My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jody Meadows
I saw this was on the TAYSHAS consideration list, and got really excited. I love all things Tudor, and thought this was going to be a young adult, historical fiction about Jane Grey. It was, kind of. You know, if Edward VI, Lady Jane, and Guildford Dudley actually lived.
And there's the problem I had with this book. They lived. And turned into animals.
There were so many times I wanted to give up on this because it was such a disappointment, but I didn't because I am not a quitter (and if it makes the final TAYSHAS list, that's 1/3 of a duck!)
Also, in their efforts to be funny, they threw in works from other authors/tv shows/songs/movies. I was not amused.
If you love all things Tudors, I would not read this. Save yourself. If you know nothing about the Tudors, you'd probably be safe reading this because you won't know any better that this is historically inaccurate.
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Monday, October 10, 2016
Chasing Ghosts
You Were Here by Cori McCarthy
It's Jaycee's graduation day, which is exactly five years to the day after her brother, Jake's, graduation. The difference is that Jaycee doesn't die as a result of truth or dare gone bad. Jaycee saw him die, and this has done a number on her.
In an effort to be closer to Jake, Jaycee goes to the scene of his death every year on its anniversary, and then goes into the abandoned asylum because she knew Jake liked to go there. On the night of her own graduation, she is accompanied by people who once were her friends, all of whom have their own problems to overcome.
This is a book of finding who you are, and finding your true friends. This one definitely deserves to make the 2017 TAYSHAS list.
One thing I would like to point out, since this is something I recently had lessons over for my own students, and because it is not something you see very often: This book is a mix of point of view. When we read Jaycee's chapters, they are told in first person, but Zach and Natalie's chapters are third person limited. It's unusual to see two different types of point of view in one story.
It's Jaycee's graduation day, which is exactly five years to the day after her brother, Jake's, graduation. The difference is that Jaycee doesn't die as a result of truth or dare gone bad. Jaycee saw him die, and this has done a number on her.
In an effort to be closer to Jake, Jaycee goes to the scene of his death every year on its anniversary, and then goes into the abandoned asylum because she knew Jake liked to go there. On the night of her own graduation, she is accompanied by people who once were her friends, all of whom have their own problems to overcome.
This is a book of finding who you are, and finding your true friends. This one definitely deserves to make the 2017 TAYSHAS list.
One thing I would like to point out, since this is something I recently had lessons over for my own students, and because it is not something you see very often: This book is a mix of point of view. When we read Jaycee's chapters, they are told in first person, but Zach and Natalie's chapters are third person limited. It's unusual to see two different types of point of view in one story.
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Another Broken Soul
Empty by K.M. Walton
This is another book that my on level students are reading for their lit circles. It had me even more hooked than the last one by this author did. I just hurt for the protagonist.
Dell is sixteen. Her world has fallen apart. Two years ago, her dad left with the woman he cheated on her mother with; he doesn't seem to care about Dell in any way, and certainly doesn't pay child support for Dell and her toddler sister, Meggie. Dell was on the softball team, but after she doesn't deliver what the coach is accustomed to, he cuts her because she is overweight. Dell's best friend, Cara, is getting ever more distant, wanting to be a part of the popular crowd.
And boys? Boys only like Dell when she does some sumo cow routine. The boy she likes has an evil girlfriend, and he himself hurts Dell in the most despicable way.
Dell eats to soothe her soul, rather than talking about her problems. If she had talked about her problems, she likely wouldn't have found herself in the mental state and physical state she is in. Her whole situation is heartbreaking.
I can't talk about the ending. Just know it did not end how I wanted it to.
The author certainly knows how to write about pain. I commend her for that. Having read both books that she has written, I hope that her work somehow helps others to see their self worth.
This is another book that my on level students are reading for their lit circles. It had me even more hooked than the last one by this author did. I just hurt for the protagonist.
Dell is sixteen. Her world has fallen apart. Two years ago, her dad left with the woman he cheated on her mother with; he doesn't seem to care about Dell in any way, and certainly doesn't pay child support for Dell and her toddler sister, Meggie. Dell was on the softball team, but after she doesn't deliver what the coach is accustomed to, he cuts her because she is overweight. Dell's best friend, Cara, is getting ever more distant, wanting to be a part of the popular crowd.
