Ivan has a small life within the glass walls of his domain in the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. He watches TV and spends time with Bob, a stray dog, and Stella, an elephant. He makes art using crayons and paper given to him by his owner, Mack. He doesn’t think of his early life or his far away home in the jungle. And then Ruby, a baby elephant comes to the Big Top Mall, and everything changes. The mall is the wrong place for Ruby, and it’s up to Ivan to make everyone see that. He must find a way to show the humans where he and Ruby belong.
My family and I listened to an audiobook version of this story on our way home from vacation. We had listened to Flora and Ulysses a few days earlier, which was a tough act to follow. As The One and Only Ivan began, I wasn’t sure I’d like it. The beginning contains a lot of descriptions of where Ivan lives and who else lives there. It felt like not much was happening. Not much does happen until Ruby comes into the picture. Suddenly Ivan has a goal, a mission, and he won’t stop until he succeeds. For me, the story was much more entertaining at that point. My favorite character was Bob, the stray dog who always has some smart-aleck comment but who has a sweet heart underneath.
At the end of the story is an author’s note describing how Applegate was inspired by a real gorilla’s tale. Ivan was a real gorilla in captivity who spent later years of his life at the Atlanta Zoo (which I really want to visit!) I thought it was really cool to bring a real story into a novel like this.
Though the overall pace was a little slow for me, I did enjoy reading this book. It has been on my To Read list since it came out in 2012, so I’m glad to finally be able to say I read it. If you like stories featuring animals as central characters, this is a definitely must-read.
Cultural Elements
Most of the characters are animals. I can’t remember any race descriptions.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Ivan mentions that he sometimes flings dung at rude visitors. (He’s in a glass enclosure, so it’s ineffective.)
If you’ve been following the blog tour for author Chelsea Dyreng’s novel The Last Messenger of Zitól, you’ve made it to today’s stop! I’ll be sharing my review and some information about the author.
The Last Messenger of Zitól Chelsea Dyreng
Sweetwater Books/Cedar Fort Press
Available September 1, 2016
Rishi longs to visit the grand city of Zitól described in her grandfather’s stories. When her peaceful village is attacked, Rishi finds her path set toward the city, but whether she’s caught in an adventure or a nightmare is uncertain. The city has changed from her grandfather’s time, and now the people of Zitól believe in pursuing pleasure and in human sacrifice to please the gods. Rishi vows to protect her virtue, her most valuable treasure, in a city bent on destroying it. When she’s tasked with bringing a message to the gods, she embraces the honor wholeheartedly, longing to bring a change to the people and most particularly to the man she loves.
I thought it was interesting that the story is narrated by the ruler of Zitól. His story begins early in the tale and drops off for a time before reappearing. I liked his character. I liked Rishi, too, and the fact that she valued learning and virtue.
Her village shares a ceremony in which girls are given a white bead to symbolize their purity as virgins. They remain so until they marry and their husband gives them a turquoise bead in place of the white one. This definitely places a high value on virginity, and when one of the girls is attacked and raped, her bead is replaced with a brown bead, and she feels horribly ashamed. Rishi tries to return the girl’s white bead to her, explaining that since the attack wasn’t her choice, she should still be considered pure. The girl refuses to accept the bead.
The message about how pursuing pleasure leads to pleasing only oneself versus how pursuing love leads to a willingness to sacrifice for the good of others is admirable and well-integrated into the story. I also liked the way Dyreng uses dreams to play a role in the way the story unfolds.
While I loved that the story celebrated purity as a desirable thing (not a popular value so much in our culture today), I thought it was harsh on the girls whose lives didn’t match that ideal. This might be a confusing story for someone who has experienced abuse or trauma or is dealing with feelings of shame over sexual activity. See the notes below for other details on content.
Cultural Elements
Rishi’s village is attacked by a wild tribe of men described as short with flat noses. Her people are islanders. There aren’t many racial details given about many characters or the people of Zitól itself.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content Because of the very strong value placed on purity, this might be a confusing story for someone who has experienced abuse or trauma or is dealing with feelings of shame over sexual activity. Rishi and her friends are kidnapped and brought to a woman who intends to sell them. She believes men can be controlled with sex, and uses the tribal men who work for her as examples by offering one of the girls to them as a reward for doing her bidding. They rape and brutalize her (not shown) before returning her to her friends.
