Keeper of the Lost Cities Book 4: Neverseen by Shannon Messenger

Summary from Goodreads:

Sophie Foster is on the run—but at least she's not alone.

Her closest friends from the Lost Cities have gone with her to join the Black Swan. They still have doubts about the shadowy organization, but the only way to find answers is to start working with them. And as they settle into their new lives, they uncover secrets far bigger than anything they’d imagined.

But their enemies are far from done, and unleash a terrifying plague that threatens the safety of an entire species. Sophie and her friends fight with everything they have—with new allies joining them—but every choice has consequences. And trusting the wrong person could prove deadly.

In this game-changing fourth book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie must question everything to find a truth that will either save her world—or shatter it.

Review:

I know I keep saying this, but I’m so hooked on these books! They are the action-packed fantasy fun distraction I need in my life right now. I’m really trying to postpone binging them all in one swoop, but this is proving to be harder and harder to do. I’m already in the middle of the next book…

This book is neat because the kids spend most of it away from their regular elf school. It’s kind of like Book 7 in the Harry Potter series, where the kids are no longer at Hogwarts…they are in the real world. And the real world is messed up. Except here, the real world is filled with secret society adult mentors, gnomes, a deadly pandemic that I was seriously relating to, tree house hideouts where they are still kind of in magic school, and then they get sent to an exiled magic school any way….(sorry for the semi-spoiler), but it’s a main part of the plot.

This is the book where finally several of the things I guessed from book 1 (or maybe book 2?) now happened, and I wish I had someone to say “I told you so” to, like I do with my husband when I call all the plot twists in advance to the tv shows we watch… I’m glad to know I’m not losing my smarts. I’m also not sure kid/teen me would have guessed all these things that adult me has picked up all the clue/Easter eggs to. I also think younger me would have 5 starred every single of these books, and definitely binged them all in one weekend.

I guess my biggest (maybe only?) issue now as an adult with the series, is seeing through my adult lens and just thinking this is just too unbelievable. Like there’s something about the kids in Harry Potter and Percy Jackson being separated from the adults that make their bravery and danger levels seem somehow more plausible. But these kids staying connected to their families the whole time, just somehow complicates the believability factor for me.  No one’s mother would say, “Yes, go to this enemy land, children. With no adults supervision….And rescue this very important antidote….” Or “Sure, don’t go back to school. I support this.” It all seems so far-fetched to me. I guess the families being more absent in the other book series allowed for some more suspension of this belief for me. However, maybe I wouldn’t really be noticing this if I wasn’t an adult….I don’t know.

I do know this issue isn’t enough to stop me from reading. I’ve become a bit obsessed. I’m definitely Team Keefe. He’s probably my favorite character. I’ve grown to like some of the Black Swan a lot too. I’m hoping to get to know more of the Neverseen soon, maybe. All in all, I can’t wait to read more, adult lenses or no. I give this one an 8/10.

The Great Gatsby the graphic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, adapted by Fred Fordham and illustrated by Aya Morton

Summary from Goodreads:

A gorgeously illustrated, first-ever graphic novel adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s beloved American classic.

First published in 1925, The Great Gatsby has been acclaimed by generations of readers and is now reimagined in stunning graphic novel form. Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway, Daisy Buchanan, and the rest of the cast are captured in vivid and evocative illustrations by artist Aya Morton. The iconic text has been artfully distilled by Fred Fordham, who also adapted the graphic novel edition of To Kill a Mockingbird. Blake Hazard, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s great-granddaughter, contributes a personal introduction.

This quintessential Jazz Age tale stands as the supreme achievement of Fitzgerald’s career and is a true classic of 20th-century literature. The story of the mysteriously wealthy Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy is exquisitely captured in this enchanting and unique edition.

Review:

Something always resonated with me and this story. Maybe it’s because I had an exceptional AP English teacher in high school. I can still recall a conversation about Gatsby staring at the green light at least 15 years later. It’s devastating to me that my husband (a fellow bibliophile) has not read this book. And when I asked him why, he asked, “Isn’t it a very sad story?”

