Biggie by Derek E. Sullivan {Review}

Synopsis: courtesy of amazon.com}:

Henry “Biggie” Abbott is the son of one of Finch, Iowa’s most famous athletes. His father was a baseball legend and his step-dad is a close second. At an obese 300+ pounds though, Biggie himself prefers classroom success to sports. As a perfectionist, he doesn’t understand why someone would be happy getting two hits in five trips to the plate. “Forty percent, that’s an F in any class,” he would say. As Biggie’s junior year begins, the girl of his dreams, Annabelle Rivers, starts to flirt with him. Hundreds of people have told him to follow in his dad’s footsteps and play ball, but Annabelle might be the one to actually convince him to try. What happens when a boy who has spent his life since fourth grade trying to remain invisible is suddenly thrust into the harsh glare of the high school spotlight?

{Review}: 

I received this ARC courtesy of Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When one is perusing for a newly released title to add to the queue, usually you look to the books that you’re interested in, and those you think will give the most “bang for your buck”. I liked the synopsis of this particular titled, I LOVED that the main character was male, and that the author was tackling an issue that is plaguing our young people today: Obesity.

Wow.

I truly thought that this story would be a relatively simple one: A boy, feeling sorry for himself about his weight. Chastised by peers, his parents, etc.

But it’s SO much more.

In my opinion, there are about 5 storylines going on at once: A boy trapped in the body that he created himself, and realizing that he desperately wants to fix it, and his journey TO fixing it. A young man who grew up not knowing his all-star teenaged father, who essentially gave him up to pursue his own dreams. A son of a stepdad that seemingly doesn’t care about him. A pubescent teenager, who is desperately looking for love from the wrong places. And… a social outcast desperately trying to fit in.

I’m not going to waste your time with a synopsis, but all you have to know is that this story is GUTWRENCHING at times. I’m a big believer in crying when the mood strikes, and there were many times during this novel when I just broke down in tears. Many times about his struggles with his weight {I am ALL too familiar with sitting in a flimsy gown and getting ready for the steady barrage about how much weight I gained as a teen}.

Was this Mr. Sullivan’s intention? Maybe not. But there were some one-liners in this book that had me gut-wrenchingly sad.

Another facet that I adored about this book is that there were a lot of VERY bittersweet moments between main character Biggie {Henry}, and his stepdad, Laser. But unlike so many other YA books—it wasn’t at all forced. The scenarios were incredibly real & raw. No calculating needed.

It also wasn’t your typical “jock” book, either. It had a much more sophisticated presentation than similar titles that I’ve encountered.

Bravo Derek Sullivan! Bravo!

{Where can I buy this?}:

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Biggie-Derek-E-Sullivan-ebook/dp/B00S5OJU2W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1425258319&sr=8-3&keywords=biggie

B & N:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/biggie-derek-e-sullivan/1120798399?ean=9780807507278

{What would I rate it?}: 4.95/5::: my only complaint is that I would’ve liked to see the mom developed a little more.

{Who would I recommend this book to?}:

Anyone who enjoys YA literature, young men especially, people who enjoy baseball, anyone looking for one of those books you pick up at 9AM on a Sunday afternoon, and only stop reading to pee and grab something to eat.

How We Fall by Kate Brauning {Review}

{release date: November 3rd at Amazon & B&N: November 11: Nationwide Retailers}

Synopsis: {courtesy of amazon.com}:

Ever since Jackie moved to her uncle's sleepy farming town, she's been flirting way too much--and with her own cousin, Marcus.

Her friendship with him has turned into something she can't control, and he's the reason Jackie lost track of her best friend, Ellie, who left for...no one knows where. Now Ellie has been missing for months, and the police, fearing the worst, are searching for her body. Swamped with guilt and the knowledge that acting on her love for Marcus would tear their families apart, Jackie pushes her cousin away. The plan is to fall out of love, and, just as she hoped he would, Marcus falls for the new girl in town. But something isn't right about this stranger, and Jackie's suspicions about the new girl's secrets only drive the wedge deeper between Jackie and Marcus--and deepens Jackie's despair.

