Jenn's Review: Hex Hall

Summary:  Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.  -product description


Review: I have been wanting to read this book for a while because the hype has been great.  Plus the cover is gorgeous! -While I would never judge a book by it's cover, I mention it because there are several adult reviewers out there that think it makes the book look "too young." However, the colors and the concept are incredible, even if the girl on the cover looks young. Oh, and the book's good too...

I love the idea behind the plot. Rachel Hawkins has created a fascinating world where all magical creatures, or Prodigium, go to school together, although this particular school is more like reform school. The only paranormal being that is not welcome at Prodigium schools are vampires, though there is a new exchange program and Sophie is rooming with the only teen vampire at school. As outcasts, they become fast friends.  There were lots of nice developments in the story that made this a quick, fun read.  Though I didn't find any of the plot twists surprising, none of them were obvious and I did enjoy watching them come to fruition.

Sophie is a likable character, though I don't think I completely connected with her, perhaps because she seemed so accepting of her situation.  While I did appreciate that she tried to get to the bottom of the attacks at school to clear her roommates name, I was surprised she wasn't doing more research about being a witch, especially as her classes aren't really teaching that.  Actually, I was surprised she hadn't been in a Prodigium school prior to this.  As we discover more about her, I can see that there may be an argument against sending her to one, but I see a stronger case for helping her hone her powers.  I hope this is something that gets addressed in the sequel.  Jenna, her vampire best friend, is intriguing and I hope that we get to learn more about her too.   Elodie makes a wonderful nemesis, and I would like to explore her history further as well - and I'm sure we will learn more about Archer, who is at the heart of Sophie's and Elodie's conflict.

Although my expectations may have been a little inflated, I think this was a solid debut novel for the beginning of the series.  This book is the tip of the iceberg and I can't wait to get a more involved with all of Ms. Hawkin's world of Prodigium.  I look forward to starting Demonglass -though I hear there is a killer cliff hanger, so maybe I'll hold off until the the release of book three (2012) gets a little closer...

Final Take:  3.75/5.0

Julie's Review: Dreams of Joy

Summary: See's Dreams of Joy picks up the story of sisters Pearl and May where Shanghai Girls left off: on the night in 1957 when Pearl's daughter, Joy, discovers that May is her true mother. While Shanghai Girls followed the sisters from their time as models in the glittering "Paris of Asia" to their escape from the Japanese invasion and their new life in Los Angeles, its sequel sends Pearl back to Shanghai twenty years later in pursuit of Joy, whose flight to China is propelled by anger, idealism, and a desire to find her true father, Z.G., an artist who may be falling out of favor with the Party. Joy goes with him deep into the countryside to the Green Dragon commune, where they take part in the energetic inception of Mao’s Great Leap Forward. But their collective dream of a communist paradise is soon overshadowed by hunger as the government’s bizarre agricultural mandates create a massive, relentless famine. Pearl, trapped in Shanghai as travel restrictions tighten, has little idea of the hardship Joy endures--until both women realize they must subvert a corrupt system in order to survive. The best estimates put the death toll from China’s Great Leap Forward at 45 million, and See is unflinching in her portrayal of this horrific episode. In clean prose, she gives us a resounding story of human resilience, independent spirits, and the power of the love between mothers and daughters. ~amazon.com

Review: When I finished Shanghai Girls a couple years ago, I was desperate for the story to continue. So you can imagine how excited I was when I heard Lisa See was doing a sequel and even more excited when I received an ARC of Dreams of Joy from Library Thing's Early Reviewers. I wanted to continue on the journey with Pearl, May and Joy.

Dreams of Joy doesn't disappoint and it picks up exactly where Shanghai Girls has left off. Joy, is a strong-willed, self-centered, self-righteous 19 year old; so when her life is torn apart by secrets her family has kept, she runs off to the People's Republic of China. In China, she hopes to discover her birth father and join the revolution of building the country. Like most 19 year olds, Joy is naive and idealistic so she has no real idea of what to expect when she arrives. She easily locates her father Z.G. and he takes her to the countryside where he is to teach art to the peasants. It is here that Joy feels her calling to make changes in her life. She falls for a local boy, Tao; whom she eventually marries. She is caught up in the romantic ideals of a a New China that she doesn't see what is going on around her until it's almost too late.

