Reckless Hearts by Sean Olin

My rating: 2 of 5 stars  


I hate to be too negative in a review, but I received an ARC from Edelweiss/Above the Treeline with the understanding I would give an honest review.

Reckless Hearts is a story of Jake and Elena who have known each other since they were in diapers. Jake is in love with Elena, but she is just a friend. Jake's mom marries a wealthy man who has a son named Nathaniel.

Nathaniel resents the "hippie chick" and her son who have come into his and his father's lives. He feels they are in it for all they can get. Of course, he actually is. He is a bad boy. He determines the best way to get to Jake is through Elena. He plots and carries out his evil plans. And, of course, Elena immediately falls for "Harlow" the character created by Nathaniel. After all, girls love bad boys and don't realize how wonderful the steady boy is that is beside her as her friend.

This is a trite story written with as many cliches and worn out lines as is possible to get into a book. The conversations are stilted, with lines you have heard in a dozen movies. Everything you expect to happen will happen. Nothing is unexpected or unusual. When Nathaniel asks Elena "how's tricks?" I had to recheck the age of the book to make sure it wasn't written in the 1940's.

There is another book coming in this series. I won't bother. The epilogue in this book tells you all you need to know about the next title.



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Powerful first novel Everything, Everything

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Maddy Whittier lives in a bubble. She has not left her house since she was a baby. One month after her father and brother were killed in a crash, she was diagnosed with SCID, Severe Combined Immunodeficiency. SCID is a condition that is a dangerous inability of the immune system to ward off infection of any kind. Luckily for Maddie, her mother is a doctor and has created an environment that is totally clean and free of bacteria, but Maddy's life depends on staying inside this "bubble" for the rest of her life.

Maddy has resigned herself to this life and is content. Her mother does all she can to keep Maddy entertained and to provide her with an excellent online education. Only very rarely is anyone admitted to the house and only after an hour of decontamination.

Then, the empty house next door is purchased by a family with two teens. Maddy begins an IM relationship with Olly (Oliver) and they begin to fall in love.

Now, Maddy becomes seriously disenchanted with her life and frustrated with her illness. She begins to yearn for a life in the real world; to see, and touch, and experience. Her mother and Carla, the nurse that cares for her each day while her mother works, begin to see her withdrawing and changing. Carla has guessed the reason, but Maddy does not want her mother to know, and Carla keeps her secret.

But, what can Maddy and Olly do? There is no future to their relationship due to Maddy's illness. Olly has additional problems with an abusive father who is becoming more and more dangerous for he, his mother and his sister. Carla allows a few visits from the decontaminated Olly, but this is still no life for the young couple.

Maddy becomes increasingly frustrated and decides to risk it all. But, how long will she have? And, what about Olly's continuing attempts to convince his mother to leave his abusive father? In addition, what is the secret Maddy's mother is keeping from her?

Although my description may sound a bit melodramatic, Everything, Everything is filled with the joy of life. Maddy's yearnings help us to see the world from her perspective and to see the importance of the small, every day occurrences of our lives. Maddy is courageous in her attempt to grab life with both hands. Her growing love for Olly makes her world intolerable. She wants so much more.

The relationships in Everything, Everything are very vivid and engrossing. Maddy is a strong female figure and broadly educated girl. Since the majority of the story happens in and around Maddy's home, we see a large emphasis on the characters in her world, which mainly consist of Maddy's mother, her nurse, Clara, and Olly. The sense of Maddy's caged feeling grows along with Maddy's frustration and her mother's concern that Maddy not be hurt and become discontent. But Maddy makes the distinction between being alive and living. How much of life are we willing to give up in order to just stay alive?

One very important factor in Everything, Everything is the fact that Maddy is racially mixed, half Japanese and half African-American, but this has very little impact on the story line itself. We bemoan the lack of diversity in teen writing, and this is an opportunity for us to fall in love with a strong character that is just incidentally racially mixed. More of this, please!

