Category Archives: Book Review and Content

Review: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Born a Crime by Trevor NoahBorn 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

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.

 

Review: The Story Peddler by Lindsay A. Franklin

The Story Peddler
Lindsay A. Franklin
Enclave Publishing
Published on May 1st, 2018

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About The Story Peddler
Selling stories is a deadly business.

Tanwen doesn’t just tell stories—she weaves them into crystallized sculptures that sell for more than a few bits. But the only way to escape the control of her cruel mentor and claw her way from poverty is to set her sights on something grander: becoming Royal Storyteller to the king.

During her final story peddling tour, a tale of treason spills from her hands, threatening the king himself. Tanwen goes from peddler to prey as the king’s guard hunts her down . . . and they’re not known for their mercy. As Tanwen flees for her life, she unearths long-buried secrets and discovers she’s not the only outlaw in the empire. There’s a rebel group of weavers . . . and they’re after her too.

My Review
I’d heard a lot of hype about this book, so I was excited to get to read it. The Story Peddler was a neat tale about how art reveals truth. It balanced allegory with action, and reminded me a lot of writers such as Serena Chase and Nicole Sager.

While I didn’t find The Story Peddler quite as enthralling as I’d hoped, it was a pretty good read. The plot had a good bit of action, and tied up neatly enough at the end (no horrible cliffhangers here!) while still leaving room for a sequel. Plus, Tanwen was such a fun character to read about! She had so much spunk and personality, and it was fun to see most of the story play out through her eyes. The one quibble I have with characters is about the love triangle—I didn’t feel like it was realistic, and it seemed to spring out of nowhere. One other thing: while the author was very creative in describing plants and animals (“fluff-hoppers” for rabbits, and “bitter-bean brew” for coffee), it did get kinda confusing at times. I didn’t care for it as much, but that might just have been personal preference.

Overall, I’d rate this book 3 and a half stars. I liked it, but it didn’t enthrall me like I’d hoped. Fans of allegories and characters with plenty of spunk will definitely want to pick this one up.

Recommended for Ages 14 and up

Cultural Elements
The enslaved Meridioni people are described as having dark skin. A legend explains this as being caused by their pride. The Tirian people are described as being fair.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None

Romance/Sexual Content
Mentions of mistresses, sleeping around. A forced kiss between a young lady and an older man, who also is hinted at taking advantage of women. Hints at prostitutes.

Spiritual Content
The Tirian people have three goddesses, though the story says that only the most uneducated peasant believes in them. A Creator is mentioned, and a dark force is hinted at.

Violent Content
Injuries and attacks from both men and beasts, non-graphic.

Drug Content
Characters drink ale, and use herbs for medicinal purposes.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine

Smoke and Iron (The Great Library #4)
Rachel Caine
Berkely
Published on July 3, 2018

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About Smoke and Iron
The opening moves of a deadly game have begun. Jess Brightwell has put himself in direct peril, with only his wits and skill to aid him in a game of cat and mouse with the Archivist Magister of the Great Library. With the world catching fire, and words printed on paper the spark that lights rebellion, it falls to smugglers, thieves, and scholars to save a library thousands of years in the making…if they can stay alive long enough to outwit their enemies.

My Review
As a huge fan of the Great Library series, I could not wait to get my hands on SMOKE AND IRON. This has been one of those series where I want so much to rush through to the end (why are there FIVE books and not THREE?!) but also where I can’t help treasuring every page of it. At the end, I’m sure I’ll be asking why there are ONLY five books. Ha.

Jess had me from the opening pages of book one. He’s crafty and clever, as you’d expect a smuggler to be, but he has a strong sense of morality and loyalty, too. This time, though, my favorite parts were the ones from Khalila’s point-of-view. I loved getting a more in-depth look at her relationship with Dario, the handsome and often flippant Spanish king’s cousin, and I found the way her mind works to be really engaging and fascinating. Totally different than Jess. Wolfe’s point-of-view didn’t feel as critical to the story, and it’s a bit darker, as he’s a darker character, but again, he has a very well-defined voice, and I ultimately find him very likeable, too.

The plot is pretty straightforward: this is the battle to take control of the Library and return it to its core purpose: preserving knowledge, while removing the corrupt leadership. Jess and his team have a plan, but it has a lot of moving parts and a lot of things can go wrong, which means they do! With ever-climbing stakes, and time running out, Jess and his friends race toward the final confrontation, and I could not stop turning page after page to find out what would happen.

This is a great series for fans of SIX OF CROWS though it’s a little less dark and reads a little younger, I think. Fans of THE RING AND THE CROWN by Melissa de la Cruz will like the re-imagined history of The Great Library series, too. I recommend starting with the first book rather than jumping straight into the middle of the series, though. You can find my review of book one, INK AND BONE. The series finale, SWORD AND PEN, is expected to be released in summer 2020.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Santi and Wolfe (two men) are gay and in a relationship together. Khalila is from the Middle East. Dario is Spanish.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two men and between a boy and girl. Some hints at sex. One minor character lives a very free life in which she has many partners and feels positively about it. Morgan worries that she’ll be forced to take a lover to create a child with Obscurist powers.

Spiritual Content
Some brief references to Khalila’s faith (Islam) and to Catholicism.

Violent Content
References to torture. A couple of intense battle scenes. In two scenes, innocent people are abruptly killed. A spear kills one and a knife across the throat kills the other. They’re both shocking scenes and meant to be so.