Pearl, of course, follows Joy to China. Except the road isn't so easily paved for her as it seems to be for Joy. She has to demonstrate her loyalty to Chairman Mao and the New China. She has to denounce her "western" ways. She becomes a street cleaner and hopes to be in Shanghai when Joy returns from the countryside.

There is much that happens in the 3 years this book takes place from a historical standpoint but also from a character development/growth perspective. I always amazed at the length of history in China! The U.S. is such a baby country compared to China.

I must say Joy grew on me throughout the book. I definitely did not like her during the first half of the book but she started to change and to open her eyes to the world around her and realize that maybe she'd made a big mistake. Becoming a mother and protecting her daughter is when I finally began to respect her. This is when her views of her mother and aunt begin to change and she begins to understand them.

Pearl also grows throughout the book. She came to China determined to get her daughter back and drag her to the US, what she found was a piece of herself that she had lost 20 years before. Pearl discovers much about herself during her return to her homeland. She learns to love and be loved in a way she never knew. She learns to let go of the past and move forward.

The only thing really missing for me in the book was May's presence. Obviously, I know it was a book about Pearl and Joy but if the ultimate message was that of mother love; then I think May wasn't present enough. I wanted to know more about how the revelation of the family secret changed May. Why didn't she go with Pearl to China? Will she look at Joy differently now that Joy knows the truth? These are things I wanted to know that didn't get answered.

That being said, I found this novel to be extremely moving and emotional. The journey these two women go on together and apart is tremendous. How they find their way back to each other and to themselves is extraordinary.

If you've read Shanghai Girls or if you haven't (you must), then you will definitely enjoy Dreams of Joy. You don't have to read Shanghai Girls to enjoy Dreams of Joy but it will definitely enhance your reading experience.

Ms. See is a tremendous writer who has such a love for her characters and for China. Her books are well researched and well written.

Final Take: 4.5/5

Jenn's Review: The Book Thief

Summary:  It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.


Review: This is my second pass at this book; my first attempt was aborted because I wasn't ready for a good cry. This time I knew what I was getting into when I picked it up. And cry I did. Actually, blubbering, broken down wailing is more accurate.

It doesn't take long to become spellbound by the masterful weaving of the tale. Though the story jumps a little chronologically, from present day Death to the retelling of Liesel's life, it isn't difficult to follow.  On the contrary, the glimpses into the present help to prepare us for what is to happen in the past.

The prose in this book are as beautiful and haunting as the story:

"Steadily, the room shrank, till the book thief could touch the shelves within a few small steps. She ran the back of her hand along the first shelf, listening to the shuffle of her fingernails gliding across the spinal cord of each book. It sounded like an instrument, or the notes of running feet." ~pg 125

Honestly, I could just sit and re-read passages to drink it all in. Markus Zusak's grasp of WWII is bountiful and it is beautifully brought to life by this incredible story. Narrated by Death, the story follows the life of Liesel and her several encounters with the cloaked collector of souls. Death becomes fascinated by the book thief, and when he finds her self-written life story, he can't seem to put it down.  Liesel Meminger is Anne Frank's counterpart, the undereducated, impoverished German girl hiding a Jew in her basement.  It's an unusual point of view to take and a fascinating concept.

At first, reading is a struggle for Liesel, but her stepfather painstakingly teaches her by night.  Her relationship with him is beyond sweet and some of the most wonderful moments in the story happen between them.  I love how Liesel discovers herself and her world through 'her' books and the poignancy of her discovery that the immense power of the words and their very existence is sometimes a betrayal.  Though Death clues the reader in early on as to the fate of the characters, it is the journey that makes it worthwhile. The triumphs and tragedies are tangible.

Whether you read YA or not, if you like historical fiction, or are just a WWII buff like me, this book is a must read. I borrowed this as an e-book from the library and, upon finishing it, immediately bought a hard copy.  It's that kind of crazy good.  It's a beautiful novel of family, survival, and devastation in wartime Germany -moving, heartfelt, and absolutely wonderful.