I read an advance copy I received from Netgalley that contained a few errors that were hopefully caught in the final copy. But this is a very strong story with highly sympathetic characters that can appeal to teens and adults equally. Highly recommended and I would like to see it added to a lot of library teen collections for the diversity aspect alone.



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Ordinary Grace - an adult story for teens through seniors...

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger is one of those books that crosses so many genre and age groups; it makes it hard to talk about it using only a few words. I can recommend this to women and men, to teens through seniors, to mystery lovers, to historical fiction lovers, etc. My book club selected this for our upcoming meeting and I am pretty sure we will have a ton to discuss.

The story is told from the perspective of 13 year-old Frank Drum. Frank is the middle child of Nathan and Ruth Drum, a minister and his artistic wife. A younger brother, Jake, stutters and is subject to ridicule for his handicap. Older sister Ariel, a very talented musician, originally plans on attending Juilliard in the coming school year, but becomes reluctant to leave. In addition, the family includes Gus, a war buddy who saved Nathan's life and needs help getting back on his feet.

It is the hot summer of 1961 in New Bremen, Minnesota, with the Twins baseball team playing their first season, and small town life is gentle, peaceful and innocent. But, for Frank and his family, this becomes the summer of lost innocence; a summer of death - suspicious, murder, suicide, and accidental deaths. In addition, there are secrets and misunderstandings, racism and bigotry, and a great deal of loss.

Through Frank's eyes we see marital struggles, misbehaving adults, injustice, and a tremendous amount of pain and loss. He and his younger brother Jake struggle to understand the world around them, and the impact of religion on many different lives. Both grow up during this painful summer of loss, and begin to see the world from the perspective of young men rather than boys.

Frank is an honorable, yet mischievous 13 year-old who has the normal boy's curiosity and the awakening interest in the opposite sex. He narrates the story, and the first person perspective works, as Frank is a tremendous eavesdropper and learns much from gossip. The story is heartwarming, yet tear-inducing, painful, yet funny, and the characters are common, ordinary townspeople, yet reflective of the best and worst of humankind.

Ordinary Grace is an extraordinary story that pulled me faster and faster through to the end. There is plenty of action to keep the interest of the plot-craving reader, but a tremendous amount of heart to keep the character-driven interest, as well. I laughed, I cried, I remembered. I recommend Ordinary Grace very highly.



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Satisfying Mystery Romance by Renee Collins

Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Until We Meet Again is a story of a time warp that brings together 17 year old Cassandra from 2015 with Lawrence from 1925. Renee Collins brings the two together in a story that combines romance with mystery in a very satisfying read.

Cassandra's family has rented a home along the beach in New England for the entire summer of 2015. The beach is private and consists of a stretch of sand along a rocky cove. This is Cassandra's sanctuary, as she is terribly bored and wishes to be anywhere but here; specifically Paris with her best friend Jade or NYC with her father and friends. She escapes to the beach to watch the full moon rise.

Lawrence has turned 18 in 1925 and his uncle Ned has thrown him a birthday party at the home he built in 1922; the same home rented by Cassandra's family in 2015. The party is not really to his taste and he escapes to the beach to watch the full moon rise.

Suddenly a flash of bright light allows Cassandra and Lawrence to see each other. This bit of magic only extends as far as the borders of the beach. They soon discover that leaving the beach causes Lawrence to return to 1925 and Cassandra to 2015. They only can see, hear and touch each other while on the beach. The couple meet often on the beach and find themselves falling in love.

Being the curious teen she is, and with access to information on the internet and through library microfilm, Cassandra makes a terrible discovery about Lawrence. Records from 1925 show that Lawrence will be murdered on August 6, 1925. That date is two weeks away.
Who would want to kill Lawrence? Can Cassandra and Lawrence stop the murder? What long-term impact will it have on history if they do? And, can Lawrence and Cassandra find a way to be together?

The theme of meeting across time is not a new concept, but Collins handles it well. The young couple is charming and yet very much the product of their ages and era. The mystery is well defined and the writing keeps us in suspense. The ending is satisfying and logical. The magic is kept to a minimum and never fully explained, as magic really cannot be.

