Marcelo is a high-functioning high school student with Asperger's Syndrome who possesses an extensive knowledge of theology and hear music in his head...moreMarcelo is a high-functioning high school student with Asperger's Syndrome who possesses an extensive knowledge of theology and hear music in his head, but is unable to process emotions or understand social cues. Until the summer before his junior year, during which the book takes place, he has been cloistered in a private school for differently-abled people. His life is turned on its head when his father demands that Marcelo spend the summer working as an office assistant in his law firm in an effort to introduce him to the "real world" of work and human relations. During this stint, Marcelo receives a crash course in life - both its beauty and ugliness - and, ultimately, empathy and faith.
What makes a hero? Halli is certainly an unlikely candidate - stocky, unattractive, and decidedly non-altruistic, he spends his days fighting with his...moreWhat makes a hero? Halli is certainly an unlikely candidate - stocky, unattractive, and decidedly non-altruistic, he spends his days fighting with his family and creating general mischief. Growing up in the shadow of the Svein, the greatest hero of the valley, is no easy task. Halli yearns deep down for the dangerous days of the heroes of yore, when fearsome Trows terrorized the land and laws were meted out with a firm fist. When his uncle is murdered by the family of a rival house, he strikes out across the valley to seek vengeance...and perhaps become a hero in the process. If you've ever wondered how much of myths and legends are really true, or if you're just tired of standard, predictable fantasy heroes, then this one is for you! It may take a bit to get going, but the plot delivers heavily on action, humor and tense situations once it does.
Teenage hacker Marcus and his friends thought they were experts at computer subterfuge, having mastered their school's surveillance measures and writt...moreTeenage hacker Marcus and his friends thought they were experts at computer subterfuge, having mastered their school's surveillance measures and written their own computer code at home. When a major terrorist attack occurs in their home city of San Francisco, Marcus & co. happen to be skipping school to go gaming and are caught up in a Department of Homeland Security dragnet, detained and tortured at an undisclosed location. Rather than letting it destroy his will, Marcus aims to organize dissidents and bring down the DHS's iron fist via an underground X-Box gaming network. "Little Brother" is a fast-paced, modern sci-fi novel that deals with timely issues like constitutional rights in a time of terror, prisoner torture and "big brother" technology. Marcus is a strong lead character, and you will cheer as he both talks the talk and walks the walk, battling DHS jackboots and putting his life on the line for freedom. The story careens from one dangerous situation to the next at neck-breaking speed, slowing down occasionally to describe the finer points of computer security, codebreaking and hacking. Fear not - these asides weave well into the story and are highly informative. Fans of modern sci-fi, George Orwell and healthy dissent will really enjoy this.
We spend our lives immersed in pop culture and the cult of celebrity to the degree that celebrity obsession has been identified as an actual clinical...moreWe spend our lives immersed in pop culture and the cult of celebrity to the degree that celebrity obsession has been identified as an actual clinical condition by psychologists. This book is for anyone who has ever paused to truly consider what the "pop" in "pop culture" actually stands for, and whether there can be an alternative to the small handful of people who increasingly decide what voices and faces reach the masses. Enclosed is a brief history of popular culture, followed by ideas for creating alternatives and having your voice heard. Consider yourself a writer? You already are - now start a blog or zine! Ever wanted to play in a band? Grab instruments with some friends and do it! You can help shape discourse by adding your voice to the mix.
Going Bovine is an absolutely hilarious book that's part metaphysical pondering, part raunchy comedy, and part epic adventure! Well-deserving of its P...moreGoing Bovine is an absolutely hilarious book that's part metaphysical pondering, part raunchy comedy, and part epic adventure! Well-deserving of its Printz Award.
"Ship Breaker" is a gritty adventure set among the remnants of the shipping industry on flooded Gulf Coast in a dystopian future United States. Nailer...more"Ship Breaker" is a gritty adventure set among the remnants of the shipping industry on flooded Gulf Coast in a dystopian future United States. Nailer dreams of hitting a "lucky strike" so that he can escape his shipwreck salvaging job to safer work. When that "strike" seemingly falls into his lap, it may prove more than he bargained for. He is launched into an adventure where he has to save the daughter of a wealthy shipping magnate from his own homicidal father. Be sure to grab this Printz winner if you liked "The Hunger Games," "Unwind," and "Feed!"
