I developed a case of ADHD

I don't have ADHD, but reading this book made me think I did.

First, the summary: It's 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is shipped off to Maryland so she can find herself a good match. After all, in the Victorian Era the only aim and end to a woman's life was marriage. So, Amelia needs to find a good husband. Nathaniel Witherspoon isn't a good match, being an artist, but he's dark and mysterious and Amiela likes that. She starts to have visions, and things happen, but I dunno what because I couldn't finish the novel.

My problem with this book is that while it started out good. Amelia did something very bad because she was now "ruined." I thought oh, how naughty and wanted to read more. Then I continued to read and developed a horrible case of ADHD.

The author likes to create choppy chapters which had me jumping from one scene to the next. I don't mind this, but I don't think the author used it to its full potential. Instead I felt cheated by the writing style. An example of this is when the girls go out dress shopping and Amelia is told to strip down to her corset. She is horrified but Zora(the cousin I think) tells her not to worry because maybe the seamstress has a ready made piece that can be bought at a cheaper price. OK, and then....we go to another scene. I'm like, hello, are we buying this dress or not? And furthermore what is the point of even putting this little scene into the book? Did the author need to fill some pages and decided to throw it in there? I hate that. The scene didn't further the story in anyway and left me wondering why she was standing practically naked in a dress shop freezing to death.

I'm also not a big fan of Ms. Mitchell's writing style. I tripped over the first sentence because it sounded awkward and strange. I knew it was going to be a long, painful read if the story continued in that manner, and it did. I'm unsure if she was trying to be Victorian in her writing style, but I think it failed. The characters were also very wooden and the way they spoke did not appeal to me.

It wasn't all bad, the author does a great job of capturing historical details. I think she did a good job of injecting the Victorian Era into the book.

On Amazon you can see this book is dearly loved, which makes me nervous when I post my review. I know I'm going to get dinged because I wasn't a fan, but such is the way of life.

I'll be honest and say I'm not sure who this book will appeal to.

Something different

CrossingLines is a little different than the usual Paul Volponi book. Normally, we read about the inner city and how life is hard and unforgiving. This time we head to the suburbs in his latest novel.

Adonis is a football player. He's a jock. He's a great athlete and he has am image to uphold with his his guy friends. Adonis is dating a girl(whose name I forgot and the book is at work!) who is also involved in the fashion club. That's fine, until she starts supporting the new kid Alan who is a gender bending teen.

The football team hates Alan, and Adnois is caught in the middle of their little war. Does he go along with his team to hurt Alan and also destroy his relationship with his girlfriend, or does he do the right thing?

I enjoyed the book, but I'm unsure how many of my male readers are going to pick it up. They love Mr. Volponi's fast paced novels like Black and White or Hurricane Song. I like the message, and think this is an important novel to read.

Life ain't easy

Shivana is 15, living on Chicago’s South Side, has no father, and has no ambition in life. She has a job as a babysitter, which gives her a little money. It also ends up getting her pregnant because she is having an affair with the children’s father. Shivana can’t tell her mother what has happened. Her mother would be upset. Shivana must keep her secret. And she does, for a while. Soon things hit the fan and everyone knows what she has been up to. Added into the mix is a neighbor boy. Shivana wants nothing to do with him at first, but then she starts to like him.

Weaved into the story is Shivana’s unborn child who has a narrative of its own. The fetus talks about its previous lives with other mothers. It’s a unique concept that I haven’t seen, but at times it can be long winded, and I wanted to get back to Shivana’s story. I enjoyed this novel, but if you are looking for a feel good ending, then keep browsing because this book isn’t for you.

However, I think the author does a wonderful job of keeping the novel realistic. While not every teen can relate to all aspects Shivana's life I believe the character's voice draws the reader in. We feel her helplessness and we also want to shout at the book and tell her that she’s making bad choices.

Teens who are looking for something realistic with an urban feel will enjoy this book.

I cut because....

Kendra is being stalked, but she doesn't know by who. The person who is stalking her constantly reminds Kendra not to talk about her abuse. But she couldn't talk if she wanted to. Kendra has faded memories of being sexually abused. Her mother isn't much help. In order to deal with her confusing, dark world she cuts herself to feel better. She loves the feel, the release and can't stop herself from cutting.

While Kendra's life seems to be nothing but pain she finds herself falling in love with a classmate. She also uses her art to help heal the pain.

This book was decent. I thought it was going to be better than it was. Kendra is a good character, but there is too much stuff going on in this book. First, she has a stalker. Kendra was sexually abused. Kendra cuts herself. Kendra is gay. Kendra uses art to cope. Kendra has a monkey. Well, she doesn't have a monkey, but it feels like everything was piled into this book. To top it off the shocking ending wasn't shocking at all and I saw it coming a mile away.

Students looking for books like Cut will enjoy Scars. For me there was too much going on, but maybe this book will help students who are dealing with a lot of different issues.

Supernatural book without the supernatural ??

