Review: Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles is a realistic portrayal of teen pregnancy and teen relationships that is gripping. Synopsis:

Ellie remembers how the boys kissed her. Touched her. How they

begged for more. And when she gave it to them, she felt loved. For a while anyway. So when Josh, an eager virgin with a troubled home life, leads her from a party to the backseat of his van, Ellie follows. But their "one-time thing" is far from perfect: Ellie gets pregnant. Josh reacts with shame and heartbreak, while their confidantes, Caleb and Corinne, deal with their own complex swirl of emotions. No matter what Ellie chooses, all four teenagers will be forced to grow up a little faster as a result. Told alternately from each character’s point of view, this deeply insightful novel explores the aftershocks of the biggest decision of one fragile girl’s life — and the realities of leaving innocence behind.

Told in alternating point of views (Ellie, the pregnant teen, Josh, the boy who is the father-to-be, Corinne, the best friend, and Caleb, the boy who has a big crush on Ellie but is also Josh's best friend), Jumping Off Swings captures just how easily teens nowadays lose their innocence too quickly to the realities of the world, to peer pressure, to high school, and to the need to be loved.

I couldn't help comparing this book with the movie Juno in my mind. Where Juno was a rather quirky take on this topic, Jo Knowles takes a more somber and though I keep repeating it, realistic approach to Ellie's sex life and subsequent pregnancy. While the novel isn't constantly dark, it is a very hard reality for many people to face so the tone of the story matches the topic nature. And well, I liked the fact that it did. This is not a topic to be taken lightly by any means and I'm glad the author did not approach it this way.

I really liked the alternative viewpoints in this story. And I also like how the situation was not black and white. Josh wasn't a terrible boy by any means. Like many boys his age, he wanted sex. He even wore protection, but like life, not everything can be easy.

I also liked the contrast between Ellie's unhealthy relationships with boys to Corinne and Caleb's more slowly building friendship and interest in each other. Granted, they were forced together under a very painful situation, but they also learned something from Ellie and Josh, both positive and negative.

This is a very grey area book if that makes sense to any readers out there. This situation isn't black and white and the author doesn't attempt to make it so. The author uses language very well in this story too. You don't get the images of sunshine and kittens while reading, rather, the text is sparse and carries a lot of weight, much like the characters are carrying on their shoulders.

Friendship is a strong theme in this story, and like teen pregnancy, teen friendship is not spared. You will see the bad decisions friends make, the lengths they are willing to go for each other, and how sometimes, you just have to carry your friend with your own strength.

I haven't read Jo Knowles first book yet but I've requested it via ILL so I hope to read it soon.

(This book was provided from the publisher for the Cybils Awards.)

2010 Debut Author Challenge!

I'm taking the challenge! Kristi of The Story Siren is hosting a Debut Author Challenge for 2010. You can read about all the rules and FUN here. Be sure to sign up yourself.

Kristi is challenging everyone to read 12 debut novels. I'm going to try to read 15 debut novels in 2010, which doesn't seem like a lot, but I have to keep up with other YA authors too. It's a wonderful job, can't complain!

So, here are some of the books I'd like to read in 2010 by debut YA authors. I will add more as I find more new and exciting debut authors.

1. The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg (1/2/10)
2. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain (1/7/10)
3.The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard (1/9/10)
4. Numbers by Rachel Ward (2/6/10)
5. All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab (2/18/10)
6. The Naughty List by Suzanne Young (2/20/10)
7. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (4/4/10)
8. The Mark by Jen Nadol (5/8/10)
9. The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea M. Campbell (5/14/10)
10. The Duff by Kody Keplinger (6/27/10)
11. Stork by Wendy Delsol (7/19/10)
12. Matched by Ally Condie (7/18/10)
13. Tweet Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick (8/6/10)
14. Plain Kate by Erin Bow (10/8/10)
15. Jane by April Lindner (10/5/10)
16. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (10/9/10)
17. The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney (11/12/10)
18. The Snowball Effect by Holly Nicole Hoxter (12/4/10)
19. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson (7/31/10)
20. The Ivy by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur (8/17/10)

Review: Fat Cat by Robin Brande

Fat Cat by Robin Brande is one of those books I didn't expect to like so much. The fact is, I couldn't put this book down. Unfortunately, work and other reading, chores, and you know, life conspired to interfere against me but when I had the chance, I had this book in my hands.

