Thoughts on E.L. Konigsburg

A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver

Reading the Salon article "E.L. Konigsburg Brought the City to the 'Burbs" reminded me of just how much I've loved her books--and how much they've shaped me in odd ways.

I got From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler from my late grandmother, a woman who had an uncanny knack for giving me books I loved.  My introduction to E.L. Konigsburg and L.M. Montgomery were both thanks to my grandmother. 

Reading From the Mixed-Up Files was eye-opening for a little girl from Delaware, a true suburban dweller.  I didn't necessarily want to run away to New York and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art--but I sure did understand Claudia's frustrations as a fellow mother's helper.  Jamie's tightwad tendencies always makes me think of my dad, too.

In sixth grade, I came across A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver, the book that introduced me to the fascinating Eleanor of Aquitaine.  I still remember my mom special-ordering the book for me from the local Waldenbooks, because I had to have my own copy.  To this day, it's my favorite Konigsburg--a fact I was lucky enough to share with her at Book Expo America a few years ago.  I still hope, someday, that someone will write a book about Eleanor's granddaughter, Blanca of Castile, who was chosen by Eleanor to be queen of France, all based on Konigsburg's amusing version of this story.

A lesser-known but really amazing book by Konigsburg is Father's Arcane Daughter.  For a children's book, it's not watered-down (a highlight of all her books, really): there's flashbacks, adult narrators, and a compelling look at how we pity those who are different from us, those that we see as less than us.  I also see it as a bit of a love letter to Pittsburgh, a city where Konigsburg lived and that she recreates in the book.  Father's Arcane Daughter has a lot of similarities to the later Silent to the Bone.  (Gah!  I just saw on Amazon that there's a Kindle edition of Father's Arcane Daughter, retitled to My Father's Daughter.  Talk about missing the point . . .)

E.L. Konigsburg
1930-2013

Another five hours down!

#48hbc

Gaining inspiration from this shirt to push through for some more reading!

I fell asleep early last night (I blame the wine I had with my dinner) so it took me until 1pm EST today to get another five hours of reading.  In that time, I:

--Finished The Moon and More.  At times, I was annoyed with Emaline not revealing how she was feeling, but I knew that was part of her journey.  It was good to see the back of Theo, that's for sure.

--Read Hero by Alethea Kontis.  I really enjoyed Enchanted and was happy to get this ARC at BEA.  Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention during different points of the story, though, because the plot in this one didn't make a lot of sense to me.  I did like Saturday, the Woodcutter daughter who's at the center of this story.

I'm not sure if I'll get much more time today for reading, but I'm happy with the ten hours I've done so far!  It's been a great challenge.

The First Five Hours of 48 Hour Book Challenge

#48hbc

First off, a picture of who's keeping me company during my 48 Hour Book Challenge.

So what have I done so far?

--Finished How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True by Sarah Strohmeyer.  I had really enjoyed Smart Girls Get What They Want, so I snapped up Zoe.  However, while I enjoyed it, I didn't like it as much as Smart Girls.  I had problems connecting with Zoe, and the plot's sprawl confused me.  YMMV, of course.  BethReads reviewed this one and really liked it.

--Read more of The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen.  First off, I must have read the first chapter somewhere (I think maybe it was on Sarah Dessen's blog) because the deja vu was eerie.  And, not to be too mean, but even Sarah Dessen doesn't write so similarly to herself that I'd get deja vu if I hadn't already read chapter one.  I'm about 2/3rds done, and it's your classic Sarah Dessen so far.

--Completed The President Has Been Shot!: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy by James L. Swanson.  I really enjoyed Chasing Lincoln's Killer, so I was really happy to grab this ARC from the Scholastic booth at BEA.  And this one doesn't disappoint.  Although the historian in me was wincing somewhat at some of the blanket statements, for a book for young readers it still does a really great job of presenting Kennedy's assassination.  The sections detailing Jackie Kennedy in the aftermath are heartbreaking.

Thank you to everyone who commented on my kick-off post!  Since I've done five hours, I will now spend the rest of my social media hour visiting a few blogs before I stop reading and do some real-life adult things, like errand-running and cleaning.  More reading later!

48 Hour Book Challenge!

This is the first time I've done this (and I'm still a smidge confused by everything) but here goes nothing!

