Category Archives: Book Review and Content

Review: Bookish Boyfriends by Tiffany Schmidt

Book Review and Content, Magical Realism, Middle Grade 8-12, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Bookish Boyfriends
Tiffany Schmidt
ABRAM Kids
Published on May 1st, 2018

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About Bookish Boyfriends
Boys are so much better in books. At least according to Merrilee Campbell, 15, who thinks real-life chivalry is dead and there’d be nothing more romantic than having a guy woo her like the heroes in classic stories. Then she, her best friend, Eliza, and her younger sister, Rory, transfer to Reginald R. Hero Prep–where all the boys look like they’ve stepped off the pages of a romance novel. Merri can hardly walk across the quad without running into someone who reminds her of Romeo.

When the brooding and complicated Monroe Stratford scales Merri’s trellis in an effort to make her his, she thinks she might be Juliet incarnate. But as she works her way through her literature curriculum under the guidance of an enigmatic teacher, Merri’s tale begins to unfold in ways she couldn’t have imagined. Merri soon realizes that only she is in charge of her story. And it is a truth universally acknowledged that first impressions can be deceiving…

My Review

A solid 3.5 stars, rounded up to four. When I started reading this book, I quickly lost interest and began to hate it. The characters (especially the main one) got on my nerves, and I found the writing style very irritating. I didn’t think I was going to finish it at all, honestly, but I made myself promise to at least read to 50% before giving up. Then, around the 25% mark, something changed. I’m not sure exactly what it was–if the author finally hit her stride, or if the characters improved or what–but suddenly, I found myself empathizing with the characters instead of berating them. I was pulled into the story (somewhat skeptically) until I was staying up late just to read a little bit more. Bookish Boyfriends, to my surprise, was suddenly good. Now, there was a few hiccups here and there (some of the characters still made horrible, face-palm worthy choices that I don’t agree with), but overall, I actually enjoyed this book. I would definitely be interested in reading a sequel, even a whole series with this theme. Overall ,it was a clean, pleasant read that straddles the line between middle grade and YA.

Some of the things I liked most included:

–Merrilee actually listened to her parents and made the right choice, at least once. You have no idea how satisfying it was to find a contemporary YA heroine being somewhat sensible for once.

–The story twist I didn’t see coming

–How the author incorporated the retelling aspect while still making the story her own

Some things I didn’t like:

–The lack of sensible adults

–Merrilee’s silliness at times

–The lesbian/bisexual couple represented and the mention of a homosexual customer. As a conservative Christian this was a red flag for me.

Recommended for Ages 12 and up

Cultural Elements
One character is described as being biracial, and partly Asian. One character is described as having brown skin. A lesbian/bisexual couple is featured, and there is a mention of a homosexual customer.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Some characters “curse,” but actual words are not given.

Romance/Sexual Content
Heavy kissing and embracing, semi-detailed. Describing how attractive male characters are (stays appropriate for age range overall).

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
One character behaves threateningly towards Merrilee, trying to intimidate her into a relationship. One character is injured during sport’s practice.

Drug Content
Some reference to teen drinking at a party (no main characters participate).

Note: I received a copy of this book to review from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Review: Unbreakable by Sara Ella

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

Unbreakable (Unblemished #3)
Sara Ella
Thomas Nelson – HarperCollins
Published May 1, 2018

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About Unbreakable
Eliyana Ember is stranded in a foreign country in the Third Reflection with no passport, the inability to mirrorwalk, and zero clue where the nearest Thresholds back into the Fourth or Second might lie. Her mind is a haze, her memories vague. She knows a wormhole from the Fourth sent her here. She remembers her mom and baby brother Evan. Makai and Stormy and Joshua . . .

Deep down El realizes she must end the Void once and for all. Is there a way to trap the darkness within its current vessel, kill it off completely? To do so would mean sacrificing another soul—the soul of a man Joshua claims is a traitor. But he’s lied to her before, and even El senses Joshua can’t be fully trusted, but one thing is certain . . .

The Void must be annihilated. And only the Verity—the light which birthed the darkness—can put an end to that which seeks to kill and destroy.

My Review
I liked Unblemished, and I loved Unraveling, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book. Unfortunately, it only earned 3.5 stars in my opinion. While it was still a solid finale, it didn’t live up to my (rather high) expectations.

