Pick 6

Hi there! I'm playing with some new features for the blog here. Today's attempt I'm calling Pick 6. The idea is that I'll pick a genre and list 6 books from that genre published withing the last 6 months. Ideally these will be books that I've read and think you all should read as well. Let me know what you think.

6 Teen Mysteries

1.  Don't look Back by Jennifer Armentrout
2.  Buzzkill by Beth Fantaskey
3.  Far From You by Tess Sharpe
4.  Below the Surface by Tim Shoemaker  (This might technically be a tween novel [and can I say I'm not a fan of the word tween] but I'm making an exception because it was pretty cool)
5.  High and Dry by Sarah Skilton
6.  Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell (Confession: I haven't read this one but it sounds cooler than some of the mysteries I did read so I'm including it)
 
So there's my list. If you've read any truly awesome teen mysteries in the past 6 months I'd love to hear about them. 

Charms

This past week I got a special request for some small polymer clay charms. While I was at it I figured I'd try making a few for myself for use in our upcoming Doctor Who program at work (details coming next month!).

The custom charms:

Happy Muffin!

 

Pacifier

Doctor Who charms:

Adipose

Cyberman

Weeping Angel

The charms are a little simplistic but I hope a second round of charm making later will result in a slightly better product. Also, I made a Dalek but it absolutely refused to photograph properly.

Bonus Book Review: Undone

That's right. A second book review this week. I couldn't decide between these two.

Title: Undone
Author: Cat Clarke
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Similar books: 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher
                     Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A. S. King
Rating: 

Thought provoking , concerning

Summary: Jem has always loved Kai the best of anyone. She can't imagine her life without her best friend. She is devastated, then, when Kai commits suicide after he is outed in a cruel video on the internet. When Kai's sister delivers a series of letters from Kai, where he tries to help Jem move on, Jem vows revenge on those she thinks posted the video.
My opinion: Jem's quest is somewhat reminiscent of The Count of Monte Cristo (good companion read!). She ignores what good sense tells her, that no good will come from her quest. And there are consequences, things she did not expect when she set out to ruin lives. So on the one hand, it has real, good lessons to teach us about bullying and the consequences to our actions. On the other hand, I found certain aspects of the story troubling. The end in particular was somewhat concerning.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book Review: A Bird on Water Street

Title: A Bird on Water Street
Author: Elizabeth O. Dulemba
Genre: Historical Fiction
Similar books: The Wednesday Wars by Gary D Schmidt
                     Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French
Rating:

Dreamy setting, satisfying story

Summary: All Jack has ever known is Coppertown, a town where nothing grows. No trees, no plants, no bugs, no birds. All the men in his family work in the mine. His grandfather, and now his uncle, both died in mine collapses. His father expects Jack to be a miner some day. But Jack can't help but dream of something more.
My Opinion: This book deftly blends ecological education with the weight of other people's expectations. I found Jack's perspective on life light and refreshing. He understands the way people are tied to a place as well as the desire for something more. It has more emotional complexity than you sometimes see in a middle grade novel. The setting is fantastically described. 

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Books on Screen

The Reluctant Dragon

In the 40's, Disney created a number of short films including this one based on a short story by Kenneth Grahame. While the movie lacks the elegance of the original story it remains true to the spirit of the tale and adds a bit more humor. The dragon's head-tuft things are quite expressive and a joy to watch. There were a few changes made that I didn't quite understand (like replacing Saint George with the generic Sir Giles) but that doesn't really detract from the movie on the whole. The cartoon is only about 20 minutes but is preceded by an inside look at Disney animation studios at the time and includes the Goofy short "How to ride a horse."

WWW Wednesdays

What are you currently reading?
A Bird on Water Street by Elizabeth Dulemba
In Coppertown, everyone is connected to the mine. Jack's whole family has worked there and it's expected that eventually Jack will too. The thing is, he's not sure that's what he wants. He finds himself wishing for more, for a place where things grow, where there are trees and birds.
This coming of age tale combines parental expectations with societal and ecological issues. It reminds me somewhat of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, one of my favorite books when I was in middle school.
 
What did you recently finish reading?
Buzz Kill by Beth Fantaskey
After finding the high school football coach dead, Millie teams up with mysterious football player Chase to track down the murderer. In the process a number of other secrets come to light.
This was a pretty solid mystery, though I found the construction of the chapter ends got a little old after a while.
 
What do you think you will read next?
Second Star by Alyssa Sheinmel
I'm a big fan of retellings, so this new version of Peter Pan is likely to be right up my alley.

Guest review - Uglies

When I first started blogging, I knew I wanted to include others on here. So today I bring you the first of what will hopefully be many posts by friends and coworkers. This particular coworker prefers to remain anonymous online and has selected the pen name Elizabeth Murphy. Elizabeth said she really enjoyed the review process and intends to write several other reviews for me.

Title: Uglies
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Genre: science fiction
Similar books: The Program by Suzanne Young
                     The Circle by Dave Eggers
Rating:

Summary: A new society and way of looking at life. If everyone is made "pretty" it makes all people equal. But does it really work that way? The problem arises when some of the characters question the society (like all teenagers should).
Your opinion: A great page turning book, even if it is a little far fetched. The society seems very real as does the great new technology. Things change very quickly towards the end and the last scenario leaves the reader waiting for the next book. Maybe too much up in the air.


Thanks Elizabeth for the review! Stay tuned. In a few weeks I hope to have a side by side review with my coworker Abby.