Tag Archives: Brothers

Review: The Boy Who Steals Houses by C. G. Drews

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,
The Boy Who Steals Houses by C. G. Drew

The Boy Who Steals Houses
C. G. Drews
Orchard Books
Published April 4, 2019

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About The Boy Who Steals Houses

Can two broken boys find their perfect home? By turns heartbreaking and heartwarming, this is a gorgeously told, powerful story.

Sam is only fifteen but he and his autistic older brother, Avery, have been abandoned by every relative he’s ever known. Now Sam’s trying to build a new life for them. He survives by breaking into empty houses when their owners are away, until one day he’s caught out when a family returns home. To his amazement this large, chaotic family takes him under their wing – each teenager assuming Sam is a friend of another sibling. Sam finds himself inextricably caught up in their life, and falling for the beautiful Moxie.

But Sam has a secret, and his past is about to catch up with him.

Heartfelt storytelling, perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson and Jennifer Niven.

My Review

I’ve been in such a weird reading place lately (as so many of us have during the pandemic), so while I wanted to read this book at some point, it wasn’t in the short stack of books I felt like I needed to read this month.

And yet.

As soon as I started the first page, I had to know what came next. The chapters are pretty short (or at least, they seemed that way?) and I kept “one more chapter”-ing myself into reading long past a reasonable bed time and sneaking reading time into every spare minute during the day until I’d finished. So it’s super addicting and a really compelling story.

Sam is one of those boys you just want to shake (Gently… Come on. He’s been through a LOT.). He’s a mess, and he’s quickly becoming something he fears and hates, but he so desperately wants to be loved and to protect those he loves that I really couldn’t help loving him and wanting him to figure out a way through.

Though the whole story is in his point-of-view, a lot of it centers around a girl he’s quickly falling for. Moxie is amazing. I loved her from the very first moment she appeared on the page. She is fierce, creative, and vulnerable. She confronts Sam’s issues, but she sees beyond them, too.

Conclusion

Some of the abuse elements in THE BOY WHO STEALS HOUSES are pretty dark. I’m sensitive to that type of content, and it was very close to the line for me because it’s so cruel, and because more than one character behaves cruelly toward Sam and his brother. There are maybe four scenes that were really hard to read and then other quick mentions of or references to abuse that happened to the boys. I still loved the book, but it does live up to the promise of being heartbreaking in its descriptions of these things.

If you like tragic heroes and stories about found families, THE BOY WHO STEALS HOUSES must go on your To Be Read list! I think fans of MORE THAN WE CAN TELL by Brigid Kemmerer will really like this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Sam’s brother Avery has Autism Spectrum Disorder. Moxie’s brother is gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Graphic scenes show an adult physically abusing a child. Some scenes show cruel bullying and a teen beating up other teens.

Drug Content
References to teens drinking alcohol.

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Review: Behind These Hands by Linda Vigen Phillips

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

Behind These Hands
Linda Vigen Phillips
Light Messages
Published on July 7, 2018

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Behind These Hands
Fourteen-year-old Claire Fairchild has always known music would be her life. She enters a prestigious contest pitted against Juan, a close childhood friend. It doesn’t help that her thoughts about him have turned romantic. But nothing compares to the devastating news that both younger brothers have Batten disease.

While attending a conference about this rare neurodegenerative disorder, Claire receives word that she has won the contest. Her musical goals no longer seem relevant. She can’t reconcile the joy and prestige that a classical music career would bring to her life while her brothers are succumbing to an early and ugly death.

When Claire accompanies a friend on a school newspaper assignment, she meets a centenarian with a unique musical past and only one regret in life. Claire knows something in her life has to change before she, too, has regrets. With newfound courage and determination, she finds a new way to express herself musically while celebrating the lives of her dying brothers.

My Review
I always forget how much I love a novel in verse. There’s something truly amazing about finding a way to tell an entire story saturated with emotions in so few words. Behind These Hands took me to tears so many times, both with its tragedy and its beauty.

The descriptions of Claire playing the piano and composing her piece for the contest were so vivid I felt like I heard the music. Her heartache watching her brothers and knowing what their future holds hit me hard every time. The characters, especially Claire and her two best friends, felt real and full in every scene.

I didn’t expect to be as blown away by this book as I am. I want to read it a second time. I want to tell so many people about it. I love that it’s a fantastic story but also that it raises awareness of a disorder that affects real kids.