We saw from a lot more perspectives in this book–Ky and Ebony along with Eliyana. While it was neat to get to see inside some of the other characters’ heads, it was a little annoying at times (especially with Eliyana and Ebony). The characters tend to ramble a lot, and it distracts from the story. It was hard to keep up with the switches between the present and flashbacks.

The plot didn’t really get going until the last quarter or so. For most of the book, the plot wanders hither and yon without a strong direction of what needs to happen next. A lot of what was supposed to be plot twists and revelations felt thrown in, without a whole lot of explanation. I wasn’t super happy with how the story resolved itself either–it was rather anticlimactic after the last book. Also, like Kasey mentioned in her review of Unraveling, the morality bordered on grey and tended to confuse the Christian themes with fantasy.

The world-building was excellent though, and I adore all the references to pop culture that Ella throws in. I won’t say too much about the Reflection(s) introduced in this story, as I don’t want to spoil it, but I will say some of them were familiar locations with a fresh twist.

Overall, I was kinda disappointed in Unbreakable. It felt like a sort of bait-and-switch after the last book, although that might have just been because of how much I loved the last one. Fans of the series will definitely want to read this one to finish the story that started in Unblemished, though I’d caution them about going into it with too high expectations. This trilogy is great for fans of Anne Elisabeth Stengl and Nadine Brandes.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters appear to be white. Some secondary characters have darker skin tones.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Story-centric curses, like crowe and Verity or Void.

Romance/Sexual Content
Eliyana kisses both Ky and Joshua. She describes her clothing in one scene as being inadequate and describes her figure (not in detail). She is dressed in only undergarments and a slip in one scene. There is some non-sexual nudity in several scenes (relating to shape-shifting).

From the review of Unblemished: Kisses also create bonds and promises. A kiss to the heel of the palm can bind someone to a promise they’ve made, and cause their death if they break that promise. A Kiss of Infinity binds the soul of the giver to the receiver.

Spiritual Content
From the review of Unblemished: While the story flirts with some Christian concepts, occasionally referencing Proverbs or spiritual concepts, I wouldn’t say it holds a truly Christian worldview. The Verity represents light and good, and the Void represents darkness and sin, but each character who interacts with them makes choices based on his or her own strength to battle or join with those forces.

Many characters possess Callings, or special abilities, like healing or shape-shifting.

Violent Content
Injuries are incurred, though not described in detail. Flashbacks include dangerous situations and some injuries. One character is mauled to death, and the wound is semi-described. One character dies from a broken heart. A character uses his blood to heal.

Drug Content
Eliyana, under the influence of the Unbinding Elixir, kisses Joshua, and many of her memories are changed.

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

Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3)
Suzanne Collins
Scholastic Press
Published on August 24, 2010

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About Mockingjay
Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss’s family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans–except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss’s willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels’ Mockingjay–no matter what the personal cost.

My Review
This is my least favorite book in the Hunger Games series. I still enjoyed reading it, but I felt like Katniss remains a passive character for much of the beginning. I really wanted her to go on the mission to rescue Peeta (though I guess this would have made the book super long) instead of staying home feeling lost.

I thought it was clever the way the whole world sort of becomes an arena as Katniss and the rebel army advance toward the Capitol. The political elements of the story deepen as well, and the rebel force and its leader aren’t quite the benevolent group Katniss had hoped they’d be. On the whole, Mockingjay takes a darker tone than the previous books. While the first two stories show Katniss and others in the arena for sport, now she faces off against the Capitol in warfare. As the war gets more desperate, the rebels face some moral dilemmas concerning battle strategies. The Capitol has sacrificed the children of the districts every year for seventy-five years. Does this mean it’s okay for the rebels to attack Capitol children?

Katniss argues against these kinds of tactics, but not all of her allies agree with her. And as the war grows ever bloodier, even she begins to consider some of these more desperate payback attacks. It showed how easily war makes us forget the humanity of the other side.

I liked the new side characters Katniss works with as the Mockingjay. And I loved the way her relationship with Peeta unfolds, even though it involves a lot of disillusionment on both sides. I feel like that allowed them to rebuild their connection from scratch, and on more even footing since they each had to face some flaws in each other.