This is my TBR pile for the weekend.  Note the e-reader!  Which hasn't been loaded up yet with the e-ARCs I have waiting for me; that will happen tonight.  

I plan to run my 48 Hour Book Challenge from 9pm Friday to 9pm Sunday.  Happy reading!

Holy unexpected return, Batman!

Yeah, I know I kind of fell off the face of the earth when it came to blogging.  But there were reasons.
--I wrote a genre guide to historical fiction, which meant I read part of over 700 books in just over a year.
--I immediately followed that up by serving on the Printz and reading a ton.

I knew after those events that I would need to make my life easier when it came to reading.  That I needed to take some time off.  And in the process, I dropped blogging.  I didn't stop reading; anyone who follows me on Goodreads knows that.  But doing the blogging thing just lost its appeal for a while.

But after I read GreenBean TeenQueen's great post on After Committee Reading Slump and attended BEA, I decided I'd like to try to get more active again.  To start sharing my book thoughts again and see what happens.

I plan to participate in the 48-Hour Book Challenge this weekend (for the first time ever!  In previous years, I was working and just couldn't accommodate it) which will help jump-start the blogging.  I'm looking forward to wading through my TBR pile and enjoying some of the ARCs I got at BEA as well as books that have been waiting too long for me to read.  This year, the 48-Hour Book Challenge will be hosted by Ms. Yingling and Abby the Librarian.

So here goes nothing!

Review: All These Things I've Done

All These Things I've Done
Gabrielle Zevin
2011; Farrar, Straus & Giroux; ISBN 978-0-374-30210-8 (hardcover)

Summary:  In 2083, chocolate and caffeine are illegal, water is rationed, and Anya Balanchine is trying to hold her family together.  Her grandmother is dying, her older brother Leo is mentally disabled due to a childhood accident, and Anya has two years before she turns eighteen and can be legal guardian to her little sister Natty.  To make matters worse, her family is well-known as chocolate smugglers, yet Anya is beginning to fall for Win, the assistant DA's son.  All Anya wants is to stay out of the family business, yet it seems that she's destined for it.  Will she choose to be a bystander or a participant?

Set in a realistic future, All These Things I've Done is a character-driven novel, one that is different from other YA novels.  It's not as plot-focused as you'd expect from Gabrielle Zevin, the author of the intriguing Elsewhere and Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac.  Some things don't work in this novel, like Anya's occasional asides to the reader and a few contrived coincidences.  What does work is the character study of Anya.  With her tough-as-nails exterior, Anya tries to conceal her fears and worries.  Her relationship with Win gives her a momentary respite, but Anya is too practical to let romance interfere with her duty to protect her family.  Fans who liked Wither will like All These Things I've Done even more.

Other Reviews
Mostly Reading YA:  http://mostlyreadingya.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-all-these-things-ive-done.html
Letters Inside Out: http://www.lettersinsideout.net/posts/review-all-these-things-ive-done-by-gabrielle-zevin/
The Reading Housewives of Indiana:  http://www.thereadinghousewives.com/2011/09/review-all-these-things-ive-done-by.html
Miss Print:  http://missprint.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/all-these-things-ive-done-a-chick-lit-wednesday-review/

Review: The Rites & Wrongs of Janice Wills

The Rites & Wrongs of Janice Wills
Joanna Pearson
2011; Scholastic; ISBN 978-0-545-19773-1 (hardcover)

Summary:  In the small town of Melva, North Carolina, Janice Wills knows what group she belongs to: Socially Unimportant Intelligent Girl.  As a budding anthropologist, Janice has made it her goal to have her research on Melva's adolescents published in Current Anthropology before she graduates from high school.  She's the kind of girl to take notes and remain detached in order to observe everything; she's not the kind of girl who'd enter Melva's Miss Livermush Pageant, in spite of her mother's encouragement.  Yet slowly, Janice begins to see the flaws in her research methods.  She's not clever and smart and observant--she's mean and closed-off and scared.  With the help of old friends and new challenges, Janice looks at her world with a new set of eyes.