Synopsis: Cat smart, sassy, and funny—but thin, she’s not. Until her class science project. That’s when she winds up doing an experiment—on herself. Before she knows it, Cat is living—and eating—like the hominids, our earliest human ancestors. True, no chips or TV is a bummer and no car is a pain, but healthful eating and walking everywhere do have their benefits.


As the pounds drop off, the guys pile on. All this newfound male attention is enough to drive a girl crazy! If only she weren’t too busy hating Matt McKinney to notice. . . .

This funny and thoughtful novel explores how girls feel about their bodies, and the ways they can best take care of their most precious resource: themselves.

I basically loved every aspect of this book. Cat could have been me in high school in many ways. Brainy, enjoys research and tackling tough subjects, always striving to be the best, and yet, besieged with weight problems and self-esteem issues.

Cat is one tough girl. She doesn't take any guff from anyone, despite her weight issues, and there is one person in particular she doesn't take crap from, her ex-best friend, Matt McKinney. He is her number one competitor and in the new school year, she is determined to beat him and win first place at the science fair. But to do that, she has to have a stunning, amazing, award-winning research project. Cat decides to try to live life as close to the hominins from 1.8 million years ago as she can. She will cook her own healthy, preservative and chemical free food, she will walk just about everywhere, and forget about makeup. She is going au naturel. For Cat, this is a drastic life style change because well, she loves her Diet Coke, her chocolate, and chips. Like most people, she doesn't want to give that up, but for a prize-worthy project, she will give that stuff up and more for seven months. And that is where the story begins.

I liked several things about this story in particular:

1. The author didn't apply a number to Cat's weight issues, thus allowing any person reading it to put themselves in Cat's place, whether that is at a very unhealthy weight or something more manageable.

2. Cat throws herself into the project 110%. As much as she dreads giving up her chocolate, she will try her hardest for her project. And when she finds out that so many great scientists were living on vegetables and healthy food, well, she is even more motivated.

3. Cat is geeky and I love it. She embraces that role. In fact, she likes being smart! I wish more teens relished their intelligence and reveled in it rather than thinking it was something to hide from friends and classmates. Being smart is awesome and this book gives as much props to being smart as most American high schools give to athletics.

4. Perhaps its a bit melodramatic, but I fully supported Cat in her anger towards Matt, through most of the story anyway. He said some very hurtful things. Even if he was only thirteen, he said some very cruel things about his best friend. Cat was thirteen also but girls are often more mature than boys at thirteen. I think Cat's mental competition with Matt helped edge her on in the beginning of the story at any rate.

5. The friendships: Cat's friendship with her best friend Amanda was wonderfully portrayed and seemed very genuine.

6. The boy-girl relations. There is some mild groping in this book, and talk of lust so perhaps this story isn't for your average thirteen year old but I really liked how Cat experienced different feelings with different guys throughout her research. It felt like natural high school relationships and I'll be honest, part of me wished Cat had fallen for Nick, and not Matt, because I really liked Nick a lot.

7. Cat experiences so many new and exciting opportunities in this book. Perhaps some of these opportunities were unrealistic in the real world setting but the fact that she was willing to give new things a try, to go for the gusto with all her activities, sends a very positive message to teens and to readers: give it a try! You're only losing out if you say no.

8. Positive family dynamics, particularly with Cat and her younger brother. I admit it, lately I've been very grateful for every positive family story I read. I don't want it to be saccharine, but it doesn't have to be drama and negativity all the time either.

The minor problem I had with this story was that to me, it didn't seem like Cat gave Matt a fair shot the second time around. She kept hoping he would basically beg for forgiveness and it felt like a very uneven apology to me. Cat didn't want to let her anger go.

So yes, basically I enjoyed this story on every level, can you tell? I found it addictive reading. Here are a few of my favorite passages:

I think I was really beautiful in the water. Because no one was looking at my face or stomach or anything else--they were just watching me swim.

And so when Willie and Matt and the rest of them took that away--or really, when my bulging body took that away--I think maybe I lost something. Something more than just an activity that was fun to do every summer and that gave me an excuse to be with Matt all day, every day. I think I actually lost a part of my personality, like someone might wake up one more and realize their thumbs had fallen off.

