It is November. The skies are burdened with clouds and you have just kindled a fire in the fireplace while your bloodhound stretches out his paws to warm them, and there is only one natural thing in the world to do.
Read Blackmoore.
Even if it is not November and the skies are sunny, and the air conditioning is causing your hair to stand on end, and you have never owned and never will own a pet...
Read Blackmoore.
And then cry because you have to wait a wretchedly long time to read Julianne Donaldson's next novel.
Kate Worthington will never marry, but has her sights set on India and the escape from her life it offers her instead. Her mother, however, has other plans. Before Kate will be allowed to travel to India, she must receive and reject three marriage proposals. Off to Blackmoore, if Kate can only acquire the help of her friend Henry Delafield, she should be well on her way to freedom.
This book reminded me a bit of Jane Eyre. The symbolism of birds and cages are prevalent, the scenery is that of the moors, and the house is spooky, but that doesn't mean it wasn't original to our heroine Kate. I also loved the depth of the characters in this novel. Their relationships were realistic and had substance to them, and there were chillingly beautiful moments in the story where I simply had to pause to breathe.
Be warned, though: Kate's a stubborn character. And since she's stubborn, everything might not wrap up quite so tidily as you would expect. But I adored this novel, and only lamented that I had to wait sometimes days at a time before I had the chance to pick it up again.
Appropriate for ages 18+
It has been ages since I posted! Alas, sometimes homework does get in the way of blogging, but here I am at last, and with a book to review, at that! Yippee!
I was really looking forward to reading Longing for Home by Sarah M. Eden, as it is only the second book published in Shadow Mountain's new Proper Romance category. The first, of course, is Edenbrooke, by Julianne Donaldson, which, to put it mildly, I love. So, without further ado...
Katie, a resilient, stubborn Irish woman haunted by the potato famine of 1845 has a debt to pay (though the debt itself is supposed to be a secret, so my lips are sealed - or should I say my fingers are?) and moves to the desert of Wyoming to build a future for herself.
And you better believe there are a couple of charming western/Irish gentlemen she meets on the way. Now I have your curiosity piqued, don't I?
I had a couple of issues with this novel, though. The story just wasn't quite believable enough for me. Besides her past, Katie didn't struggle much if at all with her new life, hindering her overall development and making it harder to connect with her.
Then there was the ending. For chapter upon chapter I was waiting and waiting and waiting for the climax to happen and then...
...there's a sequel. Yup. Normally I love sequels, but this was a pretty long novel, folks, and when the climax promises to come not now but later... well, I was a trifle disappointed.
However, I know many people have enjoyed this story. I believe on the back of the book Julianne Donaldson herself described the novel as "heartwarming," which is true. It's a nice, comfortable story, though in many respects it just didn't work for me. But perhaps you'd like to give it a shot.
Appropriate for ages 18+ (though it's clean enough for younger ages, I think the story itself would appeal more to an older audience)
There is so much to love about this book. Don't be scared off by its description: Doug Swieteck may have an abusive father, his brother's life may be devastated from the war in Vietnam, and his family may have moved to a small, dinky town in New York that he absolutely hates, but I promise you one thing...
...You. Will. Laugh.
Not only that, but you will laugh hard.
This ought to be impossible, considering the subject matter, but think otherwise! Since Doug is our narrator, we see the world through his eyes, and so what normally might be considered inappropriate for young readers is handled with tact and care. The result is enlightening.
But it gets better. Schmidt brings art into the picture, here - the art of John James Audobon, to be exact, connecting the emotions in the paintings to the emotions of the characters. Not only is this cleverly done, but with each chapter you come away more educated than the last.
Then, reader, there is the prose. I've heard it said that Schmidt's prose is flawless.
It is.
There were sentences that took my breath away and gave me chills, so that I simply had to read them again and again in order to drink up the words.
Wit, art, history, and the journey of many characters, whether or not they all get what they deserve. A companion novel to The Wednesday Wars, this is a story that, my dear reader, can only be described as fantastic.
Appropriate for ages 14+
How would you react if you knew you were beautiful to the point that it made your sister green with envy? How would you change if you knew you were going to rule an entire kingdom (in this case Sparta) one day? For Helen of Troy, this is her reality. Then again, maybe she doesn't have so much power, because the Fates have already mapped out her destiny: she will marry, become queen, and raise children. Simple.
Or not.