The woman hints that she intends to sell the girls for sex in some fashion. Keeping concubines is popular in Zitól.
One of the leaders in Zitól tries to convince a girl that because he is a holy man, sleeping with him will not compromise her virtue. When this fails, he attempts to starve her into submission. At one point he tries to touch her and she stops him.
Rishi and her love exchange kisses. He wants to share more, but she refuses.
Spiritual Content Rishi’s people believe in multiple gods. She also believes that the stars are the spirits of those who’ve lived before her. In Zitól, the people also believe in many gods as well as human sacrifice. Their ruler is said to be half-god.
Violent Content Rishi’s three older brother’s play pranks on her. Tribal men attach Rishi’s village and later, rape one village girl and attempt to rape another. One of the leaders in Zitól keeps a starving jaguar which threatens to attack. A man cuts another man with a knife.
Drug Content
None.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Chelsea Bagley Dyreng is the author of “The Cenote.” She was raised in Wyoming and Idaho and earned her BA at Brigham Young University. She worked for several years as a librarian before moving to North Carolina where she and her husband are raising five God-fearing, book-loving, adventure-seeking kids.
When Sloane’s family moves from New York to Florida before her senior year, she doesn’t feel she’s left much behind. A party brings her within the gravitational field of Vera, a social media starlet, and Gabe, her intensely serious twin brother with a justice complex. Without meaning to, Sloane falls into twins’ social circle, and ever deeper into their lives. When a beloved painting by their late mother goes missing, Sloane makes secret plans to bring it back. This is a problem she can fix, she knows it.
At home, Sloane’s family begins to feel more and more fractured, and finding the painting, freeing the twins from their grief, becomes an all-consuming project for Sloane. Too soon she’s forced to ask the question she can’t bear to face. What happens if she can’t bring the painting home?
Earlier this year I read First & Then by Emma Mills, which totally charmed me. I still like it, and I was nervous but also excited about reading another book by this author, because once you have those high expectations, it can be really awful if the story doesn’t live up, you know?
Well. This one blew me away. I laughed. I bawled. I sneaked out of my room in the middle of the night (after my husband was like omg, would you please go to sleep??) because I could NOT rest until I knew the ending of the book.
This book is like a list of my favorite things. Witty dialogue. An emo boy (I know, but it’s really a thing.) A deep and surprising emotional journey. True friendships from unexpected places.
I love it with all the sweat of all the babies. (Nevermind. Just read it. You’ll understand.)
Cultural Elements
Vera and Gabe’s mom is from the Dominican Republic. One of their friends is Indian. Vera and her girlfriend are lesbians.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty frequently.
Romance/Sexual Content Sloane stops a bully from picking on another boy and makes a comment about him belonging at home masturbating alone. A couple boy-girl kisses. Vera dates a girl named Tash. The vampire TV show Sloane’s dad is obsessed with features two boys who are star-crossed lovers. Sloane reads a bit of racy fan fic. No details.
Spiritual Content Sloane’s dad becomes obsessed with writing fan fic based on a TV show featuring vampires.
Violent Content Boys get into a fist fight.
Drug Content
In the opening scene, Sloane is at a party where teens drink alcohol. Later, a drunk friend asks her to pick him up and give him a ride home.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Lottie struggles to learn how to use her gift of healing so she can save her best friend Eliot. She must hurry, because the longer Eliot stays in the land of Limn, the sicker he’ll become. When her hosts in the South make a bargain with the elusive Rebel Gem of the Northerly Kingdom, Lottie and her friends must travel north instead of returning Eliot home. A treacherous king’s servant, a powerful shape-shifter named Iolanthe pursues them, sending assassins after Lottie. To protect her, Lottie’s companions must make a dangerous journey to find the one weapon that will stop the evil king.
My favorite thing about The Doorway and the Deep was the fun cast of characters. Each one is very different, and each enjoyable. I loved Oliver’s poetry and Fife’s mischievous antics and the brief unexpected romance that blossomed between a couple characters. Lottie is clever and complex, definitely the kind of heroine I enjoy reading about.
