Book Review: The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

Jude’s older sisters have taught her a lot, but the thing she remembers most from them is the fact that the Vargas brothers are heartbreakers and should never be trusted.  But now Jude is the only sister living at home, and she’s helping her ailing father restore a vintage motorcycle.  She needs a mechanic to help out, and that mechanic happens to be a Vargas boy–and be seriously cute.  How does Jude reconcile her feelings for the vows she made her sisters, and how does she balance her increasingly complicated life?

Sarah Ockler’s latest offering is strong contemporary YA, focusing on a family saga of the finest quality.  This is a novel about family and fathers and daughters, and it delivers on many of its promises.  Jude is an authentic narrator, and her last summer at home before college is filled with learning about herself, about her father, and about what it means to become an adult.  Solid contemporary YA that’s perfect summer reading.

A poignant story, Ockler really shines when she allows Jude and Emilio Vargas to spar and get to know one another.  The charged attraction between the characters is palpable, and readers will eat it up.  Also noteworthy is Jude’s devotion to her family and especially to her father, whose declining health propels much of the story, making her quest to restore the motorcycle all the more important.

There are things here that don’t work, and I would be remiss to not point them out.  The story feels a little overlong at times, and Jude’s deteriorating friendship with her high school friends doesn’t feel fleshed out enough to warrant the page time it gets.  Also problematic is how hard it is to distinguish between all of Jude’s sisters.  These are minor things, though, and most readers will be willing to overlook them because so much of the rest of the novel is strong.

Jude’s family is Argentinian-American, and while this could easily become a way to prove how multicultural the story is, it never succumbs to this.  Ockler infuses her story with culture and authenticity, and it’s a resounding success.

Recommended.

Simon Pulse: 2013. Electronic galley accepted for review via Edelweiss.

Book Review: Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt

It used to be Anna and her mom against the world.  But then her mom started dating, and soon Anna had a series of stepfathers and an increasingly distant mother.  When Anna discovered boys, she found that there were new ways to fill the emptiness inside her.  Boys can be her new family, and that’s what Anna tries to make happen with Desmond, and Joey, and Todd.  But Anna is always left alone, with only her friend Toy to comfort her.  It isn’t until she meets Sam and is accepted into his family that she begins to understand what real love is–and what’s at stake if she were to lose it.

Erica Lorraine Scheidt’s debut is a tricky novel to write about, because the basic premise is going to be polarizing.  Readers are going to be divided on whether or not this one works for them.  Some readers will get it and love it while others will get it and be uncomfortable with the message it leaves them with.  Still others will miss the point and resort to troubling and misguided slut-shaming while proclaiming that they aren’t, you know, for the whole slut-shaming thing.  For this particular reader, the book works on every level, making it a powerful, raw, and oftentimes disturbing read.  This one should be in every library.

Scheidt’s spare, brilliant prose feels deliberate on every page.  As she unfolds Anna’s story, the reader can feel Anna’s pain as she is left increasingly alone by her mother.  The emotions in this story are palpable, and Anna’s voice is unfailingly authentic.  Anna is a tough nut to crack, but it’s worth the reader’s time and investment to get to know her.  She’s vulnerable but resilient, resourceful and, most important, real.

There’s a lot to unpack in this slim, sparse novel.  Scheidt’s exploration of sex as a way of empowerment and as a way of destruction is unflinching in its portrayal of teen sexuality.  Anna is trying to figure out who she is in relation to herself and others through the use of sex, and this is going to make some people uncomfortable.  Again, this is important stuff, and it helps underscore how hard it is to figure out your sexuality in a world where it is not safe to do so.

Of course, there’s so much more that can be unpacked here: the murky life lessons that Anna is learning, the fact that she continues to repeat the same patterns of behavior, the fact that she continually allows herself to be defined by the boys in her life.  Anna’s friendship with Toy is fascinating and worth a closer look itself.  This is a book that begs to be read more than once.

Not for everyone, but definitely one that deserves to be talked about and thought about.  Scheidt is an author to watch, and Uses for Boys is one of my favorite reads of the year.

Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt. St. Martin’s Press: 2013.  Library copy.

 

 

Book Review: Golden by Jessi Kirby

Parker Frost is about to be the valedictorian of her high school, and she’s played it safe her entire life.  When she ends up with the task of sending out journals to seniors who graduated ten years ago, she discovers that she has a chance for some rare insight into a town mystery about star-crossed lovers.  Julianna Farnetti and Shane Cruz were remembered as the golden couple of their high school before the car accident that ended their young lives.  But when Parker starts reading, she starts to realize that there might be more to the story than she ever thought possible.  Through Julianna’s journal, she starts to really live her own life.

