Tag Archives: Scholastic Press

Review: The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron

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

The Forgetting by Sharon CameronThe Forgetting
Sharon Cameron
Scholastic Press
Published on September 16th, 2016

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About The Forgetting

What isn’t written, isn’t remembered. Even your crimes.

Nadia lives in the city of Canaan, where life is safe and structured, hemmed in by white stone walls and no memory of what came before. But every twelve years the city descends into the bloody chaos of the Forgetting, a day of no remorse, when each person’s memories – of parents, children, love, life, and self – are lost. Unless they have been written.

In Canaan, your book is your truth and your identity, and Nadia knows exactly who hasn’t written the truth. Because Nadia is the only person in Canaan who has never forgotten.

But when Nadia begins to use her memories to solve the mysteries of Canaan, she discovers truths about herself and Gray, the handsome glassblower, that will change her world forever. As the anarchy of the Forgetting approaches, Nadia and Gray must stop an unseen enemy that threatens both their city and their own existence – before the people can forget the truth. And before Gray can forget her.

My Review

The characters were well-developed, and fit together like pieces in a puzzle. Nadia especially was a unique heroine–she stood out from the crowd of cookie-cutter YA heroines, and made herself heard. I really liked her style of character. It was refreshing. Gray, on the other hand, was a little bit cliche in his “I’m a player but I love only you” style of character, but I liked him anyway. (It seems that everyone can’t help but like Gray.) Liliya–vindictive, nasty Liliya–was sympathetic, even though she made herself disliked from the beginning. And Genivee was an adorable little cinnamon roll.

One issue I had with the characters: Eshan. He wasn’t well-developed, so I was slightly annoyed at how much emphasis was placed on him, even though he didn’t contribute much other than being a plot device to get the main characters together. Also, I wasn’t comfortable with the fact that the author made him (minor spoiler) gay. I felt like it was unnecessary, and thrown in just for show, especially since his character was so little developed.

The plot was engrossing. I was continually mystified as it progressed, and was only able to say”Aha! So that’s explains it,” at the very end. Sharon Cameron did an excellent job in layering her plot, and I’m sure you all will enjoy it. Note: I had problems with her other book, Rook, because of the intense romance and…ahem…the stuff it led to. She did a lot better in this book, but there was still a good bit of romantic stuff. See the content guide below for details.

The world-building in this one was excellent as well. It developed along with the story, and surprised me a lot. I’m not going to say anymore because of spoilers–you’ll just have to read it for yourself.

Overall: I immensely enjoyed this read. It was complex, and developed layer upon layer, so you felt like you were there, discovering and learning along with the characters. The style of writing, atmosphere, and overall feel of the book reminded me a lot of Matched by Ally Condie, but slightly darker. I can’t really put my finger on what it was, but I kept thinking about how similar it felt while I was reading it. Fans of Ally Condie and Ashley Bogner will love diving into this book. 5 out of 5 stars!


Recommended for Ages 14 and up

Cultural Elements
One character is revealed to be gay. 

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None that I can recall.

Romance/Sexual Content
Heavy kissing and embracing, semi-detailed. Characters almost lose control and go ‘all the way,’ but it doesn’t get beyond kissing and embracing on a bed. Some mentions of unwanted/unexpected pregnancies. Mention of ‘dalliances.’

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
There is a lot of violence in this one. Torture, beatings, attacks, blood, wounds, burns by acid, etc. Not overly gory, but not good for sensitive readers either.

Drug Content
Trees in and around Canaan produce flowers, the pollen of which causes people to forget their pasts.

Review: Dark Breaks the Dawn by Sara B. Larson

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

Dark Breaks the Dawn
Sara B. Larson
Scholastic Press
Published May 30th, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Dark Breaks the Dawn

On her eighteenth birthday, Princess Evelayn of Eadrolan, the Light Kingdom, can finally access the full range of her magical powers. The light looks brighter, the air is sharper, and the energy she can draw when fighting feels almost limitless.

But while her mother, the queen, remains busy at the war front, in the Dark Kingdom of Dorjhalon, the corrupt king is plotting. King Bain wants control of both kingdoms, and his plan will fling Evelayn onto the throne much sooner than she expected.

In order to defeat Bain and his sons, Evelayn will quickly have to come into her ability to shapeshift, and rely on the alluring Lord Tanvir. But not everyone is what they seem, and the balance between the Light and Dark comes at a steep price.

