Tag Archives: New Authors

Book Trailer Thursday (62)–Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

26 Apr

I’m getting ready to start reading Struck by Jennifer Bosworth, so I was pretty darn excited to see the trailer.  The cover for this book is really cool, and even though it has a girl on the cover, I think my guys in class will read it without hesitation.  The whole premise sounds fun and exciting, and the now the trailer has left me wanting to read it even more.  A lightning addict?  What a concept!  I’m wondering if Mia will be like Storm from X-Men (probably my favorite comic book series).

What do you think of the trailer?  Is Struck part of your TBR list?  If you’ve read it already I’d love to know what you think!

Struck Book CoverSummary (From Goodreads): Mia Price is a lightning addict. She’s survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.

Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.

Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn’t who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything.

 

Student Book Review: Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

25 Apr

I always love my Young Adult Lit students and my current group fits right in.  They’re excited about reading, discussing, and participating in general.  I also have a talented group of review writers!  I’ve been sitting here going through their Goodreads reviews trying to decide which student review to feature today because I’m so impressed by them.  I’ve decided to create a list so I can feature as many of my students as possible.

Today I’m featuring Brittany’s review of Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay.  It’s the first book she read for this class and it’s what she based her project choice on (love and long-distant relationships in YA).  Brittany also wrote an excellent review of Anna and the French Kiss, but since I’ve already posted a student review of that one, I decided on this review by Brittany.  Enjoy! :)

**I only altered her text to make some words bold**

Title: Love & Leftovers

Author: Sarah Tregay

Student Reviewer: Brittany

Summary (From HarperTeen):

My wish is to fall cranium over Converse in dizzy daydream-worthy love.

(If only it were that easy.)

Marcie has been dragged away from home for the summer—from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She’s left behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father.

By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this “summer vacation” has become permanent. She has to start at a new school, and there she leaves behind her Leftover status when a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. But understanding love, especially when you’ve watched your parents’ affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? Can you even know it until you’ve lost it?

Love & Leftovers is a beautifully written story of one girl’s journey navigating family, friends, and love, and a compelling and sexy read that teens will gobble up whole.

Student Review:

Love and Leftovers is a very cute book. It is about a girl named Marcie who is sixteen years old. She is swept away from her house in Idaho when her parents split up. Her mom takes her away from her group of friends called the Leftovers and her boyfriend that is also in that group, to a summer home in New Hampshire. Her mom is suffering from depression and this summer home becomes their real home. This book is about Marcie starting school in New Hampshire without any friends and how she handles the attention she is getting from a guy at the school. She is weighing the choices between this new guy or her old boyfriend back in Idaho.

I absolutely loved this book! I didn’t know anything about this book when I first wanted to read it. I saw the cover and thought it looked cute so I figured I would give it a try. I had never read a book that was written in verse and at first I didn’t think that I would much care for it, but I ended up loving it. It makes the book so easy to read and I never wanted to put it down. I have always felt that I am a slow reader, but not with this book. I ended up finishing it in two days. I am a sucker for cute love stories and that is exactly what this book is. Tregay did a very good job at developing characters. They all seem very realistic and are easy to relate to.

This is a book that many people would love, especially teenage girls. Anyone who likes a love story would be interested in this book. It doesn’t even have to be girls; some guys are suckers for cute books. Also, this would be a good book for people who like to read in verse.

Review: Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

6 Apr

Title: Something Like Normal

Author: Trish Doller

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Release Date: June 19th, 2012

Interest: 2012 Debut Author / Guy appeal

Source: E-book ARC received via NetGalley

Summary (From Goodreads): When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.

I’ve read quite a few rave reviews for Trish Doller’s debut Something Like Normal, so I looked it up on NetGalley to request a copy.  As soon as I received the approval email I downloaded Something Like Normal to my Kindle and started reading.  If I hadn’t started it while visiting my grandpa in the hospital, I would have finished this in one sitting because it’s that good.  If I could get away with writing a review that says “READ IT!” I would just do that because it’s hard to form words for such a wonderful story.