Jessi Kirby’s latest offering helps to cement her as one of the contemporary YA authors worth rooting for.  Her novels feature protagonists who are authentic, flawed, and absolutely compelling. Golden is a contemplative, inspirational novel that offers readers a different take on the well-traveled YA romance tropes.  Absolutely satisfying, this one should work for readers who like their stories firmly mired in strong characters and a compelling (but not fast-paced) narrative.

Rich characterization adds to this story.  Parker is a well-developed narrator whose safe little world starts to expand as she discovers just how much she might be missing out on by playing the good girl.  A funny, well-developed best friend helps round out Parker’s personality, and other strong secondary characters make the cast of the novel all the more appealing.  There’s a slightly underdeveloped plot with Parker’s mom, but with everything else going on in the story, this is forgivable.

A dash of mystery and a small romance round out this story nicely.  Readers are likely to become as ensconced in the mystery of Julianna as Parker is, and while some readers will likely figure it out long before Parker does, the journey is still a lot of fun.  Kirby doesn’t provide her readers with any easy answers, which makes this all the more satisfying.

A warm, thoughtful read.  This one will work for fans of Sarah Dessen (especially her earlier works). Recommended.

Golden by Jessi Kirby. Simon & Shuster BFYR: 2013.  Electronic galley accepted for review via Edelweiss.

Book Review: The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher

When Lizzie is caught in bed with her best friend’s boyfriend on prom night, her life is ruined.  The school turns against her and her best friend Angie cuts her off completely.  Unable to cope, Lizzie kills herself.  But when Lizzie’s handwriting is found on lockers and pages of her diary are surfacing around school, it’s clear that someone is not ready to let her go.  Angie begins to investigate these mysterious appearances, she gets pulled deeper into darkness over her own guilt about Lizzie’s death.

In all honesty, I’ve been putting off reviewing this book because I’m so conflicted about it.  On the one hand, Pitcher’s debut attempts some pretty difficult stuff, both in its subject matter and in it’s fairly unlikely protagonist.  But amateurish writing, a desperate need for tighter editing, and a plot that sort of fizzles instead of explodes makes this one hard to remember.  After finishing it several months ago, the details have all but escaped me.

That’s not to say that there aren’t things that work here.  Readers are likely to be riveted by Angie’s narration.  A mystery that reads quickly, this one has appeal especially for reluctant readers.  There’s enough intrigue here to fill the pages, and some of the secondary characters are interesting enough to hold their own.

But savvy, sophisticated readers are going to stumble over the novel’s awkward writing and stilted dialogue.  Pitcher doesn’t ever seem to be in total control of her prose, and the result is a clunky narration that jars the reader out of the story too often.  Bizarre metaphors and similes clutter the pages, some of which are so bizarre they’ll leave you scratching your head in complete bemusement.  Surely that can’t have been Pitcher’s intent.

At times heavy-handed and perhaps a bit too issue-driven, this one isn’t a standout, despite its best intentions.  Although it’s likely to find an audience and might open up a dialogue about what it means to give power to words, it stumbles far too much in its delivery and its message to really pack a punch.  Disappointing.

The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher. Gallery Books: 2013.  Electronic galley accepted for review via Netgalley.

Book Review: Burning Blue by Paul Griffin

Nicole Castro is the most beautiful girl in her wealthy New Jersey high school until the day she’s splashed with acid on one side of her face.  The whole world takes notice, but no one can solve the mystery of who her attacker was.  When social outcast Jay Nazarro decides to investigate the crime, he puts his hacker skills to good use.  It’s when he gets to know Nicole that things get even more complicated.

Paul Griffin’s taut thriller will keep readers glued to the page as they race to figure out who splashed Nicole with acid.  Gripping, authentic teen characters and a snarky, slightly self-deprecating narration from Jay make this a standout in the YA market.  If you’re a Griffin fan or new to his work, this is one you don’t want to miss out.

Both Nicole and Jay are fully-realized characters who display growth throughout the course of the book.  Although Jay provides the book’s narration, readers are treated to snippets of Nicole’s diary throughout the novel.  Despite this, she remains somewhat of a mystery to readers and to Jay, which strengthens the book’s central mystery.  A cast of other characters and suspects make this a riveting read.

Although the novel starts slow, the build up to the satisfying and incredibly tense reveal and conclusion is well worth it.  Once it gets going, it really gets going, and while some savvy readers might be able to finger the perp before Jay does, the reveal is still shocking.  There’s a lot to think about and talk about here, and Griffin never gives his readers any of the easy, pat answers.

Definitely a contemporary YA novel to have on your shelves (personal or otherwise), this one is a standout in the mystery/thriller genre.  A deeply affecting author’s note (don’t read until you’ve finished the book!) makes it all the more poignant.

