A Novel Reflection: 2015

Friday, December 18, 2015

A Happy Holiday Whodunit

Title: Greenglass House
# of Pages: 373
Author: Kate Milford
Illustrator: Jaime Zollars
Previous Work: (For the author)

Bluecrowne (Companion to Greenglass House)

The Boneshaker

The Broken Lands

The Kairos Mechanism

Summary: Milo was looking forward to an event free
Christmas vacation at his adoptive parents' smuggler hotel,
filled with holiday traditions, not guests. Unfortunately for
Milo, luck was not on his side and the hotel filled with odd
guests with strange habits and even stranger motives. As
Milo and the cook's daughter Meddy set off to investigate a
map one of the guests dropped, they became their alter-egos:
Negret and Sirin. Could they figure out the mystery of the
hotel? Or were they left out in the cold?

Rating: I'd give this a 4.
Awards:

2014 Agatha Award Nominee for Best Children's/ YA Novel

2014 National Book Award Nominee for Young People's
Literature Longlist

2014 Kirkus The Best Children's Books

2015 Edgar Award for Best Juvenile

2016 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Nominee

Opinion: Greenglass House is the companion to Bluecrowne,
but you can definitely read it by itself. That's what I did.
Bluecrowne is about the ancestors of some of the characters in
this book, so while it might provide some interesting
connections, it isn't necessary. Greenglass House draws you
in from the very beginning. The author is very good at giving
you a clear picture of what is going on. At times, I saw a vivid,
beautiful movie in my head. I really hope this book is made
into a movie at some point. The story is riddled with folktales
that relate to the main story, as well as ones that are
mentioned but not told. In my opinion those were almost
better than the book, and I wished I could have read the ones
that weren't written. The story was complex and realistic with
a hint of whimsy. It was amazing. However, there's a reason I
only gave this book a four. The first issue with the book was
the illustrations. They're small and don't really add anything
to the book. Not to mention, that while beautiful, they are
actually kind of jarring. Some of them don't quite fit the
descriptions in the book and I didn't like how the characters
looked. The other issue was the end of the book. I won't give
anything away, but the ending became seemingly more
juvenile and less realistic. It almost seemed like a cop-out. If
it weren't for the end, I could love this book without
hesitation.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Be Thankful Part 2

Title: Six Months Later
# of Pages: 326
Author: Natalie D. Richards

Previous Work: This was her first book, but since then
she has written "Gone Too Far" and "My Secret to Tell".

Summary: When Chloe falls asleep in study hall, she is an
average student, with an amazing best friend named
Maggie, and a huge crush on Blake, who is way out of her
league. When she wakes up, six months have passed and
she's on track to become valedictorian. Blake is her
boyfriend, and Chloe is super popular. Chloe knows she
should be thankful that her life is suddenly perfect, but
some things just don't add up. Maggie is no longer her best
friend and Blake fills her with dread. What happened in
those six months that she can't remember?

Rating: I'd give this book a 3,5,
Awards: 2014 Yalsa Teens Top Ten Finalist

Friday, September 18, 2015

A Paige Turner

Title: Page by Paige
# of Pages: 192
Author/Illustrator: Laura Lee Gulledge
Previous Work: She was an artist, but this is her first
graphic novel.

Summary: When Paige Turner moves from Virginia to
New York, she isn't sure of who she is, or how to fit in. With
the help of her sketchbook, Paige is determined to make new
friends and discover who she is.

Plot Rating: 1.
Art Rating: 5.
Awards:

Eisner Award Nominee

ALA Teen Top Ten Debut Graphic Novel Nominee

Opinion: Okay, honestly, the plot was the most boring,
overused thing I have ever read. There was nothing unique
about it, and it had some rude humor. It boils down to a new
move, first love, and teen angst. If you like those things,
good for you. The only reason I'm even reviewing this is for
the art. The art really shows all the things you've felt but
didn't know how to express. The picture below is not my
favorite picture in the book, but it was the best I could find
online. What I like about the art is that most of the time it
isn't literal, and it tells the story much more clearly than the
words ever could. The graphic novel shows the author is
more of an artist. I would read this book for the pictures, not
the story.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

From Bookworms to Butterflies

Title: Smart Girls Get What They Want
# of Pages: 348
Author: Sarah Strohmeyer
Previous Work: This was her first book for teens.

Summary:
Because high school only comes around once, and I would
hate to look back and think I didn't make the most of every
moment because I was scared of what other people thought.
Other people never think that much about you anyway.
Eleanor Roosevelt said that.

Gigi, Bea, and Neerja are the school overachievers. Their lives
consist almost entirely of studying and hanging out with each
other. When they realize Neerja's older sister Parad, the school
valedictorian left no mark on the student body, they realize
they need to make themselves known. With new
accomplishments and relationships within their grasp, the
girls are in for an amazing Sophomore year.

