REVIEW: Whirligig

Fleischman, P.  (1998).  Whirligig.  New York:  Dell Laurel-Leaf.


133 pages.




Appetizer:  Brent Bishop moved to the Chicago suburbs about three months ago.  He's still working on establishing himself among the rich and popular juniors at his school.  When he attends a party hosted by the king of popularity, Chez, he tells small lies and tries to flirt with Brianna in the hopes of her raising his status.  When things don't go as he has planned, he finds himself drunk, driving, and feeling suicidal as he speeds down an express way.

Instead of killing himself though, he accidentally kills another girl, Lea Zamora, who had been driving behind him.  Despite the court's decision to only give him probation, he seeks punishment and retribution.  He finds it with the mother of the girl he killed.  She assigns him the task of placing whirligigs, Lea's favorite childhood toy, at the four corners of the country.

People have been recommending this book for years.  It then sat in my To Be Read Mountain for years until an Earthquake struck, the snow caps of my TBR Mountain collapsed and Whirligig was unearthed.  Or something.

As I began reading, I wasn't sure if it was going to live up to all of the recommendations.  It was clear within the first few pages that Brent was a jerk.  I found myself rooting for tragedy to strike so I could finally feel some sympathy for him has be began to change (Although, the fact that he suddenly turned suicidal on page 18 was a little surprising and didn't necessarily match social-climber characterization I had imagined).

Then I hit the second chapter and the story switches to the first-person point-of-view of a girl named Steph who describes the impact one of the whirligigs had on her.  And I was won over.  I didn't enjoy some of the other perspectives that were included as much, but it was still an enjoyable look at the impact of actions and at Brent's reassembling of his identity after causing a tragedy.

In terms of uses for the classroom, Whirligig lends itself to some diverse uses.  Reading about Brent assembling his first whirligig made me want to go out and buy supplies and try to make my own.  Throughout the book, he also explores a number of works of literature (and discusses why writing in books is awesome!), learning to play the harmonica, studying astronomy, various history topics, etc.

I think it's a great book to include in a thematic unit on identity.  It also can be used to focus on the impact and consequences of action (it could be one option for literature circles.  Other books that could be paired with it include Looking for Alaska and The Book of Blood and Shadow.)


Dinner Conversation:

"Brent turned toward his clock.  It was five thirty-five.  He hated the hours before a party.  A nervous energy whipped back and forth inside him.  He focused again on the computer's screen and careened through the video game's dark passages, firing at everything speeding toward him, borne along by the never-ending music." (p. 3)

"He shouted out the catalog of the night's injustices, rained punishments on his enemies, wailed at his disappointments and deprivations.  The flood of words seemed to bear him down the road.  His head reeled with drink and despairs.  Then he saw that he'd gotten on the wrong express way." (p. 16)

"They are the pawns.  You are a king.
He took his hands delicately off the wheel again.
You have a king's absolute power within you.
He hold his hands in midair for several seconds.  They shook slightly.  Gradually, he lowered them and laid them lightly on his thighs.  He stared blankly at the lights before him.
You have absolute power over you own life.
He saw that the car was drifting to the left.  He felt his hands jerk, but kept them on his thighs.
You have the power to end your life.  Now.
Very slowly, he closed his eyes." (p. 18)

"'So why are we here, of all places?'
"That's why."  Alexandra stopped and pointed at a strange contraption near the edge of the cliff.
"What is it?"
We approached.  It was as big as a box kite and mounted on a pole, gesticulating wildly with moving arms, vanes, wheels and propellers larger and small.  I'd never seen it.  It was all different colors.  It didn't resemble anything in particular, except at the top, where there was a woman's head.  Attached to her hair were three reflectors.  Shells and chimes hung around her neck.  Even with half the moving parts stuck, a gust blowing through it set off a flurry of fluttering and shimmering and ringing, as if a flock of exotic birds was taking flight.
I squinted my eyes against the wind.  "Who made it?"
"I think we can rule out the Pilgrims.  How should I know?  It's always been here."
"What's written on the wood?"
"'Lea Rosalia Santos Zamora'."
"What's that?"
"I'm pretty sure it's a prayer to the wind." (p. 24)

"His second life had eclipsed his first.  Its moment of birth had been the crash.
He didn't remember the actual impact.  He did recall the ambulance lights, the policeman asking how he felt, the discovery that he'd escaped with only cuts and a minor head injury.  Then came the alcohol test.  Then the drive to the police station, being booked for drunk driving, the photographs and fingerprints--registering his new birth, he thought now.  Then the realization that the ambulance at the scene had been tending someone else, that he'd hit another car." (p. 34)

"'Lea is gone.  I'm learning to accept that.  I thought I had nothing I could ask you that would help.  You can't bring back her body.  Then I thought about her spirit.'
Brent's skin tingled.  He stared at the photo, then at [Lea's mom], anxious to hear her bidding.
"This is my only request.  That you make four whirligigs, of a girl that looks like Lea.  Put her name on them.  Then set them up in Washington, California, Florida and Maine--the corners of the United States.  Let people all over the country receive joy from her even though she's gone." (p. 41)


Tasty Rating:  !!!

REVIEW: A Beautiful Evil

Keaton, K.  (2012).  A Beautiful Evil.  New York:  Simon Pulse.

287 pages.


Appetizer:  In this sequel to Darkness Become Her, it's only been a few days since the devastating events  that concluded the prequel and Ari is still in the remnants of New Orleans, living in the Garden District with a handful of misfits, attending to elite school to learn more about her enemy the goddess Athena and mourning the losses she experienced at the end of Darkness Becomes Her.

Her love interest, Sebastian, has been avoiding her ever since he and others saw what Ari will become once her curse takes full-effect in a few years.  Ari's only hope is to find a way to unravel the curse before than and save the people she cares about who Athena captured at the end of Darkness Becomes Her.