As a young girl, Helen questions everything about her world, and while she has her faults, she's also funny and kind. This translated into a strong character as she grew up, and I loved being given the opportunity to get to know her.
Besides that, there was also an interweaving between Greek mythology and the perspective of a girl with an independent spirit, which I thought was the best part about Nobody's Princess. Though I've never been a fan of Greek mythology, it's integral to Helen's life, and I didn't mind - even enjoyed - reading about it because I liked Helen and wanted to understand how she saw the world.
However, the ending stopped too abruptly for me. Even though there's a sequel, it felt a little empty, and I needed more closure.
That aside, there are so many great things about this book! Helen is strong and happy to let herself grow. She has a wonderful family and wants to travel the world. Helen's dreams became your dreams, and I respect and admire Esther Friesner for helping me to experience all that and more.
Appropriate for ages 14+
I read this book while covered in welts from a certain incident I had with poison ivy, and when a story can keep your attention while your skin is itching as well as pulsing like it's on fire ... let's just say you know that story is good.
At first, though, I was a little skeptical. Even though I've read all of Lisa Mangum's novels and enjoyed them, this book essentially happens during the course of one single day. Sara is visiting New York, a photographer and an artist at heart. Sam is something of an enigma, and noticing him from afar, Sara snaps a picture of him.
My skepticism boiled down to this: how can you establish relationships, plot, and all the other intricacies involved in book-making when all you give yourself is one day? For Mangum, the answer, I believe, came down to two steps.
1) The reader has to have a conversation with both Sara and Sam. Thus, the first chapter was written in a first-person narrative, following Sara every step of the way. The second chapter focused on Sam ... but in third person.
I had to take a step back there. Looking at the story from this angle was something I had never encountered. Mangum was bold to do it, but it was absolutely right. I loved seeing the story not only from each character's perspective, but from the stylistic differences between narrators, as well.
2) Sara and Sam's journey, while physical, has to be primarily emotional. This book delves intensely into these people's heads, into the stories that haunt their past. It surprised me. When you first pick up After Hello it promises to be a light read. And while it has all sorts of quirky and light-hearted moments, it was much more serious than I expected. Sometimes that weighed me down a little. Sometimes I doubted that such a story could even take place.
But then, I thought, isn't that the magic of stories? That sometimes the impossible CAN happen, and even the smallest of items, like sugar packets, can be the start of something greater? Something better?
I think so.
Appropriate for ages 15+
"'All good stories--stories that touch your soul, stories that change your nature, stories that cause you to become a better person from their telling--these stories always contain truth.'"
For Sang Ly, a woman who lives in a dump in Cambodia with her small son and husband, the truth is what she is must discover. Will her boy Nisay ever get better? Will her husband always have to pick trash for a living? Is there hope in this world where garbage as tall as mountains loom before you and toxic rivers stain your feet?
The answer is yes.
The discovery of hope is different for Sang Ly than she anticipated, though, because she must look for it in the neighborhood rent collector, Sopeap Sin, a woman despised and otherwise known as "the Cow."
This story is glorious on so many levels, following the journey of individuals who have true strength and courage. These people are "swimming in literature," and not because there are discarded books at the dump, but because each one of them have a story ... as long as they are willing to read them in one another.
I didn't tear through this book in a single night, though there were moments when I was gripped to the words on the page. Instead, reading this book is like eating a bowl of rice and taking it one grain at a time, enjoying the people, the places, and the stories that are so perfect on their own, but that are even better as a whole.
There are stories that excite, and stories that make you laugh. There are stories that make you cry and stories that make you feel fear. And then there are stories that change your life.
This is one of those stories.
Appropriate for ages 18+
I'll admit that from the beginning, my relationship with this book was a little bipolar. The reviews were positive, the cover lovely, and the plot seemed promising, but when I delved into the first thirty pages, I honestly didn't know what to think. At first, my frustration came down to the dialogue.
In a writing workshop I attended once, we studied the art of dialogue, an aspect I had never truly considered as being particularly noteworthy in a novel. How wrong I was! Dialogue can provide a much anticipated break from a lengthy narration. It should sparkle and delight. And it absolutely should not become the narration.
So, imagine my puzzlement as Miss Grimsley's Oxford Career was chuck full of dialogue, and not all of it quite necessary. This made the characters a little less realistic to me, as the heroine seemed to have a heart of pure gold, and her family nothing short of ridiculous. I wanted to see more, rather than hear it through the lips of half a dozen minor characters.