Drug Content
Morgan is drugged several times. Some characters drink wine socially.

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

Review: The Memory of Fire by Callie Bates

The Memory of Fire
Callie Bates
Del Rey Books
Published on June 5, 2018

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About The Memory of Fire
Magic. Romance. Revolution. The sequel to the bold and gorgeous The Waking Land.

Jahan Korakides is the hero who saved the life of the crown prince in battle, helped win the revolution in Eren and earned the heart of Elanna, the legendary Wildegarde reborn.

But Jahan Korakides is also broken; haunted by memories of the woman who experimented on him and his brothers as children. So when the empire threatens war in retribution for Elanna’s illegal sorcery, Jahan leaves Eren to negotiate with the emperor on Queen Sophy’s behalf. But the world he left has changed – riots rock the city of Ida, his brother is missing and the crown prince refuses to speak to him.

Jahan’s only hope of success seems to lie with the rebels in Ida. Yet, if he joins them, he will merely spur on the war he’s desperate to avoid, and risk revealing himself as a sorcerer.

And then the witch hunters arrive at court, bringing Elanna in chains.

My Review
After loving The Waking Land, the first book in this series, I knew I had to read The Memory of Fire. It was awesome to get to see what happened after the first story concluded. Elanna remains my favorite character even though Jahan narrates this book. I like Jahan, but I felt more connected to Elanna.

I thought it was interesting that the author touched on opiate addiction, especially considering the fact that it’s such a big issue right now in our country. Jahan remembers being addicted and some of the physical agony of withdrawal (which he experiences at different points in the story) but also the shame of having been an addict. It’s a minor point—this isn’t a tale about addiction or recovery. I just thought it was interesting that it plays a role in the book.

I also found it cool that even though this story is told from the perspective of a young man, it contains a LOT of strong women. Obviously there’s Elanna, the Caveadear who uses powerful magic connected to her land. But there’s also Jahan’s aunt, who sheltered him as a child and never shies away from protecting him, even if it might cost her life. The empress, who seeks to use her position to turn the political tide toward accepting sorcery. Queen Sophy who works tirelessly to unite her people and fend off enemies.

I’m pretty sure I noted this in my review of The Waking Land, but I think this is really more adult fantasy than young adult fantasy. Jahan deals with political issues in his role as ambassador, and while he spends some time sorting out trauma from his childhood, ultimately, the story focuses on him finding his place as an adult in a changing kingdom. I guess you could argue that he revises his childhood relationships (with his aunt, with a childhood friend, etc.) into adult ones, which falls under the YA umbrella. Fantasy seems to be the most flexible in terms of where YA crosses into adult fiction.

At any rate, The Memory of Fire struck me with its strong story world and interesting political dynamics. Fans of Song of Blood and Stone by L. Penelope or The Great Library series by Rachel Caine should add this one to their reading lists.

Recommended for Ages 18 up.

Cultural Elements
One minor character is gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Infrequent use of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a man and woman. References to them sleeping together and some scenes that give slight descriptions of sex. (More like we know they’re doing it, but the act itself isn’t much described.) The gay character discusses his desire for a real future with his lover, which seems impossible due to some political circumstances.

Spiritual Content
The story world is polytheistic. Some characters have magic. Others consider this blasphemy and seek to kill magic bearers.

Violent Content
Jahan’s power comes from living things. He takes power from them and they die. He tries to restrict this to only killing plants. A brief battle between soldiers and sorcerers. References to torture, some brief descriptions of torture. A prison collapses, killing those inside it. One sorcerer learns to kill by taking life energy from other humans, and kills them without remorse. Jahan remembers some violent situations from his childhood. In one instance, a woman stabs him and his brother.

Drug Content
References to drinking wine (as a cultural thing). Jahan remembers an abusive situation from his childhood which involved him being given an opiate.

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

 

Review: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

The Wrath and the Dawn
Renée Ahdieh
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Published on May 12, 2015

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About The Wrath and the Dawn
One Life to One Dawn.

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad’s dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph’s reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she’d imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It’s an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid’s life as retribution for the many lives he’s stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

My Review
The Wrath and the Dawn has been on my To Be Read list for SO LONG. I’d heard of it around the time it was published in 2015 because I’m always looking for re-imagined fairytales, but I got even more curious about it after seeing Renée Ahdieh speak on a panel at YALLFest in Charleston in 2016. (She seems every bit as spunky as her heroine, Shahrzad.)

While I think the writing style is a little flowery at times, I LOVE the characters and the story world held some great surprises, like a mysterious magic. One of the most captivating things about The Wrath and the Dawn for me is the way the story follows both Shahrzad and her childhood friend and first love, Tariq’s journeys. Both view Khalid in different circumstances and different ways. The best stories somehow get you to love the antagonist even while rooting for the protagonist at the same time, and this book totally achieves it. Also, the romance is pretty breathtaking.

Fans of fairytale retelling or stories featuring Middle Eastern characters will want this one on their shelves for sure. See below for more details on content.

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Cultural Elements
Characters are Middle Eastern.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Brief infrequent use of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a man and woman. Hints at sex—descriptions lead into the act between a husband and wife, but fade to black.

Spiritual Content
Some characters possess a magical ability (including an ability to issue a curse) which sometimes requires a blood price.

Violent Content
Reference to the fact that Khalid’s previous wives were murdered. No descriptions of what happened. One scene shows a girl being strangled with a silk cord. Some practice swordfights.

Drug Content
Some brief references to wine with meals.