Highly recommended.

Burning Blue by Paul Griffin. Dial: 2012.  Library copy.

Book Review: Night Beach by Kirsty Eagar

For Abbie, her life revolves around three things: art, the ocean, and Kane, her broody surfer step-cousin.  Always out of reach, Abbie watches him and obsesses over him.  But when Kane comes back from a mysterious surf trip to an even more mysterious island, Abbie senses that something is wrong.  Kane carries a darkness that threatens to envelop them both.

It’s hard to summarize Eagar’s brilliant, darkly gothic novel without giving too much of it away.  The book is about a girl with a heightened emotional state, and maybe because of this heightened state (or in spite of?), supernatural events begin to occur.  Readers looking for an intensely atmospheric and engrossing tale should look no further than this one.  Eagar somehow manages to spin a paranormal tale that feels firmly rooted in the real world.  I’ve said it before and it might as well be my mantra: Eagar is an author to watch.

The atmosphere isn’t the only aspect of Eagar’s novel that entraps the reader.  Vivid, authentic characters propel the narrative forward.  Abbie is raw and flawed, and her obsession with Kane is only one thing that clouds her judgment.  Her love of painting distorts reality for her, as she struggles to see beyond the surface of things.  Her creative impulses mirror her other impulses, and readers will find her exasperating as well as worth rooting for.

Kane is harder to like, but because of Abbie’s fixation on him, it’s hard not to see the appeal.  He’s the quintessential surfer with a darker side, and while he’s definitely a selfish, hardened character, there’s no questioning his attraction.  Eagar is especially adept at creating characters who feel undeniably real: they may not be what you expect, and the story is the better for it.

Tension abounds in this taut novel.  Not every reader is going to “get” this one, and it’s certainly not the Eagar novel I’d recommend a person start with, but it has no shortage of merits.  Eagar’s prose is pitch-perfect, lush, and evocative.  There’s never a moment where she’s not in total control of her words, and the story moves along at a great clip as a result.  This is a stunning novel, and one that will stick with you long after you’ve reached the novel’s satisfyingly murky conclusion.

Recommended.

Night Beach by Kirsty Eagar. Penguin Books Australia: 2012.  Purchased copy.

Book Review: Me, Him, Them, and It by Caela Carter

Evelyn is sixteen, wants to be valedictorian, and is pregnant.  She’s really a good girl who has been playing bad in an attempt to get her preoccupied, distant parents to pay attention to her.  The result, however, has lasting consequences.  When the baby’s father slacks off, Evelyn is faced with some difficult decisions.

There’s no shortage of teen pregnancy novels, so when a new one is published, it has to stand out in some way.  Unfortunately, Caela Carter’s Me, Him, Them, and It doesn’t distinguish itself as a standout issue novel in any way.  The pronoun-heavy title gives you the gist of the novel, its cast of characters, and hints at how crowded the story will be with its issues.

And it is a crowded story.  Carter attempts to tackle way too much in this novel.  Everything from adoption, sexual orientation, divorce, religion, and race is touched on here, and one gets the sense that Carter was trying way, way too hard.  The result is that nothing has a lasting impact.

A drawn-out narrative doesn’t help matters.  Carter’s story drags on for so long that readers will feel like 9 months have actually passed as they read Evelyn’s self-indulgent narrative.  This book could have benefited from some tight editing and a heavy hand with the ‘delete’ key.

Of course, part of the problem with the narrative is that Evelyn is such a hard character.  Reader reactions will vary with regard to Evelyn’s personality, but many readers will be put off by her selfish, brash approach to life.  There are times where it feels very authentic, but it doesn’t make it any easier to like this heroine.  A cast of flat characters does nothing to help the fact that the narrator is grating.

This might work for teens looking for every book about teen pregnancy they can find (it happens), but there are so many other, better options out there it’s hard to recommend this one.  Overly long and with a lead character many readers will dislike, this is best for readers who can power through to the fairly satisfying, if rushed, conclusion.

Me, Him, Them and It by Caela Carter. Bloomsbury: 2013. Library copy.

Book Review: 172 Hours on the Moon by John Harstad

When NASA decides to hold a lottery for eligible teenagers to win a chance to go to the moon, the world pays attention.  It’s been decades since a human set foot on the lunar surface, but now NASA is hoping to drum up publicity for the space program.  Three teens are picked to spend a week on a station on the moon, and it’s certain to be a life-changing event.  The problem is that no one realizes just how life-changing it will be.  There’s something on the moon, and it’s not human.

