Category Archives: Book Review and Content

Review: We Come Apart by Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan

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

We Come Apart by Sarah Crossan and Brian ConaghanWe Come Apart
Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published June 13, 2017

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About We Come Apart
Nicu has emigrated from Romania and is struggling to find his place in his new home. Meanwhile, Jess’s home life is overshadowed by violence. When Nicu and Jess meet, what starts out as friendship grows into romance as the two bond over their painful pasts and hopeful futures. But will they be able to save each other, let alone themselves?

For fans of Una LaMarche’s Like No Other, this illuminating story told in dual points of view through vibrant verse will stay with readers long after they’ve turned the last page.

My Review
I wanted to read this book after having read One by Sarah Crossan, a novel in verse about conjoined sisters, which I liked. You can check out my review here.

This book was a little darker than One. The descriptions of prejudice against immigrants in England are sharp and raw and made me want to slap some people. I felt for Nicu and the difficult situation he found himself in, caught between his family’s expectations and wanting desperately to fit into his new home. It took a little longer for me to warm up to Jess. I wanted her to be smarter about her friends (who abandoned her and let her take the fall for a shoplifting venture) and I hated that she went along with her stepdad’s cruelty, though I get that she was in a really tough position there, too. She definitely grows as a character through the story. As she begins to recognize the value and goodness in Nicu, I think I felt like there was more to her than my original expectations.

And then there’s the ending. Okay. Wow. Talk about a knife to the heart. I really wanted there to be some shining rainbow of a happy ending, and it just doesn’t go at all the way I hoped. The story definitely makes a point, and Nicu’s heroism remains true to the bitter end, which was, in its own way, so sweet. And so SAD.

Though We Come Apart isn’t as dark or graphic as some of the novels in verse by Ellen Hopkins, I can see it appealing to fans of her books as it contains some similar elements: star-crossed love, social justice issues, and mistaken judgments about others.

Recommended for Ages 13 up.

Cultural Elements
Fifteen-year-old Nicu and his family are immigrants from Romania and face some severe prejudice. Nicu wants to fit in but finds it difficult to understand English language and culture. (The story is set in England.)

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Nicu brings Jess to his house and jokes that his parents will only be upset if they discover the two “making sex.” (They don’t.) Nicu’s parents have come to England to save for a bride for fifteen-year-old Nicu, who does not want to get married. At school, a girl accuses Nicu of touching her rear. At one point, Jess’s stepdad get a bit creepy, inviting her to go swimming with him. It definitely makes her feel like he wants something inappropriate from her, but she finds it hard to express why she feels that way when telling her mom later. One brief kiss between a boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Jess and Nicu meet at a community service project after each are separately busted for shoplifting.

Boys bully Nicu in the locker room after gym class. One boy attacks Nicu and he retaliates.

Jess’s stepdad physically and verbally abuses her mom. He makes Jess record videos of her mom doing chores he assigns her and of the times he beats her up. Jess hates it but feels powerless to stop it when her mom won’t defend herself or go to authorities.

Drug Content
None.

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

 

Review: The Song from Somewhere Else by A. F. Harrold

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Middle Grade 8-12, , , ,

The Song from Somewhere Else
A. F. Harrold
Illustrated by Levi Pinfold
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published July 4, 2017

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About The Song from Somewhere Else
Frank thought her summer couldn’t get any worse–until big, weird, smelly Nick Underbridge rescues her from a bully, and she winds up at his house.

Frank quickly realizes there’s more to Nick than meets the eye. When she’s at his house, she hears the strangest, most beautiful music, music which leads her to a mysterious, hidden door. Beyond the door are amazing creatures that she never even dreamed could be real. For the first time in forever, Frank feels happy . . . and she and Nick start to become friends.

But Nick’s incredible secrets are also accompanied by great danger. Frank must figure out how to help her new friend, the same way that he has helped her.

My Review
The Song From Somewhere Else has this charming, other-worldly feel to it. The story is a little bit dark, which may make it too much for younger, more sensitive readers. It reminded me a little bit of Roald Dahl in the sense that it has a dark edge to it, if that makes sense.