This was a nice fast-paced continuation to Ari's story.  The fantasy world was easier to accept now that it was previously established.  Although, the way magic is differentiated from curses later on in the book to allow some characters still remain powerful in Athena's temple realm was a little forced.  I also still struggle with the godess Athena being the primary antagonist.  I feel like Keaton could have created her own original bad guy effectively without twisting one of my favorite characters from Greek myth.  (Sorry, my bias for Athena was showing a little there.)

I found myself wishing for a map of the reconstructed New Orleans that Keaton envisions.  A listing of all the Novem families, their powers and who belongs to which house also wouldn't have hurt.  (But hey, now that would be a great extra credit opportunity for a student who chose to read this book.)

Keaton once again did a good job of providing rich descriptions of New Orleans and the French Quarter.  As someone who lives in Louisiana, I did have one practical concern or two.  As I kept reading, I wondered if she imagined the city as being in a constant state of celebrating Mardi Gras or something.  Yes, it is a week (or two!) of celebrations, but it's also a half-week or so of NO SCHOOL.  So, when Ari was attending school, I was a little confused.  Plus, while Keaton includes multiple parties, Lundi Gras and Lent are never really mentioned.  I'm guessing this is a point when research falls short to personal experience.  Cool points for describing king cake though!

Also, along with drowning girls, has anybody else noticed that there are a lot of Medusa books that involve a lot of hair-snakes recently?

It's a great image, but I think that the cover designers need to sit down, talk and agree to avoid so much overlap.


Dinner Conversation:

"'Everyone knows what you are now.  Question is, Selkirk, will you live up to their expectations or be the complete failure I think you really are?'
My pulse thundered like a herd of galloping horses.  Sweat rolled down my back, dampening my shirt and the waistline of my jeans.  Tiny wisps of hair stuck to my face and neck.  I kept my eyes shut and dug my short fingernails into the wrist I held tightly, wishing I could inflict some pain...or better yet, make him shut the-- (p. 1)

"The goddess of wisdom had created a god killer.
And once she'd realized that, she'd charged Perseus with killing her creation, which he did.  But what neither of them had counted on was Medusa's child, who had been hidden away--a child who was cursed like her mother to have strange eyes and hair the color of moonlight, a child who would follow in her mother's footsteps and become a monster in her twenty-first year, the same age Medusa had been when she was cursed
And so it began, from mother to daughter, all the way down to me.
And according to the curse, I had less than four years left." (40-41)

"The sun was up fully by the time I stepped off the streetcar and headed down Royal Street for another day at Presby.  Morning light bathed the French Quarter, turning it into a sparkling jewel.
Motor vehicles were prohibited in the Quarter, which took the place back a hundred years and increased the number of mules and carriages.  The tourists loved it.  I did too--no constant drone of engines, no hons or brakes, no smell to clog the air." (p. 68)

"'Ari,' Sebastian said, stopping as we hit the turn in the stairs.  "I know I can't go into the library with you, but whatever you learn in there...I can help on the outside.  Athena screwed up my life too."
"I know she did," I respond quietly.
"And I know you're the type who likes to do things alone," he said, arching his brow.  "It takes one to know one.  But"--he grabbed my arm and pulled me into the corner as a group of students went by--"don't run off and do this by yourself.'" (p. 71)

"'[Sebastian's] interest in you is merely rebellion.  You are different.  Forbidden.  Something he knows is wrong.' Her darks eyes traveled over my features.  "He sees beauty now, is lured by it, even though he knows what lies beneath is evil.  So intriguing, this flirting with danger." She flicked a glance at the jar. "Pandora was the same way, you know? A deceptive package.  The Greek writers called her Kalon Kakon, a beautiful evil.  It won't be long before you destroy those around you, just like she did." (pp. 88-89)


Tasty Rating:  !!!

REVIEW: Ditched--A Love Story "Crazy Crackers"

Mellom, R.  (2012).  Ditched:  A Love Story.  New York:  Hyperion.


275 pages.


Appetizer:  The morning after prom, sixteen-year-old Justina Griffith wakes in a ditch on the side of the road.  She has no idea what happened to her last night.

With no money or phone, Justina walks to 7-Eleven, where she begs the gas station attendant for a Snickers and slowly reveals what happened to her the night before and how and why she ended up at prom with Ian Clark, dressed head-to-toe in blue.

In the past, Justina had been a bit of a, ahem, a bit of a kiss whore.  All of her kissing has caused her to develop a bit of a bad reputation (but unlike the Joan Jett song about not caring about a bad reputation, Justina cares deeply).  Eight months and twelve days ago, she'd decided to only unlock her lips for a boy that was really-truly-most-likely-boyfriend-material in the hope of improving her reputation with her classmates.


Enter Ian Clark.  They became friends the night Justina took her vow of lip-lockery, but Prom had promised to be Hallmark moment for them to become a couple.  So, when Justina wakes up in a ditch without Ian anywhere in sight, she can't help but wonder what happened to him and think that her potential prince is a frog.


Want to know what's awkward?  On page eight, Justina asserts her celebrity crush is Anderson Cooper.  That made this book a little awkward to read the week that Cooper publicly came out as gay.  Awkward reading of Ditched.  But good for you, Anderson!  And good for young kids who could be helped by knowing they're not alone.


What first seemed like a YA version of the movie The Hangover, Ditched is a little less mysterious as Justina quickly remembers everything that happened to her, but still slooooowly reveals her story to two strangers in 7-Eleven.  (Arguably, the a small mystery still remains:  Can she figure out Ian's true nature and know for sure if he's trustworthy boyfriend material.)  I liked the way that each bruise, stain and bit of damage is revealed chapter-by-chapter.  I thought the pictures pointing out the specific piece of damage to be revealed was a nice touch.  I still had been so attached to the idea that this book was a mystery, that the reality was disappointing.  (This is not the book's fault...it's totally mine.)  But I did have other issues with Ditched.