Over the years I’ve learned about myself that if I can’t connect with a character then I won’t enjoy the book.  I’ve also learned that I mostly prefer first-person point of view.  Something Like Normal fits both of those preferences, plus it features a male protagonist which is something I’m always looking for.  Travis is on leave from the Marines and he’s really suffering after witnessing the death of his close friend Charlie.  He’s also dealing with coming home to a family that’s been falling apart since his deployment.  I really like that Trish Doller wrote Travis the way she did because he’s not written as a hero.  He’s written as a suffering young man who’s trying to recover and make amends.  He’s trying to become a better man, a man he can be proud of.  I can see a number of teenage guys relating to Travis, especially if they’re considering joining the Marines or another part of the armed forces.  Many of my seniors that enlist do so because they hope it will shape them into a better person; they hope it will provide some guidance in life.  Travis says he really doesn’t know why he joined, but his character made me think of past seniors I had in class that enlisted because they wanted guidance or a sense of direction in their lives.  I always appreciate a story with a hero, but there’s something about a story with a flawed character that a reader can’t help but love.  Travis’s voice is real and authentic; it’s how I imagine many teenage guys think and feel and act.

I’ve noticed that more Y.A. novels are featuring characters who have graduated from high school.  I hope to see more published like this because it’s an excellent way for upperclassman to relate to what’s in their future.  It’s also a way to keep teens reading Y.A. beyond high school.  Even though Travis is done with school and has been in situations and done and witnessed things most adults never will, he’s still dealing with family drama and common relationship insecurities/dilemmas.  I doubt Travis returned home expecting to fall for a girl, especially when his ex-girlfriend has moved on to his brother.  His life is complicated, but after running into Harper everything starts to turn around.  As I was reading Something Like Normal, I didn’t know what to expect from Harper, but I ended up loving her character.  Really, I love Travis and Harper together as a couple.  They form the kind of relationship where they work off each other.  They mesh in that perfect, awkward, kind of rough around the edges way, but those edges begin to smooth over.  Travis isn’t perfect, far from it actually, but his effort to become better is endearing.  We see these efforts in his relationship with his mother and with Harper.  Both of these women make Travis want to become a better person which is when we see the rough edges smooth over.

Trish Doller includes flashbacks and nightmares in Something Like Normal which give us an idea of the suffering and experiences Travis goes through.  I appreciate these scenes for two reasons.  My first reason is because it breaks up the family and relationship drama Travis is going through at home.  I know many readers enjoy romance and relationship issues in the books they read, but for the readers that want a little less of that, these flashbacks and nightmares will add a welcome break.  The second reason I like these scenes is because it gives us a more well-rounded idea of who Travis is and what life is like for soldiers in Afghanistan.  I can’t imagine returning home and constantly searching the floor for bombs.  Or preferring to sleep on the floor rather than my bed.  Or feeling vulnerable without my gun in my hands.  These scenes are an invaluable layer to the story.

My only issue with Something Like Normal is that I’m done reading it and I don’t have another book by Trish Doller to read next.  I feel like I haven’t expressed enough how completely fantastic this debut is.  There isn’t anything I disliked or would change.  It’s an engrossing story that I predict will be a huge hit in my classroom.  Actually, I wish it released earlier than June 19th so my current students could read it since I don’t have a physical ARC to share with them.

Spring Break #BookaDay Goals

1 Apr

I didn’t know if spring break would ever arrive, but it’s finally here!  Keith and I talked about going to Chicago for a few days, but because of the weather being a tad sketchy lately we decided to stay home.  I love taking trips with my husband, but I also love being at home with him while relaxing and reading.  Spring break officially starts tomorrow, but I’ve been organizing and starting my #bookaday goals this weekend.  I will admit, however, that I was pretty darn lazy yesterday (I slept for most of the day) and didn’t get much reading done.  The laziness has continued today, but I’m determined to finish a book!  I think I have my list pretty much narrowed down, even if it’s a lofty list.

A majority of the reading I’m doing this week is work-related.  When I say work-related, though, I’m referring to Y.A. titles I need to read for work, which is quite happy-making!  My freshmen are in the middle of reading Romeo & Juliet, but this year we’re including a group of Y.A. titles to read with To Kill a Mockingbird that fit with some of the themes and issues (prejudice, maturity, loss of innocence, etc.).  Most of them I’ve already read, but there are some titles that others in my department have read and I have not, or titles my friends on Twitter recommended when we were deciding on this list that I still need to read.

