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Bricks
Sixteen-year old Cori Reigns learns that not all tornadoes take you to magical places. Some take your house, your school, and life as you knew it. Struggling to put the pieces of her life back together, Cori learns to rebuild what the storm destroyed by trusting family she didn't know she had and helping friends she never appreciated.
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First published February 3, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 8, 2015
When an EF5 tornado rips through sixteen year-old Cori’s neighborhood, more than her house is reduced to rubble. Shocking truths about her family emerge in the aftermath. Her nemesis suffers amnesia and Cori can’t seem to get rid of her. Her best friend Slim becomes angry and reclusive. Everything is out of order, and for not-precisely-OCD Cori, this is a huge problem.
As a character, Cori is absolutely the believable high school princess. Davidson does a great job crafting this selfish yet somehow endearing heroine. Cori’s friends are great foils for her, too, often much more noble than she herself can be.
The story bears some cute references to The Wizard of Oz. Cori nicknames the tornado “the witch.” Her friends include Toni “Toto,” Leo (her very cowardly lion) and Slim (her scarecrow and courageous buddy.)
Entertaining dialogue fills the scenes between Cori and her friends. Parental figures remain a bit awkward. There were a couple of places where issues between Cori and her parents were left hanging. She lies to them and later discovers they knew the truth, but there’s no confrontation about it at any point. Even when Cori finds out that they were aware of her deceit, it doesn’t seem to register with her. She also avoids contact with them to get money to pay an important debt, but seems to have no problem getting money for a prom dress immediately afterward. Not a big deal, but it definitely felt off.
I really enjoyed the way the author pulled threads from The Wizard of Oz into the story without trying to make it a retelling or getting carried away with the references. There were just enough to add zest. Like Dorothy, Cori learns the value of community and that family doesn’t always look the way one expects.
As a character, Cori is absolutely the believable high school princess. Davidson does a great job crafting this selfish yet somehow endearing heroine. Cori’s friends are great foils for her, too, often much more noble than she herself can be.
The story bears some cute references to The Wizard of Oz. Cori nicknames the tornado “the witch.” Her friends include Toni “Toto,” Leo (her very cowardly lion) and Slim (her scarecrow and courageous buddy.)
Entertaining dialogue fills the scenes between Cori and her friends. Parental figures remain a bit awkward. There were a couple of places where issues between Cori and her parents were left hanging. She lies to them and later discovers they knew the truth, but there’s no confrontation about it at any point. Even when Cori finds out that they were aware of her deceit, it doesn’t seem to register with her. She also avoids contact with them to get money to pay an important debt, but seems to have no problem getting money for a prom dress immediately afterward. Not a big deal, but it definitely felt off.
I really enjoyed the way the author pulled threads from The Wizard of Oz into the story without trying to make it a retelling or getting carried away with the references. There were just enough to add zest. Like Dorothy, Cori learns the value of community and that family doesn’t always look the way one expects.
March 28, 2015
Bricks by John Davidson
My favorite thing about this book is how author John Davidson told his story. He is a storyteller. He knows how to weave the plot nicely and make every scene relative to the story. The characters were interesting and I enjoyed the references to the beloved story The Wizard of Oz.
My main issue was that I had trouble connecting with the MC for a bit, but overall it's a great read. Parents are looking for a clean read for their tweens and teens this is it. I think teens who have been affected by family issues would enjoy the book very much too!
My favorite thing about this book is how author John Davidson told his story. He is a storyteller. He knows how to weave the plot nicely and make every scene relative to the story. The characters were interesting and I enjoyed the references to the beloved story The Wizard of Oz.
My main issue was that I had trouble connecting with the MC for a bit, but overall it's a great read. Parents are looking for a clean read for their tweens and teens this is it. I think teens who have been affected by family issues would enjoy the book very much too!
February 16, 2015
About this book:
“Sixteen-year old Cori Reigns learns that not all tornadoes take you to magical places. Some take your house, your school, and life as you knew it. Struggling to put the pieces of her life back together, Cori learns to rebuild what the storm destroyed by trusting family she didn't know she had and helping friends she never appreciated.”
Series: As of now, no.
