2013 YALSA Hub Reading Challenge - Update #5

Busy with other things this week and only got two books read.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

I debated about my rating for this book. The first part of the book is difficult to read, due to switches in tense and a narrator who talks about herself in third person. I'm not especially interested in aircraft and engine repair, so some of the details, while well-researched and, I'm sure, fascinating to many, didn't always keep my attention. HOWEVER, the story gains momentum as it goes, and the ending is marvelous.

It's difficult to write an accurate review of this particular book without spoilers, but here goes...

Maddie and Queenie, raised in very different social circles, become best friends during WWII. Maddie is a pilot and Queenie a spy. 

When Queenie is captured by Nazis in France and broken by torture, she agrees to cooperate in return for a quick death. Her written confession makes up the first half of the book. Initially, the flow of her narrative is hard to follow because of the switches from present to past tense. Once you get used to it, though, it actually helps keep track of past versus present events. 

The last part of the book is more reliably narrated by another character and sheds light on Queenie's story in some surprising ways. 

The friendship between Maddie and Queenie is realistic and moving. They are both strong characters, each a hero in her own way. 

Highly recommended historical fiction. 

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater


Book one in the Raven Cycle.

Blue comes from a family of psychics, but can't see the future the way the rest of her family does. Her talent is to amplify psychic energy. For the first time ever, while gathering the names of the soon-to-be-dead on St. Mark's Eve, Blue sees a spirit; his name is Gansey and he's a Raven Boy, one of the arrogant rich kids who attend a local private school. 

Gansey is on a quest to find a legendary Welsh king, and he's roped in his friends, Adam, Ronan, and Noah, to help him. The boys and their relationships with each other and with Blue are interesting and well-developed. Blue gradually gets to know the boys and becomes enmeshed in their quest. 

The story is complex and an effective set-up for the new series. I'll be interested to see how the story continues to develop. Stiefvater fans will eat this one up. 

2013 YALSA Hub Reading Challenge - Update #4

Thanks to pure chance, and what was available at my local library, this week has served up some enjoyable reading. I love it when I read a popular book that actually lives up to the hype.  This week, I listened to two audiobooks, read one novel, and one graphic novel. Of the four, there is one that I'll be recommending to everyone.  Keep reading for details...

The Heist Society by Ally Carter


Heist Society, book 1.

Katarina (Kat) Bishop tries to escape the family business by enrolling herself in a fancy boarding school, but inevitably, she gets pulled back in.  When a dangerous mob-boss type has five paintings stolen from an underground vault and inexplicably accuses Kat's father of the theft, she decides to steal the painting back to get her dad, and the rest of her family, off the hook.

This is a fluffy YA read without much substance, but the audiobook was a fun diversion during my commute and I might read more of the series at some point--possibly poolside or at the beach.

I absolutely love the cover art, which will help convince the teen readers I know to give this series a try.

Trinity:  A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm


This nonfiction graphic novel tells the story of how the United States created the first atomic bombs during WWII. Though I'm not normally all that interested in nonfiction, I thought Fetter-Vorm did an excellent job, both in telling the story through words and pictures, and in breaking down some extremely complex scientific concepts into understandable chunks. The book also touches upon the morality of actually using this weapon, without getting preachy. With science, we often come back to this question:  Just because we can, does it mean we should?

I would absolutely recommend this to my students. 

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Humans and dragons, thanks to a treaty forged forty years ago, co-exist under an uneasy peace. Dragons can take human form in order to study and teach alongside their human counterparts. However, with the treaty up for renewal, Prince Rufus is brutally murdered, perhaps by a dragon. This ignites a firestorm at the royal court. 

Seraphina Dombegh, the court's new assistant music mistress, is drawn into the investigation of the Prince's death. As she grows nearer to the truth, she is forced to consider her own secret--one she keeps hidden at all cost. Seraphina finds it harder and harder to hide her true self as she forges bonds with those around her.

Although I was definitely drawn into Seraphina's story by the end of the book, it took a loooong time to get its hooks into me. The world-building is phenomenal, but the plot takes about two hundred pages to get going. If you, dear reader, do not require major plot happenings right away, and can be patient with the world-building, you will be rewarded with a satisfying and well-told tale. Seraphina is a wonderful character and I look forward to reading more of her (and her friends') adventures.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio


WOW. I loved this book.

As a teacher, I see both the kindness and the lack of it in my students every day. Most people, in one way or another, can relate to the experience of dealing with bullies. August (Auggie) Pullman feels it on a whole different level.

