Category Archives: Book reviews

May 4 2013

Book-review post!

This round of book reviews – titles for YA and 9-12s.

Keris Stainton – Della Says OMG!
Della’s shy and kind of insecure, so when her diary goes missing – the same night the guy she’s liked forever starts taking an interest in her – she is, understandably, freaked out. This does a great job at presenting teen insecurities and relationships, including the nastiness of some characters, and it’s really nice to see something that addresses sex in an open way (both via Della and her best friend). A fast-paced read for anyone who enjoys contemporary teen fiction.

Jessica Rothenberg – The Catastrophic History of You and Me
I love the premise of this book so very much. Brie’s boyfriend breaks up with her, and it breaks her heart in two – literally. She narrates from the afterlife, where she is coming to terms with being ‘Dead & Gone’ (but still aware of what’s going on among the living). As she moves through the different stages of grief we learn more about the events leading up to her death – and what comes next. There’s a lot of really cool stuff in here, but it’s a 4-star rather than 5-star review because I think one of the niftiest bits (the end – and that whole thing, she said vaguely) could have done with more explanation and set-up. That being said, it’s well worth a read.

R J Palacio – Wonder
I was underwhelmed by this book, which I read for bookclub, and had many grumpy things to say about it. The premise, as you may know, is that there’s this kid, August, with facial disfigurations/abnormalities, and the story focuses on what happens when he goes to school for the first time. The novel has numerous narrators, so we get to hear from a lot of different characters – but it’s all about August, and this sort of overshadows them as individuals. August’s sister is really interesting, but again – the focus is all on how they see August, and that’s pretty much it. I think this is a book with a great message, about being kind, about seeing past appearances, but as a story it just didn’t appeal to me all that much. (I also thought it was going to go much darker than it did, at the end.)

Ann M Martin – Family Tree #1: Better To Wish
Oh! Oh oh oh. So I am kind of a big Ann M Martin fan, and she has this new historical series out that I wasn’t sure whether I would love or not. (In retrospect, this seems foolish. History! Yay!) There are four books planned, each focusing on one generation in a family, and this first book opens up with Abby Nichols on her 100th birthday, in 2022, looking back at her childhood and teenage years. The novel avoids melodrama or making a point of educating the reader about the time period, but there’s a wonderful sense of the past with all its prejudices and limitations. Abby’s life is not easy, even though her ambitious father can provide for the family; there’s loss of different kinds as the book progresses, and a difficult choice to make at the end. We see Abby grow up (at the end she’s graduated high school, and in the epilogue she’s in her twenties), and in the next book (out October) we’ll get to see her through the eyes of her daughter, and I am very excited. Highly recommended for 10+ (age range is I think 8-12, but older readers will appreciate this too.)

Apr 23 2013

Book-review post!

This time around: two grown-up mystery-type books, although they’re about teenagers; one historical YA which is strictly-speaking probably more grown-uppy; one teen urban fantasy.

Megan Abbott – The End of Everything
A thirteen-year-old girl goes missing, and her best friend is keeping secrets of her own. This is one of those twisty ‘seedy underbelly of quiet little suburbia’ tales, with lots of slightly unsettling moments and some gorgeous writing. Enjoyed it enough to immediately order…

Megan Abbott – Dare Me
This time around it’s cheerleaders. Cheerleaders and sex and secrets and screwed-up-ness. Oh, it’s beautiful. (I have a bit of a cheerleading thing. There was this Sweet Valley High trilogy this one time… anyway.) Addy (the narrator) and Beth are best friends, pretty and when-needs-be cruel, but when their new coach arrives, determined to push them to the limit, everything changes. This is gorgeously-done, and I was immensely pleased by the last twist/reveal. Abbott’s writing is lovely, sucking you in – both of these were most enjoyable reads.

Elizabeth Wein – Code Name Verity
Read this for YA bookclub, and oh… well, what everyone else in the world has said, really. It’s the story of two best friends in the Second World War, one prisoner and one pilot, and amidst all the technical details pertaining to these roles, there’s also a lovely friendship and a lot of tension and some moments that will absolutely break your heart. I am not quite convinced of the YA-ness of this, but it’s a WWII book that’s well worth reading.

