What Can(t) Wait, by Ashley Hope Perez

by Ashley Hope Perez
Carolrhoda LAB
978-0-7613-6155-8
Review copy from publisher.

"Another day finished, gracias a Dios."

Seventeen-year-old Marisa's mother has been saying this for as long as Marisa can remember. Her parents came to Houston from mexico. They work hard, and they expect Marisa to help her familia. An ordinary life - marrying a neighborhood guy, working, having babies - ought to be good enough for her.

Marisa hears something else from her calc teacher. She should study harder, ace the AP test, and get into engineering school in Austin. Some days, it all seems possible. On others, she's not even sure what she wants.

When her life at home becomes unbearable, Marise seeks comfort elsewhere - and suddenly neither her best friend nor boyfriend can get through to her. Caught between the expectations of two different worlds, Marisa isn't sure what she wants - other than a life where she doesn't end each day thanking God it's over.

We are seeing some great debut novels this year, and this one certainly ranks right up there. We picked it up to read during our lunch hour, and ended up sneaking time to read all afternoon until we had finished it. It wasn't next in line to get reviewed, but we can't wait to get it into our teens' hands!

There are so many situations in this book that we see lived out here every day - the cultural clashes, pregnant teens, and mostly the difficulty of breaking a family cycle. It can seem so easy to outsiders, who don't understand why young men and women keep making the 'wrong' choices. Perez shows us that things aren't as easy or as black and white as they seem. No preaching here, an authentic voice teens will appreciate, and a realistic but satisfying ending. We give it a

5 out of 5.

Virals, by Kathy Reichs

Razorbill
978-1-59514-342-6
Copy borrowed from library.

Another book saved by the lunch hour. We are physically incapable of just sitting and eating, we must be sitting and eating with a book in hand. Every once in a while we, miraculously, don't have any errands to run during our lunch hour. We settle in to our seat in the lounge with lunch and a book and a don't-bug-me-until-12:59 expression.

Sometimes, the book we have grabbed doesn't live up to our first impression. We might normally set it aside, but that would mean either a) not having anything to read, or b) having to waste precious minutes finding another book. Neither is acceptable, so we usually push on.

At first, it looked like Virals was going to hit several of our Top Ten from yesterday. This could easily have gone afoul of the lack-of-science pet peeve, as well as the extraneous romantic figures. There was also a pet peeve we didn't mention: irritating speech patterns. Not so much when Tory is talking, but when she is narrating nearly every other paragraph ends with a funny 'aside'. Which stops being funny after the tenth time.

Fortunately, our mild irritation and pessimism did not last as long as lunchtime, and we were intrigued enough by the end of the hour to take the book home - and then hooked enough to stay up and finish it. The science was just vague enough to be reasonably plausible - yes, diseases can certainly be mutated, although we don't know of any that cause the host to take on other species' characteristics. Some of the characters were  right out of a stock file - we did not believe in Hannah at all, sorry, and both Jason and Chance were cardboard cutouts - but what looked like an obvious love/hate relationship at first did not materialize, for which we are grateful. Yes, there were romantic interests, but they existed to move the plot in a certain direction.

The ending held a few surprises for us, mostly in what didn't happen. We thought a certain dead person wasn't really dead and was still controlling things, for example. Looks like he's pretty much dead. Of course, there are still plenty of loose ends to make a sequel obvious. Will the character who lost it at the end return to take up where, ah...another character left off? Will that person want revenge? (Trying to avoid spoilers here!) What is Whitney's deal? Why is she with Kit? Is there a point to the whole debutante thing, or is Reichs just throwing that in because she thinks it will appeal more to teenage girls? Oh, that does bring up another pet peeve avoided - minimal descriptions of clothing, also much appreciated.

We haven't read Reich's adult novels, but we know they are popular. As her first foray into YA fiction, she seems to be feeling her way about. We recommend a sounding board of actual teens and YA bloggers for her next attempt - this series has good potential, if it can avoid some common pitfalls-slash-stereotypes. We give this first one a

3 out of 5.

Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage “sci-philes” who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.



As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot–if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer’s scent.

Fortunately, they are now more than friends– they’re a pack. They are Virals.

We Hear the Dead, by Dianne K. Salerni

by Dianne K. Salerni
Sourcebooks, Inc.
978-1-4022-3092-9
Copy received from publisher for Cybils consideration.

Maggie:

I began the deception when I was too young to know right from wrong. Only with the passing of time did I come to understand the consequences of my actions.

Kate:

I do not believe that I have ever intentionally deceived anyone. Maggie has a different understanding of the events that have happened. To her the spirits were always a game. For me they were my life's calling. I have no regrets.

It starts as a harmless prank...then one lie quickly grows into another. Soon Kate and Maggie Fox are swept into a dizzying flurry of national attention for their abilities to communicate with the dead. But living a lie is sometimes too much to handle, even if you have the best intentions. Based on a true story, We Hear the Dead reveals how secrets and lies can sometimes lead you to what's real and what's right. And how sometimes talking with the dead is easier than talking with the people around you.

We had heard of the Fox sisters and were vaguely aware of their roles in the rise of spiritualism, but didn't know many specifics of their life story. There were times when we itched to hit the internet and find out how much of the story was historically accurate, but we didn't want to ruin the ending for ourselves. Of course, a little foreshadowing gave away the basic parts, but we wanted to let the details unfold by themselves. We were not disappointed, and the story held our interest to the end.

The topic of teens getting caught in a web of lies is not a new one to YA fiction, but the end result here is a bit different. There is no huge disastrous event where the heroine is caught in her lies, followed by a chapter or two in which she must make amends and regain everyone's trust, having learned her lesson and repented. In other words, this story is a bit more realistic (go figure, since it's based on a true one!) There is some exploration of whether some lies are better than others, or why they might be seen that way. Differing viewpoints are given on the same subjects, leaving it to the readers to make up their own minds. The girls' deception leads to both positive and negative consequences, and again the readers will have to decide which outweighs the other.

A note about the cover. While it does catch they eye and convey the sense of charlatanry (is that a word?), there is no way Maggie or Kate, as they are portrayed in the book, would have been allowed to dress like that. Kate is constantly put forth to the public as an innocent girl, Maggie as demure and ladylike. The brown roots showing through the red hair are, artistically, a nice way to illustrate looking beneath the surface, but again, this does not match up with either sister.

