Category Archives: Contemporary

Review: Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You by Hanna Jansen

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Over a Thousand Hills I Walk with You
Hanna Jansen
Carolrhoda Books
Published April 1, 2006 (Orig. published 2003)

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Jeanne’s family and home are destroyed when the radical Hutu group, the Interahamwe, begin a nationwide massacre of the Rwandan Tutsi population. As Jeanne and others struggle to flee the Interahamwe soldiers and simply survive each day, a black hole yawns inside of her, a grief and rage that threaten to swallow her whole. But something else changes. She finds within herself an unyielding strength and will to survive.

It is a before-and-after story, told by Jeanne’s German adopted mother. Each chapter opens with a behind-the-scenes look at the events and the healing that unfolded even as the story was told, as Hanna Jansen walks over a thousand hills with her daughter.

Honestly, as I read Over a Thousand Hills I Walk with You, it wasn’t until about the third chapter that I really felt myself captured by this book. But by the middle, I couldn’t put it down. I became entranced by the parallels between mother and daughter, despite their differing backgrounds, and the struggles that Jeanne endured as a child on the run in a very dark time juxtaposed against her battle for inner healing, and the woman who never stopped fighting for her. Over a Thousand Hills I Walk with You is raw, painful… and yet ultimately a beautiful and powerful tale of healing.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Spiritual Content
None.

Sexual Content
Contains some references to rape.

Violent Content
Contains some references to the massacre of the Tutsi people in Rwanda.

Drug Content
None.

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Review: Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Ember
Published August 28, 2007 (Orig. published 2006)

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When the girl who just dumped him walks into the club where Nick’s band is playing a show, he resorts to the extreme and asks the random girl standing next to him if she’ll be his girlfriend for five minutes.

Though Nick’s request at first infuriates Norah (what kind of cheap trick does he take her for?), the approach of her not-quite-friend prompts her to take some desperate measures of her own. Like yanking almost-stranger-Nick into an electrifying kiss.

The agreed on five minutes stretches into a whole night of adventure, misunderstanding, reflection and romance. Cohn and Levithan weave a tale full of teen angst, hormones, confusion and of course music. It’s a wild ride from start to finish.

I sometimes feel like the odd one out on this book. So many people rave about it, and I felt like I just didn’t get it. I didn’t find either Nick or Norah particularly likeable. Some of the plot elements felt a little too convenient to me. When Norah ends up in the bathroom with another girl who kisses her, to show her how to kiss a boy, I remember thinking, this is what some men wish happened in women’s bathrooms. It felt more like a fantasy rather than a believable element to the plot.

Also, the language was pretty over the top. I mean, I get that the scene in which the F-bomb gets grossly overused was supposed to be ridiculous, but it was just way too much for me.

If you’re really into boundary-pushing books about music and unrealistic relationships, this might be exactly the book for you.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used frequently. On one page the f-bomb drops no less than 25 times.

Sexual Content
Several scenes of same sex kissing. Twice Nick and Norah retreat to some measure of privacy to have sex. Those scenes are pretty heavy and specific. Several times sex and sexual topics are discussed in conversation. The couple also goes to see a burlesque show that features “nuns.”

**SPOILER**
Nick and Norah do not actually have sex in the story… both times they’re interrupted for different reasons, but it’s by a hair’s breadth.

Spiritual Content
Norah comments somewhat sarcastically in prayer a couple of times.

Violent Content
None

Drug Content
The club where the band plays serves alcohol and some underage drinking occurs. (Nick and Norah drink virgin drinks at the burlesque club.)

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Review: In Between by Jenny B. Jones

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In Between
Jenny B. Jones
Sweet Pea Productions
Published March 25, 2014 (Originally published 2007)

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Sixteen year old Katie Parker is not too excited when she discovers she’s moving to a new foster home in In Between, Texas, home of the Chihuahuas. And to top that off, her new “dad” is the pastor of one of the local churches. Not exactly consistent with Katie’s formerly religion-less life. At her new school, she finds herself at home with the other outsiders. At least, so she thinks. When one late night stunt turns to trouble, Katie finds herself sentenced to time with her new nonGrandmother– Mad Maxine. Could things get any worse? And does the God thing really work?

Jenny B Jones tells Katie’s story with just the right mix of tenderness, humor, and sarcasm. It was an entertaining read, one I didn’t want to put down from the minute I read the first page. Katie is lovable and endearing– and even Mad Maxine really gets to your heart. She’s a trip.

There are three books in the Katie Parker Production series. So Not Happening, the first book in a new series by Jenny B. Jones, will be released in May 2009. Can’t wait to check it out!

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Katie wrestles with finding her a place in her new family– and her new faith. The God thing is a unfamiliar and a little uncomfortable at first. Katie wrestles with doubts and a tenuous new hope. Her view as an outsider coming into a pastor’s family and her questions about faith seemed really authentic.

Violent Content
One scene of vandalism pretty early on in the story. Pretty mild.

Drug Content
None.