I loved the unlikely friendship between Frank and Nick. Nick was totally my hero from the moment he stepped onto the page. I loved getting to know his family and watching Frank learn how wrong first impressions and rumors can be. Her struggle with the neighborhood bullies also felt really authentic. I loved that she has a moment where she has to decide whether to treat one bully the way he has treated her or to put aside his cruelty and treat him differently. Those are tough choices.

The pen and ink illustrations in the book are amazing, too. They definitely captured that other-worldly feeling in the story. Also, I have to say I loved the cat and its awesome name—Quintilius Minimus!

Imaginative readers will find the out-of-the-box story appealing. Fans of books about friendship and overcoming the powerless feeling of being bullied will love Frank’s heart and her unexpected journey of friendship.

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Cultural Elements
Takes place in England.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Nick’s basement contains a door to another world with mythical creatures, good and bad. Frank encounters shadows that have the power to hurt people in her world. Frank’s cat talks to her.

Violent Content
Boys bully Frank on the playground, tossing her bag into a patch of stinging thorns. It’s clear this is a pattern, and Frank feels powerless to stop them. She wrestles with this feeling throughout the story. Frank finds a couple of people who’ve been attacked by shadows. (She doesn’t witness the actual attack.)

Drug Content
None.

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

 

Review: What Goes Up by Katie Kennedy

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What Goes Up
Katie Kennedy
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published July 18, 2017

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About What Goes Up
Rosa and Eddie are among hundreds of teens applying to NASA’s mysterious Multi-World Agency. After rounds of crazy-competitive testing they are appointed to Team 3, along with an alternate, just in case Eddie screws up (as everyone expects he will). What they don’t expect is that aliens will arrive from another dimension, and look just like us. And no one could even imagine that Team 3 would be the only hope of saving our world from their Earth-destroying plans. The teens steal the spacecraft (it would be great if they knew how to fly it) and head to Earth2, where the aliens’ world and people are just like ours. With a few notable exceptions.

There, the teens will find more than their alternate selves: they’ll face existential questions and high-stakes adventure, with comedy that’s out of this world.

My Review
I definitely enjoyed the constant jokes and comedy between the characters. It created this deep sense of camaraderie in the group and kept the story from getting too bogged down by all of the scientific details. I liked the juxtaposition of the serious crisis and the comedic moments.

The point-of-view alternates between Eddie and Rosa, who at first don’t have great impressions of each other. It’s not long before they come to respect, admire and come to need each other. I liked the chemistry between Rosa, Eddie, and Trevor. They made a great team and balanced each other well.

What Goes Up was a quick read for me. Every time I sat down to read just a few pages, I’d fly through chapter after chapter, always wondering what the teams would face next. There’s enough science to keep sci-fi fans flipping pages and enough great dialogue to keep fans of more character-driven stories well-satisfied. Totally a fun summer read.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
Rosa is Asian and Trevor is black. At one point Trevor wonders whether his alternate self is gay.

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

Romance/Sexual Content
At one point Rosa needs help getting to town for supplies to manage her period. She’s embarrassed, but doesn’t give any real details about her situation. Brief kissing between a boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A group of boys try to throw Rosa down the stairs. Eddie is nearly injured when a bomb goes off. A couple of skirmishes between Eddie’s team and alternate Earth guys bent on destroying Earth. Nothing graphically violent.

Drug Content
Eddie gets very drunk after a conflict with a family member and the leadership of the program he’s in.

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

 

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Review: Murder, Magic, and What We Wore by Kelly Jones

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

Murder, Magic, and What We Wore
Kelly Jones
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publishes September 19, 2017

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About Murder, Magic, and What We Wore

The year is 1818, the city is London, and 16-year-old Annis Whitworth has just learned that her father is dead and all his money is missing. And so, of course, she decides to become a spy.

Annis always suspected that her father was himself a spy, and following in his footsteps to unmask his killer makes perfect sense. Alas, it does not make sense to England’s current spymasters—not even when Annis reveals that she has the rare magical ability to sew glamours: garments that can disguise the wearer completely.

