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The Story of Owen by E. K. Johnston

Posted by BJ Neary on January 15, 2015 at 2:22am

The Story of Owen (Dragon Slayer of Trondheim, #1)

The Story of Owen by E.K. Johnston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book as part of the Hub Morris Challenge and what wonderful writing, storytelling, and dragons and their history seamlessly interwoven into a story that features so many strong protagonists! Siobhan McQuaid becomes Owen Trondheim's bard- she is a little nerdy, loves composing and playing music and once she and Owen are late for the first day of school- it is in detention that they become friends and partners in Owen's job as dragon slayer. Both Owen and Siobhan's parents are strong characters too with Owen's aunts (married to each other) who raised him while his father roams the countryside killing dragons. His very famous Aunt Lottie (her wife, Hannah does other kind of training but is not famous) trains him. Together they all decide to change the way dragon slayers are chosen (family lines) and re-write the dragon charter and begin enlisting volunteers to help guard against the ever increasing dragon onslaught. A ripping good read and I am looking forward to more dragon and Owen stories from E.K. Johnston!

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Book Review: Influence

Posted by Arlen Kimmelman on July 29, 2020 at 1:30am

Influence by Sara Shepard; Lilia Buckingham Pub Date: 05 Jan 2021 Read courtesy of http://netgalley.com

Glad I stuck with it! Went from an almost DNF to 3 stars to 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐. Might have been my disinterest, disdain, or dread of the effect social media has on this generation of teens that initially had me turned off, but as the plot developed, there was a real story behind all of the 'influencing' going on. [Get your cringe ready for an "in my day" story... when I was a teen, we were only worried if our business got out there if the teacher intercepted a note we passed in class or a parent picked up the extension of the phone while we were on the line.]

I read the beginning trying to deny or dismiss the reality that so many teens hope they'll be the next Internet sensation and monetize their notoriety. I didn't just want to be reading about the wannabes and cliques. By persisting, I was gifted with a well-crafted story that highlighted the not-so-glamorous side of teen Internet fame as well as the public perks. I'm sure Sara Shepard's fandom will be hooked on Influence as much as they are on Pretty Little Liars. Even readers unfamiliar with the Pretty Little Liars series (insert blush and finger-pointing here) will become engrossed as the author deftly crafted false leads as to whom the murderer could have been. I liked flip-flopping my choice of criminal as the story progressed.

There's something for everyone in the book: physical and mental illnesses, friendships and back-stabbing, romances and break-ups, straight and gay, good home lives and dysfunctional families, and race-fluid characters. parties and murder. This will be a great addition to my HS library. Posted by Pseudandry at 7/29/2020 08:37:00 AM

Me Earl& the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Posted by BJ Neary on November 5, 2015 at 1:42pm

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12700353-me-and-earl-and-the-dying-girl" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337216932m/12700353.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12700353-me-and-earl-and-the-dying-girl">Me and Earl and the Dying Girl</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5227163.Jesse_Andrews">Jesse Andrews</a> 
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1426735319">4 of 5 stars</a> 
A tug at your heart sad and humorous book (because Greg has a very funny way of looking at things and talking to people)about friendship and life. Greg Gaines is a comedian who loves to think he hasn't let anyone become his friend and he is okay with that...but he does have a sort of friend, Earl who is just as hysterical as Greg with his outlook on life and his comments (some of them nasty) and they both enjoy making sub par films. Rachel is a girl who used to like Greg in middle school and now has cancer and it is her mom and Greg's mom who "force" him to hang out with her (he hasn't really talked to her in years). I loved Greg's family, his teachers and his constant comments to the reader about putting this poorly written book down and he wouldn't hold it against you. There are lots of funny lists, bad jokes but this book will make you laugh, laugh, laugh but you will also cry for Greg and Earl as they lose one of their friends.
 