I very much enjoyed the relationship of Lawrence and Cassandra and found the mystery kept me anxious to return to the story whenever my reading was interrupted. Collins gives us a glimpse into life in the Roaring Twenties and limits the connection to 2015. Cassandra's modern day relationship with a boy called Brandon feels very strained and his jealousy for Cassandra feels a little premature given their lack of contact. I don't really know if his presence adds much to the story, but this is a minor criticism.

Overall, this is a book I would recommend to teens looking for a romance with a good mystery. Light reading, but satisfying.




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Reviews of Paper Towns Are Not Encouraging

Rotten Tomatoes 56%

It just does not do Teen literature any benefit to make a well-loved book by a well-loved author into a poor film.  

It is so disheartening to see the reviews of Paper Towns as mixed as they appear at Rotten Tomatoes.  So many great teen reads are being turned into movies these days, but the result has not been all that great. 

When one of our favorite titles is announced as an upcoming film, the anticipation is high.  We watch for the casting, check out the trailers and wait for the opening.  Personally, I wait for the reviews.  

We all know the book is almost always better than the film, but that has to do with the inability for the film-makers to put all of the story into 2-3 hours and still do justice to the movie our heads created while reading the book.  Yes, film is a separate art form and it should be judged on its own merits and not compared to the original.  But, the purpose of the film is to capture the essence of the book.  

Too often the objective of the film-maker is to jump on the YA bandwagon and make some money from a popular author and/or title.  Seriously, don't do the author any favors.  If you can't take a teen title seriously and present a well-made film, please leave the audience to remember the book as they saw it in their mind's eye.

Some of the reviews are good, however.  Should I see the film?  Have you seen it?  Are the critics too harsh?  Or, did the film-makers take a great thing and make it so, so?

Let me know your thoughts....

Every Last Word is powerful

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Published June 2015

Every Last Word is a powerful story of the importance of identifying our authentic self, being true to that self, and being honest with others about who we are.  By presenting our authentic self, we risk being rejected, but we benefit by knowing we are loved and accepted for who we truly are.

Samantha has been a member of the group "The Crazy Eights" since kindergarten. This is a group that was originally eight girls and is now 6 who are very tight-knit. The "eights" are now in high school - they are the popular and powerful clique, the envy of others.  They are invited to all the parties, they all have attractive jock boyfriends, and one girl's father gets them tickets to all the most exciting concerts.

Samantha, or Sam, as she prefers, has been diagnosed with OCD - more obsessive thoughts than compulsive actions.  In order to continue to be accepted by the "eights" she has kept this from them.  They don't know she sees "Shrink-Sue", her therapist, every Wednesday, and that she is taking medication to control her thoughts and to sleep at night.  Sam feels she is near the bottom rung of the "eights" and would be mortified and ostracized if they knew of her OCD.

Shrink-Sue is concerned about Sam's reliance on the "eights" for her social life. From what Sam has told her, it is obvious Sue believes this group is toxic for Sam and she encourages her to seek out new friendships.  In addition, Sam is a stellar swimmer who has only focused on her swimming during the summer.  Sue and Sam agree Sam could possibly earn a scholarship with her swimming and should focus more on it during the school year.

As the new school year starts, Sam meets Caroline, who introduces her to "Poets Corner" and the poets who meet there.  Sam is sworn to secrecy as the location of the group and their meetings are to be kept quiet.  Here at Poet's Corner she meets AJ, a boy she cruelly bullied in 4th grade due to his stutter, which has now been resolved.  Not only is Sam sorry and ashamed of her bullying, but AJ is also the one to convince to be allowed access to Poet's Corner.

Throughout the school year Sam juggles time with the eights, keeping her poet friends secret, keeping her OCD secret, and increasing her time swimming.  She discovers a side of herself that loves to write poetry and is strongly attracted to AJ and the poetic songs he writes and performs.  During this time of juggling, Sue encourages her to be her authentic self and to let her friends know of her struggles, which Sam strongly resists as she fears rejection.  Only Caroline knows of her true self and accepts her.  But, Caroline has secrets of her own.