I’m also working on narrowing down ideas and titles for my Y.A. Lit II class that I’m teaching next year.  My goal for the class is that we’ll still read three novels as a class, but this time the novels will be genre-focused and the students will read an additional title that fits that genre.  I’ll be pretty flexible when it comes to which title they pick as their additional title, but I’d also like to have some new titles that the school can purchase extra copies of for my students.  I know for sure that we’re reading dystopian and fantasy, but I haven’t decided which genre to read for the third genre.  Historical fiction really isn’t very popular, but paranormal fantasy is, so I was thinking about  a title that mixes both of them.  Then I could allow students to choose either another like that or either a paranormal fantasy or a historical fiction title as their additional choice.  I was also thinking about verse novels even though I don’t consider those a genre.  I know sci-fi is a good choice, but I already have a hard enough time reading those that I don’t know if I really want to teach one.  I feel like a bad teacher saying that. :/

Anyway, the real reason behind this post, the books!

Timeless by Alexandra Monir (Goodreads)–The publicist sent this to me, so I’m reading it now and enjoying it so far.  I think there might be a giveaway in the near future as well!

Cover BittersweetBittersweet by Sarah Ockler (Goodreads)–My girls in book club chose this as our next title, and we’re meeting to discuss this after school on the Tuesday we get back from break.  I need to read it ASAP!  I started it a while ago and it’s pretty good, as I expected, so I’m looking forward to finishing it.

Book Cover Out of the PocketOut of the Pocket by Bill Konigsberg (Goodreads)–Homosexuality isn’t an issue in To Kill a Mockingbird, but the prejudice involved compares with the prejudice in TKAM.  We also wanted to include some LGBT novels because it relates to some of our students and it’s often ignored or misunderstood.  There’s a good chance there will be upset parents, but we’re preparing ourselves for that.

Book Cover Marcelo in the Real WorldMarcelo in the Real World by Franciso X. Stork (Goodreads)–This is another title we’re using with our TKAM unit.  I think the students should read this book because we have some many autistic students in our building, and the summary makes me think of Boo.  I could be wrong, and that might be a stretch, but it still has many of the issues that TKAM does.

Book Cover StartersStarters by Lissa Price (Goodreads)–I’m thinking about this for my dystopian unit in Y.A. II.  I’ve heard great things about it, so I’m excited to try it.  I hope it’s as good as everyone says it is!

Book Cover The Girl of Fire and ThornsThe Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson (Goodreads)–I have this at school right now, so I bought a copy for my Kindle.  Ever since I challenged myself to read more fantasy, I’ve found that I really enjoy it.  I’ve read mostly good reviews for this debut.  One of my freshmen read it and asked about the second book as soon as she returned it because she enjoyed it so much.  I hope it’s a winner because I’m considering this for the Y.A. II class.  I’m trying to choose a novel that’s newer for this genre study because I have so many avid fantasy readers, and it’s difficult to find a book that none of them have read.  Or at least most of them haven’t read.

This is a pretty ambitious list considering I still have a number of plans this week which involve travel, so I don’t know if I’ll actually read all of these in a day each, but I’m going to try!  I challenged my students to try #bookaday, even if it meant reading 20 pages, one book, or five books.  I hope they update me in the comments of this post, or at least have some exciting stories to tell me when we return from break.  Are any of you on spring break and setting up a reading challenge?  Have you already had spring break?  I know not all of my readers get a spring break, so maybe you’ve read some of these books.  I’d love to hear from you! :)

Books I’d Play Hooky to Read

27 Mar

Ssshhh!  Don’t let my principal know this (j/k), but I’d definitely play hooky to stay home and finish a book.  Wouldn’t you?  Or maybe skip out on some plans so you can read that last chapter?  This week’s Top 10 Tuesday post is all about being excited for spring and picking the books we’d play hooky to read. I’d love to know which books you’d add to this list!

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.

Spellbound by Rachel Hawkins (Goodreads)—I <3 Sophie.  The cliffhanger endings at the end of the chapters keep me reading, and I can easily see myself skipping something so I can finish reading this book.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth (Goodreads)—Is there really an explanation needed for this one? ;)

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller (Goodreads)—All I’ve read are positive reviews for this book, so it must be a book worth playing hooky to read.

Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood (Goodreads)—I’m kind of obsessed with Born Wicked. This doesn’t come out until February, but I was so hooked when reading Born Wicked I know I’d skip something to read this sequel. (The cover isn’t available yet.)

Bad Hair Day by Carrie Harris (Goodreads)—I’m not a zombie fan at all, but I’m a big fan of Kate Grable and Bad Taste in Boys. It’s a hilarious book and a fast read, so I expect the same from Bad Hair Day.

Insurgent CoverBad Hair Day Cover

If I Lie by Corrine Jackson (Goodreads)—This book sounds like it has major playing hooky potential.  I love that there are secrets, relationship & cheating issues, a boyfriend serving in the war, etc.

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin (Goodreads)—I skipped yoga so I could finish reading this J  It’s so stinkin’ funny!

Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay (Goodreads)—I didn’t need to skip anything to finish reading this, besides maybe missing sleep because I stayed up until 2am to finish it.  It’s a fantastic book!

This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers (Goodreads)—Have you read anything by Courtney Summers yet?  If not, you really need to pick up one of her books.  She writes gut-wrenching stories, and I know this one won’t be any different.  Like I said before, I’m not a zombie fan, but I’ll read this simply because it’s written by Courtney Summers.  And if you’re like me, you’ll expect to possibly play hooky to finish reading it because I’ve been in that situation with all of her books.  Every one has been an “I can’t put this down” book.

Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach (Goodreads)—I skipped doing work during my prep hour so I could finish reading this, and in the teaching world, prep time is vital.  Felton is a character I adore and really enjoyed reading.  I can’t wait to read the sequel Nothing Special.

If I Lie CoverLove & Leftovers CoverThis Is Not a Test CoverStupid Fast Cover

Review: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

26 Mar

Title:Catching Jordan

Author: Miranda Kenneally

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: December 1st, 2011

Interest: 2011 Debut Author / Student Recommended

Source: Purchased

Summary (From Goodreads): What girl doesn’t want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn’t just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that’s just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there’s a new guy in town who threatens her starting position… suddenly she’s hoping he’ll see her as more than just a teammate.

When Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally released all I found were positive reviews, so I knew it was a book to buy for my classroom.  I bought Catching Jordan for my classroom back in January, and I haven’t had a chance to read it myself since then!  Every time one of my girls reads and returns it, another girl is standing right there waiting to read it next.  The only reason I was able to read Catching Jordan this weekend is because one of my girls in my 5th hour (our last hour of the day), finished it and handed it back to me.  I quickly stashed it in my bag and the rest is history.

Miranda Kenneally’s debut novel is a quick read that teens obviously love based on what I’m seeing in my classroom.  It has plenty of appeal including sports, friendships, love and relationships, etc.  Most of my girls that have been reading it are very active in sports, but my romance fans have been picking this up as well.  I like the balance of sports and romance because many of my girls ask me for books without too much love.  Based on the amount of football scenes and references, I might even attempt to have one of my boys in class read Catching Jordan.  I teach primarily freshmen, and many of my boys are self-conscious about this sort of thing but it’s worth a shot.  I think some of them would genuinely like it.

I’d like to ask my students what they think of Jordan.  I love her dedication to football and her teammates; her actions as captain are believable and realistic.  I felt for her in regards to her wanting/needing her dad’s attention.  She’s really hurt that her dad doesn’t appreciate all of her hard work and skill in football.  When she meets Ty, she keeps telling herself that she doesn’t want to lose her focus and get too wrapped up in him.  I like this about Jordan, even if this does happen to some degree.  I did worry about her and how quickly their relationship becomes a sexual one.  Part of me thinks I feel this way because of how their relationship is written and how fast that part of the story progresses.  I also didn’t see Jordan acting that way based on what I knew about her at that point in the story.

Speaking of Ty, I definitely liked him and understand why Jordan is attracted to him.  He’s a talented athlete, even if she’s threatened by him, he’s loyal to his family, and he’s really attractive.  I enjoyed getting to know him with Jordan, but I kept wondering about her best friend Henry.  He’s always there for Jordan and sticking up for her.  It’s obvious that he really understands her, and I kept wanting to steer Jordan towards him!  The scenes with Jordan and Henry made me think of my best guy friend in high school.  I kept thinking about him as I was reading this and it made me wonder if maybe he liked me more than as a friend.  He’d come to our house all the time and even called my mom “Mom” although he never slept over.  Another guy I like in Catching Jordan is Jordan’s brother, Mike.  It’s nice to see an older brother character that’s supportive and looks out for his sister.