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Scar Girl by Len Vlahos

Posted by BJ Neary on January 3, 2016 at 10:09am

Scar Girl by Len Vlahos
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group and Carolrhoda Lab for the ARC, Scar Girl by Len Vlahos. If you loved Scar Boys, you will love the band’s success while you will be tremendously saddened by the band’s secrets and those effects on each member. Vlahos does another stellar job of crafting a band story that is so much more than that- the energy created from their music vibrates and reaches deep into our souls as Johnny, Harry, and Chey struggle with problems they choose not to share with one another. All the while they are attaining monumental success as a band. What will happen to the Scar Boys? What will happen to each member of the band? This sequel crushed me to my core and I vote for another book, Scar Boys Rule! Highly recommended!

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Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

Posted by BJ Neary on June 4, 2015 at 12:16pm

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I took this book out of the library because it was new and written by Neal Shusterman. His books, Bruiser and The Unwind Dystology are favorites of mine. It really helped me continue to read this book that Laurie Halse Anderson gave it a great review. With that mindset, it was totally scary to plunge into mental illness with Caden Bosch. As the reader, it was a seesaw ride to be Caden in school with family and friends and then to be Caden who is going on a deep sea dive to the Challenger Deep with a captain and parrot who both have one eye and many other bizarre ship mates. I think teens need to read this book (adults too) since it does a very realistic job of portraying a teen's descent into mental illness. Early on, I realized what was going on with Caden, and this story quickly became very meaningful. It is during their teen and young adult years that many begin to struggle with mental illness. As Caden (and Shusterman)realistically (and scarily)portray; mental illness is something one deals and lives with forever and medical treatment, care, and prescription drugs are essential. Caden's journey is not one you wish on anyone, but as a fictional piece delving into mental illness; teens will most definitely benefit from reading this book, and talking about it afterward.

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This One Summer by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki

Posted by BJ Neary on March 27, 2015 at 1:24pm

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18465566-this-one-summer" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="This One Summer" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1424308905m/18465566.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18465566-this-one-summer">This One Summer</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/483588.Mariko_Tamaki">Mariko Tamaki</a> 
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1144518403">5 of 5 stars</a> 
I read this book as part of The 2015 Hub Challenge but I have had it on my TBR because it received so many kudos! This graphic novel covers one summer and two friends at the shore. We fleetingly meet arguing family members, teens with problems, and friends who are beginning to have differences of opinions. I loved the illustrations, I kept going back and looking over the panels; Jillian Tamaki's illustrations are gorgeous, real, and bold. The bluish cover becomes rich black and white illustrations within the book. The main characters, Rose and Windy celebrate what they love about Awago Beach (turkey jerkey, amazing breezes, and bike rides) and we see Rose is beginning to outgrow building forts and become more interested in what is going on with the teens in the store. The spare words and amazing graphics make this a graphic novel many will enjoy!
 
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Wild Things by Clay Carmichael

Posted by BJ Neary on May 10, 2015 at 2:09pm

Wild Things by Clay Carmichael
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a truly wonderful book! I am an animal lover and once again, Clay Carmichael has written a novel with a cat as one of the main characters. Zoe is an amazing, intelligent, sharp-witted, child who suddenly finds she is to be living with an Uncle Henry she has never seen or met. Raising herself since she was young (her mother was crazy and drug addicted), Zoe has learned to survive on her own and not to get attached to the many men in and out of her mother's lives. What I liked about Zoe is that she did credit those men friends with her ability to drive, pace bets, count; street smarts that help her in life. But when she meets her Uncle Henry who is very angry, Zoe sees herself in him- especially the red hair, thorny personality, and the split in their front teeth. I loved the way Carmichael uses the cat to tell us about the area around Uncle Henry's house with the woods and fields- great for exploring. The cat has lived and seen much and it is this history that provides suspense and understanding for the reader. I loved so many of the characters- the Sheriff, Bessie, Wil, Sister, Fred and Maud- it was just as easy to dislike others like Ray and the Mayor. A wonderful tale of what it means to become a family, to be an animal lover and live life like Wild Things:) I loved this very appropriate title as I read more and more of the book - highly recommended! Teens and adults will enjoy Zoe's journey!!!