Well, if the spies are too pigheaded to take on a young woman of quality, then Annis will take them on. And so she crafts a new double life for herself. Miss Annis Whitworth will appear to live a quiet life in a country cottage with her aunt, and Annis-in-disguise as Madame Martine, glamour artist, will open a magical dressmaking shop. That way she can earn a living, maintain her social standing, and, in her spare time, follow the coded clues her father left behind and unmask his killer.

It can’t be any harder than navigating the London social season, can it?

My Review

This was a fantastic light-hearted read. Rollicking and reckless, it kept up its tongue-in-cheek humor while still keeping me intrigued as Miss Annis attempted to puzzle out her father’s mysterious death. The plot was slightly predictable, but the wild humor kept everything fresh enough to hold my amusement.

This book did stretch my suspension of disbelief until it began to fray like a thread. However, I think that was intensional. The story is intended to entertain, rather than immerse, and for that purpose it works beautifully.

I loved the magic system in this book. It fit so perfectly with the historical period in which the story was set. Also, I liked how there were dashes of history thrown into the midst of the suspense, as it helped to ground the story a little more (and keep that thread of disbelief from snapping entirely).

Murder, Magic, and What We Wore is comparable to the Glamourist Histories by Mary Robinette Kowal while being easier to read (and cleaner) for the younger generation. Fans of Cindy Antsey’s books will also fall in love with this comedy of manners. Overall, I’m rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. I hope that the author decides to make this book into a series, as I’m very curious to see what Annis and her friends do next!

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Most of the characters in this book are English. One minor character is described as being either West Indian or African. Some antagonism (characteristic of the time period) toward those of French descent are shown.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
One character is insinuated to have attempted to rape several maids. He attacks Annis at one point, and it is assumed that he has less-than-honorable intentions. One proposal of marriage. One remark that it is not considered good form to allow a young gentlemen’s lips to approach a young lady’s.

Spiritual Content
A few characters dress as characters from Greek mythology for a masquerade.

Violent Content
A few suspicious deaths (off page). A few attacks, including one insinuated to be an attempted rape. Some injuries. Nothing graphic.

Drug Content
Characters drink and serve alcoholic drinks as a matter of course. One character comments on a memory of a lady getting drunk and behaving in a silly manner. More alcohol is added to the punch at the masquerade to insure that the guests forget the unusual events of the evening.

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

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Review: The Disappearances by Emily Bain Murphy

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Magical Realism, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

The Disappearances
Emily Bain Murphy
HMH Books for Young Readers
Published July 4, 2017

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About The Disappearances
Aila Quinn’s mother, Juliet, has always been a mystery: vibrant yet guarded, she keeps her secrets beyond Aila’s reach. When Juliet dies, Aila and her younger brother Miles are sent to live in Sterling, a rural town far from home–and the place where Juliet grew up.

Sterling is a place with mysteries of its own. A place where the experiences that weave life together–scents of flowers and food, reflections from mirrors and lakes, even the ability to dream–vanish every seven years.

No one knows what caused these “Disappearances,” or what will slip away next. But Sterling always suspected that Juliet Quinn was somehow responsible–and Aila must bear the brunt of their blame while she follows the chain of literary clues her mother left behind.

As the next Disappearance nears, Aila begins to unravel the dual mystery of why the Disappearances happen and who her mother truly was. One thing is clear: Sterling isn’t going to hold on to anyone’s secrets for long before it starts giving them up.

My Review
I loved the sort of ethereal, powerful descriptions that filled this story. Aila won me over right away, as did most of the other characters in the book. I liked that though it had a historical setting, it’s not a historical novel. It definitely has a fantasy/mystery feel to it.

The story unravels slowly, but picks up steam as it goes. There are a lot of elements to set up before the big push that sets off the major conflict. I liked trying to piece together the connections between the families from Sterling and Aila’s family and the mysterious man whose story we also follow through the novel.

Another great element to this tale is the way works of Shakespeare tie into the mystery. I liked the way the author used those familiar stories in a fresh and different way here to add an unusual flare to The Disappearances.

While I wouldn’t at all describe this as a dystopian tale, I feel like it would appeal to readers who like old-school, classic dystopian novels, like The Giver. Something about the remote, aloof town made me think of Jonas’s world. This might make a great book for kids aging out of middle grade and into young adult literature. While there are a couple of creepy scenes, it’s a pretty clean story overall. See below for more specific content information.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Takes place in a small town in America during World War II.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing, some feelings of attraction between a girl and boy.

