All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

Summary from Goodreads:

Rashad is absent again today.

That’s the sidewalk graffiti that started it all…

Well, no, actually, a lady tripping over Rashad at the store, making him drop a bag of chips, was what started it all. Because it didn’t matter what Rashad said next—that it was an accident, that he wasn’t stealing—the cop just kept pounding him. Over and over, pummeling him into the pavement. So then Rashad, an ROTC kid with mad art skills, was absent again…and again…stuck in a hospital room. Why? Because it looked like he was stealing. And he was a black kid in baggy clothes. So he must have been stealing.

And that’s how it started.

And that’s what Quinn, a white kid, saw. He saw his best friend’s older brother beating the daylights out of a classmate. At first Quinn doesn’t tell a soul…He’s not even sure he understands it. And does it matter? The whole thing was caught on camera, anyway. But when the school—and nation—start to divide on what happens, blame spreads like wildfire fed by ugly words like “racism” and “police brutality.” Quinn realizes he’s got to understand it, because, bystander or not, he’s a part of history. He just has to figure out what side of history that will be.

Rashad and Quinn—one black, one white, both American—face the unspeakable truth that racism and prejudice didn’t die after the civil rights movement. There’s a future at stake, a future where no one else will have to be absent because of police brutality. They just have to risk everything to change the world.

Cuz that’s how it can end.

Review:

So, I’d been meaning to read this book for a long time. I love Jason Reynolds. I’ve heard him speak online and in person a few times now. And I recently listened to the audiobook of Stamped. A good librarian friend of mine recommended this book to me a long time ago. I don’t even remember buying it, but I got it signed at some point! It’s been showing up on a lot of booklists again lately, so I figured now was a good time.

Little did I know how right I was about how relevant it would be to read this right now. It came out in 2015, right in the middle of the Black Lives Matter Movement. But everything that transpired in it is so reminiscent of things that have transpired in the last few months. The media coverage, the commentary on sides, the violence, the protests, and the everything. I feel like I couldn’t have read this at a better time.

I wasn’t expecting to read this in one day. But, how can you put a story like this down? And how can you not want an ending to this story? To all the stories? The book pretty much grabs you on page one with a brief poem on a grey page, about a boy being beaten on the pavement. How can this not make me think of George Floyd? Of countless others? From page one of this book, I’m hooked and it’s just a short poem about the pavement.

From there, I really liked getting two sides of the coin. You get the black story and the white story. It was interesting to see both how Rashad changed and grew as the book went on and how Quinn did. Quinn’s changes were more obvious. He grew to see his privilege. He goes from defending the officer that he knows, to switching sides entirely and what a journey to watch! Oh, how I wish more people in this country could go on this journey with him. Maybe I’m being too critical, but some of his changes (and that of the girl he’s interested in) seem almost too good to be true. Words they use seem almost too perfect.

But, Rashad changes too. He learns that not everything is so concretely good or bad. And that his parents can’t so easily fall into one category or the other. He learns to be brave and strong –he has to overcome the terrible atrocity that has been done to him. I cried for and with Rashad. And I loved watching his art grow and change too.

Everything in this book was done well from the graffiti, to the family drama, to the friendships. It all felt real to me. It all felt like something that very plausibly could have happened 6 years ago or 6 days ago. I feel like this book doesn’t have nearly as much hype as it deserves. I give it a 9/10.

10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon

Summary from Goodreads:

The follow-up to When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something about Sweetie follows Pinky and Samir as they pretend to date—with disastrous and hilarious results.

Pinky Kumar wears the social justice warrior badge with pride. From raccoon hospitals to persecuted rock stars, no cause is too esoteric for her to champion. But a teeny-tiny part of her also really enjoys making her conservative, buttoned-up corporate lawyer parents cringe.

Samir Jha might have a few . . . quirks remaining from the time he had to take care of his sick mother, like the endless lists he makes in his planner and the way he schedules every minute of every day, but those are good things. They make life predictable and steady.

Pinky loves lazy summers at her parents’ Cape Cod lake house, but after listening to them harangue her about the poor decisions (aka boyfriends) she’s made, she hatches a plan. Get her sorta-friend-sorta-enemy, Samir—who is a total Harvard-bound Mama’s boy—to pose as her perfect boyfriend for the summer. As they bicker their way through lighthouses and butterfly habitats, sparks fly, and they both realize this will be a summer they'll never forget.

Review:

I loved When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something about Sweetie. I didn’t even know this book was coming out! I was so excited when this came across my radar. I ordered it and requested at my library right away. Also, 10 Things I Hate about You is one of my all time favorite movies. Oh, and I live in Cape in Cod, where it takes place.  I had high hopes for this book.

Sadly, this is my least favorite book in the series. I still read it super quickly. I needed something light and fluffly for my stay-cation week, something to go down nicely between some of the heavier stuff I’d been reading lately. Plus, I love a little romance every now and then. I guess I still enjoyed the romance and the summer island setting, though, I wish some real inland Cape Cod places were mentioned too….