A coming-of-age story with a different slant, The Rites & Wrongs of Janice Wills combines a realistic protagonist with some engaging thoughts on teenage culture.  Janice has a lot of growing to do over the course of the novel, and her growth comes believably, with a few missteps along the way.  The focus of the novel is Janice's development, set against the backdrop of her small town.  A quick read that includes a dash of romance and some good friendship issues, this first novel occasionally descends into stereotypes and cliches.  Yet there's still an engaging sweetness to this novel, like taking a few bites of pecan pie.  The Rites & Wrongs of Janice Wills will be enjoyed by fans of novels like The Sweetheart of Prosper County.

Other Reviews
Christina Reads YA:  http://christinareadsya.blogspot.com/2011/06/book-review-rites-and-wrongs-of-janice.html
Dear Author: http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/overall-c-reviews/c-plus-reviews/review-the-rites-and-wrongs-of-janice-wills-by-joanna-pearson/
Letters Inside Out: http://www.lettersinsideout.net/posts/review-the-rites-and-wrongs-of-janice-wills-by-joanna-pearson/
I Like These Books: http://www.ilikethesebooks.com/2011/08/rites-and-wrongs-of-janice-wills-by.html

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Lola and the Boy Next Door
Stephanie Perkins
2011; Dutton (Penguin); ISBN 978-0-525-42328-7

Summary:  Lola's life couldn't be better.  She lives in the fantastic Castro District of San Francisco, she loves her parents Nathan and Andy, she's always got a unique costume to wear, and best of all is her boyfriend Max.  The only fly in the ointment is that Max is five years older than Lola, and her parents don't like him.  At least, that's the only problem until the Bell twins move back into their house next door to Lola's.  Calliope Bell is just self-centered, focused on her figure skating career.  But her brother Cricket . . . he's the boy that Lola loved once.  Now that he's back, Lola finds that perhaps her feelings haven't changed.  But what about Max?  And does Cricket actually like her?  Lola will have to search her soul to discover whether her costumes hide or reflect her true self.

Another insightful romance from Stephanie Perkins, author of Anna and the French Kiss, one that mixes Lola's journey of discovery with an epic teenage romance.  Although the novel is a bit slow to start, with some muddled interplay between the present and the past, it picks up speed when Cricket returns to Lola's life.  Cricket is perhaps the perfect teenage boy: sweet, smart, and totally in love with Lola.  The reader can't help rooting for Lola and Cricket to figure things out, although it takes some time.  Lola begins the novel lying to her parents about Max and refusing to see that Max is too old for her.  Slowly, she realizes that he's not the boy for her, a process that helps her learn how to be honest to herself and others.  This maturing process is handled well, leading to a satisfying ending not just for Lola, but for Cricket and Lola, too.  Fans of Perkins' first novel will be happy to see Anna and St. Clair as supporting characters in this one.  Lola's gay parents--one of whom is biologically her uncle--are not there for shock value or controversy, but to reflect the novel's setting and to give Lola two happy, caring parents.  Fans of Anna and the French Kiss will keep Lola and the Boy Next Door circulating.

Other Reviews
A Million Words: http://ggpreviews.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-of-lola-and-boy-next-door.html
Write Meg: http://writemeg.com/2011/08/01/book-review-lola-and-the-boy-next-door-by-stephanie-perkins/
The Readventurer:  http://www.thereadventurer.com/1/post/2011/8/book-review-lola-and-the-boy-next-door-by-stephanie-perkins.html
Bibliopunkk:  http://www.bibliopunkk.net/2011/07/review-lola-and-boy-next-door.html
 

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Laini Taylor
2011; Little, Brown; ISBN 978-0-316-13402-6 (hardcover)

Summary: Karou is a very unique young woman.  She has blue hair, speaks multiple languages, and has vivid tattoos on the palms of her hands.  For the other students at her Prague art school, they're used to Karou's mysterious life, with her unusual sketchbooks full of fantasy creatures.  The truth is stranger than fiction: the creatures in Karou's art are real, and they are the ones who raised her.  What Karou doesn't know is that there is a civil war between seraphs and chimaera, between angels and monsters--a war of which she's in the middle.  The seraphs are lead by Akiva, a beautiful warrior angel.  There seems to be some kind of connection between Akiva and Karou . . . one that changes both of them.

