YA and Children’s

Quick YA Review: New Girl by Paige Harbison

/ drbethnolan / 2 Comments

I received “New Girl” through Net Galley last week. It was a quick YA read with a plot to entice your average teen: our heroine, Callie, is admitted to the prestigious “Manderly Academy” in NH where she takes the place (literally) of missing student “Becca Normandy”, struggling to make new friends and dealing with major romance issues are secondary to the overall anxiety of Becca possibly returning (alive or from the dead).

Here’s the thing: I would have LOVED this book as a teenager. Ghosts? Dead roommates? Social issues? Teen sex? Attractive rich students off at boarding school with few if any adults in sight? I would have lapped this up, similar to my obsession in middle school with the “Flowers in the Attic” series.

As an adult, though, I had some major issues. Having worked in independent schools for over 20 years I found the fact that the main character’s parents “got her in” unbeknownst to her as incredulous. I found the amount of time the students were off partying and unattended, etc., incredulous. I found the fact that this poor girl was moved in mid-year to the same dorm room where the missing girl lived and the missing girl’s personal belongings were still all there and in place incredulous. I was also bothered by the Manderly/Becca/Rebecca association, which was intentional as a “retelling”, but wondered if most teens would recognize the DuMaurier reference or if I was just dating myself. Finally, I felt that I was reading the writing of a young person. I had no idea who this author was, besides assuming it was a woman, and felt this could be her first novel (it is not) or that she was young and still developing as a writer (she was 20 when she wrote it). Don’t get me wrong, the writing is fine. I just have read a lot of writing in my years as a teacher and college professor and it felt along the same lines. But the bottom line is I read it, and kept reading until the end.

So – I’d be interested in feedback when this comes out (it can be pre-ordered at the moment). I’d like to look forward to more from Paige Harbison, too. Due to the drugs/sex/rape/murder references, in my opinion it’s for older YA readers.

thanks Net Galley and Harlequin Teen for my freebie!

Quick Review of a Kindle Borrow-for-Free: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

/ drbethnolan / 5 Comments

Okay – so if you are an Amazon Prime customer, you can borrow certain books FOR FREE for a month on your Kindle. You get a free download – as I understand it, it is one book per month. What a great way for me to read more books for free! It’s sort of like the library but my library ebooks aren’t support by Kindle – and through Amazon you are limited to one a month. (If I’ve misunderstood something, please chime in!).

My first choice was the irrepressible “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. EVERYONE but me has read this book – the first in the trilogy – and EVERYONE has loved it (which is exactly why I did not read it yet). I usually end up hating those books everyone else loves, but not this time. I loved this YA read!

In case you’ve been hiding out this year, “The Hunger Games” is the futuristic, postapocalyptic story of teenager Katniss Everdeen, who is selected to participate in the “hunger games”: Teens selected from each district of the then-USA to compete to the death, while being broadcast live on tv. Will Katniss survive?

This novel reminded me so much of other stories I’ve read or seen — Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”, the movie “Running Man”, and “Lord of the Flies” to name a few. I loved it though – loved the characters and the creativity of the action. I may just have to read the next two books in the series.

Written for YA but enjoyed by adults, too, in my opinion.

Hey look – the movie’s coming!
http://youtu.be/p-5ANq4sAL0

Quick YA Review: Alias Dragonfly by Jane Singer

/ drbethnolan / Leave a comment

Wow – I am waaaay behind on my blogging to our really awful fall with unexpected deaths in both my and my husband’s families.

However, here I am to start off the parade of reviews in my “saved drafts” section, with the YA historical novel: “Alias Dragonfly”. I scored this free from Net Galley.

In this novel, Civil War teen Maggie Bradford leaves New Hampshire with her father and goes to stay with her cranky aunt in Washington, DC. The war surrounds them and Maggie finds herself involved with intrigue by becoming part of the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency by working as a Union spy.  Maggie finds romance as well as mystery, and the book ends by leaving you hanging and waiting for more. It appears to be part of a series.

Highly recommended for YA Civil War reading and for those, like me, who just love historical fiction of this period!

Thanks, Net Galley and Bell Bridge Books for my copy!