It wasn't just that I was embarrassed about being fat. It was that I was angry that part of my life was over. I'd never get to feel that strong again. I'd never get to dive into the water and forget everything but how it felt to push and pull and kick and propel myself through the pool and know I was as good as or maybe better than everybody else.

On her date with Nick:

"So what do you think your secret weapon is?" I asked. "I mean, if some random girl is out there looking over the vast array of guys in any particular place, why do you think she'd pick you instead of somebody else?"

People are funny. You just never know what they'll say in a given situation. I guess that's why there's a whole discipline of pscyhology to try to anticipate what people are thinking and how they're going to react.

So I thought Nick would say something about girls loving how smart he is, how he's going to Harvard, how he's going to win the Nobel, yada, yada, yada--who knows? He could have said anything.

But what he did say was this: "Because I know how to appreciate a beautiful woman, Cat. And tonight I'm appreciating you."

(Cheesy in retrospect when I type it out, but it fit with the story and the character of Nick.)

So yes, I really liked this book. Probably one of my favorite YA for 2009 in fact. Cat didn't start out as the most low self-esteem character ever, which was a nice change of pace in typical fat girl stories, but as the story continued, she found more acceptance and happiness with herself. It didn't come with being thin, in my opinion, but rather, because she began to enjoy who she is and what she likes doing, taking pride in herself. This was a fabulous story for me, absolutely fabulous.

So you want a review?

I would be more than happy to review your book. While this blog is devoted primarily to YA fiction, I am also a huge fan of romance novels. Like huge; I already review for two romance sites. While I hate to turn down review requests, I am perhaps not the best judge of books outside of my preferred genres. My favorite YA authors right now include Elizabeth Scott, Jenny Han, Libba Bray, Brent Crawford, and Matt de la Pena amongst others. My preferred genres in YA are contemporary fiction, historical fiction, and dystopian fiction. However, I am happy to try new books and I love new authors.

In general, I do not read paranormal YA titles but if you feel your book is an exception to the rule of mediocrity that has come to rule paranormal YA titles, I will be willing to consider it.

I own a Kindle and will accept eARCs if available.

I will not review self-published books at this time.

I work at a library, I am a teen librarian so often I'll share some of my YA books with my teens. I love getting their feedback and I am happy to share that with publishers.

If you are interested in a book review from me, please feel free to contact me at: riddikulus.sarahATgmailDOTcom

I would truly love to review your book.

In My Mailbox

It was definitely a good week for books for me!

For review:

• Hot and Irresistible by Dianne Castell


• Dating Outside Your DNA by Karen Kelley (another Planet Nerak book! Can't wait to read.


• Nauti Deceptions by Lora Leigh


• Double the Heat by Lori Foster, Deirdre Martin, Elizabeth Beveraly and Christie Ridgway

From Paperbackswap.com :

• Driven By Desire by LuAnn McLane

From ILL:

• A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper


• Fat Cat by Robin Brande

Also received a ton of Cybils nominations, thank you publishers!

Bought:
Nothing this week. I'm saving up money for Christmas presents so book buying may be slim for awhile.

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. All credit goes to her and to her own inspiration, Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

Review: The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon

The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon. Synopsis:
The Rock and the River is Kekla Magoon's poignant debut novel about an African-American boy's search for identity and brotherhood set in 1968 Chicago.

Let me just start off by saying, for such an exceptionally told story, this book has a very uninspiring cover. This book sat on my new display at the library for quite awhile and was eventually shelved. I didn't even give it a second look. It's very dark and doesn't really catch the eye. But, when it was nominated for a Cybil, I had to give it a try and wow, so glad I did. Talk about the old adage of judging a book by its cover.

Sam and Stick (Steven) are brothers being raised by a very prominent Civil Rights leader, Roland Childs. Sam is the younger brother and is starting to face some confusion about the Civil Rights Movement. Suddenly, his father's passionate words are no longer enough. Preaching about passivity when violence is being perpetuated constantly by white people is not what Sam needs to believe in. But yet, he's not sure about his brother Stick's path either. Stick has recently joined the Black Panther movement and with that, comes the violence (at least, the image of it), the weapons, but also the action. Sam sees breakfast being handed out to those in need. He hears Sam speaking passionately about a free clinic that will be opening up for all the people who cannot afford doctors or are being forced to wait on the whims of white doctors.

