Okay, single ladies, let's go! Put your hands up and shout some praises, because this is a book for just about anybody. Whether you're frustrated with dating life and are anti-men, whether you like reading in short installments, whether your girlfriend needs this book, or whether you're a guy and don't understand how most women work, come and take a gander!
Tamara just turned thirty-one. She's had the millionth bad break up of her life and feels like wallowing in self pity when she comes up with a project. Thirty-one dates in thirty one days, ending on Valentine's Day. Insane, right? But whether she needs to beg, borrow, or steal, Tamara's determined to date men simply for the sake of dating and enjoy the ride along the way.
And what a crazy ride! There are creative dates and awkward dates and everything in between, but primarily this book is about learning to live life to its fullest. Though reading about all these circumstances can get a little repetitive, Tamara's voice is authentic and upbeat, giving the story momentum. Besides, here's an opportunity to benefit from someone's crazy project without having to go through all the emotions, yet still coming out all the wiser. Check it out!
Appropriate for 18+
"'A southwest blow on ye and blister you all o'er!'"
Shakespeare may have its drawbacks, but its expletives are the most original to be had, a fact which Holling Hoodhood knows only too well.
From the first moment they met, Holling knew his seventh grade teacher Mrs. Baker hated him with a “heat whiter than the sun.” Why else would she force him to read Shakespeare plays on Wednesday afternoons? Why would she keep pet rats, Caliban and Sycorax, with their disgustingly long claws and yellow teeth? Add that to a classroom that demands Holling bring them cream puffs, a crazy teenage sister, and a play where you have to wear yellow tights - let's just say Holling's life is far from perfect.
The Wednesday Wars is a book stuffed with the comedy, but in reality the world of 1967 is a time riddled with sadness. For starters, there are soldiers who don't return home and schools that have a paranoia of being bombed. But through the eyes of this seventh grader, life in the sixties is just that - life. Incredibly enlightening and about a time that seems to be skimmed over in history books, while it takes a while to get into, the development of this novel is beautiful and entertaining. During a wild journey through the school year, Holling discovers the things that keep his changing world constant - love, friendship, and faith - finding that his imperfect life is not so imperfect after all.
Appropriate for ages 12+ (the writing is a little more difficult to get through at first, so be aware. Also, I think there may be more than three swear words, but again, it's not often.)
Whether it's the lyrical
writing of Shannon Hale and her tendency to write about teenage characters who
are happy and strong and yet still have their doubts, gradually evolving into a character
who can stand on his/her own two feet..
... Or whether it's the clear
voice of the characters in your head, so natural that you feel as though you have known them all your life and find yourself transported into another world...
... Or perhaps for hundreds
of other reasons, Princess Academy, I'm willing to bet, is not what you
might think. This is not a story about princesses - at least, not in the
typical sense of the word. This is a story about survival, and the anchor of your
home and family no matter where the wind takes you. This is the story of first
love, and first honest-to-goodness fear. This is the story of Miri, and what
she does when the world is handed to her, discovering it as she has never
discovered it before.
When I think of this book, I think magic. Not as in spells and incantations, but as in finding life in the world around you as though nature is a living, breathing thing that has secrets to uncover - and it is time you did something about it.
This is the book that first
got me reading (and which my sister introduced me to). Naturally, I treat it as
my baby. I'd be surprised if it didn't have a similar affect on you, too. Give
it a try. Get swept away in this world. You might just not want to come back.
Appropriate for ages
12+ (though there are different versions of the cover, but this one is my favorite).
I'll admit it. I judged this book by its cover. Worse than that, I judged this book by its description. My thoughts were skeptical to say the least, the main one centered around if Cinder had bones, praying that this wasn't going to be a horror story.
In case you couldn't tell, I am generally not a science fiction fan because I have a difficult time orienting myself in a world so different from my own. I am also strangely protective of fairy tales, but I took a chance and picked up this book...
... and did not put it down. Literally. It was irritating to have to eat and generally keep myself alive. I went to bed at three in the morning because of this book. Once I got used to the terminology, I was swept away into the world of New Beijing. I loved Cinder and the questions that her very existence brought into the novel. The plot was exciting, and while some aspects of the book were predictable, this was comforting rather than annoying. It was easy to get into the heads of these characters and never want to leave.