Spiritual Content- Noticing Mrs. Lassiter praying & she does talk about God to Cori but Cori has a couldn’t-care-less attitude; ‘H’s are capital when talking about God; Cori says God was on a lunch break when the tornado came through; Cori doesn’t want to talk to God because she’s upset at Him and nothing happens by the end of this book in regard of her Faith (or lack thereof).
*Note: a “h*llish”
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘butt-kicking’, a ‘crappy’, a ‘dang’, a ‘duh’, a ‘shoot’, an unfinished ‘what the...?’, two forms of ‘crud’, two ‘geez’, two ‘heck’s, two ‘shoot’s, two forms of ‘suck’, three ‘freaking’s, three ‘shut up’s, four ‘oh my gosh’s, twelve forms of ‘stupid’; a mention of ‘dog crap’ and tricks a mean girl did; Cori refers to the tornado as “the witch” or “the wicked witch”; Blood (semi-detailed); A mention of someone drinking too much; Mentions of pimples and farts.
*Note: mentions of Urban Outfitters, PINK, Vans, Ralph Lauren, Ray-Bans, Forever 21, The H*nger Games and St*rbucks.
Sexual Content- a semi-detailed kiss and a kiss on the cheek; Prom and all that drama; Noticing a guy’s body; Cori says different guys are yummy; Mentions of who-likes-who; When going into her parents room, Cori knocks and says “If you’re doing anything indecent, stop.”.
-Cori Reigns, age 16-17
1st person P.O.V. of Cori
170 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Two Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars
I was a bit hesitant about reading this book. Mainly because the author is a guy and the main character is a teen girl, I was afraid of stereotypes. Starting out this book I was a little shocked to find it in first person P.O.V. Things I didn’t like in this book: There was a lot of minor cussing (but all those are considered soap worthy in our house). Cori is a selfish brat, only caring about herself and worried about her & her own problems. There was a whole lot of stereotypes, that all teen girls actually say “hashtag”, drink St*rbucks, can’t wait till prom and loves designer clothes. Don’t even get me started on Cori’s not!faith! I was told this was a Christian book. But in my honest opinion, it really wasn’t. The couple times the neighbor talks about God it takes all Cori has not to be rude to this grandmother-figure. The only reason this book got Two-stars is because the (few) ‘H’s are capital when Mrs. Lassiter talks about God.
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Anaiah Press Publishers) for this review.
“Sixteen-year old Cori Reigns learns that not all tornadoes take you to magical places. Some take your house, your school, and life as you knew it. Struggling to put the pieces of her life back together, Cori learns to rebuild what the storm destroyed by trusting family she didn't know she had and helping friends she never appreciated.”
Series: As of now, no.
Spiritual Content- Noticing Mrs. Lassiter praying & she does talk about God to Cori but Cori has a couldn’t-care-less attitude; ‘H’s are capital when talking about God; Cori says God was on a lunch break when the tornado came through; Cori doesn’t want to talk to God because she’s upset at Him and nothing happens by the end of this book in regard of her Faith (or lack thereof).
*Note: a “h*llish”
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘butt-kicking’, a ‘crappy’, a ‘dang’, a ‘duh’, a ‘shoot’, an unfinished ‘what the...?’, two forms of ‘crud’, two ‘geez’, two ‘heck’s, two ‘shoot’s, two forms of ‘suck’, three ‘freaking’s, three ‘shut up’s, four ‘oh my gosh’s, twelve forms of ‘stupid’; a mention of ‘dog crap’ and tricks a mean girl did; Cori refers to the tornado as “the witch” or “the wicked witch”; Blood (semi-detailed); A mention of someone drinking too much; Mentions of pimples and farts.
*Note: mentions of Urban Outfitters, PINK, Vans, Ralph Lauren, Ray-Bans, Forever 21, The H*nger Games and St*rbucks.
Sexual Content- a semi-detailed kiss and a kiss on the cheek; Prom and all that drama; Noticing a guy’s body; Cori says different guys are yummy; Mentions of who-likes-who; When going into her parents room, Cori knocks and says “If you’re doing anything indecent, stop.”.