I had to remember that it was sad. Isn’t that strange? I first remembered Nick (same name as my husband) getting sucked into this extravagant world of old money versus new money, of lazy afternoons, and of ridiculous parties where no one knows who the host is or if they were even invited by him. Then I remembered the love story and Gatsby clinging to his past, and that green light again. Of course, I then remembered the soap opera type drama, the car ride, and then, then I remembered the tragic end. But is it weird, that when I think of this story, I don’t think of it as a sad story? In fact, I only remembered one of the tragedies at the end, not the other. The graphic novel reminded me.

Maybe this is one of those books that is meant to be read over and over and can mean different things to you each time you read it. But, I still don’t think of it as a sad story. I still think of it as a love story more than a tragedy. And one character’s ending is so perfectly poetic, I almost can’t imagine it any other way.Reading it now, knowing what I do about consumerism, economic divides, sexism, racism, the Depression, Prohibition, gun violence, gambling, war, and all the many, many other things that come up in this short book, I still see it as a love story.

And the pictures in here are stunning. They really make the graphic novel special. Each page is like it’s own watercolor painting of this time period. It’s beautiful. I keep going back to it to look at it some more (the sunsets, the big bay windows, the pool, the dresses, and the romance of it all).

The words didn’t quite resonate with me in the same way they did in the original. But, a lot of the most important quotes are still there. I still got Goosebumps in certain moments. It still resonated –just not as much. I’m not sure if this is because of the format, because of it now being my third go through, my age, or what. But all in all, I’m glad to have found this book. Maybe I’ll find another version in another 10 years or so. I give this one a 9/10.

The Lost Book of the White by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu

Summary from Goodreads:

Life is good for Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood. They’re living together in a fabulous loft, their warlock son, Max, has started learning to walk, and the streets of New York are peaceful and quiet—as peaceful and quiet as they ever are, anyway.

Until the night that two old acquaintances break into Magnus’s apartment and steal the powerful Book of the White. Now Magnus and Alec will have to drop everything to get it back. They need to follow the thieves to Shanghai, they need to call some backup to accompany them, and they need a babysitter.

Also, someone has stabbed Magnus with a strange magical weapon and the wound is glowing, so they have that to worry about too.

Fortunately, their backup consists of Clary, Jace, Isabelle, and newly minted Shadowhunter Simon. In Shanghai, they learn that a much darker threat awaits them. Magnus’s magic is growing unstable, and if they can’t stop the demons flooding into the city, they might have to follow them all the way back to the source—to the very realm of the dead. Can they stop the threat to the world? Will they make it back home before their kid completely wears out Alec’s mom?

Review:

I really enjoyed the first book in this spin-off series (The Eldest Curses). Magnus Bane is one of the greatest characters in YA literature. So, books that focus on him? Yes, double yes, with a side of more yes! But, for some reason, I just couldn’t get into this one as much as I did the first one.

This book had so many good things going for it too. Jace, Clary, Simon, and Isabelle were all in this one. Most of this book took place in Shanghai or in a reverse Shanghai/death dimension…which was also super cool. There were shadow markets, insane book stores, lots of action, plenty of magic, and even some finally revealed Magnus history, yet…I kept putting this down. Am I finally growing tired of the shadow hunters? I don’t know.

I think the parts I enjoyed the most were all the banter and back and forth between Magnus and his magical friends. There’s so much history between him and his friends and frenemies. I also love his and Alec’s relationship. I’m not a huge fan of the young parent plot device. I guess that was a big turn-away for me in this book. However, the kid was barely in the plot. Max was just in the beginning and end, though Magnus and Alec were always (and I mean always) thinking about him. I know this is probably realistic. But, it was a little much for me. And if it’s a little much for me (an adult who works with children), will it be too much for actual teens reading this? Probably. I guess I wanted a little more swoony romance and a little less worrying about the babysitter.

A lot of the action felt recycled. There was nothing too new about it. I never really felt that afraid for Magnus or worried about anything. I also called all of the twists. I know some of this is the weird timeline of it all. But, also, I was just a little under-whelmed plot wise. And again, I just kept putting this down. I also found myself skimming a lot of the action sequences, wanting to get back to the banter.

