Top Ten Tuesday: Best Blogs to Follow

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TTTTop Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s theme is a fantastic one: the best blogs to follow. I tend to follow several different kinds of blogs. I like finding other blogs that review clean books or which list content information. I think in part it makes me feel validated, and it’s always interesting to see the ways other sites break down the content information. I also like to follow what I’ll call a specialty blog, one that steers readers toward specific types of books– books about characters with disabilities, books by minority authors, etc. Then there are the good old trusty review sites where I find myself reading the reviews of books I’ve read and saying, “I know, right?!” and reading reviews of books I haven’t read and immediately adding the titles to my reading list. I should add lots of others to this list, but these are the ones far and above all others that I find myself returning to for inspiration, recommendations and ideas:

Reading Teen

I’ve probably been following this blog the longest out of all the others on this list. I’m not sure how I found Reading Teen, but I really love this site. I guest-posted a review of Panic by Lauren Oliver which you can find here. One of my FAVORITE posts by Andye is this one about sex in teen fiction.

Compass Book Ratings

When I first discovered this site, it was called Clean Teen Reads. I don’t visit as often as I’d like, but I’ve recommended it several times to readers who are looking for more specific content than I tend to give. For instance, regarding profanity, this site will tell you which words and how many times they’re used whereas I tend to give a more general overview.

Brown Books and Green Tea

This is a recent favorite of mine. I love the focus on multicultural books, but also the way the blogger breaks down her reviews and thoughts on books. She makes me think, promotes really interesting books for deep reasons, and when she recommends something, it’s top notch.

Disability in Kidlit

If I’m going to be honest, I have a real love/hate relationship with this blog. I LOVE the idea: books featuring characters with disabilities reviewed by someone diagnosed with the disability. This gives a really insightful look at what a story looks like from a very specific angle. And a lot of the time, I find myself thinking, oh, wow. I never considered that. However, sometimes I get frustrated because it feels like so many of the reviews are very negative and really expect authors to capture these disabled characters with absolute perfection, and the hammer falls hard on those who fail. I think it’s truly important that we have stories that feature disabled characters, but as an aspiring writer, sometimes I wonder if blogs like this might scare writers out of trying to include them in their stories? I don’t know. Honestly, I love having the perspective the bloggers bring to the table. I think it’s a really important perspective, and I think authors should strive to accurately represent their characters, disabled or not.

Author Laura L. Smith’s Blog

I often find myself encouraged and inspired by these posts. Like her writing, Laura’s posts are very authentic, but they still manage to pull us toward beauty and wonder. I love that. I need that in my life. She’s awesome. Go read her books, too!

Review: King’s Folly by Jill Williamson

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

King’s Folly
Jill Williamson
Bethany House

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Earthquakes rock the kingdom of Armania. The king responds with sacrifices to the gods. His advisors claim the Five Woes and the end of the world are upon them. Prince Wilek believes there must be another solution besides blood shed in sacrifice to angry gods. He and his companions embark on a journey to save the kingdom before the quakes swallow the land. Along the way, they find an empress in need of rescue. A priestess whose goddess demands the ultimate sacrifice from her, and a prophetess who speaks of salvation for the people.

I’ve been a fan of Jill Williamson’s writing since her debut novel, By Darkness Hid. (If you like fantasy and haven’t read it, I recommend the whole Blood of Kings series!) King’s Folly, the first novel in the Kinsman Chronicles, takes us back to the very same story world in which the Blood of Kings books take place, only years earlier.

I’m always a little nervous to revisit something that expands on an old favorite. Truth be told, the first quarter of the story felt a little slow to me. There are LOTS of characters and relationships referenced, though not all of them are deeply important to the story. There is a character glossary, but I found myself not referring to it. (I tend to be too lazy to zip back and forth when I’m reading ebooks. If there’s a map or glossary in a paperback, I’m much more likely to make use of them. But I digress.)

That said, once I read past that first part, I really began to be hooked on the story. I loved Wilek, even from the beginning. I think I felt like I kept waiting for him to do something – he seemed sort of trapped by his own passivity and sense of duty. The situation with Lebetta really lit a fire in him, and I felt like suddenly, the story sprinted forward.

There are some great characters that simply won’t get enough airtime in review. I loved Kal and the prophetess. I found Charlon, the escaped slave turned acolyte, to be a really compelling character, too. And of course Trevn and Mielle!

I’m really glad I read this book. I found it to be a lot darker than By Darkness Hid. After reading the note from the author on why she chose some of those themes (see my reference below under spiritual content), I think including them makes sense. But the darker themes may make the story better suited to older readers.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
There are some references to sex, but no descriptions or the event. Some members of the royal family have concubines and/or multiple wives. A woman who escaped from prostitution (we only know this from some hints at her past life) is told she must seduce a man in order to become pregnant.

Spiritual Content
In Wilek’s kingdom, they are expected to worship five gods. His father’s favorite, Barthos, demands human sacrifices. The king is happy to comply, and once even offered one of his own sons.

