I thought Wendy Henrichs did a really great job in turning this brilliant and heart-warming Japanese legend into a picture book for children. I can no...moreI thought Wendy Henrichs did a really great job in turning this brilliant and heart-warming Japanese legend into a picture book for children. I can not imagine anyone who would not enjoy it! She managed to create a book, that is informative to the children without the didactic feeling of a textbook.
Speaking about the book, it's impossible not to mention gorgeous illustrations by Yoshiko Jaeggi, as they are an inseparable part of it. The details are breath-taking, soft and dreamy colors draw your attention to each illustration, making you not want to turn the page. Ms. Jaeggi is most definitely a brilliant and talented illustrator, I am looking forward to seeing more of her work. Her paintings of Sakura trees were absolutely phenomenal.
This review was originally posted to my blog: Evie@Bookish
This girl is Different is a debut YA novel by JJ Johnson. I got it in the mail just yesterda...moreThis review was originally posted to my blog: Evie@Bookish
This girl is Different is a debut YA novel by JJ Johnson. I got it in the mail just yesterday and was delighted with the way it looked. The cover art is beautiful, well-thought-out and it relates to the story inside in many ways. The texture of the dust cover and the way the pages are numbered are very unique and truly different from other YA books I've read so far.
The heroin of this story, seventeen-year-old Evie, is anything but ordinary teenager. Being home schooled by her counterculture mother, she never really experienced how public schools work, never had to put herself out there and try to become part of society, never even had to pick up a textbook and study from it. She's different than other girls (and boys) her age, she doesn't wear make-up, she lives in perfect harmony with the surrounding nature, she draws snakes and other animals and she builds scale models of cities, communities, villages and buildings. Evie and her mom seem to be very environmentally conscious, they get their electricity from solar panels, they grow their own vegetables, keep their own chickens and a cow, and they even bake their own bread at home.Their house is a geodesic Dome Home, which they built themselves. Obviously, not your typical American (or any other for that matter) family. Evie is a well-read girl with a strong moral spine and a pretty good idea of what she wants to do with her life. And what she wants right now is to get a first-hand experience with the Public School system, so she enrolls in a local high school for her senior year.
Just when the school year is about to start, Evie goes for a hike in the nearby woods and sprains her ankle while trying to catch a snake. Stranded 5 miles deep into the wilderness and not being able to call for help, she's lucky enough to be found by two young hikers. Her "non-rescuers" (she does not perceive herself as a damsel in distress, and therefore does not feel the need to actually be rescued), are, as it turns out, her future school mates, Rajas and Jacinda. The three of them are very comfortable with each other from the very start and they quickly become close friends.
But there's more to the story than just Evie's social experiment and her experiences at school. Things get more serious when our heroine witnesses teachers abusing their power and being unfair toward students. Evie being herself, she can't just ignore the social injustice and she takes it upon herself to do something to bring changes to her school. Together with Rajas and Jacinda they start PLUTO (People's Lightning to Undermine True Opposition), an anonymous organization, whose purpose is to fight for respect, freedom and student rights. To bring attention to the inequality in the school, PLUTOs post a lightning bolt on the person's door/locker, and then they discuss the reasons for being "stricken by the lightning" on PLUTO's blog. Unfortunately, despite PLUTO's best intentions, things quickly snowball out of control, as the lightning strikes are being posted no longer only by PLUTO members, and no longer only truly "deserving" people are being targeted. Things are about to go very, very wrong...
This Girls is Different is an amazingly refreshing and unique read. It deals with some important issues, like social injustice, power abuse, bullying, teacher-student relationships, etc., and yet it doesn't have the heaviness and slowness one would expect from a book like that. I was immersed in the story from the very opening words and wasn't able to put this book down, until 320 pages later, when I hit the back cover. I literally swallowed the book in one bite and, even though I was perfectly satisfied with the way the story played out, I still found myself wanting more. More of the world seen through Evie's eyes, more of JJ's excellent writing style, more of the fantastic chemistry between Rajas and Evie, more, more, more!
One of my favorite highlights of this book were the quotes at the beginning of every chapter. JJ Johnson did a great job picking them, they related to the chapters in a special way and made it so much more fun to read them.