All in all, I’m not that inclined to read book 3, but I probably will. I hate not completing a series. And I love Magnus to pieces. The “dramatic” ending didn’t fill me with need for the next one. But, I guess I’m here for the banter. It was nice traveling across the world too. I give this a 6.5/10.

Keeper of the Lost Cities Book 3: Everblaze by Shannon Messenger

Summary from Goodreads:

Sophie uncovers shocking secrets—and faces treacherous new enemies—in this electrifying third book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series.

Sophie Foster is ready to fight back.

Her talents are getting stronger, and with the elusive Black Swan group ignoring her calls for help, she’s determined to find her kidnappers—before they come after her again.

But a daring mistake leaves her world teetering on the edge of war, and causes many to fear that she has finally gone too far. And the deeper Sophie searches, the farther the conspiracy stretches, proving that her most dangerous enemy might be closer than she realizes.

In this nail-biting third book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie must fight the flames of rebellion, before they destroy everyone and everything she loves.

Review:

I’m officially hooked on this series now. I might have been since book 1, but I am more aware of it now because I’m flying through these enormous books and I’d rather be reading them than pretty much doing anything else….What am I going to do once I’ve read them all? That being said, these books do have some flaws to them and some characters that I was hoping to have loved more by now, but still don’t. But, it doesn’t seem to be stopping me. I’m hooked.

Thankfully, a lot more happened in book 3 than in book 2! Stuff didn’t seem to stop happening. Unfortunately, two of the BIG things that happened were things that anyone, and I mean, anyone could have seen coming from miles away. But, even though I saw one of those big things from miles away, it sill gave me all the feels! I found myself crying in this one. It was so awful. I felt so bad for Sophie. It takes a lot for me to feel bad for a “Chosen one” type character that has a million powers, and a million guys in love with her. But, I did. That’s how bad the big thing was. Or maybe I’m now super connecting with her because I suffer from chronic migraines and she was having serious head aches too…

I also liked that Sophie seemed a little more open to maybe liking more than just her one crush from book 1 (Fitz). Seriously, everyone seems to be in love with her. And I’m really shipping her with someone that is not Fitz, because I hate him. He has repeatedly done awful things, and she just always forgives him.

I like that stuff has progressed further with the Black Swan. Sophie has learned more about the other rebel group. All of her friends (except one) have powers now. I feel kind of bummed that the one friend has left the group now, but oh well.  I loved where this book left off. Book 4 is looking to be really awesome. Though, I have to comment on the lack of adult supervision…It made more sense to me in Harry Potter because the kids were living at school away from parents. But, when the kids are living at home…and the parents are like, sure, go on these dangerous missions alone….or sure go with this rebel group…..it’s rather off-putting. They are supposed to love their children, right? Only Keefe’s parents are supposed to actually kind of hate him?

All that being said, I’m still hooked. I’m excited to see where things go with the Black Swan and everything. I’m trying to pace my reading and read a few different, unrelated books between each book in this series, but we’ll see how long I can keep that up. I give this one an 8/10.

On the Horizon: World War II Reflections by Lois Lowry

Summary from Goodreads:

From Lois Lowry comes an account of the lives lost in two of WWII’s most infamous events: Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima. With black-and-white illustrations by Kenard Pak.

Lois Lowry looks back at history through a personal lens as she draws from her own memories as a child in Hawaii and Japan, as well as from historical research, in this work in verse for young readers.

On the Horizon tells the story of people whose lives were lost or forever altered by the twin tragedies of Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima.  Composed of poems about individual sailors who lost their lives on the Arizona and about the citizens of Hiroshima who experienced unfathomable horror.

Review:

As I said on Goodreads, I feel like I was meant to read this book when I did, on Veterans Day. I can’t express right now how powerful a book this was. It’s short, but profound. It makes you think, makes you feel, and makes you hope. What more can a book do?

I’ve come to really appreciate books written in verse. There’s something so simple and emotional about them, like their amount of space on the page allows for time to feel…I don’t know. I’m not a religious or spiritual person, but I always have had this sense of timing. Like I’m meant to read a certain book at a certain time. Or I’m supposed to find an old friend on a certain day. I don’t know if that’s a fate thing, or karma, or an interesting connection to my libra sign, but whatever. I feel like I was supposed to read this book on Veteran’s day. 

