Category Archives: Blogger’s Favorites

Review: The Homecoming by Stacie Ramey

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

The HomecomingThe Homecoming
Stacie Ramey
Sourcebooks Fire
Available November 1, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Trouble with the law sends John back to his mom’s house, a place he hasn’t lived since a year after his brother’s accident. Still reeling from his girlfriend’s death, John’s only plan is to keep his head down until he’s served out his time. Then he’s California bound. Connections, especially with a girl, are the last thing he needs. But as the issues he once left behind begin to catch up with John at home, he finds that his usual retreats—pot and alcohol—aren’t enough. As the pressure builds, John must make a choice: to face the terrible truth about his past or let it destroy him and his family again.

The Homecoming is pretty much exactly the kind of novel I love reading. While John’s coping strategies aren’t my favorite in literature, I can’t help but root for a guy like him. He has a great heart, which we saw a little bit of in Ramey’s earlier novel, The Sister Pact, which describes some of his relationship with Leah from Leah’s sister’s point-of-view. Speaking of sisters, I love John’s relationship with his little sister and found it super endearing.

I liked that the story dealt with issues of family. John’s brother is disabled, and the family struggles a lot with how to manage his care. He’s not a perfectly likeable guy, either, which I found to be different than we often see in literature. His family clearly loved him, but it wasn’t always easy.

A couple of other interesting elements: John discovers a talent for architecture and begins learning the CAD program in a class. It’s a bright moment for him. At his dad’s insistence, he joins the lacrosse team, which also turns out to be a good thing for him. So several scenes show him exploring both of those interests which are a bit unusual for YA. I liked that.

If you like tragic-yet-hopeful contemporary YA, this is definitely a book you should check out.

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are all white middle class. John’s brother is disabled.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used with moderate frequency.

Romance/Sexual Content
John reflects on having been with a number of girls since Leah’s death, but that those relationships were superficial and didn’t touch his heart. He and one girl begin making out and retreat to her room to have sex but are interrupted. At the time, she states that she wants to have a casual relationship with him.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
John’s brother Ryan punches family members and injures them. A car accident injures a boy. Another accident injures a woman and her adult son. During a lacrosse game, another player makes unkind comments to John and other players take turns going after the guy. No detailed descriptions of violence or injuries.

Drug Content
John smokes pot and drinks alcohol, sometimes alone and sometimes with others.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Save

Review: Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Coming of Age, Contemporary, , , , , , ,

Bone Sparrow
Zana Fraillon
Disney-Hyperion
Available November 1, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Every night, Subhi slips out of the compound in the refugee camp and finds the treasures he believes the magical Night Sea brings him from his far away father. Every morning he shows the gifts to his mother, now barely responsive. Subhi has only known life within the fences of the permanent detention center. Up the hill from the center lives a girl named Jimmie who bears her own grief. She comforts herself with her mother’s necklace pendant, a sparrow carved from bone. She meets Subhi, and begs him to read her mother’s journal to her. Subhi shares the pages, filled with stories and songs as magical as the ones his mother once told. As conditions worsen for both Jimmie and Subhi, each must find courage, as the characters from the songs and stories of their mothers did.

Bone Sparrow is one of those stories that will haunt you. From the first page, the beautiful narrative sucked me in. I immediately loved both Jimmie and Subhi and the colorful cast of characters in and out of the detention center. It reminded me very much of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and left me reeling much the same way that story did.

The latter part of the tale shows some pretty intense violence. Up until that point it felt like a solid, literary middle grade read, but the heaviness of that violence made me reconsider whether that’s really where the book belongs. Bone Sparrow definitely deserves a place on the shelf with John Boyne’s acclaimed novel and others that shine a light on world issues, like Blue Gold by Elizabeth Stewart and Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You by Hanna Jansen.

What really left me speechless was the fact that the conditions Subhi and his family endure in the detention center are in fact based on real situations and reports. The way the Rohingya people have been treated in these camps is unbelievable. I’ve continued to read more about the people and their refugee status. I know that’s a very polarizing idea right now, but I encourage you to look up more information. I’ll post links below the content section of this review.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Jimmie and her family are Australian. Subhi is part of a group of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, once Burma.

Note: The Rohingya people have been denied rights to citizenship by the Myanmar government and driven out or killed. Many live in refugee camps like the one described in this book.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
When a sparrow lands on Subhi’s bed, his sister warns him that this warns of death. At night Subhi believes a magical Night Sea brings him gifts from his father, who lives far away.

Brief mention of Gods in the stories written by Jimmie’s mother. The bone sparrow necklace plays a role in the stories, guiding a man to his lost love and offering protection.