I had a little trouble following some of the elements of the tale more deeply embedded in the storyworld—probably because I haven’t read the first book, in which all that setup was explained. It didn’t prevent me from enjoying the story, but I think I’d have gotten more out of it had I read the first book before this one.
The Doorway and the Deep ends with a pretty powerful hook. I definitely didn’t see that coming. I feel like that can be a big risk because it can feel a little gimmicky sometimes. This was okay. I liked the characters enough that I’d be interested in continuing the series.
Cultural Elements
Most of the characters are wisps or fairies. I don’t think there were racial descriptions. Most of the characters feel a little bit British to me, but I’m not 100% sure why.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Characters say things like, “Sweet Titania” or “For Oberon’s sake.”
Romance/Sexual Content A couple of brief m/f kisses.
Spiritual Content Lottie and her friends train to better use their magical abilities. Each has one specific ability, for instance, Lottie’s ability to heal. Fife can float. Adelaide can hear over long distances.
Violent Content Oliver’s gift causes physical harm. A powerful shape-shifter sends assassins after Lottie. Brief battles injure more than one character.
Drug Content
None.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I’m today’s stop on the Swan Riders Blog Tour with Irish Banana Blog Tours. Yay! Check out my review of The Swan Riders, learn about author Erin Bow and stick around for the giveaway information so you can enter to win one of three copies of the book!
The Swan Riders Erin Bow
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Available September 20,2016
Greta Stuart had always known her future: die young. She was her country’s crown princess, and also its hostage, destined to be the first casualty in an inevitable war. But when the war came it broke all the rules, and Greta forged a different path.
She is no longer princess. No longer hostage. No longer human. Greta Stuart has become an AI.
If she can survive the transition, Greta will earn a place alongside Talis, the AI who rules the world. Talis is a big believer in peace through superior firepower. But some problems are too personal to obliterate from orbit, and for those there are the Swan Riders: a small band of humans who serve the AIs as part army, part cult.
Now two of the Swan Riders are escorting Talis and Greta across post-apocalyptic Saskatchewan. But Greta’s fate has stirred her nation into open rebellion, and the dry grassland may hide insurgents who want to rescue her – or see her killed. Including Elian, the boy she saved—the boy who wants to change the world, with a knife if necessary. Even the infinitely loyal Swan Riders may not be everything they seem.
Greta’s fate—and the fate of her world—are balanced on the edge of a knife in this smart, sly, electrifying adventure.
My Review
As soon as I finished The Scorpion Rules (book one in the series) I wanted to read this book. I loved the sweeping view of the world and its complex politics and advanced science. Totally different spin on what-if-AI-ruled-the-world? I loved it.
In the first book, the Swan Riders are these terrifying warriors-slash-messengers. Now that Greta has become AI, the Swan Riders are her soldiers, too. The fact that she had such a complex past with them made her journey with them really intense, too. This is definitely one of those books with lots of layers, and with such tight storytelling that every time I thought I knew how things were going to go, some new conflict entered the picture, ratcheting the stakes up even higher.
Just as in the first book, the writing is deep and often poetic. Love is often star-crossed at best. The story explores the question of what makes us human, and are those qualities assets or liabilities? As one character faces death, others rally to show love and support. It’s such a powerful, human moment. What is more human than to gather with a loved one and do what you can to ease their transition into death and grieve for them? Powerful stuff, and well-incorporated into the story.
The technology elements are well-developed, too, and play an important role in the story. I wouldn’t call this light sci-fi. But it has vibrant characters and a lot of action as well, so I’d venture to say even readers who aren’t super keen on sci-fi would still find plenty about it to enjoy.
Cultural Elements
Characters represent diverse backgrounds. Greta herself is white. Her lover, Xie, is Asian. Greta and her lover are lesbians. She has African and Asian companions.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild, used infrequently.
Romance/Sexual Content Greta dreams about her experiences with Xie, a girl she left behind in her old life. The dreams are vague but sexual. It’s clear she’s still in love with her. There’s a girl/girl kiss later in the story. Two of the Swan Riders have been in a relationship. One, a girl named Rachel, spends the bulk of the story being controlled by Talis, an AI who was once a man. So some of the pronouns get a little confusing there. Usually the pronoun represents who’s speaking, without regard to the gender of the vessel or body that the AI is using.