And boys? Boys only like Dell when she does some sumo cow routine. The boy she likes has an evil girlfriend, and he himself hurts Dell in the most despicable way.
Dell eats to soothe her soul, rather than talking about her problems. If she had talked about her problems, she likely wouldn't have found herself in the mental state and physical state she is in. Her whole situation is heartbreaking.
I can't talk about the ending. Just know it did not end how I wanted it to.
The author certainly knows how to write about pain. I commend her for that. Having read both books that she has written, I hope that her work somehow helps others to see their self worth.
Sunday, October 2, 2016
A Look at Broken People
Cracked by K.M. Walton
Truth in advertising: I read this because it is one of the grant books I chose for my on level classes to have for lit circles. Little did I know I would enjoy it so much. Then again, it's about broken people, and we know how I am drawn to books like this.
This is about two sixteen year old boys, Victor and Bull.
Victor is fairly wealthy, but his parents make it known all the time that they wish he'd never been born. There are a lot of things he can't do or say because it might offend his mother. His parents cancel his trip to Europe with them because he did not ace, as in score 100%, on his SAT. He's bullied at school by Bull, and he thinks that the only being who gives a damn about him is his dog, Jazzer. On the morning that his parents leave to go to Europe, without telling him good-bye, he finds Jazzer dead, and decides to end it all. He takes a bottle of his mother's sleeping pills, and wakes up to find himself in a psychiatric ward.
Bull is not in any way wealthy. In fact, at one point, he is eating a heel piece of bread because that is the only food in the house. Bull's grandfather, who he refers to as Pop, beats him fairly regularly. His mother is a drunk who does nothing to stand up for him, and he doesn't know who his father is because he never wanted Bull to be born. Bull is blamed for the family's circumstances, but it is obviously not his fault. To escape, he takes books to a cemetery to get away from it all. Yes, he is a bully, but it is likely a result of his upbringing. One day, he's had enough, and tries to shoot his Pop, He misses and shoots himself. Pop tells the authorities that Bull was trying to kill himself, and he ends up in a psychiatric ward.
The bullied and the bully are sharing a room in a psychiatric ward. Things will definitely get worse before they get better.
I enjoyed this book. I liked that we got Victor's point of view and Bull's point of view. It didn't end the way I expected, but I wasn't disappointed with the ending. I can't wait to discuss this with my students. Every one of them who is reading this is really enjoying it.
Truth in advertising: I read this because it is one of the grant books I chose for my on level classes to have for lit circles. Little did I know I would enjoy it so much. Then again, it's about broken people, and we know how I am drawn to books like this.
This is about two sixteen year old boys, Victor and Bull.
Victor is fairly wealthy, but his parents make it known all the time that they wish he'd never been born. There are a lot of things he can't do or say because it might offend his mother. His parents cancel his trip to Europe with them because he did not ace, as in score 100%, on his SAT. He's bullied at school by Bull, and he thinks that the only being who gives a damn about him is his dog, Jazzer. On the morning that his parents leave to go to Europe, without telling him good-bye, he finds Jazzer dead, and decides to end it all. He takes a bottle of his mother's sleeping pills, and wakes up to find himself in a psychiatric ward.
Bull is not in any way wealthy. In fact, at one point, he is eating a heel piece of bread because that is the only food in the house. Bull's grandfather, who he refers to as Pop, beats him fairly regularly. His mother is a drunk who does nothing to stand up for him, and he doesn't know who his father is because he never wanted Bull to be born. Bull is blamed for the family's circumstances, but it is obviously not his fault. To escape, he takes books to a cemetery to get away from it all. Yes, he is a bully, but it is likely a result of his upbringing. One day, he's had enough, and tries to shoot his Pop, He misses and shoots himself. Pop tells the authorities that Bull was trying to kill himself, and he ends up in a psychiatric ward.
The bullied and the bully are sharing a room in a psychiatric ward. Things will definitely get worse before they get better.
I enjoyed this book. I liked that we got Victor's point of view and Bull's point of view. It didn't end the way I expected, but I wasn't disappointed with the ending. I can't wait to discuss this with my students. Every one of them who is reading this is really enjoying it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)