My Review

This is the first retelling of Swan Lake that I have come across, and while it wasn’t quite what I was expecting, I still enjoyed it. The characters for the most part were enjoyable, and I liked how in this book the romance progressed steadily and seemed like a positive relationship. No painful love triangles and drama here! I wasn’t a fan of the scenes from Lorcan’s and Lothar’s POV. I think the author was trying to create sympathy for them, but I still didn’t like them a whole lot. And it just left me with a lot of unanswered questions.

The world-building definitely carries the book however. It was excellent, very well thought out with a unique magic system. One thing that threw me for a loop at first though was that this book is not about humans–it’s about Draiolon, a race of fae-like creatures who live centuries, and have skin and hair colors in a variety of shades–blue, green, white, gold, you name it. The Light Draiolon wield the powers of Summer–heat, fire, light, etc. The Dark Draiolon wield the powers of Winter– cold, shadowflame, darkness, etc. It took me an embarrassing long time to figure this stuff out. I finally caught on when I realized that the words “people,” “man,” and “woman” weren’t used because the book isn’t about humans. Instead, words like “Draiolon,” “male,” and “female” are used.

One thing that kinda bugged me about this book however was that the retelling aspect of the book didn’t come into play until the very end. Hopefully the sequel will explore more of the original story, although it seems like there is still a lot of questions to be answered for it to be just a duology. Dark Breaks the Dawn earns 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion, and is perfect for fans of high fantasy in the vein of Tolkien.


Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Cultural Elements
All of the characters are Draiolan, with there being two distinct races–the Light Draiolan, and the Dark Draiolan.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None that I can recall–possibly fantasy-style swearing.

Romance/Sexual Content
Heavy kissing/embracing, touching, attraction, lust, mention of producing an heir.

Spiritual Content
High-fantasy style magic and rituals.

Violent Content
Deaths, attacks, abuse, magical violence, etc–some graphic encounters. One especially heartbreaking death.

Drug Content
None that I can recall beyond drinking at feasts.

Review: The Crystal Ribbon by Celeste Lim

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Historical, Magical Realism, , , ,

The Crystal Ribbon
Celeste Lim
Scholastic Press
Published on January 31, 2017

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About The Crystal Ribbon
In the village of Huanan, in medieval China, the deity that rules is the Great Huli Jing. Though twelve-year-old Li Jing’s name is a different character entirely from the Huli Jing, the sound is close enough to provide constant teasing-but maybe is also a source of greater destiny and power. Jing’s life isn’t easy. Her father is a poor tea farmer, and her family has come to the conclusion that in order for everyone to survive, Jing must be sacrificed for the common good.

She is sold as a bride to the Koh family, where she will be the wife and nursemaid to their three-year-old son, Ju’nan. It’s not fair, and Jing feels this bitterly, especially when she is treated poorly by the Koh’s, and sold yet again into a worse situation that leads Jing to believe her only option is to run away, and find home again. With the help of a spider who weaves Jing a means to escape, and a nightingale who helps her find her way, Jing embarks on a quest back to Huanan–and to herself.

My Review
I tend to like genre-blending books, and since The Crystal Ribbon mixes a historical setting with real cultural issues with some magical elements, I found it to be a really unusual, interesting read. The story itself reminded me a teeny bit of Disney’s Mulan, in that it follows a strong heroine through a time period and culture where she feels entirely out of place for her strength. While Jing doesn’t join an army or literally fight as a soldier, she does challenge enemies and use her cleverness and strength of heart to overcome difficulties. I liked her character a lot and enjoyed reading about her.

The story itself feels like it should be more of a middle grade book, since Jing is about twelve as it begins, but the tone is much more mature. I’d probably call this one a coming-of-age tale rather than middle grade, though that label doesn’t feel perfectly right either.

Readers who enjoy history and foreign settings will like the careful attention to setting and culture in The Crystal Ribbon. Readers who enjoy a taste of magic lurking beyond the ordinary will find Jing’s adventures engaging as well.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
The story takes place in China. One character is described as having golden hair and pale skin, and Jing wonders if he’s from some faraway place.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
During her time in the city, Jing encounters some men who solicit the company of women. They tease the girls and pat them on their behinds. Jing feels totally creeped out by the whole idea.