-Cori Reigns, age 16-17
1st person P.O.V. of Cori
170 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Two Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars
I was a bit hesitant about reading this book. Mainly because the author is a guy and the main character is a teen girl, I was afraid of stereotypes. Starting out this book I was a little shocked to find it in first person P.O.V. Things I didn’t like in this book: There was a lot of minor cussing (but all those are considered soap worthy in our house). Cori is a selfish brat, only caring about herself and worried about her & her own problems. There was a whole lot of stereotypes, that all teen girls actually say “hashtag”, drink St*rbucks, can’t wait till prom and loves designer clothes. Don’t even get me started on Cori’s not!faith! I was told this was a Christian book. But in my honest opinion, it really wasn’t. The couple times the neighbor talks about God it takes all Cori has not to be rude to this grandmother-figure. The only reason this book got Two-stars is because the (few) ‘H’s are capital when Mrs. Lassiter talks about God.
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Anaiah Press Publishers) for this review.
February 25, 2015
The 1-line Review:
A real emotional page turner worth reading for any fiction fan.
The longer review:
I was ready for a yellow brick adventure in a twist on a classic. While the twister in this story is called “the witch,” and a few character nicknames, the relation to any OZ powered world ends there. Bricks is a realistic fiction novel, a little outside my norm, but definitely worth the read.
Bricks is an emotionally substantial read. The feelings fly out of every chapter in a way that is hard to capture just once in a story, never mind cover to cover. Davidson on several occasions fit several emotions into a few lines in such a fluid and natural way, it was amazing. The amount of anger, frustration, anxiety, regret, and more that come off the page really hit the read and will keep you emotionally invested in the story.
Cori, a prom-queen-hopeful senior and main character, is a literary wonder. She is stubborn, oblivious, headstrong, full of self-centered ulterior motives, obsessive, very hypocritical, and quite spiteful. Yet somehow she feels entirely human you can’t help but root for her. She sounds like a perfect Disney villain yet is likeable.
Bottom Line:
Worth the read. The writing is excellent and makes the book easy to enjoy.
Where the book lost half a star:
A big bomb was dropped early in the story, and I had a feeling Cori would drag it out the issue till the end of the story. IT was really drawn out though, she really held on to the issue too long. She really harped on it down to the end.
The other issue that bothered me was the insurance issue that her parents had to deal with. Long story short property transfers to next of kin so the family tie ups with the insurance company could have been fixed up real quick if the family really thought about it. That would have solved some of the conflict lines in the book so I suppose it had to go the way it did.
A real emotional page turner worth reading for any fiction fan.
The longer review:
I was ready for a yellow brick adventure in a twist on a classic. While the twister in this story is called “the witch,” and a few character nicknames, the relation to any OZ powered world ends there. Bricks is a realistic fiction novel, a little outside my norm, but definitely worth the read.
Bricks is an emotionally substantial read. The feelings fly out of every chapter in a way that is hard to capture just once in a story, never mind cover to cover. Davidson on several occasions fit several emotions into a few lines in such a fluid and natural way, it was amazing. The amount of anger, frustration, anxiety, regret, and more that come off the page really hit the read and will keep you emotionally invested in the story.
Cori, a prom-queen-hopeful senior and main character, is a literary wonder. She is stubborn, oblivious, headstrong, full of self-centered ulterior motives, obsessive, very hypocritical, and quite spiteful. Yet somehow she feels entirely human you can’t help but root for her. She sounds like a perfect Disney villain yet is likeable.
Bottom Line:
Worth the read. The writing is excellent and makes the book easy to enjoy.
Where the book lost half a star:
A big bomb was dropped early in the story, and I had a feeling Cori would drag it out the issue till the end of the story. IT was really drawn out though, she really held on to the issue too long. She really harped on it down to the end.
The other issue that bothered me was the insurance issue that her parents had to deal with. Long story short property transfers to next of kin so the family tie ups with the insurance company could have been fixed up real quick if the family really thought about it. That would have solved some of the conflict lines in the book so I suppose it had to go the way it did.
August 30, 2015
Loved the mix of modern teen reality with allusions to the Wizard of Oz.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews