beachfront life -- but is it really charmed? Is there more to life than finding your art or following your bliss? What if you find out that not all is blissful? What then?

Summary: Yeah, so Sephora is pretty sure she was named after the cosmetics store, no matter what her mother says about it meaning "beautiful bird" or "independent." She's a realist, is our Sephora; cynical, jaded, smart and too hip for words -- but in her heart of hearts, no matter how snarky she is, she has a small child's adoration for her mother. She says repeatedly throughout the novel how beautiful she is, how heads turn when she goes anywhere -- but Sephora's same adoration is tainted with an edge of dis-ease -- if her mother hadn't gotten pregnant with her by some nameless tourist so many summers ago, who would she have risen to be? In the fashion world, where she was already making waves? In the larger universe, which was open to her, before her conservative, religious parents and sister turned their backs? Rebecca Golding is so amazing now, shimmering in the beachfront firmament, making do as a worker bee hygienist, when she could have been a runway model. Without the mistake that was Sephora, that cost her youth and beauty and freedom, her family and her options, who could she have been?

 And, without her losses and mistakes looming over Sephora - doubled and compiled and repeated - who might Sephora be? Who does Sephora WANT to be?

Peaks: While this isn't the sort of book that you can say that you LIKE - at least I can't - the voice is arresting, as is the conceit of prefacing pivotal points in the protagonist's narrative with chapters of fairytales for context, the real tales, in all their brutal, misogynistic hideousness. This is the sort of novel writers pore over in grad school, and has the requisite intellectual mentions of Greek mythologies, Nabokov's LOLITA, and Latin and Greek vocabulary words. This is a novel about sex and power and the use and misuse of both. The voice is compelling, and this is definitely a grown-up feeling novel for young women who want to be serious thinkers but still like a narrative.

 The book is also about extremes in relationships - blind mother love vs. informed distance from our parents; a Disney simplicity and innocence contrasting with highly sexualized, original fairytales; loyalty vs. betrayal; Sephora's cynicism vs. Sephora's wistful hopefulness about what the world could be; art vs. real life and the intersections between said. Even Sephora's relationship with her best friend is caught between public performances of erotic behavior and closeness, and private needling, as her friend bullies, blackmails, and otherwise tries prying away secrets Sephora hangs onto with both hands - despite claiming to love her best of everyone. Indeed, this is a book about tangled webs of lies, lives, and loves.

Valleys: NB: Due to these themes, this book is obviously not a good choice for every young adult reader.

While the voice in this novel is compelling, the character herself, with her sometimes jaded, cynical, very self-aware nature, is hard to engage with emotionally. Sephora's passivity is at times disturbing, in the face of her best friend's actions on her person, the actions of random boys on the beach, on her person -- and maybe it was just me, but I read the novel with a faint sense of nausea, the disturbing aspects of the fairytales pointing more and more clearly to the inevitable reveal, which wasn't surprising for me, but which may catch many readers off-guard. Sephora feels very acted-upon in the world, a character without her own agency, and while this is a large part of adolescence, feeling like you have no control over anything, Sephora just sort of going along with the tide feels disturbingly fatalistic, as if she in no way could have prevented her own tragedy. Because we don't feel quite as deeply for this passive, flaccid doll, the revealing moment her secret is discovered doesn't gut us - or at least, it didn't gut me. IT was more a moment of, "Huh. Well, lie down with dogs, rise up with fleas," and a pained shrug, which I doubt the author intended. Also, as is a common objection of mine, despite this novel taking place in Venice Beach, in the less wealthy part of it, even, where real people live and work, the characters are overwhelmingly white.

Conclusion: While not emotionally gripping for me personally, this is an intelligent and craftily plotted novel about nothing in general, and everything in particular, this one summer on the beach.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of Carolrhoda Lab. After March 1, you can find INFANDOUS by Elena K. Arnold at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

tanita✿davishttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-77130544829681906812015-02-26T10:00:00.000-08:002015-02-26T10:00:01.613-08:0010½ Questions with Reshama Deshmukh, creator of THE PIED PIPER

One of the big draws of KidLitCon is getting a chance to meet your fellow bloggers, find out what their interests are, and discover where they intersect with yours. As you may know by now, here at FW our main focus is on Young Adult fiction, with an emphasis on diverse speculative fiction and graphic novels and, a bit more secondarily, the odd Middle Grade book which catches our attention. We aren't experts in MG anything, which is why we're excited to feature a change of pace today and interview our fellow KidLitCon co-organizer Reshama Deshmukh of the blog Stacking Books. She's a fellow blogger, yes, but she's also done something we know absolutely squat about: she's created and produced a book app from start to finish--one that's aimed at helping kids learn to read with their parents and on their own.