Spiritual Content
Each city has its own spirit worshipped by the people who live there. In Jing’s hometown, it’s the Great Huli Jing, a five-tailed fox who saved the village from disaster.

Jing meets some other spirits (jing) through the course of the story. A spider weaves a magical ladder to help her. A woman with skeletal hands visits her in the night. Jing visits and prays to altars for various jing and at her mother’s gravesite altar.

Violent Content
Jing’s in-laws punish her by caning her or using a torture device which severely damages her fingers. Some details included. Sensitive readers may find that part especially difficult to read.

Drug Content
None.

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

 

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

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

The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins
Scholastic Press
Published September 14, 2008

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About The Hunger Games
The nation of Panem, formed from a post-apocalyptic North America, is a country that consists of a wealthy Capitol region surrounded by 12 poorer districts. Early in its history, a rebellion led by a 13th district against the Capitol resulted in its destruction and the creation of an annual televised event known as the Hunger Games. In punishment, and as a reminder of the power and grace of the Capitol, each district must yield one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 through a lottery system to participate in the games. The ‘tributes’ are chosen during the annual Reaping and are forced to fight to the death, leaving only one survivor to claim victory.

When 16-year-old Katniss’s young sister, Prim, is selected as District 12’s female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, are pitted against bigger, stronger representatives, some of whom have trained for this their whole lives. She sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.

My Review
My favorite thing about The Hunger Games is the balance between Katniss and Peeta. Katniss is a survivor. She’s strong and clever with traps and snares but emotions totally mystify her. Peeta’s work at the bakery affords him physical strength, but his real asset in the Games is his intuition, his understanding of others, and his strength of heart. Those two need each other if they have any hope of surviving in the arena.

While the plot moves quickly and the threat of death keeps readers on the edge of their seats, the story’s real victory is its unforgettable characters. Rue, the clever, young tribute Katniss watches in training, and Cinna, her compassionate costume designer and unexpected ally, remain my favorites.

While it’s very clean in other ways, The Hunger Games, as you might imagine from the description, has some strong violence which may make it the wrong pick for younger or more sensitive readers. My daughter has been asking to read Divergent, which has more violence and some sexual content, which I’m not sure she’s ready for, so reading The Hunger Games was an alternative I felt more comfortable with, and which still let her into the young adult spectrum. We read the book together and sometimes stopped to talk about what was happening.

The Hunger Games Movie
After reading the book, my daughter and I watched the movie together. It does have some brief, mild profanity, and of course, gives visual to the violence depicted in the scenes of the book. The movie stays pretty true to the spirit of the book, though it does streamline and minimize some things. For instance, instead of Katniss listening to hours of a tribute being tortured, she quickly ends his life in an act of mercy. You can read a full content breakdown of the movie here.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white and straight, except Rue and Thresh, who are black.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. They spend nights together, but usually one or other is gravely injured, and at any rate, no mention of anything sexual happening.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Strong violence. Tributes actively try to kill one another with weapons and traps. An older teen kills a younger one with a spear. A girl kills opponents with knives. Mutant wasps kill and wound others. A boy bashes another tribute’s skull in with a rock. Genetically mutated monsters which appear to be some kind of human/dog hybrid chase tributes, torturing one they catch. (Katniss describes hearing the pained sounds of the victim for hours, but can’t see what’s happening.)

Drug Content
Katniss samples wine with her dinner. Her mentor, Haymitch, abuses alcohol. He stumbles about drunk and at one point collapses into his own vomit.

 

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Review: Melissa by Alex Gino

Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

Melissa (previously published as George)
Alex Gino
Scholastic Press
Published August 25, 2015

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Melissa

BE WHO YOU ARE.

When people look at Melissa, they think they see a boy named George. But she knows she’s not a boy. She knows she’s a girl.

Melissa thinks she’ll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be CHARLOTTE’S WEB. Melissa really, really, really wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can’t even try out for the part… because she’s a boy.

With the help of her best friend, Kelly, Melissa comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte — but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all.

My Review

One of the things that struck me about this book was how, from the very first moment of the story, Melissa’s identity wasn’t a question. She wasn’t gathering and analyzing her feelings to try to figure out what they were or what they meant. She’d already processed and concluded: the problem was she was a girl everyone saw as a boy.

I think I expected or wanted to see more of what her process looked like for arriving at that realization, but this story isn’t really about how she got there. It’s about her right to her identity and to be known as she truly is.