I’m looking forward to reading more of Miranda Kenneally‘s books in the future.  Catching Jordan is a really cute book that appeals to a variety of readers.  I’m happy I read it and look forward to recommending it to more of my students.

Students Want to Know Robin Bridges

23 Mar

Robin Bridges, author of The Gathering StormNecromancy, historical fiction, tzars, and romance?!  Count me in!  Robin Bridges is the 2012 debut author of The Gathering Storm.  I told my students about the book, showed them the book trailer, and one of them read The Gathering Storm before composing questions for Robin Bridges.  Quite a few of my students were intrigued by the trailer and started asking me lots of questions about necromancy and tzars.  Thankfully my students will get some of their answers today!  Thank you, Robin, for participating with us!

Summary of The Gathering Storm (From Goodreads): St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

An evil presence is growing within Europe’s royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina’s strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar’s standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina’s help to safeguard Russia, even if he’s repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn.

The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

** Robin Bridges’ Website **
** Follow Robin on Twitter **
** The Gathering Storm released on January 10th **

Taylor:

  • In the beginning, why did you introduce so many characters all at once?
    TGS has a large cast of characters, so I had to introduce them in groups- first Katerina, then her school mates, then the members of the Imperial Courts at the Smolni ball.
  • Between George and Danilo, who do you like better?
    Ha!  I really am fond of each of these boys, for different reasons.  George is stubborn and quiet, but has a strong sense of duty, both to his father and to his country. Danilo is mischievous and suave, but his loyalty is only to himself.  As an eldest son, he’s been spoiled much more by his family than George.
  • What are your top five favorite books?
    Ack, just 5?  The first ones that come to mind are:
    Pride and Prejudice (both with and without zombies),
    Anna Karenina,
    Howl’s Moving Castle,
    The Scorpio Races,
    Good Omens

Ashley:

  • Have you ever been to Russia?
    Not yet!  But hopefully within the next year or two.  I have a long list of palaces and museums that I’d like to see there.
  • Do you enjoy history?
    Definitely.  I’m always interested in learning about different time periods.

Zach H:

  • How did you come up with the idea of blending the supernatural with historical fiction?
    I love reading historical fiction with supernatural or fantastic elements:  Libba Bray’s Gemma Doyle trilogy, Scott Westerfield’s Leviathan series, and Sorcery and Cecelia (or the Enchanted Chocolate Pot) by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer.

Jared:

  • How do you become a necromancer?
    In Katerina’s case, it was an ability she was born with.  But there are dark spells and rituals that only the most powerful mages or sorcerers can use.
  • Why is necromancy scorned?
    Katerina hates her ability because she’s afraid it makes her a bad person.  Bringing the dead back to life upsets the balance of nature.  And it’s a nasty, dirty type of magic- something the fashionable fae of Saint Petersburg look down their noses at.  It has nothing to do with glamour or romance. 

My Favorite Read Alouds

20 Mar

Did you have any teachers in high school that read a book to your class simply for the enjoyment of listening to a good book?  I didn’t.  I really don’t remember any of my middle school teachers doing this either.  A few of my elementary school teachers read to us, but it was less frequent after 3rd grade.  I’m thankful my parents read to my brother and me on a regular basis since this didn’t happen all that much at school.  When I was working towards my bachelor’s degree the idea of reading aloud to my future high school classes never occurred to me.

The summer I took Dr. Steffel’s YA Lit class at CMU my plans changed.  I’ve mentioned Dr. Steffel many times before, and it’s because she’s been such a positive influence on my teaching career.  On the first day of our class, we sat in a circle and she read Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos.  She used different voices and everything.  I was astounded!  I couldn’t believe we were being read to in a college course, but I loved it.  Even though Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key is young for a high school classroom, I really enjoyed the story.  Everything we did in class and everything Dr. Steffel did in class served a purpose; she wanted us to follow her lead and bring these lessons, strategies, ideas, etc. into our classrooms.