Spiritual Content
A curse hangs over three towns. Every seven years, something disappears and all the people from the towns become unable to experience it. For instance, in the town, no one can see any reflections on windows, water surfaces, or in mirrors.

Violent Content
One character (an adult) takes an interest in a dark science experiment. Initially he tests his theories on mice, and at first feels badly about the suffering he causes them. Gradually, he stops feeling any remorse for them, and when it’s time to test his experiment on humans, he has no qualms about testing on an unwilling participant. The descriptions are more dark than violent, but definitely creepy. It’s not a major part of the story, but it creates a strong impression.

Drug Content
Inventors have found some substances (ground roots, etc.) which seem to temporarily reverse the effects of the Disappearances or to enhance natural human abilities. For instance, one substance allows you to run fast enough to run across the surface of water.

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

 

Review: Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine

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Ash and Quill (The Great Library #3)
Rachel Caine
Berkley
Available July 11, 2017

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About Ash and Quill
Hoarding all the knowledge of the world, the Great Library jealously guards its secrets. But now a group of rebels poses a dangerous threat to its tyranny….

Jess Brightwell and his band of exiles have fled London, only to find themselves imprisoned in Philadelphia, a city led by those who would rather burn books than submit. But Jess and his friends have a bargaining chip: the knowledge to build a machine that will break the Library’s rule.

Their time is running out. To survive, they’ll have to choose to live or die as one, to take the fight to their enemies—and to save the very soul of the Great Library.

My Review
I’ve been waiting for this book since the moment I finished PAPER AND FIRE last summer. In fact, two of my friends, who have also gotten hooked on the series have been bugging me about when this book finally releases. I thought it would be the series conclusion, so a small part of me dreaded picking it up, because it’s like the countdown to the end, you know? But. It’s not the end!

So I’m back on the roller coaster of nail biting and eagerly anticipating the next book in the series, which feels like it might really truly be the end?? Eee! (Update– I just checked Goodreads. Looks like there will be a book four and five. So there’s still lots to come.)

Anyway. In terms of plot, so much happens in this book. Our heroes land in Philadelphia, at the mercy of Book Burners, sworn enemies of the Library, who figure our guys are probably best killed quickly since rations and supplies are pretty scarce. So Jess and his friends work fast to convince the leaders of their value, hoping to buy enough time to manage an escape.

Surprisingly, I think Thomas pretty much stole my heart in this book. He’s not the most central character, but he’s so much deeper and more complex than the cheerful, brilliant engineer from the first book. Jess thinks he’s being all sneaky and Thomas surprises even him. So great!

ASH AND QUILL had more violence than I remember the other books having. More than one character faces death. The Library and the Book Burners use Greek fire in battles and the casualties run pretty high, especially for civilians. This disturbs Jess and his team, but there really isn’t much they can do, though they try to help everyone they can.

Definitely don’t start the series with this book. So much is happening and so many relationships have complicated history, you definitely want the benefit of the first two books before you pick this one up. No worries, though. They’re both totally worth it. You can read my review of book one, INK AND BONE here. My review of the second book, PAPER AND FIRE is here. The next book, SMOKE AND IRON, comes out in summer of 2016.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
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
Some references to profanity. For instance, Jess hears Thomas say something in German he assumes is swearing.

Romance/Sexual Content
The team witnesses two girls kissing intimately while they’re on their way somewhere. One kiss between Wolfe and Santi. Jess and Morgan kiss multiple times, and lie down next to each other. It’s hinted that they have sex, but no details.

Spiritual Content
Lots of references to Christian belief and culture—seems like that’s a big part of the Library culture. Wolfe himself is a pagan and mentions the idea that if he and Santi die, their ideas of afterlife (as Santi is a Christian) are different. Khalila takes time to observe her Muslim faith and pray.

Violent Content
Some pretty intense battles, mostly between the Library forces and the Book Burners. Some people get burned and killed. Thomas makes a laser weapon. Jess shoots an adversary. Some descriptions get pretty intense.

Drug Content
References to drinking wine.

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