2014 in review

Something about the end of the year begs us to look back. I think it’s the new calendar. Somehow the physical act of replacing Spiderman with Transformers makes us nostalgic. Ha ha.

In all seriousness, 2014 was a pretty amazing year for books. Of the 400ish books I read this year I picked 14 that really stood out to me. So, here it is, in no particular order:

14 noteworthy books published in 2014
1. A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
    Really, read this one. It’s magic.
2. The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang
    The best controlling mother character. Ever
3. Tomboy by Liz Prince
    It was the first memoir I’d ever read about someone I really related to. Plus it’s an awesome graphic novel.
4. Plus One by Elizabeth Fama
    You’ll never read another dystopia that works out like this one.
5. The Ninja Librarians: The Accidental Keyhand by Jen Swan Downey
    As a librarian, I’m a fan of any book that supports freedom of expression and portrays librarians as action heroes
6. Sekret by Linday Smith
    Psychics in Soviet Russia. Normally I’m not a huge fan of psychics but the setting really made this one work for me.
7. Noggin by John Corey Whaley
    Come on. It’s John Corey Whaley. Sure, head transplants are a weird topic but this book is about so much more.
8. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
    There is literally nothing I can say about this book without spoilers. Just trust me. If you haven't already, read this one. And if you have read it, you know exactly what I mean.
9. Blood of My Blood by Barry Lyga
    I actually read the whole Jasper Dent trilogy this year. It’s grim but seriously engrossing.
10. The League of Seven by Alan Gatz
     An interesting take on the whole “mythology kids” subgenre
11. Revolution by Deborah Wiles
     The 60’s are quickly becoming my favorite decade for historical fiction. And this trilogy is absolutely fantastic.
12. I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
     Troubled sibling relationships. Plus weird kids who are happy being weird.
13. In Real Life by Cory Doctorow
     An adventuresome graphic novel that includes a solid dose of social consciousness
14. Death Coming Up the Hill by Chris Crowe
     Read this one all the way through. Then read what Crowe was doing with the haiku form. Your mind will be blown.

So, there you have it. 14 books that stuck with me this year. Here’s hoping 2015 brings us another amazing assortment of books

Book review - All the Bright Places

Title: All the Bright Places
Author: Jennifer Niven
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Paper Towns by John Green
                     Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos
Rating:

Oh. My. Goodness.

Summary: Finch and Violet met on the ledge of their school bell tower. Violet is a well liked "good girl" still overwhelmed by her sister's death a year ago; Finch is the school freak, know to behave impetuously and at times violently. When they pair up on a class project they start to look at the world and themselves differently. As Violet learns to embrace life, though, Finch's is slipping away.
My opinion: This book simply blew me away. I just...wow. Let me list the positives: 1)The sensitive portrayal of metal illness. The characters are fully fleshed out, dynamic and human. 2)The detailed exploration of the undoing that is grief. Finch doesn't judge Violet's continuing grief. He simply helps her to keep living. 3)The joy of the every day. Really, the way these characters find magic and beauty and meaning in just the smallest of things is wonderful. 4)The message about labels. Labels can, by their very nature, harm people. 5)The sense of atmosphere and character. And while the ending is not the one I would have picked, it is realistic and satisfying.
More information: All the Bright Places releases January 6th.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Minion mirror

I found this small compact with a magnetic clasp at Dollar Tree. A little model paint allowed me to customize it into a minion for my sister.
 

Merry Christmas

I hope this holiday finds you safe, warm, and surrounded by loved ones. I'm taking the rest of the week off from blogging. I hope you'll rejoin me next week.

P.S. If you enjoy this picture, you should check out Torchwood Babiez

Book review - Princess of Thorns

Title: Princess of Thorns
Author: Stacey Jay
Genre: fantasy
Similar books: Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
                     A Curse Dark of Gold by Elizabeth Bunce
Rating:

Exactly what I had hoped it would be

Summary: As a child Princess Aurora, daughter of Sleeping Beauty, was fairy blessed with courage and strength but cursed with the complete obedience of any man she ever kissed. Now a teen, Aurora must use all of her blessings on a quest to save her brother and her kingdom from the machinations of the ogre queen who has taken over the land. Disguised as a boy she enlists the help of the cursed Prince Niklaas to raise an army and stop the plot to fulfill an ancient prophecy.
My opinion: This is exactly what a retelling should be. It has mined source material from three or four fairy tales and used that to create an entirely new original story. Aurora is a delightfully flawed character who unnecessarily complicates her own situation. It's a complex mythology with a lot of plot complications that make for a pretty thrilling read. While some of the relationships are predictable, the quality of the plot more than makes up for that minor failing.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Picture books for everyone

Santa Mouse and the Ratdeer by Thacher Hurd

I knew I wanted to highlight a Christmas book today and I spent ages considering my favorites from my childhood. How Spider Saved Christmas. The Berenstain Bears' Christmas Tree. Santa Mouse. Santa's Toy Shop. Little Critter's Merry Christmas Mom and Dad. Morris's Disappearing Bag. All were much beloved and entertaining. But I finally settled on Santa Mouse and the Ratdeer. In this book, Santa Mouse is having a rough start to Christmas Eve. He can hardly even get his boots on. Christmas is likely to be a disaster when he crashes his sleigh in the North Woods. A little kindness from an eager little girl is all it takes to set things right. what really sells this one for me is the ratdeer. I find it highly entertaining to recite their names; Blunder, Basher, Lousy, Loopy, Bugsy, and (my personal favorite) Twizzlebum. This is a slightly off-beat Christmas story which can be a nice change of pace from the classics.

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?
Both of Me by Jonathan Friesen
To escape darkness in her past, Clara is traveling the world, following her father's journal and avoiding attachments. Then she meets Elias. He is angry and lives in a world of his own making, drawing incessantly, muttering to himself, and accusing her of spying on him. When Elias accidentally takes Clara's bag, she finds herself drawn into his world. He has two personalities: the angry and distant Salem Elias and the gentle Elias Clara finds herself falling in love with.
This is certainly a unique concept. I'm looking forward to seeing the way this book plays out.
 
What did you recently finish reading?
Tut: the Story of My Immortal Life by P.J. Hoover
Tutankhamen didn't die as a young man as we all believe. Instead, Osiris gifted him with immortality. He's been living as a 14 year-old ever since. Now he lives with Gilgamesh and Horus in a Washington DC apartment. Tut lives a pretty average life. But those days are over now that his evil Uncle Horemheb is after him with the full force of the cult of Set behind him.
This is likely to go over well with fans of Percy Jackson, The Kane Chronicles, and that ilk. While a little foreknowledge of Egyptian history and mythology would be helpful in understanding this book it isn't necessary. While it is not for everyone, there is a section of young readers who will enjoy this one.
 
What do you think you will read next?
Something Wiki by Suzanne Sutherland
A coming of age story in the digital age. This has potential.