With rich atmospheric details and memorable characters, Daughter of Smoke and Bone is an unusual fantasy. While the story loses steam at the three-quarters mark after a major plot revelation, there is much to like in this novel.  The setting of Prague is vividly portrayed, infusing a sense of history into the story.  Karou is a fascinating yet believable protagonist, grounding the fantasy even as she performs amazing acts.  Laini Taylor's talents for word and description is obvious in Daughter of Smoke and Bone.  Pass this novel to fans of Holly Black.

Other Reviews
Good Books and Good Wine:  http://www.goodbooksandgoodwine.com/2011/07/daughter-of-smoke-and-bone-by-laini-taylor-book-review.html
Bookanista:  http://scott-tracey.com/2011/08/11/bookanista-review-the-daughter-of-smoke-and-bone-by-laini-taylor/
Reading Rants:  http://www.readingrants.org/2011/05/15/daughter-of-smoke-and-bone-by-laini-taylor/
The Allure of Books:  http://theallureofbooks.com/2011/08/review-the-daughter-of-smoke-and-bone-by-laini-taylor.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-the-daughter-of-smoke-and-bone-by-laini-taylor

Review: Blood Wounds

Blood Wounds
Susan Beth Pfeffer
2011; Harcourt; ISBN 978-0-547-49638-2 (hardcover)

Summary:  In Willa's blended family, there's Willa and her mom Terri, and Jack, Terri's second husband.  Most of the time, Jack's two daughters from his first marriage, Brooke and Alyssa, live with them.  Jack's ex-wife, Val, is rich and gives Brooke and Alyssa anything they could want, from horses and tennis coaches to trips to Europe.  Willa, by contrast, can't even have the voice lessons she wants since her mother can't pay for them.  To cope with the pressure of feeling unloved and unvalued, Willa cuts herself in secret, spilling her own blood.  But then Willa's estranged father commits an unspeakable act towards his new family.  In grappling with this horrible legacy, Willa tries to learn more about her parents' past.  Her new knowledge leads her to confront the assumptions and unspoken tensions that lie at the heart of her family relationships.  Willa discovers that Tolstoy had it wrong: every family, whether happy or unhappy, is different.

Never shying away from uncomfortable topics, Susan Beth Pfeffer explores the complex world of modern family dynamics in Blood Wounds.  When her father kills his wife and three daughters, it sets Willa on a journey to learn who she is within her different families.  Her father's acts are only the trigger for the story, belying the summary printed on the ARC I read; the heart of the novel is Willa's relationships and how they affect her.  Willa is difficult to like, but she is easy to understand, with the coil of tension growing ever-tighter until she finally breaks free of the role she thinks she has to play.  The character interactions are messy and complicated and real, heightened by direct prose and brisk pacing.  By the close of the novel, years of resentment and unhappiness are finally revealed, and Willa can create her own place within her family.  Pair Blood Wounds with novels like A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt.

Other Reviews
Practically Paradise: http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/practicallyparadise/2011/07/17/blood-wounds-by-susan-beth-pfeiffer/
One Book at a Time: http://onebooktime.blogspot.com/2011/07/review-blood-wounds-by-susan-beth.html
Squeaky Books: http://www.squeakybooks.com/2011/06/blood-wounds-susan-beth-pfeffer.html
Bibliosaurus Text:  http://www.bibliosaurustext.com/?p=870

Review: A Monster Calls

A Monster Calls
Patrick Ness, inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd
2011; Candlewick; ISBN 978-0-7636-5559-4 (hardcover)

Summary:  Late one night, Conor sees a nearby yew tree transform itself into a monster.  It's huge, with scratchy bark and pointy leaves.  But Conor's not afraid of the monster, because he's been expecting a much worse one.  His mother has cancer, and she seems to be sicker as each day passes.  Everyone at school knows about his mum's illness, making him invisible--except to his old friend Lily and Harry the bully.  So Conor's not that scared of the monster, and the monster sees that.  The monster has come because Conor called for him, and he will tell Conor four stories.  Then, Conor will have to tell the monster his own story, a story that's true.  Finding the truth will be a struggle for Conor, though.

