Review: Scar Boys

Title: Scar Boys

Author: Len Vlahos

Publisher: Egmont USA

Pages: 256

Review Copy: Digital ARC from Edelweiss

Availability: On shelves now

Summary: 

A severely burned teenager. A guitar. Punk rock. The chords of a rock 'n' roll road trip in a coming-of-age novel that is a must-read story about finding your place in the world...even if you carry scars inside and out.

 In attempting to describe himself in his college application essay--help us to become acquainted with you beyond your courses, grades, and test scores--Harbinger (Harry) Jones goes way beyond the 250-word limit and gives a full account of his life.

The first defining moment: the day the neighborhood goons tied him to a tree during a lightning storm when he was 8 years old, and the tree was struck and caught fire. Harry was badly burned and has had to live with the physical and emotional scars, reactions from strangers, bullying, and loneliness that instantly became his everyday reality.

The second defining moment: the day in 8th grade when the handsome, charismatic Johnny rescued him from the bullies and then made the startling suggestion that they start a band together. Harry discovered that playing music transported him out of his nightmare of a world, and he finally had something that compelled people to look beyond his physical appearance. Harry's description of his life in his essay is both humorous and heart-wrenching. He had a steeper road to climb than the average kid, but he ends up learning something about personal power, friendship, first love, and how to fit in the world. While he's looking back at the moments that have shaped his life, most of this story takes place while Harry is in high school and the summer after he graduates. -- Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Review: Harry's story certainly grabbed my attention with the freak lightning event and the cruelty that led up to it. The combination of music references and humor is what kept me reading. Initially, I was only glancing at the song titles heading the chapters and imagining what was to come. After a few chapters though, I started looking them up on Youtube and listening.  Sometimes I even watched the videos. Many were videos that I haven't seen since watching MTV in my earlier years. For me, that was a nice part of my reading experience. Sometimes it delayed my reading and sometimes I read with the songs as background, but it created a unique reading situation. One example is the melancholy Cat Stevens song that related to the relationship Harry dealt with in that chapter. The title fit the events in that chapter, but the sound of the song matched too and added atmosphere like the soundtrack of a movie.

The book takes place in the 80s. Some of the references may be lost on teens now such as Mork and Mindy, but overall, I don't think that they will miss much. Many of the pop culture that shows up goes beyond that time frame like Star Wars, Hitchhiker's Guide, and the Grinch. Most of the music is easily accessible online too especially since Vlahos set up a Spotify playlist which I didn't know about until after I finished reading.

I appreciated that this book looks at the relationship between guy friends. Harry gives his friendship with Johnny a close-up inspection throughout the book. How did they become friends, why are they still friends, what do they each get out of it, and most importantly, is this a relationship that should continue?

I essentially read this book in one sitting and enjoyed the journey with much laughter. I would recommend Scar Boys to realistic fiction fans and anyone interested in garage bands or rock music in general.

This book would match up well with Eric Gansworth's If I Ever Get Out of Here and Patrick Flores-Scott's Jumped In which also feature music and male friendship.

Review: Open Mic: Riffs on Life Between Cultures in Ten Voices

Title: Open Mic: Riffs on Life Between Cultures in Ten Voices
Author: Edited by Mitali Perkins
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 127
Availability: On shelves now
Review Copy: From the public library

Summary: Using humor as the common denominator, a multicultural cast of YA authors steps up to the mic to share stories touching on race. Listen in as ten YA authors — some familiar, some new — use their own brand of humor to share their stories about growing up between cultures. Henry Choi Lee discovers that pretending to be a tai chi master or a sought-after wiz at math wins him friends for a while — until it comically backfires. A biracial girl is amused when her dad clears seats for his family on a crowded subway in under a minute flat, simply by sitting quietly in between two uptight white women. Edited by acclaimed author and speaker Mitali Perkins, this collection of fiction and nonfiction uses a mix of styles as diverse as their authors, from laugh-out-loud funny to wry, ironic, or poingnant, in prose, poetry, and comic form. -- Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Review: Open Mic provides glimpses into that territory of straddling two cultures. Ten different authors used a bit of humor, remembrances from their past, and their writing talent to create a unique collection of works that spoke to me in different ways. I appreciated that there were even a variety of forms. The book contains poetry, non-fiction, a comic, and short stories to show readers what it can be like to live between cultures.

At the very beginning, Mitali Perkins shares a few rules about the humor in the stories. To view the rules, visit her guest post over at Cythia Leitich Smith's blog. She seems to believe that humor can make conversations more pleasant, less serious. I would have to agree.

As I look back over the ten stories, I notice that although many of them contained humor, a significant number of them were dealing with pretty serious issues. The line, "I thought I knew the face of racism" from "Confessions of a Black Geek" speaks volumes. Gene Luen Yang's comic is a fascinating look into a bit of activism delivered in a matter of fact tone. Other stories, simply tell about life as a teen and include some of the complications of living between cultures and facing typical teen issues.