 Based on Robert Browning's well-known story The Pied Piper of Hamelin, this app has been a labor of love to produce, and now it is available for purchase on iTunes and Google Play.

We wanted to know more about what goes into the making of a book app, and we also wanted to do a good turn for one of our fellow KidLitCon peeps, so without further ado, here is the scoop on the brand-new app The Pied Piper.

FW: Where did you grow up? What's your educational background?

I grew up in suburban Mumbai in the late 70's and 80's. Mostly middle class commuting, apartment community, the city was well known for its amazing performing arts center. I remember looking forward to summer drama marathons, children's theater classes and swimming lessons.

I went to school in my hometown and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Commerce. I was very fortunate to attend a school with a fantastic library. My parents were voracious readers. Growing up, I remember the pile of newspapers at our doorstep each morning and number of local library visits that my mother would take me to. At school too we all read a ton! The love for reading started at school and continued at home.

In US, I completed my Masters in management with a focus on Finance and Marketing.

FW: Can you briefly describe the process of getting a book app made, from concept to a finished product ready to buy?

Creating an app is much like directing a movie. From script, art, music and voiceover, the many pieces need to be put together to make an app. But it all starts with a story :)

Our Pied Piper App story started with a re-writing of the original Robert Browning's Pied Piper of Hamelin. Once the script was in place, we re-imagined the story book as an app. At Stacking Books, we want to make sure we inspire children to engage in literacy and excite them. That meant making a book app with incredible art, music and voice experience.

Our artist, Andrea Dailey created the original story board for the script and from there we narrowed it down to specific interactivity for the smart platform. While we envisioned the interactive aspect of a story book app to be integral, we had to constantly keep a fine balance between distracting from the reading and keeping the reader actively engaged. Andrea worked tirelessly to create the right texture, palette and characters for the story. Her high resolution art work makes it easy to fit the book for many screens.

Then came the voice over, sound and music. We interviewed several voice over artists but one voice stood out. Lucas Schuneman, with over 10 years as a voice over artist, expertly modulated his voice to suit the many characters of the book. We loved how he was able to capture the mood of the story right off the bat. Lucas successfully captures the various emotions of distress, joy and treachery of the story.

Mark Kueffner, our brilliant music and sound editor, finished the creative aspect of the app by providing original soundtrack and sound effects. We asked Mark to give this book app a sound that will take you back in time and imagine the setting of the original story. Mark experimented in his lab and came up with a tune that does exactly that. Again, our focus was to not distract but add to the experience of story- telling through the medium of an app. Mark with his many years of experience in TV and Movies, created the original soundtrack and worked from there to create mini tunes as the Piper's magical tunes.

Parallely, at Stacking Books, we were hard at work putting all the pieces into software. Our goal, right from the beginning, was to create book apps targeting the most popular devices. Our publication as of this writing works on both iOS and Android devices worldwide.

FW: What was the inspiration for this app?

The goal of creating book apps was to create rich content for little readers. To give them a choice of reading on all platforms. Our libraries and book stores are filled with amazing literature. At Stacking Books, we hope to provide similar rich kidlit for the next generation digital readers.

We grew up reading stories by Brothers Grimm. The story of Pied Piper is one among the many stories. Robert Browning's version of the mystery man called the Pied Piper was intriguing. Bordering on fact and fiction this was a tale that we found we could recreate with easier to understand language. We hope we got a chance to capture the same mystique from the original telling in our story book app.

FW: Who is its ideal audience?

We have seen many book apps designed for the very young. At Stacking Books, we believe that children who have a basic foundation of reading, and are engaged readers are ideal to use book apps. Our Pied Piper App, was thus designed for children 4 years and above.

FW: What made you decide to go with the app format instead of a traditional book or ebook?

The Book App is a unique story telling platform. The audio visual components of a book app are perfect for many types of readers, but especially for reluctant readers. Also, by nature book apps are interactive, which lends to more immersive experience when done correctly. At Stacking Books, we were thrilled to leverage the creative aspects of storytelling on tablets and extend, moderate and design books for this media.

FW: What was the hardest part in developing this app?

I think there was no one piece that was more or less challenging than others. Different tasks had their own unique challenges and we had to constantly re-think and re-work on our assumptions. For example, while we had worked out a storyboard, we stumbled into a particular page that simply did not work towards the flow of the story. We had to go back a re-work on the page several times before we could finally say "done". Another time, we had a major software stumble when the software capabilities fell short of what we had envisioned as the interactive piece. We finally had to write code outside of the software and plug it in to make it work.