I read this book in 2 days because it was all I could think about - I had to know how it would end! The characters, the desolate Australian Outback wh...moreI read this book in 2 days because it was all I could think about - I had to know how it would end! The characters, the desolate Australian Outback where the story takes place, and the way the book is written in second person, make this a really unique story. This book will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat.(less)
Here in the U.S. we often get the Disney-ized versions (no slight against classic animated films, of course) of the tales from the good Brothers Grimm...moreHere in the U.S. we often get the Disney-ized versions (no slight against classic animated films, of course) of the tales from the good Brothers Grimm. When I was a wee one, I remember hearing tales of how these stories were originally "dark and grimm." Anyway, Adam Gidwitz does a great job retelling the stories (with Hansel and Gretel as main characters); not only does he not give them a Disney treatment, but he goes all out, reveling in the most macabre aspects. Squeamish folk, fear not - he warns you before he gets to the good stuff! This book may be tagged "children's," but it will also appeal to teens and adults who like a little bit of black humor now and again! Read this to help nurture your healthy distrust of grown-ups and authority figures. Witty and clever!
Luckily, I had this book waiting when I finished Gayle Forman's "If I Stay"! If you haven't ready that one yet, stop now and go read it (consier that...moreLuckily, I had this book waiting when I finished Gayle Forman's "If I Stay"! If you haven't ready that one yet, stop now and go read it (consier that my spoiler alert). "Where She Went" picks up with Mia and Adam's lives three years after the accident as they each struggle to cope with wild success. Adam is a bona fide rock star now, and Mia, fresh out of Julliard is about to embark on her first international tour. Told from Adam's perspective, you find out that they haven't spoken to each other in over two years and it's killing him. Like "If I Stay," this book will break your heart a million different ways, but stick with it because it is absolutely worth the heartache in the end! This is an excellent story with very strong, belivable characters. -Dawn(less)
I know, I know, everyone in their right mind has already read this book. Well, I hadn't until last week. It is as good as they say. I actually listene...moreI know, I know, everyone in their right mind has already read this book. Well, I hadn't until last week. It is as good as they say. I actually listened to the audiobook version and the reader, Jeff Woodman, is fantastic. -Dawn(less)
This book felt like one part chic lit - two sisters tell their stories of rebeling and discovering love; and one part horrific dystopia - their societ...moreThis book felt like one part chic lit - two sisters tell their stories of rebeling and discovering love; and one part horrific dystopia - their society is systematically brainwashing all teens into having baby after baby to save the human race. I felt like the tone and silly, slangy language didn't quite match the harshness of the world McCafferty created and the exploitation the girls experienced. I am curious to see what happens in the sequel. Will it be more getting bumped, taking tocin and feeling breedy, or something more serious? -Dawn(less)
This is great historical fiction. It was hearbreaking and had me turning the pages fast to find out what would happen to Lina and her family. The char...moreThis is great historical fiction. It was hearbreaking and had me turning the pages fast to find out what would happen to Lina and her family. The characters and situations are complex, horrific, and based on interviews with people who experienced what the fictional characters experience in the book. And the author does not offer any easy out for the reader.
From the moment in the third chapter when Lina caught her reflection in the mirror and told the reader "It was the last time I would look into a real mirror for more than a decade." I was completely hooked. -Dawn(less)
Libba Bray comes back strong after "Going Bovine" with this hilarious skewering of American beauty culture and consumerism. When a plane full of beaut...moreLibba Bray comes back strong after "Going Bovine" with this hilarious skewering of American beauty culture and consumerism. When a plane full of beauty queens crashes on a desert island, the survivors must learn to cope with their new surroundings...and each other! Life is hard when you don't have your makeup kit, and your survival instinct has to trump baton twirling and the swimsuit competition! Did I like it as much as "Going Bovine?" Not quite. I could have done without all of the commercial parodies and fake pageant entry sheets that are sprinkled pretty liberally throughout the book, but the story itself is still very funny and enjoyable.
"Axe Cop" is the craziest, funniest graphic novel I've read in quite some time. All of the characters and concepts are invented on the fly by a five-y...more"Axe Cop" is the craziest, funniest graphic novel I've read in quite some time. All of the characters and concepts are invented on the fly by a five-year-old, and then put to paper by his older comic artist brother! Axe Cop is a new breed of super hero - he fights dinosaurs, supervillains, and more, all with the help of his trusty fireaxe and a few sidekicks - my favorite is Flute Cop (guess his superpower)! Grab this one if you're looking for laughs and wild imagination.