Knowing this book is a romantic comedy, it's understandable for Justina to wake up on the side of the road and not be super panicked.  Dealing with such serious emotions isn't easy to make funny (although, I imagine some authors could make it happen).  But as a person with a grasp of reality, I felt like there was much more cause for freaking-out.  Like, if I woke up in a ditch after a night of partying of which I could remember nothing, my first instinct might be to see if there was any evidence that someone had raped me or hurt me in some other way.  Awful, but true.  Just saying.  (Admittedly, the story does quell this concern on p. 19.)

I would have been willing to let Ditched slide if that were the only offense, but then Justina is essentially "rape kissed," as the kids say.  The offender is a drunk boy who is trying to make another girl jealous.  Before the kiss, Justina says, "No, Dan.  It's not right.  I won't--" (p. 91) and then ends the kiss by turning her "head away.  'Stop it.  Stay the hell away from me!'" (p. 92).  She then asks what's wrong with her.  As though she did something wrong.

Bah humbug.

My largest issue was with the way most of the female characters behaved.  I thought the author did a good job of trying to make Justina a complex character (she's an outsider who wants to blend in and erase her bad reputation, a girl with a plan of romantic perfection who has also been pressured, etc.), but the author fell into that trap of making her protagonist hate/insult any and all other female characters who could be perceived as "threats."  Two girls from another high school who attend the Huntington High School prom are "skanks" (p. 116), her best friend tries to steal guys' attention just to mess with their girlfriends.  There are a lot of insults based upon whose wearing what and how expensive it is.  The author tries to dismiss some of this behavior as low blood sugar on Justina's part.  I don't accept this.  Admittedly, as Justina starts to get to know various characters, she sees beyond their "skank" and "slutty" exteriors, but I felt it was too little too late to dig out of that deep ditch  (hahaha, see what I did there...played with the title and used cliches!  I guess that balances out).

I'll stop myself from starting to rant.

Although I do think the way gender is presented in Ditched needs to be troubled and examined (there's also a lot of assumptions that most guys are "scumbags," so the bah humbug-ness goes both ways), it is an interesting premise and there were a handful of amusing moments.  I'd say it's laugh-out-loud factor included one or two chuckles.

Also, parents of precocious tween readers be warned:  There is quite a bit of alcohol and marijuana smoking going on around Justina in various scenes.  It's still arguably responsible (no drunkards or high people drive) but, while representing the reality of prom night, the drug use also isn't at the periphery as much as it would be with other romantic comedies you might recommend to younger readers.


Dinner Conversation:

"I don't know how I ended up on the side of Hollister Road, lying in this ditch.
This moment, last night, the details--all fuzzy.  A reluctant glance down and I see I'm covered in scratches and bruises.  The bruise on my shin appears to be in the shape of a french fry.  French fries cause bruises?  And I have at least five stains on my royal blue iridescent dress--two black, one greenish-bluish, and the remaining are various shades of yellow.  What are these?  Mustard?  Curry?
Wait.  I don't even want to know.
What I do want to know is why I just fell out of a moving Toyota Prius and was left here in this ditch with a french fry shin bruise and unrecognizable stains.  Especially the yellow ones." (pp. 3-4)

"'It will be amazing,' he said.
"I can't wait to walk into that room with you," he said.
"It will be the best night of our lives," he said, as if he were reading straight from a Hallmark card.
And like a doof, I told him I would go.  I even told him if a Journey song came on, I would dance with him, and I imagined my arms draped around his neck, and his breath on my cheek, and my hip brushing against his.  I didn't explain I had been imagining a lof of things about him lately." (pp. 4-5)

"Because even though jerk is the only work I can imagine to describe him now, it's not a word that ever entered my mind as being synonymous with Ian Clark.  Ever.
I have always known of him--Huntington High isn't huge and it's the type of place where everyone's business is just known.  It's almost as if we're all distant relatives--people you've heard of and you know their basic story--or the Lifetime movie version of their story--but you don't really know them, and sometimes don't want to.
Ian became more than a person I knew basic facts about back in sophomore year, spring quarter, P.E.: softball.  I remember my first words to him.  "Have you seen that silver bat around?" (p. 19)

"...so you declare to your best friend you are never ever going to kiss another boy again until you know deep in you bones, in you marrow, in you cell structure--one hundred percent--that he is boyfriend material."
"Okay," Gilda says.  "I mean...what?"
I shrug.  "No kissing allowed until the guy proved he had the material.  Until then, lips locked."  I press my lips together, reminding myself what they feel like.  "It's been eight months and twelve days since I kissed a boy.  I was going to finally unlock my lips for Ian.  At prom." (p. 21)

"'I'm never kissing another boy again.'
"O-kay. I'm Ian."
"I know.  I remember you," I said. "I hate boys.  You included. You should probably know that up front."
He nodded. "And I hate girls."
We shook hands, and that was it. We were perfect together.
As friends." (p. 35)


Tasty Rating:  !!

REVIEW: Hold Me Closer, Necromancer (this book made me wish I was a good Necromancer)

Every time I read this title, I am struck by an urge to sing off-key:

Get it out of my head!  Get it out!!!!!!

Perhaps reviewing the book is the cure-all I need....

McBride, L.  (2010).  Hold Me Closer, Necromancer.  New York:  Henry Hold and Company.

343 pages.



Appetizer:  Sam dropped out of college and is unhappily working at a fast food restaurant named Plumpy's.  After a strange man enters Plumpy's and accosts Sam about why he hasn't reported to some mysterious council, his life goes down hill at a drastic angle and quickly.  Another man attacks Sam at the end of his shift and he and his friends Ramon and Frank flee.  But the final member of their Plumpy's shift, Brooke, isn't quite so lucky.  The strange man, Douglas, kills her and reanimates her head to "send a message."  Sam finds himself drawn into Seattle's supernatural politics, a grab for power and a mystery related to a missing (and attractive!) werewolf hybrid named Brid.

Oh, and Sam learns he's a necromancer.

Surprise!