Because of a severe facial deformity and his resulting health issues, August has been home-schooled by his mother and is used to the loving cocoon of his family who attempt to protect him from the outside world. Despite the best efforts of his father, mother, and older sister, August knows how horrified people are when they see his face. He is a completely normal kid on the inside, but people who only see his face tend to turn away from him before he can let them see what a great kid he really is.  He loves Halloween because it gives him the freedom to wander the world without having to suffer the horrified glances of strangers. He says, "I wish every day could be Halloween. We could all wear masks all the time. Then we could walk around and get to know each other before we got to see what we looked like under the masks."

When Auggie's mother decides that he should begin attending school for 5th grade, he worries not only about being the new kid, but about being the new kid with a face that scares small children. I'll avoid spoilers here, but let's just say that if this book doesn't make you shed a few tears, from joy and/or sadness, then you are probably a person I would not like to meet.

Most of the story is told by Auggie, but other narrators to crop up to give their insights into his life. The transitions to other voices were smooth and I found it illuminating to flesh out what those characters were actually thinking and feeling. Auggie is pretty perceptive for a 10-year-old, but he doesn't always get it right.

I am constantly on the lookout for books to share with my students. Sometimes I find myself settling for simply tempting a kid to read anything at all. It is truly a joy to find a book that can inspire its readers to strive to be better people.

“Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness.” 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for readers of all ages.

2013 YALSA Hub Reading Challenge - Update #3

I was starting to feel somewhat dispirited about this challenge, as it was feeling like a chore to get through these books. Thankfully, I'm done with Paolini and was able to read books by two authors who are actually skilled in using poetic language (rather than barfing up a thesaurus on every page).

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini


Book four in the Inheritance cycle (audiobook read by Gerard Doyle).

Eragon continues to fight minor battles and to train, but will he be able to defeat Galbatorix in the final battle?

I'm torn about how to review this book. I might have liked it better had I read it instead of listening to the audiobook. Though Gerard Doyle does a fine job with the narration, Paolini is definitely too wordy for my taste and the reader can't skim with an audiobook! I found many of the battle scenes boring, despite the gory descriptions.

This book, and the series as a whole, had much promise. However, it needed a stronger editor to help the author focus on the storylines that were critically important.  Several plotlines started out looking promising and then simply sputtered out with no resolution. Others were added for no obvious reason and did nothing to further the story.

Every Day by David Levithan

"A" wakes up in a different body every day, and experiences the world from within the various realities inhabited by these bodies. "A" has made peace with his existence and does his best to do no harm to the bodies he borrows each day. Everything changes when he meets Rhiannon and falls in love for the first time. Can they find a way to be together?

What I loved about this book was the author's obvious love of language. The writing itself is beautiful and well-crafted. Take this passage as an example:

"There is a part of childhood that is childish, and a part that is sacred. Suddenly we are touching the sacred part--running to the shoreline, feeling the first cold burst of water on our ankles, reaching into the tide to catch at shells before they ebb away from our fingers. We have returned to a world that is capable of glistening, and we are wading deeper within it."

I also enjoyed the major theme of the book, that love is love, wherever you find it. No matter how different people appear on the outside, what we all want is to be loved for who we are. Perhaps if we could focus more on our human similarities, rather than our differences, the world would be a better place. Despite a few things that I didn't like about the book (the Twilight-ish stalker elements, for example) overall, this message of honoring love in all its forms is a good message for teens and adults alike.

The Diviners by Libba Bray


The Diviners (the first in a new series, hooray!) is my favorite type of book--a blend of genres, fun to read and difficult to classify. It's a mix of fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, and suspense, with a dash of romance thrown in for good measure. Bray has painstakingly researched the Roaring Twenties and her gorgeous prose brings the period, and her characters, vividly to life.

After getting in trouble back in Ohio, Evie O'Neill's parents send her to New York to stay with her uncle. An expert in occult matters, he runs The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--known by the locals as The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies. When Uncle Will is asked to help the police investigate a series of brutal, occult murders, Evie comes along for the ride. Will her ability to "read" objects help her solve the crimes or make her a victim?

Evie is not the only character with a special gift. There's also a pickpocket on a mission to find his mother, a Ziegfeld girl hiding from a dangerous past, a numbers runner with healing powers, and a museum employee who is more (and less) than he seems. Despite the supernatural elements, these characters are well-developed and realistic.