Mantics use power over a shadir, or spiritual creature, to perform impossible feats. In some places, these practices are illegal. In others, powerful mantics rule over others.

One of the gods is known as Arman (readers of the Blood of Kings books will be familiar with this name.) Arman demands total devotion, forsaking all other gods, and calls himself a Father God.

Williamson describes the spiritual elements of The King’s Folly as being inspired by stories from the Old Testamant, a time during which God’s people often turned to idols only to bear disastrous consequences. In this novel, following Arman becomes like following the Christian God.

Violent Content
Wilek is forced to attend ceremonies involving human sacrifices. He does not witness the sacrifices being consumed, but hears sounds from far off. Several fights take place between characters and enemies or assassins. A woman is found murdered.

Drug Content
Mantics ingest poison as part of rituals of power.

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

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Upcoming Reviews: April 2016

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I live! Admit it. You were wondering.

Sorry. Between Spring Break (which was lots more SPRING than BREAK, to tell the truth) and Easter and illness in our house, I’ve let blogging fall to the wayside for the last couple of weeks. I’m hoping that this weekend I’ll be able to get caught up on the things I’ve missed and get into reading some of these awesome books– because FOUR of them come out in less than a week!

Not listed here, but on my agenda to review is Life Animated by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Suskind (which I HIGHLY recommend.) As a reminder, I do not accept requests to review non-fiction, but occasionally, I do read and review some non-fiction here.

Now, to business! Here are some of the books you can expect to find here at The Story Sanctuary in April 2016:

Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan

A city divided into Light and Dark. A girl from the Light side, whose boyfriend has a Dark secret. Can’t wait to read this one. I’m new to Sarah Rees Brennan’s work, so I’m eager to check out this book and hopefully add her others to my ever-growing To-Read list.

The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse

Suspense. Mystery. World War II Europe. I’m so in. A girl who runs black market items to paying customers receives a request to locate something beyond coffee or meat: a missing Jewish girl.

The Land’s Whisper by Monica Lee Kennedy

Monica Lee Kennedy approached me about reviewing her novel The Land’s Whisper a couple of months ago. In this story, the land is alive, though only a few can communicate with it, a power which proves consuming and dangerous. Such a fascinating premise.

Remember to Forget by Ashley Royer

This book seems to be getting a lot of buzz lately. Ashley Royer gained a lot of notice on Wattpad for this story. I’m always interested in books that deal with grief and emotional trauma (which sounds really dark… I promise I’m a pretty happy person) so I’m eager to get into this one.

Siren’s Song (Storm Siren #3) by Mary Weber

I’ve read the first two books in this series, and at last at last, I’m ready to sit down with the third. CAN’T WAIT to see if Nym is able to wield control over her abilities, defeat her enemies and be with the one she loves. Eee!

King’s Folly by Jill Williamson

As a long-time Jill Williamson fan, I’m super excited about this book. If you read the Blood of Kings books, you’ll recognize this story as taking place in the same story world, but much, much earlier. So it’s like getting to hear all the backstory of a series I really enjoyed already.

Review: The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten

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

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B
Teresa Toten
Delacorte Press

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Almost-fifteen-year-old Adam meets Robyn at his group therapy session for teens with obsessive-compulsive issues. It’s hardly the setting for romance, but Adam can’t deny how he feels for her. Robyn seems drawn to him, too. Maybe. But while Robyn’s most troublesome days seem to be behind her, Adam’s life continues to spiral out of control. He’s at the mercy of his half-brother’s anxiety issues, and his mother refuses to get help though the threatening letters she receives only seem to be getting worse. As Adam desperately struggles to hold everyone together, he begins to split at the seams. But it may be the voices of his Group mates which bring him the strength and courage to face greater truths about his family, his condition, and himself.

Adam faces a lot of challenges related to his obsessive-compulsive disorder, from counting to threshold issues. While his OCD is an important and ever-present element in the story, it doesn’t dominate who Adam is. He’s also kind, funny, loves selflessly, and is wholly devoted to his family. Each member of Adam’s family and community circle comes across as complex and essential to the tale as well. Toten doesn’t leave readers with a neat and tidy ending, all loose ends wrapped up, either. I felt that this added to the sense of realism in the story. Though there’s a sharp change in Adam’s OCD as the story resolves, other threads are left hanging, blanks for the reader to fill. Fans of Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer and Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella need to give this novel a read.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used moderately throughout the story.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing and “shy touches.” (No details.)

Spiritual Content
Adam teaches Robyn about Catholicism. He and his group mates visit the Catholic church Adam and his mother used to attend, and he explains various rites and rituals, including praying the Rosary, genuflecting, lighting candles, etc. There’s a brief discussion about whether it’s appropriate for non-Catholics to enter the church. A few of Adam’s friends are Jewish. Adam prays desperately at one point.

Violent Content
Adam’s mother receives disturbing letters in the mail. While they don’t directly threaten her, they’re cruel and deeply upsetting to both her and Adam.

