The House in Poplar Wood by K.E. Ormsbee Chronicle Books - August 28, 2018 I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. As soon as I read the teaser for this book, I was excited! It was hailed as a “Stranger Things meets The Haunted Mansion middle grade fantasy,” and ended up being the perfect mix of mystery and intrigue with a few unusual characters. This book centers around twin brothers Felix and Lee. They live with their parents, Vince and Judith, in a quiet house nestled in the Poplar Wood. Here’s the catch, their family has an Agreement in which Lee and his mother are apprentices to Memory and Felix and his father are apprentices to Death. Yes, both Memory and Death are capitalized because they are very much alive and “human” throughout the book. Memory and Death, along with Passion, are Shades, that through their apprentices are able to influence and interact with the people in their town. The Agreement between the family does have a dark side. Death and Memory are enemies and, because of this, have separated the house into two parts. I won’t give away all the nuances of the Agreement, but it is definitely not ideal for this family. Lee is allowed to go to school and have a normal life, while Felix is only allowed into town once a year on Halloween when Death takes a break. On Halloween, another important character, Gretchen, enters the fray. Gretchen’s family are Summoners, making them the enemy of the Shades’ apprentices. Gretchen desperately wants the help of Lee and Felix to solve the recent murder of Essie Hastings, the apprentice of Passion. Lee and Felix reluctantly get caught up in the investigation, only to discover that they might find something that will change their lives forever. What I loved most about this book was the characters. Each and every one of them was so believable and engaging. I have a special place in my heart for the cheeky, industrious, and very mischievous Gretchen, who isn’t willing to give up. The brothers, Felix and Lee, are super relatable and their sibling issues will resonate with readers of all ages. The story moves quickly and is told from the perspectives of these three main characters, which gives the story more depth and complexity, and in my opinion, makes it more fun to read. I highly recommend this book for middle grade readers and up. It would be great for fans of Neil Gaiman and those who like stories that have a little dark humor to them. I am so impressed with this book and cannot wait to share it with my middle school readers!
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The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas Delacorte Press - July 31, 2018 I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Sometimes you just need a dark, gritty crime story and The Cheerleaders is that book! I was excited to receive an advanced digital copy of this title after reading that it was reminiscent of Riverdale and Veronica Mars (two of my favorites!). It did not disappoint and is one that I have already been talking to my young adult library friends about. The Cheerleaders follows the life of Monica five years after her sister’s death and the death of four other cheerleaders in her quaint, quiet town. The first two cheerleaders died in a car accident, the next two were brutally murdered, and the last cheerleader, Monica’s sister, committed suicide. After these deaths, the cheerleading squad was disbanded and the cases surrounding the deaths closed. As the fifth anniversary of the deaths nears, Monica uncovers new evidence and people connected to the deaths that may shed some light on what really happened all those years ago. This was a page turner for sure and it kept me reading long into the night. There were so many twists and turns, and every time I thought I had it figured out, a new curveball was thrown. This story was deliciously dark and appealing, making it one of the most well-written YA thrillers I’ve read in a long time! I loved how the action moved quickly, you never knew what to expect, and that the ending totally changed my perspective on the characters. I cannot say enough great things about this book. I was so pleasantly surprised and will be recommending and sharing it with all the young adult librarians I know. It does contain mature content including references to abortion, murder, and drugs. I would highly recommend this book for young adult collections in school and public libraries where mystery/thriller/crime stories are well circulated. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo HarperTeen, 2018 The Poet X is the beautifully written debut novel from slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo. Written in verse, the story follows Xiomara, the daughter of Dominican immigrants growing up in Harlem. Her father is in her life, but emotionally absent, her twin brother is a genius, and her extremely religious mother expects Xiomara to be pious, faithful, and fully devoted to God. Xiomara just wants to be heard and be who she is, but she struggles to express herself to those around her. Xiomara records her thoughts in a leather bound journal, writing poems to describe how she feels, who she desires to be, and what’s really in her heart. She is fierce and sharp with her words, which comes from the necessity of protecting herself from the advances of men of all ages. Xiomara describes herself as curvy, with a bubble butt, and as an “Amazon.” Her features attract the unwanted advances of many men throughout the story, which is a timely and relevant topic to discuss. She wants desperately to find a boy, falling for the sensitive, soulful Aman, her lab partner in biology class. As she struggles to speak for herself, her English teacher invites her to join the school’s slam poetry club. Reluctant at first, through the encouragement of her brother and friends, she eventually realizes the power