The pieces that wrung my heart the most were "Confessions of a Black Geek" by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, "Brotherly Love" by Francisco X. Stork, and "Lexicon" by Naomi Shihab Nye. The face of racism is exposed in one and a heart is broken, a boy sees himself through his sister's eyes in another, and the other shows the soul of a loving man, friend to all.

Others in this collection came with more laughter than tears. I loved the amusing game that a family plays on the subways and the stereotype defying characters in several stories. There are playful moments mixed with everyday events and on occasion ugliness. Overall, the stories are upbeat and encouraging. Beyond sharing cultural issues, the stories also speak to anyone who has been an outsider for any reason.

I would definitely recommend this book to readers of young adult lit. The pieces are fresh and meaningful without being preachy. I would love to see more works like this and am hoping for a second volume.

Extras:
Podcast "Mitali Perkins Steps up to the Mic"



Guest Post on Cynthia Leitich Smith's Site by Mitali Perkins

Review: Veiled Dreams

Title: Veiled Dreams
Author: Gill James
Publisher:  Our Street Books
Pages: 177
Review Copy: Provided by author
Release Date: July 16, 2013

Summary: Feisty fifteen-year-old Christina's parents don't like her biker boyfriend. They think he's too old and his hair is too long. She doesn't like her epilepsy but has to deal with it. An accident leaves her in a coma for several weeks. Whilst in the coma she visits another world where she starts to understand her own awakening sexuality and her illness. She also becomes more tolerant of other people, in particular of those who wear a hijab or burka. But Jan is still waiting for her at home and her new world is getting more real by the minute. Problems abound and she feels alone. She is still in love with Jan, but can she still reach him?

My Thoughts: My favorite part of this book is when Christina is in another world. Gill James does a great job in a brief amount of text transporting the reader to a different land. Christina obviously has many adjustments to make as she transitions to a new culture and her experiences are intriguing. Part of her learning involves wearing the veil and appreciating some of its benefits. Many things are terribly confusing for her in this alternate land, but she finds friends on her way and even a bit of romance. The whole adventure is on the exotic side and tension rises as the reader is unsure of whether Christina will be able to get back to her real life or if she will be trapped in this other world.

In Christina's real life, she was having difficulties dealing with her dating relationship. I found her to be immature and selfish. I couldn't really understand what Jan saw in her honestly, but the author didn't specifically show why he adored her so much, but simply stated that he did. In the other world, Christina managed to mature a little through the events that transpired, but I was still left feeling that she was not ready for a serious relationship. There have been posts online about whether characters need to be likeable. I found that Christina wasn't especially likeable in my mind, but I felt that she didn't necessarily need to be. Later in the story, I determined that she was so young that her behavior made sense even if it wasn't terribly attractive.

This book was written with a European perspective so I did notice a few terms that were unfamiliar. One that stuck out to me was the references to IB textbooks and the exams that go with them. It was certainly not essential for the storyline at all, but I did notice things that made me pause for a second as an outsider. I found that made the book more interesting to me rather than just being a distraction.

I would have liked the book to be longer so the transitions could have been less abrupt. The development of the relationship with her boyfriend and the romance in the other world moved very quickly among other things. Often I would have appreciated more depth. The pace did keep the story lively and engaging though, and the other plus is that the book can be read in a short amount of time.

Veiled Dreams has a relatively unique storyline with a dash of romance and fantasy if you are looking for a light, quick read.

-- Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Review: Shadows

Title: Shadows

Author: Robin McKinley

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books

Pages: 368

Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy

Review Copy: Edelweiss

Release Date: September 26, 2013

Summary: Maggie knows something’s off about Val, her mom’s new boyfriend. Not only is he from the Old World, but he’s accompanied by huge, jagged shadows that dart and slither around him. He must be practicing some sort of illegal magic. Oldworld still uses magic, but in Newworld the magic-carrying gene was disabled two generations ago, back when Maggie's great-grandmother was a notable magician. But that was a long time ago. Then Maggie meets Casimir, the most beautiful boy she has ever seen. He's from Oldworld too—and he's heard of Maggie's stepfather, and has a guess about Val's shadows. Maggie doesn't want to know . . . until earth-shattering events force her to depend not only on Casimir's knowledge of magic, but on Val and his shadows. And perhaps on her own heritage. 

Continually surprising readers with magical twists and turns, Shadows features a memorable heroine, intriguing world-building and a fascinating blend of contemporary fantasy and science fiction.

My Thoughts: I appreciated that Robin McKinley had some diversity in this novel. There is a major character who is Japanese, Takahiro, and then a couple others that come from a foreign place that is called OldWorld. Because of her friendship with Takahiro, the main character, Maggie, often peppered her conversation with Japanese words. In the beginning it felt a bit awkward. They felt out of place even though the character explained why she was doing it. The words seemed to be there only to add a little bit of the exotic, but later, once the characters were more familiar, it made more sense. The purpose became more understandable and they were less distracting over time.