Violent Content
Horrible conditions plague the refugees in the camp. Some begin a hunger strike, sewing their mouths closed. Refugees barricade themselves in one quarter. A fire starts. Soldiers and refugees fight. Subhi witnesses a soldier beat a boy to death.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Links for More Information about the Rohingya

From the Council on Foreign Relations – The Rohingya Migrant Crisis

From Amnesty International: Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh

From CNN- How Asia’s worst refugee crisis isn’t over yet

From the Chicago Tribune- some Rohingya refugees find home in Chicago

Save

Save

Save

Save

Review: The Friendship Experiment by Erin Teagan

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Middle Grade 8-12, , , ,

The Friendship Experiment
Erin Teagan
HMH Books for Young Readers
Available November 1, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Middle school isn’t at all what Maddie hoped it would be. Not when her best friend has changed schools. Not without the calm, sure presence of her grandfather. If only friendships were as simple, as reliable as science. Though she finds herself surrounded by new potential friends, Maddie can’t help but think about all the reasons those students are wrong or annoying. To cope with her losses, she writes Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in her journal. When Maddie’s new would-be friends read some of the SOPs that features how to escape them, they feel hurt and betrayed. Maddie realizes that pushing people away hurts her, too. In a dark moment, Maddie’s grandmother gives her some powerful advice about saying sorry. Maddie decides to do just that, even though it’s hard, and hope it’s enough to fix the mess she’s made with her friends and family.

I found Maddie likeable immediately. She loves science and conducting experiments so much that her fashion-focused sister despairs of her. But Maddie finds friends who share her interests, and even convinces her dad to let her volunteer in a real lab. I loved that dedication. The von Willebrand disease also made for an unusual story element. I don’t know enough about the disease to really say how accurate the portrayal was, but it certainly felt as though it was a part of the story without distracting from it or being the central focus of either Brooke or Maddie’s characters.

Though adults in Maddie’s life play a role in her drive toward resolution, Maddie herself has to take the action and make the choices that lead her to the end of the story. I loved how present her thoughts about her grandfather remain. It felt like a very realistic response to grief.

If you liked The Fourteenth Goldfish or Counting by 7s give this spunky, science-loving story a try.

Recommended Age 8 up.

Cultural Elements
Maddie and her sister both suffer from von Willebrand disease, which causes extended or excessive bleeding. I don’t remember race descriptions in particular, but I think all the characters are white middle class.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Maddie’s mom brings home a painting that shows a nearly naked lady (she’s draped in a scarf.) Maddie and her sister feel pretty grossed out, and they ask more than once for their mom to remove the painting from its place above the fireplace. Later, the family learns the identity of the subject of the painting and decide to quietly move it somewhere more private.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
This isn’t violence, but because of the von Willebrand, both Maddie and Brooke suffer from serious nosebleeds. At one point a boy hits his head in soccer practice and his nose also starts bleeding.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

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

Forbidden Wish
Jessica Khoury
Razorbill
Available February 23, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

From Goodreads:

When Aladdin discovers Zahra’s jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn’t seen in hundreds of years—a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra’s very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes.

But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?

As time unravels and her enemies close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of Aladdin from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury.

My Review:

At first I was a little unsure about reading this book. Then I read the first few chapters as a sample from NetGalley, and that was enough to get me hooked! I loved the vivid descriptions of the landscape and culture. I loved the way Khoury developed this whole culture and hierarchy of jinni. The story felt larger than a simple fairytale and seated in a vast, complex world. I loved that it’s as if Zahra is relating her story to her friend the entire time. It definitely created this personal, humanized voice in what might otherwise have seemed an otherworldly narrator.

The romance was a little steamier than the Disney version I grew up with, but much of the heart and soul of the story remained perfectly intact. Aladdin is indeed the honorable, worthy thief. The princess is strong and independent. And the jinni proves that heart and wit combined make for a formidable adversary.

Recommended Age 15 up

Cultural Elements
This is a retelling of Aladdin. It definitely captures the feel of a Middle Eastern setting and characters.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some passionate kissing. A boy removes his shirt and unbuttons a girl’s top. At the beginning, a girl hints that Aladdin has been with many other girls.

Spiritual Content
Different types of jinni possess varied types of magic and power, the most powerful being the Shaitan. Jinni cannot reproduce, so they depend on human sacrifices to replenish their numbers. The jinni of the lamp grants her master three wishes. Sometimes she turns those wishes on her master to bring him ruin. Every wish comes with a price, but she does not always know what the price will be before the wish is made.

Violent Content
Brief battle scenes. A woman fights a man for sport in a club. A woman poisons her enemy. A man found guilty of serious crimes is sentenced to death by beheading.

Drug Content
Aladdin gets drunk on wine (he drinks alcohol more than once). Several references to smoking drugs. A powerful leader has been reduced to a drug addict. It’s unclear if that happened by his choice or if he was manipulated into dependence.