Spiritual Content Xie is considered a goddess by her people.
Violent Content Brief battle scenes. A boy stabs a Swan Rider. Greta remembers being tortured with an apple press. There are other threats of torture. At one point, a Rider who is terminally ill asks another Rider to end her life in a ceremonial way.
Drug Content
None.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Hi! My name is Erin Bow — physicist turned poet turned author of young adult novels that will make you cry on the bus. I’m a white girl, forty-something, feminist, geeky enough to do the Vulcan salute with both hands — in public. I live in Canada. I love to cook, hate to clean, and yes, I do own a cat.
In the beginning, I was a city girl from farm country—born in Des Moines and raised in Omaha—where I was fond of tromping through wood lots and reading books by flashlight. In high school I captained the debate team, founded the math club, and didn’t date much.
In university I studied particle physics, and worked briefly at the European Centre for Nuclear Research (CERN) near Geneva, Switzerland. Physics was awesome, but graduate school kind of sucked, and at some point I remembered that I wanted to write books.
Books: I have six of them — three novels, and two volumes of poetry and a memoir (the poetry under my maiden name, Erin Noteboom). My poetry has won the CBC Canadian Literary Award, and several other awards. My two novels, Plain Kate and Sorrow’s Knot, also have a fistful of awards, including Canada’s top award for children’s literature, the TD. The third novel, The Scorpion Rules, still faces its award season. No one read the memoir.
Right now I’m looking forward to the publication of my fourth novel, a companion piece to The Scorpion Rules called The Swan Riders, which will be out September 20 from Simon & Schuster. I’m at work on an new an entirely different novel, and a book of poetry about science.
Did you notice I got to Canada in there somewhere? Yeah, that was true love. I’m married to a Canadian boy, James Bow, who also writes young adult novels. We have two small daughters, both of whom want to be scientists.
The amazing Monica Lee Kennedy joins me today to talk about her series The Parting Breath in which the land itself is sentient. Check out what inspired the story and its characters here in the interview and don’t miss out on your chance to win a copy of the series opener, The Land’s Whisper! Giveaway details will be at the end of this post.
Interview with Author Monica Lee Kennedy
I find that a story was often inspired by a question. Was there a question that inspired you to write The Parting Breath series?
It wasn’t a question that drew me to write this story, but more of a sense of dissatisfaction. I was displeased by all the novels laden with sex and unappealing heroes. I wanted to create something that could be fun for both adults and young adults, but without scandalizing.
That’s a great motivator, and I think you definitely succeeded. Do you have a favorite character from the series? Were there things about your favorite character which couldn’t be included in the books?
That is a tough question. I love so many of the characters. I think in the end though that Arman is my favorite. He is the guide, the mentor. He loves so tremendously, while remaining such a stoic and stable character. Arman is not perfect, but he is the perfect friend—especially to the person in a tight spot.
The main things I could not include in the series were stories from his long-held friendship with Arista. It just didn’t seem to work with driving the plot forward. Perhaps someday I will write about one of their adventures in a separate novel.
Arman was awesome! I loved him, too. I love the idea of learning more about his friendship with Arista. Might even make a great series of short stories maybe?? Is there a scene or moment in your novels that really sticks with you? Can you tell us a little bit about it?
The scene that sticks with me is a recurring one in the series. The characters come to the river and speak, letting out all their burdens. And because of the power of the water in Massada, they find healing. I think the reason why this resonates with me so much is that I find it truthful of so many wounds of the heart. When I bury my grief and pain, I end up losing myself. But when I grieve and speak about the difficulties I am facing, I find healing and freedom.
Yes! I’ve only read the first book in the series, but I found those images really powerful, and as a Christian, they definitely spoke to things from faith as well. Speaking of all the burdens characters carry, where did your ideas for your antagonist come from?
I have three major antagonists—Fingers (the memory-stealer), Jerome (the kidnapper and murderer), and Chaul (the demon). The ideas behind them stem from things that legitimately terrify me. Losing mental capacities, abduction, evil spirits, possession… these make for some nightmarish scenarios.