Still, I persisted, and almost without my knowing it, I got caught up in the story. Ellen Grimsley wants to conquer the world by making maps, traveling the world, and going to school in Oxford. But in a world where men dominate the paths towards education and enlightenment, this is more easily dreamed of than done. When a certain partner in crime and confidant comes along, however, suddenly Ellen's dreams and determination to make her mark upon the academic world are not so far out of reach.
Before long, I was reading this novel voraciously, eager to find out the end. I truly did enjoy it, though I still felt some aspects were a bit wanting. Some of the characters seemed to be practically different people in the middle than they were at the beginning, and the progression of the plot was a little too drawn out. But it was decent, rewarding, and ended just as it should. So, for what it's worth, a hodgepodge review of Miss Grimsley's Oxford Career. Perhaps you can make better sense of it than I can.
Appropriate for ages 18+
When I finished reading The Runaway King, I literally did a happy dance in my living room. I then looked in the mirror and proclaimed that I wanted to be Jennifer Nielsen, because why wouldn't you want to be Jennifer Nielsen? Once you read the book, you'll understand what I'm talking about. Until then...
I don't know how you can start out with a bigger bang in a novel than Nielsen did here. "I had arrived early for my own assassination." I swear, the woman is a genius. The pace of the first few chapters was so energetic that it left me completely enthralled. How I had missed Jaron and his commentary that made me laugh at every turn. How I had missed the adventure! And I even stumbled upon The False Prince a little late in the game, so I didn't have to wait long for the second book. Still, though, I had missed it. Still, I had been desperately wanting more.
The only thing that slowed me down in reading this was it took awhile for Jaron to reach the lair of the pirates, one of his main destinations. Looking back, I can see that the delay was necessary, but in the meantime there was a little less action to keep the storyline moving. However, once Jaron does meet the pirates the plot picks up again, and the wait, I can assure you, was worth it.
Having to wait is hardly a complaint, though. Nielsen's characters are beautifully developed. This makes for a protagonist who is funny and brave and fearless, but who also places all his self doubts on the table for you to see. His honesty to the reader is unmatched, creating not so much of a character as a living human being. I've never seen anything quite like it, and the result is absolutely captivating.
Appropriate for ages 14+ (due to some violence)
Yes, I am reviewing another book by Janette Rallison. This is not my fault. If she didn't write such appealing books, then I wouldn't have this problem of having to read every one that I can get my hands on. So, go blame her, if you want, though instead you should probably erect a statue in her honor.
Alexia Garcia is more or less the girl next door. She's a straight A student, an NHS member, and has a flaming temper. She also looks remarkably similar to the famous singer Kari Kingsley and is offered the job of a lifetime, a job requiring that she pretend to be Kari when the pop star can't attend some of her more unimportant events.
This novel is different from the others I've read by Janette Rallison. For a change, I wasn't laughing throughout all the awkward circumstances that occur while Alexia pretends to be someone else. This is because she's a different kind of character than those Rallison usually chooses as her protagonists. Alexia has had a conservative upbringing and a conscience that never leaves her side. She's also extremely sensible. This doesn't mean that the story wasn't still comedic or swoon-worthy, it just unfolds differently. Alexia is cautious by nature... even when she's reckless. So, it takes awhile for her to get caught up in her new life, but once she does, the novel takes off at breakneck speed and you won't want to put it down.
My Double Life isn't just about pretending to be a celebrity, though. It's about Alexia finding a part of her that she feels has always been missing. And as unlikely as it sounds that she'll find it in LA, there's something... or perhaps someone... there that she hopes can fill that void. But how do you find yourself while hiding your identity, and in Hollywood, no less? You'll just have to read it to find out.
Appropriate for ages 16+ (and the ebook is currently available for only $2.99 on Amazon! Can't beat that!)
Apparently I am on a Janette Rallison craze. There is just something about being able to read a book in one sitting and laughing hysterically until three in the morning when everyone else is in bed.
One of the best characteristics about Rallison's books? The perspectives of her characters. Often, they're stereotypes that are made fun of, like teenagers who work at the mall, cheerleaders, or in this case drama queens... all people that many would mock or dismiss as being cliche. But Rallison presents you with these characters as well-rounded human beings, and I have to say I love that about her.