I also found some of the "sci-fi" vocabulary hard to accept. I guess it seemed that the setting was not so different from the present and McKinley was mostly relying on the futuristic terms to build the world or make it appear to be the future. For example, she used the word 'tops instead of laptops and webnet. Those words seemed forced in rather than organic.

The "shadows" or gruaa were what I liked the most, but they were the part of the story that was less sci-fi and more fantasy. The shadows give the story a depth and I think fantasy is what McKinley does best. I have enjoyed every one of Robin McKinley's books including this one, but my favorites are definitely the ones that are heavier on the fantasy. Her fantasy sparkles and enchants. 

This book ends with enough questions that a sequel would be possible. I would enjoy seeing more of this world and the characters she has created, but I am even more eager for another fairytale retelling or vampire book. I would recommend Beauty, Deerskin and t he Outlaws of Sherwood over this one, but I wouldn't tell anyone not to read it. A true fan of Robin McKinley will still need to read Shadows.

Reviews: Raven Boys and Dream Thieves

Title: The Raven Boys
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 409
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Review Copy: Netgalley ARC & Free audio download at SYNC
Release Date: September 18, 2012

Summary:  It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive. Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

My Thoughts: I read this book when it first came out and I ripped through it so quickly that some of the details were hazy almost immediately after I finished. So to get ready for Dream Thieves, I listened to the audio version to refresh my memory. I knew that Blue caught my attention. I love her very unique personality. Her family is spectacular too with their ability to see beyond the surface of life. Gansey and his crew are so distinct and interesting that I wanted to know more and more about them.

When I first started reading, it seemed this might be a creepy and possibly even scary book. Death is certainly lurking around the corners. There are some frightening characters, but always there is the light of family and friends shining through.

There are several stories threaded through the book. Blue is "destined to kill her true love with a kiss." Added to that, Gansey and his particular group of Raven Boys are also caught up in a secret quest. Each of the boys have their individual stories too.

Filled with romance, mystery, magic, ghosts, death, adventure, and much more, Raven Boys captivated me even as my mind was bending trying to understand all that occurred. Stiefvater pulls me in with her writing, "The ruin was cupped in the densely wooded hills outside of Henrietta...what hadn't rotted away was hidden under hungry vines and rancid smelling saplings." I always feel like I am right there. The book and the audio were marvelous.

Raven Boys

 Chapter Teaser

Title: The Dream Thieves
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 409
Genre: Fantasy
Review Copy: Netgalley ARC
Release Date: September 17, 2013

Summary: Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after...

My Thoughts: Once again Stiefvater weaves a brilliant tapestry with her tale. She starts out with several poems at the beginning. They set the stage, but are even more meaningful once you have finished the book. Be sure to read them again after. There are so many layers to this series that I marvel more on a second or third look. Stiefvater has made her own brand of magic as she sweeps aside a few more layers revealing the rather complicated depths of these characters.

In Dream Thieves, we meet a few new characters, but learn much more about Blue and her Raven Boys -- especially Ronan. As the resident bad boy, he was intriguing in Raven Boys, but Stiefvater allows readers to get to know him much more intimately in this installment.

Oh, and when the summary says sinister people are looking for the same thing Gansey is after, sinister turns out to be an understatement. The book is filled with danger, more creepiness, death, magic, and once again romance, but this second book again contains humorous elements. I appreciate the sly humor that Stiefvater employs - particularly with Blue's mom and her new friend.

There is so much I cannot mention in a review without giving things away. That makes the review quite tricky. I am eagerly awaiting the third book because like the first, this one ends with plenty of loose ends and quite a cliff hanger.

If you have not read either one, you may want to wait until just before the third one is released, because it is hard to wait. If you have already read Raven Boys, you will want to pick this one up as soon as it is available next month, but know that many of your questions won't be answered just yet.
There is an excerpt of the prologue below and a rather cool video. That Maggie has many talents.

Extras:

Excerpt

In the video below Maggie Stiefvater shows how to make a car look like the one in Dream Thieves. Pretty cool.

Armchair BEA: Children's Literature

Since I am a teacher librarian in an elementary school, children's literature is a large part of my reading life. I also happen to enjoy young adult lit, so I don't actually have a lot of time for books that are written for adults.

I really love children's and young adult literature. Picture books are just in a class by themselves. I like the length of them - that the story is compact and every page is meaningful. It's like poetry. Since there is not a lot of room, the authors have to be concise and every word is important.  I think writing short novels for young people is the most challenging for authors so I am always impressed when they write a brilliant middle grade book. Young adult is my all time favorite though.

Here are some of my favorites from the past year or two:

Picture Books

Middle Grade

Young Adult

All cover images from Goodreads

What children's lit and young adult titles captured you this past year?