Rating: It was a sweet read, and I wish it had a sequel, but
there was nothing spectacular about it. This is a "cozy-in-
your-pj's" read not a "best-book-I-ever-read" read. I have to
give it a three for normal people and a 4 for nerds.
Awards: None

Opinion: As the title implies, this is about smart girls and
for smart girls. I think to really appreciate this book, you have
to identify with it. You have to be one of those people who love
school, useless facts, and working hard. Sometimes, when
reading the book I would totally go, "I know just what you
mean," and feel vindicated. Other times I just enjoyed
learning a little bit more about Eleanor Roosevelt, or The
Scarlet Letter. The book touched on all aspects of school life.
It had student government trying to bridge the gap between
arts, sports, and fairness within the school. It also had a
couple of sweet romances. My only complaint is that the book
is told entirely from Gigi's POV. While she was a great
narrator, and I really did care what happened to her, I
sometimes felt a bit cheated because the book was supposed
to be about all three girls. It's very rare for me to close a book
and feel entirely happy, but with this one I did. This is for
when you don't want firecrackers, but a simple sparkler of a
book.

Saturday, July 18, 2015

I Spy a Lie Part 2

Title: The Agency Novels/Mary Quinn Mysteries:

A Spy in the House

The Body at the Tower

The Traitor in the Tunnel

Rivals in the City

Author: Y.S. Lee
Previous Work: None

Summary: When orphan Mary Quinn is sentenced to the
gallows for thievery, she is instead rescued and educated at
Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for girls. She finds out the
organization is more than they seem, and agrees to start
spying for them. Between her new job, London's general
mistrust of foreigners, and a growing attraction to a man who
seemingly appears at every turn, can Mary satisfy her need
for freedom? Or will the constraints of England in the 1800's
cripple her spirit forever?

Rating: I'd give the series a 4.
Awards:
(For A Spy in the House)

2011 CCBC's John Spray Mystery Award

2011 Agatha Award Finalist

2011 Red Maple Award Finalist

(For The Traitor in the Tunnel)

2013 Arthur Ellis Award Nominee for Best Juvenile/YA
Crime Book

Opinion: I love this series. You can't help but root for Mary,
and it's nice to read a historical fiction where women have
opportunities. The story has a real yet unreal feeling. The
only issue I have is that while the characters always stayed
with me, sometimes the finer details of the plot didn't. That
said, I'm still sad the series is over. This is definitely a series
worth reading.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

From Books to Movies Part 2

Title: The Star Wars Trilogy

Star Wars

The Empire Strikes Back

Return of the Jedi
  # of Pages: 471
Author: George Lucas
Previous Work: (Books Only)

George Lucas: Interviews

Author: Donald F. Glut
Previous Work: (Fiction Only)

  Frankenstein Lives Again

Frankenstein Meets Dracula

Bones of Frankenstein

Author: James Kahn
Previous Work:

World Enough, and Time

Time's Dark Laughter

Poltergeist

Summary: A long time ago in a galaxy far far away... Luke
Skywalker worked on his uncle's farm on a remote planet
called Tatooine, repairing secondhand machinery and stunt-
flying his battered skyhopper... and he was bored beyond
belief. He dreamed of adventures out among the stars-
adventures that would take him to distant, alien worlds. But
when Luke intercepted a cryptic message from a beautiful
captive, he got more than he bargained for- and that was how
it all began...

Rating: This is a 5.
Awards: There are no awards for the books but the
movies received so many awards, I won't even bother trying
to list them.

Opinion: Full disclosure: I got the summary from the back
of the book. I was really worried about giving too much away.
Okay, moving on. I really loved the books. The plot felt fuller
because the characters' feelings were revealed. And the large
vocabulary and detailed descriptions were definitely a plus
(not that the movies needed those)That being said, a lack of
continuity in the books drove me slowly insane. In the first
book Artoo was described as having thick clawed legs. Yet in
the next two, he's described as looking exactly like the
movies. Also, Yoda's skin changes from blue to green. Little
issues like that bothered me, but they might not bother you.

Better than the Movie?: It really depends on what you're
looking for. I personally had a hard time following the
action scenes in the book (especially fights between ships)
without being able to see it. On the other hand, I really
enjoyed the character development, vocabulary, and the
ability to stop it part way through. I think any true Star
Wars fan should read the book, just to see where it all
started.

Movie Preview:

Monday, June 1, 2015

Summer Reading Programs 2015

Every year I put out a list of teen summer reading programs across the US. Each year, it gets a little bigger and better. This year, the libraries are alphabetized, and so comprehensive, the list will be broken into parts. Enjoy!