Honestly, I find it very hard to believe that what I just read was a debut novel. I look at some writers who have been writing for years now and they still have no hope of reaching JJ Johnson's level of writing skills. Her storytelling is superb! I have no doubt that I will be re-reading this book many times in the future. Books like this one make me want to add a sixth star to my five star rating system!(less)
Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemon was a big surprise! When I started reading this book I expected yet an...more***This review was originally posted to Bookish
Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemon was a big surprise! When I started reading this book I expected yet another re-telling of the classic fairytale. You know the one with evil stepmother and stepsisters, handsome prince-charming, glass slippers, pumpkin turning into a beautiful coach, ball at the palace and a girl trying to escape the life of abuse and servitude. This book, however, was nothing like the original story. As a matter of fact, it was so different from the classic Cinderella fairytale that if not for the title, I never would have connected these two stories.
Let’s talk about the plot, shall we?
Cinder and Ella, together with their parents and two sisters, lived in a small cottage on the side of a steep mountain. For a time, the family lived a happy and peaceful life. They all loved and respected each other. The sisters grew in joy and their days were filled with happiness. Their lives were absolutely perfect, and they never foresaw the dark days ahead of them.
One night Prince Monticello came knocking on their door. He didn’t come in search of a bride. Nor did he want to invite the ladies to a ball. What he wanted was to gain supporters of his treasonous intentions. He spoke of the injustice and lunacy of the king. Most of his words, though, were pure deception. Unfortunately, both Weston and Adela of Willow Top were trusting people. They believed in the prince’s good intentions and they fell for his lies.
After the prince’s visit the family of Willow Top started to fall apart. The father, bewitched by a dark, invisible spell, eventually started to lose his mind. The prince’s words poisoned his thoughts and he became bitter and gloom. He started to neglect both his blacksmith business and his family, until one day he disappeared without a trace.
The sisters started to mistreat each other and often fought over silly things. Devastated by the disappearance of her husband, the mother was no longer capable of taking care of her daughters. She became disconnected from the reality and spent her days at the spinning wheel.
Cinder, the kindest of all daughters, ends up having to care for her whole family. Treated more like a servant than a family member, she now has to look after her sisters, Katrina and Beatrice. Just like Cinderella in the original fairytale, Cinder is in charge of all the chores in and around the house, working from early mornings to late evenings.
The tough family situation is not everything she will have to deal with, though. Both Cinder and her sister, Ella, will have to face a huge danger. The evil prince is out there to get them, and he is charming and deceitful. Will the sisters be able to recognize the danger in time? Or will the evil triumph this time?
I really enjoyed reading this novel. The writing is simplistic, yet very captivating. The book is slightly more than 200 pages, which makes it a quick read. The plot is fast moving and you don’t really get those slower moments, when you feel like you can cast the book aside for a while. It’s the kind of book you can easily devour in one sitting. I found myself really engrossed in the storyline and wanting to find out what will happen next and how the whole thing will end.
My only complaint about this book would be the nonsensical or absent motives for many characters’ actions. The prince is evil, dark and devious, but we never really learn what caused him to be like that. I mean, he comes from a good, loving family. The king and queen seem to be perfectly reasonable people who care for their son. There was no wicked witch to cast a spell on him and he didn’t fall on his head when he was a child. There just doesn’t seem to be any logical explanation for his evilness. Same goes for the father and the king and queen. I just didn’t understand the motives behind their decisions. I do, however, believe that this is just how the traditional folktales are and that’s the beauty of the genre. It’s meant to be simple. And you’re not supposed to question the motives. We’re talking about a story, which is written in a way that preserves the tone of a classic old fairy tale. The guy is evil because he likes it this way. Period.
I highly recommend this book for a beach read. It might be slightly darker than the original, but it’s not heavy or depressing at all. If you’re looking for a quick read to pass the time, Cinder and Ella may just be the novel for you.
The Kingdom of Childhood is a powerful, deeply disturbing, dark and disquieting read. Rebecca Coleman skillfully...more***Originally Posted to: Bookish Blog
The Kingdom of Childhood is a powerful, deeply disturbing, dark and disquieting read. Rebecca Coleman skillfully tackled an unbelievably hard topic, one that not many dare talk about, not to mention write a book about it - I'm talking about sexual relationship between an adult and a minor. And the way she did it is simply WOW. It gets to you. Crawls deep under your skin. Chills and disgusts you. But at the same time it captivates you in the most sickening way and you literally can't bring yourself to put this book down. At least that's what happened to me. This book is an outstanding addition to literature as a whole. A wonderfully original novel, full of images and thoughts so arresting, so vivid and compelling, that you'll literally live through the whole story together with its protagonists, feeling their uncontrollable lust and shattering heartaches.