Every Last Word is a powerful coming-of-age story.  Sam reflects the teen we have all been or are who find themselves acting as a different person based on who they are with.  Along with Sam we begin to see that only with friends who know us and accept us as we truly are can we feel safe and free to be true to ourselves.  Sam begins to see her OCD as a part of her real self and not something she needs to be ashamed, but her struggles become harder before things improve. She slowly finds being her authentic self increases her confidence and reduces the importance of her illness, but only after some shocking revelations.

Every Last Word is a moving, tear inducing story of recognizing we are not alone in our feeling of being abnormal, but by being honest with others, we can find the person we are is good enough and worthy of love and friendship.  This is highly, highly recommended.



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Disappointed Holmes Fan

Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
 

Publishing September 2015

I so wanted to like this book.  But at about 40% read I finally realized I was just not engaged and was finding the book tedious to read.

Modern day teen Sherlock Holmes and James (female) Moriarty are "working together" on a case.  The story is told from Mori's perspective and Lock is almost a side character.  Lovers of Holmes fiction be aware of this.  At a third of the way through the book, we have only bits and pieces of Sherlock Holmes.  Mori is keeping so much information from him that his brilliant mind has little to work with.

There is apparently some physical attraction as there is some kissing, but, to be honest, I don't know why as I see no chemistry between the two. Both appear to be moody, tedious individuals.

I am abandoning the book and don't feel I can recommend it to either mystery lovers or Holmes fans.


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A Solid First Effort and a Realistic Portrayal of Flu Pandemic

Pandemic by Yvonne Ventresca

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My opinion, as is true for anyone, is a subjective thing.  Each of us has our own criteria for judging a book.  While reading Pandemic, I started to feel nervous about looters and actually thought for a second about if it would be safe to have lunch with my sister the day I finished the book.  I judge this to be a good thing for a book!

Pandemic is a story of a flu pandemic that quickly spreads throughout New England and eventually throughout the United States with little to no warning.  As many government and health organizations will tell you, this is not a far-fetched scenario. Lilianna, or Lil as she is called by her friends, is a 16 year old girl who has recently suffered a trauma at the hands of a trusted teacher.  As the flu begins its spread, she is already dealing with an obsessive need to feel safe and prepared for any disaster, as well as a strong need to avoid being touched.  Lil has broken up with her boyfriend Ethan mostly due to these issues, and she is attempting to avoid a new boy called Jay who is showing interest. For the first time since "the event" as she calls her experience with the teacher, Lil is left home while both parents are traveling for work.

Lil's first exposure to the flu is while helping her best friend Megs get ready for a date.  Suddenly Megs becomes seriously ill and is hospitalized.  The worst part of this flu pandemic is the need to avoid people in order to stay healthy.  But, Lil also has some anti-viral medication her father has placed in their safe for just such an emergency.

As the flu seriously spreads throughout Lil's town, the deaths become overwhelming.  School is closed, businesses close, people are unable to travel due to quarantine or overwhelmed transportation, hospitals are overrun with the sick, and the bodies begin to pile up.

This is the point where Lil faces her own demons.  Does she stay alone in her own home where she is mostly safe, or does she put herself out, facing her fears, to assist those in need.  As the kids from her high school attempt to assist, with both Ethan and Jay involved, should Lil participate?  What will this mean for her relationships?  And, what can a 16-year old do?

I found Pandemic to be a gripping tale and a great debut for Yvonne Ventresca. Information about flu pandemics is well researched and provides a chilling example of what is possible.  There may be some aspects of the story that are a bit coincidental, but overall, this is a solid story.

For those YA readers who have been enjoying the stories similar to Fault in our Stars, this is another title to add to your reading list.  It is a quick, absorbing read with a great deal of tension, sadness, fear, and the maturing of the main characters. Definitely recommended.