We had just talked to Nick’s parents (his dad served). And I was in a texting conversation with a friend who also served. And we had plans to visit a local park with flags representing a tribute to active military, veterans, and first responders later that day. I just had this strong pull toward this book. Lowry is a beautiful author. She has this way of making you feel like you know the characters she’s writing about. This book is special because it’s about her. I felt like I was there on the beach with her. And then hearing the stories of the people who were there, it just made everything feel more real. I didn’t necessarily felt like I knew all the men (or boys) who served, but hearing their stories just put so much more depth behind everything.

The illustrations helped tell the stories too. At first, I wasn’t sure I liked the pictures. They felt almost too juvenile for such an intense theme. But, by the middle, I was glad they were there. They helped me take it all in. They made it easier. Without them, it might have been too much. Too much white space, too much feeling.

The part of the book that takes place in Japan is emotional too. What a unique experience Lowry had, to have lived in both places. To see the loss on both sides was hard. The story about the bicycle was so moving. And then the author’s note about how Lowry spotted what she did in a family video! What a story. I almost feel the need to re-read it all again. I read this book in one sitting. I found it very powerful. It resonated with me at the right moment. I hope it has the effect on others too. I give it a 10/10.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Summary from Goodreads:

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets.

Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests.

Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they've been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed.

Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language?

It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?

Review:

So, kids books are just killing it. I swear every single one I read is moving me. This one had me crying all over the place (in times of sadness, great frustration, but also happiness….) It gave me all the feels. I know the summary mentioned this book being about a child running a front desk of a motel that helps hide immigrants, but I still thought it was going to be a lot lighter…I guess the cover is just so adorable, I was expecting a more adorable story.

I’m not saying this is a tragedy. There are such pure, tender moments of happiness in this that I literally cried from happiness. It just was a little more intense than I thought it would be, based on the cover.

The characters and people that form a family at this motel are just wonderful. Mia and her parents learn a lot about income inequality, racism, immigration, business, safety, and American in general while working at this motel. The sacrifices this family makes for each other are just heartwarming. I’m almost tearing up writing this review and thinking about it now. I think though, what got to me the most was Mia’s relationship with her mother. I don’t want to spoil anything. And it’s rather complicated. But, there’s something so universal about a daughter trying to explain her dreams to an older generation. But, also, understanding why the mother feels how she does too was so important for me.

This book really makes me think about all the things I take for granted. I never considered myself upper class or wealthy growing up, and I know there were times when my family struggled more than others. But, we always had a home and food. I never had to share one hamburger for dinner with my whole family. To read a book about a kid going through this who is so smart and whose parents are so capable and who work so hard, is devastating. A lot of what Mia’s family goes through is awful.  I definitely think this can be a great book for learning and discussing the immigrant experience in America. It’s actually based on a true story.

But, also know so much of the book is also about the people Mia’s family surround themselves with and learning that good people are out there, and good people can make all the difference too. Mia’s family work around a terrible boss, and end up helping so many people. They stand up to racism. They help their neighbors. There’s such a strong sense of community in this book.

All in all, this book blew me away. The characters were amazing. The setting was fantastic. The message couldn’t be more relevant. I hope this book helps people. I can see it helping people. It made me feel so many emotions. I give it a 10/10.

Swamp Thing by Maggie Stiefvater and illustrated by Morgan Beem

Summary from Goodreads:

Twins Alec and Walker Holland have a reputation around town. One is quiet and the other is the life of any party, but they are inseparable. For their last summer before college, the two leave the city to live with their rural cousins, where they find that the swamp holds far darker depths than they could have imagined.

While Walker carves their names into the new social scene, Alec recedes into a summer school laboratory, because he brought something from home on their trip—it’s an experiment that will soon consume him. This season, both brothers must confront truths, ancient and familial, and as their lives diverge, tensions increase and dormant memories claw to the surface.

Review:

I had no idea this book was coming out! The only reason I found out about it is because I saw a picture of it on someone else’s Instagram! It was a special surprise by one of my favorite authors. I had no idea what it was about before starting it, and it was a lot of reading this with no knowledge of it at all. This made the somewhat dark, spooky storyline even more eerie.