I tried my first read aloud while student teaching.  I had a few sophomore English classes, so I decided on Shattering Glass by Gail Giles.  It’s an edgy book, and there’s some bad language and mature situations, but it’s an excellent pick for reluctant readers.  I was  nervous about reading this during student teaching, but I went ahead and did it anyway.  I had a rationale prepared and everything.  My students loved it and often asked me to read “just one more chapter.”  Since then I’m much more comfortable reading books where characters swear, but I make sure to choose books that aren’t over the top in that category.  It sometimes shocks my students to hear me read those parts, but we have a conversation about why that language is in the book and how we won’t be using that language in class.

So let’s get to my favorites already! :)   I like these books for a number of reasons, but one of the most important qualities I look for in a potential read aloud is the amount of dialogue.  Too much dialogue can get confusing when reading it aloud, especially since the kids don’t have the book in front of them to follow along.  I also try to pick books that I know will be entertaining and have a nice moral. Shorter chapters are always a plus too.  And I need to really like the book too, because otherwise I’m not going to enjoy reading it out loud over and over again.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (Goodreads)–I’ve read Speak out loud so many times!  It’s such a powerful story and so easy for my students to relate to.  Plus, since Melinda isn’t speaking to anyone all that much, most of the book is made up of her thoughts and opinions which is easy for the kids to follow.  The characters are well developed, and well, it’s Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.  Do I need more reasons? ;)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Goodreads)–Last trimester is the first time I’ve read this out loud.  My freshmen were really interested in it because of the upcoming movie (Ahh!! This Friday!!), so I decided to give it a shot as a read aloud.  Some of my students weren’t sure at first because the beginning of the book is a big slow as the world develops and we get to the training center and the actual games.  Once we reached that point, they were begging for more chapters.  It helps that many of the chapters end with cliffhangers.  My only complaint is that the chapters are so long.

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (Goodreads) (My Review)–I don’t remember what prompted me to choose Hex Hall as a read aloud, but I did for the first time last year.  I read it to my freshmen and the majority of them LOVED it.  In one class, we even went on to read the sequel Demonglass.  Oh my gosh did we race through that book!  It ran right into the very end of the school year, but we finished it.  Sophie is very clumsy, sarcastic, and easy to like.  She reminds me of  a female Ron Weasley.  There’s some foul language in Hex Hall, but nothing that was overly shocking or made me pause.  I should note that in general, I’m on the liberal side of things when it comes to YA and what I put in my classroom.  Many of my students prefer realistic fiction, but besides one or two in each class, even my die-hard contemps fans liked Hex Hall.  The guys even laughed and wanted me to read more :)   I read it again this year to a new group of freshmen and had the same enthusiastic response.

Boy21 by Matthew Quick (Goodreads) (My Review)–I’m actually in the middle of reading Boy21 aloud for the first time.  I’m reading it to my freshmen classes, but I wasn’t sure what they would think.  After reading Hex Hall and The Hunger Games this year, I didn’t know how my kids would react to a sudden switch to something realistic.  We voted on Friday, and the majority of all my classes chose to keep reading it.  Boy21 is a powerful read with a fantastic message without being preachy.  It’s diverse, has guy appeal without alienating the girls, and it’s humorous.  The chapters are short so I have more flexibility in how much I choose to read each day.  Finley doesn’t like to talk that much, so the dialogue is balanced with Finley’s thoughts and observations.  Right now my kids are really curious about Russ, aka Boy21, and what’s going to happen between him and Finley as the story progresses.

Here are a few more titles I’ve had success with reading aloud:

  • My Brother’s Keeper by Patricia McCormick (Goodreads)
  • Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen (Goodreads)
  • Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson (Goodreads)

Here are some titles that I’ve recently read and plan to read aloud in the future:

  • Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick (Goodreads) (My Review)–I just finished reading this book, and I just know my students would love it as a read aloud.  It has a wonderful balance of narration and dialogue.  It’s really funny and full of heart.  It’s a clean book in regards to sex and language, but there is a minor scene that involves drinking.  I think it’d work for middle school classrooms as well as high school classrooms.
  • Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin (Goodreads) (My Review)–We read so many serious stories in high school that I like to mix it up and read something funny out loud when I get the chance.  Kelsey is hilarious and just a fun character to read.  This is a pretty clean book as well which I always appreciate.  There are a couple scenes with drinking, but I they’re definitely not glorifying it!  I think we’re going to finish Boy21 with enough time to read another book, and if that happens I’ll be reading this one to my freshmen next :)   I love this book and would read it to more than just my freshmen.