A very nice first novel, and we are adding Salerni to our list of authors to watch.

4 out of 5.

Draw the dark, by Ilsa J. Bick

by Ilsa J. Blick
Carolrhoda Lab
978-0-7613-5686-8

 

"The things I draw: They tend to die."

There are things the people of Winter, Wisconsin, would rather forget. The year the Nazis came to town, for one. That fire, for another. But what they'd really like to forget is Christian Cage.

Seventeen-year-old Christian's parents disappeared when he was a little boy. Ever since, he's drawn obsessively: his mother's face...her eyes...and what he calls "the sideways place," where he says his parents are trapped. Christian figures if he can just see through his mother's eyes, maybe he can get there somehow and save them.

But Christian also draws other things. Ugly things. Evil things. Dark things. Things like other people's fears and nightmares. Their pasts. Their destiny.


There's one more thing the people of Winter would like to forget: murder.

But Winter won't be able to forget the truth, no matter how hard it tries. Not as long as Christian draws the dark...

If you are looking for a good spooky/creepy/chilling story with more than a bit of mystery, this one should do the trick! The book begins with Christian waking from a bizarre dream and discovering that overnight he has not only apparently painted some strange things on the wall of his room, but over the entire side of a barn across town, which he has never even seen before. The pace and the strangeness do not slow down from here on out.
 
Christian has the ability to literally "draw out" people's deepest fears. After some early incidents ended in disaster, he tries to avoid using this ability, but is finding he no longer has any control of it. Toss in some good character development, historical tidbits we weren't aware of (we stopped in the middle to look up POW camps in America), and enough mysteries and twists to make your head spin, and you have something for everyone!
 
We give it a 5 out of 5.

Father of Lies by Ann Turner

by Ann Turner
HarperTeen
978-0-06-137085-4

Truth or Lies?

  

Lidda knew, with a clarity that was like a candle in a dark room, that all had changed; something was loosed in the village—Devil or not—and they would pay for it, every last man, woman, and child.

Fourteen-year-old Lidda has always known she was different. She longs to escape Salem Village and its stifling rules—to be free to dance, to sing, to live as she chooses. But when a plague of accusations descends on the village and witch fever erupts, L idda begins to realize that she feels and sees things that others can't, or won't. But how will she expose the truth without being hung as a witch herself?

There were many books ahead of this one in the queu, but we were intrigued enough by the author's note to start it right away:

"The opinions about Native Americans expressed in this novel only reflect the historical record and not this author's beliefs. They are important to understanding this period.In Chapters Nineteen and Twenty-Seven, some of the responses in the witch trials are taken directly from the historical transcripts of the trials."

Because of our patronage and some personal relationships, we have become more sensitive in recentyears to the way Native Americans are portrayed in children's literature. Much has been made lately of the portrayal of African Americans in books like Huckleberry Finn, with little said about similar treatment of characters like Injun Joe. It can be a difficult balance when writing historical fiction - you want the readers to come away with a balanced view of whatever culture you are portraying, but at the same time it would be incredibly unrealistic for all the characters in, say, a book set around the building of the railroads to be polite and respectful to the Chinese workers. In other words, the reader needs to see what many of your characters don't.

Truthfully, there is very little mention of Native Americans at all in the book, and it comes in the form of comments you would expect from the townspeople of that time - (from an 'afflicted' girl) "I vow the Devil was tall, dark, and wicked looking, like our enemies the Indians, with an evil heart inside." At the start of the book, we meet Tituba, the slave born in Barbados. She appears to cultivate an air of mystery and magic, seeming to know what Lidda is thinking, but as readers we can see that it could just as easily be keen observation skills and knowledge of human nature. Lidda envies her free spirit and refers to her in her thoughts as a friend, while most people, her parents included, regard her with suspicion and distaste.

We don't get to know many of the characters, except through Lidda's interactions with them. While this keeps them rather two-dimensional, it is a matter of character development and not stereotyping. Lidda is the only character we get to know, but since the book is mostly about her internal struggles (which the author's note implies may have been the result of bipolar disorder), that is not a huge issue. Readers may be confused as to whether they are supposed to root for or against the mysterious Lucien, all the way to the end of the book. Since many readers will already be quite familiar with the Salem witch trials and how they played out, this struggle and mystery offer a fresh perspective. Give this one to any teenage (or preteen) girls interested in the subject, or in historical fiction.

We give it a 4 out of 5.

Bruiser, by Neal Shusterman

Harper Teen
978-0-06-113408-1

 

Tennyson:
Don't get me started on the Bruiser. He was voted "Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty" by the entire school. He's the kid no one knows, no one talks to, and everyone hears disturbing rumors about. So why is my sister, BrontË, dating him? One of these days she's going to take in the wrong stray dog, and it's not going to end well.

BrontË:
My brother has no right to talk about Brewster that way—no right to threaten him. There's a reason why Brewster can't have friends—why he can't care about too many people. Because when he cares about you, things start to happen. Impossible things that can't be explained. I know, because they're happening to me.

Have we mentioned that we hate predictable? There are so many great books out there. When we get the chance to sit down and read something, we want to feel it was worthy of being chosen over all the others, and not wasting time we could be spending with another book. If we can guess the ending three pages in, it feels like a waste of our time to actually read the middle part.

We have never had that problem with Shusterman, so when we figured out VERY early on what Bruiser's 'secret' is, we were surprised. Fortunately, the story was compelling enough, and we had enough faith in Shusterman to continue.

Within a few chapters the other MCs figure things out, and it becomes clear the mystery is not the point of the story. Whew! This is more a story of friendship and sacrifice, of taking the easy way out of difficult situations, and how not letting things come to their natural conclusions can steal something from you in the end.

While Bruiser and his special abilities are a thing of fantasy, some of the general premises are very real, and could make for some thought-provoking discussion. This one may be a good pick for a high school classroom - just edgy enough to capture the reluctant readers, not so complicated as to turn them off, distinct voices presented in different fashion, and of course plenty to discuss and apply to 'real life'. We give it a

4 out of 5.

