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!
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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.
Bibliography
Roehrig, Caleb. 2016. Last Seen Leaving. New York: Feiwel & Friends. ISBN 9781250085634 “Flynn's girlfriend, January, is missing. The cops are asking question he can't answer, and her friends are telling stories that don't add up. All eyes are on Flynn―as January's boyfriend, he must know something. But Flynn has a secret of his own. And as he struggles to uncover the truth about January's disappearance, he must also face the truth about himself.” Review I originally heard about this book during a book talk session at Library Expo, put on by Plano ISD and Richardson ISD. I was intrigued when it was touted as a “Gone Girl for young adults.” When it arrived in our Junior Library Guild subscription box, I immediately pulled it out to read. I flew through the book at lightning speed. The plot takes off from the first pages as you are drawn into the mystery of what happened to January. The main characters, January and her boyfriend, Flynn, are relatable and engaging for the YA audience. Even the peripheral characters can be found on most high school campuses; students will definitely be able to relate to their feelings, loyalties, and friendships. This book, however, is not for all readers. There are drug references and characters dealing with issues surrounding coming out. These issues are handled well and appropriately for high school students, but should be approached with caution for some audiences. The best part of this book was the mystery that surrounds January’s disappearance and Flynn’s desperation to find her and solve it. There are so many twists and turns, and just when you think you have it all figured out, the plot twists again. I do have a minor issue with the ending, though. I would rate the first ¾ of the book very highly, but the ending is so derivative of Gone Girl, I felt a bit disappointed. Having read that book previously, the ending seemed unoriginal in comparison. YA audiences, however, may not have the same connections, and therefore, not feel the same way about the ending. Even though it was a bit predictable (with my prior knowledge), it was still well-developed and entertaining. Overall, I recommend this title for high school/young adult readers who enjoy mystery and suspense!
Bibliography
Hand, Cynthia, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. 2016. My Lady Jane. New York: Harper Teen. ISBN 9780062391742 Plot Summary All sixteen-year-old Lady Jane Grey wants to do is read her books, not marry a complete stranger and become the queen of England! With elements of historical fiction, fantasy, and comedy, Jane and her new husband (call him G) must work together to save the kingdom of England from a conspiracy plot against her dear cousin, Edward. The only problem is G is an Edian, meaning he spends his days as a horse and his nights as a man. Can Jane, G, and Edward find a way to save England before it’s too late? Critical Analysis This blended genre novel is one of my favorites this year! The authors’ dedication and “historical” notes throughout the story set a humorous and light-hearted tone. Of course, the real story of Lady Jane Grey is not so humorous or light-hearted, but the authors do a tremendous job of re-writing the story with a happy ending for all. This novel is rather long, but reads quickly as the perspective of each chapter changes between the viewpoints of the three main characters. There is a battle for good and evil, reference to pop culture (e.g. Game of Thrones), and a love story that is funny, sweet, and charming. This book hits all the right marks to entice and engage lovers of YA, fantasy, historical fiction, and comedy! The characters in this book, based upon their real-life counterparts, are well-rounded and hilarious! The strong female character of Jane is also empowering. She is incredibly smart and funny, and sets a good example for young girls based on elements of the real Jane’s life. G and Edward are equally interesting, and together, the characters weave a story that is entertaining. The dialogue between the characters shines, as the three friends explore the Edian world, plot their escapes, and banter back and forth. One of the best elements of this book is the play on actual history. The authors are able to take real events and change details to create an entirely new and fantastic story! As I was reading, I would stop to research more about each character and what really happened to them. Although they did not have quite the happy ending as in the story, it was interesting to find out more about the true history and lives of the characters. Overall, this is a great work of blended young adult fiction. It's definitely at the top of my favorites list for 2016! Response This story has so many elements from various genres that blend together seamlessly. The story will make you laugh out loud, hold your breath, and fight alongside the characters as they struggle to save England from the evil clutches of conspirators. This book truly has it all! The one negative that could turn YA readers away is its length. At over 400 pages it can seem like a daunting read. However, if publicized and promoted correctly, even some reluctant readers will see the interest in this multi-dimensional story. Book Trailer: Epic Reads |
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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