I’m not sorry to have read this whole series. (I’ve read it more than once, actually, but for some reason I hadn’t managed to review it before now.) This one has a bit more violence than the others (or maybe it seems more violent because of the context of war), so see the content information below for more specifics.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
All major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between a boy and girl. Finnick reveals that in the Capitol he and other attractive tributes were forced to have sexual encounters with wealthy citizens who purchased their time. Katniss remembers a time a man teased her about buying a kiss from him.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
References to torture. Scenes show some carnage from triggered traps. A net of barbed wire slices up a soldier. A bomb blows another’s limbs off. Bombs kill children and medics. An assassin shoots and kills a political figure.

Katniss and Gale disagree about methods of warfare. Gale believes any violence against the Capitol is justified, since the Capital has used and continues to use awful tactics against the rebels. Katniss believes the rebels must have a higher value of life, and especially a regard for the lives of innocents like children and civilians.

Katniss has nightmares about people who’ve died coming back to haunt her and trying to kill her. She also remembers and sings a song her father taught her about a man talking to his lover and asking her to “meet [him] in the hanging tree.”

Drug Content
Katniss and Joanna takes morphling to alleviate pain due to her injuries. It’s a highly addictive drug and both girls feel the pull of addiction from taking it. Haymitch drinks alcohol.

Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

Catching Fire
Suzanne Collins
Scholastic Press
Published on September 1, 2009

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About Catching Fire
Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol – a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she’s afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she’s not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol’s cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can’t prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

My Review
I feel like The Hunger Games is a hard act to follow. In that first book, the whole idea of the Arena, the districts and Capitol were so stark and fresh. In Catching Fire, we already acclimated to the brutality and high stakes of Katniss’s world. So only the plot events can be fresh and new.

I thought the characters, in particular the other victors, added a lot to the story. They were very different from each other and different than the tributes Katniss faced in the Arena in The Hunger Games. Katniss and Peeta’s complementary strengths carry into this book, too. His love for her and his savviness with understanding emotions and motives, which Katniss is pretty much blind to, and her ability to solve puzzles and survive dictate their ability to survive the traps the Capitol sets for them. It also makes them a great couple, even if Katniss stays a bit slow to realize what her true feelings are regarding Peeta and Gale.

Side note: I’ve never liked those names—Peeta and Gale. They both seem kind of feminine to me. The names, not the characters. But it has never bothered me enough to interfere with my ability to read and enjoy the books.

In the first book, Katniss uses physical strength to survive the Arena. Here, she has to rely more on her ability to solve puzzles and choose the right allies. I liked the message, again, that violence isn’t the answer. That instead, cleverness and unity can destroy a powerful enemy.

I’ve listened to Catching Fire as an audiobook at least twice, but I think more often than that. I feel like it’s rare for me to find a dystopian series that I like all the way through where the story, characters, and premise all have equal weight and draw. This one probably tops that list for me. Right up there with Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Central characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Katniss and Peeta spend nights together sleeping and comforting one another through nightmares. No sexual contact. At one point Peeta claims he and Katniss have married in secret and she’s pregnant.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Tributes fight in the arena, killing one another. Some brief, graphic descriptions.

Drug Content
Haymitch spends a lot of time drunk. Katniss and Peeta both squirrel away some liquor for him in case there’s ever a shortage (since it’s against the law to make or sell), which is a pretty enabling thing to do. After receiving some terrible news, Katniss drinks some of the liquor with Haymitch and gets pretty drunk herself.

 

Review: Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

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

Starry Eyes
Jenn Bennett
SimonPulse
Published on April 3, 2018

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About Starry Eyes
Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern day, Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets.

But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.

What could go wrong?

With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.

And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world? Or was it just a result of the fresh forest air and the magic of the twinkling stars?

My Review
Not gonna lie, I got pretty excited when I started reading this book. I loved Zorie’s hyper-organized planner personality right from the beginning. On top of that, her interest in astronomy had me hooked. I was less sure about Lennon, who seemed maybe too perfect hipster or something.

As the story went on, though, Lennon grew on me. Turns out, he’s not just a sulking, horror-obsessed pretty face. I liked that his expertise both as a hiker and as an employee at a reptile-focused pet store advanced the story.