Lets be real. The cover to this book is very eye catching. I was sucked in by the cover, read the summary and thought I would really enjoy this book. Now, I know the whole supernatural teen love saga is hot(although I think it's slowly starting to lose steam), so I was expecting a sappy supernatural love story.

Nora Grey is a 10th grader trying to get good grades. Her little world is fine, except for her father dying, and her mother always gone because she has to take a job in Upstate New York to pay the bills. So the family is poor, but they have a maid(I didn't understand that). Everything else is good, until the mean biology teacher decides to change the seating chart. Now Nora is forced to sit next to the dark, mysterious, and snarky Patch. They do not get along and of course there is sexual attraction. I mean, how can a girl not like a guy who is always mean and rude to her? Well, the story progresses, at a very, very slow pace, and we learn that ...well, we don't learn much, and that's the problem. All we know is that someone is trying to kill Nora and she attempts(badly) to find out who is trying to do it.

Throughout most of this book I'm waiting and waiting and waiting for the action. In my opinion there isn't enough in the book. I thought this was going to be about fallen angels and all types of supernatural craziness. However, the story I got was a sheltered Nora liking Patch even though he treats her like crap, but hey its love right? I might have bought the love story if it hadn't been so mind numbing. Most of the book deals with these two snapping at one another. OK, that's fine, for three chapters, but can we move on? No, the author didn't think we could move on...apparently. And countless pages later I am still reading about them snapping at each other.

The writing is fine. I would compare it to a lot of teen books that are out now. The characters limp along throughout the story. The big bang at the end took too long. Some editing would have been great. If the book had been condensed, and the action more exciting and there were more fallen angels then I would have enjoyed it better.

Will my students enjoy it? I think teens who crave supernatural books will enjoy it. I don't know if this title will be as heavily circulated as some of the other ones out there. My suggestion is if a teen is really interested in this book to loan it from the library.

I'm looking forward to the upcoming school year to hear what my students have to say about this one.

An Interesting Topic

After is one of those interesting topics that is rarely discussed. The idea that a mother could have a child and throw it in the garbage like a discarded hamburger wrapper is something a lot of people cannot wrap their heads around. But maybe that's a good thing.

Devon Davenport tries to be the perfect student. She is great at soccer and wants to be the best player she can be. Besides being an amazing athlete she is a great student. However, Devon makes a big mistake. She ends up having unprotected sex and then gets pregnant.

Most of the story is told in flashbacks as Devon tries to remember how she became pregnant and how she tried to cover up, and forget, her pregnancy.

I enjoyed this book because of the subject matter. I think the author did a good job of trying to get inside Devon's mind and explaining why she would throw out her baby. While I did enjoy the book I'm not sure I was sold on the ending. But this is a personal preference, and I won't give it away. Some readers may enjoy it.

Students who are looking for a mature book will like this one. The subject matter is handled very well and it's one of those real life stories a lot of my teen patrons crave.

hmmmmmm

Jodi Picoult is a very popular author with my teens. They love her stories. So I thought I would review one of her novels.

Chris Harte and Em Gold are two teens who have never been apart. They are neighbors and their parents encourage them to date. Em isn't convinced this is the relationship for her and is sickened by it. Chris is so close to her it's like having sex with her brother. To make matters worse she ends up pregnant and falls deeper into depression.

Em tells Chris that if he loves her he will kill her.

What develops next are the parents talking about their story, a court case, and the normal Picoult formula. Yawn.

First off, I'm not sure why this book is "a love story" because nothing about this book screams love story. Also, why didn't she just say no to her relationship with Chris? And why didn't she stand up to her parents? And why would Chris(a well rounded, smart teen) decide "yeah I'll agree to the pact." The characters were all weak and uninteresting. Nothing in this story worked for me.

Will teens enjoy it? Some may, but the idea that this is "a love story" is misleading. However, teens who enjoy her other novels may want to give this oldie a go.

Death becomes her

Meridian is not like other girls, and she has know that since she was a child. For some strange reason things come to her, bugs, people, animals and they die.

Despite this weird factor she tries to get on with her life, but things take a dramatic turn when she becomes 16. Meridian can't live with her family anymore and is forced to move away to live with an elderly aunt she knows nothing about. To make matters worse Meridian doesn't know if she will ever see her family again.

When she is at her aunt's house begins to understand why dead things are attracted to her. Meridian also learns that she is half human and half angel.

If life wasn't bad enough for Meridian she has to deal with Tens, who isn't very friendly towards her, and a crazy ultra religious cult who is out to harm the town.

One reason I enjoyed this book so much was because it was faced paced and got right into the action. There wasn't 10 chapters of nonsense before the action happened. I love that, and I think teens will too. Also the story was unique(which can be a rarity these days with all the urban fantasy novels around).

I think teens looking for an interesting urban fantasy novel will enjoy Meridian.

This Saturday I will have an interview with Ms. Kizer. Be sure to check it out!