So much is said throughout the whole book about Pinky’s shady past. It keeps getting alluded to by her parents, her cousin, her relatives, and even herself. Yet, we never see it! What on earth happened? Drugs? Alcohol? Sex? What did she do? Over the summer, she plays Boggle, attends trivia night at the club with her parents, and reads for fun alone in her room….Like something wasn’t clicking. What terrible things did she do?

Then we get introduced to the idea that Pinky’s mother hates protesting. And Pinky likes standing up for the little guy. She rescues raccoons and opossums. She works her butt off to try to save a butterfly habitat on the island, despite a lot of negativity. But, would any of these things qualify her as a problem child? Not really…At one point, it’s mentioned that she has an ex that had to do community service instead of prison time. And that’s she had a lot of exes. But…I feel like this gives a really bad picture to kids/teens about what makes teens a “problem child.” Shouldn’t we be encouraging more youth to stand up for what’s right? And not worrying them that their parents will be against it? I don’t know. This whole thing seemed kind of backward and strange. Like the mom was against her child doing the right thing….

Then there’s another weird storyline with Pinky’s cousin “slumming it” with a neighbor at the lake. I get that the guy was no good. But, it felt like he kept being dismissed as no good because he was “new money” and not actually because he was no good. And then the cousin gets punished for having a relationship with him. She hadn’t been punished for past monogamous relationships.  I don’t know. I guess I felt like the parenting here was totally out of whack and not real.

I felt bad for the kids and their lack of real leadership/parenting.  It made sense that the girls were so confused –both rebelling. Though, again, I’m not sure saving the planet one butterfly habitat at a time, and dating one not so great guy is real rebellion.  

I did enjoy the romance. I found Samir to be sweet. He was nowhere near as interesting as Pinky. But, I liked what he brought to the balance of things. And I guess we needed a mature character from somewhere. It wasn’t coming from the adults. I give it a 6/10.

Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk

Summary from Goodreads:

A young heroine in Depression-era Maine is navigating the rocky terrain of her new life on Echo Mountain.

After the financial crash, Ellie and her family have lost nearly everything--including their home in town. They have started over, carving out a new life in the unforgiving terrain of Echo Mountain. Though her sister Esther, especially, resents everything about the mountain, Ellie has found more freedom, a new strength, and a love of the natural world that now surrounds them. But there is little joy, even for Ellie, as they all struggle with the sorrow and aftermath of an accident that left her father in a coma. An accident for which Ellie has accepted the unearned weight of blame.

Urgent for a cure to bring her father back, Ellie is determined to try anything. Following her heart, and the lead of a scruffy mutt, Ellie will make her way to the top of the mountain, in search of the healing secrets of a woman known only as "the hag." But the mountain still has many untold stories left to reveal to Ellie, as she finds her way forward among a complex constellation of strong women spanning generations.

Review:

Lauren Wolk is a master. She is joining the ranks now with Lois Lowry, Judy Blume, and Kate DiCamillo as one of the best Children’s writers. Everything she writes is pure magic. To say I devoured this book is an understatement. I read it in one day. I knew I was going to enjoy it. I loved Wolk’s other books. This one takes place on a mountain, and there’s bees and a dog on the cover? How was I not going to enjoy it?

I have to admit I was a little hesitant to start a book that took place during the Great Depression during a time when our country seems to be entering into another Depression…However, I’m glad I did not delay my reading of this. It was not too hard to read. It touched on everything it needed to in regards to economic hardship in just the right amount. It was always there, in the background. Nothing was easy for this family. Everyone was sacrificing.

Ellie has got to be one of the toughest, bravest main characters I’ve read in a long time. She’s the new Katniss Everdeen. Seriously, what she takes on and does for her siblings, is beyond anything I have read before. Her love brought real tears to my eyes. Then bring in the beautiful mountain setting and this total embracing of nature. There’s fishing, hunting, honey gathering, wild animal attacks, climbing, and almost constant danger. Yet, Ellie and her “friends” love it and know it so well.

The characters in this book are just real. Plain and simple. I feel like I know them. They are all flawed. No one is perfect, even Ellie. This just makes me love them that much more. The mother is so hard on Ellie and I saw how divided she was from her older sister and mother. And I wanted to hate them, but I couldn’t. I felt so sorry for what they had to give up. I saw how much they were trying too.

This book reads like Little Women mixed with Anne of Green Gables mixed with Wolf Hollow. But, it’s also its complete own story. I’ve never read this unique story before. It’s just reminiscent of so many great children’s stories before it. I can see this one winning awards and being talked about for years to come. I give this one a 10/10.

The Other Side of the Sky by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Summary from Goodreads:

New York Times bestselling author duo Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner have crafted a gripping tale of magic and logic, fate and choice, and a deadly love. Perfect for fans of Laini Taylor and Brandon Sanderson.

Prince North’s home is in the sky, in a gleaming city held aloft by intricate engines, powered by technology. Nimh is the living goddess of her people on the Surface, responsible for providing answers, direction—hope.

North’s and Nimh’s lives are entwined—though their hearts can never be. Linked by a terrifying prophecy and caught between duty and fate, they must choose between saving their people or succumbing to the bond that is forbidden between them.