Final Take: 5/5

Random Musings: The Wall Street Journal Takes On the YA Genre

I considered not responding to the "incite-full" article in the Wall Street Journal regarding the YA genre.  It infuriates, exasperates, and exhausts me, not to mention saddens me.  It's inconceivable to me that such a well respected news outlet could present such a one-sided, ill-informed article that is so far off the mark. (If you haven't read it, here's the link.)

But how to respond?  Should I address the underlying assumption of the journalist's article, that teens are brainless?   I could, but it wouldn't be as well written as Nicole's post over at Word for Teens.  Her passionate response is well crafted and I love her message regarding the YA Saves campaign, --a must read (link).

Should I tell you about the first YA novel I connected with?  How relieved I was when I finally realized there were other kids in my situation?  I could, but it wouldn't be as eloquent or as relevant as Adam's post at Roof Beam Reader (another must read -link).

Should I make a broad blanket assessment assuming that the woman mentioned in the beginning of the article who couldn't find a book in the YA section was uneducated and a zealot?  No.  People would be outraged, and rightly so, because it's a ludicrous statement -the woman in question is a busy mom who was obviously overwhelmed.  But it's just as ludicrous to paint all of the paranormal, dystopian, and contemporary books in the Young Adult section with the same brush.  ("Contemporary fiction for teens is rife with explicit abuse, violence and depravity." - Seriously?!?)

Should I refute Meghan Cox Gurdon's article and her aspersions on those who cry censorship? Not when this North Texas librarian has already done it so beautifully and succinctly (must read link).  So what's left for me to say?  I will address this article as a parent and avid reader (of YA and many other genres).

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, not every book is for everyone.  There are books out there on very serious topics of rape, abuse, etc. in both the YA and adult sections ...and I'm not reading any of them ...and that's okay.  How can you begrudge someone a book that helps them know that they aren't alone in their situation?  How can you begrudge teens the opportunity to explore serious situations that are blasted all over the news?  This is how we learn to problem solve, interpret, and cope.  (If you don't believe me try reading Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Popular Culture Is Making Us Smarter.)  Would you rather they experience it in person rather than on the page?

I'm not saying that a mature YA book is the right read for every 12 and 13 year old out there.  It may never be the right read.  But if my daughter comes to me and wants to explore these books that I don't want to read, I'm not going to stop her.  We read to understand the world around us, and last time I checked, it wasn't all unicorns, rainbows, and happy endings.

I honestly think there's an article buried in that editorial (I'm calling it an editorial because it is not factual reporting), but they missed the boat ...showed up on the wrong coastline for embarkation, in fact.  Ms. Gurdon finally touched on it at the end of her article as dose Adam at Roof Beam Reader in his post:  Parents need to guide and monitor their children's choices. While that may not be news (we monitor what they watch on TV, and where they hang out and with whom), it's something to be discussed.

It may seem an overwhelming task -goodness knows I love books, but even I find the rows of beautiful books in a bookstore overwhelming at times.  As a parent, there is so much to be aware of, you don't have time to read all the books your kids are reading too. But there is help out there:

1. Ask a Librarian - There are no more Hairy Scary Librarians like in the Meathead Public library on the Isle of Berk... there may still be a few like Madam Pince, but for the most part they are a friendly lot ready and willing to help you.  If you need guidance in guiding your young reader, ask!  Whether it be the school's librarian or a public one, s/he will be thrilled to help you select books you feel are appropriate for your young teen.  
2. Ask a Salesperson - If you arrive at the bookstore and you suddenly feel overwhelmed ask a sales person!  If they don't have an answer they will help you find someone who does have one.
3. Read a Blog - We are filling up the web with our thoughts on books and we're here to help too!  A great one for guidance in the YA genre is Parental Book Reviews.com, and there are plenty more out there. And if you are lucky -or unlucky- enough to meet one of us book bloggers in a store, we may give you our opinion, whether you want it or not.

Like everything else to do with raising children, we can only guide them the best we can.  At a point, we stop holding their hand and let them go.  We take a leap of faith and trust their judgement.  If you are trusting you teen with your car keys, I hope you can trust them to choose their own reading material.