Save

Save

Review: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

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

Crooked Kingdom
Leigh Bardugo
Orion Children’s Books
Available September 27, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Crooked Kingdom

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn’t think they’d survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and left crippled by the kidnapping of a valuable team member, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz’s cunning and test the team’s fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city’s dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of magic in the Grisha world.

My Review

Six of Crows was my favorite book from last year, so I had this one on pre-order almost as soon as it was possible to do so. And once it arrived, I couldn’t wait to dig into it.

I feel like a sequel always has an uphill battle because, especially in the case of a fantasy, the first book got to wow us with its incredibly fresh setting and culture, and by the second book, we’re kind of like, yep. Right. Ketterdam. I remember. But again I felt so overwhelmed by the richness of the storyworld. Each nation feels distinct racially and culturally, yet the setting doesn’t swallow the story or elbow the characters out of the way to shine. It just is.

This book finishes the story begun by Six of Crows. There won’t be a third book, and in a lot of ways, I didn’t end this one feeling like I needed another one. Things aren’t all clean and perfect, but there are some incredible redemptive moments, and there were so many exchanges where I was like YES! THANK YOU!!! Because it was something that absolutely needed to happen.

I loved the banter between characters. The way they had their own sorts of inside jokes and ways of communicating with one another definitely made me feel like I was part of the circle and that they had real, dynamic relationships.

This is the only novel that has made me really want to write fan fiction. I might have to do it. Maybe. I love the idea of more adventures for these characters. Short stories that happen after-the-end. So I might have to think about that.

Overall, yes. I’m so glad I read this book. I couldn’t have left off with Six of Crows without reading this one all the way to the end. I definitely recommend Crooked Kingdom to anyone who enjoyed the first book. I think the content may be a bit heavier in this one. See below for details.

Cultural Elements
Though it’s a fantasy novel in a fantasy world, there’s a lot of racial diversity in this cast of characters.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
M/f and m/m kisses. There are hints and comments about sex, most are pretty veiled. One character was forced into prostitution earlier in her life and she briefly recollects some gruesome details about her experience there and the emotional scars it has left her.

Spiritual Content
Matthias is a devout follower of Djel, a god associated with a tree. In Ketterdam, the god of trade, Ghezen is chief, and church is a trading house.

Violent Content
Some scenes show brawls and fights. An assassin attacks a girl. A young woman falls from a rooftop to her death. Kaz describes revenge taken against someone who helped take advantage of two young boys. A man is shot fatally. Thugs beat up a boy who won’t reveal information about his allies.

Drug Content
Nina wrestles with craving for the drug jurda parem, which she took in a desperate attempt to save the team at the end of Six of Crows.

Review: Counterpart by Hayley Stone

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

Counterpart
Hayley Stone
Hydra/Random House
Available October 11, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Counterpart

The machines believed their extermination of the human race would be over as quickly as it began. They were wrong. As the war against extinction intensifies, people are beginning to gain the upper hand.

Commander Rhona Long understands survival better than most. Killed in combat, she was brought back to life using her DNA, and she’s forged a new, even more powerful identity. Now the leader of the resistance, she’s determined to ensure the machines are shut down for good.

But victory is elusive. The machines have a new technology designed to overcome humanity’s most advanced weaponry. Despite Rhona’s peacekeeping efforts, former nations are feuding over resources as old power struggles resurface. Worse, someone inside the resistance is sabotaging the human cause—someone who, from all appearances, seems to be Rhona . . . or her exact replica.

My Review

There was something hilarious to me (in a good way, I think) about the idea of Rhona’s clones running around stirring up all this trouble. It was like Multiplicity meets I, Robot.

I loved some of the directions the story took. Actually, I might have liked the plot of this novel better than the first book in the series, Machinations, though I think I liked the writing in the first book better.

There were still great moments in which characters made cultural references that Rhona didn’t get (because she doesn’t have the complete memory of her original) which was kind of funny, too. She always tried to play it off like, of course she knew what you meant by that obscure reference to Star Wars. But sometimes her responses were pretty funny.

Counterpart ends on a total cliffhanger, which isn’t my favorite. But I’ll admit it definitely made me want to read the third book. Is it weird if I hope Rhona the White and Samuel get together? I have this feeling. And he deserves a little happiness!

Recommended for ages: 17 up

Cultural Elements
Zelda and Orpheus are described to have dark skin. Rhona scrambles to arrange alliances with the Russians and North Koreans, though no major characters from those groups are introduced.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used with moderate frequency.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to sex between Rhona and Camus. There aren’t graphic descriptions of it, but more them talking about the evolution of their relationship and how it’s changed since he began living with Rhona the clone vs Rhona the original.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Battle scenes with some fatalities and brief descriptions.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Save