Review:

I was super excited to get an ARC of this book. For starters, look at the gorgeousness of this cover! Also, I love these authors and I’ve been super impressed with them in the past. I practically hugged the book when I got it and almost dropped all the other books I was reading.

Sadly, I was a little disappointed. As I mentioned on Goodreads, …There were some stand out elements here, particularly the in-depth world building and the cat that saved the day on multiple occasions. The writing was excellent. However, there were so many YA tropes and plot arcs I’ve seen over and over again. I was hoping for something fresher.

I’ve read stories with a top world and bottom world already. I’ve also read stories now with rather religious characters. I’ve read a lot of YA chosen one stories. I’ve read so many stories where the two points of view characters fall in love. And I’ve read more than enough stories where the two love interests are not allowed to be together. And I guess the point I’m slowly coming to is, did they have to write soooooo many tropes in one? Like couldn’t they have just stuck with 1 or 2? Or I guess, if you’re going to write a book with so many well known plots, please make something in there more unique.

As I mentioned, the writing was beautiful. The world building was top-notch. However, I have seen absolutely everything done before, many, many times. I was hoping for more. And because of this lack of originality, it took me a long time to read. I had to make myself finish the book. I almost stopped a few times. I’m glad I finished it overall. I really loved the cat. And I really got lost in the setting. I wanted more from the characters. And I certainly needed more from the plot –thought it picks up a lot towards the end.

All in all, I give this a 6.5/10.

A Good Week in Books (222)

 

I’ve had a nice big week in books! I was off last week for a stay-cation. Nick and I celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary with plenty of beach walks, sunsets, book time, good food, and Netflix binging. I read 4 books this week….It’s the best I’ve done in a long time. I also received 6 new books for review courtesy of Macmillan! I purchased 2 new books (from an actual bookstore!). It was the first time we did that since March! I gave us a quick 10-minute only shopping limit though…Still, it was a wonderful vacation.

It kind of ended with a sinus infection though… I’m not sure I’ll get to those book reviews for a little while. I forget that my sinus infections always seem to come with the change of season. I just love the Fall so much, I always seem to forget that detail. Fall comes with the cooler weather, pumpkin coffee, less tourists, better apples, tons of new YA books, birthdays, anniversaries, and all the good holidays. We need all the celebrations we can get. And all the good books too.

The new books:

Channel Kindness: Stories of Kindness and Community by Born This Way Foundation Reporters with Lady Gaga
Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
The Lost Book of the White by Cassandra Clare
Skyhunter by Marie Lu
Kind of a Big Deal  by Shannon Hale
Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite edited by Zoraida Cordova and Natalie C. Parker
Flamer by Mike Curato
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King the graphic novel by Natalie Andrewson

Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor by Ally Carter

Summary from Goodreads:

April didn’t mean to start the fire. She wasn’t even the one who broke the vase. 

She had absolutely no intention of becoming the only person who knows that Gabriel Winterborne, the missing-and-presumed-dead billionaire, is neither missing nor dead and is actually living in the basement of Winterborne House, sharpening his swords and looking for vengeance. 

 

Now that April knows Gabriel Winterborne is alive, it’s up to her to keep him that way. But there’s only so much a twelve-year-old girl can do, so April must turn to the other orphans for help. Together, they’ll have to unravel the riddle of a missing heir and a creepy legend, and find a secret key, before the only home they’ve ever known is lost to them forever. 

Review:

I love this author. I loved her first two YA series, not so much her latest one. But, when I saw that she did a middle grade book, I thought “why not?” Sadly, there are a lot of new-ish books that have not being going out of my library because we still aren’t letting the public inside. Normally, they’d be on display and going out like hotcakes. But, our new books aren’t going out like they used to, so I’ve had more time to check out the new middle grade titles. So, I guess that’s a silver lining…

I’m so glad I decided to read this. I loved it so much that I now have my husband reading it. We can both be suckers for a good mystery. I told him it’s kind of the kid version of Truly Devious, and that’s all it took. He’s already halfway through it. Think: creepy old mansions by the sea, secret passages, genius orphans, giant fires, millions of dollars in reward money for finding a missing person, and well you get the bare basics of this book.

To say I ate this book up is an understatement. I spent a rainy Saturday reading this book and it was just the best day. I had to know what was going to happen next. There was just one suspenseful scene after another. Literally, you’re hopping from museum fires, to long lost millionaires, to swordfights, to well…I don’t want to spoil anything else.

This book does not have the most character development. That’s in fact the one thing it’s kind of lacking. And in a way, it feels intentional. Like, this adds to the mystery of everything. Almost, like the author plans to fill in certain holes later. But, in other ways, It’s super aggravating. I’m very disappointed in one character’s actions at the end. I just don’t understand them. But, I guess I also never really learned much about them. I just thought I did.

All in all though, I loved this. This book is great for suspenseful mystery fans. I think I read somewhere that there’s going to be at least one more…I hope so! Sometimes we all just need a good, rainy Saturday away from reality to read about orphans fighting bad guys and solving decades long mysteries. I give this one a 9/10.