Marissa Meyer did a stunning job with her first book and there will be a total of four novels in the series, with the second having come out last February! Sing a song! Do a dance! You'll get to experience even more of this world after you read Cinder to find out how these characters fare in a world that is falling apart. I kid you not, this book is AMAZING. Go see for yourself.
Appropriate for ages 15+
Say it with me, folks. "FLAY-vee-ah duh LOOSE." Now, look at the character's name: Flavia de Luce. Now, go read the book. That's really all you need to know.
But, if you're looking for more...
Picture the 1950's and a British mansion that is deteriorating. Envision nasty sisters, and *gasp* unmentionable happenings in the cucumber patch. This book may just frighten the heebie-jeebies out of you.
But then along comes Flavia.
An eleven-year-old obsessed with chemistry and poison in particular, Flavia creates a world of heroism that is all her own. She is out to solve the mystery, and a hard one to crack, at that. But Flavia has one up on those stuffy old detectives. This is because Flavia is a GENIUS. Her quirkiness and intelligence also makes her such a solid character, that you never doubt her authenticity for a second.
Alan Bradley's writing is not something that you can whip through in one night, however. It's more dense than most books. Sometimes I felt that I needed a break or a breath of fresh air because the writing felt more technical. However, this style also fits Flavia so well that anything else would feel unnatural. Flavia thinks through everything, as does the narrator. I can't imagine anything that would work better, but it's definitely not what I'm used to.
Also, be aware that there are (if I'm remembering correctly) more than three swear words in the book. They aren't frequent, though, and the first time I remember it occurring was actually with Flavia, and it took me so much by surprise that I laughed.
Appropriate for ages 16+ (though on Alan Bradley's website, he says he knows of people from 8-95 who enjoy it).
Turtle in Paradise was not what I expected. It was much better.
As a general rule, I try to know as little about books before I read them so that the plot is a surprise to me. Hence, picking up this book based on the cover is slightly deceiving.
Turtle is not like other girls. Sent away to live in Key West, Florida during the Great Depression, she's determined there's only one way to survive in this life - with a tough exterior. But even turtles have soft underbellies and this main character has dreams of her own, so close she can almost taste it.
I listened to the audiobook version of this novel and the reader is fantastic. Her accent draws you right into the story through the eyes of an eleven-year-old who sees life as an adult. The culture and life of Key West envelops you, and in the meantime some mischievous kids set off for some adventures of their own. It was this book where my respect for historical fiction novels began, and Jennifer L. Holm does a breathtaking and authentic job of world building in this story.
A Newbery Award winning book, this is one not to be missed. Though I felt the ending needed more closure, the narrator's emphasis on family relationships amidst a failing economic world makes up for any shortcomings. Paradise is in between these pages, people.
And who doesn't want to visit paradise?
Appropriate for ages 10+
This is the book you have been waiting for. A book filled to the brim with adventure. A book with secret passageways and devious plots and the very best kind of thieves.
I liked this book the moment I read the first sentence. This book, I thought, has promise.
But it has so much more than that! I don't even know where to begin. First and foremost, the characters are incredibly likable. Sage's situation may be dire, and perhaps his life is even at stake, but he's so darn likable. You find yourself laughing at his mistakes and his commentary in even the darkest of circumstances. He's clever, unbelievably kind, and daring. He's hungry all the time. He's a realistic boy, and yet he has qualities that make him a fantastic hero. How could you not like this kid? How could you not love him?
This leads me to a point about the plot of this story. It seems to me like there are always stories about being a princess or becoming royalty, etc. Don't get me wrong, I love those stories. However, I've never seen a boy in this situation. Maybe authors and publishers think it's too "girly" of a circumstance to have a guy mixed up in the tangle of royalty. But this is one of the best aspects of the book - a twist I've definitely never seen before - and I loved every minute of it.
The writing is easy to read, which could make it a great fit for middle grade readers. However, since there's a bit of violence in here, I'd place this as a Young Adult novel. You could also say that the plot is a bit predictable. There weren't, in my case, any jaw-drop surprises. That being said, I truly didn't care. I loved or hated each character (as appropriate) so much and the adventure was such an enjoyable ride from start to finish, I'd read it again in a heartbeat.
Appropriate for ages 14+