Across the Universe, by Beth Revis

by Beth Revis
Razorbill
978-1-59514-397-6
Borrowed from Library

 

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Note to publishers: if you are going to put a whole lot of hype into a book pre-publication, you need to make sure the book will live up to said hype.

"Across the Universe" was widely anticipated after the release last year of what was called by some "the best first chapter ever." In it, Amy watches her parents being cryogenically frozen so they can participate in a space mission, then has to struggle with the decision to join them or remain with her boyfriend on earth. She chooses to go with them, but as she is being frozen, overhears some comments that tell us all is not as it appears with this trip.

We were just as intrigued by this beginning as everyone else, immediately made an order card and waited anxiously to get our flippers on a copy.

Hrm. Nothing quite like book let-down. It's not TERRIBLE, it's just...not that good. We are going to mention a few of our issues with it, but we can't do it without spoilers - so if you want to form your own opinion first, stop here. If you have read it and disagree with us, feel free to call us morons in the comments:)

1. World building. Pretty important for a dystopian novel, and we just didn't feel it. Too many things we were supposed to just accept, which would only work if we were drinking the same water. (That will make sense if you have read the book.)

2. Characters. Okay, we can forgive a vague background if the characters are real and compelling. Oops. Let's take Elder, for example. He was bred and raised to be the future leader of the entire ship, but he's a dunce. Totally clueless in so many ways. Then a pretty red-head comes along and he suddenly sees all sorts of incongruities and begins questioning the way his entire society is set up, when he never had before? Sorry, not buying it. Eldest is supposed to be a control freak, yet completely ignores things that are taking away his control. Also pretty slow, in that he couldn't figure out who the bad guy was until the end.

3. Suspense. It's a mystery, right? So can we at least enjoy puzzling through the clues? Alas, no. We knew who the bad guy was the second we met him (and not just that he was a bad guy, but WHO he was). The water issue was obvious. Everything Elder discovered that shocked him was hinted at so much beforehand, it just made him look even more obtuse. (Are you sure you are taking those inhibitors, Elder?)

Final kiss of death, our teen - who loved the cover and couldn't wait to get it next - didn't finish it. She NEVER not-finishes a book! We can't even recommend this to younger sci-fi fans who may not be savvy enough yet to pick up on the clues, because some of the scenes are definitely not going to be appropriate for the younger audience. A shame, because the premise was great, and the beginning intrigued. With a little lot more editing, this could have been the masterpiece it promised to be. For that reason, we will be watching for Revis's name in the future, in hopes that better things are to come.

More Cybils Mini-Reviews

Cybils is done! Well, our part of it, anyway. Sunday night, the Round 1 YA Fiction panelists met virtually and held a spirited, sometimes silly, sometimes frustrating (technology - gotta love it) discussion narrowing the 182 choices down to the top (insert much smaller number). It took almost five hours, mainly because we have seven very different panelists with very different tastes and perspectives - exactly what every judging panel needs, I think. At long last, we came up with our final list, which is...

Top secret! You didn't think I would really tell you, did you? Nope, you will have to wait until Saturday, when you can go to Cybils.com and watch the results from all the Round One panels as they are revealed throughout the day. Librarians, have your order cards ready, because these will be the best of the best! We all had favorites that didn't make the cut for whatever reason (sniff), so you know the ones that did had some pretty strong backing all around.

In the meantime, we can all now get back to actually BLOGGING about some of those great books. We turtles have been so busy reading (not to mention all that holiday stuff), we haven't had time to scribble out more than a few words for our typist. We hope to begin making up for that, and we'll start here with a few more mini-reviews of Cybils contenders:

by Natalie Standiford
Scholastic
978-0545107105

 

The Sullivan sisters have a big problem. On Christmas Day their rich and imperious grandmother gathers the family and announces that she will soon die . . .and has cut the entire family out of her will. Since she is the source of almost all their income, this means they will soon be penniless.
Someone in the family has offended her deeply. If that person comes forward with a confession of her (or his) crime, submitted in writing to her lawyer by New Year's Day, she will reinstate the family in her will. Or at least consider it.
And so the confessions begin....

We confess we were hoping for some secrets a bit darker and more shocking, but what we got was entertaining enough. We also toyed with the idea that grandma didn't know squat, and was just fishing for dirt. We won't say how right or wrong we were on that, let's just say everybody learned something new, and we don't necessarily mean a moral lesson! No, there wasn't much remorse except in getting caught, and not a lick of character development. But, still a fun, light read. We give it a

3 out of 5.

by Eliot Schrefer
Scholastic
978-0545165747

Abby Goodwin is sure her sister Maya isn't a murderer. But her parents don't agree. Her friends don't agree. And the cops definitely don't agree. Maya is a drop-out, a stoner, a girl who's obsessed with her tutor, Jefferson Andrews...until he ends up dead. Maya runs away, and leaves Abby following the trail of clues. Each piece of evidence points to Maya, but it also appears that Jefferson had secrets of his own. And enemies. Like his brother, who Abby becomes involved with...until he falls under suspicion.

Is Abby getting closer to finding the true murderer? Or is someone leading her down a twisted false path?

Nice, dark mystery with enough plot twists and red herrings to keep readers guessing to the end. Most teens will love every bit of it. How far should Abby go to protect her sister? What - or who - should she be willing to sacrifice? What, ultimately, is the truth? Be prepared for some loud outbursts when readers get to the ending. We give it a

4 out of 5.

by Watt Key
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
978-0374308636

Hal is no saint, and has some time to serve in a high-security boys' home. His plan is to keep his head down and stay out of trouble, so he can get out as soon as possible and rebuild his life with his father. Everything seems stacked against him, though, from the two gangs trying to force him to choose sides, to the warden who has no interest in letting any of his charges leave early.

A companion to Alabama Moon, which we hadn't read - and didn't need to. This one stands just fine on its own, although we will be going back to read Alabama Moon soon. A powerful story that sucks you in quickly, we became extremely frustrated with the trap Hal found himself in. Teens are usually quick to protest injustice, and this book is sure to get them riled up. We would have given in to despair early on, but Hal has more strength than we expect. This would make a great class read - if you have a supportive administration and parents! We give it a

5 out of 5.

by Mary Jane Beaufrand
Little, Brown and Company
978-0-316-041683
Review copy from publisher for Cybils consideration.