Then Marcus is forced to pay the price for someone else's lies as the mystery around Ellie's disappearance starts to become horribly clear. Jackie has to face terrible choices. Can she leave her first love behind, and can she go on living with the fact that she failed her best friend?

{Review}: 

So, for those of you who don’t know me: I really enjoy my sleep. Being a reading specialist for k-5^th grade, takes it out of me during the day, and at night, I really just like to sleep. I try to get in bed BY 8PM, and am usually asleep the minute my head hits the pillows.

I started this e-book {an ARC courtesy of Edelweiss}, last Sunday night at 9:45PM. I finally put it down at 10:40… simply dying to find out what happened next. The next day, I took it to school and read it on my lunch break, and then Monday night, from 9:45-12:57am EXACTLY…I finished it.

Why?

Because it’s just that good.

I’m a hoarder of ARC’s. I picked this one because I liked the charm bracelet cover, and I really liked the colors. I very rarely read the synopsis, and in this case, I’m glad I didn’t. I went in not knowing anything but that this “looked” like a great read.

We’re first introduced to the main characters: Jackie and Marcus, at a roadside farm stand, in a very rural backdrop. You can tell off the bat that there is a definite chemistry between the two of them. It becomes BLATANT when they start making out in his pickup truck after they close up shop for the day on a private/dirt-esqe road. You’ll find your fingers start to burn while you’re reading it, because you can tell there is an undeniable heat emanating from the two of them. The masterful way it’s written, you almost feel like a voyeur, looking in on these kids, who are obviously head over heels in love with one another, and can’t contain themselves.

And then, she hits you with it.

As in sucker-punches-you-right-in-the-gut/smacks-you-palm-open-across-the-face with it:

They’re first cousins.

I’ll admit, I may have dropped my kindle and had a little “What the HELL?” moment/fit.

But once I got my bearings, and read about 20% of the way in, I realized that this was way deeper than just a case of “kissing cousins”... even though they had made it clear that they hadn't consummated their love quite yet...

And then…

you just…

Can’t.

Stop.

Reading.

When we meet Jackie, she’s incredibly concerned about a friend, Ellie {great name, right?}, who has abruptly gone missing. She moved away last school year, and they really lost touch {and to her defense, it was mainly because she was so enamored and engrossed with her love affair with Marcus that she lost touch with her friend}. She’s incredibly upset over it, and is trying to solve this mystery, while continuing to attempt to maintain this forbidden relationship with her cousin and best friend.

You feel guilty FOR her, because you can tell this fear over her former best friend is so real, you feel incredibly sad when Marcus starts fawning over a new gal in town, and begins dating her (in an attempt to provide an air of normalcy to his life), and if you’re anything like me, you may start to cry because when the love of your life as a teenager starts showing interest in someone else—it breaks your heart. It’s also incredibly sobering because in addition to all of this, you’re getting a first-hand glimpse into the horrible guilt they’re feeling over potentially giving into their desires, and ultimately breaking up their family in the process.

By the end of this amazing tale… {and much to your own surprise}

You find yourself championing for their love.

It was literally about halfway through that I took a hot tea break, and as I’m watching the pot boil and thinking about what I’m reading, I’m thinking to myself: “I really hope this works out for them.”

Does it?

Pick up this PHENOMENAL read, and find out.

{Where can I buy this?}:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/How-We-Fall-Kate-Brauning/dp/1440581797/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414967642&sr=8-1&keywords=how+we+fall

B & N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-we-fall-kate-brauning/1119045650?ean=9781440581793

{What would I rate it?}: 

5/5. One of the most masterful story lines since We Were Liars  {according to moi}.

{Who would I recommend this book to?}:

 Grade 8 plus. The make-out sections are steamy, but not too-terrible… I’m just not sure that any kids younger would understand the turmoil that this puts on the shoulders of these young characters.