This book is thoughtful, intense, and an excellent historical fiction novel. It's not necessarily a fast read. It took me a few days to read this story, partly because I wanted to digest what I was reading and because the material is heavy. What I enjoyed so much about this book was the family dynamic. Roland Childs has preached one way for so long, but one of his sons does not agree and is seeking a separate path. For Sam, who has always looked up to Stick, this just leaves him more confused. As matters spin more out of control, the confusion for Sam grows.

Like one of the characters, author Kekla Magoon has a way with words. She builds up the tension of this crucial time in American history. She shows just how hard it is to be black in the 1960s. There were scenes that made me cringe. I think in some ways it's easy to take equality and justice for granted nowadays even knowing, neither of these concepts is perfect in America even today. But in the 1960s and before, well these concepts were dreams and prayers.

There are a few quotes I marked while reading that illustrate so well Sam's dilemma and his hopes and fears for the future.

Maxie would never forgive me for saying what I had. She wouldn't want me around anymore, wouldn't push me to do Panther stuff with her. Maybe now I could return to Father's world, bring all of myself back to the place I'd started from. Maybe I could learn to ignore the gnawing in th epit of my stomach telling me it wasn't enough.

How could I want so many things that didn't match?

The author delves into the demonstrations that were so much a part of this time period. She brings these scenes to life.

A burly white man in a union jacket charged through the line of people, fists flying, Stick intercepted him with a shoulder bump that sent the man reeling a few steps back. He caught his balance and lunged for Stick. Stick fought back, but his injury from two days ago hadn't healed. He wasn't hitting as hard or as fast as he could. He punched with his left fist, holding his right arm close to his chest.

...

My fingers closed around the [gun] handle, and everything changed. I looked up at Stick, still struggling with the man, but I was no longer helpless. No longer did I have to stand by, watch, and wait.

This book is a powerful testament to a period of American history that still has roots in the present. I would highly recommend this book to any teen, say from 7th grade and up, who needs a historical fiction title. What better way to witness this pivotal time period than through the eyes of a young man who does not understand it any better than some of us do today, who doesn't understand how equality can be granted to only one community? The language and writing in this book is highly accessible to any teen but it is also very well written. I really enjoyed the rock and the river story that flowed throughout this story, entwining Sam and Steven and their father and all their decisions.

Overcoming your fears: YA authors go for it.

Libba Bray and Maureen Johnson made a deal about overcoming their fears. Here is what happens:


Libba Bray tries to overcome Pediophobia (Fear of DOLLS!)


Maureen Johnson overcoming the trapeze!

In My Mailbox

Here's what I received in my mailbox this week!

• Ice By Linda Howard (for review)


• The Courtesan's Scandal by Julia London (for review)

I also received a heck of a lot of Cybils nominated titles in the mail. I'm busy devouring them this weekend.

I bought a number of books this week too. Probably too many for my maxed out budget but alas, I kind of went on a binge.

I bought:

• The Secret Identity of Devon Delaney by Lauren Barnholdt


• Devon Delaney Should Totally Know Better by Lauren Barnholdt


• Shug by Jenny Han


• What She Needs by Lacey Alexander (erotic romance)

I have to say thanks to Green Bean Teen Queen for posting about the Devon Delaney series. I was so intrigued I read an excerpt then went out and bought both books. I hope Lauren Barnholdt has plans for more, I really like Devon's voice.

It was definitely an exciting week for books for me! Though I don't think my landlord likes having to deliver all these packages to me. :)


In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. All credit goes to her and to her own inspiration, Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

Waiting on Wednesday... on Thursday

Epitaph Road by David Patneaude

Synopsis:
2097 is a transformed world. Thirty years earlier, a mysterious plague wiped out 97 percent of the male population, devastating every world system from governments to sports teams, and causing both universal and unimaginable grief. In the face of such massive despair, women were forced to take over control of the planet--and in doing so they eliminated all of Earth's most pressing issues. Poverty, crime, warfare, hunger . . . all gone.

But there's a price to pay for this new "utopia," which fourteen-year-old Kellen is all too familiar with. Every day, he deals with life as part of a tiny minority that is purposefully kept subservient and small in numbers. His career choices and relationship options are severely limited and controlled. He also lives under the threat of scattered recurrences of the plague, which seem to pop up wherever small pockets of men begin to regroup and grow in numbers.