Jessica is an actress with big aspirations and a tendency to overlook the difference between bending the truth and playing the part of a character as though she were on stage. After all, she NEEDS (I cannot overemphasize this, here) to be Juliet in the upcoming play. Whatever it takes to make that happen is not unreachable, especially when a famous actor's son moves into Three Forks, New Mexico.
What could go wrong, right? A little scheming and planning, and voila! She's on her way to fame and stardom.
The more this novel progressed, the more comedic it became. It's not my favorite of Rallison's books, but then again, I repeat that by the end of it I was literally laughing just about every other paragraph. Why, you ask me? You'll have to see for yourself.
Appropriate for ages 15+
Something I love about Jessica Day George's books is that they are always funny. This is no wonder as she is hilarious in person, but what a wonderful attribute to have in your writing! Something is going on with Castle Glower. Rooms are popping up all over the place when they shouldn't be. Doesn't the Castle remember that such behavior is reserved for Tuesdays? And what about the egg? The one the size of a pumpkin?
Just wait. The dilemmas facing Celie get thicker and thicker. How does one hide a ginormous pet in one's room, without anyone finding out about it? More importantly, where did the egg even come from?
All kinds of situations arise when living in a castle such as this, thus reading the novel was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Each character is genuine and you feel as though they are members of your own family. The writing is solid and there are times where it's especially so well written that you feel as though you are soaring.
These things aside, I think I prefer Tuesdays at the Castle simply because of the danger and fear propelling the plot along. Wednesdays in the Tower tends to focus on discovery, with promises of more adventure to come in the series. It's a thrill of a different sort,
but I enjoyed it just the same.
This series would be wonderful to read aloud with kids. Danger or discovery, it's just the thing to feed their imagination.
Appropriate for ages 8-10+
I knew I liked this book when three things happened:
1) Charlotte, a high school senior, is stuck with the lousy job of spraying perfume on unsuspecting customers as they enter the mall, and she's decided that one day she will earn a PhD and write a dissertation about it. That right there proves that Charlotte is not only smart, but also has a fantastic sense of humor.
2) Charlotte is five foot, nine inches (only a half inch shorter than me). While I know this isn't necessarily relevant to the plot of the story, I cheer for tall characters. They seem to be so few and far between in the literary world, that when you give me a tall character, I'm bound to like her.
3) Charlotte has a chip on her shoulder - in the figurative sense of the phrase, of course - and rightfully so. Any group of kids that stoop so low as to not only call you a spider but then put live ones in your desk during middle school, you would be wary of. And when said group of kids (or rather one in particular) appears to be cheating on his girlfriend, who happens to be your best friend, there is really only one way to deal with the situation.
Bring him down.
This book is delightfully funny. I laughed multiple times, and Charlotte is witty, smart, and stops at nothing to get what she wants. And despite the fact that disaster seems to follow her, she takes it all in stride - whether or not that means she has to wear elf shoes while doing so every once in awhile.
I'm telling you, this novel does not incessantly talk about shopping and cliche teenage characters who are incapable of interacting with the outside world. That couldn't be further from the truth. I absolutely loved this book, but be warned: once you start, all other obligations you need to fulfill might just go out the window.
Don't you love it when a book does that?
Appropriate for ages 15+
Okay, so I am aware that the cover of this book is rather frightening and not at all appealing, unless it's in a potentially "scary story" kind of way. This is why when I wasn't reading the novel I turned it over so I wouldn't have to be intimidated by the yellow eye gleaming menacingly at me from its cover.
But don't let the cover fool you, folks. Fever, 1793, is told through the eyes of the teenager Maltida Cook, a character with real pluck and determination, making this story not horrific so much as it was fascinating.
An event little (if at all) dwelled on in history books, the epidemic of yellow fever rages in Philadelphia in this novel, bringing to light new revelations about America in the seventeen hundreds. Interactions between humans - the wealthy, the poor, the white, and the black - are revealed here as fear grasps the hearts of one of the most influential societies of the time, and the result was absolutely captivating.
Laurie Halse Anderson does more than set up this historical world, though. She includes wit in her novel as well, poking fun at some of the expectations of the time. However, this is done only through the perspective of the main character so that you can understand what it was like to be a young woman in colonial America.
Thus, the historical account about the realities of yellow fever not only discusses aspects such as the medical failures and social inequalities of the time, but is the inspirational story of a girl who decides to succeed anyway. And that, my friends, makes it a story worth reading.