Depth of Field {Review}

{Synopsis: courtesy of amazon.com}:

Two weeks in New York City should be the time of Pippa’s life: she’s attending the prestigious Tisch Photography Camp, her boyfriend, Dylan McCutter (two months and counting!) is coming with her, and their parents are 500 miles away. Talk about lights, camera, (swoony, unchaperoned) action! But what should be 14 unforgettable days of bliss turns into chaos when her one and only nemesis, Ben Baxter, proves to be surprisingly more complex than she could’ve ever imagined, and her Tisch mentor, a renowned photographer, seems to have a lot more to do with her parents’ past than anyone wants her to know. Is Pippa out of her depth?

Picking up where she left off in The Rule of Thirds, Pippa Greene returns in Depth of Field, in a story full of the same heart, comedic touches, and romance that made readers fall in love with Chantel Guertin’s charming YA series.

{Review}:

Any story about photography will absolutely get my attention.

My full attention.

Knowing this ahead of time, I knew I had to request this story from netgalley, and I did a happy dance when I was finally chosen as the recipient of an ARC. I also DID NOT read book 1. I’m now going to go back and read book 1, to see what I missed… but it didn’t “take away” from reading this novel.

Pippa is a sweet girl, who lost her father who just happened to be a local photographer. You get the feeling that Pippa “does photography” for two reasons: she’s predisposed to being artsy, but she also seems to have a knack for it, as well. She enters a competition, and it seems that another local boy has, as well—with HER work. They both have different motives, as to why they want to go to Tisch photography camp, but both reasons are absolutely legitimate, and make you love the characters even more.

This read was incredibly quick—I read it in about 3 hours cover to cover…perfect summer sunshine read. And the twist at the end, is absolutely marvelous, and makes the whole book so much more meaningful as a whole.

I also liked how this book started off as a traditional “sweet love story” where the protagonist had to leave her boyfriend for summer camp, but they would be reunited again soon, and then quickly became a book that was so much more than just the clichéd YA drama-fest.

{Where can I buy this?}:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Depth-Field-Pippa-Greene-Novel/dp/1770411836/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413937252&sr=8-1&keywords=depth+of+field

B & N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/depth-of-field-chantel-guertin/1117926086?ean=9781770411838

{What would I rate it?}: 4.7/5. I really enjoyed the way this book was written, and I absolutely fell in love with Pippa as a character. However, I felt as though some of the minor characters {especially some of her classmates} were rushed while developing, and I felt like some of them didn’t need to necessarily be in there at all.

{Who would I recommend this book to?}: Anyone who enjoys an in-depth book that deals with so much more than teenage love and YA subjects.

Elixir by Ted Galdi {Review}

{Synopsis: courtesy of amazon.com}: Meet 14-year-old Sean Malone. He has an IQ above 200, a full-ride scholarship to one of the country’s top universities, and more than one million dollars from his winning streak on Jeopardy. However, Sean wishes he could just be normal. 

But his life is anything but normal. The US government manipulates him, using him as a code breaker in pursuit of a drug lord and killing innocent people along the way. 
For reasons related to his personal security, Sean finds himself in Rome, building a new life under a new name, abandoning academics, and hiding his genius from everyone. When he’s 18 he falls in love. The thrills begin again when he learns that his girlfriend is critically ill and it’s up to him to use his intellect to find a cure, a battle pitting him against a multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical company and the demons of his past. 
Elixir is a story about identity, secrets, and above all, love.

{Review}:

I received this title courtesy of Netgalley. 

I’ve been reading far too many girl-themed YA… all drama and boys, and while well written, I was excited for a change of pace.

When I began this book, I didn’t love protagonist Sean Malone.

I mean, he was kind of a pompous kid, who knew everything in the world there is to know. However, when reading this book, even though you might not be rooting for him to begin with {again, because he’s portrayed as that snobby jeopardy kid}, the author weaves a story that’s impossibly good: you literally cannot put it down.