Alice's Review: The Double Bind

Summary:  Readers will be startled to learn early on that the heroine of this engrossing puzzle, 26-year-old Laurel Estabrook, was born in West Egg. Wait a minute, wasn't West Egg where Jay Gatsby lived? Laurel works in a Burlington, Vt., homeless shelter and is trying to overcome mental and physical scars incurred from a brutal assault some six years earlier. After being given a portfolio of photographs taken by a recently deceased resident of the shelter, Bobbie Crocker, she becomes obsessed with questions surrounding what appears to be a picture of herself shot on the day of her attack. Laurel's already fragile mental state begins to unravel as she follows Bobbie's life from his rich-kid childhood on Long Island to homelessness in Vermont. The Gatsby references form the basis of the mystery, compelling readers to try to imagine how this fictional backdrop relates to the novel's "reality." It's a high-wire act for bestseller Bohjalian (Midwives), and while the climactic explanation may be a letdown for some, he generally pulls off a tricky and intriguing premise. -Publishers Weekly

Review: This is the kind of novel I would never pick up myself, even with stellar reviews and recommendations from my fellow Girls Just Reading cohorts. In fact, if it wasn’t part of the reading challenge I am involved in with Julie, I still wouldn’t have read this novel. I can tell you right now that would have been a, quoting Vivian from Pretty Woman, “big mistake, huge mistake”.

This novel was a real page turner for me. I loved Laurel. I loved how she overcame the most horrific thing that can happen to anyone: being attacked, almost raped and killed while bicycling through the woods in Vermont. If it wasn’t for other cyclists, she wouldn’t have survived. After the attack, she moved on with her life. She finished college, she started working at a homeless shelter, she dated. I loved how strong she was. With everything she went through, she learned to rely on herself.

When Bobbie Crocker, one of the shelter charges dies suddenly, Laurel is given the task of cataloging the photographs he had with him. And here is where the mystery begins. Through these photographs, Laurel begins to unravel the truth about who Bobbie Crocker was, where he came from, who his family was. Imagine my surprise when Mr. Bohjalian incorporated The Great Gatsby into this novel, making Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, and others real characters instead of fictional classics.

The Double Bind totally blew my mind. Seriously. It was quick moving and kept me on the edge of my seat. It was a real page turner. I was as invested in finding the truth about Bobbie Crocker as Laurel was. The closer she came to the truth, the more addicted I became to words on a page. I had to do that thing where I fight with myself because all I want to do is flip to the final pages and satisfy my curiosity. I’m really glad I didn’t because the final three pages rocked. I did not see the final twist in the novel coming at all. I was so shocked the first thing I did was text Julie, “Holy Beep!!!”

If you have read this novel already, it’s worth a revisit and if you haven’t, then you need to go pick it up soon. And be prepared to have your mind blown.

Final Take: 5/5

Children's Corner: Freckleface Strawberry

Review: This book is a staple in our house for our almost 6 year old daughter. I love the message in the book. It also doesn't hurt that I think the book is semi-autobiographical of Julianne Moore's view of herself during her childhood. Freckleface Strawberry has, you guess it, freckles. She's the only one in her family that has them, except for her baby brother and well he doesn't count. She doesn't like being different. She doesn't like the way the kids at school call her Freckleface Strawberry and ask her all kinds of questions about them.

So, she takes matters into her own hands. She tries to get rid of them. She does everything in her power to make them go away, but she can't.

What the book teaches kids is that differences are ok. It is what makes us unique and special. It's what makes kids like us and want to be around us. Just because they are asking you questions doesn't mean they are teasing you but maybe because they are curious. Kids like to know why, sometimes to the detriment of us adults.

I don't know if my daughter grasps the whole message of the book, but it's one we like to read over and over again because it's also humorous.

Ms. Moore does an excellent job of telling the story in such a way that kids love it and parents don't mind reading it. The illustrations are cute and brightly colored. Freckleface Strawberry is a spunky girl, who I love to spend a few minutes with when I read it to my daughter.