FW: Did you have to gain any new technological skills in order to create a book app?

Yes! In the beginning we had decided to outsource the technology piece. But we soon realized that we had less control over the creative pieces if we did so. Subsequently, I decided to simply "DIY" and dove right in. The decision paid off. We now have critical software, skills as well as processes in place to streamline the next book app production.

FW: What was the easiest part of production and development?

I wish I could actually honestly say there was an easy part :) The Pied Piper app is our first production, and it has been a thrilling yet challenge all through the way. I think once we had the software piece and skills in place, the time to create and build the latter half of the book app was slightly easier or faster than earlier.

FW: What's next for you? Is this going to be an ongoing thing, building apps?

Our fantastic group of KidLitCon organizers, including Reshama (2nd from right)

We are thrilled to release our first production. We loved every aspect of building it and look forward to making more. We are, at this point, looking for content and partnerships with publishers who might be interested to add book apps as potential extensions to their portfolio.

FW: Bonus question: What do you hope people will ask you as they interview you that no one's asked yet?

We have a wonderful blog where we share our favorite children's books. We hope you can stop by and take a look.

Our minds are pretty well blown at the whole project -- what a huge learning curve, and what a beautiful end product! Definitely do go visit Stacking Books, and check out the charming and visually impressive Pied Piper for yourself. Our sincere thanks to Reshama for stopping by and giving us such a vivid behind-the-scenes look at creating a book app!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

Sarah Stevensonhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-34815293483065035432015-02-24T10:34:00.000-08:002015-02-24T11:27:54.905-08:00A Cybil's Bookmark: SALVAGE by ALEXANDRA DUNCAN

This book is a 2015 Cybils Award YA Speculative Fiction Finalist.
This is a review by a finalist judge, so will focus more directly on summary. We hope you pick up this Cybil nominee, read, and enjoy!

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Ava is a dichotomy - living in a polygamous, patriarchal, rigidly gender-divided, hunter-gatherer tribe-style life... on a deep-space merchant trading ship called Parastrata. She's different from everyone else in her crewe as it is, because her father was from Mumbai, so her hair is black, not red like the rest, but her stepmother bleaches it, so she'll fit in. The "so" daughter of the ship - the Captain's child - she is the perfect age and bearing to become a bride - traded to another crew and another spaceship. Ava has perfected following the rules - but has such hopes, when she finds she is to be traded to the Aether, a ship on which lives her friend Soli, and Soli's brother, Luck. It is over Luck that Ava falls short of the perfection she once exhibited. Now having lost her value to her clan, she is declared dead. Only the timely intervention of a strong and determined auntie saves her -- and she is saved, time and again, by people who can see the big picture far more clearly than she can. When Ava finally finds her feet again, she is on Earth, in a future Mumbai, trying to find the last scrap of blood relatives she might have, desperate to try and keep her tiny adopted family - and her ship - and her life in balance.

Peaks: The language in the novel from the first lets the reader know that there's been some... shifting in attitudes and beliefs since modern times. Ava's archaic cant brings the feeling of a 19th century trader. The reader, expecting a traditional YA since we do have a girl lying prostrate in a floofy dress on the cover, is scrabbling for familiarity, but won't get any reassurance from Ava, anyway. She's a fish out of water within the first fifty pages. This is a good thing.

There are choices to be made - and the first is to choose to survive the explosive realization that her society is not the end-all, be-all and that there are other ways to live. This is a harder realization for many than others. I like that this is included and is something Ava has to consider. I like that her decisions about men are not either/or (despite a triangle thing), but "Is this what I want, or not?"

There is a lot of detail - which is why this is a very long book - a lot of landscape, knowledge of the way things work, and basically process -- processing everything from the simple questions of survival and "how do you learn to read" to how should a society function. The detail makes the book.

Valleys: Despite this book being quite a tome, I still felt like I was missing some information in basic world-building. Ava's lack of knowledge about even basic science is criminal, and a little terrifying. The reader is left constantly to wonder how this all happened. Why did the crewes initially board ships and go into orbit above Earth? Where they'd come from and who had they been before that event? What was the triggering event for downgrading of the status of women, and why did the women participate wholesale in their own disenfranchisement, striving to each be more perfectly downtrodden? What was behind their drive to obey? Why did they keep silent, still, with eyes lowered? On what cultish faith was their society based that has gone so heinously, so misogynistically off-base? We never get enough information on that, which is a real shame, because I found myself far more interested in questions of structure that mandated that life aboard the spacegoing, the lack of regulated social services, and basic education, etc. -- The women sitting, content, with not being able to read was unconscionable. Surely, if all they believed women were good for was work and bearing, they could be BETTER baby-machines with the ability to read and adequately care for their offspring? Ergh.