And then one day, his mother's boss, an iconic political figure, shows up at his home. Kellen overhears something he shouldn't--another outbreak seems to be headed for Afterlight, the rural community where his father and a small group of men live separately from the female-dominated society. Along with a few other suspicious events, like the mysterious disappearances of Kellen's progressive teacher and his Aunt Paige, Kellen is starting to wonder whether the plague recurrences are even accidental. No matter what the truth is, Kellen cares only about one thing--he has to save his father.

Sounds very good!! Comes out March 23, 2010 which seems ridiculously far away right now. I love a good apocalyptic story. Thanks to The Book Smugglers for pointing it out.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine!

Two reviews

Swim the Fly by Don Calame. Funny, funny stuff! If you enjoyed Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford (or you have teens who enjoyed it), this is a book you can definitely recommend to them! It's definitely similar in tone. Lots of immature boy humor but with heart and fun characters. Synopsis:

Fifteen-year-old Matt Gratton and his two best friends, Coop and Sean, always set themselves a summertime goal. This year's? To see a real-live naked girl for the first time — quite a challenge, given that none of the guys has the nerve to even ask a girl out on a date. But catching a girl in the buff starts to look easy compared to Matt's other summertime aspiration: to swim the 100-yard butterfly (the hardest stroke known to God or man) as a way to impress Kelly West, the sizzling new star of the swim team. In the spirit of Hollywood’s blockbuster comedies, screenwriter-turned-YA-novelist Don Calame unleashes a true ode to the adolescent male: characters who are side-splittingly funny, sometimes crude, yet always full of heart.

Yes, there is some immaturity to this book but given the fifteen year old lead character, that is expected. These boys aren't heartless and they are good friends. That was one of the aspects of the book I enjoyed the most: the strong male friendships. These guys could rip on each other but also be there for each other in a way that is totally normal for guys. I also liked the fact that Matt, the lead character, had a fairly normal home life. Yes, his dad was out of the picture but it seemed like there was a strong friendship between Matt and his brother, his grandfather, and his mom.

Then there are the girl issues which are just... seriously humorous!! My cat was staring at me as I laughed. As usual, Matt doesn't realize who the right girl is even as she is staring at him in the face and is obvious to the reader. I also have to say, the swim coach, Ms. Luntz, really reminded me of Sue Sylvester on Glee, just by the "advice" she would give.

There is some poop humor in this book, flatulence humor, and other kind of gross bodily function humor but it's really going to appeal to boys. It appealed to me and made me remember my brother at that age. Don Calame wrote a very fun book. It was nice to read something funny and not issue heavy in midst of my Cybils reading. Definitely one of the lighter stories I've read for the award but it was a good read.

Diary of a Witness by Catherine Ryan Hyde is definitely a heavy, thought-provoking story. It deals with school violence, much like Hate List by Jennifer Brown does. But it comes at it from a different angle. You definitely see more of the bullying and humiliation these two boys faced than was obvious in Hate List, at least in my opinion.

Synopsis:
Ernie doesn't have a lot of friends at school. Just Will. They have stuff in common—like fishing. But more important, they have common enemies: the school jocks, who seem to find bullying just another sport.

For the most part, Ernie and Will take life at high school in stride. Until Will has one very bad day. Now nothing is remotely funny. Ernie finds himself a witness—to loss, to humiliation, and to Will’s anger—an anger that’s building each and every moment.

Ernie doesn’t want to believe his best friend is changing, but he can’t deny the truth. Soon he has a choice: join or die. Or can he find another way?


Let me just say, I cried a lot in this book. I cry easily so maybe that's not a surprise. But I felt so awful for Ernie and Will, just totally awful. The humiliation and abuse they faced with no outlets for safety. At least not at school. Fortunately Ernie seemed to have someone he could turn to and talk with. But as this book went on, everything was taken from these boys. Their pride, their joys, any sense of safety at school. It was truly hard to read this story because it was so very brutal. Catherine Ryan Hyde is a very good writer so she was able to convey the bullying in sparse, terse text. There is no way you could not help but feel awful for these boys.