Students Want to Know Emily Beaver

6 Mar

Emily Beaver head shotWhen I was told about Emily Beaver and her debut novel Slipping Reality, I knew my students would love interviewing her.  They were touched by her story and amazed that she wrote this book at such a young age (she was 14!).  Thank you, Emily, for answering my students’ questions!

Summary of Slipping Reality (From Goodreads): In a time of hardship and heartbreak, sometimes, reality just isn’t enough. Slipping Reality is the story of fourteen-year-old Katelyn Emerson, who, when faced with the glaring reality of her brother’s illness, rebels against the truth by slipping away into the depths of her own imagination. There, she finds the kind of support and comfort she feels she deserves. There, she does not have to feel so alone. And yet, as Katelyn’s grasp on reality begins to unravel, so too does the story of a girl who grew up too fast and fell apart too soon. Emily Beaver’s debut novel is a coming of age story that deals with the trials of young grief, insight, and growth where it’s least expected.

** Emily’s Website **

** Emily’s Tumblr **

** Follow Emily on Twitter **
Slipping Reality Cover

Ethan:

  • Did your brother ask you to write a book about him or just a normal book?
    Hi, Ethan! Nope, he didn’t ask a single thing of me. I wrote the book on my own, and he just supported it. I never told him it was about him or had anything to do with him – at the time of his death he was still reading my first novel, which was significantly different from the type of book Slipping Reality is. I did tell him about Slipping Reality, though, I just didn’t mention the plot. He told me he hoped it was published, and here we are now!

Chris:

  • How difficult was it to write while your brother was sick?  Did it encourage you more or make it harder?
    Hi, Chris! It was actually not difficult at all – I needed it like I needed air. To have a place to go outside of my world was just what I needed. It only was difficult when my brother had actually died, and I had to go back and write the book like he was still living. I’ll never forget how it felt to fill out the rest of the dedication page to him – I had left it with his birth date and a dash mark, and waited until his actual dying day to fill the rest of it in with the year of his death. That really put things into perspective for me, about how important the story was and that definitely encouraged me a lot.

Rebecca R.:

  • Do you ever feel like if your book doesn’t become popular, you’ll disappoint your brother?
    Hi, Rebecca! That’s a good question. I like to believe no matter what I do my brother will be proud of me, so long that I continue to live my life the way it was meant to be lived – happily, making smart choices and having a great time. I like to think he’d be happy with the book whether it’s read by one person or the entire world. Success isn’t measured in how many people read (or, by extension, like) my book. It’s measured in what you do with what you love and the feeling that you’ve put yourself out there and made a difference. Even if that difference is only in your life alone.

Jessica:

  • How accurate is this story when it comes to the truth of what you went through?
    Hello, Jessica! There are moments throughout the story that are completely accurate. It would take a while to list them all, but I do have a best friend named Lauren, I do have a dog named Rocket and I used to have one named Anna, and most of what Matthew went through in the book Matthew went through in real life as well, if not all of it (just not necessarily in the same order as my memory went numb from time to time writing it). The scene right before Katelyn finds out Matthew’s going to die and refuses to go to sleep is actually based on a true story, except without the Tristan part. The night before I found out my brother was going to die for certain I refused to go to bed and wouldn’t stop sobbing, and when my dad asked why I told him I didn’t want to face tomorrow, and that I had a really bad feeling about tomorrow. It turned out I was right, and I felt that was important to include in the story. But the visions, Tristan and Cedric, and those sort of things are not true – only the love Katelyn had for her brother, some of the elements about her and her life, and the decline of Matthew’s health is true.      
  •  Did you feel a lot of pressure to write a really good story, considering the circumstances?
    Of course! I don’t think there’s a single writer that wants their story to be bad. I guess I had to prove myself even more, though, because I’m young and because I wanted so badly to honor my brother through this novel. There were times where I felt like giving up completely on my story because I believed I couldn’t get it to the kind of love and emotion I felt. There were times where I felt like my story wasn’t good enough in any aspect. But the beautiful thing about writing, and any kind of art, is that it’s subjective. One person may love my story and another may find it boring and overdramatic. Who knows? It’s all opinion. I try to think about that rather than defining the actual quality of my book.