There's a lot of discussion about this book as feminist science fiction, but don't look for Ava to become self-actualized or in any way save herself until you're heading WELL toward the end of the book. She is saved, repeatedly, by others... over and over and over again, showing a lack of being the center of her own story, in some ways. Some may find her conversion to self-reliance a little choppy and unbelievable or too slow.

Conclusion: I truly liked this book, though I wanted more. If you enjoyed TIN STAR or ACROSS THE UNIVERSE or THE HANDMAID'S TALE, you will find enjoyment here. The gradual pacing of this five hundred plus page world epic will give readers an entire universe to discover and explore, and they will cheer for Ava's slow but sure growth toward selfhood.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of the Benicia Public Library. You can find SALVAGE by Alexandra Duncan at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

tanita✿davishttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-30299462870165495882015-02-23T08:00:00.000-08:002015-02-23T08:00:11.893-08:00Cybils Finalist Review: THE DUMBEST IDEA EVER! by Jimmy Gownley

Summary: This book has got a great title. Rest assured the premise lives up to the promise. This was one of my personal favorite titles from this year's excellent crop of Cybils graphic novel finalists. The autobiographical story of how the author decided to become a cartoonist and start drawing comics, The Dumbest Idea Ever! is also one of the funniest books ever--Jimmy is a relatable narrator who endures the usual bumbling toward adolescence that anyone who has ever been a tween will recognize.

Peaks: Creative kids and teens in particular will really relate to Jimmy's story. For the sake of those readers, not to mention the younger me, I loved the final message about not giving up, and being humble enough to know where you still need to learn and to ask for help when you need it. But this is obviously not just a story with a moral message—it's also the story of a regular kid who comes up against obstacles (the normal ones like sports and girlfriends, as well as a few curve balls) and muddles through. He battles his own ego (and its inverse, the nasty voice that tells you you aren't good enough).

Click to embiggen

I was impressed by the accurate portrayal of the teen characters in all their awkward, poor-impulse-control glory, the highs and lows of teen life in a small town. Also, the role of the parents and other adults in the story is not minimized, but the focus remains on Jimmy and his quest. And, again, there's a great underlying theme/message of persistence despite obstacles in order to achieve your dream. The visual style is simple and traditional, easy to read as well as very, very funny.

Valleys: There were a few moments here and there when the story's timeline jumped and I was momentarily confused, but that was my only quibble. An all-around excellent title.

Conclusion: This book is so hilarious and endearing and inspiring, too. I laughed out loud many, many times. Really. I keep trying to think of people I can shove this onto, besides my 10-year-old nephew, who is definitely getting a birthday copy. (Good thing he doesn't read this blog!) If you like graphic novel memoirs, especially ones like Smile by Raina Telgemaier or El Deafo by Cece Bell (this year's Cybils winner), read it.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of my library. You can find THE DUMBEST IDEA EVER! by Jimmy Gownley at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

Sarah Stevensonhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-25867672672659681982015-02-20T10:42:00.001-08:002015-02-20T10:42:40.503-08:00Odds & Book Ends: Five & Dime Friday, Procrastination Edition

Yes, I am the big nerd who occasionally has themed bookshelves. In my house.
 Because, apparently I am a pretend librarian.

Happy Friday, kids! I'm here because I'm procrastinating. Knowing that, I'm going to keep this short... but I did want to pop in today and say hello. AF and I quietly celebrated ten years here on our blog this month, and both of us are a little sad because we pathetically are overbooked and can't really do much about it. Oh, well! Throw some confetti for us.

♦ Let's kick off this blitzkrieg of links and nonsense with a bit of BOOK NERDDOM, as Mother Reader wins 2015 (thus far, anyway) by being included in the mental_floss List Show broadcast  of Weird Awards. Yes, and she will now be known as the "weird ass picture book lady" for-ev-ah. I also love that there's a nerdfighter touch to this whole thing, too. Cheers, Pam!

♦ It's been a quiet week here in Lake... um, at the Treehouse, anyway. We finished out the Cybils in triumph - and then kind of collapsed (did you read Pam ; we dispatched a few questions to a KidLitCon blogger we'll be featuring in the next week or so on the blog; we selected - and then rejected - two books for a tandem read - we're still looking, but the books we keep choosing either both of us have already read, so it wouldn't be an actual tandem READ, or only one of us has access to them - etc. There's a science to this thing, apparently.