QUICK YA REVIEW: The Hangman in the Mirror by Kate Cayley

/ drbethnolan / Leave a comment

“The Hangman in the Mirror” by Kate Cayley is a historical fiction piece, set in New France (Canada) in the 1700’s. Francoise Laurent is a destitute 17-year-old washerwoman, left orphaned when her parents die of small pox. She takes a job as a lady’s maid to a wealthy woman, but is accused of thievery and sentenced to hang. She must use her considerable wits to save herself – or die trying.

While this book was written for young adult readers, I think adults would enjoy it, too. The most amazing thing about it is that it is based on true events. I enjoyed the writing, the story, and the characters.

Thanks, Net Galley, for my copy!

Two Quick Reviews: The Mystery of the Blue Ring by P.R. Giff (Children’s) and 50 Underwear Questions by T. Kyi

/ drbethnolan / Leave a comment

I recently got two new items through Net Galley, which I shared with my children.

The first is Patricia Reilly Giff’s “The Mystery of the Blue Ring”. Written for children, this is book one in the “Polk Street Mysteries”. My second grader read this for her book report this month. She loves mysteries and loved this story (and loved reading it on my Kindle!). In it Dawn, your typical second grader, is accused of stealing another girl’s ring. Dawn becomes a sleuth to solve the mystery. Giff has countless books out for young readers and has perfected the knack of writing for the younger grade school audience.

Thanks, Net Galley and Open Road Media, for my copy!

I also downloaded into Adobe Digital the fun book: “50 Underwear Questions: A Bare-All History” part of the “50 Questions” series by Tanya LLoyd Kyi (and illustrated by Ross Kinnaird). My kids loved looking through this galley, laughed at the pictures, and enjoyed the inset “bare facts” of trivia. I have to say, though, I actually found the history of underwear much more interesting than I had anticipated! For instance, did you know they had undergarments in prehistoric times? (You might think “did you even care?” but it really was an interesting read!). The fun, comic-like illustrations really make this book!

Thanks, Net Galley and Annick Press, for my copy!

Quick YA Review: Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett

/ drbethnolan / Leave a comment

Yet another Net Galley freebie was this super YA find: “Geek Girl”, coming to a store near you (and online) in December. Jen, a “bad girl”, targets a “geek” boy and decides to turn him bad and take him down to her level. What Jen finds is much more about herself, Trevor, her friends, and her foster family than she ever imagined she would.

I took this book to review with a worry that it would be highly predictable, but it actually wasn’t. I loved the characters of Jen and Trevor, and I particularly liked how Trevor’s family was all rather “geeky”, too (and remarkably like mine!). Jen grows as a character and learns to really see what people are – beneath their appearances. Yes – Trevor does find out that he was the object of a bet, and that is not a good thing, but all in all, this was a fun read and a great book for older YA readers!

YA Review: Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK by Betsy St. Amant (coming in January)

/ drbethnolan / 3 Comments

Through my new favorite thing, Net Galley, I received an ARC of “Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK” for my Kindle.  “PK” in this case stands for “preacher’s kid” and this novel was the first experience I’ve had of reading Christian literature for teens. It releases on January 1, 2012.

In “Addison Blakely”, Addison is your typical high school student, except for the fact that she is the (widowed) preacher’s daughter, living in a small town. For her whole life, everything she’s done has been under the microscope, so she’s lived up to the expectations of her father and his congregation: always doing the right thing, the good thing, the thing that is expected of her. Then Addison meets Wes Keegan, town bad boy, who has come to live with his father. She is drawn to him, as he is to her, but he is supposed to be off-limits to her (her father won’t even let her date, let alone hang out with “bad boys”). Addison has to deal with her feelings for Wes, a new BFF, her father’s burgeoning romantic life with her English teacher, and the realization of what is truly important to her, all set against the backdrop of a school talent show in school that Addison suddenly finds herself running.

I just loved this novel! I wanted to know how Addison would end up and what choices she would make (and why) so I kept reading. Addison was an engaging character whom I couldn’t help liking. I did find her friend Marta a bit too good to be true, especially for a seventeen-year-old, and I did find parts of the book, especially in the second half, almost preachy (some of the discussions on faith that Marta and Addison have in the latter half of the book ended up sounding like sermons to me). I did enjoy the writing, though, and would recommend this book to older YA readers who enjoy the Christian genre. Addison has a lot of choices to face in her life and in her relationships, as do teens today, and this book showed how she could use her faith to help guide her in those decisions.

