Leia: Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray
It's no secret that Princess Leia is one of my all-time heroes growing up. She was everything I wanted to be. So, when I saw that there was a young adult novel about my childhood hero, I bought it, despite the fact that I had never planned to read a Star Wars book.
My stance on Star Wars books is this: Star Wars came from the brilliant mind of George Lucas. The books about the first three Star Wars movies were NOT written by George Lucas. In fact, they were written BASED on the movies, which is a who other animal than a movie based on a book. So, because George didn't write them, I didn't feel they were legitimate. Same with every Star Wars book in the intervening years. Star Wars was meant to be seen and not read, as far as I was concerned. (Don't even let me get into canon, and why books that weren't written by George are considered canon!) I should have left this one at the store. It's not that it was a bad story, it's just that this doesn't feel like MY Princess Leia.
Carrie Fisher WAS Princess Leia, and was given free reign to create Leia's backstory. Somehow, I don't think that this book was it. We only see glimpses of the real Leia. I mean, she's "dating" a safe guy--one who is part of the junior senators. Where's the scoundrel that is the yin to her yang?
What I did like about this book were the little details. Like when she's on Naboo meeting with Moff Panaka and he realizes (I think) whose daughter she really is because he used to serve her. And when she meets R2D2, and gives him a mission to complete. Those moments were sweet. Otherwise, there wasn't much that made me want to continue.
Like I said, this wasn't a bad read. It's just that it wasn't a good read either. Merely ok when it could have been amazing. Leia was an amazing woman, and I just have a hard time believing that her depiction here is in any way what was intended by the people who created her and brought her to life.
Monday, February 26, 2018
Sunday, February 25, 2018
TAYSHAS #12
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
This book keeps popping up everywhere I go--Target, surfing the web, etc.--so when I saw it made the list this year, I knew I would read it. I'm glad I did, and it really didn't take too long to read. I started it Friday and finished today (Sunday), so it's a quick read.
Molly is seventeen. She's a twin, and has two moms. She's had 27 crushes and has never been kissed. At the beginning of the book, she meets a girl, Mina, in the bathroom at a club who turns out to be perfect for her twin, Cassie. They hit it off, and on a ride on the subway, Molly meets and is slightly attracted to Mina's friend, Will.
Because Cassie and Mina hit it off so well, this seems to become the beginning of the twins growing apart. Neither of them wants this necessarily, but it is something that happens when one finds someone else to love. Cassie and Mina try to get Will and Molly together, but there's a snag: Molly works with a boy named Reid, and she kinda has a thing for him.
Add to this that the Supreme Court ruling allowing gays to marry across the country, so Cassie and Molly's moms decide to get married. This adds extra turmoil around the house to go with the dating and growing apart thing. It's complicated, but a delight to read.
Much like most of the young adult literature I read, I enjoyed this one because it had a realistic quality to it. Molly and Cassie and Mina and Reid could all be real people, and the experiences they have could be real too. THAT is why I liked this book.
This book keeps popping up everywhere I go--Target, surfing the web, etc.--so when I saw it made the list this year, I knew I would read it. I'm glad I did, and it really didn't take too long to read. I started it Friday and finished today (Sunday), so it's a quick read.
Molly is seventeen. She's a twin, and has two moms. She's had 27 crushes and has never been kissed. At the beginning of the book, she meets a girl, Mina, in the bathroom at a club who turns out to be perfect for her twin, Cassie. They hit it off, and on a ride on the subway, Molly meets and is slightly attracted to Mina's friend, Will.
Because Cassie and Mina hit it off so well, this seems to become the beginning of the twins growing apart. Neither of them wants this necessarily, but it is something that happens when one finds someone else to love. Cassie and Mina try to get Will and Molly together, but there's a snag: Molly works with a boy named Reid, and she kinda has a thing for him.
Add to this that the Supreme Court ruling allowing gays to marry across the country, so Cassie and Molly's moms decide to get married. This adds extra turmoil around the house to go with the dating and growing apart thing. It's complicated, but a delight to read.
Much like most of the young adult literature I read, I enjoyed this one because it had a realistic quality to it. Molly and Cassie and Mina and Reid could all be real people, and the experiences they have could be real too. THAT is why I liked this book.
Thursday, February 15, 2018
Peer Into the Lives of the Mundane
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
I enjoyed Ms. Ng's first book, so when I saw this was coming out, I knew I would read it. I even tried to get an advanced reader copy of it, but was unsuccessful. So, finally, I found it for a really good price for my Kindle.
Told similarly to her first novel, this one starts with the Richardson's house being destroyed by fire and Mrs. Richardson (and everyone else, really) knowing who did it--the reader included. What follows are a series of stories that lead up to the fire. We hear the trials and tribulations of the Richardsons, some of their friends, and the tenants who live in the duplex that the Richardson's own.
This is a story of surrogates, stolen babies, abortion, betrayal, and heartbreak. I was surprised it turned out as good as it did, as the first third or so was a little on the boring side. Once you get past the first third, you won't want to put this down. It makes you wonder what secrets are hiding behind the carefully crafted facades you see every day.
I enjoyed Ms. Ng's first book, so when I saw this was coming out, I knew I would read it. I even tried to get an advanced reader copy of it, but was unsuccessful. So, finally, I found it for a really good price for my Kindle.
Told similarly to her first novel, this one starts with the Richardson's house being destroyed by fire and Mrs. Richardson (and everyone else, really) knowing who did it--the reader included. What follows are a series of stories that lead up to the fire. We hear the trials and tribulations of the Richardsons, some of their friends, and the tenants who live in the duplex that the Richardson's own.
