T List #26

October Mourning by Leslea Newman

I didn't realize this was poetry until I read the forward of the book. I chose it because the book jacket sounded interesting. Poetry and I don't usually get along; it asks to much of me with all the layers of understanding generally required. This, however, was fairly straightforward, and will likely haunt me for a while.

All of the poetry in this book was inspired by Matthew Shepard, a young, gay man who was brutally beaten, tied to a fence, and left to die in 1998 simply because he was gay. I have a problem with this. I don't understand the "logic" that leads someone to hurt and kill another person because they are different. It hurts my heart that this young man died in this way, but I am glad that, because of this book, more gays/lesbians/bisexuals/transgenders may have an easier way of things.

I encourage you to read this book.

T List #25

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

Having read another book on the TAYSHAS list by this author and liked it, I was looking forward to reading this one.

Astrid is a senior in high school in small town America. She is friends with the most popular girl in school. She has a nutjob mother and a pot smoking father. She has a sister that plays hockey, and doesn't like her much. Astrid has a big secret: she might be gay.

Oh, and she talks to airplanes.

This story follows Astrid on her journey of coming out. Great book.

T List #24

Gorgeous by Paul Rudnick

It was bound to happen sometime.....my opinion was different than that of my librarian friend on this book. What she disliked about it is what I liked about it. Well, aside from the extremely foul language. On that we can agree. I am not down with the f-bomb or c-u-next-Tuesday. Not ladylike at all.

Anyway.....this is a Cinderella story of sorts. Maybe more like Princess Diaries, or even Shrek.

Becky Randle is from a small town in Missouri. She has lived with her mother all of her life, and, for the most part, is nondescript. There's not really anything special about Becky herself. Becky's mother is over 400 lbs, and dies, leaving Becky alone. She's never told Becky who her father is, or anything about her past.

One day, not long after her mother dies, Becky hears her mother's ring tone. It's not actually her phone though. Instead, she finds a ring box, and inside, is a phone number. Out of curiosity, she calls the number, and is whisked away to New York City. She meets the world famous fashion designer, Tom Kelly, who knew her mother. He makes a deal with her: he will make her the most beautiful woman in the world, and all she has to do is wear three dresses.

Becky transforms into Rebecca, the most beautiful woman in the world. She ends up on the cover of Vogue, stars in a movie and is romantically linked with the actor she has adored forever (who turns out to be gay), then meets the crown prince of England. About the same time, Tom tells Becky that in one year's time, she must fall in love and get married, in order to remain Rebecca. She falls in love with the prince, and on their wedding day, Tom asks Rebecca if she loves the prince. She says yes, but, surprise! she turns back into Becky.

I'll leave it to you, dear reader, to find out what happens.

Sure, this book was so over the top unlikely to happen, but that is what I enjoyed about the book.

T List #23

The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats

I so wanted to like this book. It's historical fiction. It takes place in the UK. Both of these are things I love in a book, but it was hard to like this book because of the characters. There are two: Cecily and Gwinnie.

Cecily moves to Caernarvon with her father, against her wishes. She'd rather move to Edgeley, but can't because it doesn't rightfully belong to her father, being the younger son. She fully intends to be the lady of the house in Caernarvon because she is of age to do so, and her mother has long since passed away. That doesn't work out for her at all. The house that they live in because her father is to become a burgess comes with two Welsh women as servants. One is her own age, and defies Cecily almost the instant they meet.

Gwinnie is the servant girl in the house that should have been her own, had the English not come and ruined things. Instead, she lives in a hovel outside the gates of the town. There's not enough to eat, her mother is on her deathbed, her father is dead by hanging, and her brother aspires to be one of the rebels.

There was potential for these two characters to be great, but they weren't. Cecily was a huge brat. If things didn't go her way, she threw a tantrum of sorts. Gwinnie was not much different. She didn't take the time to know a person. If they were English, then they were to be hated.

I felt this book had so much potential, but due to the unlikable characters, it was hard to enjoy.

T List #22

All the Truth That's in Me by Julie Berry

I heard this book was good, so I was really trying to get it before we got out for Spring Break. Let me just say this: the cover and the description are a bit misleading. Not in a bad way though. The cover would have you believe that this is a modern story, but it isn't.