This tense horror-suspense novel grabs readers from the start and doesn’t let go until the last page. A science fiction novel light on the science and heavy on the fiction, this one will keep readers up late into the night.  Part taut Scandinavian thriller and part straight-up horror novel, this is a story you’ll remember.

Harstad’s prose (translated from Norwegian by Tara F. Chace) is accessible, sparse, and tense.  This is a plot-driven novel, so readers looking for characters with a great deal of depth should look elsewhere.  Although the novel alternates between the three chosen teens’ perspectives as well as a few other characters, it becomes clear early on that this is Norwegian teen Mia’s story.  Tight pacing, especially in the last quarter, helps build the story to a thrilling climax and twisty, surprising conclusion.

Readers shouldn’t go into this one expecting much in the way of plausibility.  The mere fact that the story’s premise involves teenage astronauts should give you all the clues you need for whether or not the story is realistic, but once you get sucked into the horror, it doesn’t matter any more.  This is great suspense, and nothing else matters.

A good twist at the end will satisfy readers.  This is interesting, original, and extremely accessible.  There’s widespread appeal here, and the book’s simple prose makes it accessible to readers across many reading levels.  Recommended for those looking for a good suspense novel with some great thrills and chills.

172 Hours on the Moon by John Harstad. ATOM: 2012.  Borrowed copy.

Book Review: Also Known As by Robin Benway

 

 

Maggie Silver (not her real last name, obviously) is a 16-year-old safecracker and member of an international spy movement called The Collective.  Both of her parents are active spies, and they travel the globe, fighting crime and stopping evil in its tracks.  When it comes time for Maggie’s first solo-mission, she feels ready: infiltrate a Manhattan prep school, snuggle up to the school’s resident bad boy to get information crucial to the case, and get out without being made.  But when she starts to make friends, Maggie starts to realize that being a spy has its downsides.

Robin Benway’s spy book has a lot going for it. It’s fun, frequently funny (which can be hard to achieve), and more than a little silly.  Readers looking for a fun, easy read are going to enjoy this one.  It’s a romantic comedy in book form.

Maggie is the kind of protagonist it’s hard not to like.  She’s funny, a  little cocky, and completely her age.  Despite her years of spy training, she’s authentically sixteen, and as a result, the book’s plot ends up going the way you’d think it would.  Although a bit on the predictable side, Maggie’s narration is so often humorous it’s impossible not to continue reading.  As her relationships with kids at the prep school develop, so does your investment in the story.

Realistic relationships, including a healthy one with her parents, help round out this novel’s appeal.  While her romance with Jesse Oliver is totally standard fare, it’s got all the tropes that readers looking for romance will gobble up.  Her friendship with the colorful Roux is much more interesting, and the book’s ruminations about growing up, friendship, and trust make this more than just a spy caper.

The premise is ridiculous, of course, but that’s part of the genre’s appeal.  Silly, light fun, guaranteed to hook readers.  This one has massive teen appeal, especially for fans of the Gallagher Girls series.  Recommended.

Also Known As by Robin Benway.  Bloomsbury Juvenile: 2013.  Library copy.

Book Review: Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

When Mallory’s boyfriend cheats on her with an online girlfriend, Mallory decides to take a break from the modern ways of life.  Helped in part by a list her grandmother wrote in the 1960s, Mallory attempts to swear off technology and return to what she thinks must have been a “simpler” time.  But as Mallory becomes more ensconced in the ways of the past, she realizes her present is changing, and she might have taken the whole vintage thing a little too seriously.

Lindsey Leavitt brings her trademark humor and wit to this cute story of a contemporary girl trying to go vintage.  Although the novel didn’t work for me, there’s a lot here that teens will like.  Leavitt’s ability to create an authentic voice for her characters is on full display here, and the twist on technology will hook younger readers.  However, a crazy mess of subplots and some too-convenient plot points will make sophisticated readers roll their eyes.

Mallory’s voice feels authentic (if a little irritating), and her relationship with her loyal younger sister is fun to read.  The two are good girls from a good family, and Leavitt’s tendency to craft YA novels that are free of controversial material makes this a good choice for middle-grade readers.  All of this works well for the intended audience, but I couldn’t help but think that something was missing from the story.

Something about Mallory and her struggle to find balance after her breakup never quite gelled for me.  I found her often irritating and dubiously obtuse.  A too-convenient plot twist near the end of the novel was too much for me to take, and I felt the details of the book slipping away from me as soon as I finished it.  This wasn’t a standout, but that doesn’t mean it won’t find an audience.  Perhaps my expectations were too high, after loving Sean Griswold’s Head.

It’ll work for teens looking for a sweet, “clean” read, but it’s not very memorable.

Going Vintage by Linsdsey Leavitt. Bloomsbury: 2013. Electronic copy accepted for review via NetGalley.