If I’m being totally honest, though, Zorie kind of disappointed me. I wanted more from her astronomy interest. More stargazing. More about why the stars drew her. I also found myself wishing her knowledge was necessary on the journey out of the woods, too. Instead, I felt like she kind of just followed Lennon around being impressed by his prowess (which, don’t get me wrong, was impressive.).

The parts of the story about hiking were great. I’m not much of an outdoors person myself, but this book made me want to go on a backcountry hike. It seemed like it took some realistic risks into account and showed both the wonder and beauty of nature and its power and ruthlessness.

I struggled with the ending of the story. I don’t want to give too much away, but there’s a family crisis, and I couldn’t connect with Zorie’s reaction. I felt like she mostly whined about being separated from Lennon. It’s not unrealistic for a new love to be so all-consuming, I guess I felt like it was kind of shallow. I wanted her to be deeper, and have a broader emotional range at that point, or at least to admit that she was trying to avoid her problems by drowning herself in Lennon.

One thing I did find interesting was that she simultaneously argues with her parents that her love life (her relationship with Lennon) is not their business, but that problems in her parents’ relationship are her business. The story doesn’t address this directly, but I thought it was an interesting point—it’s easy to tell people to butt out of your own life. When that shoe is on the other foot, though, it pinches. (As a parent, I’m not really on the train that says kids deserve full freedom and privacy. While I’m still legally responsible for my kids, I get to know what’s going on. But that’s a whole different soap box.)

The banter between Zorie and Lennon was great. I also loved the way each character was so individual—even down to the minor ones who barely appeared in the story. It made the cast seem super realistic and definitely upped the tension surrounding some of those strong personalities.

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Cultural Elements
Lennon has two (lesbian) moms. Zorie’s mom (step-mom) is Korean. She also has chronic hives.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used fairly frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to making out. References to sex. One brief reference to masturbation. One scene shows characters in preparation to have sex and leads into the act. Zorie makes some lusty comments throughout the book. Most of them are vague, but show her interest in sex and attraction to boys.

Lennon’s moms run a shop that sells sex toys. A couple scenes take place inside the shop among the items there.

Spiritual Content
Lennon makes a couple of jokes about Bible verses (misquoting them for a punch line) and mentions going to church with his mom. Zorie describes the church as more a gathering place for people of many different belief systems. Later, she makes a brief reference to a waterfall being like a god.

Violent Content
Reference to a man getting punched in the face.

Drug Content
A teen boy steals wine from a bar while the bartender is distracted. He and another teen get drunk. They face consequences.

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

 

Review: Ginger Kid by Steve Hofstetter

Book Review and Content, Memoir, Nonfiction, , , , , ,

Ginger Kid: Mostly True Tales of a Former Nerd
Steve Hofstetter
Amulet Books
Published on March 20, 2018

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About Ginger Kid
In Ginger Kid, popular comedian Steve Hofstetter grapples with life after seventh grade . . . when his world fell apart. Formatted as a series of personal essays, Steve walks his readers through awkward early dating, family turbulence, and the revenge of the bullied nerds. This YA nonfiction is sure to be the beloved next volume for the first generation of Wimpy Kid fans who are all grown up and ready for a new misfit hero.

My Review
A fun, easy, read that’s deceitfully informative. Each essay delivers laughs and lessons together, from things Hofstetter learned about girls and relationships to his development as a comedian. I liked the gently self-deprecating, funny way the stories are related. The short sections are perfect for readers with short gaps of time for reading—perfect for me right now!

I liked that even though the stories often have a moral lesson to them, it felt very personal rather than instructive. The scenes about improv made me want to play the games he described or join a local improv group—they sounded like so much fun!

Ginger Kid is a great read not just for misfits but for anyone who has ever felt awkward in a crowd or wrestled with self-discovery. If you’re looking for a lighthearted read, add this one to your list for sure!

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Steve is from a Jewish family. He describes (very positive) experiences he had as part of a youth group for Jewish kids.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Roughly a dozen instances of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some descriptions of kissing girls. He alludes to more, describing one girlfriend as a “sexual person,” though he doesn’t specify further.

Spiritual Content
See cultural elements.

Violent Content
A bully threatens to hit Steve.

Drug Content
Some mentions of drinking alcohol.

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