And then there is the incident in the book which becomes the catalyst for much of what follows in the story. And this incident, well I won't ruin it for you but just thinking about it again makes me sad and angry and scared for these boys. And unfortunately what makes this book so hard to read is that situations like this are going on all over the world. Bullying is so prevalent and it seems to be getting worse and worse. That sense of realism in the book made it even more difficult to read.

I think I am making this book sound all down and terrible. It wasn't by any means. It was a book I would read again because it was strong: writing, characterization, realism. And there is hope in this story. Not necessarily for both boys, but hope and beauty does show up in this story. You see the goodness of others emerging in small, subtle ways. Ernie will never be friends with his bullies, but by his actions, he can change things in his life, whether that is his weight, how others view him, or his own confidence. I highly, highly recommend this story. Be prepared for an emotional and somewhat disturbing ride, but you will come away with a new perspective, whether for better or worse I can't say. I guess that will depend on your interpretation.

I want to share a small quote from this book that particularly summed up the story for me and really touches on what Ernie and Will are going through.

"You know why they won't let you have that jacket, right?"

"Sure, because they know it's important to me. Once they know that, they know how to get to me."

"It's more than that. It's a nice thing. It's something good. Something they'd actually want for themselves. And they can't let you have something good. They can't let you step up. They won't let your life get better. It's all about holding us down."

I didn't answer. I actually thought he might be right, but I never said so.

It hit me, possibly for the first time ever, that even if I could lose a hundred pounds, it might not help. Maybe they wouldn't let me keep that victory, either."

You can find some information about the book on Catherine Ryan Hyde's website, particularly about the fish mentioned in the book. You can also hear part of the book being read. I hope you get a chance to read this book. I don't buy many books in hardcover but this is a book I went out and bought immediately after finishing. It's just a story that will stick with you and hopefully make you consider your actions more often, whether they are deliberately hateful or just merely careless.

Review: Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman

Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman is a book I really wanted to like. The writing is pretty strong, she makes the setting interesting and very colloquial, and I didn't mind the main character, Savannah, at least not all the time.

Synopsis: Savannah would be happy to spend the summer in her coastal Carolina town working at the library and lying in a hammock reading her beloved romance novels. But then she meets Jackson. Once they lock eyes, she's convinced he's the one—her true love, her soul mate, a boy different from all the rest. And at first it looks like Savannah is right. Jackson abides by her mama's strict rules, and stays by her side during a hospitalization for severe asthma, which Savannah becomes convinced is only improving because Jackson is there. But when he's called away to help his family—and seems uncertain about returning—Savannah has to learn to breathe on her own, both literally and figuratively.

My main problem with this book is the fact that the last line of this synopsis is very misleading. Savannah does not learn to breathe on her own for the entirety of the book. She is so very consumed with Jackson that it's hard for her to think of anything, anyone else. She is even ready to give up her dreams for him. Or at least, put them on hold. At the same time, she is ardently supporting his dreams. Which is very nice of course, but also, it doesn't make her a very strong character. Who would want to put all their dreams and goals aside for the purpose of love? (This is also one of my main problems with the Twilight series, just FYI.)

Jackson seems to have a better grasp of the situation and certainly does not want Savannah to wait for him, but, he's pretty busy with problems in his own life. His father recently died and he has had to step up as man of the house. Savannah just cannot seem to accept that he has to help his mom and two brothers. She is oftentimes selfish in regards to wanting him with her, all the time.

As the story progresses, so much of her identity becomes wrapped up in who Jackson is, that it is hard to see just who Savannah is. She professes to want a better education and to get out of her hometown, but when opportunity comes knocking, she clings to Jackson because she doesn't want to miss her opportunity with him. He seemed to have all the wisdom in the story while Savannah was all naivete and just guilelessly followed him. When he said go, she went. I prefer stronger, more three dimensional female characters in my stories.

Herbsman has a great sense of place and that comes out in the story. She is a strong writer, but I couldn't really enjoy the story because I truly felt like Savannah was giving up. She was flawed, but in a way I couldn't accept or see as reasonable for her age. I believe in true love, but I also believe in taking your life in your own hands, not leaving it up to anyone, be that a boyfriend, parent, or friend, to take control of and maneuver where they best see fit. I know that wasn't the author's intention, but that's the feeling I came away with at story's end.

What I've been reading...