I really enjoyed that the character of Sean, was an outcast not because of how he looked, or how he dressed…but because he was so insanely smart. I feel like there aren’t many authors that take that risk, and in this case, it definitely took.

I maybe put it down for meals, and bathroom breaks, but it was incredibly good. While the plot might seem a little unrealistic, I promise you that it’s incredibly exciting (and actually seems as though it could happen) and well written, especially appealing to the YA men out there. Bravo Ted Galdi!

{Where can I buy this?}:

Amazon: Buy from Amazon

{What would I rate it?}: 4.5/5. A solid novel, especially appealing to those YA kids who aren’t wanting the Dystopian society/love at first sight/someone’s dying types of YA we’ve been reading as of late.

{Who would I recommend this book to?}: YA males, especially those who are smart, and might feel disconnected because they’re different.

{Review} Dear Nobody: The True Diary of Mary Rose

Dear Nobody: The True Diary of Mary Rose

{image from amazon.com}

{Synopsis: courtesy of amazon.com}: 

Go Ask Alice was a hoax. But Dear Nobody is a true teen diary so raw and so edgy its authenticity rings off every page

"I am a freak."

The words and drawings of Mary Rose present a gritty, powerful, no-holds-barred true experience of a teen girl so desperate to be loved, so eager to fit in that she'll go to extremes that could cost her her life.

This is not a story about addiction. Or sexual promiscuity. Or cystic fibrosis. It's the story of a young woman with a powerful will to live, who more than anything wants to be heard...and loved.

This compelling, emotional account ensures her voice will not be forgotten.

{Review}:   I received this ARC courtesy of Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I started this book off not sure what to expect. After reading the synopsis, I was intrigued, so I started reading.

It’s an incredible true-life journey of what a teen’s life is. At some places, you’re reading along, and you think… “Ugh…that sounds so childish…”

Well DUH!

It’s her.

Unparalleled, unbiased, completely true to life-teenage angst.

Much of the book reads like a similar diary of mine {not the alcohol and drug use, or the sex, but much of the back and forth “I love him, I hate him, he loves someone else”}… it was like going back in time. That should be one of the biggest draws for a novel like this: that it WILL take you back… to when you thought your world was crumbling and imploding around you {and in Mary Rose’s case, many times, it truly is}.

I also {because I’m ALWAYS doing this…} saw a teaching opportunity to tie this into another fiction book, and do some sort of analysis. Possibly another book where the protagonist dies, and do a comparison of the main characters. It intrigued me how strong willed Mary Rose is. And I think struggling adolescents could learn a thing or two from her.

{Where can I buy this?}:

Amazon: Buy it from Amazon

B & N: Buy from B & N

{What would I rate it?}: 4.5/5. I liked it. I probably wouldn’t read it again, but it was pretty darn great.

{Who would I recommend this book to?}:  Any adolescent that could use a good read.

Oblivion by Sasha Dawn {Review}

{Synopsis: courtesy of amazon.com}: 

Lisa McMann's Dead to You meets Kate Ellison's The Butterfly Clues in a psychological thriller full of romance, intrigue, and mystery. 

One year ago, Callie was found in an abandoned apartment, scrawling words on the wall: "I KILLED HIM. His blood is on my hands. His heart is in my soul. I KILLED HIM." But she remembers nothing of that night or of the previous thirty-six hours. All she knows is that her father, the reverend at the Church of the Holy Promise, is missing, as is Hannah, a young girl from the parish. Their disappearances have to be connected and Callie knows that her father was not a righteous man.

Since that fateful night, she's been plagued by graphomania -- an unending and debilitating compulsion to write. The words that flow from Callie's mind and through her pen don't seem to make sense -- until now. 

As the anniversary of Hannah's vanishing approaches, more words and memories bubble to the surface and a new guy in school might be the key to Callie putting together the puzzle. But digging up the secrets she's buried for so long might be her biggest mistake.

{Review}: 

I received this ARC courtesy of Netgalley.