Ever heard of a Waldorf education system? Well, neither did I, not I until I picked up this novel at least. According to Wikipedia Waldorf education is "a humanistic approach to pedagogy based upon the educational philosophy of the Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy." It's an anti-consumerist and very liberal schooling model, that focuses not only on the child attending the school, but the whole family as a unit. Once a child starts her/his education at a Waldorf school, pretty much the whole family becomes integrated into the system.
Judy McFarland, our lead female protagonist, is a kindergarten teacher at a Waldorf school. She's an attractive woman in her 40s, whose life has been in a downward spiral recently. Her best friend have passed away. Her daughter started rebelling against the Waldorf principals, accusing Judy of leading a God-less, uninspired and meaningless life. On top of everything else, her marriage seems to be on the verge of falling apart. Her husband, a drug-addict and insensitive egoist, no longer keeps up the pretense that he cares about his wife. He's focused entirely on his career, his doctorate dissertation taking up all his time and energy. Judy feels lost, abandoned and lonely.
And that's when Zach comes in. At the age of 16, Zach Patterson seem to have plenty of problems of his own. He's struggling to understand why his mother cheated on his father with one of the students in her joga class. At the same time he's doing his best to get used to the new environment he's been thrown into when his father got a new job and the whole family had to make a move. And, you know, he's 16-yo, his body is buzzing with hormones, which makes it even harder for him to make sense of it all.
When the two of them have to work together to organize a fundraiser, something unexpected (and unthinkable) happens. They find themselves attracted to each other in the most dangerous way: sexually.
I won't tell you what happens next, although I'd really like to talk about it. As a matter of fact, I feel that I could discuss this book for hours (which makes it a great read for book clubs!), but I won't. Because I would rob you of the pleasure of discovering this book on your own. And trust me, you ought to take this trip. You won't regret it.
From the very first page of this novel I was hooked. Rebecca Coleman tells this shocking and painful story in a truly superb way. The narrative shifts between Zach and Judy, which gives us a really great insight into what's going on in their heads. And then Rebecca takes us back in time to Judy's childhood and we begin to understand how her past experiences influenced the decisions she made as an adult. The novel's construction is pure genius. And I really liked that Rebecca didn't openly take sides nor try to force her opinions on the reader. There's no judgement, no criticism. We get the whole story and what we learn from it, what conclusions we reach, is entirely up to us.
It might sound like a weird thing to say, considering the heavy topic of this story, but I really liked the characters. They were real. Their emotions and reactions were real, too. Sure, some of their decisions might seem totally irrational and most of us would never behave in the way they did, but in the end we're all just humans. We make mistakes. We follow our hearts' desires, even if sometimes those desires are absolutely unacceptable. Isn't that the essence of humanity? I admire Rebecca for what she did in this book. I admire her, because not only did she have the guts to write about the heaviest taboo topic imaginable, but she totally aced it. I felt so many emotions while reading this book! I felt sorry for Zach, but I also felt sorry for Judy. I was glad that Rebecca didn't portray her as an evil, seductive b*tch, who deliberately took advantage of a teenage boy. Judy wasn't evil, she was lost. She desperately needed comfort and affection, and sure, she looked for it in all the wrong places, but that is exactly what this novel is about. It's about mistakes, misguided love, heartbreaks and trying to hold on to one's sanity. It's a fantastic piece of literature!
I loved this novel. I feel that it touched me in ways I did not at all expect. After finishing it I sat in silence for a long time, pondering the plot, the characters, their decisions and the consequences that followed. It's not just a book, it's an EXPERIENCE. I believe that everyone ought to read it at some point. (less)
***Posted to: Bookish Blog as a part of the MEN in YA event
Jon Skovron's second novel, Misfit, is a delicious and original blend of mythology and fant...more***Posted to: Bookish Blog as a part of the MEN in YA event
Jon Skovron's second novel, Misfit, is a delicious and original blend of mythology and fantasy elements, spiced up with some hilarious teenage drama and sparkly dialogues. With its thorough world-building, wildly imaginative scenes and characters, and sneaky surprises, this fantastic YA novel will take you on a truly unforgettable journey. Prepare to be enchanted!
