Book review - Vicarious

 

Title: Vicarious

Author: Rhett C Bruno

Genre: sci-fi

Similar books: Landscape With an Invisible Hand by MT Anderson

                      The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh M O'Brien

Rating:

 

great premise, but ran a bit long

Summary (provided by publisher): The real world is only where you breathe…
In High Earth, digital entertainment is everything. Shows. Virtual Worlds. Simulations—there’s something for everybody in a city where working for a living has been rendered obsolete by technological advancements. Even a short walk outside to visit with others is no longer necessary. Just load into the network and you can be with anyone, anywhere.
For Asher Reinhart, nothing compares to Ignis: Live, a reality show that pushes human beings to their very extremes. As a volunteer director, Asher closely monitors the lives of those living on an interstellar ark, believing they're the last of humanity.
But when it's determined that the life of the show’s brightest star, Mission, must be put in danger to boost declining ratings, Asher is forced to choose: the show he loves, or the woman whose existence has been the focus of his attention since the day he was born.

My opinion: I was intrigued by the premise here - combining the predatory nature of reality television with a dystopian reality. My feelings for the book on the whole are a bit mixed. At turns it was utterly charming; other times it was obvious and tiresome. Bruno explains just enough of the world's structure for us to accept most of the plot developments without going into excessive detail. Over-explaining can destroy a novel. So too, though, can indulging in too many side plots. And that's the failing here. There are too many complications, too many side obsessions. As the book wore on I became more interested in speculating on what drove odd character behavior than in where the plot was actually headed.

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Non-fiction book review - The Way of the Hive

 

The Way of the Hive by Jay Hosler

Ever since the emergence of colony collapse disorder, we've seen a big push to educate people about the importance of bees. We can be inclined to think of them as simple creatures that serve a single function or as an annoyance. Books like Hosler's show us the complexity of bee society. We follow a bee from it's metamorphosis through a series of jobs within the colony. The book's structure is something of a mix between "A Bug's Life" and an entry in the Science Comics series. There is a narrative structure, following Nyuki as she grows and learns more about her colony. It's these lessons about the jobs she will hold that teach the reader. We get a fair amount of detail without being overwhelmed by technical language and there's enough plot to keep the reader engaged.

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Blog Tour book review - Hurricane Summer

Title: Hurricane Summer

Author: Asha Bromfield

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

                      The World on Either Side by Dianne Terrana

Rating:

 

a challenging, complex read

Summary (provided by publisher): Tilla has spent her entire life trying to make her father love her. But every six months, he leaves their family and returns to his true home: the island of Jamaica.
When Tilla’s mother tells her she’ll be spending the summer on the island, Tilla dreads the idea of seeing him again, but longs to discover what life in Jamaica has always held for him.
In an unexpected turn of events, Tilla is forced to face the storm that unravels in her own life as she learns about the dark secrets that lie beyond the veil of paradise—all in the midst of an impending hurricane.

My opinion:It doesn't take more than a few chapters to realize that this is more than just a simple culture clash story. It could easily have been a story of Tilla realizing that she is sheltered, coming to understand the culture that her parents came from. Instead it's a complex exploration of both Jamaican culture and of Tilla's own relationship with her parents. It takes a hard look at racism, classism, and sexism, the opportunities that are denied to people based on the circumstances of their birth, and the stigma and double-standards around abuse. It is by no means a comfortable read. Some chapters will tear at your heart or make you squirm but they're absolutely worth reading as they'll raise important topics of discussion and consideration for teen readers.

More information: Hurricane Summer releases May 4. As a part of the blog tour, I'm pleased to also be able to provide for you an excerpt from this compelling novel.

 

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Garden gnome

 I have a fondness for off-kilter decor. The weirder the better, as far as I'm concerned. And that tends to mean that I am gifted with weird decor kits. Like this garden gnome I got for Christmas.

With warmer weather on the way, it felt like the perfect weekend to paint my gnome. This is the color scheme I came up with.

 
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Book review - Magic at Midnight

 

Title: Cinders and Sparks - Magic at Midnight

Author: Lindsey Kelk

Genre: fantasy/retelling

Similar books: Moldylocks and the Three Beards by Noah Z Jones

                     The Spell Thief by Tom Percival

Rating:

 

a fairly inventive version of a familiar tale

Summary (provided by publisher): Cinders isn’t supposed to know how to do magic. Her dog, Sparks, isn’t supposed to talk. And they’re definitely not supposed to go to the fancy palace ball....
But with a fairy godmother named Brian, do we really think that’s going to stop them?

