Category Archives: Book Review and Content

Review: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,
Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Caraval
Stephanie Garber
Flatiron Books
Published on January 31, 2017

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About Caraval
Remember, it’s only a game…

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…beware of getting swept too far away.

My Review

The setting of both the game and Scarlett’s hometown felt very vivid in Caraval. The game itself definitely had a magical quality to it—that was one of my favorite things about the book. I also liked the sense of unspooling mystery. It’s like the story is constantly evolving and anything can happen. Caraval maintains a good balance between this plasticity and magic and having an organized plot where the stakes only get higher with every new revelation in the story.

I found Scarlett and Julian (the sailor who helps her and Tella escape) both super likeable. I wasn’t sure at first that I would like either of them. In the beginning, Scarlett is such a fraidy cat and so committed to her planned marriage that I kind of felt put off. But as she learns to unbend and find her way through a game based on her greatest fears (big risks and her sister missing), I grew to love her and respect her. By the end, not only did I want her to win the game, but I was totally rooting for the romance to have a happily ever after, too.

The story is a bit dark. The game master is rumored to have some pretty deep revenge issues and seems to have a really cavalier attitude about human life. Some of the magical elements (fortune telling, trading days of one’s life for a desired object) have a darkness to them, too. The epilogue might be the part with the most adult content because of a character being drunk and looking for a one night stand. See below for other content information.

I really enjoyed reading Caraval. I’m a little bit torn about reading the second book, though, because based on the epilogue, it looks like the story will be from another character’s point-of-view. While the plot looks really interesting, I’m not sure I’d enjoy this character’s viewpoint. So I’m not sure yet whether I’ll read the next one.

If you liked Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, make sure to check out Caraval.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
Julian has brown skin and dark eyes. The story has some Spanish words for places.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Scarlett refuses to share a room with Julian, so they agree to take turns sleeping in the room they were assigned for the game. They do share the bed one night, but nothing sexual happens and they’re technically dead during that night. Scarlett’s father offers her to a man (intending for her to have sex with him), and she unwillingly goes with him but his attempts at seducing her get thwarted.

Spiritual Content
The players of Caraval warn Scarlett and others that nothing happening inside the game is real, but Scarlett experiences magic in various forms (trading time for a dress, dreams that reveal the past to her, having her fortune read to her.).

Violent Content
One scene shows Scarlett and Tella’s father physically abusing them. (He strikes one girl with his hand so that his rings will cut her face.) Other references to past abuses.

Drug Content
Scarlett looks for her companion in a bar. Scarlett participates in a ritual exchange, giving a drop of her blood, and immediately experiences an altered mental state. One scene shows Tella very drunk and hoping to go to bed with a stranger.

Review: Behind These Hands by Linda Vigen Phillips

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Poetry, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

Behind These Hands
Linda Vigen Phillips
Light Messages
Published on July 7, 2018

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About Behind These Hands
Fourteen-year-old Claire Fairchild has always known music would be her life. She enters a prestigious contest pitted against Juan, a close childhood friend. It doesn’t help that her thoughts about him have turned romantic. But nothing compares to the devastating news that both younger brothers have Batten disease.

While attending a conference about this rare neurodegenerative disorder, Claire receives word that she has won the contest. Her musical goals no longer seem relevant. She can’t reconcile the joy and prestige that a classical music career would bring to her life while her brothers are succumbing to an early and ugly death.

When Claire accompanies a friend on a school newspaper assignment, she meets a centenarian with a unique musical past and only one regret in life. Claire knows something in her life has to change before she, too, has regrets. With newfound courage and determination, she finds a new way to express herself musically while celebrating the lives of her dying brothers.

My Review
I always forget how much I love a novel in verse. There’s something truly amazing about finding a way to tell an entire story saturated with emotions in so few words. Behind These Hands took me to tears so many times, both with its tragedy and its beauty.

The descriptions of Claire playing the piano and composing her piece for the contest were so vivid I felt like I heard the music. Her heartache watching her brothers and knowing what their future holds hit me hard every time. The characters, especially Claire and her two best friends, felt real and full in every scene.

I didn’t expect to be as blown away by this book as I am. I want to read it a second time. I want to tell so many people about it. I love that it’s a fantastic story but also that it raises awareness of a disorder that affects real kids.

If you liked Solo by Kwame Alexander, the family issues and Claire’s courage may remind you of that story. If you’re a fan of novels in verse or moving contemporary fiction, definitely check Behind These Hands out!Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Claire is white. Her best friend Juan is Cuban.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used a few times. At one point Claire responds to two bullies with two middle fingers.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between a boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

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

 

Review: Star-Touched Stories by Roshani Chokshi

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

Star-Touched Stories
Roshani Chokshi
St. Martin’s Press
Published on August 7, 2018

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About Star-Touched Stories
Three lush and adventurous stories in the Star-Touched world.

Death and Night

He was Lord of Death, cursed never to love. She was Night incarnate, destined to stay alone. After a chance meeting, they wonder if, perhaps, they could be meant for more. But danger crouches in their paths, and the choices they make will set them on a journey that will span lifetimes.