For starters, the artwork in insane. The plants came to life because of the talent of the artist. And the collaboration between the bold colors and Stiefvater’s haunting words was just perfect. I hope she writes more graphic novels. Seriously, what a great medium for her.

I liked that this was a classic horror kind of story. But, also, at its heart, it’s really a family story. It’s about two twin brothers growing up and growing apart. I loved watching them trying to work together. Their relationship felt so real. Their fighting seemed like real brother fighting. And that moment at the end that I won’t mention because it would be a HUGE spoiler just melted my heart. I had the tiniest bit of a tear in my eye. What typical horror story does that?

This story will make you feel something. It will also creep you out just a little bit. And you won’t want to stop looking at the pages and pages of plants. I read it super quickly, but I kind of want to go back to it and read it again and look at things more closely. I give it an 8/10.

Keeper of the Lost Cities 2: Exile by Shannon Messenger

Summary from Goodreads:

Sophie Foster thought she was safe. Settled into her home at Havenfield, surrounded by friends, and using her unique telepathic abilities to train Silveny--the first female alicorn ever seen in the Lost Cities--her life finally seems to be coming together.

But Sophie's kidnappers are still out there. And when Sophie discovers new messages and clues from the mysterious Black Swan group, she’s forced to take a terrifying risk—one that puts everyone in incredible danger.

As long buried secrets rise to the surface, it’s once again up to Sophie to uncover hidden memories—before someone close to her is lost forever.

In this second book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie must journey to the darkest corners of her luminous world in a sequel that will leave you breathless for more.

Review:

I’m so glad I splurged for my birthday and just bought all these books. I was a little surprised by how long the books were, but also secretly happy. This one was 568 pages, and it looks like they only get longer! They are so addicting. And also, this one has a flying unicorn…take all my money, books.

I don’t think I enjoyed this sequel as much as the first one. Not as much transpired plot-wise as did in the first book. And, it was a lot more predictable for me. However, I loved that my least favorite character, Sophie’s crush, was pretty much MIA for the whole book. He really annoyed me in book 1. And my annoyance grew to hatred in book 2. I could not believe how awful he was. Again, Sophie forgives him everything!

Any way, I got to know other characters better. I have to say that I love Keefe. I also love the best friend character, Dex. Though, I find his powers a little convenient. I also got to know Sophie’s new family a little better. And the world a little better. I found the first half of the book to be a little slow. There’s a lot of build up about Sophie’s light-inspired headaches, and trying to impress the tribunal with training the unicorn (aka: alicorn). But, the book definitely picks up in the second half with secret missions, codes left behind by the Black Swan, lessons in the elite tower, weird choreographed elf dances, and flying adventures, etc.

At some point I came to the realization that this author has definitely read all of the books I have read. It’s like she’s combined elements of J.K. Rowing, Tamora Pierce, Rick Riordan, and even Stephenie Meyer, and morphed it all into this modge podge fantasy of everything. I didn’t love this as much as book 1, but I’m hooked now. And I can’t wait to keep reading the series. I give this one a 7/10.

The Trials of Apollo Book Five: The Tower of Nero by Rick Riordan

Summary from Goodreads:

At last, the breathtaking, action-packed finale of the #1 bestselling Trials of Apollo series is here! Will the Greek god Apollo, cast down to earth in the pathetic moral form of a teenager named Lester Papadopoulos, finally regain his place on Mount Olympus? Lester's demigod friends at Camp Jupiter just helped him survive attacks from bloodthirsty ghouls, an evil Roman king and his army of the undead, and the lethal emperors Caligula and Commodus. Now the former god and his demigod master Meg must follow a prophecy uncovered by Ella the harpy. Lester's final challenge will be at the Tower of Nero, back in New York. Will Meg have a last showdown with her father? Will this helpless form of Apollo have to face his arch nemesis, Python? Who will be on hand at Camp Half-Blood to assist? These questions and more will be answered in this book that all demigods are eagerly awaiting.

Review:

It has been a joy reading this series. I have to say The Trials of Apollo has been, hands down, the best Rick Riordan series I have read. It has had the most humor, the greatest character arcs, the widest range of mythology –both Greek and Roman, the most involvement with the gods, and it has my favorite ending. Reading this book was a treat.