Katherine Farmar – Wormwood Gate
Aisling and Julie get separated from the gang on Junior Cert results night, and find themselves in an alternate version of Dublin, where three queens are battling it out for control of the city, and you can’t necessarily trust anyone you meet. Even though the girls have never quite seen eye-to-eye, they have to team up in this strange world and try to get home. I am not super-mad about urban fantasy, but two things really made this one work for me. First, the references to Dublin, and how they’re transformed into something magical (also worth noting: the most magical thing of all? A linked-up transport system!). Second, the relationship between the girls – which is a lovely ‘bickering pair clearly want one another but need to be in dangerous situation before this will become clear to them!’ dynamic that fits in perfectly with the events of the story. Girls kissing and a mystical version of Dublin – what’s not to love?

Mar 22 2013

Book-review post!

Three YA titles this time around – all sequels, curiously enough.

Deirdre Sullivan – Improper Order
This is quirky and lovely and very, very sad in parts. The sequel to Prim Improper sees Primrose at fourteen, dealing with mean girls at school, messy friendships, her desire for True Love, and generally plotting and scheming her way through life. There is also lots more on her developing relationship with her dad, Fintan, who has some lovely moments in this (oh, god, there is a brilliant celebrating-Joel’s-coming-out scene) even though he is obviously still deeply embarrassing and perhaps not the best father in the world, and also Prim’s mum, sparked off by the release of the man who killed her in the hit-and-run accident two years previously. Even though it’s funny and delightful in places, it’s these bits that are just so sad – I think made sadder by the fact that this isn’t an immediate grief but something that’s always going to be there. Very much looking forward to the third book.

Daria Snadowsky – Anatomy of a Single Girl
I was delighted to see there’s a follow-up to Anatomy of a Boyfriend out now. This follows Dominique through the summer after her first year as a pre-med student, back at home for a couple of months and still getting over her ex, Wes, but also finding herself in a new situation with the very cute Guy. He doesn’t want a ‘forever’ thing, and she’s wary because of her previous experience, but there’s chemistry there and they eventually settle on a summer fling. As with the first book, there’s a focus on the sex part – not just the salacious details (and in the vein of Judy Blume’s Forever, there’s also a detailed ‘here’s how a gynaecological exam goes’ scene) but the emotional/chemical/hormonal side of it. Dom does get sucked into a ‘sex haze’ for a while with Guy, but it’s not love, and it’s not going to last. There’s also a lot going on with her best friend, Amy, who’s now in a steady long-distance relationship but still determined to ‘have fun’. (Some of the references to ‘being a tease’ are kind of problematic, but I think at least partially addressed in the text.) It’s really interesting to see a YA novel (I imagine this will possibly be labelled ‘new adult’, but… yeah) focus on this kind of a relationship without getting overly preachy; while there’s a lot of introspection and analysis there isn’t ever a sense that Dom should feel ‘wrong’ or ‘guilty’ for this fling. It helps if you’ve read the first book, but this also works as a standalone for older teens.

Beth Revis – Shades of Earth
Oh, I love this conclusion to the Across the Universe trilogy. Amy and Elder are finally getting down onto the planet – but there are monsters there, and other things to fear, including the reawakened ‘frozens’. Amy has her parents back, but there’s conflict between the military personnel and the ‘shipborns’ as they face the challenges of this new world. Without spoiling it too much, I will say: the stakes are really high, and there are some shocking things that happen. And also that the mystery and the reveal was very satisfying, and more convincing in many ways than had things been… as they seemed. (Is that vague enough for ya?) Even though this works as the conclusion, I’d love to see a fourth book possibly set several years down the line… so much potential there.

(okay, the spoilerish version below)
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People! I love that the aliens are just genetically modified humans, and also that it ties into the drugging we’ve seen previously. Even though it is a very alien planet, the concept of alien sentient life that could communicate with humans… it’s slightly less believable in many respects, and you want to avoid the ‘little green men’ idea or having aliens that are presented as totally different and yet being bipeds and breathing oxygen et al and basically human but not. (It was the biped thing that convinced me they had to be human – because the rest of the worldbuilding is so carefully thought out that it wouldn’t make sense for the aliens to be conveniently humanesque.)
And oh Amy’s mother! Heartbreaking. Completely. And then her dad. And the way that there is just so much death in this book, so much loss. I was prepared for losing Elder, but that was played rather nicely. Even so, Amy’s lost so much else that it doesn’t feel like quite a happy ending – yes, she has a new planet, and she has someone she loves, but she’s also so far removed from where she began. Achey.
And we get to learn more about the FRX and their creepiness. And technology evolves and marches on. (And tesseracts! And the Madeleine L’Engle shoutout with Dr Engle who is just the once given a first name, Maddie. Lovely.)
The fourth book that I would hope for would be about the FRX and other Earth types arriving at the planet, years after the two colonies have moved on a little bit but not quite from everything that’s gone before, and seeing Amy and Elder’s kid being caught in the middle, part shipborn and part modified-human. Keeping fingers crossed.