Examining issues of love, loss and truth, A Monster Calls is a collaboration between Patrick Ness and the late Siobhan Dowd.  Taking the characters and premise created by Dowd, Ness has crafted a moving, honest story about a boy learning the first lessons of manhood.  The monster is capricious, logical and cold, contrasted with Conor's emotional, passionate nature.  As Conor hears the monster's stories and watches his mother's condition deteriorate, the tension slowly increases to the heartbreaking yet hopeful conclusion.  The story is made even richer by vivid black and white illustrations by Jim Kay.  It's a shame that Siobhan Dowd could not write this story, but how fortunate we are that Patrick Ness was willing to take on this task and create a fitting memorial in A Monster Calls.

Other Reviews
Bart's Bookshelf:  http://www.bartsbookshelf.co.uk/2011/05/16/review-a-monster-calls-by-patrick-ness-from-an-idea-by-siobhan-dowd/
Phoebe North:  http://www.phoebenorth.com/2011/07/07/review-a-monster-calls-by-patrick-ness/
Chicklish:  http://keris.typepad.com/chicklet/2011/04/review-a-monster-calls-by-patrick-ness.html

Review: Shut Out

Shut Out
Kody Keplinger
2011; Poppy (Little, Brown); ISBN 978-0-316-17556-2 (hardcover)

Summary:  For ten years, the football and soccer players at Hamilton High have been locked in a tense rivalry.  It's been getting worse--people are getting hurt now.  Lissa, the girlfriend of quarterback Randy, is sick of being left behind and coming second to the battle.  Then she gets an inspired idea: the girlfriends will hold a sex strike until the rivalry is over.  If the guys aren't getting any, they're bound to bury the hatchet.  It all seems to be going to plan . . . but Lissa didn't count on falling for Cash, who is Mr. Unattainable and the leader of the guys.  Lissa will have to figure out if the strike is about sex, the rivalry, or her desire to control everything to prevent getting hurt.

Once again mining the intersection of teenage love and sex, Kody Keplinger has crafted an opinionated, thought-provoking follow-up to her debut novel The D.U.F.F.  Like in the ancient Greek play Lysistrata, Lissa choose to end a war by withholding physical affection.  This makes sense to Lissa, a secret romantic with a powerful need for control.  These two elements of her personality clash throughout the novel, and it's thanks to people like Cash, her father and brother, and her friends that Lissa is able to balance the two sides of nature.  Through it all, the dialogue snaps with truth and the characters act like realistic teens.  Pass Shut Out along to fans of Carolyn Mackler or anyone looking for an insightful look into teen relationships.

Other Reviews
What's on the Bookshelf: http://whatsonthebookshelf-jen.blogspot.com/2011/08/review-shut-out-by-kody-keplinger.html
Parenthetical:  http://www.parenthetical.net/2011/05/30/review-shut-out-kody-keplinger-sept-2011/
Janicu's Book Review:  http://janicu.wordpress.com/2011/07/15/shut-out-by-kody-keplinger/
Good Choice Reading:  http://www.goodchoicereading.com/2011/06/review-shut-out-by-kody-keplinger.html

Review: The Name of the Star

The Name of the Star (Shades of London, Book One)
Maureen Johnson
2011; Putnam (Penguin); ISBN 978-0-399-25660-8 (hardcover)

Summary:  Rory Deveaux arrives in London, immediately feeling shell-shocked by how different England is from Louisiana.  It's cold and rainy, with strange words and celebrities she's never heard of.  But soon, strange murders star occurring, on the anniversaries of murders linked to Jack the Ripper.  Rippermania grips London--but Rory knows there's more going on than meets the eye.  She's the only one to have seen the murderer, and the knowledge changes Rory's life.  Because it's not a copycat killing woman like over a hundred years ago . . . it's a ghost.

The first novel in a new series, The Name of the Star is a dark, atmospheric tale of what lies beyond death.  For such a modern city, blanketed with CCTV and cell phones, London is well aware of its history.  Into this new world is thrust Rory, who slowly comes into her unusual ability to see ghosts.  The details are revealed carefully, leading up to the surprising cliffhanger ending.  Rory meets the challenges thrown at her with realistic reactions of curiosity and fear.  Similar in feel to Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, The Name of the Star is an intriguing departure for Maureen Johnson.  Her talent for characterization shines through in this historical-tinged thriller.