♦ This week has been a good one for deep thoughts, as Malinda Lo's four-part critique of ...critique - or, book reviewing raised some good thoughts and questions in our WritingYA writing group about how the historical imbalance of voice and power in the U.S. has influenced the voices speaking about what a book is and should be. (Even with its eye-roll invoking title, TheHorn Book blog raised the topic up and carried it to perhaps a new audience with some in-depth conversation as well.) If you haven't made time to read this whole essay, do. One of the things we appreciate about Malinda is that she articulates things that few other people are talking about as coherently and completely. This is a thorough and well thought out essay.

 On the flip side of Malinda's piece, though, was a recent review in Kirkus... a troubling review wherein a reviewer tried to explain why a book was panned, and used their platform as critic to shake a finger at authors and say, "Let's all play inclusively now." In the interests of full disclosure, in my book reviews, I will note when a cast of characters is entirely dominant culture, but first, I don't use that consideration to completely discount a book, and second, I don't consider this blog "professional" space, and neither do I have the scope and audience of Kirkus, obviously. In a blog attached to a national magazine, this awkward, grossly oversimplified blow felt ...convenient, and so unnecessarily slighting to the author. It seems to us a more positive move is to simply highlight OTHER books out there doing the better job of being inclusive, rather than to shake a finger and pan a book for what it's not - and what it never claimed to be. We're just not sure this is the right direction for book reviewing either... it's as if someone heard about inclusiveness in reviewing, but didn't actually understand it...

♦ It's the year of the Goat... or the sheep, or the ram, depending on where you are in various Asian countries. I love the whole goat thing, as I've said before, because I am rather fond of the animal, so here's to a year that will eat anything, jump on anything, occasionally faint, and keep us hoppin'. One of the things I miss from living in Scotland was the Lunar New Year celebrations - the Scots are ready to celebrate ANYTHING in this dreich and cold time of year, and they're ALL about the fireworks, so there were plenty of parades in Glasgow and fireworks and sales at the big Asian groceries. Good times.

♦ Been talking with various people about Black History Month, and what it means to honor that when you're not in school anymore. Some people want to dress as something, because cosplay makes the world go 'round. Rather than donning my nonexistent Ghanian outfit (and let's not say "African outfit," because, all together now, "Africa is a continent, not a country"), I'm puttin' on my kickers today in honor of Bass Reeves, as highlighted in BAD NEWS FOR OUTLAWS by Vonda Micheaux Nelson and THE LEGEND OF BASS REEVES: Being the True and Fictional Account of the Most Valiant Marshal in the West,by Gary Paulsen. For me, "observing" Black History or Women's History or Asian/Pacific American Heritage month is simply trying to find out something new about some historical person, every day. I also learned about Dr. Pauli Murray this month - who was both a lawyer, a priest and was nominated as an Episcopalian saint. (Seriously, I need to work up an outfit for her!!!)

♦ Didja know Gwenda - recently honored with a STARRED REVIEW from Kirkus for LOIS LANE: FALLOUT, her newest book - has a fancy new website? She does.

♦ Checking in with The Brown Bookshelf's 28 Days Later this month has been to happily - and in some cases, ruefully - discover many books and authors I'd never heard of, including C. Taylor Butler and Jesmyn Ward. The Cooperative Children's Book Center just released new statistics that most of us have seen - relating that the number of books for children and teens including African and African American people of color has increased fairly dramatically in the last two years. That's certainly not hard to believe - we've been preaching to the choir long enough for the news to get out beyond the congregation. We've not reached any sort of ethnic parity yet - books for Latino and Asian kids haven't shifted much at all - but it's nice to see a step in a positive direction.

♦ I love Laurie Halse Anderson. I seriously love Buzzfeed (though it's kind of The Website Black Hole Timewater, but whatevs). The two together are a match made.

♦ Aaaaaaand, speaking of Black Hole Timewasters, this day is not going to organize itself. Cheers, and have a good one.

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

tanita✿davishttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-12804904156290922262015-02-19T08:00:00.000-08:002015-02-19T08:00:03.153-08:00Cybils Finalist Review: STRANGE FRUIT, VOLUME I by Joel Christian Gill

Summary: In a recent NPR interview, Joel Christian Gill said, "These stories are quintessentially American stories. I can't say that enough. It's not that I dislike Black History Month. I just don't think Black History Month is enough." I agree completely--most especially with the fact that these ARE quintessentially American tales, and interesting ones, to boot. Yes, these are stories of "Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History," but aside from that, they're just plain absorbing: true stories about nine individuals from black history who made an impact each in their own way--and in some surprising ways, too: for instance, the first American stage magician was an African American, as was Bass Reeves, the most successful Wild West lawman in history.