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Tommy Guns, Gangsters and Their Long Reaching Legacy

Tommy: The Gun That Changed America by Karen Blumenthal
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I am massively opposed to guns in any way shape or form and am shocked at how interesting I found Tommy: The Gun That Changed America.  I can only say this indicates the author is very skilled at storytelling.

Tommy: The Gun That Changed America is a non-fiction history of the Tommy Gun.  It was originally designed by John Thompson as a weapon to be carried by soldiers, but was perfected just as World War I ended.  This is the submachine gun we have seen used many times in old movies about gangsters.  It brings to mind Edward G. Robinson or Jimmy Cagney in some of their roles as ruthless mobsters, or as G Men on the other side of the law.  When you hear about the Valentine's Day Massacre or the death of Bonnie and Clyde, you think of the Tommy Gun.  But, the gun was not just used by law enforcement as intended.  Many innocents were killed and many companies used the guns against labor unions.

The Tommy gun was easy to purchase, easy to carry and I am sure is the inspiration for the term "riddled with bullets", as it could fire so rapidly it could empty its magazine in just a couple of minutes - that's 50 - 100 bullets.

The story of the Tommy gun includes many names we have heard and how they are connected to the use of the gun or the laws to stop their use.  You will read about Al Capone, Pretty Boy Floyd, Machine Gun Kelly, John Dillinger, J. Edgar Hoover and his G-Men, President Roosevelt, etc. etc. This tells the story of the IRA, the NRA, the FBI and the birth of gun control laws.  And, this story is told well.

Tommy: The Gun That Changed America is truly a fascinating read.  It is another great example of non-fiction reading like fiction.  We see the mistakes of the few and how they cause pain to so many.  Highly recommended





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Funny and Poignant Middle-Grade Story of Poverty, Homelessness and Hope

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

My rating: 5 of 5 stars  To be published September 2015

Crenshaw is Jackson's invisible friend; a very large black and white cat.  Jackson is 10 now and doesn't think he needs Crenshaw.  But, sometimes friends, even invisible ones, are there when you need them most.

Jackson's family is struggling and they have for many years.  His father has MS and his mother is working multiple part-time jobs to keep everything together.  But, there is just not enough money - for food, for rent, for clothes.  Crenshaw first appeared when Jackson was younger and his family was living in their mini-van.  Now he has returned.

Jackson is concerned now because he feels his parents don't trust him and his younger sister Robin enough to tell them the truth about their financial situation.  They always stay positive even when Jackson and Robin think they are crazy to be positive.  But, now they are having a yard sale and selling almost everything they own.  Jackson is getting worried. Worried kids need invisible friends.  Jackson assumes that is why he is seeing Crenshaw once again.

Crenshaw is a story told by Jackson, a young boy who is more mature than his years and often tries to care for his entire family.  He sometimes feels he is the most mature of the group.  Jackson is a charming character, full of humor and wisdom.  He is very introspective and possibly understands himself more than he is willing to admit, even to Crenshaw.

This story is full of humor, sadness, and hope.  An excellent middle-grade story that should appeal equally to boys and girls.  Crenshaw is an excellent way to introduce children to these serious problems in our society - poverty and homelessness - as it is told with truth, empathy and humor.  Highly recommended.

I received a Netgalley ARC.


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Reawakened by Colleen Houck

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

To be published August 11, 2015.

Reawakened, as a fantasy, is not the type of book I would normally select to read, but I received an advance reader copy from the publisher and it grabbed my attention.  I have not read the Tiger's Curse series by Houck and wanted to check out this first book in her new series.

Reawakened is an Action-Adventure Love Story with a wonderfully researched tie to Ancient Egyptian Mythology. The major characters of the story are Lilliana (Lily) Young, a 17 year-old girl from New York City, and Amon (pronounced aah-moan) a centuries-old mummy who must "reawaken" every thousand years in order to save the world working with his two "brothers".