Filled with humor, dramatic twists and touches of the macabre, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer is a well-written urban fantasy worth checking-out.  I was strongly reminded of the cancelled TV show Reaper as I read due to the mix of humor and supernatural action.  Plus, both are set in Seattle and both feature protagonists who begin the stories as college dropouts with parents who have been keeping some supernatural secrets.


The chapter titles throughout the novel are references to various songs, which meant I wound up with a lot of songs stuck in my head throughout the reading process.  I had to go to unhearit.com to get other songs stuck in my head.  While fun, I did wish music entered into the plot of the story a little more.


One of my few big complaints about this novel is the way the author switched point of views.  For me, Sam's voice was engaging enough that I wanted to stay with him.  Plus, when he met with his mother for her to reveal important backstory, the switch to flashbacks from her point of view (as opposed to maintaining the conversation between mother and son format) didn't really work for me.


Fingers crossed that a companion novel is published sooooOOOOOOOooon!



Dinner Conversation:

"I stood in front of today's schedule still holding my skateboard, still drenched from the ride over, and still desperately wishing that I hadn't dropped out of college.  But wishing wouldn't erase Sam from the counter slot and rewrite it under the grill slot.  No matter what, my job kind of sucks, but on the grill it sucks less.  On the grill, you don't have to handle customers.  Something about the fast food uniform makes people think it's okay to treat you like crap.  Personally, I'm always polite to anyone who handles my food.  There are lots of horrible things that can be done to your meal before it gets to your plate." (p. 1)

"My name is Samhain Corvus LaCroix, and I am a fry cook.
I tried to take some pride where I could.  If I was going to be a dropout loser, then I was going to be the best dropout loser.  That pride came with some complications because it always depressed me to spot anyone, short of a manager, working fast food over the age of eighteen.  I didn't look in any mirrors until I got home and out of my uniform.  It was better that way." (pp. 2-3)

"Douglas watched as the girl unlocked the front door.  No use debating what could have been.  The gloves were already off, and now he was going to have to give a very ungentlemanly kind of warning.  Pity, that.  Still, a necromancer left unchecked could create all sorts of trouble.  Best to put him in his place now.
The little parasite had to be lying.  How could he not know?  It wasn't like necromancy was a power one could ignore.  Douglas could remember seeing his first spirit when he was quite young." (p. 27)

"I opened the box, then quickly dropped it and scrambled up onto the counter, making very dignified shrieking noises.  Ramon stared.  Frank came into the kitchen just in time to see the box bounce onto its side and its contents roll lazily out.  Ramon tried to back up, but he was already against the wall.  Frank managed a quick hop back as Brooke's head rolled to a stop in the middle of the floor.  It had been severed cleanly at the neck, making her ponytail appear longer as it trailed behind like the tail on a grotesque comet.  I couldn't see any blood.  In fact, the wound looked cauterized, which didn't make it any more pleasant.
Nobody said a word.
Nobody except Brooke.
"Ow, cut it out, you guys!" Her blue eyes popped open and swung around until they found me. "Ugh, so not cool. Really, Sam. You don't just drop somebody's head. Especially a friend's.  Like being stuffed into a box and bounced around for an hour wasn't bad enough." (p. 49)

"Douglas swore and closed his eyes.  "I saw my first spirit when I was a child, Sam.  You can't tell me that you haven't had some sort of experience.  Your aura isn't that weak.  Weven if you can't accomplish a full raising, you must have seen something by now.
"Full raising?"
"Of the dead, Sam.  Necromancy.  You're a necromancer, like me."
I laughed, saw he wasn't joking about the necromancy thing, then stopped. "I'm nothing like you," I said. I guess my keep-my-mouth-shut policy had gone out the window.  "Necromancy." I laughed again.  "You could have at least worked up to that one.  You know, started with 'Luke, you have the power' or something like that." I snorted. 'Come over to the dark side.'" (pp. 95-96)


Tasty Rating:  !!!!

REVIEW: The Sons of Liberty (Book One)

Lagos, A., & Lagos, J.  (2010).  The Sons of Liberty.  New York:  Random House.

Happy Independence Day, Americans!


Appetizer:  Set in 1760, Brody and Graham are young slaves on the horrendous Mr. Sorenson's plantation.  After an accident in which they hurt Sorenson's vile son, the two must run away.  Pursued by the villainous Walker, who works for Sorenson, and his many dogs, the two try to take refuge on the lands of Benjamin Franklin (Yes, that Benjamin Franklin!).

The two boys do not find any respite though, because they are captured by Franklin's mad son, William, who has been doing experiments with electricity and killing many animals in a cabin on the Franklin land.  William does not hesitate to experiment on the two boys.

Benjamin Franklin does manage to find and save Brody and Graham, but the boys are changed.  They can leap across the river with almost no effort.

Franklin and his friend Benjamin Lay vow to protect the boys and prepare them for a great future, fighting to create a country where slaves can be free.

In the spirit of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter or Quinten Tarantino's Django Unchained, The Sons of Liberty draw inspiration from history to create a superhero origin story that is both inspiring and empowering.  The website for the book series, http://www.thesonsoflibertybook.com, is pretty great.  And although it wasn't online while I was writing this post, they're developing a fact vs. fiction page that could be a great resource for students.

While I loved the story, I do have to admit, I felt like the way the graphic novel came together was not 100% clear.  I found that I had to read it more slowly than I would other graphic novels to make certain I was following.  There were some gaps in the text during which characters would be in surprising places without explanation (William going from the Franklin home to Fort Ticonderoga...I missed that development).  There was also a flashback within a flashback that was a little disconcerting.

The second book in this series is Death and Taxes.  I'll check it out because I want to get to more of the superheroing and see the push toward freedom.


Dinner Conversation:

Tasty Rating:  !!!


Well, I'm off to watch Independence Day!

REVIEW: The Name of the Star by @maureenjohnson

Johnson, M.  (2011).  The Name of the Star.  New York:  G.P. Putnam's Sons.

372 pages.