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Review: Jerk California by Jonathan Friesen

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Jerk California
Jonathan Friesen
Speak
September 4, 2008

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Sam Carrier can’t sit still. He jumps and blurts and twitches almost constantly. That’s the nature of the beast. Tourette’s Syndrome. The only solace he finds and the only time his limbs obey comes when he runs. But after his embarrassing graduation ceremony, everything changes. His angry step-father expects a large monthly sum for rent, and an unorthodox neighbor hires Sam, but only on the condition that he can use Sam’s real name, the name his real dad gave him. Jack.

Everything is complicated further by the recurring appearance of the beautiful Naomi, who always leaves Sam feeling like he’s not sure which way is up. When the new mentor in Sam’s life sends him on a bizarre quest, and Naomi decides to tag along, Sam finds himself wondering what the catch is. They take off, not knowing where they’re going or why, but trusting that it will unravel as they go.

Sam is funny and lovable, even in his anger. His search for the truth about his own past and for connection with other people is real, endearing, heartfelt. I read the book in just over 24 hours. I read parts aloud– the butter part was hilarious!

Jerk California is a great story. In reading it, I felt like I could identify with and understand the struggles Sam faced, not just in his life, but with Tourette’s. Really well done. A story to read more than once.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Light profanity.

Sexual Content
There is one scene in which two characters intend to have sex but are interrupted before they get very far into preparing.

Spiritual Content
As Sam seeks to unravel the mystery of the man his father was, he wrestles with doubts and anger toward God. Through the story he meets several compassionate Christians who speak into his life about spiritual things. Sam’s spiritual journey felt very organic– just a guy struggling to understand his past and his place in the world really asking natural spiritual questions.

Violent Content
Mild. Some references to his step-father’s violent temper, etc.

Drug Content
None.

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So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Contemporary, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

So Yesterday
Scott Westerfeld
Razorbill
Published January 1, 2004

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When Hunter meets a girl with a whole different way of doing her shoelaces, he has no idea the strange adventure that’s about to begin. Through her, he winds up invited to a secret meeting at which he stumbles onto a pair of amazing shoes, and the possibility that his cool-hunting boss has been kidnapped. Hunter and his new friend pursue the shoemakers, trying to discover what’s become of his boss, Mandy. Full of quirky characters and with Hunter’s off-the-wall sense of humor and irony, So Yesterday was a worthy read. Go Hunter, the Mighty Penguin!

This was such a fun story. I read and loved the Uglies series by Westerfeld, and when I saw this, I had to pick it up. So Yesterday is a lot lighter than Uglies, but still packs great characters and a thought-provoking message about trends and how sometimes we get used by companies in their pursuit of a bottom line.

The more I read by Scott Westerfeld, the more respect I have for him. I guess I’m a little old-fashioned, but I like YA that is cleaner, at least that doesn’t brazenly plaster sexual situations across its pages. Scott Westerfeld handles these situations elegantly, acknowledging them without overstating them. I like that and really enjoy knowing I can recommend these stories to younger teens with confidence.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity.

Sexual Content
While Hunter is attracted to a girl, not much happens between them physically through the course of the story.

Spiritual Content
None

Violence
Very light– some scuffles between good guys and bad guys.

Drug Content
Alcohol is served to guests at a product launch party. Underage characters drink juice cocktails– it’s not totally clear whether they expected the juice to be spiked, but hard to believe it came as a surprise. There’s not really any clear remorse for consuming alcohol under age.

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The Fruit of My Lipstick by Shelley Adina

Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

The Fruit of My Lipstick
Shelley Adina
FaithWords
Published August 1, 2008

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In Gillian Chang’s second term at upscale Spencer Academy boarding school, she feels prepared for everything. Armed with rock-solid faith, good friends and no shortage of smarts, she’s got it all covered. Doesn’t she?

When she begins to fall for Lucas Hayes, a high achieving Stanford PhD hopeful, Gillian finds herself unable to keep up and be the girlfriend he wants. With all the pressure he’s under, it’s no surprise he gets a little short-tempered. Gillian resolves to try harder, but she finds herself isolating from her friends more and more.

Then a scandal emerges, with rumors that Gillian is at the center of it. Even her friends are uncertain of the truth. Gillian has to get to the bottom of it and get herself back on track. But can she do it without losing Lucas?

The Fruit of my Lipstick is the second book in Shelley Adina’s All About Us series about a clan of friends and their adventures at Spencer Academy. In some places the plot seemed a little bit linear, but it’s a fun read, full of pop culture references and spunky characters. Sort of a Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants except girls in boarding school. I enjoyed reading it and recommend the series to fans of Sisterhood, Babysitter’s Club or Laura L. Smith’s Status Updates series.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
No harsh language

Sexual Content
None

Spiritual Content
Gillian and her friends are Christians at a secular academy. They form a prayer circle and try to hold each other accountable in their faith.

Violent Content
Lucas gets rough with Gillian, pushing her a couple of times.

Drug Content
None

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