Appropriate for ages 14+ (the audiobook is fantastic, too)
Bet you didn't know there was a sequel, did you? Bet you also didn't know that the Love, Stargirl is even better than its predecessor, right?
However, despite this joyful news in which I'm sure you are frantically making a list of paperback novels to bring on your next vacation, Stargirl finds herself trapped inside a dark place at the beginning of this novel. No matter how she may appear to outsiders, Stargirl's doubts are just as real as anyone else's, and so it's herself that she must learn to come to terms with here. Dwelling on past memories, Stargirl feeds on the grief and happiness of what once was, attempting to trust in a world that she fears is too small to hold her.
Although the aftereffects of shunned love may haunt these pages, though, Spinelli persists in sending readers home with a message not easily forgotten:
“Live today."
Not yesterday or tomorrow, but today, rejoicing in the unexpected. Love, Stargirl is about real people - however eccentric they may be - and realizing that inside of every soul there is potential if one is just willing to unleash it.
Coupled with flawless, personal writing, the much longed for perspective of Stargirl will keep any reader flying through this imaginative book.
Appropriate for ages 15+
Imagine discovering something that you absolutely love. Something you collect, be it old fashioned records, valuable stamps, or antique furniture. You buy it and frame it, or dust it regularly and make sure that it can maintain the beauty in which you first found it because for some reason those items thrill you as nothing else does.
And then imagine that same record you just discovered has a scratch on it, the stamp is slightly torn, or the paint on the furniture has been chipped, and suddenly it is not the item you have thought it was. You might love everything else about it, the look, the design, the feel... but it will never be the same.
That is my relationship with books. Maybe that sounds strange, to think one could have a relationship with an inanimate object, but a book that is yet to have its cover opened has so much undiscovered potential. No two readers can read a book in exactly the same way because everyone's minds are different. We have all had different experiences. A book will mean something to you that it can never mean to someone else.
So, imagine you have found a book and you love the voice of the character. You love that you can see her face. You cheer for her success and cringe at the painful reality of her world, and yet you are grateful for what you learn from it. After all this, after all the time you have invested in it, you discover a flaw. Not a technical flaw, such as the writing being inadequate, but a flaw that lessens the value of the story because it broke your trust. The book is suddenly not what you thought it would be, and the experience is frustrating and disheartening because you know you can never look at it with the same pair of eyes ever again.
I hate when I experience this... as I just have. I want to ask the author why they had to include that, just that one little part. Why couldn't they have written the story without that? Don't they see how much I want to love their story, but now I can't?
Reading, like buying collector's items, can be a big leap of faith. It's not always worth the risk. But when you do happen to find just one perfect item, isn't it worth that much more? Doesn't it make you want to keep looking?
So, I couldn't help myself. The original artwork for the cover of The Goose Girl is just so gorgeous, that even though in most bookstores you'll see the newest version, I had to put this one here.
The Goose Girl is the story of Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, the Crown Princess of Kildenree, and what happens when she finds out that the life she has lived is a lie. Raised since she was born to rule her people, suddenly Ani finds herself on a road traveling far away from her home to marry a prince she has never met, a mere bargaining chip to aid two countries' relationships that are tenuous at best.
But Ani has a gift - she can speak to animals and sometimes can even hear their thoughts. For a princess who does what she's told and feels uncomfortable in her own skin, this helps her survive, especially when she fears for her own life.
This novel unfolds so beautifully, digging into the characters and plot without you even realizing it. It's as though someone is right next to you, speaking the words, the tones and inflections slipping into your head that you can't even remember there being anything in the world except for this story, and you don't want to. This kind of narration works perfectly for our main character, a girl who on the outside may seem shy, but who on the inside has so much to think and say that as a reader, you know better. You know who Ani is, and as she grows to become more than she could have ever imagined, it's no surprise, because you recognized her potential from the beginning.
Based off of the Grimm fairy tale, The Goose Girl has so much life and personality that you'll want to read it again and again. I could go on about it for ages, talking about the characters, betrayals, loyalty, and love threaded throughout its pages. But why not see for yourself?
Appropriate for ages 13+
This novel is completely unconventional, and as such, it took me awhile to get into the swing of the writing. Aurelia is the headstrong Crown Princess of Tyralt, a girl with strength and vivacity and with absolutely no respect for the rules. Robert is a childhood friend come to visit Aurelia after an absence of four years. But Robert knows something that Aurelia does not.
Someone wants her dead, so he has turned into her spy.