Poison and Gold

Now that her wish for a choice has come true, Aasha struggles to control her powers. But when an opportunity to help Queen Gauri and King Vikram’s new reign presents itself, she is thrown into the path of the fearsome yet enchanting Spy Mistress. To help her friends, Aasha will have to battle her insecurities and perhaps, along the way, find love.

Rose and Sword

There is a tale whispered in the dark of the Empire of Bharat-Jain. A tale of a bride who loses her bridegroom on the eve of her wedding. But is it a tale or a truth?

My Review
You know that feeling when you finish an amazing book, and you just wish for one more scene to revisit that favorite character or that awesome story world? That’s pretty much what Star-Touched Stories is. Every time I ran into a character I remembered from The Star-Touched Queen (my review here) or A Crown of Wishes (my review here), I got so excited. There’s a story about Aasha! And Kamala appears in another one! Yay! And more Gauri and Vikram! I couldn’t have been happier.

The same rich-as-ripened-fruit, delicious writing fills every single page of all three stories. There’s plenty of peppery banter between characters and deep, heart-wrenching emotions. Grab a spoon and eat up every page. (I know… that’s a metaphor which would make Zahril scoff.)

While the stories would stand on their own as interesting tales, it’s hard for me to imagine reading them without first reading The Star-Touched Queen or A Crown of Wishes. I think you could. But I’m pretty sure it’ll make you want more of the story world.

As with Chokshi’s other two books, these are based on Indian legend and folklore. It adds a richness to the story world and also gives it a spiritual feeling as well. See content information below for additional notes.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Stories are woven with Indian mythology and folklore.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used very infrequently. (One mild curse and a few references to hell as a place.)

Romance/Sexual Content
All three stories show some kissing between young men and young women. “Poison and Gold” also includes kissing between two women. “Rose and Sword” includes some vague hints at sex.

Spiritual Content
Several references to reincarnation. The god of Death appears as a character in “Death and Night” (Night is a goddess.). Other mythical creatures, such as a woman who is half-snake, and an immortal woman immune to poison appear in the stories. Death’s messengers appear in “Rose and Sword.”

Violent Content
A woman begs death to delay her husband’s passing in “Death and Night.” In “Poison and Gold,” Aasha battles a rock monster and a giant rat. Gauri journeys to hell to save one she loves in “Rose and Sword,” and meets a half-skeletal horse who seems interested in eating her.

Drug Content
One reference to a water pipe smoked by adults.

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

 

Review: Willa of the Wood by Robert Beatty

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

Willa of the Wood
Robert Beatty
Disney Hyperion
Published on July 10, 2018

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About Willa of the Wood
Move without a sound. Steal without a trace.

Willa, a young night-spirit, is her clan’s best thief. She creeps into the cabins of the day-folk under cover of darkness and takes what they won’t miss. It’s dangerous work–the day-folk kill whatever they don’t understand–but Willa will do anything to win the approval of the padaran, the charismatic leader of the Faeran people.

When Willa’s curiosity leaves her hurt and stranded in the day-folk world, she calls upon the old powers of her beloved grandmother, and the unbreakable bonds of her forest allies, to escape. Only then does she begin to discover the shocking truth: that not all of her day-folk enemies are the same, and that the foundations of her own Faeran society are crumbling. What do you do when you realize that the society you were born and raised in is rife with evil? Do you raise your voice? Do you stand up against it?

As forces of unfathomable destruction encroach on her forest home, Willa must decide who she truly is, facing deadly force with warmest compassion, sinister corruption with trusted alliance, and finding a home for her longing heart.

My Review
Willa of the Wood is the first book by Robert Beatty that I’ve read, though I think I own two of his other books. Judging from the writing style, I really want to read more. I liked the way the scenery seemed to come alive and the deep emotions Willa feels through the story—her longing for companions and her internal wrestling over the wrongness of what her tribe has asked her to do.

One of the most powerful characters is Willa’s grandmother. Even though she can’t walk, she has this powerful presence and a fierce love for Willa and the goodness of the old Faeran ways. It’s this love and wisdom that Willa carries which gets pitted against the fears of her people, and Willa has to decide which way is right—being governed by that fear and allowing it to rule her actions, or daring to love not only her tribe members, but those very different from her, too.

I loved the theme of family and adoption in the story, too. Willa feels like an outsider among her Faeran tribe members, and she desperately wants to have meaningful, lasting connections with others. Her journey to find a community where she belongs totally resonated with me.

The story as a whole is a bit dark, to be honest. I’d say it’s probably better suited to older elementary school readers and middle school readers might also enjoy it, too, even though the writing style and characters’ ages feel geared a little more toward the eight to twelve range but definitely worth a read.

Recommended for Ages 10 to 12

Cultural Elements
Willa’s appearance changes depending on her surroundings as a sort of camouflage. She befriends a Cherokee boy and a white man.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Willa and her people are night-spirits and have magic that comes from life (plants and animals). Sometimes the magic protects or heals, and other times it causes harm, even death.