Mar 5 2013

Book-review post!

And more book reviews! Today’s mix includes The Comedy Memoir, The Moral Dilemma As Posed By Jodi Picoult, and two super YA reads.

David Mitchell – Back Story
Oh, David Mitchell. (I have a thing for David Mitchells. The novelist is also rather attractive. And clever. But I have a fondness for comedians…) Anyway. This is a memoir and also a terrible pun; Mitchell tells us about his back pain (less appealing and ‘tormented genius’ than psychiatric issues, he notes) and walking around London, alongside recollections of his childhood and his developing acting and comedy career. While the kiddie bits were rather nice, for me it really kicked off when he gets to Cambridge and discusses and analyses really getting started off in comedy with the Footlights. There are some great observations and thoughts on how comedy (both TV and live) works in Britain, alongside some very nerdy historical references. And the second-last chapter, which is about Victoria Coren, his now-wife (who is also brilliant and funny and awe-inspiring), is genuinely moving without being a gossipy tell-all bit. I really enjoyed reading this.

Amy McNamara – Lovely, Dark and Deep
This is gorgeous! Wren is still haunted by the accident that killed her very-recently-ex-boyfriend, and instead of heading off to college as planned, she retreats to her artist father’s home in the woods of Maine. She is sad and troubled and it takes a while before she starts connecting to the world again – made more difficult by the fact that one of these connections is to Cal, who’s struggling with his own demons and his recently-diagnosed MS. This is beautifully written and thoughtful and I am so very glad YA has a space for books like these.

Jodi Picoult – The Storyteller
I love Jodi Picoult, and I hate wolves, so her book last year is the only one of hers I haven’t read. So this new one carried an extra dose of excitement, and as is my way, I sped through it. The story focuses on Sage, a baker who hides from the world after a car crash and her mother’s death, and what happens when an old man she meets at her grief support group reveals his dark secret – he was in the SS as a young man. And as per Jodi Picoult regulations, there’s an ethical dilemma – he’s asked her, as a Jew (albeit a non-practising one), to kill him. Is this revenge or justice? (Cue ominous music.) The bulk of the story actually focuses on Sage’s grandmother and her experiences during World War II, and it’s really well done. (Picoult also tackles historical stuff in her novel Second Glance, and does a superb job.) And there is a twist, of course – and I am delighted to say that after, oh, twenty or so of her books, I guessed this one within the first couple of hundred pages. (I would feel smart but if you’ve read it, and seen a particular episode of a particular TV series which doesn’t quite do this but does something similar, you’ll probably have guessed it too. Is that vague enough for you all?) Well worth reading.

Brent Hartinger – The Elephant of Surprise
Russel and his friends are back again in the fourth book in the Geography Club series (the first has been made into a movie, by the by). Once again we have his conversational tone taking us through the latest adventure of himself and best friends Gunnar and Min. The trio encounter a group of ‘freegans’ (but the storyline manages to avoid being either overly-preachy or overly-judgemental of this) and also have to deal with various romantic dilemmas. Things have grown stale between Russel and Otto, but there’s a cute new guy around who seems to be interested in him… and what exactly is going on with Kevin? Meanwhile, Min’s convinced her girlfriend Leah is keeping something from her… This is a fast-paced read and a very enjoyable catch-up with a lot of familiar characters – really enjoyed it. And as ever, the books win many bonus points for their focus on gay and bisexual teen characters.

Feb 27 2013

Book-review post!

And back to some good ol’ book reviews – two YA here (one contemporary, one sci-fi/thriller), and two for grown-ups (one memoir, one contemporary women’s fiction).

Cat Clarke – Undone
Really enjoyed this latest book from Cat Clarke, who I have noted previously as being excellent at handling mean teenagers – they are messy and complicated and flawed and petty and screwed-up and very authentic. This book focuses on Jem, whose best friend Kai has just committed suicide after some rather nasty bullying and gossip at school. She’s furious, and grieving, and feels there’s nothing to live for – except revenge on the popular kids she blames for Kai’s death. And once that happens, she has a plan – to join Kai. This is a dark, dark twisty book, and very readable. Highly recommended.

Julie Cross – Tempest
I liked reading this – time travel, yay! – and it was especially nifty to see the idea of parallel/alternate timelines being created because of jumps made, playing around with the notion of multiverses. The main character, Jackson, is interesting, and there’s plenty of familial angst going on there alongside the stuff with his girlfriend, Holly. I wasn’t particularly keen on the ending (the entire sequence, not just ‘how it ends up’), but imagine I’ll check out the sequel at some stage.