Well, I've been reading like crazy lately, and will continue to do so until the end of the year. It's no problem though because fortunately most of what I've read for The Cybils has been good bordering on great and bordering on FANTASTIC! Let me mention the fantastic title:

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley. This book was released in February 2009. At first I was surprised that I hadn't heard much buzz about it, but then I realized, I was starting a new job in February and moving to a new state so my mind was occupied with other things for a long time after that. But this book is just... beautiful. Simply beautiful. Synopsis:

It's hard not to notice Terra Cooper.

She's tall, blond, and has an enviable body. But with one turn of her cheek, all people notice is her unmistakably "flawed" face. Terra secretly plans to leave her stifling small town in the Northwest and escape to an East Coast college, but gets pushed off-course by her controlling father. When an unexpected collision puts Terra directly in Jacob's path, the handsome but quirky Goth boy immediately challenges her assumptions about herself and her life, and she is forced in yet another direction. With her carefully laid plans disrupted, will Terra be able to find her true path?


I wish I had my copy here with me to quote some of the passages I've found so utterly transforming and spot on to real life. I never knew I could find the language of maps so captivating but let me assure you, it's captivating and passionate and yep, I'll say it again, beautiful.

Are U 4 Real by Sara Kadefors. This book is interesting and takes advantage of using instant message and chat lingo, which many teens will find appealing. It's not the most original story ever but I've enjoyed it too. Kyla and Alex both are trying to appease their parents, live up to images that they believe they are supposed to, but yet at the same time, find their own way in the world. It's a bestselling Swedish novel so when I'm reading it, and it's set in California, LA in particular, well that makes me kind of laugh and wonder how the novel really reads when it's in its native tongue. Synopsis:

Kyla is exactly the kind of girl Alex could never talk to in real life. She's a gorgeous, outspoken L.A. girl who parties to forget about her absent father and depressed mother. He's a shy ballet dancer from outside San Francisco who's never been kissed. Luckily, when these sixteen-year-olds meet for the first time it's not in real life—it's in a chat room, where they can share their feelings of isolation and frustration away from the conformity-obsessed high school scene. Alex and Kyla quickly forge a friendship that's far from virtual— maybe they're even falling in love. But what happens when the soul mate you've never met moves from online to in person?

Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have by Allen Zadoff. Synopsis:
What’s worse than being fat your freshman year?
Being fat your sophomore year.

Life used to be so simple for Andrew Zansky–hang with the Model UN guys, avoid gym class, and eat and eat and eat. He’s used to not fitting in: into his family, his sports-crazed school, or his size 48 pants.

But not anymore. Andrew just met April, the new girl at school and the instant love of his life! He wants to find a way to win her over, but how? When O. Douglas, the heartthrob quarterback and high-school legend, saves him from getting beaten up by the school bully, Andrew sees his chance to get in with the football squad.

Is it possible to reinvent yourself in the middle of high school? Andrew is willing to try. But he’s going to have to make some changes. Fast.

Can a funny fat kid be friends with a football superstar? Can he win over the Girl of his Dreams? Can he find a way to get his mom and dad back together?

How far should you go to be the person you really want to be?

Andrew is about to find out.



Interesting and a complex look at what it is like being fat in high school. As someone who has struggled with weight my entire life, and still does today, some of the cruelness and humor hit a bit too close too home. And some of Andrew's food behaviors also hit a bit too close for me. But that being said, this is a really fast-paced story due to its humor. The chapters are short and I think this book will work well with book talks. Andrew is a three dimensional character who changes in the novel but also has the intelligence to not lose himself totally in creating a new image for himself.

Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman. I've just started this one so I don't have a whole lot to say yet but I'm enjoying it. The writing is smooth and appealing and it's got a leisurely pace to it that I can connect with.

Synopsis:
Savannah would be happy to spend the summer in her coastal Carolina town working at the library and lying in a hammock reading her beloved romance novels. But then she meets Jackson. Once they lock eyes, she's convinced he's the one—her true love, her soul mate, a boy different from all the rest. And at first it looks like Savannah is right. Jackson abides by her mama's strict rules, and stays by her side during a hospitalization for severe asthma, which Savannah becomes convinced is only improving because Jackson is there. But when he's called away to help his family—and seems uncertain about returning—Savannah has to learn to breathe on her own, both literally and figuratively.


Are you reading anything you really need to talk about or recommend? Feel free!