Highly recommended, though you might want to hold off a bit, as book #2 (as yet untitled) isn't due out until the spring of 2014.

2013 YALSA Hub Reading Challenge - Weekly Update #2

Two very different books this week:

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Greg Gaines is a slightly overweight, not-exactly-popular high school senior whose only ambition in life is to fly under the radar and survive the hell that is high school. He and his best friend, Earl, have little in common except for their love of amateur filmmaking and profanity. When Greg's mom forces him to spend time with Rachel, a girl he "sort of dated" who is dying of leukemia, he can't imagine worse torture. 

Not much happens, either in the plot or with character development. Rachel's illness provides a thin plot thread, but really isn't the focus of the story. I kept hoping for Greg to learn something, but this is not that type of book. That said, the book is hilarious, especially if you aren't easily offended. If phrases like "Jesus Christ in a cockwagon" offend you, I would recommend giving this book a pass.

For a book with a more sensitive take on kids with cancer, I highly recommend John Green's The Fault in Our Stars.

Brisingr by Christopher Paolini

Book three in the Inheritance series.

The adventures of Eragon and Saphira continue. The story is predictable--anyone who is familiar with Tolkien or Star Wars will be able to see the plot twists coming from miles away. I still found it entertaining, though more careful editing of some parts (much of the dwarven politics, for example) would have kept the plot moving a bit better.  

The downside of listening to these books on audio is that you can't skip exposition and description like you can while actually reading. It took forever to listen to this monster.

Finally, I can get to the last book, the one actually on the challenge list!


Next up:  Inheritance by Christopher Paolini and Every Day by David Levithan.

2013 YALSA Hub Reading Challenge - Weekly Update #1

I started out by rereading a couple of books on my bookshelf that I read a few years ago. I am also listening to the audiobooks in the Inheritance Cycle in preparation for the final book, Inheritance, that is actually on the list.

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

When newly popular Frankie finds herself excluded from her boyfriend's all-male secret society, she does what any smart, self-respecting, budding feminist would do--she comes up with a brilliant plot to take over as "Alpha Dog" of the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds.  Her daring pranks are soon the talk of the whole school, but the reaction is still not quite what she expected.

I thoroughly enjoyed this thought-provoking and entertaining book.  The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because I was slightly disappointed in the ending.

First Crossing:  Stories about Teen Immigrants by Donald R. Gallo (ed.)


A collection of ten short stories centered around teenage immigrants and some of the issues they face.

Just as in real life, the immigrants in these stories are from many different cultural backgrounds and come to live in America for a wide variety of reasons. Some of the highlights: "First Crossing" about a Mexican boy's first illegal trip into the US; "Pulling Up Stakes" about a Transylvanian boy who finds himself befriended by a group of vampire-loving goth kids; "The Green Armchair" about a young girl who works in her father's furniture repair shop.

Eragon (audiobook) by Christopher Paolini

First in the Inheritance series.

Eragon is a teenaged orphan who lives with his uncle's family. They are poor and when Eragon finds a beautiful blue stone, he tries to trade it for food. 

The stone turns out to be a dragon's egg. The egg chooses Eragon and hatches for him. He is set on a course to become a dragon rider. 

Eragon is a fairly typical fantasy adventure. While the writing is often immature and well-read fantasy fans we notice many details borrowed from other books and movies, the book is still entertaining and worth a look for fantasy fans.

Eldest (audiobook) by Christopher Paolini

Second book in the Inheritance series.

Though the Star Wars parallel continues, I did like this one better than Eragon because Paolini's writing has matured.

The story picks right where Eragon left off.  Though Eragon and Saphira made it through the battle at Tronjheim, Galbatorix still rules Alagaesia.  To get ready for the battle against Galbatorix, Eragon visits the elves, where he and Saphira hone their communication and improve their battle skills.

Meanwhile, back at Carvahall, Eragon's cousin Roran leads a rebellion against Galbatorix after Roran's fiancée, Katrina, is kidnapped.  He blames Eragon for keeping the mysterious stone and starting the whole mess.

While Eragon's story falls flat in many places, I loved Roran's story.  He is a simple man who rises to do extraordinary things when he must.  The same applies to Eragon, but I just find Roran more interesting (even though he doesn't get a dragon).

Sarah Kay & Phil Kaye "An Origin Story"

Here are two more of my favorite spoken word poets, Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye, telling the hilarious and highly coincidental story of how they met.

Oh, How I Wish I Could Improvise

Amazing improv. If this doesn't brighten your day, nothing will!