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Category Archives: Fiction

An ode to Sarah Cross

17 Jan

Book lovers understand Ambaum & Barnes’ Unshelved comic strip titled “The Seven Stages of Falling in Love with an Author”. I certainly do and have on a few occasions, fallen in love with an author, whether it be everything they’ve written or a series of books. I’ll call out Anne Rice from my teen years, Erika Robuck in my adult life, and a few that seem timeless like Ruta Sepetys and now Sarah Cross. That’s also not to mention the authors I can call out for being tireless in their efforts like Ann Rinaldi in making historical fiction accessible to middle grades or experts in delivery like James Swanson who writes awesome fast-paced thrillers based on true events.

But now to lay it on thick– a true early Valentine’s Day ode to the beauty of Sarah Cross’ writing– her talent for incorporating the wicked and the beautiful, the twisted and the sexy into engrossing fairy tale re-tellings. Not to mention the awe-inspiring covers that I want to hang as wall art and her selfless connection to her fans as evidenced by her short story “After the Ball” that she published on her website for fans to read because she knows how rabid we all are in wanting more.

If you’re not already reading her Beau Rivage series, you need to be. It’s a lesson in fairy tales– the famous and the obscure. It’s the best of a Disney movie with all of the grotesqueness of a true Grimms’ tale. It’s deep character development with a heaping dose of creativity. It’s striking ambiance and expeditious pacing. Sarah Cross– I ♥ you.

 
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Posted by on January 17, 2016 in Authors, Fiction, Young Adult

 

Childhood

10 Dec

This gorgeous middle grade story has the sweetest mix of doodles and drawings, musings memoir-style from our narrator, Jacques Papier, and strong writing by Michelle Cuevas. ImaginaryFriend

In the best ways, it’s a combination of Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince, the movie Toy Story, and all of the warm, fuzzy feelings from your own childhood sprinkled with sugar– even as Jacques discovers that he’s not the sibling of Fleur, but in fact her imaginary friend. Jacques’ identity crisis explodes as he tries out other “friends” before the sentimental arch of the story comes full-circle.

Walk down memory lane with this title.

 
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Posted by on December 10, 2015 in Fiction, Middle grade

 

A brewed romance

01 Dec

There are friends that you have where conversation is so easy, fluid, and casual yet carries an importance of epic proportions. You don’t need to check in every day, you also don’t need to have a deeply philosophical conversation each time you speak either. That is the way this book feels. As I started, I actually didn’t think I would enjoy it but instead became engrossed in the dichotomous complexity of each of the characters. As much as Aysel is billed as the main character, I would argue that Roman becomes a central figure with as much punch as Aysel and his relationship with his mother and his level of hurt is more sentimental while Aysel’s is more complicated because of her disinterest in life AND death.

The story picks up as Aysel visits a suicide website and decides to find another person interested in creating a suicide pact. FrozenRobot immediately catches her attention and lives close by. Even from their first meeting, a connection is born and through the pages, both characters reveal their reasons for wanting to commit suicide with troubled pasts that deal more with family than themselves .

As their relationship becomes intertwined and they have off and on conversations about how they’ll commit suicide (since Roman already had a date, the anniversary of the death), their feelings mutually grow. And Warga does a phenomenal job of warming this brewing romance rather than turning it on hot from the start. It’s subtlety is endearing. And why it’s the most fascinating non-romantic romance story and worth the read.MyHeartBlackHoles

 
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Posted by on December 1, 2015 in Fiction, Young Adult

 

A new powerhouse

17 Nov

ReynoldsCollage

I said it in my review of his second book, that Jason Reynolds was quickly becoming a powerhouse and with the September 2015 publish date of All-American Boys co-written with Brendan Kiely , it’s safe to say that that’s been solidified.

Of the three, my favorite continues to be The Boy in the Black Suit. It has everything from a simple evocative title, beautifully vivid characters in emotionally-charged situations, to true depth and relationship-building through shared experiences and understanding. You can’t help but make the comparison to the sentimentality and atmospheric bests of Walter Dean Myers resonating within the pages of this one. Though it’s all Reynolds’ own.

Yet it’s safe to say that All-American Boys will become an anthem of a new generation filled with hashtags and revolution. A contemporary classic. A call to action. A battle cry.

Pay attention.

 

 
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Posted by on November 17, 2015 in Authors, Fiction, Young Adult

 

Jack Gantos: Read Them All

01 Nov

There is nothing more fulfilling than author visits. I had the opportunity to bring in Jack Gantos to our high school as well as spending an extra day at a few of our elementary schools. I was smitten from the start. He’s a powerful presence, a dynamic speaker, and a lighthearted and friendly guy who oozes thoughtfulness.

In preparation, I read some of the titles that I don’t often read at the high school level, his elementary and middle school books along with lesser known titles that while they don’t get the notoriety of Hole In My Life and the Joey Pigza books, show his depth as a writer. I want to share my thoughts on The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs and Desire Lines.

First, The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs is fantastically dark with an originality that is unmatched. Ivy doesn’t know which of the adult twins across the street is her father and her mother won’t share the fact either. Ivy now has her mission, to discover the identity of her father and what goes on behind the closed doors of the pharmacy that they run and their apartments upstairs. What is upstairs is more macabre than the scariest Halloween costume and more fantastical than an atmospheric event. I can’t spoil this short novel with too many more details, but know that fans of Ransom Riggs’ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will enjoy.

Second, Desire Lines, can be a perfect addition to GLBT titles in the library, but it angers and infuriates then shocks and shakes you. Knowing that Gantos knew of a similar event during his life only makes it more painful. Our main character is being pressured to out gay classmates and while he does know two girls who meet at a pond that he frequents he isn’t giving in just yet, but the cracks are appearing. In one hundred and twenty pages the books gives a three hundred and sixty degree perspective of a tragedy in a small town with vivid characters that pushed me to finish within two hours. Save for slowing down to re-read phenomenal lines of text, I needed to see to the end in one sitting.

So, take yourself to a different place by reading a Gantos book that may not be targeted to you specifically because you won’t be disappointed as his stories are timeless and his storytelling is genius.

 
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Posted by on November 1, 2015 in Authors, Fiction, Nonfiction, Young Adult

 
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