Veronica Severance feels cut off from the world. Forced to move from the city to rural Oregon with her parents, she is haunted by loneliness and by the chilling sounds of the Santiam, the river that runs through her backyard.
Through the fog of isolation, Ronnie finds herself becoming close with Karen, a young girl who she babysits. But when she discovers Karen's body on the banks of the Santiam, the victim of a supposed accident, Ronnie feels compelled to uncover the truth.
As she becomes increasingly obsessed with solving Karen's death, Ronnie is led deeper and deeper into the woods surrounding the river and to the dark secret hidden within its midst.

Haunting. Compelling. Edge-of-your-seat reading. How many cliche terms could we come up with to describe this book? Probably a lot more! Fortunately, a) they are all true, and b) the book itself is anything but a cliche. Along with a good murder mystery, we have some fantastic character development and skillful writing.

Ronnie represents any of a million teens who find themselves suddenly out of their element, but never becomes a stereotype. She isn't thrilled about the move, but isn't so whiny and self-centered that she fails to see how it really was a good thing for her family. Despite being the girl from the 'big city', we discover she isn't quite as streetwise as some of her new friends. Readers might be able to see things a bit faster than she does, but it just doesn't seem important. We are drawn into her character, and perfectly content to experience things right along with her.

Other characters and the area itself are portrayed just as vividly, with more showing than telling (for which we are eternally grateful, after some of the describe-every-outfit books we have been forced to read lately). The atmosphere itself seems to become a character at times. This is a book that stays with you for a while, although you may not be able to put your finger on exactly why. We give it a

5 out of 5.

Mini Reviews and Some Miscelleneous Notes

First, a big thank-you to our Blogger Secret Santa for the book and bookmark! We are looking forward to digging into the book once Cybils is over, and everyone wants the bookmark:)

Second, to the lady suing McDonald's:
a) It's not McDonald's fault if you can't say no to your children. Please work on your parenting skills before they become teenagers.
b) You can buy the toy without buying the Happy Meal.
c) An occasional Happy Meal will not hurt your kids anyway.
d) The toys aren't even advertised on commercials, so if your kids are pointing and asking for them, you must ALREADY BE AT MCDONALD'S.

Pick any of the above as a reason to stop wasting the courts' time.

Moving on, then! So many great books read lately, and just not enough time to give each a full review, so here are a few with a blurb or two about why you may want to pick them up:

by Lauren Strasnick
Simon Pulse
978-1416982654
Review copy from publisher for Cybils consideration

 This book was a pleasant surprise, as it did not sound at all like the type of book we would enjoy. We completely ached with Holly, and despite knowing these were some pretty bad choices she was making, we were right there with her in making them. We got so sucked into her character, we didn't even feel any remorse until she did. In the end, of course, we got slapped in the face with the no-man-is-an-island fallout, but were still left rooting for her and hoping life will work out.

When Holly loses her virginity to Paul, a guy she barely knows, she assumes their encounter is a one-night stand. After all, Paul is too popular to even be speaking to Holly...and he happens to have a long-term girlfriend, Saskia. But ever since Holly's mom died six months ago, Holly has been numb to the world, and she's getting desperate to feel something, anything—so when Paul keeps pursuing her, Holly relents. Paul's kisses are a welcome diversion...and it's nice to feel like the kind of girl that a guy like Paul would choose.

But things aren't so simple with Saskia around. Paul's real girlfriend is willowy and perfect... and nothing like Holly. To make matters worse, she and Holly are becoming friends. Suddenly the consequences of Holly's choices are all too real, and Holly stands to lose more than she ever realized she had.

by Pegi Deitz Shea
PM Press
978-1604861983
Review copy from publisher for Cybils consideration

 As with Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins, this book delves into the issue of child soldiers, but is an entirely different experience. The settings and conflicts, of course, are different, as well as the age of the characters. Abe's voice may seem more familiar to teens, even as he begins remembering things they have no experience with. While the writing is not as taut as Perkins', and some of the revelations don't come as complete surprises, it is still a worthwhile addition to any high school library.

 Portraying the pressures of teens to live a normal life while facing mental illness, this suspenseful young adult novel follows the journey of success-bound Abe, who struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A senior in high school, with a loving and wealthy adoptive family, Abe is on track for a big scholarship and an open future. Suddenly, horrific flashbacks rip him back to war-torn Africa, where five years previously he lost his mother, sister, friends, and almost his own life to torturous violence. During therapy, he uncovers even darker moments from his past that make him question how he survived. This action-filled thriller will open the eyes and hearts of teenagers to the lives of young people who have been exposed to profound violence around the world.

by Todd Mitchell
Candlewick
978-0763640842
Review from publisher for Cybils consideration

 

James was the guy no one noticed — just another fifteen-year-old in a small town. So when he gets into an academy for gifted students, he decides to leave his boring past behind. In a boarding school full of nerds and geeks, being cool is easy. All it takes is a few harmless pranks to invent a new James: fighter, rebel, punk. Everyone’s impressed, except for the beautiful "Ice Queen" Ellie Frost and the mysterious ghost44, an IM presence who sees through his new identity. But James is riding high, playing pranks and hooking up with luscious Jessica Keen. There’s just one thing awry: he’s starting to have vivid dreams of being a demon-hunting warrior, a thrill that is spilling over into dangerous and self-destructive acts while he’s awake. As he’s drawn deeper into his real-life lies and his dream-world conquests, James begins to wonder: What’s the price for being the coolest guy around?

This seems to be a "love it or hate it" kind of book. While we loved it, we concede that it is a bit of a strange book - especially the dream sequences. That part 'worked' for us, though, and we think it will work even better for teenage boys. This is another subject area (boys with possible mental/emotional issues) we don't see too much in YA literature, and this is solidly written enough to fill that niche nicely.

The Ghosts of Ashbury High by Jaclyn Moriarty

by Jaclyn Moriarty
Arthur A. Levine books
978-0545069724

Review copy received for Cybils consideration

This was one of the longest books we have ever read.