Appetizer:  The eyes of London are watching.  However they somehow didn't capture the death of a woman who was killed in the same brutal style that Jack the Ripper used in 1888.

Rory, who has just arrived in London to spend her senior year at Wexford Boarding School near the location of the original Ripper's attacks, hears the news on the way to her new school.  Over the next several weeks, as Rory settles into school and befriends her roommate Jazza, all of London awaits a possible second murder by the Jack the Ripper copycat.  An attack does come and through circumstances *cough* sneaking out of the dorm *cough* Rory is the only witness (despite her friend being present) to see a strangely dressed man near the scene.

What follows...well...to put it simply...drama ensues.

I thought The Name of the Star had a really strong opening with a description of all of the surveillance in London quickly followed by a woman discovering the dead body of a woman killed in the style of the Jack the Ripper slayings.  My enthusiasm faded a little with the start of the actual first chapter.  Rory's voice wasn't quite as immersing.  Although it was awesome that she was from Louisiana (Yay, Louisiana!!!!  There needs to be more representation of my adopted state in YA and children's literature!).  I personally didn't need to hear about her getting situated into her dorm.  I also thought it may have been more fun if her stories about her family back in Louisiana were shared more in conversations instead of as exposition (I did like the way she incorporated a lot of Louisiana experiences into chapter openings...in fact, I would have been fine with that being the main way her past was explored).  Some of my waning interest in the first few chapters could be due to my age.  I've moved into multiple dorms over the years and met multiple new roommates, so unless the dorm involves magic--like Hogwarts!!!!YAY!!!!!!!--then I'm not too interested.

But, I was once again super-engaged and interested when the mystery started to heat up again.  I really like the way the news coverage and influence of the media was incorporated into the rest of the novel.  I also really liked the ending and am looking forward to the second book.


I do have one detail issue with the first half of the book though.  I can't be too specific for fear of providing a major spoiler, but I do wonder why the killer's first victims went with him.  Based on the big reveal about the killer, I was left wondering how he controlled the women.  But that's all I'll reveal, unless someone would like to have a spoiler-riffic discussion in the comments.


Also, to help get a visual of the setting of The Name of the Star, here's a tour that Maureen Johnson went on with some readers:

Also, if you don't follow Maureen Johnson on twitter, you really should.  She will stare at you until you follow her.  Then, she'll probably stare at you after.  But it will be slightly less creepy by then.



Dinner Conversation:

"The eyes of London were watching Claire Jenkins.  She didn't notice them, of course.  No one paid attention to the cameras.  It was an accepted fact that London has one of the most extensive CCTV systems in the world.  The conservative estimate was that there were a million cameras around the city, but the actual number was probably much higher and growing all the time.  The feed went to the police, security firms, MI5, and thousands of private individuals--forming a loose and all-encompassing net.  IT was impossible to do anything in London without the CCTV catching you at some point." (p. 1)

"Jack the Ripper struck for the second time very early on September 8, 1888.
That last fact was hammered home in about seventeen thousand ways.  I didn't even watch the news and yet, news just got in.  And the news really wanted us to know about the eighth of September.  The Eighth of September was a Saturday.  And I had art history class on Saturday.  This fact seemed much more relevant to my life, being unused to the idea of Saturday class.  I had always assumed the weekend was a holy tradition, respected by good people everywhere.  Not so at Wexford." (pp. 61-62)

"It didn't take a great deal of insight to know that Jazza was not going to want to go to a crime scene that evening.  She was, to use the vernacular, a normal person." (p. 66)

"Gators are just something you have to accept where I come from.  Most don't go anywhere near the houses, even though there are lots of delicious children and dogs there.  Every once in a while, though, an alligator has a lightbulb moment and decides to take a stroll and see the world a bit.  One day when I was eight or so, I opened the back door, and I saw this thing way at the end of the yard.  I remember thinking it was a big black log--so, of course, I went down to look at it, because what's more exciting than a big log, right?  I know.  Children are stupid." (p. 154)


Tasty Rating:  !!!!

REVIEW: The Serpent's Shadow (Prepare for the end of the world! Or rather, the end of another of Riordan's series.)

Riordan, R.  (2012).  The Serpent's Shadow.  New York:  Disney.

401 pages.

Bleeps (Blog-peeps, as my friend Holly asserts), I'm going to be honest here.  This book is the reason I haven't been posting much over the last two or three weeks.  I got stuck in the middle of this book and had to struggle to keep reading.


Appetizer:  Siblings Sadie and Carter Kane are back with their third and final transcript of their adventures to protect the world from some dangerous Ancient Egyptian magic that could descend the world into chaos.  This time, they're here to tell the story behind all of those earthquakes, tsunamis and the near end of the world.

Apophis, "the primordial force of Chaos" has been unleashed and Carter and Sadie must devise a way to stop it, preferably a way that won't kill them in the process.  A desperate plan will send them around the world, seeking information and preparing to achieve something no other magicians have ever managed to do.  But before they do that, the siblings will have to attend their first school dance.

I was surprised by the extent of romance in The Serpent's Shadow.  There was a downright paranormal romance vibe during the school dance mentioned above.  (Sadie finds herself with a dance partner who levitates them.  I kid you not.  I won't tell you the name of the boy causing the floating, because of course, Sadie's also the center of a love triangle, that has an arguably very strange resolution.)

OMG!

Paranormal Romance

has infected 

the Kanes!!!!!!!!

Although a satisfying end to this trilogy, Riordan leaves the door open for further adventures with the Kane siblings and all of their friends.  (I'd bet a very small amount of money that these characters are going to make an appearance in the new Norse mythology series that Riordan is working on.  This is very exciting for my research, because instead of just hinting at the gods of different cultures co-existing in the same world, Riordan will directly address the issue.  But that could just be wishful thinking on my part.  Of course, it would also mean that a lot of my dissertation will become dated.  Sigh.)