of her own words. This book is incredibly timely. The topics and themes are ones that most readers will easily relate to. I appreciate that the author didn’t shy away from discussing what the unwanted sexual advances of men felt like for Xiomara. The issues her family faced are relatable, as well, and the story ultimately ends on a positive note with all characters finding their way forward together. My favorite part of this book is Xiomara herself, especially as The Poet X, her stage name. I loved her fierceness, how protective she was of her friends and brother, and I especially loved how much her character grew. X became even stronger through slam poetry and realized how powerful her thoughts and words could be to herself and others. I was so impressed by this novel and the beauty of the poems, characters, and themes within. There is some mild language and sexual themes, so I would recommend this book for high school and up. I cannot wait to see what else Acevedo has in store for us in the future! The Cruel Prince by Holly Black Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2018 “You have only seen the least of what I can do.” The Cruel Prince is a beautiful introduction to Holly Black’s new series, “The Folk of the Air.” The story centers around Jude, who at seven years old, is brought to live in Faerie when her parents are murdered. That’s already a heavy load to start a story with, right?! Jude and her sisters grow up among the faeries, pixies, goblins, and magic, but this is not your normal fairy tale. This epic book is dark, enthralling, and sometimes, down-right dirty. Jude desperately wants to belong in faerie and dreams of becoming a knight in the High King’s court. As the time approaches to declare herself, the High King decides to abdicate the throne and pass the crown on. This is only the beginning of an incredible, brutal saga that tests each character’s loyalty and just how far they will go to gain power over the faerie kingdom. The world-building that takes place in this story is incredible! Faerie is both beautiful and magical, while dark and cunning. Black provides such detailed accounts of everything in faerie, including the different castles, characters, and even the flora and fauna. The reader really is transported to their world, and you can even sense the lines where the mortal and immortal world blur together. The characters are probably my favorite aspect of this book. Each one is so well-developed and enigmatic. My friend (who also read the book) and I decided that each character is neither black or white, they are all shades of gray. Each one has some good and some bad mixed in. Of course, some are worse than others, but there are a few characters you want so desperately to believe are good and loyal. But, no matter how you dice it, they all carry around dark and light. I loved this, especially when one minute you loathed a character, and the next couldn’t believe the kindness that came from them. Jude, the main character, is a strong young woman who, when faced with incredible adversity, develops into a cunning warrior. She is brutal yet honest, and dark yet hopeful. Her perspective and narration makes the story so engaging, and as a reader, you are constantly pulling for her to “win.” The Cruel Prince, with its view of the dark side of faerie, has some very brutal moments. When the action begins, it does not stop! There is lots of deception, betrayal, and blood, and it all hits at moments when you least expect it. There were several times I had to close the book to process what had just happened, in a good way, of course. This is a fantastic book that I would highly recommend to students 8th grade and up (due to violence, some language, and some sexual innuendo/references). It’s a dark look into the world of faerie, packed with action, intrigue, and mystery. I cannot wait for the next addition to this series, The Wicked King, which is set to be published in January 2019. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody Harlequin Teen - April 10, 2018 “…She’d made a dangerous mistake in thinking she could brave the City of Sin. If the stories were true, she was a schoolgirl who had just wandered into the city of the wolves.” Ace of Shades is a wonderful young adult fantasy novel from Amanda Foody full of casinos, card games, magic, danger, and action. Special thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for a chance to read an advanced copy of this book. I really loved this book! Foody does an incredible job of world-building the city of New Reynes. The grimy, crime-ridden, gang-controlled North Side where the story takes place is incredibly vivid. From the people walking the streets to the opulent casinos to the smells, tastes, and sounds of the city, everything is detailed, well-described, and provides an engaging backdrop for the story. The characters are equally as detailed. The Lords of the gangs are seedy, traitorous, and down right bad; the Dons and Donnas of the casino families are corrupt and vile; and our main characters, Enne and Levi, are just fantastic. In the world of Ace of Shades, every person has a talent inherited from their parents. Even though the variety of talents is incredibly diverse, they are all unique and fully believable within the story. Ace of Shades follows the journey of Enne, who is studying to be a lady at a finishing school in the much more civilized city of Bellamy across the sea, and Levi, the Iron Lord, card dealer, and leader of a street gang. Enne’s mother disappears while working in the city and she travels to New Reynes to find her. Her mother had told her to seek out Levi if she ever disappeared, so that is exactly what she does, landing her in the middle of an incredibly dangerous, high stakes world. As they search for Enne’s missing mother, the story switches perspectives between Enne and Levi. I really