Jimmy Corrigan is a lonely guy: a jittery, unattractive middle-aged man trapped in a dead-end job. The days bleed into each other, his only escape bei...moreJimmy Corrigan is a lonely guy: a jittery, unattractive middle-aged man trapped in a dead-end job. The days bleed into each other, his only escape being a fantasy realm where he dons tights and becomes the smartest kid on Earth. A grim history of parental abandonment, stretching all the way back to the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago and down the Corrigan family tree, has culminated in Jimmy's insignificant existence. Jimmy's life finally takes a turn when he receives a letter from his estranged father, inviting him to a reconciliation. The story of Jimmy's reunion with his father and meeting with the sister he never knew is simultaneously funny and crushing. Along the way, the book also tells the backstories of the other Corrigan men, proving that Jimmy's parental troubles are far from unique. Chris Ware's art appears deceptively simple on the surface - the astounding attention to detail comes though in his painstaking attention to structures and architecture. Even the dust jacket on the hardcover vesion is a detailed work of art! This is one that encourages you to go back and reread pages or gaze at the art to pick up nuances that you missed the first time through. Lest one rest under the misconception that the book is a pure downer, Ware's ultimate message appears to be that there is a place to fit for everyone in the world, and that loneliness and alienation can only persist for so long. If you're looking for more realistic graphic novels, it's hard to do much better than this!
Even though I know historical facts about things that happened in 1960s, hearing about them from Holling Hoodhood's perspective makes them seem so cur...moreEven though I know historical facts about things that happened in 1960s, hearing about them from Holling Hoodhood's perspective makes them seem so current. Anyway, many of you have probably already read this fantastic story since it came out several years ago. I just wanted to read it before diving in to the companion novel Gary Schmidt just published "Okay For Now," which follows Doug Swieteck when his family moves away from Long Island, NY. I'll write you about that one just as soon as I finish it!(less)
Cory lives for summers in his idyllic hometown of Zephyr, Alabama - the bike rides, carnivals, little league games, and camping trips are the rites of...moreCory lives for summers in his idyllic hometown of Zephyr, Alabama - the bike rides, carnivals, little league games, and camping trips are the rites of childhood. One fateful night in March, Cory is accompanying his father's nightly milk delivery route when the two witness a horrifying scene: a stranger, beaten and handcuffed to the steering wheel of a car as it tumbles down a cliff into the water. Suddenly, the world of Zephyr has taken a dark turn, and life for Cory and his father will never, ever be the same again. "Boy's Life" was the perfect mix of coming of age, horror, and mystery, set in smalltown America during the 1960s. It's a must-read if you're a fan of any of those genres, or if you're interested in books that perfectly capture what it feels like to spend a carefree summer as a kid and then struggle against the oppressiveness of school. McCammon strings together stories - funny, tragic, triumphant, magical and scary - into a glowing whole.
It starts with the 1929 Valentines Day massacre in Chicago and then goes backward to explain the political and social turmoil that led up to it, finis...moreIt starts with the 1929 Valentines Day massacre in Chicago and then goes backward to explain the political and social turmoil that led up to it, finishing up back at February 14, 1929. Blumenthal does a great job of weaving in biographies of key players from temperance crusader Morris Sheppard to legendary gangster Al Capone. This book would go well with "Al Capone Does My Shirts."(less)
This book has many of the things that made Wednesday Wars great. Doug is an introspective and funny main character that you can't help but love. The s...moreThis book has many of the things that made Wednesday Wars great. Doug is an introspective and funny main character that you can't help but love. The story is full of heart-wrenching and sweet, genuine moments like the time when the author finally reveals Doug's older brother's name. Unfortunately, toward the end things take a turn for the unbelievable. Still, if you've missed the gang from Wednesday Wars, you should pick this book up.(less)
This is a book that I absolutely did not want to finish and will read again. Francie Nolan's Brooklyn came alive in all of the details - from pouring...moreThis is a book that I absolutely did not want to finish and will read again. Francie Nolan's Brooklyn came alive in all of the details - from pouring out a cup of coffee in order to feel rich to letting the Christmas tree man throw a huge tree at her and her brother so they could take it home for free - this book made me slow down and enjoy reading. (less)
This book has intriguing descriptions of the brutality and confusion of life in Zimbabwe in the early 1980s. The main character, Robert Jacklin, is fi...moreThis book has intriguing descriptions of the brutality and confusion of life in Zimbabwe in the early 1980s. The main character, Robert Jacklin, is fictional but the author notes that he drew on life experience for the setting (an elite boarding school) if not the actual events that occur. That the book reads like a memoir is great in the beginning. The descriptions are rich and you feel Robert's confusion at having his life upturned when his family moves from England to Zimbabwe. You are muddling along with Robert trying to understand the politics, his dad's job, and who he should befriend at school. I would have been happy, though, if the story continued as a memoir and followed questions about Robert's parents and friends instead of the big drama at the end. It does give the story a very clear moral, but it left many of the characters one-dimensional. -Dawn(less)
Everybody's reading it and you should too. It's got a great mix of mystery, time travel and general creepiness. The old pictures throughtout the book...moreEverybody's reading it and you should too. It's got a great mix of mystery, time travel and general creepiness. The old pictures throughtout the book are fantastically haunting and the author's note says that they are all actual photos that were bought at various antique and junk shops. I love it! When's the sequel?