Judith is our protagonist. She and another girl from their town go missing. The other girl is found dead a few days after going missing. Judith returns home after two years, with half of her tongue missing. This makes her something of a pariah. Even her mother wants nothing to do with her.

For as long as Judith can remember, she has been in love with her neighbor, Lucas. His father died when they were younger, or so everyone thought. When the town comes under attack, Judith finds Lucas' father to help, and this time, he really dies. Unfortunately, he is linked to the girls' disappearance, and this begins to cause trouble in town for Lucas.

Judith has a secret that she must tell to save the people she loves. Can she do it?

This book has a different format than most books. It is written in sections, and within each section are chapters. The chapters are very short and journal-like. It jumps around sometimes. Once you get used to this, it isn't much of a problem. It's a good read, and I was pleased with the ending.

T List #21

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina

This is a story about bullying. Could have been told as a short story instead of drawing this out. It was hard to get into.

Anyway, Piddy is new to school, and doesn't have many friends. Yaqui Delgado wants to kick her ass. Why? Who knows. Piddy doesn't even know the girl. Sometimes, girls are just bitches, and that seems to be the case here. Yaqui and her friends jump Piddy, videotape it, and the school gets involved.

See? This didn't need to be a whole book.

T List #20

Rapture Practice by Aaron Hartzler

This is the first nonfiction book I have ever read from the TAYSHAS list. I was asked to read it and give my thoughts on it, which I pretty much do anyway with these books. Anyway, there was some concern that it may be more controversial because of the religious content, and the fact that it is nonfiction.

To be perfectly honest, this wasn't a dry read like many nonfiction books, even memoirs. This read like a piece of fiction, so it was easy to follow. I liked the story the man had to tell. The author is a year older than I am, so I don't know if that contributed to my liking the book or not. Also. I have experienced some of the same doubts that the author has, but, strict as my parents were, they didn't hold a candle to this guy's parents.

Aaron's dad is a minister. Nothing wrong with that-my grandpa was a minister, and one of the greatest people I have ever known. The difference between my grandpa and the author's father is that my grandpa believed that God knows we will make mistakes, but that we should still live and enjoy life. Aaron's father was/is one of those people who believe that Satan is in everything, and that you are hurting God if you partake in them. This includes music, movies, tv, books, virtually everything. Everytime Aaron slipped up, it wasn't enough for his parents to say he disappointed them, they told him that his choices we disappointing God. That's heavy, and a lot of pressure to live with.

I found myself feeling so sorry for Aaron. He was only trying to enjoy his life. I believe God gave us the ability to choose for ourselves, but also gave us an out when we screwed up by being saved. Aaron seems to have felt the same way, and it was hard for him growing up this way. I would be interested to see how his siblings saw their upbringing.

I was a bit disappointed in Aaron at the end. I wanted so much for him to stand up to his parents, and he never did. He just kept apologizing for his "rebellion."

T List #19

In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

I chose this book because I like the cover, and it seemed to indicate that it was one of those books that told the stories of vintage photography. Don't get me wrong, the pictures were nice, but it really had next to nothing to do with the story.

Oh my, but this book was a bit on the boring side. It took me over a week to read.

It takes place in San Diego in October/November 1918. The flu pandemic has hit the country, and people are being arrested as German sympathizers still. Our protagonist, Mary Shelley Black is touched by both. Her father is arrested for being a German sympathizer, which is why she is sent from her home in Portland, OR to her Aunt Eva in San Diego. The flu has hit everywhere in the country, but doesn't seem to be as bad in San Diego. Mary is also grieving because the boy she loved, Stephen, has shipped off to France to fight in World War I.

While she is in San Diego, she is convinced, again, to sit for spirit photos by Stephen's brother, Julius. While there something happens, and Mary Shelley is rushed off. When she comes back to pick up the photo, she finds out that Stephen has been killed in action. Stephen haunts Mary, leading her to believe that something is not right with his death. In the process of finding out what it is, she dies herself, and comes back to life.

Will she find out what happens without succumbing to the flu, or everyone thinking she is crazy?