Wow.

Just wow.

I haven’t read a book like this since I went through my Ellen Hopkins binge phase last year, where I literally read every book she ever published.

Sasha Dawn has done an amazing job of putting us right in the thick of Callie’s thoughts, fears, and the incredible journey of someone who suffers with graphomania {a compulsion to write}. The book is written in a way where you’re not 100% sure where the next turn is going to take you, but I promise it’s all resolved at the end. Callie’s thoughts are leading her to figure out the events that happened a year ago: when she was found in the apartment she lived in with her mother, with muddy footprints with the words “I killed him” all over the walls, written in red felt-tip marker.

There is obviously more of a storyline than just the graphomania that is gripping poor Callie. There’s some romance, some drama with her foster sister over said romance… but it’s all very natural and doesn’t feel at all forced {where I think some of the newer YA books DO feel forced}. I did feel at times that I was waiting for the book to finally come to a close, or finally come to the conclusion that we, as readers,  needed to come to, but I’m a VERY impatient person. It’s worth the wait to see the ending to this one. Absolutely 100% worth it.

There were two things I adored in this book: 1. The romance. It wasn’t “overly” done. There are also some mentions of rape/molestation, but it’s never blatantly put out there as far as what they’re doing… readers need to do a lot of inferencing about what is happening.

2. That this is a story not only that’s interesting and a good read, but is also about a compulsion. SO many young adult readers struggle with different compulsions: OCD behaviors, cutting, etc…. that I am enjoying more and more that there are books out there that make these kids feel as though they have a voice, and that they aren’t alone.

{Where can I buy this?}: 

I’ll bet your local bookstore may have it in stock.

Amazon: 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1606844768/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d10_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0Y5V86QYYRTXEWRV37Z4&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846

B & N:

 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/oblivion-sasha-dawn/1116816979?ean=9781606844762

{What would I rate it?}:

 4.9/5. Practically Perfect in Every Way.

{Who would I recommend this book to?}: 

 I think that kiddos in grade 8+ would be okay with this book. Or anyone who wants to read an awesome-sauce book!

Flashback Friday {Review: Signal by Cynthia DeFelice}

(photo courtesy of google image search)

{Synopsis: courtesy of amazon.com}: 

One day while running on the trail near his house in upstate New York, Owen McGuire meets a girl with startling green eyes and bloody cuts all over her body who seems to be utterly alone. Her name is Campion, after the wildflower that is an alien species in the area—alien meaning “from someplace else”—and Campion claims to come from someplace else entirely, a planet called Home. She plans to signal her parents to come pick her up in their spaceship. Owen agrees to help, and as he does, he feels happier than he has in a long time: His mother died a year and a half ago, and now he and his workaholic father live together like two planets on separate orbits, in a new house far from his friends. What will he do when Campion asks him to come with her into outer space, away from his lonely life on Earth?

{Review}: 

There are a few things that I love about this book.

1.      It takes place on the shores of a finger lake in Upstate NY—where I’ve grown and spent all of my 29 years on this Earth.

2.      Cynthia DeFelice is behind this great piece of fiction.

3.      The cover is interesting and appealing, before you ever open the book to read it.

Cynthia DeFelice again paints a very realistic picture of an adolescent who is going through some pretty serious changes in his life. His mother has died, his father is very consumed with his life, and doesn’t necessarily have everything together himself, let alone getting himself together for his son.

And then we meet Campion: this poor scared alien-girl who mysteriously ended up near Owen’s home, and has no family to speak of, except the family from another planet. There is also a man—Ray, who is looking for her. Ray is a bit of a tough guy, and you’re never quite sure what the connection is. Until the ending, which will tear your heart out and stomp it on the floor.