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Endangered by Lamar Giles

Posted by BJ Neary on September 16, 2015 at 1:30pm

Endangered by Lamar Giles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Endangered was a real cat and mouse game between the main character, Lauren Daniels, who is also known as Panda (in a not nice way) and an unknown admirer who is going all out to show Panda how much she likes her style of exposing the secrets of her classmates in a blog, Gray Scales. As the stakes rise, the mystery and scariness reach torturous levels. Once Lauren thought she was a Robin Hood helping others, now she is not so sure. I bit off all my nails as I plunged headlong into this drama filled, exciting read. If you like thrillers, Endangered will not disappoint!

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Gabi: A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero

Posted by BJ Neary on January 11, 2015 at 6:32am

Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book as part of the Hub (YALSA) Morris/Nonfiction challenge. We need more books like this! Gabi is a Mexican American BUT since she is so light skinned, even Mexicans don't think she is part Mexican. What I love about Gabi's voice and character is that she is so authentic; she is hilarious in her thoughts and words (she is a wonderful writer and poet- she is compassionate- she is confused) she is just a teen looking for answers. She loves her family but knows they are very dysfunctional in so many ways. Her mother judges her, yells at her, and constantly harps on Gabi to diet and doesn't really see the need for her daughter to go to college or date boys. Her father is a meth addict and Gabi's poem about him on p. 117-122 titled "In Light of the Fear of my Father's Death I Write This Down" is sad, loving, despondent, and honestly to the point. Her best friends, Cindy and Sebastian have their own baggage, but they stick together through thick and thin. Gabi has a good self image about herself but she knows she is not thin and she LOVES TO EAT Mexican food whether it is her mother's, aunt's, or the restaurant- Pep's House of Wings or hidden away in her room. As Gabi tells us in diary format about her senior year and college admission drama, we find a teen who is so so so many things- shy, self-confident, honest, humorous, genuine, hopeful, boy crazy, reluctant to talk back to her parents and elders, and most of all a girl that the reader meets in many different Pieces - A Gordita/A Fatgirl (I loved the cover of this book!!!). I particularly enjoyed the zine she created for a class assignment (with a wonderful teacher, Ms Abernard) beginning on page 193, titled "The Female Body" (her artwork, illustrations and diagrams must be seen and read!!!) It is through her diary, letters to her father, poetry, that Gabi tries to find her way in the world. I love this girl! Highly recommended!

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The Nest by Kenneth Oppel

Posted by BJ Neary on November 29, 2015 at 8:28am

The Nest by Kenneth Oppel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, I do not really care for horror books- but I do read them and this psychological thriller was so scary I could not stop turning the pages! Steve is very concerned about his newborn baby brother, Theo and his mounting health concerns plaguing his parents and Steve. In a dream, he is visited by a very calming being who assures Steve a new "healthy" baby can replace Theo. What begins as a dream in a dark place quickly morphs into the horror of wasps with their nest hanging outside the baby's window. The horror elements of darkness, wasps, phone calls with no one on the other end and a hideous knife sharpener bring many overwhelming scary moments to Steve as he tries to find a way to help his baby brother, his parents and himself. The young age of Steve, his own insecurities, and his haunting dreams (are they reality) will keep kids turning those pages, because who doesn't like a scary story. Klass' illustrations are delicious, dark, gray and further embed the horror of Steve's world. A great ending and a must read!

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Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith

Posted by BJ Neary on February 6, 2016 at 1:39pm

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have always enjoyed Jennifer E. Smith books; she has a great way with getting guys and girls together and weaving heartfelt romances in many ways. Clare and Aidan have been together for the past two years and now it is the night before they leave for college and some decisions have to be made - break up or stay together. At first I was not to sure I wanted to read this because quite frankly it seemed trivial (especially with all the heavy topic books I have been reading) but I love Smith's books and I grew to love Clare and Aiden, their friends, and their last two years as a couple who "dove" one another (you have to read the book). Aiden melted my heart with his steadfast love for Clare. Clare was a little too meticulous about their final night and revisiting special highlights, all the while being convinced they were breaking up. But I rooted for Clare and I was not disappointed! The ending is tremendous.