If you liked Solo by Kwame Alexander, the family issues and Claire’s courage may remind you of that story. If you’re a fan of novels in verse or moving contemporary fiction, definitely check Behind These Hands out!Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Claire is white. Her best friend Juan is Cuban.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used a few times. At one point Claire responds to two bullies with two middle fingers.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between a boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

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

 

Review: Moonrise by Sarah Crossan

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

Moonrise
Sarah Crossan
Bloomsbury Children’s
Published on May 8, 2018

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Moonrise
‘They think I hurt someone.
But I didn’t. You hear?
Coz people are gonna be telling you
all kinds of lies.
I need you to know the truth.’

As Joe’s older brother nears his execution date, Joe journeys to visit him before the end. He struggles to understand what happened from the night Ed’s accused of murder through the twists and turns in the justice system. Now, barely able to provide for himself, Joe tries his best to support his brother and hold onto the hope that his brother will have justice before he dies.

My Review
Moonrise shines a light on some cracks in the criminal justice system. I feel like cracks isn’t the right word. Holes? Canyons? I’m not sure. Nevertheless, reading a story about someone who seems to have been wrongfully convicted can’t be easy.

Joe’s whole life is a struggle, but his brother Ed was one of the brightest spots in it as he grew up, fatherless, and with a drug-addicted mother. That changes when Ed goes to prison for murder, even though there isn’t much evidence to support the conviction. Now he tries to be a support to his brother in what may be his final days, even though he has no idea what to say or how to say it. Even though he can barely afford to survive on his own in the small Texas town where Ed’s imprisoned.

The story has a lot of grim moments, but it’s not without hope. Joe befriends a young woman who teaches him about forgiveness and love. He meets a Chaplin who challenges him to be strong. His sister and aunt find ways to love one another despite the difficult circumstances they find themselves in.

Did I like the story? For some reason, I find it tough to answer that. It’s an uncomfortable read in some ways. I found I couldn’t read it without examining my own thoughts on issues like the death penalty and police procedures surrounding suspects and pressure to elicit a confession. I think this was the author’s point, so in that way, the story must be a success. Was it a comfortable read? No. Not at all. But there are a lot of books worth reading that aren’t comfortable. I have to call this one of them.

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used moderately frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Joe and his brother meet with a Chaplin who brings them comfort.

Violent Content
Joe’s brother has been accused and convicted of shooting a police officer. No descriptions of the officer’s death.

Drug Content
Joe and a girl smoke pot together in one scene. In another, they drink alcohol.

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

 

Review: Outcasts by Jill Williamson

Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Clean Fiction, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Outcasts (Safe Lands #2)
Jill Williamson
Blink/Zondervan
Published January 7, 2014

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

After rescuing many of the women from their village and hiding them within the Safe Lands, Levi, Mason and Omar formulate a plan to rescue the children and return them to their families. As the plan begins to take shape, the boys learn that one of their allies may have an agenda all his own.

Mason still pursues research to develop a cure to the deadly disease plaguing residents of the Safe Lands. His relationship with his beautiful supervisor deepens, and Mason longs to ask her for help. But Ciddah keeps her own secrets, some of which may directly threaten Mason and his people.

Omar longs to make up for the betrayal which left many of his people dead and its survivors as captives in the Safe Lands. He’s got a plan, and it’s big enough to unravel the entire leadership of the Safe Lands and bring freedom to everyone. Or it might just get his family executed.

Outcasts brings all the excitement and intensity introduced by the first in this series. While the characters in the first book were intriguing, they emerge in a sharper, even more engaging way in this novel. Mason’s geeky struggles to pursue romance and Omar’s desperation for approval and retribution are fun and endearing. The web of political intrigue spins far and fast, pulling the reader deeper into the story page by page. The unexpected ending will leave readers panting for the next installment. This is a great series for boys or girls, and one that explores deep issues of addiction and forgiveness.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None

Sexual Content
Omar realizes that when he feels bad, he seeks sexual encounters as a means to thwart loneliness and guilt. The encounters are implied, not explicitly shown. Mason wrestles with his feelings of affection for his supervisor. She invites him to sleep with her, but he refuses.

Spiritual Content
Shaylinn wants to participate in opposing the Safe Lands rule, but as a pregnant fugitive, her options for how to do so are limited. She begins sending encouraging notes to people. The notes contain uplifting Bible verses and exhortations to stand fast and have faith. She prays over each note as she writes it.

Violence
More than one character is shot during a risky rescue attempt. Others are beaten by Safe Lands Enforcers. Violence is brief and descriptions are not graphic.

Drug Content
Omar depends on regular drug use to manage his emotions. He realizes this is a problem and wants to change, but feels powerless to break the habit.

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

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