We don't mean by actual size, although it is a respectable 496 pages. We don't mean it's boring, either - it's quite intriguing, in fact. We mean it was long as in, there was so MUCH in it, we kept getting that nearing-the-end-of-the-story feeling, when it looks like things are going to be wrapped up tidily. Then we would realize there were still, say, a hundred pages to go.

Readers looking for a traditional ghost story will find the title misleading. Is there a ghost? Or more than one? Maybe. Sort of. Yes. No. There are many types of ghosts, you know? American teens may be put off at first by the format. Most of the book is written in the form of school essays and blog entries. One major essay assignment is supposed to be written in the style of old gothic novels, which leads to some very dramatic passages. Readers who aren't familiar with this style (or who don't bother to read the explanation) may wonder why everyone is suddenly so over the top. Once you get into the swing of things, however, the story draws you in to where you simply have to know what's going on - and don't even think of skipping to the end, you will just end up even more confused.

What amazed us about the book was how quickly the characters' voices became seperate in our minds. Each time the 'writer' changes, there is a heading with his or her name, but after a while we didn't need to read the heading to know who was talking. When your characters are all of similar ages and backgrounds, that can be hard to do, so a definite hats-off to Ms. Moriarty.

The way all the details come together (and at different intervals, not just the actual final ending) was also very well done. In the end (the actual final ending), things were wrapped up in nifty little packages, with some satisfying twists and a fair amount of humor. (The ghost! Who knew? We probably should have seen it, but...well, we didn't!) If nothing else, the whole book serves to remind us that we probably never see the whole picture on anything, and it's amazing how one tiny tidbit can completely reverse how we see any situation.

Do we recommend it? To individual readers, yes. If this description makes you intrigued rather than putting you off, you will probably love the book. To libraries? We're not sure. As we mentioned, fans of traditional ghost stories may not finish it. It's not a book for the masses. It is, however, a book for that small group of teens you have who want something outside the box, something that maybe takes a little effort and commitment from the reader, but promises great rewards at the end. If you are up to hand-selling it to those kids, and don't care if it doesn't get as many check-outs as Twilight, then by all means grab a copy! We give it a

4 out of 5.

Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins

Bamboo People
Mitali Perkins
Charlesbridge Publishing
978-1958089-328-2

Bang! A side door bursts open. Soldiers pour into the room. They're shouting and waving rifles. I shield my head with my arms. It was a lie! I think, my mind racing.

Girls and boys alike are screaming. The soldiers prod and herd some of us together and push the rest apart as if we're cows or goats. Their leader is a middle—aged man. He's moving slowly, intently, not dashing around like the others.

" Take the boys only, Win Min," I overhear him telling a tall, gangly soldier. "Make them obey."

This is still an area of current events many young people may not be familiar with, and whether as a private read or a class assignment, Bamboo People is an excellent way to bring them right to the heart of the conflict. In addition to the war in Burma, there are a myriad of other issues that could take hours of class discussion time.

Chiko isn't a fighter by nature. He's a book-smart Burmese boy whose father, a doctor, is in prison for resisting the government. When Chiko is forced into the army be trickery, he must find the courage to survive the mental and physical punishment meted out by the training faciliy's menacing captain.

Tu Reh can't forget the image of the Burmese soldiers buring his home and the bamboo fields of his oppressed Karenni people, one of the many ethnic minorities in Burma. Now living in a Karenni refugee camp on the Thai border, Tu Reh is consumed by anger and the need for revenge. He can't wait to join his father and the Karenni resistance in the effort to protect their people.

Chiko and Tu Reh's stories come to a violent intersection as each boy is sent on his first mission into the jungle. Extreme circumstances and unlikely friendships force each boy to confront what it means to be a man to his people.

The general attitude among some teens is still that being a soldier might be cool (and we do in fact think our American military members are pretty darn cool). Chiko's experiences, however, will take away quite a bit of the perceived glamour. And in a time when many young men - and women - are filled with feelings of anger and helplessness, it is Tu Reh's story in particular that may open a dialogue about what it in fact takes to be a man.

Perkins as usual conveys culture, politics, and history in such a way that readers never feel like they are being instructed. Characters are real and easy to empathise with from their first introduction. A must-have for any middle or high school library. We give it a

5 out of 5.

The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend, by Kody Keplinger

Kody Keplinger
Poppy
978-0316084239
Copy borrowed from library.
Cybils nominee.

 
Remember that episode of Average Joe, many moons ago, when the bachelorette was dressed in a fat suit and introduced to the bachelors as her own cousin? And while the guys were polite to her face (or ignored her completely), behind her back they said really awful things about her, and one guy went off on how she was obviously the DUFF - not knowing he was being taped, and that not only the bachelorette, but everyone in TV-land was watching and listening?

Not that we ever watched that show, of course. We just...er...heard about it.

At any rate, the guy that made the DUFF comment was summarily sent home, and to this day probably gets slapped upside the head by his grandmother on a regular basis. Because it's rude, right? It's really mean and awful and the guy made himself look like a jerk, right? Of course, he thought he was just talking to other like-minded guys. How much more of a jerk would he be if he, say, walked up to the 'cousin' and said all those things to her face?  And that, boys and girls, is how you paint one of your main characters as a complete and utter jerk in 100 words or less.

Because yes, that is what Wesley does. And then she kisses him. But later. But wait! Don't turn away in disgust, because this isn't a "gosh you're a jerk but you're so cute and I'm so worthless I can't help it" kiss, this is an angry, "I still hate you but that just makes it easier to use you" kiss. There's a difference, trust us. Sound complicated? It is! She is! And in case you've forgotten, high school is!

As much as we may hate some of the choices Bianca makes, we can't help becoming firmly entrenched on her side from the very start. She's a good person, a good friend, and by no means a doormat, but Wesley's "DUFF" comments have hit the heart of every teenage girl's insecurities. Every girl feels at some point that she is the weak link among her firends, that she is the one who doesn't measure up. Add in some serious problems at home, and who wouldn't want an escape of some sort?

Yes, we pretty much knew how it would all end, but we didn't care. We were happy with the ending. We were happy with the realistic characters and relationships. We were VERY happy with some of the insights that came to Bianca and her friends. And we are especially happy that turtles never really have to go through adolescence. We give it a

5 out of 5.