Peaks: I was drawn in so quickly to these intriguing, fascinating, action-packed, little-known stories from history. Each of the characters was inspiring and brought to life with a lot of personality and humor--with just a touch of the old-style American tall tale to them, though the subject matter is factual--and the stories were all very different and interesting.

click to embiggen

Overall, in fact, this one really does a nice job of combining education and entertainment. The book ends with a Did You Know section containing added facts about each of the nine individual stories, which was a nice touch. There is also ample bibliographic information for people who want to study the subject in depth. But purely on their own merits, the stories have a lot to offer readers, regardless of their level of interest in black history. It brings to life some lost voices from history that are interesting in their own right, independent of adding black history to the standard canon, which this book also encourages.

With respect to the graphic storytelling, I loved the fun and humor and expressiveness of the artwork. It was just very well done—simple but effective, and with great integration of text and image in a variety of ways. Humor is also used well, and I enjoyed the use of "placeholder" images inside word balloons to substitute for racial slurs like the N-word. (Gill addresses this in his NPR interview; I highly suggest checking it out.)

Valleys: Something I couldn't help noticing--as much as I really loved this book--there are no stories in which women are the central figures. Given that this is Volume 1, I'm hoping Volume 2 rectifies this situation, because it seemed a rather glaring omission otherwise...

Conclusion: While the title of this one might prompt some to assume that it is more factual than fun, rest assured that it is most definitely both. I was quite inspired and moved by these tales of heroism and accomplishment, both ordinary and extraordinary, in arenas as varied as the stage, the Old West, the cycling arena and the basketball court. Make sure you read that NPR interview if you want to learn more about the book and its author.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of the publisher. You can find Strange Fruit, Volume I: Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History by Joel Christian Gill at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

Sarah Stevensonhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-51822165173763406802015-02-18T02:15:00.000-08:002015-02-18T06:46:37.118-08:00A Cybil's Bookmark: NOGGING by JOHN COREY WHALEY

This book is a 2015 Cybils Award YA Speculative Fiction Finalist.
This is a review by a finalist judge, so will focus solely on summary and leave out most additional editorializing and discussion. We hope you pick up this Cybil nominee, read, and enjoy!

It would be really cool if I weren't this person who STILL - after aphorisms and everything - judges books by their covers. It's like I can't stop. Yadda, yadda, yadda, homo sapiens are a visual species - blah, blah, whatever. As many indie books as I read, with sometimes just awful covers done by unpaid non-professionals hacking away with stock images and Photoshop, I know sometimes you find the most AMAZING things in dubious packages. I. KNOW. THIS. But, truthfully? I think I skew towards rooting for the underdog. I'm ... like, okay with ugly covers on science fiction and indies, because... look, it's science fiction and indies. Somehow, covers that are pastel and bright, glossy, on-trend high concept things like, oh, headless-torsos or leg shots of couples in Chuck-Taylors-and-cute-flats - those turn me RIGHT off. And seeing this cover - part of a trend Book Riot already mentioned - I was like, "Meh." Because I'm nothing if not all hip and contrarian and anti-trend.

Which is just bull, right? Because, really? I've read nothing by this guy, and I'm ready to blow him off because of a cover? How can I even call myself a story girl with an attitude like that? SHAME. I'm feelin' it. Readers, don't make my mistakes. Pick up books with goofy covers. There are stories inside.

Summary: Travis Coates is like the best science experiment you could bring to class. He died - painfully and awfully - of leukemia, and then, boom, he was alive again. It wasn't difficult to decide to take part in the one-in-a-million-chance, risky procedure the Saranson Center for the Preservation of Life offered. His body was done for, he could see that his friends and loved ones were suffering through his suffering, so -- so, he let go. Of everything, all of it. On an appointed day, he said goodbye to his beloved best friend and his family. A cocktail of drugs was administered so that his brain function shut down, and then his head - the only cancer-free part of his body left - was removed and cryogenically preserved somewhere in Denver. A heartbeat and ---

-- Travis opened his eyes to a world where time had lapsed the length of a nap for him, but five years had passed for everyone else.

And then things got weird.