I bought this selection from a scholastic book fair, because I knew that my guided reading students would love it. I could see {from a teaching perspective} that this would be a great addition to any child’s library, but especially to children who have already read Weasel by C. DeFelice--- there are a multitude of similarities of the story outlines, and it would be interesting for a middle-grade level to take these texts and really dive deeply into them. Cynthia DeFelice is also just a good author “to know”…as she has written a LOT of awesome books that appeal to young readers. My fifth grade students—upon receiving this book said the following:

Student 1: “Signal… the cover looks pretty cool…”

Student 2: “OMG! It’s by Cynthia DeFelice!”

Student 1: “That’s awesome. After we read Under The Same Sky, I tried to read all of our libraries books by her…”

{that’s super powerful stuff, peeps!}

{Where can I buy this?}:

Like I said, I bought mine at the last scholastic book fair we had, but you should be able to pick this up wherever books are sold.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Signal-Cynthia-DeFelice/dp/0312617763/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400961886&sr=8-1&keywords=signal+by+cynthia+defelice

B & N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/signal-cynthia-defelice/1100357585?ean=9780312617769

{What would I rate it?}: 

4.8/5: I REALLY enjoyed this book, and it was an incredibly quick read. My students thought the same, and were intrigued by the story the entire time.

{Who would I recommend this book to?}: 

Anyone with an advanced reading 4^th grader/ 5^th grader (on or above level) who is looking for something quick, and a good all-around read. Her stuff is really amazing, and once you've read one DeFelice, you really yearn to read at least 3+ more.... if not everything she's ever published. :-) 

We Were Liars {E Lockhart}

Photo courtesy of Google image search:

{Synopsis: courtesy of Amazon.com}:

A beautiful and distinguished family.

A private island.

A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.

A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.

A revolution. An accident. A secret.

Lies upon lies.

True love.

The truth.

 

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart. 

Read it.

And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

{Review}: 

Woah.

Just Woah.

I’d heard buzz about this book from the minute I attempted to snatch it up from my netgalley.com account. I never in a million, gazillion years thought that Penguin Books would EVER choose me to get an ARC, but I did.

And am I EVER thankful for that.

This book is a masterful piece of young adult literature. In fact, it’s unlike any book I’ve really ever read. It reminds me a bit of The Great Gatsby {because of the idyllic money situation, and living near the ocean… plus some of the adults act a bit Tom Buchanan-esque}, throw in a little Gone Girl {in the mystery….}, and a dash of the camaraderie and friendship you see in a novel like The Outsiders…and you’ve kind of got a sliver of what you’re in for.

Main character Cadence is a trust-fund grandbaby {the oldest, but only by three weeks}. She’s the only child in her nuclear family, and her parents are pretty recently divorced. She has 2 cousin’s with whom she’s very close, and another “family” friend, Gat {who is really the son of the man who is dating her aunt}. 

They together, make up the liars.

While reading this book, you’re transported into a world of tennis playing, ultra rich kids, who really DON’T have it all together, or have it all…period. It’s an incredibly enthralling tale {primarily because it’s about a culture of which I don’t really know}…but more than that, Lockhart has done an absolutely amazing job of making this a can’t-put-it-down type of summer read. This is the book you tell all of your friends about, and practically throw in their beach bag for them.

I will say at the beginning, there’s a TON of information to take in all at once. Aunts names, cousin’s names…it was a little overwhelming, and I actually had to diagram it all. But it’s super important to know.

And the ending?

The ending is the best possible part of the entire book.

And it’s masterful. 

Amazing.

And you NEVER see it coming.

And no….I won’t tell.

{Where can I buy this?}:

 Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/We-Were-Liars-E-Lockhart-ebook/dp/B00FPOSDGY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400016983&sr=8-1&keywords=we+were+liars

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/we-were-liars-e-lockhart/1116530632?ean=9780385741262

{What would I rate it?}:

 5/5. Solid 5 star book.

{Who would I recommend this book to?}: 

Anyone really. I’d say anyone who is interested in the book and can read it, should. Anyone 12+ probably, if not 10+ {provided they can handle some of the smootches, and there is some talk of “sexual intercourse”, some light boozing…among other things : - )

Dust of Eden by Mariko Nagai {Review}

{Synopsis (courtesy of Goodreads.com)}:

We lived under a sky so blue in Idaho right near the towns of Hunt and Eden but we were not welcomed there.