Drug Content
Adam is responsible to monitor his own dosage of medication. As his symptoms worsen, he responds with increasing his medication. He and his friend Ben celebrate the New Year by guzzling Red Bulls until they’re ridiculously buzzed from the caffeine. Then they crash and sleep until the following afternoon.

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

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Review: Off the Page by Jodi Picoult

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

Off the Page
Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer
Delacorte Press

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Delilah and Oliver can finally be together in the real world. But in order to maintain Oliver’s presence, Edgar had to take his place in the fairytale story where Oliver really belongs. As Oliver struggles to acclimate to the new and unfamiliar setting outside his story, he must impersonate Edgar well enough to fool Edgar’s mother and to fit in at school. When another portal between the story and the real world opens, two more characters swap for real life counterparts, leaving Delilah and Oliver to untangle the mess. For both of them, one thing is certain: they must find a happily-ever-after solution for their entire cast.

While Off the Page is cute, a few of the plot twists didn’t resonate well with the story, to me. Though Oliver finds a way to exit the fairytale, he’s not a real boy. Punch him, and he’ll bleed ink, not blood. It seemed like at some point this would have to be addressed if he were to intend to spend the rest of his life outside the confines of the book. Also, the swap – a real human boy for a prince in a fairytale – is uneven. A boy gives up an entire life for confinement in a story so that a high school girl can have a life with the boy she’s in love with? What does the story’s new protagonist get out of the exchange? It seems like living in a book would get terrifically old after a while. Other than a few plot wrinkles, the story progresses smoothly, and true love is found by all the essential characters. True to its promise, the tale delivers its happily-ever-after for nearly everyone.

Honestly, I really didn’t care for Delilah very much, and Oliver was hit and miss for me. I loved Jules and Edgar (though his name kept tripping me up. I kept thinking of the butler from Disney’s Aristocats. I know, my daughter was recently in a musical performance, so it’s probably just me.) I really wanted the story to be more about them, and I felt like the end sort of cheated each of them. There were some side characters – Socks, Humphrey, and Frump – that really made things entertaining. Over all, I liked the story of Off the Page. It didn’t blow me away, but I wasn’t sorry I read it.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing, lying next to each other on a bed.

Spiritual Content
References to fate. There are a couple of passages that compare the living characters in the story Delilah loves to real people – one commenting that we all have an author. Nothing more specific than that.

Violent Content
One boy punches another boy in the face. Reference to a dog getting hit by a car.

Drug Content
None.

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

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Review: Finding Hope by Colleen Nelson

Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Finding Hope
Colleen Nelson
Dundurn

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Sixteen year-old Hope is trapped in a small town as her family wrestles with her brother’s addiction to crystal meth. After her mom pushes her to apply for a prestigious boarding school over an hour away, she’s shocked to discover she’s been accepted. There’s only one problem: if she moves away, how will her brother, Eric, survive on the street without the money and food she regularly slips to him? When Eric learns Hope has gone away to school, he follows her to the city. Unfortunately, his inner demons only torment him harder as he draws nearer to the memories that pushed his former life completely off the rails. He turns to Hope for help, but she has her own battles to fight, and for the first time, she may not be able to save him from himself.

Though Finding Hope is described as being about Hope, I kind of felt like Eric stole the show. This sort of echoes the way Hope’s family operates, where Eric is the squeaky wheel, the one who requires a lot of intervention and causes a lot of tension, and Hope sort of goes quietly unnoticed. I felt a little disappointed that the novel kind of went the same way. She has her own crisis to manage, but even that sort of took a back seat to Eric’s unfolding drama.

One thing I really liked was the role her poetry played in the story. I liked that she crafted poems during intense situations and that she used them to communicate with her brother. I also loved the way her writing impulses escalated to her scrawling the lines on her own body. I felt that increased pressure and that sort of coming-unglued feeling right along with her in those moments.

I wished I’d gotten to see more of her relationship with Devon as it unfolded. I felt like we got snippets of her email exchanges, but not enough to make me feel like I understood or believed in the relationship.

The story resolves many of the big issues raised, some more easily than others. Again, Hope’s troubles sort of take a backseat to Eric’s. Things unwind pretty quickly, and true to its title, the tale leaves readers with the sense that the worst is over, and better days are ahead for Hope and her family.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used moderately throughout the book. Most of the profanity is in the sections from Eric’s point-of-view.

Romance/Sexual Content
Girls at Hope’s new school dare each other to walk through the hall naked or send photos of their breasts to boys from another school. A man encourages a boy to watch pornography. One character reveals memories of abuse. The memories are choppy, it’s not a play-by-play reveal of events, but there are some graphic, intense descriptions, including one describing coerced oral sex.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Eric injures his hand during a robbery.

Drug Content
Eric is addicted to crystal meth. The addiction is clearly destroying his life and relationships with his family. He’s living on the street, depending on handouts from guilt-ridden or sympathetic family members and strangers.

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

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