Ian's review: A highly recommended book that combines the best of adventure, horror and mystery with a Tim Burton / Lemony Snicket flair for the macabre! The photographs were fun to look at albeit slightly gimmicky; they're all real, with few alterations, apparently! I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel - more time travel! More ghouls! More weird photos!(less)
As the book opens, high school student 'Mad Dog' Maddy is in the middle of a stint in rehab to recover from a drug and alcohol problem that nearly kil...moreAs the book opens, high school student 'Mad Dog' Maddy is in the middle of a stint in rehab to recover from a drug and alcohol problem that nearly killed her. Although going through the motions of getting clean, she holds little value for herself, nor does she keep much hope for her post-rehab future. Then along comes Stewart, a recovering alcoholic / addict, who Maddy feels instantly drawn to. Can love change Maddy, or will it get her into more trouble? Can she stay clean when she returns to her hometown of Portland, OR...even when people are dying around her? 'Recovery Road' is a believable, authentically-voiced story about the long road to redemption and bittersweet first loves. Once again, Blake Nelson demonstrates his skill at capturing teen voices and experiences and weaving them into an entertaining, readable story.
This was a strange book - and a tough one to summarize! Idea Deity (his actual name) has invented a fake band on the Internet named 'Youforia' that, u...moreThis was a strange book - and a tough one to summarize! Idea Deity (his actual name) has invented a fake band on the Internet named 'Youforia' that, unbeknownst to him, is slowly becoming real because enough people believe in it. Meanwhile, the members of Youforia, led by charismatic frontman Reacher Mirage, are struggling to get to their big first gig in a town that doesn't actually exist. Idea believes that he's the character in a bad novel, and is destined to die in a predetermined chapter. Interspersed throughout this crazy tale are snippets of a (purposefully) bad fantasy novel called 'Fireskull's Revenant.' Slowly, reality and fiction begin to meld together until the world of 'Fireskull's Revenant' and the world of Idea / Youforia are one. I enjoyed MFBDNE's for its humor and its attempts to do something different, even if the sections of 'Fireskulls Revenant' that we get to read grow a bit tiresome after a while. Although I appreciate Jeschonek's spoofing of formulaic teen adventure / fantasy reads, I found the 'Idea' storyline to be a lot more interesting and readable. Grab this if you're looking for something funny and different.
You've seen a million alien invasion / pod people stories, and this one is a bit similar - aliens arrive on Earth looking to colonize people's brains...moreYou've seen a million alien invasion / pod people stories, and this one is a bit similar - aliens arrive on Earth looking to colonize people's brains and kill off the human race. When one of them tried to take over Shinichi's brain, it accidentally took over his hand, giving it a set of eyes, a voracious appetite for books and the ability to speak to him. Unfortunately, many of the other aliens are successfully turning their unwitting hosts into grotesque, morphing killing machines. This is a great manga series to read if you're after some humor with your horrors and want a much different, more surreal kind of story than manga typically delivers. "Parasyte" is quite gory, but in a campy, "Army of Darkness" sort of way. Good weird fun!
Before Hanna ended her life, she sends a group of audiotapes to peers at her school who she claims helped contribute to her decision. The tapes detail...moreBefore Hanna ended her life, she sends a group of audiotapes to peers at her school who she claims helped contribute to her decision. The tapes detail thirteen separate reasons for her decision. It falls on the shoulders of Clay Jenson, the narrator of the story and one of the people talked about on the tapes, to piece together Hanna's final weeks and try to understand a reason for her tragic actions. This is a hard book to recommend, purely because of the dark subject matter, but I think that Jay Asher does a good job at arriving at the ultimate tragedy behind the suicide of someone in the spring of their youth. When all is said and done, there is really no way we can really understand someone else's actions or what went through their mind. We can question whether or not we missed the signs, whether we could have done anything differently, but the ultimate outcome is unchangeable - a life is gone, and those who are living are left to pick up the pieces.
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