In early 1942, thirteen-year-old Mina Masako Tagawa and her Japanese American family are sent from their home in Seattle to an internment camp in Idaho. What do you do when your home country treats you like an enemy? This memorable and powerful novel in verse, written by award-winning author Mariko Nagai, explores the nature of fear, the value of acceptance, and the beauty of life. As thought-provoking as it is uplifting, Dust of Eden is told with an honesty that is both heart-wrenching and inspirational.

{Review}:
{I received an ARC digital copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley.com}

I REALLY don’t enjoy historical books. Come to think of it, I don’t enjoy history very much to begin with. I feel like my present is so filled up, why should I worry about the past? After reading this book though—I’ll definitely embrace it, that’s for sure.

I will also admit {with a heavy heart}, that I did not know much about the internment camp situation in America. If anything, it was one of those parts of history that your teacher only gave a day or so to, if that. It was rarely mentioned. Which is absolutely horrible, and saddens my soul.

We meet our narrator: Mina Tagawa, an adorable 13-year old soul who is quite possibly going through the hardest time in her life. On the tails of Pearl Harbor anyone who even RESEMBLED someone of Japanese descent was chastised for what had happened (even though they had nothing to do with it). People around the town put up signs in their shops, and as a group they’re taken on a horrible journey to a camp.

Nagai does an excellent job of developing many of the characters, Mina especially. She captures the essence of a young lady, who is already dealing with being a teenager in a changing time, but is also going through this incredibly hard time with the world around her. We also see, in a secondary character (Mina’s big brother Nick), the incredible struggle of a young man who is torn between two ideologies: Does he fight for the country he’s called home? Or does he embrace his blood and heritage?

This book was incredibly well written. It took me about 45 minutes to read cover to cover. It kept my attention the entire time, and was a wonderfully written book. I also learned a lot about that era (which is saying something coming from a 29 year old!)

{Where can I buy this?}:

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Dust-Eden-Novel-Mariko-Nagai-ebook/dp/B00ICXZCA0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399148685&sr=8-1&keywords=dust+of+eden

Barnes & Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dust-of-eden-mariko-nagai/1116819604?ean=9780807517390

{What would I rate it?}: 

4.7/5 stars – I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even learned something! If anything—I thought it could be a little bit longer.

{Who would I recommend this book to?}:

 Anyone who would like a quick read, and anyone looking to incorporate some non-fiction primary source documents in their teaching during guided reading {I’m always looking for ways to TEACH the book, and not just “read” it}. I could definitely see how you could do an entire unit on this book, and might be able to do some projects with it, as well. 

Fire & Flood {by Victoria Scott}

{Image courtesy of goodreads.com}

{Synopsis (courtesy of amazon.com)}

Time is slipping away. . . .

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to the middle of nowhere for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying--and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

Victoria Scott's breathtaking novel grabs readers by the throat and doesn't let go.

{Review}:

{I received this book as an ARC courtesy of Netgalley.com}

It took me a whole 4 days to really get into this book. I read the first few chapters kind of hap-hazardly. I truly thought that this book was just “another one of those dystopian novels, and exactly like the rest of them.”

This story is of main character, Tella… who receives an awkward invitation to the “Brimstone Bleed”… a contest comprised of people who are all vying for a cure for a loved one. Some people are playing to save distant loved ones—others are playing to save brothers, sisters, or even their own children.

Things get super interesting when author Scott, brought forth the beginning of the race, with the Pandora’s (genetically engineered animals that are used as companions for the contestants). From then on, I was absolutely hooked, and from about chapters 10 to the end, I finished in about a day and a half (that’s also working full time, planning for school, etc.)…. It was a SUPER quick read.