 Still sixteen, though his birth certificate says he's twenty, Travis is finding it hard to exist in the world where he feels the same, but nothing else is. See, in this world, his girlfriend is engaged - to someone else - his best friend is pretending that the truth he'd told Travis when they'd said goodbye is something that can be ignored, and people all across the world either want to stare at him, touch him, tell him to repent, or beg him to help them be reborn. He so longs for his old life back - his old friends, his old clothes, his old possessions, his old loves. Is there room for anything new? Is it okay to make new friends? Is it possible to live the hell out of the do-over he's gotten out of life? Maybe... but that's a whole lot to process for a guy who's continuing to look down at the hands in front of him -- and keep realizing that they're not his. Is there any way to step into the same spot in the river of time? Travis is willing to splash around, hope, and get soaked.

Conclusion: A surprising second finalist touching on the theme of cryogenics in the speculative fiction/science fantasy genre, John Corey Whaley's use of voice and characterization make this novel a memorable, sometimes disturbing, sometimes painfully poignant, and often funny as hell rewind into the life of a guy and his head.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of the Benicia Public Library. You can find NOGGIN by John Corey Whaley at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

tanita✿davishttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-3686525690057829332015-02-17T02:18:00.000-08:002015-02-17T02:18:00.169-08:00A Cybils Bookmark: THE WINNER'S CURSE, by MARIE RUTKOSKI
I'd previously only read this author's middle-grade novels. Her debut with THE CABINET OF WONDERS, was a Cybs contender awhile back, and pretty amazing in terms of detail and overall WOW factor of new-things-per-page. I LOVED that novel, so when I read the jacket flap on this one, I wasn't quite sure how to feel. It's totally different territory, of course, intended for readers 14-18; it's not magical fantasy, exactly, quite... sort of. Nor is it exactly entirely historical fantasy-fiction; there is a bit of magic... thus it's perfect for the Cybils YA Speculative Fiction Category. As this is a Cybils review, it will focus solely on summary and leave much else to the judge's discussions.

Happiness depends on being free. And freedom depends on being courageous.

Summary: An average fighter with a general for a father, Kestrel is deeply unimpressed with the choices her society has left a young woman of her age: join the army or get married. She's nearing the age of decision, and General Trajan is pushpushpushing her to join the army. It's the ultimate "bring your daughter to work" thing, but Kestrel hates the drills, isn't good at the discipline, and prefers to spar with her mind - which fortunately her father allows, as she plays Bite and Sting and works on war theory - that uses her wit, and she's really, really, really good at it. But, she's still... discomfited. Too smart to be a pretty, precious jewel locked in a box and kept safe. Not vicious enough to be one of the locks on the jewelery box. Not really bored, but not really... engaged. Not really happy... The vast Valorian empire is holding the Herrani's country as victors, in the name of might, but Kestrel, though she's known nothing else, feels neither mighty, nor valorous. She's looking for something more... then inadvertently finds it.

Valorians keep slaves - and Herrani slaves are normal. Less normal is Kestrel simply buying one because she had the cash in hand, and he looked interesting. He keeps ... bugging her - just by not looking particularly cowed or downtrodden. He says, "No." He's... really not that great a slave, when it comes down to it. But, there's something within him that draws her. Sure, he's swoony, yeah, and she's heard he can sing. But, there's something else... Inevitably, Kestrel begins to fall in love - and then the shape of the world changes yet again.

Conclusion Rutkoski's worldbuilding is lush and detailed, and readers who like romances, novels of manners and war and political intrigues will eat this first in a trilogy right up. This is a novel about the balance of power, about victories in the political arena, about slavery, protection and dominance, about who has the right to shape history, the survivors or the victors. Mostly, this novel is about winning and losing and the lies we tell ourselves to believe in both.

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love.

I received my copy of this book from the library. You can find THE WINNER'S CURSE by Marie Rutkoski at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

tanita✿davishttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-24207946987354916032015-02-16T08:00:00.000-08:002015-02-16T08:00:07.578-08:00Cybils 2014 Review: EL DEAFO by Cece Bell

Summary: Before writing up this post, I honestly didn't realize that El Deafo by Cece Bell had won the 2015 Newbery Award. Well, now it's also won a Cybils Award for 2014, in the Elementary and Middle Grade Graphic Novels category! And I'm thrilled that I got to be a Round 2 judge this year for Graphic Novels, because I got to read so many of last year's fantastic works of comic literature.

Anyway, clearly I was not influenced by the fact that this book won the Newbery, since I found that out well after we made our choices, but obviously this one is a standout. A memoir of the author's elementary school years learning to cope with a hearing impairment as well as the other tribulations of being a kid, this one became an immediate favorite for me as soon as I started reading.