enjoyed being able to see the story through both their eyes, providing more depth to their motives, feelings, and actions. The relationship between Enne and Levi is also well played, with moments of anger and mistrust, mixed with moments full of hope, redemption, and, of course, a little slow-burning romance. One of my favorite things about this book was the depth of the characters. Enne, for example, changes so much over the course of the book. She goes from a damsel in distress to a brave, confident, and self-assured young woman. I love a great tough-girl character, who can keep up with the boys (even outdo them sometimes) and take care of herself! I also loved the glimpses into Levi’s past and how he became who he was. He also changes dramatically over the course of the story, realizing what is really important and forming an incredibly strong bond with Enne. Another thing I loved was the Shadow Game, a dark and ominous card game that no one escapes. Receiving an invitation to the game is a death sentence; no one makes it out alive. This book was just fantastic! It was action packed, full of twists and turns, and kept me on the edge of my seat. The ending left me hopeful and yearning for another book, which is sure to follow. If you liked Caraval and Six of Crows, you will love this book. I highly recommend this fantastic young adult fantasy novel! Legendary by Stephanie Garber Flatiron Books - May 29, 2018 I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I was so beyond excited when I received my approval for an advanced copy of this gem! I loved, loved, loved Caraval, and have been anxiously awaiting its sequel, Legendary, since I found out about it last year. Huge shout out to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the opportunity to read this book before its release. First, I have to be honest. I loved Caraval, but was not a huge fan of Donatella "Tella" Dragna at the end of that book. I was worried that I wasn’t going to enjoy this story as much since she is the main character of Legendary. Boy, am I glad that I was wrong! I actually think I may like Tella more than Scarlett now (gasp!). The characters in this story are just so well written and engaging. Every single character is vividly characterized and, as a reader, I was genuinely invested in the outcome of each of their storylines. The plot of this book is so stunning, as well. It is full of magic, adventure, good, evil, and romance. I love how Garber is able to create such an astonishingly magical, yet realistic world. Everything from the setting, to the costumes, to the characters is so well thought out and described, that it makes the world within the story come alive. It is an emotional roller coaster that deftly looks into Tella and Scarlett’s past and fills in some of the gaps left from the first book. This book had it all for me, and is one that I can’t wait to share and recommend. It felt like being on the adventure myself, searching for clues to ultimately win Caraval. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and judging from the ending, there has to be another book to follow. This is a wonderful addition to the Caraval series and, once again, highlights what a fantastic writer Stephanie Garber is. I highly recommend this book! For Every One by Jason Reynolds Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books - April 10, 2018 I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Again; Jason Reynolds does it again. What writer can effortlessly move between genres and still maintain a level of consistency with which readers can identify no matter their background and life experiences?! This book is a shining example of why Jason Reynolds is, and always will be, one of my favorite authors. This book is a letter written in poetry to “The Dreamers.” Jason Reynolds begins the book by giving the background of this piece, then immediately diving into an approximately 100 page poem that plays with spacing, format, and font. It is a love letter written by someone chasing their dreams, encouraging others to do the same. It is beautifully written, with such vivid imagery that I felt like I could see my own dreams running ahead of me, calling to me to be chased. For Every One reminded me of my own dreams, hopes, and fears, and left me inspired “jump anyway.” Here is just one of my favorite poems from this title: “Dreams don’t have timelines, Deadlines, And aren’t always in Straight lines.” This was a very quick and empowering read. It would make a fantastic inspirational gift for a graduation, new baby, or just for a friend who needs a pick-me-up. It is perfect for school and public libraries, and I plan to add several copies to my own shelves as soon as it is released. I was incredibly lucky to pre-read this book through an eARC provided by NetGalley. It will officially be released on April 10, 2018. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 2017 A Newbery Honor Book A Coretta Scott King Honor Book A Printz Honor Book Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature Winner of the Walter Dean Myers Award Wow, all I can say is, wow. This book had me from the first second I opened it. It is just so extremely timely, relevant, and well-written. It is engaging, thought-provoking, and emotional. I absolutely cannot say enough good things about this book! Long Way Down is the story of fifteen year old Will, who is determined to revenge his brother Shawn’s murder. Will is only following the “Rules” passed down through generations before him about what to do when someone is killed through violence in their neighborhood. He finds his brother’s gun, puts it in the waist of his pants, and heads out seeking the person he knows killed his brother the night before. As he begins his journey down to the lobby from the eighth floor of his apartment building, the elevator stops at each floor bringing in a