Review: The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily by Laura Creedle

Young Adult/Teen 12-18

The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily
Laura Creedle
HMH Books for Young Readers
Published on December 26, 2017

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About The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily
When Lily Michaels-Ryan ditches her ADHD meds and lands in detention with Abelard, who has Asperger’s, she’s intrigued—Abelard seems thirty seconds behind, while she feels thirty seconds ahead. It doesn’t hurt that he’s brilliant and beautiful.

When Abelard posts a quote from The Letters of Abelard and Heloise online, their mutual affinity for ancient love letters connects them. The two fall for each other. Hard. But is it enough to bridge their differences in person?

This hilarious, heartbreaking story of human connection between two neurodivergent teens creates characters that will stay with you long after you finish reading.

My Review
My favorite thing about this book is the interesting comparisons Lily makes of things. Her way of seeing the world felt different to me than any other character I’ve ever read. She’s spunky and smart and constantly battling herself and the world, and that made her impossible not to love. I liked that she also felt uneven, if that makes sense. She has very strong strengths– her love of literature, her obvious intelligence (though her ADHD made it hard for her to recognize about herself) and the way she values others. But in addition, she has real struggles, too. Her relationship with Abelard was never going to be a typical teen romance. I loved the way they worked around and through the challenges each of them face, for instance, the daily text message exchanges. I always swoon at witty banter, and the text message back-and-forth between Abelard and Lily totally delivered the swoon I was looking for.

Lily’s relationship with other characters also make this book complex and memorable. She and her sister are very different from one another. Iris goes to a school for gifted students, so Lily, who barely passes her own classes, believes herself constantly in Iris’s academic shadow. But it’s really not that simple. When Lily discovers that in some ways she actually casts a shadow herself, she immediately responds with empathy and wonder.

I liked the growth and change in the relationships between characters, and the energetic way Lily relates her adventures. If you enjoyed The One Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti, you will want to check out The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily, too.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
Lily has ADHD and Abelard has Asperger’s.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used every chapter or so.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Lily also references a desire to be in bed with Abelard. (She phrases it that way.)

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Lily has a tendency to break things by accident. Abelard bangs his head on a coffee table on purpose in one scene. At one point, a woman becomes angry and throws a glass against the wall.

Drug Content
Lily wrestles with taking her ADHD medication, which causes a number of unpleasant side effects.

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

 

Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

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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.

 

Review and Blog Tour: Winter Glass by Lexa Hillyer

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

Yay! I’m so excited to be part of the Winter Glass Blog Tour (Thank you for the invitation, Glasstown Entertainment!) because I’ve been waiting for this book since I first read Spindle Fire, part one of this rich duology. In fact, you probably saw Winter Glass listed on Gabrielle’s Top Ten Exciting YA Releases of 2018 post in January.

Winter Glass
Lexa Hillyer
HarperCollins
Published on April 10, 2018

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About Winter Glass

A curse comes undone. A kingdom shatters. But some bonds can’t be broken.

Princess Aurora, torn from the dream world, plots to assassinate the faerie queen Malfleur, only to confront temptations she never expected. Isabelle, meanwhile, opens her heart to Prince William as they attempt to unite their kingdoms and wage war against Malfleur’s army. But when the appearance of an unbreakable glass slipper prompts Isabelle to discover more about her lineage, her true identity begins to take shape and her legacy becomes as clear as ice.

Devoted half-sisters Isabelle and Aurora will grapple with their understanding of love and loyalty as they face a threat even greater than that of the evil queen—the threat of losing each other forever.

My Review
There’s a certain kind of pressure that comes from picking up such a highly anticipated book. Sequel Anxiety, I guess it could be called. I find when I especially loved a first book in a series, I’m super eager to get to the second one, but then when I have the copy in my hands, lots of times I put off reading it, worried it will not live up to my memories of the other story. I did the same thing this time, too.

But as soon as I started reading Winter Glass, I remembered why I loved Spindle Fire so much. The prose strikes with poetry and power. I found myself instantly carted off to Deluce and the plight of two very different, very strong princesses. Hillyer’s writing makes emotions reach out from the page and take you by the throat. It’s intense and delicious at once.

Another of my favorite things about this book (both books really) is the way the author twists fairy tales together to form a new sort of story. Spindle Fire read a bit like a mash-up of Sleeping Beauty and Alice in Wonderland. Winter Glass doesn’t have quite the same overt story-for-story feel to it. Instead, familiar fairy tale elements (the glass slipper, the rogue who hunts the king’s deer and gives them to the poor) add flavor and depth to the story, but the tale itself stands on its own as something original.

I loved the themes about storytelling and the truth finding you. I’ve just finished another read-through of The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis with my daughter, and it reminded me of the way Aslan says to Shasta that he only tells a person his own story. So that resonated with me for sure.