Having now completed The Serpent's Shadow, I'm officially declaring that the Kane Chronicles is my least favorite of Riordan's several myth-based series.  It's not just that I'm least familiar with Egyptian mythology, but I also had trouble keeping track of a lot of the characters.  Many of the descriptions of the actions feel rushed (I've complained about this before with his writing.  Honestly, I think it's because of the crazy writing and researching schedule Riordan must be on to complete all of the tomes for his many series.  If I were in his position, I would have burned out long ago.).  I also wouldn't have minded a little more exposition and a few more reminders of the events from the previous books.  More than that, for me, the logic of this series is the hardest to keep track of and follow.

I also got annoyed with the way the narration kept denying the reader knowledge.  At least three or four times, the Kane siblings were given vague warnings or were about to find out something important when suddenly the informant had to leave or was distracted.  I could deal with this technique once or twice, but it got a little ridiculous that Riordan relied on it so often in an effort to try and maintain the sense of mystery.

But that's just me.  What are your thoughts?


Dinner Conversation:

"Sadie Kane here.
If you're listening to this, congratulations!  You survived Doomsday.
I'd like to apologize straightaway for any inconvenience the end of the world may have caused you.  The earthquakes, rebellions, riots, tornadoes, floods, tsunamis, and of course the giant snake who swallowed the sun--I'm afraid most of that was our fault.  Carter and I decided we should at least explain how it happened." (p. 1)

"True, full-out Armageddon hadn't come yet.  It had been six months since the Chaos snake Apophis had escaped from his Underworld prison, but he still hadn't launched a large-scale invasion of the mortal world as we'd expected.  For some reason, the serpent was biding his time, settling for smaller attacks on nomes that seemed secure and happy.
Like this one, I thought." (p. 3).

"Its eyes turned the color of blood.  Its carved mouth twisted into a smile.  "Your magic is weak, Sadie Kane.  Human civilization has grown as old and rotten.  I will swallow the sun god and plunge your world into darkness.  The Sea of Chaos will consume you all." (p. 20)

"Honestly, he drones on and on about his plans for the Apocalypse, but he makes no plans at all for the school dance.  My brother's priorities are severely skewed.
I don't think I was being selfish wanting to go to the dance.  Of course we had serious business to deal with.  That's exactly why I insisted on partying first.  Our initiates needed a morale boost.  They needed a chance to be normal kids, to have friends and lives outside Brooklyn House--something worth fighting for.  Even armies in the field fight better when they take breaks for entertainment.  I'm sure some general somewhere has said that." (p. 77)


Tasty Rating:  !!

REVIEW: Squish: Super Amoeba (Number One)

Holm, J.L. & Holm, M.  (2011).  Squish:  Super Amoeba.  New York:  Random House.

94 pages.


Appetizer:  Squish is a young amoeba who loves comic books and twinkies.  His best friend, Pod, is planning to fix global warming, but only after Squish agrees to trade lunches with him.  Their friend Peggy is a paramecium who is happy all of the time.

When Lynwood, a particularly big and mean amoeba, targets consuming Peggy amoeba style (as opposed to eating with a mouth, human style) Squish tries to stand up to the bully and finds himself pressured to help Lynwood cheat in science class in his effort to do the right thing.

I liked many of the elements of Squish.  The scientific facts were subtly included, preventing the book from becoming annoying.  I liked the arrows that provided a lot of details and gave the book a pseudo-academic voice (but that were really quite funny).  I also like that Squish was a comic book fan and aspired to be like his favorite hero, Super Amoeba.

My one big complaint about the book is that--I can't believe I'm saying this, but--I wished it'd been a little more didactic about providing suggestions to deal with bullying.  The conflict with Lynwood is resolved in a quick and humorous way that wee-bullied kids can't rely upon.

I can't believe this is happening...I'm always so opposed to everything teachy and preachy.  (There is a brief suggestion about telling a teacher...and that's fine...I just wish it hadn't occurred after Squish asked for help from his dad whose response was to initially offer no help at all.)

I also could have used more character development with Pod and Peggy.  Peggy's ceaseless optimism was annoying.  Plus, when Lynwood almost eats her...she doesn't even notice.  I get that Squish has to be the one to save the day, but it'd be nice if this paramecium could be a little more self-aware.  Hopefully the rest of the series will include some more development for these supporting characters.


In contrast to the Holm siblings' other series, Babymouse, Squish is arguably a graphic novel series that will appeal more to boys while including subtle facts from a microbiology lesson.  

I'm very excited to see the other books in the Squish series mix-up the color scheme a little more.

Side note:  When you google images of 'babymouse,' you end up with some super cute results:









At the end of the book, there were a few extras for readers to try.  I appreciated that they included a short science experiment to grow mold, but I imagine there are some parents who will appreciate it far less.

I preferred the instructions on how to draw a Squish:

Here's my attempt:

Dinner Conversation:

Tasty Rating:  !!

REVIEW: Croak (with a similar concept to the tv show Dead Like Me)

Sorry I haven't been posting much!

I am deep into revising one of my YA novels and it seems to be all I have time for.

I've gone through almost the entire book in about five days.

Hopefully, once I'm done with this revision I'll be able to give my mind a rest and focus a little more on reading.


Damico, G.  (2012).  Croak.  Boston:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.


311 pages.




Appetizer:  Lex is a very angry teenager.  Like way angrier than most.  She used to be an A-earning, hall monitoring, respectful girl like her twin sister, Cordy.  But for some reason, Lex just can't get along with anyone anymore.  Frustrated, her parents have decided to send her to stay with her Uncle Mort in a strange small town called Croak for the summer.

Separated from her sister for the first time, Lex quickly learns that there's something fantastic about Croak and that she won't be milking cows or feeding chickens over the summer like she'd been led to believe.  Instead, she's to be trained as a grim reaper with her new partner, the attractive and strange Driggs.  As Lex quickly settles in and excels at her new occupation, she and Driggs notice a pattern among some unusual deaths.  Will they take it upon themselves to do more than the grim reapers are ordered to do and try to find a potential serial killer?  (I bet you can guess the answer.)