Thanks, Net Gally and Barbour Books for my free download!

YA Review: Double by Jenny Valentine

/ drbethnolan / Leave a comment

Through Net Galley, I received a free Kindle download of Jenny Valentine’s YA novel “Double” to review from Disney Publishing. This book was first published in Great Britain. “Double” tells the story of Chap – a young boy who is on the run and has been in and out of group homes for delinquents ever since his grandfather had an accident and was taken to a nursing home. The workers at the facility in which he is staying notice his incredible resemblance to a boy named Cassiel Roadnight – a boy who disappeared two years earlier during an evening celebration in his small town. Seeking to belong somewhere and to have a family, Chap tells them that he really is Cassiel – and so begins his attempt to take on the life on the missing boy, all the while worrying that the real Cassiel will show up and try to claim his life. However, as Chap settles into a routine with Cassiel’s family, he begins to discover that things may not be what they seem and that he is not the only one with secrets to hide.

I loved this book! I couldn’t put it down. It had suspense and mystery, yet it read quickly (less than 300 pages) and easily. I would recommend it for older YA readers due to intense themes. I would think that reluctant readers would enjoy it.

Thank you, Disney Hyperion, for sending me my copy!

Quick Children’s Review: The Boxcar Children Graphic Novel #2 – Surprise Island by Gertrude Chandler and Mike Dubisch

/ drbethnolan / 1 Comment

Through Net Galley, I received a free download of this novel to review from the publishers at Open Road. The Boxcar Children series has been around for a long time. In case you don’t know the premise, four orphaned siblings live in a boxcar and have adventures and solve mysteries. They reunite with their grandfather, but the adventures continue. The original series was created by Gertrude Chandler in the 1940’s. In this rendition, Mike Dubisch has put the story into a graphic “comic book” format. It reads easily and has colorful pictures. It was also quite short – just over 30 pages. I could see how reluctant readers or those seeking a quick read would like this series. To be honest, I found some of the language stilted – since it condensed quite a bit of text into a shorter, graphic format – but I still think that both boys and girls would enjoy this series. I plan to share mine with my favorite second grader.

Thanks, Open Road, for sending me a copy to review!

YA REVIEW: “Stones for My Father” by Trilby Kent

/ drbethnolan / Leave a comment

As some of you know, I know Trilby Kent and have posted short interviews with her here (for instance, see: https://drbethnolan.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/author-interview-with-trilby-kent-2/). I was excited this week to read Trilby’s new YA book, “Stones for My Father”, which I downloaded for my Kindle.

“Stones for My Father” follows young Corlie Roux as her family fights to survive during the Boer War in South Africa. Corlie’s father has passed away and her mother, a cold, stern woman, works to keep the family – Corlie and her two younger brothers – alive. The encroaching British soldiers cause the family to flee their farm and they live in a circle of wagons with other settlers. Soon, though, they are discovered by British soldiers and taken to an internment camp for refugees. Corlie must face hunger, sickness, and loneliness in an effort to survive.

I LOVED Trilby’s novel and the character of Corlie. This novel has several layers to it – the story of the Boer War (which I knew only a little about), the story of Corlie’s family, Corlie’s relationship with her young African friend (their servant’s son), Corlie’s relationship with her brother Gert, Corlie’s mother (a complicated and not terribly likable character who is abusive to Corlie), and the role of a young Canadian soldier who befriends Corlie and her brother. This is a quick read – less than 200 pages – but compelling and at times intense. Some of the passages are heart-wrenching – even disturbing – and this novel can be read on more than one level. While YA readers will most certainly focus on Corlie’s trials and tribulations in her efforts to survive, older readers will also want to analyze Corlie’s family structure, the role of Boer women at that time (1899), and the bigger issues of war and land control in Africa by other countries. I would have loved to have read this novel as a  middle schooler — and I think adult fans of good historical fiction will like it as well.

Hats off to Trilby for a great read!