One of the things I found interesting about Winter Glass is the lack of older mentors. There are a couple brief moments where Isabella receives some wisdom from a mentor-type character, but all of the older characters are deeply flawed people, often deeply selfish. I missed the appearance of really admirable characters. Obviously every story doesn’t have to have them. I’ve realized for myself lately that it’s hard for me to connect with a story if I don’t find at least one of the characters admirable. (I think this is true for a lot of people.) I did admire both Aurora and Isabelle for their tenacity, self-sacrifice, and commitment to help others.

I totally enjoyed reading Winter Glass and recommend it to fairy tale fans for its unusual spin on familiar stories as well as its strong heroines.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Isabelle is blind and Aurora mute. Aurora also lacks a sense of touch.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between man and woman. Sensual references to more intimate contact—response to the memories, like blushing or feeling pulse race. Two scenes hint at sex, but very vaguely. One refers to a married couple. The other to two women. This scene shows a kiss and one character beginning to undress the other.

Spiritual Content
Powerful faeries have the ability to tithe (take) things like sight or compassion. An evil faerie spread a sleeping sickness across the land and has taken other powers for herself. One character says no faerie or god can discern justice for anyone besides himself.

Violent Content
Some descriptions of rotting corpses (victims of a plague). Descriptions of prisoners who’ve been tortured by starvation and solitary confinement. Several scenes describe battles—some in an arena-like atmosphere in which one character must kill an opponent. Other scenes describe warfare. Details are sometimes graphic.

Drug Content
None.

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

About Lexa Hillyer

Website | Twitter | Instagram

Lexa Hillyer is the author of the young adult novels Spindle Fire, Winter Glass, and Proof of Forever, as well as the poetry collection, Acquainted with the Cold (Bona Fide Books), the 2012 gold prize winner of the Foreword Book of the Year Award for Poetry, and a recipient of the Melissa Lanitis Gregory Poetry Prize. Her work has been featured in Best New Poets 2012, and she has received various other prizes and honors for poetry. Lexa earned her BA in English from Vassar College and her MFA in Poetry from Stonecoast at the University of Southern Maine. She worked as an editor at both Harper Collins and Penguin, before founding the production company Glasstown Entertainment along with bestselling author Lauren Oliver. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, their daughter, and a very skinny orange tree.

Review: Seeker of the Crown by Ruth Lauren

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Seeker of the Crown
Ruth Lauren
Bloomsbury
Published on April 3, 2018

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Valor risks everything to protect her friends in this second book in a thrilling fantasy series that’s Percy Jackson meets Frozen.

One month has passed since Valor broke her twin sister Sasha out of jail. But the girl who imprisoned her to begin with—Princess Anastasia—has gone missing. The queen, desperate to find her daughter, asks Valor and Sasha to track Anastasia down and bring her home.

But just as the girls and their friends embark on the search, the queen also vanishes, throwing the realm into utter chaos. If Valor can’t restore order, she risks getting sent back to prison . . . and tearing her newly reunited family apart once again. She must rely on people she can’t quite trust, as well as her own instincts, to protect the people she holds dear.

My Review
“Percy Jackson meets Frozen” is a great description of Seeker of the Crown. Two sisters with very different roles and talents team up with a couple of outlaws awaiting pardons to save their kingdom from a rebel princess who means to take all for herself.

The action never lags—from the first page to the last, Valor runs from one challenge to the next as the stakes get higher and higher. This plus the clear, smooth writing makes this book a quick, fun read.

Valor’s tenacity and independence set her up as a strong heroine. She struggles to trust others and depend on them for help. But when her impulsive actions get her into trouble, she has to accept that she can’t do things totally alone.

I liked that the two sisters were so different. Valor’s point-of-view leads us through the story, but we learn a lot about her relationship with her twin, Sasha. While Valor is impulsive and a fighter, Sasha is a thinker and more rules-oriented.

The only hiccup for me was that the girls are only thirteen. The story world describes them as basically being adults—beginning apprenticeships and having a lot of independence—but I found it hard to get my head around that sometimes. I don’t think there was anything wrong with it, I just struggled to connect with them as such young characters. I kept thinking they were fifteen or sixteen.

On the whole, Seeker of the Crown is a great adventure, and except for some mild-ish violence, it’s clean! I think fifth and sixth grade readers would enjoy it most, but the style of the storytelling should make it appealing to some older readers, too. I’m so glad I got to read it, and now I want to go back and read the first book. I had no trouble following the second book without reading the first one, but I’m interested in the story enough to want to know how it all started.

Recommended for Ages 8 up.

Cultural Elements
The characters and story setting have a Russian/Scandinavian feel to them.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Valor remembers her captivity in a terrible prison (where she had been wrongfully imprisoned) and makes some references to torture. I’d describe these references as dark but not graphic. They focus on her mental and emotional scarring rather than physical harm.

Battle scenes show soldiers in combat. Valor defends herself with a crossbow and is prepared to shoot enemies.

Drug Content
None.

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