There's a lot of really wonderful humor in Croak.  It was refreshing:

"'You just missed it...," Elysia told her.  "Ferbus swallowed a button.""It fell off my shirt!" he yelled, as if this explained something." (p. 235)

The above was one of my favorite moments.

Having complimented the humor, I have to admit that, along with the omniscient narration, it got in the way of me being able to connect with Lex as a character.  Worse, the humor also prevented me from feeling the seriousness of some of the situations Lex found herself in.

I also had trouble with the magical concept of loopholes (The grims can only transport to where there is a dead body intended for them to reap, but the killer somehow controls where he or she goes using loopholes).  I just didn't buy the way Damico structured them into the world.

The mystery seemed a little forced as well.  At one point, Lex learns more important information solely because her friends didn't feel like telling her details sooner.  That seemed a little sloppy to me.

Overall, I had trouble connecting with the book.  It was more than just the fact that I felt like the narration kept the characters at a distance. Some of the situations just seemed a little too awkward or unrealistic (like how Lex met Driggs for the first time:  she walks in on him using the bathroom.  Despite her supposedly feeling completely awkward about this, they talk for several minutes.  I didn't buy it.).


Dinner Conversation:

"Lex wondered, for a fleeting moment, what her principal's head might look like if it were stabbed atop a giant wooden spear.
"I can't imagine why you're smiling, young lady," Mr. Truitt said from behind his desk." (p. 1)

"Lexington Bartleby, age sixteen, had spent the last two years transforming her squeaky-clean, straight-A life into that of a hooligan.  A delinquent.  A naughty little rapscallion, as it were.
To the untrained eye, it appeared as though Lex had simply grown bored.  She had begun acting out in every way that a frustrated bundle of pubescence possibly could:  she stole things, she swore like a drunken pirate, and she punched people.  A lot of people." (p. 3)

"Mr. Bartleby looked at his wife, then at his non-tethered daughter, then up, at nothing.  Anything to avoid the squirmy, hurt visage of his troubled baby girl.  "You're going to go stay up north with Uncle Mort for the summer," he told the ceiling.
Lex, who a second ago had been fully prepared to explode into a vicious rage and had even started planning some sort of dramatic dive through the plate glass window, chair and all, was for once shocked into speechlessness.
Mrs. Bartleby put her hand on Lex's shoulder.  'I know it's a rather odd decision, but we think that a few months of fresh air could do you some good.  You can get in touch with nature, lend a hand on Uncle Mort's farm, maybe even learn something!  You could milk a cow!'" (pp. 6-7)

"Both sides of the highway came to a standstill.  Ambulance sirens screamed through the dull thudding of the rain as more emergency vehicles tore onto the scene.  Lex surveyed the wreck with nothing more than a fleeting interest and a grim expression--until something bizarre appeared.
A white, blinding flash of light.
Startled, Lex peered through the rain.  It was so brief--like the flash of a camera--that she couldn't even be sure she had seen it at all.  Or, if she had, it must have been lightning--except hadn't the light come from inside one of the cars?  But that made no sense.  The vehicle was crumpled beyond recognition, there were no signs of life." (p. 15)

"That same electric crackle shot through the air once more as Uncle Mort opened his mouth to speak.  "Lex," he said, "Croak is a portal--one that sits between our world and the next."
A strange noise escaped Lex's lips, something between a stupefied gasp and a dubious snicker.  "What?"
"That's why you're here.  I'm going to teach you how to do what I do."
"And what is that?"
He leaned in close.  She could feel his breath on her face.
"I Kill people." (p. 36)

"'But seriously.  We really have the power to whack people?'
Zara let out an exasperated huff, as if she'd been over this countless times before.  "We're not hit men, Lex.  We don't cause death.  We're just there to pick up the pieces.
"Huh?"
"Okay, a guy's head is chopped off.  He's dead, right?  But his soul isn't.  Our job is to remove that live soul from the dead body." (p. 61)

"'You're here because of a textbook spike in misanthropic tendencies and violent behavior.  The one thing we all have in common."
There it was, spelled right out for her.  An explanation.  Lex's heart leaped so high, she wouldn't have been surprised if it jumped out of her chest and started tap-dancing across the shingles.  After all this time, all the questioning, all the detentions--a concrete answer." (p. 73)


Tasty Rating:  !!

REVIEW: A Monster Calls (A stunning examination of grief, recovery and story by @Patrick_Ness)

Ness, P.  (2011).  A Monster Calls.  Somerville, MA:  Candlewick Press.

206 pages.



Appetizer:  Thirteen-year-old Conor has a multitude of problems:  His mom is sick and the treatments may not be working.  His grandmother, who he doesn't get along with, is coming to the house to help.  He almost never hears from his Dad who has a new family in America.  He's bullied by three kids at school and all of the teachers and other students treats him differently because Lily, who had once been a close friend, told everyone about how ill his mom is.

Oddest of all, a monster begins to visit Conor some nights at 12:07 AM.  Surprisingly, Conor isn't frightened by it.  He has a nightmare that is far worse; one that he fears more than anything and refuses to tell anyone....

The monster insists he tell Conor three stories and in return Conor must tell him the truth of his nightmare.  The monster's stories prove strange and Conor seeks ways that they and the monster can help him with his grief and difficult situations, most important among them, saving his mother.

The characters of A Monster Calls were originally the children of Siobhan Dowd, who died far to young.  The novel I most associate with her name is Bog Child, a book that I have been meaning to review for several years.

A Monster Calls recently won two (COUNT THEM!  TWO!!!!!!  One and one equals two!...boy, am I good at math....) Carnegie Awards:  One for text and one for illustration.  I think both awards are well deserved.  It was wonderful to ease into a well-written book and the art did an amazing job of adding to the tone and eeriness of the story.  Here are some of my favorite images:

I set this one as one as one of my desktop backgrounds!