I’m not going to lie; I remember having no idea what I was getting into when I started book 1. I remembered the vain Apollo who sang all the time and recited poetry to unwanted ears. And we kind of got him in the beginning. Okay, we kind of got him the whole time…But, he grew more in 6 months than dare I say Percy even grew in the years since book 1 was written? What Apollo was willing to sacrifice in this book actually caused a tear to roll down my cheek. The actual character would be so happy to know that…

I loved seeing old friends in this book. I also loved that characters were still mourning in this book! I hate when characters pass away in other series, and then two books later, they are forgotten. No one is forgotten here! Also, the action in here was crazy. As one comes to expect in all Riordan books, it pretty much begins on page one. This time, on a train!

I also come to love and expect the humor in this series. And I know the cows were deadly in this book. But, oh my god. All the deadly cow haikus killed me. I could not stop laughing. And to think they were so worried about the cows not having food for two days at first….I also have to bring up Meg. She also grew a lot in this series. Her friendship with Apollo was everything. I could read whole books about the two of them just being annoyed with each other.

I feel like there was a bit of a setup for another series in this book. I’m not sure, but when a prophecy is involved with another character, I feel like that’s Rick Riordan saying, prepare now for this character to have a series….I guess we will see? I guess I’m all for it. It will definitely be much darker than the past books. I’ll miss the humor of Apollo for sure. But, I was totally happy with this ending. I loved this book. I loved this series. It was definitely my favorite so far. I give it a 10/10.

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Summary from Goodreads:

"With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I'm delivering," announces dread-locked, 12-year old Josh Bell. He and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood, he's got mad beats, too, that tell his family's story in verse, in this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood.

Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story's heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family.

Review:

I feel like 2020 is the year I’m finally getting to books I’ve been meaning to read for a long time! Also, it’s the second basketball book I’ve read this year. And, the second basketball book that blew me away! I had all the feels in this book. This book, written in verse, about two twin basketball stars moved me so much more than I was expecting.

And now I want to read all of Kwame Alexander’s books. That’s how great this book was. I’ve read his picture books. And I’ve recommended this book to kids at my library before. But, now I’ve finally read it. I get it.

I weirdly connected to Josh. On the surface, I have very little in common with him. I’m an adult, white female who does not play basketball. I do not have a twin. There was just something so universal about his feelings of being left behind, about his not being told about his dad’s health, about being kept out of everything. I connected to his anger about the unfairness of the world. I connected to him. And I guess if I (with my myriad of surface differences) could connect with Josh, so many others could too.

This book wasn’t just about basketball, though a lot of it was. It was about family, love, loss, and growing up. It was just so unique to have a book written in verse accomplish all that this did, and have its focal point be basketball too. I loved this. Some of the poems read more like a regular novel. You’ll read it like you are reading a normal book. And then some come across like poetry that’s meant to be read aloud. Or maybe that’s just my own interpretation? I read some of it out loud to myself. It just sounded like it needed to be read that way.

All in all, I found this book to be powerful. I’m not sure why it took me so long to get to it. I’m just glad to have read it. And I can’t wait to read more by this author. I give it a 9/10.

Ture or False: A CIA Analyst's Guide to Spotting Fake News by Cindy L. Otis

 

Summary (from inside book –non available on Goodreads):

Discovering the truth has never been easy…From Ancient Egypt to the French Revolution to today, fake news has always been around. And in today’s world, with our unprecedented access to information, the phenomenon is more powerful and present than ever. But finding the truth is still possible.

In True or False, former CIA analyst Cindy L. Otis guides readers through the impact of fake news over the centuries and empowers them to fight back by sharing lessons learned in over a decade working in intelligence.

With this comprehensive guide, you too can learn to find the truth and fight back against fake news!

Review:

I’m not normally a nonfiction reader, but I’ve been a lot more interested in nonfiction this year. This book was incredibly interesting and relevant to everything going on today. Nick and I have family that have worked for the CIA, and we have such respect and appreciation for what they do. I also know how hard it is for someone who used to work for the CIA to publish a book. To say I was curious about this annalists perspective on fake news would be an understatement.