A story like this is important for a lot of reasons. First, obviously, young readers sharing the experience that the main character in this book has deserve to see themselves on the page as the hero of a story. They deserve the model of a supportive parent who doesn’t have all the answers, but loves her child no matter what, and is determined to be on her side, even if the journey is different than she might have expected.

Another reason is that many people, myself included, don’t know what this experience is like for someone. A story like this gives an opportunity to see what life looks like from inside this experience. To stand in a young transgender girl’s shoes for a bit.

MELISSA should inspire our empathy. It should inspire us to listen. To withhold judgment and hear what someone we love is saying to us. To remember the courage it takes to own who we are, and to speak up when someone else has it wrong, especially when it’s the people we love most.

Conclusion

One of the great things about this story is that it allows us to open a dialogue with our kids. How do we treat someone who is transgender? MELISSA invites readers into the discussion about how to talk to or about someone who is transgender. What does it look like to be a supportive friend? What does it look like to be a supportive teacher or administrator? A supportive parent?

I loved the writing in this book and the way the author used CHARLOTTE’S WEB in the novel. The way Melissa’s connection to Charlotte became such a powerful motivator was really cool. The character relationships felt very organic and really moved me. Honestly? I cried when the principal told Melissa that her door was always open. That message and that gentle support is something we all need as we wrestle with hard things. To have a trusted adult look into your face and say, in effect, “I see you, and it’s okay.” Wow. I tear up even now writing about it.

Content Notes

Representation
Melissa is a fourth grade student who struggles to tell her family that she is a transgender girl. She’s certain about her identity, but the news comes as a shock to some around her.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
This isn’t really sexual content in a romantic sense, but I wanted to specify some notes for clarity.

Melissa hides in the bathroom with magazines meant for preteen girls. Her brother comments that she must be in there with a dirty magazine. She’s grossed out by the idea.

At one point, Melissa borrows clothes from a friend and exchanges her boy clothes for panties, a skirt and a pretty tank top. Melissa visits public bathrooms, but hates using the boys’ bathroom at school. The day she wears her friend’s clothes, she uses the girls’ bathroom and feels much more comfortable.

As Melissa wrestles to help her family understand who she is, at one point her brother asks if she’s gay. Melissa responds that no, she isn’t gay, and that being transgender is a completely different thing.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

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Updated December 16, 2022 to reflect the current title of the book.

Review: The Taken by Inbali Iserles (Foxcraft #1)

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , ,

The Taken (Foxcraft #1)
Inbali Iserles
Scholastic Press

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Isla, a young fox, get separated from her brother Pirie and their family by a band of foxes who mean to kill them. As Isla scrambles to find her brother again, she becomes lost within the tangled world of the furless, humans. Lost and alone, she has no choice but to trust the messenger fox to help her. He teaches her how to use her energy to hunt and fight, but Isla begins to suspect there’s more to his story than he’s willing to tell her. With her enemies closing in and Pirie waiting for her, Isla discovers her best chance at finding him lie in striking out on her own and in choosing the unlikeliest of allies.

Though it’s written in first-person, the narrative has a dream-like quality to it that keeps readers at a distance. The opening sequence, while exciting, ends with a jarring revelation. Afterward the story unfolds more evenly, and Isla’s adventure takes off, growing more perilous page by page. Isla, who has never been without her family before, must learn when to trust others for help, both when those presented as friends and those appearing to be enemies. I liked a lot of the dynamics of the story – the characters were interesting and the quest definitely hooked me.  I will say that I found myself wishing it had been written in third person. The distancing between the narrator and reader made the first-person narrative feel awkward sometimes, and I think it would have read more smoothly with a third-person narrator.

Fans of the Warrior books by Erin Hunter will enjoy this tale and look forward to its continuation in the rest of the Foxcraft series. My complaint about the Warrior books that I’ve read is that they have these ginormous casts of characters that I can never keep straight in my head, so I have to constantly refer to the glossary to remember which cat is which. The Taken has a small cast of characters that I found it easy to keep straight, so I enjoyed that.

Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Foxes have special powers that aid them in hunting and escaping predators. For example, they can “throw” their voices, turn invisible, and communicate mind-to-mind.

Violence
Evil foxes track Isla’s family to kill them. Animal control workers capture foxes and place them in cages. It’s implied that humans euthanize the foxes. A wolf attacks a fox.

Drug Content
None.