Emma Forrest – Your Voice In My Head
This memoir explores both the loss of a trusted psychiatrist and the break-up of a relationship, and generally there is gorgeous writing and lots of angst and some really nice observations. I wanted to know more about her work alongside all the emotional trauma – the difficulties and/or successes of her writing, which is sort of casually alluded to – but I accept that this is a tad workaholicy of me. It’s an interesting read, and one which invites a lot of reflection as well as empathising.

Sarah Webb – The Memory Box
This follow-up to The Shoestring Club focuses on Pandora, Julia’s older sister. At the opening of the novel, we discover she’s been told she might have a hereditary cancer gene (their mother died of breast cancer) and the story follows her as she waits for the test results and begins to create a memory box for her daughter, Iris, all too conscious of the risks associated with a positive result on this test. On a birthday trip to Paris with her friends, she slips off to try to find Olivier, the father of her child – and the man she’s been keeping a secret, and keeping a secret from, for a decade. It doesn’t go as well as she’d hoped, to say the least. Back home, there are difficulties with her sensible boyfriend and the dramas created by his ex-wife and sulky daughter, and the Shoestring Club friendships are maintained in this book as we get more insight into Alex and her issues. This balances lighter topics with the more serious, and is a quick and engaging read.

Jan 27 2013

Book-review post!

Mostly the YA I’ve been reading lately, with a couple of grown-uppy books thrown in for good measure.

Jennifer E Smith – The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
This is a lovely 24-hour whirlwind love story, about a girl who meets a boy in the airport and ends up sitting next to him on a trans-Atlantic flight. It’s always terrific to see thoughtful contemporary fiction doing well (and there’s some great stuff on family here, alongside the romance), and this is well worth reading.

Lara Avery – Anything But Ordinary
Twenty-two-year-old Bryce wakes up from a five-year coma and has to process the huge changes in her life – her now-rebellious-teen younger sister, the parents that have spent five years grieving, the friends and boyfriend that have graduated college and are stepping into the grown-up world. The premise is an interesting one, and there’s a sweet love interest, but the paranormal/magical elements aren’t quite explained and the ending – while fitting in some ways – wasn’t something I was particularly mad about either. I’m also not sure this works best as a teen novel – although Bryce still feels seventeen, the age she was at the time of the accident, in many ways, she is twenty-two and a lot of the interaction is with her twenty-something peers (yet toned down for a teen audience). Nifty concept, but something was missing for me.

Megan Crane – Once More With Feeling
I adore Megan Crane’s novels, and her latest is terrific. Sarah’s husband cheats on her with her older sister, and shortly after has a car accident that leaves him in a coma. This chain of events has the potential for melodrama, but Crane does a superb job at making it utterly authentic. She’s exceptionally good at writing realistic frustrating characters and dynamics – Sarah’s sister is indulged by her parents and most others, with selfish behaviour excused and justified in a way that will make you want to smack her (but also feel authentic). And Sarah herself isn’t perfect – like most of Crane’s novels, this is a story about identity and self-discovery as much as it is about the love interests (although they are delightful, too). I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

Ally Condie – Crossed
Finally catching up on the world of Cassia, Ky and Xander. This is the second book in the trilogy, and although there are some nifty reveals and new characters are introduced, it’s my least favourite of the three.

Caitlin Moran – Moranthology
I’d been reading this on-and-off since its release. It’s a collection of Moran’s columns from the last number of years, covering a wide range of topics, so inevitably there were some subjects more interesting than others. I liked it less than How To Be A Woman, but there’s plenty of hilarity and good-point-making in this.

Gillian Flynn – Gone Girl
Delightfully twisty story about a man whose wife disappears on their five-year anniversary. This turned up on a lot of ‘best of’ lists last year, and with good reason – it’s incredibly compelling but also gorgeously written. The two narrators – Amy and Nick – are not quite what they seem, and even though the ending is unsettling, it also makes a twisted kind of sense. Definitely worth checking out.

Ally Condie – Reached
Now this – the third book in Condie’s Matched trilogy – was most enjoyable. I adored how the resistance played out here – without getting too spoilery, it’s always fun to see that there are pros and cons to any political movements, especially in YA dystopia, and it’s done really well here. There’s also a lot of cool stuff involving diseases and immunisations, and the growing creative movement spearheaded by Cassia. A solid conclusion to the trilogy.