"This is disappointing. I had hoped to toy with you a little, halfbreed. But I think it would be lost on you. So I might as well just kill you."
Jael might seem like a normal teenage girl who never kissed a boy nor got into any serious trouble, but in truth, she's anything but. On her 16th birthday some weird things are starting to happen. While hanging out at the playground, Jael is attacked by a weird, horrifying creature, that claims it knew her mother. Not even that, the creature says her mother used to be a queen! Later that day she learns from her father that her mother was a demoness. Which makes Jael a half-demon!
"Do I at least have, you know... special powers?" she asked. "No," he snapped." No powers, no horns, no nothing. You're just like any other girl, but your mother was a demon. That's it. No more questions. Is that clear?"
Obviously, her priest-father did everything in his power to protect her from being involved in any way with the demon world. They were always on the move and he never talked about her mother or the past in general. But we all know how it is, the past has a way of catching up with you, and just when you think you escaped its grasp, it jumps you like a thief in a dark alley. The demon folk is not exactly what you'd called a forgiving-and-forgetting kind. Their queen betrayed them by turning good, and they want vengeance. Jael is now being hunted by the Duke of Hell himself, an angry, violent and vindictive creature who will do everything it takes to get her. Sweet sixteen? Not so much!
"But won't the priests get mad if they find out I'm a demon who goes to church?"
This book was awesome. I've seen so many mixed reviews around, including both hyped-up raves and totally bashing ones, I really didn't know what to expect. I was, however, very intrigued by the cover and the synopsis, so I didn't think twice before picking it up! As it turned out, it was a great decision. I LOVED this book! It's a unique (and I'm not just saying that, it really is unique!) take on the demon world, that is rich in flavor, doesn't shy away from violence, and is totally compelling, scary and even funny at times. I had quite a few laugh-out-loud moments, but at the same time the story kept its pace and the tension was always there.
Once again, Jael's imagination conjured up a thousand different mothers. But after that night, none of them were kind or angelic. None of them would swoop down and rescue her from this life. She understood that much, at least.
The richness of mythological and theological tapestry is truly irresistible. Personally, I love demonology and everything that deals with demons, angels, devils, gods and all sorts of supernatural creatures. For me, this was a delicious treat, especially since it also had some elements from Greek, Roman, Egyptian and even Phoenician mythology. The thing I liked the most about this book, though, is that it focused on Jael and whatever was going on in her head. She was a great character, one that really grew on me. Watching her struggle to accept the news about her origins and learn more about her mother, who she was and what she did... it was all very interesting and quite fascinating (and often heartbreaking!). I also enjoyed observing her relationship with Rob. They made a cute, adorable couple (Rob is such an awesome, nerdy skate boy!) and their growing attraction to each other seemed genuine and natural.
The supportive characters were, well, OK. They didn't interest me as much as Jael, Rob and Jael's father. To me, these three characters made this book. Jael's father appeared to be a total douchebag at first - overly mysterious and strict, never answering any questions, always snapping angrily and keeping to himself. There's more going on there, though, and you don't really learn the whole story until the very end. I think he was a well-thought out and three-dimensional character, and he definitely added a lot to the story!
Overall, this was a highly entertaining, original, flavorful and addictive read. I was literally swept away into the fantastically imaginative world of Misfit and I enjoyed exploring it a lot. It's a book that you can easily devour in one setting: well written, captivating and full of interesting mythological creatures. It's quite an intense thrill ride and I'm pretty sure that once you start reading, you won't be able to put it down! I know, I couldn't! (less)
It started off interesting, but slow. It picked up around 1/4 of the book and was going strong UNTIL the last 20% which was just unbearably boring and...moreIt started off interesting, but slow. It picked up around 1/4 of the book and was going strong UNTIL the last 20% which was just unbearably boring and.. weird. I respect other people's religiousviews and all, but at the same time don't like to be spoon-fed Christian propaganda. That being said, it would've been a really great, taut and meaningful read if not for the unnecessary religious freakiness at the end.
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