Oh no! Not another Homeless teen book!

Joon-Mee is a 12-year-old Korean-American who runs away from her trouble home. She, like so many teens out there, has had it with her family. Joon wants to be free and she ends up on the mean streets of New York City in the 1980s.

The novel was good, but I have read three other novels about the same subject and I see a lot of overlapping in them. The book was good, but it didn't stand out among the crowd as the best of the best. I mean common, how much more is there to write about when it comes to this subject? Bad home life. Kid can't take it anymore. Kid runs away. Kid meets older street kids. Kid does naughty things in order to survive(drugs, prostitution, stealing etc. etc.) Kid sees the error of their ways and becomes good again. YAWN.

Despite the fact that I'm a little sarcastic here (could you tell?) the book has its merits. I think students will enjoy this book. It touches on some subjects that teens love to read about, such as drug abuse, prostitution, and racism. The characters are interesting and realistic. The language is gritty and could scare off a few parents or school librarians.

Yet with all the gritty realism aside I just couldn't enjoy this book. Maybe I have had my fill of teen runaway novels.

For students looking for a book about runaways then this is for them. However if you have read two or more books about teen runaways then I would steer clear of this one. It feels like the same ol' same ol'.

Sad, but true

Tessa is going to die. I’m not ruining the story by telling you that because from the title I think anyone could have figured that out. Her time is limited. She has inoperable cancer and she has decided to make her own bucket list of things she must accomplish before the big day.

While Tessa is trying to complete the list she must deal with various hospital visits, a regiment of drugs and a failing body. In addition, she has a few complex relationships. Her estranged mother, her overbearing father, a little brother and a friend who has some very serious issues of her own she must work out.

I liked the story, but I found Tessa’s character to be grating at times. I understand that she was dying, and so the attitude she had was spot on; but there were times where I just wanted to get on with it because she was bothering me so much.

As I read the story I tried to think who would enjoy this. It’s pretty depressing even for young adult standards. But then I thought maybe sometimes a person needs a sad book to realize the good things they have in their lives.

For students looking for a complex story that takes them on an emotional rollercoaster ride, then this is the story for them. For students who are looking for something a little more upbeat then stay away.

What have I become?

Purge is the story of Janie Ryman, a 16 year old girl who suffers from bulimia. The story is told in first person and uses a series of flashes backs.

Janie is at Golden Slopes, a facility that helps teens with eating disorders. During her treatment, Janie meets an interesting cast of characters, including a wrestler who is anorexic but doesn't think he has a problem, Helen, the Queen of Lean, various doctors and secondary characters that helped give this book depth.

The novel does not try to sugarcoat anything. It paints a realistic and painful story of young people who have eating disorders. The one thing I enjoyed was that the book had male and female characters who suffered from anorexia or bulimia. I thought this was a nice touch because, as we all know, it is not a female problem.

There is a sex scene with the main character and her boyfriend, which has some people raising their eyebrows. I found it to be rather tame(but then again my tolerance level could be very high) and I don't think that high school girls would think twice about it. The aftermath of the sexual encounter I thought was prefect, realistic, and very sad. I know many women(teens and adults) who can relate to the situation.

At the end of the book there are websites, treatment centers, and also books that can help teens if they have an eating disorder.

At times it seemed like there were too many issues going on at once and it did make my head spin a bit. The ending seemed a little too cliché for me as well. Yet with that said I think this is a powerful novel that teens will really enjoy, and unfortunately can relate to.

For teens looking for a realistic story filled with teen angst and pain then this is for them. For those who dislike drama, this is not the book for them.

This book will be released on April 1, 2009.

Not your typical historical fiction novel

My last Skirt is based on the true story of Union solider Jennie Hodgers.

The novel opens in Ireland, where Jennie and her brother Tom are very poor. Their father tells Tom he has a job as a shepherd, but Tom doesn’t want the job. Knowing that the family needs money Jennie decides to dress up like a boy and work for the bishop. During this time Jeannie realizes that there are more opportunities for boys than there are for girls, and so begins her transformation into a boy.

Their father dies and the children leave for America where Jennie continues to dress like a boy. Tom is extremely jealous of his sister who is hard working and gets all the praise. Tom decides to tell everyone that is brother is really his sister and thus Jennie must flee. She cannot live like a girl now that she has experienced the freedom of a young man.

War Between the States breaks out and Jennie decides she is going to enlist and become a private. Jeannie is known as Private Albert Cashier and fights along side her comrades for the Union.

The story was alright. I wasn’t on the edge of my seat compelled by the action. It was interesting to read how Jennie disguised herself as a man and the lengths she had to go to keep her secret. For readers looking for a woman soldier falling in love with another soldier then they will be disappointed. I was glad we didn’t get the typical love story, but then again I was hoping for it as well. The book was a decent enough read, but it just didn’t grab me like most historical fiction novels do.

That being said, Jennie’s life is very interesting and sad. The reader also experiences her life after the Civil War and into 1913. I felt sorry for Jennie as I read what happened to her after the war. In order to have the freedom of a man had she had to sacrifice a great deal. I wonder if she was truly happy.

For students looking for a historical fiction read that isn’t typical, and then this is for them. For those who are looking for a little romance and a nice pretty story that ends with rainbows and butterflies this is not the novel for them.

My First Book Giveaway!

This is it! It is my first book giveaway. I'm excited (now watch no one wants the book!) I am giving away one copy of Sunrise over Fallujah. If you are interested in the book please send me an email at yabookmarks@gmail.com . The drawing will be held Sunday (Oct. 19th). In the future I hope to give away more books to my loyal readers. I think this is the perfect way of saying THANK YOU! Or, as I always say to my students GRAZIE!

This giveaway is for those within the United States. Maybe in the future I'll expand it.

Sing my Angel of Music

The Queen’s Soprano is based on the true story of Angelica Voglia and is set in 17th century Rome.

Pope Innocent XI has made a decree that women are not allowed to sing in public. But Angelica was born with a beautiful voice and she wishes to sing. In addition she wants to marry an artist and live a happily ever after. Her mother, on the other hand has other ideas for Angelica. She wants her daughter to move up the social latter and marry a rich man.

Unable to endure her mother’s plans for marriage Angelica runs off into a quarter of Rome that is ruled by Queen Christina. She is a Swedish queen who allows women to perform even though the pope is outraged. Angelica thinks her life will be better.

The story follows Angelica as a young, naive girl, longing for love to a young woman making difficult choices about her future and experiencing great pain.

This story was interesting because it’s something I had never known existed. I did enjoy it, but at times I felt if fell into the typical “mom wants to marry me off but I love another…” plotline that is getting a little tedious in historical fiction. For once I would just like to see the girl made to marry the man, though I'm sure readers wouldnt enjoy that.

For teens looking for a good historical fiction novel about a unique time period I'd say give this one a go. This is a chick book, so gentlemen beware.