ghost from Will and Shawn’s past. These ghosts include family members and friends who each add a piece to the story of Shawn’s death and some hesitation to Will’s plan. Does he really know who killed his brother? Why is there one bullet missing from the chamber? What will happen if he misses his shot? Can he really do it? These questions hang in the air as Will approaches the bottom floor. This book is so incredibly vivid and it always astounds me how an author can write so much in so many fewer words using verse. One of my favorite things about this book is that it is a verse novel, which makes it so much more accessible for reluctant readers. The themes of this book are so relevant and really shed light on the impact of gun violence in the lives of our youth. It does have some curse words scattered throughout, but they are used within the context of the story (one of my pet peeves is an author throwing in curse words just to use curse words...that does not happen here). This book, in my honest opinion, should have been the Newbery winner. It is so impactful; I immediately came to school and began sharing it with teachers. I can’t wait to booktalk it with my students, as well. I highly recommend Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly Greenwillow Books, 2017 Winner of the 2018 John Newbery Medal Hello, Universe was just announced as the 2018 winner of the Newbery Medal, one of the most well-known awards for children’s literature. I’ve heard lots of great things about this book, as well as some mixed reviews, and wanted to check it out for myself. This story contains the unique perspectives of four kids, two boys and two girls, on the first day of summer after sixth grade. The main character, Virgil, is a young Filipino boy whose quiet personality doesn’t quite fit in with his outgoing, athletic family. His grandmother, Lola, is his confidant and someone who plays a pivotal role in the story, sharing Filipino folklore that directly relates to the events of the story. Kaori is a self-proclaimed psychic who befriends Virgil as she helps him with how to deal with some of the problems he he is experiencing. She is closely shadowed by her sister, Gen, who is along for the adventure of this story. Valencia is deaf, struggling with nightmares, and secretly desperately lonely. She is, however, incredibly smart and brave, and proves to be a vital resource to the group. Chet is the school bully who has been relentlessly attacking Virgil throughout the past school year. Throughout the story, the lives of these four kids intertwine as each chapter is told from one of their perspectives. You really get a feel for their emotions and motivations in a way that is easily relatable for younger readers. Without giving too much away, after an encounter with Chet, Kaori and Valencia set off to find and rescue Virgil who relies on the knowledge imparted to him by his Lola to survive. So, here’s the honest truth, I did not love this book. I liked it, it was well-written, the characters were well-developed, it had a satisfying ending, etc. It just didn’t “wow” me. When I think of the Newbery award, I think of amazing books that have left a lasting impact on me as a reader, like When You Reach Me and The One and Only Ivan. This one just didn’t do that for me. That being said, it is a good book, and one that I will recommend to students, especially fans of realistic fiction and survival/adventure stories. Unbound: A Novel in Verse by Ann E. Burg Scholastic Press, 2016 Unbound was a book I just happened to stumble upon as we were weeding the Fiction section of our library. It immediately intrigued me because it was a verse novel, one of my favorite genres. As I read the summary inside the book’s jacket, I was struck by the fact that I had no idea what the Great Dismal Swamp was or the fact that it had been used as a hiding place by runaway slaves. Seeing as how this book combines two of my favorite genres, historical fiction and verse novels, I immediately had to read it. What I found was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time that had a lasting emotional impact. The story follows Grace, a young slave girl who is called to work in “The Big House,” leaving her family behind to work in the fields. Grace is blue-eyed and light-skinned, which is an implied reason she is called to work for the Master and the Missus. Grace, of course, struggles with leaving her family. She is a young girl, living in a new house, with extremely high expectations and many more rules than she is accustomed to. What Grace sees living in “The Big House” and her interactions with the Master and Missus, begin to motivate her to run away. She begins to question the fairness of the way she and other slaves are treated, and sees the cruelty that lies in the hearts of her owners. Then, one evening, Grace overhears the Missus make plans to sell her family on the auction block. In order to save them all, Grace runs away from “The Big House” to her family’s cabin. They make their escape that night, heading toward the Great Dismal Swamp. The characters and events in this story are so engaging and unforgettable. The history behind their escape is just as interesting as the story itself, and the author provides historical information as well as acknowledgements for her sources at the end of the book. This is by far one of my favorite books to booktalk with students. I can’t keep it on the shelves when I do! It is a fantastic story, full of wonderful free verse, engaging characters, and a plot that moves quickly and holds interest. I cannot recommend this book enough! |
AuthorMy name is Mrs. Scott and I'm a secondary Media Resource Specialist (librarian) in Texas. This blog was created as part of my graduate coursework at Texas Woman's University. All reviews and opinions are my own.
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