The premise of this plot was completely intriguing to me. However, Aurelia lacks some standards you'll find in most novels. It seems like she never goes on a journey. Usually in young adult literature by about the second chapter, the main character knows what he/she wants and is off to pursue it. In this book, though, the focus is more about the investigation of who is trying to kill Aurelia, switching between the perspectives of the princess and Robert. This was both a blessing and a curse in the novel, since Aurelia seems to be the main character, but Robert often gets to be more in the thick of things.
There were also many times where I would have to reread sentences in order to understand their meaning - the use of similes in the novel were somewhat peculiar and didn't always make sense.
However, I still enjoyed Aurelia. I wanted to keep reading. I wanted to find out "who done it," so to speak, and I've even started the sequel, called Exile. And let me tell you, it's much more beautifully written than Aurelia. While the first novel is good, the sequel is even better, which is refreshing because it's usually the other way around. Think of the entire story of Aurelia as the beginning of a long journey and the start of some wonderful characters. With that perspective in mind, I think you'll love these two novels. You just have to be a little more patient.
*Edit: Having gotten further into Exile, I don't think I'll recommend it here. Although I thought it would be just as clean as Aurelia, I reached a place near the end where I felt uncomfortable, so be aware of that if you choose to read the sequel.
Appropriate for 15+ (and it's 100% clean!)
"Whenever Castle Glower became bored, it would grow a new room or two." I've said it before, and I'll say it again. First sentences can tell you a LOT about a book and whether or not it's worth reading. Let me tell you, this is a book worth reading. When it first came out in 2011, I felt like shouting from the mountain tops that Jessica Day George was back! Not as though her writing talent has ever gone anywhere, but still. It is a wonderful thing to come across a great story from the very first line and which only gets better from there.
Why is this book so fantastic? Because in it there are characters and relationships that are so rarely written about in literature. Princess Celie and her siblings, despite their differences, actually like each other. Castle Glower, as noted from the first line in the novel, plays a significant role in the book and has true personality. In fact, all four of the characters are even depicted on the cover! This is genius, I tell you! So, when these siblings' parents and older brother are ambushed, it's up to the lot of them to set things straight and hold their ground amidst conniving Councilors. The situation gets more precarious by the moment.
But every castle has its secrets... especially if it has a mind of its own... and is not something to trifled with. A book of solid good fun, this will entertain kids and adults alike! Plus, be on the lookout for Jessica Day George's next book, Wednesdays in the Tower, coming out May 7, 2013. Don't you love when you can read a book without having to wait a year or two for the sequel to come out? You can shower me with roses and thank me later for the recommendation. Go read the book! You're guaranteed to love it!
Appropriate for ages 8-10+
To mix things up a little, I thought today I'd talk about an element of writing that can really make or break a book. This element is what I like to call world building.
World building is the foundation of most every novel, and yet it's one of the easiest aspects to get wrong (as a side note, I want to make it clear that personally, I don't know everything about world building. These are just my observations).
Last year I went to a writing workshop called Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers, where you learn helpful tidbits and get critiqued on your writing by published authors, such as Carol Lynch Williams, Matt Kirby, and Mette Ivie Harrison. I happened to be in Matt Kirby's class, and the most revolutionary idea he instilled in me was the importance of world building.
It seems like common sense, right? How do you have a story without first creating a world in which characters can interact and start their journey? However, this is one of the trickiest components in writing (especially in fantasy) and requires oodles of patience. You most likely will have to establish a type of government in your novel, as well as landscape, social classes, style of dress, kinds of food... the list goes on and on.
As a reader, I find it's best to be introduced to these categories without knowing you're being introduced to them. Books are first and foremost about people. For example, I'd rather not have to read all at once where a castle is placed in comparison to a range of mountains that block a group of monstrous invaders. I get bored and minute details seem to be more important than the characters I am trying to get to know.
On the other hand, a story that doesn't have enough world building has little credibility. How can I care about a teenage girl who is off on a journey to make her fortune when I can't orient myself in the world she lives in? I need to see what she sees, as though I've lived there my entire life. This can only come through world building, with details integrated into the story so effortlessly that I don't realize I've never seen them before.
The most common theme I found in the workshop I attended last summer was a lack of world building. No matter how good of a writer any of us were, our stories simply couldn't stand on their own two feet without the writer knowing the world they were creating inside and out.