Peaks: As I just mentioned, one of the strengths of this book is the fact that it's a funny story about an endearing character going through all of the classic problems of childhood, plus a few unexpected challenges because she is hearing impaired, but none of these daunt Cece's ongoing optimism, resilience, wit, humor, or doggedness. That image in itself is one that any child with a disability very much needs, and those without disabilities also need to see, to show how other people's reactions come across and to emphasize that they are fully-rounded people—they are not simply a disability.

Cece's youthful experiences and misadventures will be relatable not just by kids with hearing loss but all kids, as she runs up against the classic problems caused by being the new girl in class, getting a crush on a boy, and dealing with the sometimes-fickle friendships of grade school. Her fantasies of herself as superhero El Deafo--her giant Phonic Ear hearing aid giving her amazing super-hearing powers--are hilarious and also relatable.

Click to embiggen. Do it now!!

I loved the graphic storytelling. It was cute, and also impish, the characters rendered as humanlike rabbits (reminding me of how Matt Groening's Life in Hell characters were mostly rabbits...but more PG, I suppose). Appealing, colorful, and funny.

Valleys: I honestly didn't have any criticisms about the book itself. But--and this could be just me--I can't get past the idea that adults might hand this to kids for didactic purposes only, rather than because it's a funny story about a kid their age who just happens to be deaf. I would hate for that to ever be the case because it just such a great book all around. I guess the upshot is, whether kids pick this up on their own or because they are "supposed to" read it, I see it as having that critical combination of kid appeal and literary merit that will make it both a memorable and enjoyable read.

Conclusion: As I've mentioned in previous posts, when I make notes about Cybils finalist titles, I use a numerical rating system which is there to help me weigh each book on its own merits according to the Cybils criteria. It helps me zero in on which titles have just the right combination of traits, so that I can try to put any personal biases or preferences aside to focus on what would make the best CYBILS title and not just my own favorite. This one was one of my favorites AND it scored the highest on my rating system for the E/MG graphic novel finalists.

If you loved it as much as I did, you can find out more about the book and the author (who is married to the equally talented and hilarious Tom Angleberger, aka Sam Riddleburger) on her website and follow her on Twitter @CeceBellBooks. Also, don't miss the fab interview from 2008 by the 7-Imps.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of my library. You can find EL DEAFO by Cece Bell at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

Sarah Stevensonhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-60510812579396364432015-02-15T04:48:00.000-08:002015-02-15T04:48:00.133-08:00A Cybil's Bookmark: DEATH SWORN by LEAH CYPRESS

This book is a 2015 Cybils Award YA Speculative Fiction Finalist.
This is a review by a finalist judge, so will focus solely on summary and leave out additional discussion. Thanks!

It's rare that I can't tell anything about a book from its cover. This one has a twisted stone castle and mist as seen through a Gothic-style window. I wasn't sure what to expect -- but from the first page, this read like a post-conflict fairytale. The setting is Earth-like, but no country (except something vaguely European, since the characters are pale) is specified; there's magic, but mere tinges at first. Readers who appreciate more realistic fairytales will appreciate this novel.
Summary: An air of desperation marking her steps, Illeni heads into the most terrifying job in the world - that of magic tutor to a cult of assassins. She wouldn't have gone, except that to the Elders of her people, the Renegai, she's expendable. Once, the Renegai were powerful mages, but the Rathian Empire invaded, and brought them brutally to heel. The mages are in hiding, as are the assassins, but both carry the same dream - to bring the empire down. An uneasy truce cemented by the same goal, the Elders send tutors to the assassins to help them, and in return, they never fall within the assassin's contracts... or, that was the agreement. But the last two magic teachers the Elders sent have been murdered... and what can Illeni do? Nothing. Because not only has she, the lone, expendable girl, been sent away, she's been abandoned for another reason. She's losing her magic.

No one must find out the truth - no one - or her dangerous pupils, none of whom have any reason to even like her, will find out that she's expendable, too.

Conclusion: An on-trend novel with its depiction of assassins, empires, secret cabals, lies and spies, this imaginative novel has just enough grit and darkness to subvert the sort of fantasy-fairytale effect the cover implies. Fans of novels where the hero(ine)'s journey involves travel and adventure will also find this enjoyable. The sequel arrives March 2015.

I received my copy of this book courtesy of the public library. You can find DEATH SWORN by Leah Cypress at an online e-tailer, or at a real life, independent bookstore near you!

This work is copyrighted material. All opinions are those of the writer, unless otherwise indicated. All book reviews are UNSOLICITED, and no money has exchanged hands, unless otherwise indicated. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.

tanita✿davishttp://firstname.lastname@example.com