Lilliana Young is a very compliant 17 year-old daughter of professional parents.  They have very specific expectations of her and she attempts to meet them.  However, she is starting to question her compliance as she is  getting ready to select a college to attend and her parents are pressuring her to attend their choice.  This is a minor piece of the story, but a very important aspect of Lilliana's personality and growth throughout the story.  As she is working on her college decision in an Egyptian display not yet open to the public at the Metropolitan Museum, she meets Amon, who begins calling her "young Lily" and attaches himself to her as he expected to reawaken in Egypt and has no idea where he is.  Lilliana initially sees Amon as a homeless boy with serious sanity issues, although with an extremely attractive, almost model-like appearance.

Lily quickly gets caught up in Amon's story - he is an ancient Egyptian prince who represents the sun god and awakens from his mummy state every thousand years.  He has been given several powers by the Sun God Amun-Ra.  However, the source of his powers are his "canopic" (death) jars which were not brought to New York with his sarcophagus.  In order to have adequate energy to get back to Egypt and to complete his purpose, he bonds with Lilliana (after being hit by a car) and she must accompany him.

Amon must go back to Egypt, locate the mummies of his two "brothers" and complete a ceremony which will prevent the dark god of chaos - Seth - from bringing ruin to the earth.  Without his full powers, Amon needs Lily with him and she is compelled to assist him.  It doesn't hurt that both Amon and Lily are very attractive people and are drawn to each other immediately.  They set out on an adventure that changes Lily's life.

Reawakened is an action-adventure story with a great deal of Egyptian Mythology tied to the action.  In addition, it is a love story about Amon and Lily.  The love story is a key part of the story, as is often true of this type of action-adventure, with both characters often sacrificing to protect their partner.

I loved the story and the characters.  I found the Egyptian mythology particularly interesting as I am very unfamiliar with it.  I also enjoyed seeing Lily's character grow and change from her experiences and from her ability to sacrifice for Amon.  Lily also seems to be the source of much of the book's humor as she banters with Amon, his brothers Ahmose and Asten and with Dr. Hassar, the Egyptologist/Vizier who is the source of a great deal of the information.

The obvious recommendation is to Percy Jackson lovers.  The mythology and action would definitely appeal, and the humor is similar.  This may lend itself more to the female fan due to the romantic aspects, but this may not bother the male fans as it is a key part of the story, but not at the expense of the action.


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Oxford Public Library Teen Picks: Off the Page, by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Lee...

Oxford Public Library Teen Picks: Off the Page, by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Lee...: Off the Page , the sequel to 2012's Between the Lines marks the second offering by the mother-daughter writing team of Jodi Picoult an...

Sweet by Emmy Laybourne

Sweet by Emmy Laybourne

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Sweet starts as a meet cute romance, that turns into a bit of a mystery and then all heck breaks loose! It is a unique read with an amazing good vs evil twist and a cautionary tale about the disadvantages of lose weight quick schemes.

Laurel has been invited along on a Cruise to Lose - a cruise to launch a new weight loss product/sweetener called SOLU. Her best friend Vivika is so excited to try the new product, and her father obtained tickets for the exclusive, star-studded event.

Laurel experiences sea sickness which gives her an excuse not to use the sweetener. She is content with her body and does not really like the idea of weight loss by chemicals.

Tom, the second perspective in the story, was a chubby child actor who hopes appearing as a Ryan Seacrest type host for the cruise will relaunch his career as an adult. As a teen, he has embarked on a strict eating plan and exercise regimen to get his body in top shape. He does not want to risk his hard work by taking SOLU, so he also abstains.

Together Laurel and Tom tell the story as they begin to see startling weight losses and strange behavior amongst the SOLU users. This escalates quickly and soon the luxury cruise evolves to an amazing and crazy end.

Luckily for me, I was able to read this cold and had no idea where the author was taking the story. I hope other readers can have this same experience. Fast paced writing and an unusual story line made this a quick and fun read. Not for everyone, but I think the right teen audience will eat this up. This could be a good title to recommend to reluctant readers, but be sure the romance adverse know what appears to be a Sweet little romance has an amazing twist.



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