Torey:

  • How did you come up with the title?
    Hi, Torey! I came up with the title the second I sat down at my computer to write Slipping Reality. It just came to me. I liked the sound of it, especially the word ‘slipping’, because it made me think of myself and how I was slipping from my comfortable place as a teenage girl into this world and tragedy that no one should ever go through. The title kind of has two meanings to me – one being the literal slipping of reality that Katelyn goes through, and the other of the way that reality kind of slips away from you when things don’t go according to plan. I always consider it a good omen when I can think of titles right away, because it usually means I’ve got a book I can finish.
  •  Being so young, how did you get your book recognized?
    By just that – being so young! And sending it to lots and lots of people. I was very lucky to have been noticed, and even more lucky to have such wonderful people supporting and believing in me. I can’t ever know if my book will amount to anything near a bestseller, but the possibility is unreal to me. My book is definitely not that recognized – yet – but maybe one day it will be!

 Thanks for all of your questions, guys! Very good questions and most of them I haven’t been asked before! What fun for me. :)

Review: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

5 Mar

Title: Born Wicked, 330 pages

Author: Jessica Spotswood

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Released: February 7th, 2012

Interest: 2012 Debut Author

Source: Purchased

Summary (From Goodreads): Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship–or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with six months to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word… especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate stars scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood — not even from each other.

Prepare for some gushing because I positively loved Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood!  I read a number of glowing reviews for Jessica Spotwood’s debut, but I wasn’t sure if it would work for me.  It’s weird, but even though I have a minor in history, I don’t always enjoy historical fiction.  The paranormal twist in Born Wicked really grabbed my interest, so I decided to give it a whirl.  I’m happy to say that within the first couple chapters I was hooked!

Jessica Spotswood has written a novel with lush imagery.  The Cahill sisters live outside of town in the country.  Cate loves to be outside working in her garden, so we get wonderful descriptions of the roses, the trees, and the rest of her garden.  Cate and her sisters often practice their magic in the rose garden, so I often felt like the setting was another character in the novel.  Much of the story takes place in the fall, but with the girls’ magic it often transformed into a spring garden.  I’m always impressed when an author takes the time to describe the setting, especially when this is done without being verbose.  I love the late 1800s time period; Cate’s world is one I’d like to spend a day in.

Like I said, I’m not always instantly drawn to historical fiction, but Born Wicked had me captivated.  A  number of my students really enjoy historical fiction, but it isn’t as popular as paranormal fantasy.  The easy blend of these two genres in Born Wicked could easily appeal to both my historical fiction fans and paranormal fantasy fans.  I’m actually really considering using this debut in my Young Adult II class which will focus on the study of different genres.

I’ve never read Sense and Sensibility, but I love the movie with Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson.  I bring this up because I kept thinking of this movie while I was reading Born Wicked.  The Cahill sisters reminded me of the Dashwood sisters because both sets of sisters are in need of finding a good husband.  The restraints are similar in the sense that they need to marry well-off men, appearances are everything, and women don’t hold much power.  Born Wicked is similar in this regard, but the added supernatural twist and the lore of the Brotherhood and Sisterhood really add to the plot.  Because Cate and her sisters are witches, they are even more intimidated by the Brotherhood because they know they’ll be severely punished if their secret is discovered.  It’s not easy being witches, especially since they’ve grown even more into their powers since their mother’s death.  There are so many secrets and suspicions that really drive Jessica Spotswood’s novel.  Cate doesn’t have many marriage prospects because she’s more concerned with protecting her sisters, but if she doesn’t choose soon she’ll either have a husband chosen for her by the Brotherhood, or she can join the Sisterhood.  Because both groups focus so much on religion and are against witchery, neither options are very appealing to Cate.  It doesn’t take long for some very interesting options to become available and some very unsettling secrets to be unveiled.

I couldn’t put Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood down, and then when it ended I couldn’t believe it.  There’s a jaw-dropping ending that has left me feeling desperate for the second book in the series.  The world of YA is saturated with paranormal fantasy, but Born Wicked is not one to pass up or ignore.  I highly recommend reading it as soon as possible!

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