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.
But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.
Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly

by Tara Kelly
Henry Holt and Company
978-0-8050-9010-9

Sixteen-year-old, music- and sound design-obsessed Drea doesn’t have friends. She has, as she’s often reminded, issues. Drea’s mom and a rotating band of psychiatrists have settled on “a touch of Asperger’s.”

Having just moved to the latest in a string of new towns, Drea meets two other outsiders. And Naomi and Justin seem to actually like Drea. The three of them form a band after an impromptu, Portishead-comparison-worthy jam after school. Justin swiftly challenges not only Drea’s preference for Poe over Black Lab but also her perceived inability to connect with another person. Justin, against all odds, may even like like Drea.

It’s obvious that Drea can’t hide behind her sound equipment anymore. But just when she’s found not one but two true friends, can she stand to lose one of them?

A few posts back we talked about issues books - those that were centered around some sort of major issue faced by teens today. One of the big 'issues' that has been popular lately is autism or Asperger's Syndrome.

But, wait! This is not one of those! Yes, Drea is somewhere in the Aspergers spectrum, but we can say that just as we say she is a musician. Or that she has moved a lot. Or that her grandmother is crotchety. Oh, or that she is a teenager! All of those things are just a part of who she is, and while all of them contribute to her personality and struggles, none of them is the entire sum of who she is. That is just one of the many reasons we absolutely loved this book.

Kelly, in fact, says it even better in her author's note:

"I'd like to start off by saying that this book is not about defining Asperger's Syndrome (AS) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It's about one girl's story and experience - which I hope everyone (whether on the autistic spectrum or not) can relate to."

Teens can definitely relate to Drea's story - the struggle to make and keep friends, trying to fit in in a world that seems totally alien, first relationships, drugs, abuse, family problems, etc. Musicians will love the music aspect of the story, but non-musicians won't feel lost. And the cover! Doesn't that just make your hand automatically reach out to open it up and check the description?

Fantastic and refreshing addition to the YA shelves from yet another debut writer. We give it a

5 out of 5.

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else, by Erin McCahan

Erin McCahan

Arthur A. Levine Books

 978-0545088183

Borrowed from library, read for Cybils

Bronwen, as she tells us in her very first sentence, was switched at birth. She quickly goes on to tell us this is just a fantasy of hers, but...after meeting the rest of the family, her mother in particular, we have to ask...are you sure that's all it is? From eating habits to hair color (which her mother actually has her dye so it matches hers!), they couldn't be more different - and not in the "gosh, we're all different but we're just one big happy family" sort of way, but in the "what planet did you come from?" kind of way.

At any rate, Bronwen does not feel that she belongs in her current family, and we gradually get enough back story to understand that thoroughly. She remembers a time when things were better, and longs to be part of a close, open family once again. When Jared enters the picture and she is welcomed with open arms by his family, it looks like she will finally get what she has wanted. When he asks her to marry him, everything seems perfectly set up for her happily ever after.

Major shocker of the book: nobody is pregnant. Yes, we know, you just laughed, but think about it - how many YA books can you think of where a teenager gets married, and not only is nobody pregnant, but nobody is having sex? Nobody is a runaway, nobody is abused, there is no huge tragedy forcing them into marriage as the only option. Once they get over their surprise, the parents on both side are happy and supportive. Refreshing, isn't it?!

Of course, if everything worked out perfectly, this would be a really boring story. Instead, it works out realistically. Even really good, sensible plans can be far from perfect. Even being in love - really, truly in love - doesn't ensure a happy ending. And we. loved. the. ending.

We also loved the characters. Bronwen has a snappy wit and an intelligent, perceptive outlook. Jared is just dreamy, but not in an over-the-top unbelievable way (after their first date? The call? yeah, Miss Ami swooned.) There is some strong character development in Bronwen throughout the book, as while as the issues of family, communication, planning for the future, discovering a sense of self - all deep issues covered in a very light and easy read. Hand it to any teen (or adult!) girl you know (boys might enjoy it too, but wouldn't be caught dead holding a book with that cover.) We give it a strong

5 out of 5.

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin, by Josh Berk

by Josh Berk
Alfred A. Knopf
978-0-375-85699-0

Not only is this one of the Cybils nominees for young adult fiction, but has been tagged for a few other awards, including the Parents' Choice. What seems to be getting the most buzz is the cover - mostly negative buzz, unfortunately. Three tiny people walking? What does this mean, exactly? One looks vaguely worried, the other two are chipper. Not exactly attention-grabbing.



The paperback version, due out in June 2011, seems to address this issue - can we assume they will also address the misspelling?

So, then, what is it about? It is the story of Will (Hamburger is his IM name) Halpin, slightly overweight, hearing impaired, and attending public school for the first time. In addition to the usual issues of trying to fit in as the new guy, he has the added issues of being deaf in a school that cannot afford any sort of interpreter or closed captioning. Let's stop here for

Issue #1: Federal law states a school MUST provide what a child in special education needs in order to succeed in class, regardless of whether it fits in the school's budget or not. So, a little unrealistic there.

The big news at school is a birthday party in honor of the star quarterback, whose family is obscenely wealthy.

Issue #2: Why would a wealthy family send their child to an impoverished school?

Needless to say, Will and his new friend Devon (the second least popular kid at school) are not invited, but it really doesn't matter, because the star quarterback is pushed into a mine by...who? We now have a murder mystery which Devon is determined to solve a la Hardy Boys style (their code names are Frank and Chet). They enlist the help of Ebony, Will's smart and sassy former-sort-of-girlfriend from his old school. All sorts of secrets are uncovered before the somewhat-predictable murderer is revealed.

Issue #3: Many of these secrets are pretty heavy stuff. Very adult issues that are often dealt with by teens, unfortunately. Yet, the tone is never serious. It has been a while since we were in high school (our mascot was a snail), but we don't remember being so blase about tragic events. The voice of the characters made us feel like they were in middle school, watching some drama on the high school stage. A bit removed, more curious than concerned. Yes, Will is new to the school, and not personally vested in the murder victim, so that may explain some of it.