This is a story of surrogates, stolen babies, abortion, betrayal, and heartbreak. I was surprised it turned out as good as it did, as the first third or so was a little on the boring side. Once you get past the first third, you won't want to put this down. It makes you wonder what secrets are hiding behind the carefully crafted facades you see every day.
Monday, February 12, 2018
London Meets New York
Still Me by Jojo Moyes
If you read Me Before You, you probably fell in love with spunky Louisa Clark like I did. This time around, Lou is in New York, fulfilling her job as an assistant to a wealthy Polish woman. She's trying to maintain a long-distance relationship with Sam the paramedic and meets a Will Traynor look alike.
She loses Sam because the long-distance thing, and because his new partner has a thing for him. She ends up dating the Will look alike, loses her job, and loses the look alike too. But none of this stops Lou. She manages to find a way to stay in New York, and befriends the old lady from across the hall. More importantly, Lou finds herself, which is the best thing of all.
I realize that this is a short and watered down version of events, but, honestly, if you've read the other two books in the series, you're going to want to read this. Lou is the same Lou--quirky, sweet, funny--and I sincerely hope that there's a fourth installment.
If you read Me Before You, you probably fell in love with spunky Louisa Clark like I did. This time around, Lou is in New York, fulfilling her job as an assistant to a wealthy Polish woman. She's trying to maintain a long-distance relationship with Sam the paramedic and meets a Will Traynor look alike.
She loses Sam because the long-distance thing, and because his new partner has a thing for him. She ends up dating the Will look alike, loses her job, and loses the look alike too. But none of this stops Lou. She manages to find a way to stay in New York, and befriends the old lady from across the hall. More importantly, Lou finds herself, which is the best thing of all.
I realize that this is a short and watered down version of events, but, honestly, if you've read the other two books in the series, you're going to want to read this. Lou is the same Lou--quirky, sweet, funny--and I sincerely hope that there's a fourth installment.
Friday, February 2, 2018
TAYSHAS 11
Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy
A couple of years ago, this author had another book on the TAYSHAS list that I enjoyed, so I figured this was a safe bet too. It was.
Ramona Blue Leroux has blue hair and lives in the small coastal town of Eulogy, Mississippi. She's a lesbian, which is rare for those parts, has an older sister who is pregnant and dating a douche canoe, and they live with their dad in a FEMA trailer from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
At the beginning of the book, Ramona is spending the last little bit of time she has with her summer fling, Grace, a girl from Picayune who has a boyfriend and isn't ready to exit the closet. Ramona is way smitten with this girl, and is heartbroken when it seems Grace doesn't feel quite the same.
While throwing the last paper on her route, Ramona runs into an old family friend she hasn't seen in years, Agnes. Agnes' grandson, Freddie, used to spend a lot of time with Ramona when they were little. Now that he lives in town, they rekindle their own friendship.
Both Ramona and Freddie are hung up on girls who, it seems, couldn't care less about them, as evidenced when they go to a party. Freddie and Ramona continue to grow closer, and at Thanksgiving, they kiss. Ramona is not sure what this means, but she knows she loves Freddie and he loves her. He's the best thing in her life.
Which brings me to her life. I mentioned she lives in a FEMA trailer with her dad, pregnant sister, Hattie, and Hattie's boyfriend, Tyler. The space is NOT big enough for all of them, and Ramona just knows that Tyler is not going to be around for Hattie and the baby, and that she will have to take care of everything--just like always. She works two jobs to take care of things, and makes no plans to leave for college because of this. Oh, and their mother who left them after Katrina, she's a freaking mess. She comes to Hattie's baby shower drunk and causes a scene. She also thinks that Ramona being gay is just a phase or something that can be cured.
All of this, plus friendships and senior year of high school swirl around to make a fantastic, realistic read. I didn't want it to end, and I sincerely hope that Ramona pops up somewhere else.
A couple of years ago, this author had another book on the TAYSHAS list that I enjoyed, so I figured this was a safe bet too. It was.
Ramona Blue Leroux has blue hair and lives in the small coastal town of Eulogy, Mississippi. She's a lesbian, which is rare for those parts, has an older sister who is pregnant and dating a douche canoe, and they live with their dad in a FEMA trailer from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
At the beginning of the book, Ramona is spending the last little bit of time she has with her summer fling, Grace, a girl from Picayune who has a boyfriend and isn't ready to exit the closet. Ramona is way smitten with this girl, and is heartbroken when it seems Grace doesn't feel quite the same.
While throwing the last paper on her route, Ramona runs into an old family friend she hasn't seen in years, Agnes. Agnes' grandson, Freddie, used to spend a lot of time with Ramona when they were little. Now that he lives in town, they rekindle their own friendship.
Both Ramona and Freddie are hung up on girls who, it seems, couldn't care less about them, as evidenced when they go to a party. Freddie and Ramona continue to grow closer, and at Thanksgiving, they kiss. Ramona is not sure what this means, but she knows she loves Freddie and he loves her. He's the best thing in her life.
Which brings me to her life. I mentioned she lives in a FEMA trailer with her dad, pregnant sister, Hattie, and Hattie's boyfriend, Tyler. The space is NOT big enough for all of them, and Ramona just knows that Tyler is not going to be around for Hattie and the baby, and that she will have to take care of everything--just like always. She works two jobs to take care of things, and makes no plans to leave for college because of this. Oh, and their mother who left them after Katrina, she's a freaking mess. She comes to Hattie's baby shower drunk and causes a scene. She also thinks that Ramona being gay is just a phase or something that can be cured.
All of this, plus friendships and senior year of high school swirl around to make a fantastic, realistic read. I didn't want it to end, and I sincerely hope that Ramona pops up somewhere else.
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