Makes a lot of sense! I found Fingers especially creepy– which he needed to be in the story. You created such a vivid world. One of the things I really enjoyed about The Land’s Whisper was the imaginative setting. Can you share a little about how you created the setting and incorporated it into the story?
Thanks! I got the inspiration—of a land that had traits and was alive—one night during a bout of insomnia. I had never heard of anything like it before, and the idea just seemed to grow and morph the longer I pondered it. I created a laughable map that looked like a toddler’s sketch and separately listed out the various traits of each land area so I could keep them straight. In the end, Robert Altbauer, a professional map maker drew up Massada for me.
It’s funny how sometimes the best ideas happen in the middle of the night. 🙂 It’s definitely a unique concept. I’ve never read anything like your books before. What do you most hope that readers take away from your stories?
Firstly, I want to encourage and foster a love of books because I think reading is fabulous. And secondly, I hope that readers can walk away inspired by goodness. That they can see heroic action and courage in the imperfect characters of Massada and find it all to be refreshing and moving. I remember the best books I read growing up were those that I witnessed virtue and true goodness. They made me want to live more fully and love more generously. I’d be so pleased if I could be the kind of author that inspired.
Really worthy goals. I agree with you– I think reading good books really can inspire us to live better and strive toward those heroic ideals. We need that, I think, now more than ever. Is there one question about your series you are often asked by readers?
“How did you ever have the time to write three books?”
It is true, I don’t have loads of free time. I am a stay at home mother of two small children and rarely get time to myself, but I have made a point to write daily. This usually means naptimes, but sometimes I get breaks in the evenings if my husband is on a business trip. I don’t always want to write, but even if I sit down for just twenty minutes, I find I am happier. So I keep doing it. I’ve discovered that having my own personal goals has helped me to be far more joyful and fulfilled.
Wow! Yes! Two little ones is a lot to manage. That’s awesome. I’m so glad you kept writing. Thanks so much for taking the time to share more about your books with me today.
Monica Lee Kennedy grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as the middle child of three. She studied at Franciscan University in Ohio, where she met her husband. Since then, they have traveled across the United States and Europe, toting children on hips and scooters.
As a youngster, Kennedy dreamed of becoming an author, but it wasn’t until many years later (and much encouragement from her spouse) that she began to write in earnest. While pregnant with her first child, she daydreamed about a world where the land could speak, and Massada, the world of the Parting Breath series, surfaced.
Kennedy loves travel, wine, chocolate, siblings, and beach vacations. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading and playing board games. She greatly values her Catholic faith.
Kennedy currently resides in Germany with her husband and two children.
The land itself is alive. It sees, it thinks, it speaks.
For the few who can communicate with it, a phenomenal power is granted. They see as the land does, acquire abilities and skills effortlessly, and perceive unimaginable secrets. Yet this connection also consumes them—once they feel it, they would do anything to keep it.
Darse returns to his home world with his surrogate son, Brenol, to discover that the boy possesses this special union with the land. The two travel through the strange world on a mission to save a young girl in peril. But will Brenol’s newfound power destroy them all instead?
Beached corpses reek upon lapping shores. The once powerful lands—while still alive—are silent, as if asleep. Temperatures dip, and the world becomes steadily colder. The black fever spreads mysteriously, claiming lives in every corner of the land. There is great need in Massada.
Brenol, grown now to full manhood, returns to the land to discover it is faltering. Fate nips at his heels, and he must race to beat a poison uncovered far too late. Sorely tried in his oath of protection, Brenol realizes he must choose honor over his own pursuit of love if Massada is to be saved.
The once green world is turning to ice, while a book of startling prophesy raises terrifying questions about what the future might hold. A princess is beset with nightmares she knows reveal truth. A malicious demon runs rampant, killing without abandon. Where can hope be found?
Brenol and Arman throw themselves into a daring hunt to destroy the murderous spirit, and Colette seeks assistance out in the desert of ice, but the future of Massada remains bleak as death and deceit thrive. All things good and true stand in peril—even love.
Enter to Win a Copy of The Land’s Whisper by Monica Lee Kennedy (US Only)