Other Reviews
Dark Readers:  http://www.dark-readers.com/2011/06/book-reviewthe-name-of-star-by-maureen.html
Diary of a Book Addict:  http://bookaddictdiary.blogspot.com/2011/07/book-review-name-of-star-by-maureen.html
I Eat Words:  http://www.ieatwords.net/2011/08/name-of-star-by-maureen-johnson.html

Friday Fun: Interesting Reading

A few links to articles that I came across this week on the blogosphere!

How Young Adult Fiction Came of Age
Excerpt:  I am familiar enough with the basics: that YA is not to the written word as PG is to film. That it is publishing's closest thing to a safe bet in years. That it has seen explosive growth as a result. To wit: 3,000 young adult novels were published in 1997. Twelve years later, that figure hit 30,000 titles--an increase of a full order of magnitude. In 2009, total sales exceeded $3 billion, which is roughly all the money. 

YA Books are Booming--but not That Much
Excerpt:  Before I tell you what the correct figures are, how I think Mr. Grady got those numbers wrong, and why that matters, I do want to say that the article as a whole is a solid piece of work. Unlike the infamous Wall Street Journal article that complained about YA literature being too dark (I won't link to it, but you can find it if you search), Mr. Grady clearly likes YA books, and develops some good points: that adults are reading YA, for various reasons; that "New Adult" is what some in publishing hope to establish as a next step after YA; and that the commercial/literary divide may be shrinking.

"She's Not a Strong Reader"
Excerpt:  She resisted help at first. But after two failed attempts to get the book she wanted, she finally let me help her. I got her a wonderful stack of Libba Bray and Sarah Dessen and left her alone, only to have her mother announce to me, “She’s not a strong reader.” As if that explained why her daughter was taking her time to choose the right book.

Where Children Sleep (from the New York Times)
Excerpt:  As he considered how to represent needy children around the world, he wanted to avoid the common devices: pleading eyes, toothless smiles. When he visualized his own childhood, he realized that his bedroom said a lot about what sort of life he led. So he set out to find others.


Your Mom Reads More YA Than You
Excerpt: What struck me about the WSJ debate was not whether or not YA veers into a damaging darkness; rather, it was the allegation that mothers are unaware of, or disapprove of, the current YA offerings.  It was striking to me because, in my own experience promoting a YA novel, mothers have been some of the most ardent and vocal harbingers of what’s new and what’s next in the genre.

Review: Small Town Sinners

Small Town Sinners
Melissa Walker
2011; Bloomsbury; ISBN 978-1-59990-527-3 (hardcover)

Summary:  Lacey Anne Byer is a good girl.  She listens to her parents, does well in school, and is a strong supporter of her church.  In fact, Lacey can't wait to audition for a part in Hell House, her church's haunted house of sin.  But then, things start changing for Lacey.  Ty, a childhood friend who's returned to town, encourages her to question what she's been told in church as he stirs romantic feelings in her.  Her best friend's older sister gets pregnant out of wedlock.  Another friend is bullied by a schoolmate, one who doesn't get punished for his actions.  Lacey can't talk to her parents about all these new questions she has.  Instead, she will be on her own to find the answers that make sense to her.

A thought-provoking look at an evangelical coming-of-age, Small Town Sinners is also a very clean novel.  Lacey and her friends Starla Joy and Dean seem very innocent, their interactions from another time.  It might feel dated and out-of-place, yet as the reader sees how conservative and prescribed Lacey's world is, this innocence makes more sense.  Ty and Lacey's conversations about faith and sin may lean towards the didactic, yet Melissa Walker manages to keep the focus on Lacey's journey.  For readers who are curious about their own beliefs or anyone looking for insight into a different way of life, Small Town Sinners is a great choice.

Other Reviews
YA Librarian Tales:  http://yalibrariantales.blogspot.com/2011/07/review-small-town-sinners-by-melissa.html
Presenting Lenore: http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/2011/07/book-review-small-town-sinners-by.html
Addicted 2 Novels: http://addicted2novels.blogspot.com/2011/07/blog-tourreview-small-town-sinners.html
I Read Banned Books: http://jenbigheart.blogspot.com/2011/07/review-small-town-sinners-by-melissa.html

Giveaway Winners!