Violent Content
Willa and her peers are tasked with stealing from local humans. A man shoots Willa while she’s prowling through his house. A couple scenes show children kept in cages. Willa learns they’ve been starved, and in some instances, tortured or allowed to die. Willa uses magic to help allies and stop enemies. Sometimes the magic appears like black worms or roots attacking people. The imagery tends toward dark rather than gory.

Drug Content
None.

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

 

Review: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

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Born a Crime
Trevor Noah
Doubleday Canada
Published on November 15, 2016

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About Born a Crime
Trevor Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents’ indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa’s tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle.

Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that young man’s relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother—his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life.

My Review
The description above (from the back cover copy) makes the story sound so glamorous. And indeed, Trevor Noah has an amazing life story. And while the telling of it is often funny, Noah doesn’t shy away from the loneliness and prejudice he experienced especially in his early life. I enjoyed the way he weaves South African history and culture into each essay to give greater context to readers who aren’t familiar with his home. I also really liked the descriptions of and stories about his relationship with his mom. While it’s clear he disagrees with her on some important issues, there’s never any doubt that they love each other, and that she’s a powerful woman who worked incredibly hard to make sure he’d have every opportunity, even during a time when the government declared Noah’s very existence criminal.

Ultimately, I’d say this is a story of courage, packed with equal portions humor and heart. An inspirational read for anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
Trevor Noah has one white parent and one black parent. The book discusses some racial prejudice in South Africa through his childhood and young adult life.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Somewhat infrequent use of extreme profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Trevor’s mother and grandmother are both devout Christians. As a child he shared their faith but doesn’t as an adult. He shares stories of going to church as a family and attending prayer meetings and some stories about superstitions like cats being evil.

Violent Content
Some descriptions of domestic violence and stealing music and video games. At one point, Trevor describes an incident in which a woman is shot several times.

Drug Content
Trevor’s stepfather smoked pot and drank alcohol. He often became violent after drinking. Trevor describes some of these encounters.

 

Review: Your Destination is on the Left by Lauren Spieller

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

Your Destination is on the Left
Lauren Spieller
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published on June 26, 2018

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About Your Destination is on the Left
Dessa Rhodes is a modern day nomad. Her family travels in an RV, their lives defined by state lines, exit signs, and the small communal caravan they call home. Among them is Cyrus, her best friend and long-time crush, whom she knows she can never be with. When your families are perpetually linked, it’s too dangerous to take a risk on romance.

Instead, Dessa looks to the future. She wants to be a real artist and going to art school is her ticket to success and a new life. There’s just one problem: she hasn’t been accepted…anywhere. Suddenly her future is wide open, and it looks like she’s going to be stuck traveling forever.

Then an unexpected opportunity presents itself: an internship working with a local artist in Santa Fe. Dessa struggles to prove to her boss—and herself—that she belongs there, but just as she finally hits her stride, her family suffers an unexpected blow. Faced with losing everything that she has worked for, Dessa has a difficult decision to make. Will she say goodbye to her nomadic lifestyle and the boy she loves? Or will she choose to never stop moving?

My Review
I liked that Dessa’s major goal wasn’t to find true love or be in a relationship. While romance is an important element of the story, Dessa’s real goal is to go to college and craft a future for herself. This creates some problems between her and her family as her parents want her to stay with them and continue traveling. It also strains her relationship with her best friend Cyrus, because he reads her desire for another life as a rejection of the life he’s chosen. So Dessa faces a difficult journey as she tries to find a way to do what she feels is best for her without hurting the people she loves most.

At one point, Dessa’s dad asks her to keep a secret from her mom. Dessa keeps the secret, but feels guilty about the lie and frustrated that her dad continues to lie to the family, too. I loved her relationship with her grandmother, who acts as a pillar of strength and a sort of home base for Dessa and her family. She doesn’t direct the story, but she sometimes serves as a mirror, reflecting Dessa’s true desires back to her sometimes without any words.

Dessa’s artwork also plays a major role in the story. I loved that. The descriptions of her artwork and the art of the woman who mentors her had me wishing for a studio and paintbrushes or a day at the museum.

On the whole, I liked the balance between Dessa’s dreams for the future, which she won’t compromise for a relationship that might only be for right now, and her relationships. I loved the way art was represented in and played a role in the story, too. Readers who liked Stacie Ramey’s The Sister Pact and How to Be Brave by E. Katherine Kottaras will want to check this one out.

Recommended for Ages 16 and up.

Cultural Elements
Dessa’s family is Greek. Cyrus’s family is black.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used regularly throughout the book.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl and tops removed. Dessa says they don’t have sex but come close.

Spiritual Content
Dessa’s grandmother is Greek Orthodox. There are a couple mentions of her going to church or passing mentions of her faith. At one point, she and Dessa plan to spend time alone together, and her grandmother says, it’s going to be her, Dessa, and the Lord.

Violent Content
Dessa throws a cup of beer in the face of a cruel boy.

Drug Content
Dessa drinks beer with a friend after they both sneak into a bar together, and later drinks champagne (provided by her grandmother) with Cyrus.

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