Also, if you'd like to read about the creation process for A Monster Call's, click here.

I found A Monster Calls to be a great complex read (although, certainly not a book to pick-up if you want a laugh).  It has the feel of a classic.  The way Ness deals with the emotions Conor is avoiding and enduring is beautifully done and can provide a lot of comfort to anyone who has shared some of the feelings Conor struggles with.


Dinner Conversation:

"The monster showed up just after midnight.  As they do.
Conor was awake when it came.
He'd had a nightmare.  Well, not a nightmare.  The nightmare.  The one he'd been having a lot lately.  The one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming.  The one with the hands slipping from his grasp, no matter how hard he tried to hold on." (p. 1)

"He felt a rush of panic, his guts twisting.  Had it followed him?  Had it somehow stepped out of the nightmare and--?
"Don't be stupid," he told himself.  "You're too old for monsters."
And he was.  He'd turned thirteen just last month.  Monsters were for babies.  Monsters were for bedwetters.  Monsters were for--
Conor. (pp. 2-3)

"I have come to get you, Conor O'Malley, the monster said, pushing against the house, shaking the pictures off Conor's wall, sending books and electronic gadgets and an old stuffed toy rhino tumbling to the floor.
A monster, Conor thought.  A real, honest-to-goodness monster.  In real, waking life.  Not in a dream, but here, at his window.
Come to get him.
But Conor didn't run.
In fact, he found he wasn't even frightened.
All he could feel, all he had felt since the monster revealed itself, was a growing disappointment.
Because this wasn't the monster he was expecting." (p. 8)

"The monster gave an evil grin.  The wind died down and a quiet fell.  At last, said the monster.  To the matter at hand.  The reason I have come walking.
Conor tensed, suddenly dreading what was coming.
Here is what will happen, Conor O'Malley, the monster continued, I will come to you again on further nights.
Conor felt his stomach clench, like he was preparing for a blow.
And I will tell you three stories.  Three tales from when I walked before. (p. 35)


Tasty Rating:  !!!!!

REVIEW: Supernaturally

White, K.  (2011).  Supernaturally.  New York:  HarperTeen.

336 pages.



Appetizer:  Set six months after Paranormalcy, Evie has been living a normal life for awhile now.  Her boyfriend, Lend (half-human, half-water elemental) is off at college and they only get to see each other on the weekends.  And poor Evie still has to go through high school and the indignity known as gym class.  Normalcy was nothing like her favorite TV show, Easton Heights, had prepared her for.

But, with the return of her former boss/mother figure/warden, Raquel, to her life, Evie learns that she can return to the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA) on her own terms, an idea that horrifies Lend.

Filled with manipulations, searches for the past, murder attempts, an application to college, and many other unexpected complications, Evie struggles to balance friendships, loyalties and her own newfound power to drain souls.

As with it's predecessor Paranormalcy, Supernaturally is chock-full of humor and action that reminded me of a slightly lighter version of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.  (It's dealing with similar tensions:  good vs. evil--the complex reality that most people and creatures are a mix of both, a strong female character who's in love with an immortal but also tasked with helping to save the world, supernatural creatures, etc.)

I enjoyed Supernaturally, but the more I read, the more I felt like I wanted it to have a clearer central mystery or problem.  Having typed that though, since Evie is struggling with normalcy, it makes sense that the novel explores conflict in a realistic and normal (or as normal as you can get with a fantasy) manner.

Then I got to the last forty pages...I wasn't crazy about those pages.  As always, I won't spoil the end for you.  So, please allow me to talk about the ending in very vague ways.

*Vague Spoilers for the Ending*

Let me list my issues:

--Evie is injured and she seems to be seriously suffering, but instead of seeking medical attention, the pain suddenly is no longer a problem and she extensively listens to a crazy character plotting craziness.
--Evie has a number of impressive realizations that seemed to come way too quickly.
--The final chapter felt both forced and rushed.

All of this left me feeling so-so about the book.

*End Vague Spoilers*

The final novel in this series, Endlessly, will be out next month.

So much pretty purple.


Dinner Conversation:

"Oh, bleep.  I was going to die.
I was going to die a horrible, gruesome, painful death.
My hand twitched at my side, reaching for the pink Taser I knew wasn't there.  Why had I ever wanted this?  What was I thinking?  Working at the International Paranormal Containment Agency might have been close to indentured servitude, and sure, I had some nasty run-ins with vampires and hags and creeptastic faeries, but that was nothing compared to the danger I faced now.
Girls' gym." (p.1)

"This wasn't how high school was supposed to be.
Don't get me wrong, I'm super grateful to be here.  I always wanted to be normal, go to a normal school, do normal things.  But it's all so, so...
Normal.
Since school started a month ago, there hasn't been a single catfight.  No wild parties where the cops got called, either.  And as far as masquerade balls and moonlit rendezvous and passionate kisses in the hallways, well, all I can say is Easton Heights, my former favorite TV show, has taken a serious hit in my estimation.
I still think lockers are awesome, though." (pp. 3-4)

"'Raquel.' David's voice was low and annoyed.  "Evie is not going to get sucked back into IPCA.  What was the point of telling them she was dead if you come here six months later and bring her back in?"
"I told you, the situation is different now."
I held up my hand again, tired of them talking around me.  "I can take this one, thanks.  I miss you, sure, but I don't want to come back to IPCA.  You sterilize werewolves!"  That was one of the many crimes I had discovered the International Paranormal Containment Agency committed in the name of keeping the world a safer place." (p. 17)

"I knew I should listen to Lend, stay away from IPCA, be grateful for my normal, boring life.  I should live for the weekends, when I got to see him, and ignore the nagging pain always pulling at the back of my mind that it didn't matter how much time I spent with him, how much I loved him, he could never really be mine because I was temporary and he was forever.
I was fine.  This was enough.  Besides, Lend didn't want me to help IPCA.
But Lend wasn't here, was he?" (p. 39)


Tasty Rating:  !!!