Congratulations to the winners of my birthday giveaway!  Bridget won the book pack, and  donnas won the ARC pack.  Thanks to everyone for participating.

Friday Fun: Giveaways Reminder!

You have until midnight on Sunday, July 31 to enter the giveaway I'm running.  If you haven't entered, make sure to leave a comment on the giveaways post!

Review: The Girl is Murder

The Girl is Murder
Kathryn Miller Haines
2011; Roaring Brook; ISBN 978-1-59643-609-1 (hardcover)

Summary:  World War II is less than a year old, but it's already exacted many casualties.  Iris's dad came home after losing his leg at Pearl Harbor, but not before Iris's mother killed herself under mysterious circumstances.  Grieving, full of questions, and now broke, Iris and her dad move to the Lower East Side.  Going to public school and worrying about money is a big change for Iris.  She wants to help her dad with his private detective work, but he won't let her.  When he hits a stumbling block on a missing person case--a case that involves a boy Iris knows--she decides to help out anyway.  Soon, the former private schoolgirl is living large, swinging at the Savoy and staying out late.  But she'll find that cracking cases exposes the dark side of people.

Filled with period slang and insightful observations, The Girl is Murder is a winning novel.  While the mystery plot feels a bit muddled, with too-slow pacing and out-of-place misdirection, the rest of the novel shines.  The historical setting is drawn with restraint, using slang and a few details, like products and news of the day, to set the scene.  This lets the reader fully embrace Irish and her problems.  Supporting characters like Pearl, Suze and Pop are fully-drawn,with their own motivations and back stories.  Fans of Strings Attached by Judy Blundell and Veronica Mars will agree that The Girl is Murder is swell.

Other Reviews
Bookshelves of Doom:  http://www.kirkusreviews.com/blog/young-adult/bookshelves-doom-joy-girl-sleuth/
Figment: http://blog.figment.com/2011/07/22/the-girl-is-murder-by-kathryn-miller-haines/
The Serpentine Library:  http://www.theserpentinelibrary.com/2011/01/waiting-on-wednesday-girl-is-murder.html
Books Beside My Bed:  http://www.booksbesidemybed.com/2011/02/waiting-on-wednesday-girl-is-murder_23.html

Review: Subway Girl

Subway Girl
P.J. Converse
2011; HarperTeen; ISBN 978-0-06-157514-3 (hardcover)

Summary: In Hong Kong, Simon and Amy are lost in translation in different ways.  Simon keeps flunking his English exams, which means he won't graduate from high school.  Amy, recently arrived from San Francisco, can't speak Chinese.  When Simon sees Amy on the subway, she seems cool, gorgeous, special.  After he works up the courage to speak to her, they slowly become friends.  Amy helps Simon improve his English.  Simon is there for Amy when she gets pregnant with her ex-boyfriend's baby.  As they begin to speak the same language  the distance between their backgrounds becomes smaller.

With sensitive insight, Subway Girl explores the interaction of different cultures.  The reader sees Simon's frustration and confusion over learning English, gaining appreciation for how hard it is for non-English speakers in a world where English is the lingua franca.  Amy's journey is more subtle, showing a young woman trying to navigate a strange place--her own mind and soul.  Written by debut novelist P.J. Converse, Subway Girl stays small and focused on Simon and Amy.  It's a quick read that would be enjoyed by readers curious about other parts of the world.

Other Reviews
Novel Novice: http://novelnovice.com/2011/04/06/book-review-subway-girl-by-p-j-converse/
Night Owl Teen: http://www.nightowlteen.com/nor/Reviews/Mrs-Brooks-reviews-Subway-Girl-by-P-J-Converse.aspx
Read My Mind:  http://aliseonlife.blogspot.com/2010/12/advance-review-subway-girl-by-pj.html
Hopeless Bibliophile: http://www.thehopelessbibliophile.com/2011/01/arc-review-subway-girl-by-pj-converse.html

Friday Fun: Cover in Common

So I was walking around in the workroom at my library, and I saw this book on a pile of weeded books.

And I immediately thought, hey, I've seen that picture before! 

What interests me the most that beyond just flipping the image, the cover designer also seemed to have Photoshopped in some wear on the jeans.  Look at the white patches on the back of the thighs.  Interesting!