My opinion: I'll read most any re-imagining of a fairy tale, so I've read countless versions of Cinderella. Most of them don't stray as far from the original story as this one does. Kelk has made a few seemingly simple changes, but they have significant effects on the plot. Cinders is not the perfect picture of femininity we typically see. She's fond of playing outside, often messy and dissheveled. It is this tendency that has cause her stepmother to mistreat her. The bigger change, though, is the magic. Because Cinder doesn't just wish. She makes magic happen. As a result, the plot extends well beyond the ball and being reunited with the prince. Her ability to do magic opens up the plot to discussing societal and inter-generational prejudice. It's not too serious, rooted far more in humor than in serious exploration of messaging. Still, a fun read.

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Non-fiction book review - We Are Still Here

 

We Are Still Here by Traci Soreil

 We tend to be taught about Native Americans not as a part of living culture but as history. We learn about treaties, "sales" of land, and a few key battles, but little else. This book takes the form of a few key terms, what they mean in history, and how they are still affecting people now. This is by no means a comprehensive exploration of Native American cultures. It could easily serve as a starting point for a more in depth conversation or study of history and modern culture.

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Book review - It Doesn't Take a Genius

 

Title: It Doesn't Take a Genius

Author: Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Just Like Me by Nancy J Cavanaugh

                     The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert

Rating:

 

a good one to start a discussion

Summary (provided by publisher): Emmett and his older brother Luke have always been "Batman and Robin," though they're quick to bicker about who's who. Spending the summer at a historic Black summer camp seems like a wonderful adventure for the two to share, but since Luke is there as a junior counselor, he seems to spend all of his time being everyone else's big brother, and ignoring Emmett.
As Luke seems to be moving on to new adventures, Emmett struggles in unexpected ways, especially in swim class and the "It Takes A Village" entrepreneurship class. Without his brother to turn to for support, Emmett works to build a new crew of "superfriends," who'll help him plan something spectacular for the end-of-camp awards night and celebration. Along the way, Emmett learns that no matter what, there can be many ways to define family.

My opinion: At the start, I was not much of a fan of this book. I found Emmett's self-centered and self-aggrandizing behavior hard to swallow, even if it is typical of middle grade kids. We can see how his choices are making his situation much worse than it needs to be. As the plot went on, though, I began to see how Emmett was going to grow, the realizations that were ahead for him. He learns to define himself outside of Luke, outside of being a debater and a "genius". He has to risk ruining everything to move forward. That's all pretty standard middle grade messaging. It doesn't stop there, though. Through the camp setting, Emmett and his peers have real conversations about race, the expectations of Black exceptionalism, the views of their own families and of society. Their conversations aren't oversimplified and don't give easy answers. These conversations aren't about coming up with answers but rather about being willing to have the discussion at all, to think critically about society.That alone makes this an excellent choice for book clubs, environments where readers are open to sincere discussion and deep critical thinking.

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Book review - Red, White, and Whole

 Title: Red, White, and Whole

Author: Rajani LaRocca

Genre: verse novel

Similar books: A Thousand Questions by Saadia Faruqi

                      Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai

Rating:

 

a solid read

Summary (provided by publisher): Reha feels torn between two worlds: school, where she’s the only Indian American student, and home, with her family’s traditions and holidays. But Reha’s parents don’t understand why she’s conflicted—they only notice when Reha doesn’t meet their strict expectations. Reha feels disconnected from her mother, or Amma, although their names are linked—Reha means “star” and Punam means “moon”—but they are a universe apart.
Then Reha finds out that her Amma is sick. Really sick.
Reha, who dreams of becoming a doctor even though she can’t stomach the sight of blood, is determined to make her Amma well again. She’ll be the perfect daughter, if it means saving her Amma’s life.

My opinion: For the average reader, this books starts out with two strikes against it: an historical setting and the verse novel format. With both of these elements we have to ask ourselves if they're really necessary. Regarding the format, it's a largely emotional journey. Reha's story is one of finding her place in the world. She's between cultures, doesn't completely fit in with her American peers but too far removed from her parents' culture to feel like she truly belongs there. Trying to live up to their expectations and understand their influences. Since most of the plot is focused on her emotions, the verse format is the best one for this book. Now, it's set in the 90's. With an historical setting that recent it can feel unnecessary. The differences are subtle but important, mostly related to connections. Reha's family is divided by distance. Communication takes time, making them more isolated from literal family and thus crating family and community wherever they can. For this particular story the 90's setting makes sense, though it may be harder for young reader to understand. This may be a tough read for middle graders but it's worth the effort.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Graphic Novel Spotlight - Save it For Later

 

Save it for Later by Nate Powell

Most of us will be familiar with Powell from his work on the March trilogy. This book is certainly different from March, though it shares some of the same bones. Best described as a collection of personal essays, Save it for Later has Powell reflecting on politics and parenting in the modern era. He struggles with how to explain what is happening in the world to his young children, balancing honesty with allowing them the innocence of childhood, teaching them to become responsible citizens. And he does not claim to have any answers. Each chapter is as much about his dilemmas as it is about what he and his wife told their daughters. The heavy use of darkness and shadow in the art reflects his personal struggles. It's not a casual read but definitely one worth visiting. 

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Non-fiction book review - Wilderness Adventure Camp

 

Wilderness Adventure Camp by Frank Grindrod

I like that these directions aren't reduced in the name of excess caution. The idea is that a kid who is old enough to look for these sorts of directions is old enough to be trusted to use a knife and safely start a fire. Not that thees directions are given haphazardly. There are copious safety warnings. It's just better to give a kid complete, safe directions, than to leave them to experiment unaided. While not every subject is covered in depth, Grindrod gives primary focus on basic survival skills: recognizing and carrying what you need, finding clean water, building a survival shelter. Give this book to kids who want to go camping beyond a campground.  

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Book review - Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry

 

Title: Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry

Author: Joya Goffney

Genre: romance

Similar books:  This Train is Being Held by Ismee Amiel Williams

                      The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle

Rating:

 

substance behind the obvious

 

Summary (provided by publisher): Quinn keeps lists of everything—from the days she’s ugly cried, to “Things That I Would Never Admit Out Loud” and all the boys she’d like to kiss. Her lists keep her sane. By writing her fears on paper, she never has to face them in real life. That is, until her journal goes missing . . .
Then an anonymous account posts one of her lists on Instagram for the whole school to see and blackmails her into facing seven of her greatest fears, or else her entire journal will go public. Quinn doesn’t know who to trust. Desperate, she teams up with Carter Bennett—the last known person to have her journal—in a race against time to track down the blackmailer.
Together, they journey through everything Quinn’s been too afraid to face, and along the way, Quinn finds the courage to be honest, to live in the moment, and to fall in love.

My opinion: Let's be honest: I don't exactly love this book, though I do like it more than I expected. The love story element is exactly what we expect. Quinn and Carter hate each other but that hatred is built on assumptions and is covering up attraction. Having to work together forces them to face their true feelings, etcetera etcetera. The mystery of the blackmailer is pretty straightforward as well. And I found Quinn to be not entirely sympathetic. She's pretty self-centered and her lies are stressful (not to mention hard to believe - how was she going to explain away her fake acceptance letter?). Two things make me give this book a second thought. 1) The resolution isn't all smooth and happily ever after. It's a way forward, the notion that once you face the things that have troubled you there is a potential for things to get better. 2) There are bigger issues addressed. Race and financial privilege are interwoven into the plot. They don't get a lot of page space but they are essential elements that affect the love story and the character's friendships.

More information: Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry releases May 4.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

More interesting shoes

 I bought some shoes for cheap. On their own, they were fine. Just a little boring.

I figured I'd give them a bit of an update. I had a little bit of multi-surface paint left over from another project, so I used it to make these shoes a bit more dynamic.

Book review - The Murder Game

 

Title: The Murder Game

Author: Carrie Doyle

Genre: Mystery

Similar books: Scared Little Rabbits by A.V. Geiger

                      The Girl in the Picture by Alexandra Monir

Rating:

 

definitely not my favorite

Summary (provided by publisher): What if your best friend and roommate killed a teacher at your prep school? Or what if he didn’t do it, but he’s being framed, and you’re the only person who can save him? What if you aren’t sure which it is?
Luke Chase didn’t mean to get caught up solving the mystery of Mrs. Heckler’s murder. He just wanted to meet up with the new British girl at their boarding school, and if that meant sneaking out to the woods after hours, then so be it.
Little did he know someone would end up dead right next to their rendezvous spot, and his best friend and roommate Oscar Weymouth would go down for it. With suspects aplenty and a past that’s anything but innocent, Luke Chase calls on his famous survival skills to solve the mystery and find the true killer. With plenty of suspects, Luke will need to use all his skills to solve the mystery and find the true killer.

My opinion: I frankly don't understand the fixation on boarding schools in teen fiction. They don't reflect the experience of most readers. Is it aspirational? In the case of this book, the school has a lot of rules and supervises students more than is typical of these stories. That means that this book could as easily have taken place in any small town, no boarding school needed. I could accept the setting if the mystery were more compelling. But we don't meet the victim before her death. We have no emotional connection to her, or to any of the characters really. There are no stakes in the mystery. And while the police are not shown as useless (a frequent problem in novels) their plan is needlessly convoluted. On the whole, this one didn't make enough sense to me.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Pick 6: grief

 I'm always interested to see how novels treat sensitive topics. They explore an issue like grief from a number of perspectives. Here are six novels written in the last six months that have grief as a central issue.

Six new novels about grief:

1. The Sea in Winter by Christine Day
2. Many Points of Me by Carline Gertler
   
3. Just Like That by Gary D Schmidt
4. Wider Than the Sky by Katherine Rothschild
5. Bump by Matt Wallace
6. Bruised by Tanya Boteju
   

Non-fiction book review - The Magic of Sleep

 

The Magic of Sleep by Vicky Woodgate

Most of us don't put much thought into the science of sleep. We are told that it is vital to our physical and mental health but that's typically the extent of it. Woodgate goes much further, presenting us with a wide collection of facts about sleep in humans and in animals: the how, sh where, and even who. All of these facts are accompanied by explanatory illustrations featuring a charming cat. A fun book to flip through.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - What Beauty There Is

 

Title: What Beauty There Is

Author: Cory Anderson

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Some Kind of Animal by Maria Romasco-Moore

                      Bad Call by Stephen Wallenfels

Rating: 

 

doesn't quite live up to its literary aspirations

Summary (provided by publisher): To understand the truth, you have to start at the beginning.
Winter in Idaho. The sky is dark. It is cold enough to crack bones.
Living in harsh poverty, Jack Dahl is holding his breath. He and his younger brother have nothing—except each other. And now Jack faces a stark choice: lose his brother to foster care or find the drug money that sent his father to prison.
He chooses the money.
Ava Bardem lives in isolation, a life of silence. For seventeen years her father, a merciless man, has controlled her fate. He has taught her to love no one. Now Victor Bardem is stalking the same money as Jack. When he picks up on Jack’s trail, Ava must make her own wrenching choice: remain silent or speak, and help the brothers survive.
Choices. They come at a price.

My opinion: This is a story largely reminiscent of The Lovely Bones, though this one is a bit more pedestrian. We have poverty, drugs, and the constant struggle for survival. Jack's struggle to keep himself and his brother alive and out of the system, his dilemma about the drug money, would be enough to make this compelling. But Anderson adds in romantic entanglement, constant action, and some needlessly graphic gore. While the story was initially interesting, I found it tiresome as the book progressed and the criminals played a larger role in the plot. Criminals who were more parodies than complex characters.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Sweatshirt

 I found this crewneck sweatshirt on clearance, so I figured why not give it some personality. Digging through my craft supplies, I found some iron-on gemstones that seemed perfect.

Picture books for everyone

 

This Book Can Read Your Mind by Susannah Lloyd

Interactive picture books are a great way to get kids of a wide variety of ages engaging with the text. This one encourages a great deal of silliness. Starting with a simple suggestion, thinking of elephants, each page takes it a step further with the scientist warning us not to think of a thing that would make it sillier. Careful readers will note how the scientist becomes visibly flustered with each change. The illustrations are in a muted color palate, further softened by the lack of black outlines.

More information: This Book Can Read Your Mind releases April 20. 

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