We do like Will. And Devon, and Ebony. Very distinct and fun characters with their own voices. Side characters were a bit one-dimensional, but that didn't hurt the story. Will's interactions with a variety of people in his life offer a good primer to anyone not at all familiar with the deaf community - you get a little bit of politics, some practical dos and don'ts, and a few "I never would have thought of it from that perspective"s.

At times this reminded us of Daniel Pinkwater in its sort of irreverent humor (which may also explain Issue #3). Not that Berk is as brilliant as Pinkwater, mind you, but he definitely shows promise (and he's a librarian - obviously a clever chap. Oops, slipping into Devon-speak there.) While we had a few problems with it, we enjoyed it on the whole, and give it a

4 out of 5.

Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots by Abby McDonald

Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots
Abby McDonald
Candlewick Press
978-0-7636-4382-9
Borrowed from library.

It's always nice when a character - and a book - find a balance. When we first meet Jenna, she is a die-hard leader of the Green Teens, loudly protesting her school's plans to sell off a field that may or may not contain a rare species of...grass. Her summer plans of interning with Earth Now go awry, and it looks like she will be stuck in a retirement community in Florida - but wait! Her hippie godmother Susie is rennovating a B&B up in Canada - surely she could use an extra pair of hands.

Canada! Lush forests, wildlife, cute boys in plaid: the perfect place for a young environmentalist. It goes without saying that everyone there will share her enthusiasm for protecting the environment at all costs, right?

Now, there's nothing wrong with dedicating yourself to a good cause, but...sometimes it's a good idea to have all the facts before you open your mouth. Jenna learns quickly - and painfully - that sometimes what you accuse your enemy of (like making decisions based on your own priorities without considering the faceless individuals they affect) becomes the exact thing you are doing yourself. Black and white becomes a little grey, first impressions have to be corrected on both sides, and Jenna is forced to examine which of her ideals are actually her own, and which she has just adopted out of a need to belong.

A fun read, with a little bit of thinking but not 'too much', we give it a

4 out of 5.

Amazon and The Karma Club

Okay, if you're on the internet and in the world of books at all, you are probably well aware of yesterday's uproar over a book Amazon was selling that was basically a how-to for pedophiles. After first responding that it was a matter of free speech, Amazon finally removed the book from their site.

We can argue until we are blue in the face (not a good color for turtles) about whether the book qualified as pornography or not, whether the rule of free speech extended to it or not, or whether censoring this book paves the way to censor anything offensive to anyone, but here's what we think in a nutshell: The whole Free Speech thing? Doesn't matter.

Now, don't get us wrong, we are not saying that free speech isn't important. What we are saying is that, in this case, it's not the issue. Amazon refusing to publish/sell something is not the same thing as a governmental entity making a law against it being published. It's entirely possible that a court could rule that Amazon, or anyone else, could legally publish this or any similar book. But, here's the thing:

Just because something is legal that doesn't make it right.

Hardly a new concept, we know, but it looks like it's something we all need to be reminded of at times. We're sure if you take a moment right now, you can think of a myriad of things that would be perfectly legal for you to do, but you don't do them. Why not? Because they are WRONG. It would be legal for one of us to, say, catch the eye of a passing child and say, "You know what? You are one ugly child." But we wouldn't do that! We recoil at the very thought! Why? Because it would be WRONG.

These days our society seems to have a hard time deeming anything 100 per cent wrong, for fear of offending someone. And yes, there are a million areas in which we are not all agreed, and probably never will be. But, pedophilia? Seriously? Do we really need to debate this?

Whether your sense of right and wrong comes from a holy book, a person, your family, an inner sense, or whatever, you have one. It is how you govern your actions, probably without thinking about it most of the time. You have a sense of right and wrong, Miss Ami has one, even we turtles have one, and, executives at Amazon, guess what? You have one, too. Use it. Don't hide behind a law or absence of one.

This rant came as we finished one of the Cybils nominees, The Karma Club by Jessica Brody. Now, before Ms. Brody has a heart attack, let us be quick to say there is no pedophilia in this book. It is not a horrid book that should be stricken from print - in fact, it is a very cute book, which should be purchased by librarians, because teens will enjoy it.

That being said, we had some issues with it that resemble parts of the above rant. Bear with us for a moment:

Madison and her friends are a bit disappointed with karma. All three have boyfriends who have done them wrong, and nothing bad seems to be happening to them in return. They decide to give karma a little help by making sure something bad does happen. Their escapades are funny, to the point where we read some out loud to coworkers. For a while, they are enjoying the sweet taste of revenge. Then, of course, things start to fall apart - bad things start happening to THEM, as an indirect result of the things they did to their exes.

Do they learn their lesson? Sort of. Maddy realizes that the better thing to do is perform good deeds, in order to build your good karma, and make good things happen to you. The end. We suppose, if your entire belief system is built around the concept of karma, this ending will suit you just fine.

However...anybody see where we are going with this? Is the risk of bad karma the only reason we shouldn't do horrible things to other people, possibly ruining their lives? Is the hope of good karma, i.e. our own personal reward, the only reason we should perform good deeds? Let's take one example from the story (major spoiler here, so feel free to stop reading):

Seth cheated on Jade. Bad Seth. That was a rotten thing to do. So, the girls set up a fake online dating profile for Seth, saying he prefers older women. Much older. When responses start pouring in, they set up 15 'dates' with women in their 40's, of course completely unbeknownst to Seth. Strange women start showing up and embarrassing him in front of his girlfriend, his buddies, his parents and grandparents. Soon he is the laughingstock of - well, everywhere - his girlfriend dumps him, his family no longer trusts him, you get the picture.

Okay, it was funny! It was really, really funny! Until you start thinking about all the other people - his parents and grandparents, mortified in public. All those poor women. The girlfriend. Did they deserve any of that? Did Seth even deserve the ruined relationships and public humiliation? Is it really the job of a teenage girl to decide if he does? If any of those questions had been addressed by the characters, we could have gone on enjoying the book, but they never occurred to them. The only reason why any of their actions were 'wrong' was because it caused them bad karma. That's it.

How about, they were wrong because they were wrong? Because turning into a vindictive little shrew is wrong? Because taking pleasure in the pain of others is wrong? Because thinking you have enough of the answers to play God in someone else's life is wrong?