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Found (Mickey Bolitar Book 3) by Harlan Coben

Posted by BJ Neary on April 7, 2016 at 11:03am

Found by Harlan Coben
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I will enjoy discussing this mystery with #Yearofya on 4/26 at 8pm. If you love mysteries, join in this twitter chat! I loved this 3rd book in the Mickey Bolitar series & I certainly hope there will be a #4. Mickey and his friends Ema, Rachel, and Spoon continue to help save/rescue others as part of The Abeona Shelter network, help Ema find a lost online boyfriend, and Mickey continues to try find out more about his father's death. There was right amount of tension, drama, mystery, gore, and scary moments; I look forward to more YA mysteries from Harlan Coben!

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Teresa of the New World by Sharman Apt Russell

Posted by BJ Neary on June 2, 2015 at 9:54am

Teresa of the New World by Sharman Apt Russell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a gem of a novel! I enjoy historical fiction and even more, I loved learning about the time of the Spanish Conquistadors in America in Teresa of the New World. Sharman Apt Russell’s writing is beautiful and simple detailing the world of the slaves, villagers, shaman, storytellers, and traders through Teresa’s young eyes, mind, and heart. Teresa and her father travel in search of his long lost friends from Spain. The reader aches with the sorrow, pain, and suffering of those who are stricken with a disease, sarampion, that wipes out villages, killing many children and elderly. As a child, Teresa was able to communicate with the Earth and animals. It is this ability that serves her well during this horrifying time of death and isolation. After she survives the disease herself, Teresa travels many miles and experiences many perils to seek the wise woman who will help her find her place in the world. Teresa’s dealings with Horse, a boy/jaguar, and Plague are suspenseful yet spiritual. I could not put this book down as I feared for Teresa and her future. This slim novel holds many treasures of storytelling, magic, and finding one’s way in a hostile, ever changing world. I would highly recommend this book to young adult and adult readers of historical fiction infused with mystery and magic.

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Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

Posted by BJ Neary on May 3, 2015 at 6:47am

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read Through the Woods by Emily Carroll as part of The 2015 Hub Reading Challenge, Quick Pics, Great Graphic Novels. The color illustrations were awesome, creepy, and perfect (with a red, black and white motif) for five eerily haunting tales; Our Neighbor's House, A Lady's Cold Hands, His Face All Red, My Friend Janna, and The Nesting Place are all so scary! If you love horror stories, this collection is for you!

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Fat Boy vs. the Cheerleaders by Geoff Herbach

Posted by BJ Neary on March 15, 2015 at 12:46pm

Fat Boy vs the Cheerleaders by Geoff Herbach
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read and loved Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach and listening to this Amazing Audiobook for the Hub Challenge was a treat. Chunk also known as Gabe has a great voice- he snarls, balks, teases and most of all loves band. When his summer band camp is stopped due to no funds, Chunk raises his voice, leads a rally, loses weight (due to his grandfather and stress)and gets the girl. I totally loved Nick Podehl’s narration, he had the best voices for everyone and gave the story depth and humor, highly recommended if you are looking for a humorous read!

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Two Bobbies by Kirby Larson

Posted by BJ Neary on September 30, 2015 at 3:37am

Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival by Kirby Larson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book so much I purchased three- one for me to share, one for my daughter who is a K teacher and one for my daughter-in-law who is a K teacher (and of course Kylie, my granddaughter has read it many times, what a beautiful story of the Katrina Hurricane and its effect on a cat and a dog - and of course, on the readers who will just be so happy these two Bobbies stay together to survive. The illustrations are gorgeous and I appreciated the "real" photographs of the two pets too! Children and adults will learn so much about Hurricane Katrina, the lapse of time people and animals endured before help arrived. The Author's note at the end was very helpful and added even more important information about these two very special pets. Highly recommended!