I will say that any/all trepidation's about the book slowing down in any way, went away after the first 6 chapters. The rest of the book is QUICK. SO quick in fact, that you might find a need to take some notes. The final 15% of the book (I read it on a kindle), your jaw will be dropping on the floor of whatever room you’re in. Scott has purposefully left parts of this story in the dark for an incredibly masterful ending to this first book. It’s absolutely brilliant, and the concept is “not just another dystopian novel.” It is SO much more than that!

The ONLY downfall to this story---- there are a plethora of “semi-important” characters in this story—which makes my ADD mind squirm, but they’re easy to keep track of, because Scott does a nice job of introducing them slowly, and making sure you understand the relationship they have to Tella. I understand why most were put in the story, but there were a lot of characters to keep track of. But that’s my only qualm about this absolutely masterful piece of Young Adult Fiction.  

{Where can I buy this?}:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Flood-Victoria-Scott-ebook/dp/B00ESIVYLY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398813658&sr=8-1&keywords=fire+and+flood

Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fire-flood-victoria-scott/1116157492?ean=9780545537469

{What would I rate it?}: 
4.8/5 stars

{Who would like to read it?}:
 Any person who likes a hint of dystopian society, with a hint of controversy, sprinkled in with some amazing writing and characterization. *There were some scenes/language used that I would NOT recommend anyone under the age of 13 to read this—young love and some f-bombs…*

{Social Media Links}:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorVictoriaScott

https://twitter.com/VictoriaScottYA

Countdown by Deborah Wiles

{image courtesy of goodreads.com & google image search}


Got this gem at the scholastic book sale for $2.50 (HARDCOVER!). I had heard from a 5th grader that it was a REALLY awesome book. The comment that she made was, "It's the format that's the coolest part." 

{Yep, a 5th grader said that!}

And the format is one of the coolest parts! 

This book is like none other that I've ever read. Not only because it's a realistic historical fiction piece, but because it talks about the Cuban missile crisis, and that's something that I, myself... don't know much about. I've heard my parents talk about duck and cover drills, but really I never understood (before reading this book), how often the occurred, and how impossibly scared the kids of this day and age were.

We meet Franny (the main character), and through her eyes, we see her complex family (she's a military brat, with her father in the military, an uncle who is suffering from PTSD from his own military experience, a mother who is the quintessential housewife, a (much older), older sister who is trying to fight for change on the side of racial relations while attending university, and a younger brother who is beyond obsessed with Burt the turtle, and becoming an astronaut someday. 

Franny has a hard road ahead of her...she's trying desperately to fit in at school, and dealing with the challenges of the day and age she's growing up in, while just growing up...is difficult for her. Ms. Wiles takes us on an amazing journey of her trying to figure out her life.

Again, one of the most endearing qualities of this book is it's format. Ms. Wiles uses many non-fiction elements while she tells Franny's story (using excerpts from speeches, advertisements, etc), which all fit in nicely with the text before and after it. I loved that portion of the book, because it so seamlessly makes the book tie into non-fiction, and you don't have to go searching everywhere for your answers to "what is she talking about here?" and "who is that person again, and why are they important?"

As far as teachability is concerned, there are so many directions that this book could take you. You could obviously tie it nicely into social studies, and a non-fiction project on what it was like to grow up during the early 60's, you could absolutely interview someone who was alive back then, and ask them what they knew, and you could also make some personal connections to how Franny's life is similar to their own, growing up in a post 9/11 world.

I very much enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to teachers, parents, and the like.

Where can I buy this?: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Countdown-1st-first-Wiles-Deborah/dp/B00BTM0TSQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1398117782&sr=1-2&keywords=countdown+by+deborah+wiles

Barnes and Nobel: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/countdown-deborah-wiles/1100162030?ean=9780545106054

What I think of it: 4.5/5 

Who would like to read it: Kiddos, teachers, parents...or anyone who lived in the sixties.

AND--- it's part of a trilogy!! That's one of the most endearing qualities about it-- That it sucked me in, and makes me want to read the rest of them!