We may be coming across a bit heavy-handed on what is, really, a cute, fun book overall. Maybe it's a reaction to the Amazon fiasco, but it's also partly disappointment in seeing that cute, fun book fall apart at the end. Do buy it. Do read it. Do pass it on to your teens. But, you may want to engage those teens in a discussion when they turn it back in, and see what they thought. We give it a

4 out of 5.

Cybils Mini-Reviews, or, We've Got Issues!

We're turtles. We don't have a lot of angst. Give us a sun light with some good UVB, feed us every other day, and we're pretty much set. Sure, Freaky, as the oldest, can be a bit bossy, and Squirt gets a little hyper, but that's about it.

Humans, on the other hand - whew! Teenagers, especially, seem to go through an awful lot in a few short years. Thank goodness, then, that there are some great books out there to help them get some perspective in the tough times! A huge number of the YA Fiction nominees for this year's Cybils are "issue books", and these are just a few of those we have read lately:

by Courtney Summers
St. Martin's Press
978-0-312-57380-5
Borrowed from Library

Miss Ami used to teach middle school, which she says is why you cannot shock her, scare her, or gross her out. She also says that she learned to take a boy fight over a girl fight any day. Girls are MEAN! The news has been full of stories about vicious bullying among teens. Nobody really likes a bully, so what happens when the tables are turned, and the bully becomes the victim? Serves her right, doesn't it? Doesn't it??

This was a fantastic book, so smoothly written and intense we read it in one sitting. Unfortunately, the situations, as well as the responses of both adults and other teens, were also very true to life. This would be a great classroom discussion book - be aware of violence (duh, it's about bullying) including sexual assault. We had a teeny issue with the ending, but it's not worth the potential spoiler to go into it. We still give it a

5 out of 5.

by Donna Freitas
Frances Foster Books
978-0-374-31472-9
Borrowed from Library

Abusive relationships are not a new issue for children's/young adult books, but we are not aware of many that touch on controlling relationships. Until we read this one, we didn't realize what a gap there was in literature, but it's definitely a pervasive problem in real life. Many abusive relationships start off with isolation, but even if the abuser never continues on to physical or sexual abuse, the mental/emotional damage can be just as great. This book gives an excellent (and riveting) illustration of how an intelligent young woman can be manipulated by a man in power.

The cover photograph was an excellent choice, but we wish the title wasn't splashed across it - it makes her seem more protected than trapped. Just a little thing, and we give this one another

5 out of 5.

by Elizabeth Scott
Simon Pulse
9781416978916

Borrowed from Library

This one didn't seem to realize it was an issue book. If you read the jacket flap, it's your basic love triangle - the MC is in love with her best friend's boyfriend. We expect a little more depth from Elizabeth Scott - seriously? An entire book about liking your best friend's boyfriend? Then we start getting to know Brianna, the best friend.

Let's see: 1. Sees everyone as all good or all bad. 2. Must have everyone's approval. 3. Great at making friends, not so good at keeping them, except for one person she is overly dependent on. 4. Reckless, impulsive behavior. 5. Skewed vision of self. Aha! Scott is going to talk about borderline personality disorder, an increasingly common problem that many people aren't aware of. Wonderful!

Um...no. It's just the love triangle thing. Brianna very obviously needs some help, but she not only doesn't get it, it is obvious she never will. And that doesn't seem to be an issue, either. Very disappointing conclusion, but may be useful in certain situations for discussion or what-could-he/she-have-done. We have to give it a

2 out of 5.

(But we still love Elizabeth Scott. Everybody is entitled to a miss.)

Cybils Mini-Reviews

The following are some of the YA Fiction nominees for the Cybils awards:

by Swati Avashti
Knopf Books for Young Readers
978-0375863400

When Jace finally stands up to his abusive father, he winds up with a rearranged face, on the doorstep of the brother he hasn't seen in years. His brother takes him in, but both have many demons to deal with resulting from the years of abuse - and a mother who is still trapped at home.

Powerful, realistic, exhausting, important. There isn't much more we could say without this becoming an inarticulate mess. Buy it. Read it. Not for the younger reader - several descriptions of horrifically violent scenes. We give it a

5 out of 5.

by April Lurie
Delacorte Press
978-0385736756

Noah seems to be making a small career out of rebelling against the image of his father, The Bible Answer Guy, becoming a minor juvenile delinquent. He befriends a homeless teen who happens to be gay, right at the time when someone is killing homeless gay teens and leaving Bible verses near their bodies.

The author has an obvious agenda, which isn't necessarily bad in and of itself, but she is a bit heavy-handed in delivering it. Noah's father is the only one who doesn't give some sort of sermon, and everyone except the bad guy comes to the same conclusion about homosexuality by the end. As a result, none of the characters comes fully to life as an individual person. If she did more showing than telling, she would be a bit more effective.

That being said, the mystery aspect was extremely well-done. We constantly found ourselves positive we had it all worked out, then changing our minds completely. At one point we decided the murderer was Noah's 9-year-old sister, simply because she was the only person we hadn't suspected (it wasn't her, btw). Definitely worth reading if you like thrillers, we give it a

3 out of 5.

by Varian Johnson
Delacorte Press
978-0385-738040

Main characters quetioning their religious beliefs seems to be big this year. In Saving Maddie, Joshua is the opposite of The Less-Dead's Noah, faithfully trying to live up to the expectations ofeveryone has for the preacher's son. When Maddie, a childhood friend, moves back into town, he is dismayed by how much she has changed. He initially sets out to "save" her, but discovers things aren't necessarily as black and white as he has always believed them to be, and Maddie may not want or need to be "saved" - at least, not in the way he thinks.

We liked this one more than we thought we would. The characters manage to shy away from stereotypes for the most part, and religion itself is not portrayed as all good or all bad. Maddie urges Joshua to decide for himself why he believes the things he does, but that doesn't translate into him suddenly changing his mind about everything he believes. Overall, just as the characters are allowed to make up (and change) their own minds about things, so is the reader. Oh, and did anyone pick up on the little stab at the old damaged rose illustration? Nicely done! We give it a

4 out of 5.