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Breaking the Rules by Katie McGarry

Posted by BJ Neary on January 7, 2015 at 4:11am

Breaking the Rules (Pushing the Limits, #1.5)

Breaking the Rules by Katie McGarry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have only read Crash Into You by Katie McGarry (recommended on Simone Elkeles website) and I am hopelessly hooked! Teens will love her books and reluctant readers will love her books- there is definitely drama (foster kids), romance, and even an urban edge (you will see what I mean)! I met characters, Echo and Noah in Crash Into You and when I saw there was a follow-up story including Isaiah's "family" - Noah and Echo- I couldn't wait for the book to come out. Both characters have experienced grave losses, found each other and love each other tremendously. After they graduate, Noah and Echo, set out for a summer of travel, peddling Echo's art work while Noah works and tries to find out more about his mother's family. I just loved how much both of these characters truly cared about one another- how much they were willing to give up and how much they were willing to grow for one another. As the summer ends, both characters have life altering decisions to make- will this impact their romance and end their relationship? Very edgy, teens and reluctant readers will enjoy- since they are on their way to college- there is some sex going on- so more mature readers for the edgier topics. Highly recommended.

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Whippoorwill by Joseph Monninger

Posted by BJ Neary on November 8, 2015 at 11:25am

Whippoorwill by Joseph Monninger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am a dog lover and I love to read any kind of book about dogs and as much as I loved this book, this book just really makes me sad. Clair lives next door to a very dysfunctional family (now only father and son) whom she characterizes as whippoorwills- they have lots of junk in their yard. But far more harsh is Wally, a black lab tied to a pole, left outside, and mistreated. As Clair tries to ignore his circumstances and pitiful whining, she becomes Wally's hero and with the help of Danny Stewart next door, begins to train Wally according to a book written by a dog whisperer, Father Jasper. But life gets in the way with Danny's sadistic father (who made his wife go crazy)and Clair is also confused about her feelings for Danny. I rooted for Clair, Danny and Wally. Their happy moments in training Wally were so important in defining the kind of caring pet owners they were but things will not be so easy in life for Danny and Wally. The harsh realities in this book reminded me of Gary D. Schmidt's Orbiting Jupiter - life can be so darned hard, you ache for Clair, Danny and Wally and hope against hope for a redemptive ending. Once again, I have to call this book a crossover book - all adults should read this too. Highly recommended.

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The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly bu Stephanie Oakes

Posted by BJ Neary on February 3, 2016 at 4:16am

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh boy, this was such a tough, but amazingly awesome read! One of the honor books for The Morris Award, I am reading this as part of The 2016 Hub Challenge. I could not put it down. Minnow Bly has a normal life until her father becomes enamored of The Prophet, Kevin, and her family becomes a part of The Community Cult that takes off for the wilderness and indoctrination begins-listen to the Prophet and do whatever he says. But the book does not begin with this; Minnow is in juvie, and Dr. Wilson, a forensic psychologist is trying to find out what happened the night The Community caught fire. As the reader wades into Minnow's life, we see she is inquisitive and her many questions are hated by those in the cult, especially The Prophet. Her father is a right hand man to the Prophet; he has 4-5 wives and 20 some children. Her mother is distant, bearing many children, and not stable at all. Minnow is very protective of her younger sister, Constance. As life continues in the cult, Minnow begins to see/understand the craziness and her growing friendship with an outsider (Rymanite), Jude, also adds another dimension to the tumult in confined Minnow's life. Author Stephanie Oakes does a superb job of blending Minnow's life in The Community, in prison and with Jude, creating a kalidescope of torture, hurt, and eventual release toward rediscovery. A must read!

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In Real Life by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang

Posted by BJ Neary on April 29, 2015 at 4:49am

In Real Life by Cory Doctorow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this graphic novel as part of The 2015 Hub Challenge and Cory Doctorow's depiction of teens, online gaming, and Anda's awakening to the "reality" of Coarsegold Online. As an awkward teen, Anda is recruited in school to play this multiplayer online game. What results is Anda as a gamer under the tutelage of Sarge and the blurred lines of reality and gaming. I loved Jen Wang's illustrations and Anda's two lives as student and gamer. Teens will love this book about gaming, a must read.

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