And then I started the book…. I couldn’t put it down. The first half read more like a history of journalism then just a history of fake news. To see how leaders, governments, kings, rebellions, and individuals have used the news over time to manipulate people is just insane. News has been manipulating people since before newspapers even existed, let alone Facebook. Pharaohs in Ancient Egypt used fake news! I had no idea. To learn about it’s evolution in this way was just so unique and mind boggling for me.

Of course it all culminated in the 2016 United States presidential election. I learned that “6.6 million tweets provided links to publishers of fake news and conspiracy news. Interestingly, 65 percent of the fake news links that spread on Twitter during the election came from the same ten fake news websites. …” and “it means that false information spread farther and reached more people than real news did ahead of the election. And it was not that there were thousands of fake news sites pushing it out. Most of the fake news came from the same key fake news websites and social media accounts. But they would not have had the reach they did without real people who shared the articles on social media and visited their sites” (145).

The book lists the top 10 fake news stories, and I hadn’t heard of most of them. They are so absurd to me. But, people read them as truth. Also, A big take away for me from this book was that, fake news doesn’t change people’s minds; it works at people’s insecurities that already exists and makes them believe things harder.

Also, this book made me so much more fearful of Russia, a country who apparently has been a player in the fake news game since way before Facebook, and played a major role in the 2016 election. According to Otis, one of the IRA’s (Russia’s Internet Research Agency) big jobs was dividing the Democratic party after Hilary became the nominee. When Sanders lost the primary election, IRA accounts went to work on Sanders supporters, their goal being to turn them against the Democratic Party and discourage them from voting for Clinton, so Trump would get more votes.

The author also explains that fake news isn’t news that you don’t agree with. The difference between news and fake news is intent. Fake news is intending to deceive. When a French King or United States President doesn’t like what is said in an article, they can’t just say it is fake news. That’s not the right word. Calling something fake, when it’s not just makes people doubt everything in the media more.

The second half of the book is about handling this doubt. Otis shows readers how to figure out if something is fake or not. For instance, she explains that memes are not news.  (Side note: a lot of political joke memes are created in Russia). She lists fact checking sites you can use. She shows how to check things on Instagram, what to look for in a URL, what red flags are giveaways, etc. I have to admit, she goes into way more detail than I am willing to spend time doing… A lot of figuring out what is fake takes time. However, I have found myself looking a lot more closely at the news articles I’ve been reading. I’m a lot less likely to share an article, or a Meme. And I look up the details of the authors of articles now. So, has this book helped me? I’d say certainly!

This book is written for a Young Adult audience. I wish I had this book in high school. But, I also wish I could give it to everyone I know (kids, teens, adults especially). It’s maybe one of the most important books I’ve read in years. I learned a lot from it. I took a way a lot on a subject I thought I was already pretty solid on: research. And it was unbelievably fascinating. Sadly, I don’t think fake news is going anywhere. I think it’s going to get worse. Why not use all the tools we can to fish out the real from the fake? This was a super helpful tool. I highly recommend it. It was easy to read and I read it in one weekend. I give it a 10/10.

A Good Week in Books (224)

I’ve been reading a lot again. I read 3 books this week. I guess that’s my current 2020 version of a lot. I read one YA nonfiction book, and two middle grade books. And I loved all 3 of them! I also received 3 new books for review, thanks to Macmillan and Hachette. I had a birthday last week, and I went a little overboard and let myself buy a whole middle grade series I recently got into.  Happy birthday to me! These books are huge…I cannot wait to devour these books. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long winter, and the books will come in handy!

The new books:

 

Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Rebel Rose by Emma Theriault
Keeper of the Lost Cities Book 2: Exile by Shannon Messenger
Keeper of the Lost Cities Book 3: Eeverblaze by Shannon Messenger
Keeper of the Lost Cities Book 4: Neverseen by Shannon Messenger
Keeper of the Lost Cities Book 5: Lodestar by Shannon Messenger
Keeper of the Lost Cities Book 6: Nightfall  by Shannon Messenger
Keeper of the Lost Cities Book 7: Flasshback by Shannon Messenger
Keeper of the Lost Cities Book 8: Legacy by Shannon Messenger