Writing is work, people. Writing is often researching ancient civilizations and knowing what made them succeed or fail, and then incorporating that into your own story. While an active imagination is necessary, we live in a world that thrives on facts. Without offering some hard evidence that your made-up world is real, your readers will flounder in your novel, standing on a foundation that is not truly sound.
However, I know there are plenty of readers out there who love the kind of world building that I tend to dislike, and can't stand the type of world building that I love. There are pros and cons to each. So, which do you prefer? What kinds of worlds grab you into a story and make you eager to read more?
Jerry Spinelli does not write happy novels, he writes brilliant and thought-provoking ones. This is vital to know before one picks up Stargirl, because if you're looking for a romp through a sun-filled meadow, this might come as a surprise.
Never
mind the title, this story is told from the perspective of a
sixteen-year-old named Leo, a boy who, though he doesn't know it, more
than anything wants to fit in. What happens, then, when he runs into a
girl who is so different that she's almost blinding? How can he possibly
conform to the life of high school when she is all he can see?
This
story is masterfully done. Even the tie with porcupines on it comes full circle in the end. It makes you take a step back and wonder just how Spinelli has connected everything here. More impressively, this story goes deeper than
what's seen on the surface. While it might be a statement about the
pressures of life in high school, Stargirl explores the costs of living life to its fullest and if it's worth it to pay the price.
Characters
you think you love in this novel may turn on you. In fact, this entire
story is like a puzzle with pieces that don't quite fit together, and
it's your task to decipher it. Sometimes, this can be difficult. Reading
Stargirl is like being sucked into a different reality that closes you in and demands that you listen. But it's worth listening to. Stargirl isn't just a book, it's an experience, leaving it up to you to take it for what it's worth.
Appropriate for ages 15+
Let it be known that I am
never one to turn down chick lit. If
there is one thing I have learned about stories, it is this: they are for everyone. To those of you hesitant to pick up this novel because of the genre, "broaden your minds," as Professor Trelawney from Harry Potter would
say. You'll be glad you did. Just One Wish will make you laugh and worry and love each in their own turn. Simply put, I loved it.
This story is completely
crazy, which I find to be the source of its charm. If you had just one wish,
what would you wish for? For Annika Truman, the conclusion is easy: make her
little brother's wish come true, because if she does, maybe then the fear
of his cancer won't eat her and her family alive. So, when she needs
to find a devastatingly handsome actor (of course) who happens to play Robin
Hood (what is so attractive about the Middle Ages?) and she needs to do
so fast, Annika won't take "no" for an answer.
As a side note, I have to say
I am rather wary of books that have anything to do with cancer. All too often
it seems that the author uses it as an excuse to make you cry, while the rest
of the story has nothing else compelling in it whatsoever. Janette Rallison,
however, breaks out of that mold. From the very beginning she
has you jumping into a conversation with Annika's thoughts in an authentic
teenage style. Add a dose of quirky humor and an attempt for the main character
to come to terms with God, herself, and reality, I'd think twice before regarding
this novel as "fluff." A book that seems effortless, in my
experience, is often one of the best crafted, and Just One Wish is no
exception.
Appropriate for ages 15+
First things first. I want
Brandon Mull's creative brain. How he combines a compelling storyline beginning
with a hippopotamus, and then twists the plot into a fight against a tyrannical
and magical ruler is absolutely beyond me (no pun intended).
And yet, he does it! Jason
and Rachel are searching for the one and only way to save a world that is
without hope. Not only that, but they are out to save a world without heroes. I
happen to love this premise. How many movies are there today where the world is
saved by heroes? How many comic books and action figures and Halloween costumes
are devoted to this idea? And yet, Brandon Mull takes this away. The odds are
against our two main characters. They have an impossible quest before them, to
defeat an unbeatable wizard. This is like The Lord of the Rings, but
with a mix of modern day humor. Never fear. While Jason and Rachel may be in a
dark world, this isn't a dark story. It's funny. It's adventurous and the
relationships are realistic. In my opinion, this is Brandon Mull's Best work.
This story will take you a
little time to read through, simply because quests take time. There are
obstacles to overcome, lessons characters must learn. But that doesn't mean
you're not compelled to read more. Brandon Mull has a great combination of
lyrical and plot-moving writing that has you immersed in the world he
flawlessly creates.
What to do in a world without
heroes, a world that obviously needs to be saved? You must become a hero
yourself.
Appropriate for ages 13+ (due
to some violence)
