Massey Title page |
A Monster Calls by Peter Ness A Monster Calls is going to be a classic read for generations to come. I'm certain of it. This book is everything story telling should be - powerful, moving, full of incredible emotion and imagery.
Conor is a 13 year old boy who is battling nightmares while his mother is battling cancer. His parents are divorced (dad lives in America) and his grandmother is doing her best to help the small family. School brings days full of bullies, a best friend who betrayed him, and teachers who treat him with nothing but pity. The recurring nightmare has only made things worse. And then... "The monster showed up just after midnight. As they do." Every night, Conor O'Malley wakes up from a terrible nightmare, one which leaves him screaming, crying, and gasping for breath. One night, at exactly 12:07, there is a monster at his bedroom window, calling his name. But it's not the monster he's been expecting, the one from his nightmares. This is a different type of monster, one from the elements around him rather than from the horrors he sees while he sleeps. And so begins the stories within the story, making this novel a modern fairy tale not to be overlooked. Make no mistake, A Monster Calls is a crying book. A heart-wrenching, emotional journey for all ages. And everyone should read it. Now I need to bring some tissues and go see the movie. www.goodreads.com/videos/111957-a-monster-calls---official-trailer-in-select-theaters-dec-23e
0 Comments
The Loners by Lex Thomas Suspend your disbelief. Do you know what this phrase means? It means you need to allow yourself to believe things that cannot possibly be true or real. Honestly, the only way you will enjoy this novel is if you can suspend your disbelief. There is nothing here that can be even remotely real.
But if it's action and violence you are looking for, The Loners is really good!! As soon as you let yourself believe in the premise of this novel, you will be able to get into the action, cheer for the good guys, applaud when the bad guys get what they deserve, and enjoy the experience of Quarantine. McKinley High School students are infected with a virus that is deadly (almost immediately) to adults. Before you can say Suspend Your Disbelief, the army bombs the east wing of the school, drops a grey impenetrable dome over the building and installs steel walls to block all exits. One thousand teens are now trapped and left to form their own version of society together. All heck breaks loose. That's the bad news. The good news is, the army manages to open a seam in the ceiling every two weeks so a helicopter can drop food and other supplies into the atrium, so all is not lost. The teens spend over a year and a half in quarantine, where their lives are ruled by violence and desperation. They form gangs - the jocks become Varsity, the cheerleaders are The Pretty Ones, the artsies are Geeks, etc - and loyalty only extends to those in your gang. Get ready for some tense moments. This is a good book for those who are not offended by the mature content - there are some sexual references and lots of violence. Don't expect any of the Loners to be realistic, just be prepared for lots of blood and death. Shooter by Caroline Pignat Shooter is a powerful, character-driven novel about a school in lock-down mode when a shooter is spotted in their midst. The story is told through the voices of five teens who are stuck in a boy's bathroom together - introverted rule-follower Alice, her autistic brother Noah, popular Student Council President Isabelle, troubled bully Hogan and the socially awkward Xander. Each of these voices is unique and has it's own life story to tell, and one of these characters knows more about the shooter than they are letting on.
Shooter is a really good book, but may not be what you you expect it to be. This novel is not really a book about being in peril, nor is filled with action (although these themes are present more as the novel progresses). Caroline Pignat has written a modern day Breakfast Club * in which we learn that everyone has a story and this forms who we are and the choices we make. Through the voices of the main characters, we are given themes of parental pressure, self-identity, guilt, responsibility, depression and mental helath issues. That's a lot of deep stuff! And yet, somehow, the author has crafted a fast, enjoyable read. The only complaint I have is the "perfect timing" behind bringing these particular characters all into the boy's bathroom for the lockdown. Of course, if these high school stereotypes weren't together for the story, it wouldn't really be a story (plot manipulation to the point of not quite being believable). On the whole, though, I highly recommend you check this book out. The characters are well developed and sympathetic. The subject matter - a school shooting - is contemporary and thought provoking. The writing style is simple and flows well. Enjoy! *http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088847/ Every You, Every Me by David Levithan This is a postmodern novel. Experimental. A little bit cool and also a little bit pretentious.
Evan is a troubled high school student who doesn't fit in . He is grieving for his friend/love (Ariel) who is no longer with him, and he's feeling responsible for whatever it is that happened to her. Evan has a guilty conscience, no friends and a broken heart. Then photographs start to show up. Some of the photos are places he went with Ariel, some are photos of him, of her, and eventually a photo of the place he last saw her. Evan's not sure what to think. Are these photographs Ariel's way of reminding him what he did to her? Or has someone found out what he did and is now wanting to punish him? Either way, he can't rest until he finds out who is stalking him. There is lots going on in this book. Much of the text has stikethrough font (things Evan thinks but doesn't say out loud). There are blurry black and white photos, strange chapter headings (chapter 11-A through 11-O, for example) and a mystery waiting to be solved. Very intriguing... Unfortunately, the mystery is not really difficult to solve and Evan spends far too much time wallowing in his sadness - it gets to be a little bit too much angst. Every You, Every Me is not a difficult read. It's quick and dark and intriguing. It tries a little too hard to manipulate the reader and to be different than other YA novels. It is a good book to fill an afternoon or two, but it's not the great book I hoped it would be. Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry WOW!
I thought I should read and review something something different this time 'round. I'm SO GLAD I did! This is an excellent post-apocalyptic zombie novel and I highly recommend it if you don't have a weak stomach when it comes to zombies and blood and guts. Benny Imura is 15 years old and lives with his older half-brother Tom. His parents died during First Night (the beginning fo the zombie apocalypse) when he was a toddler. During the chaos and confusion that night, Tom ran away with Benny in his arms as their folks were attacked by zombies. Now, as childhood comes to an end, all citizens of Mountainside must get a job or lose half their food rations when they turn 15. Benny is hesitant to join his brother in the family business of Zombie Killing/Bounty Hunting, but it turns out nothing else holds interest for him. He has always thought of Tom as a coward for not helping their parents, but soon discovers otherwise. When Tom takes Benny into the wasteland beyond the town fence (known as the Rot and Ruin), Benny sees there are enemies to society far worse than any zombie. His life will never be the same. So, confession time. I find that zombies are a very entertaining genre. My favorite tv show is The Walking Dead and I've seen the original Dawn of the Dead 53 times. It's kind of my thing. But I've never read a YA zombie novel and I guess when I picked this book up, my expectations were fairly low. I was so wrong! There is a lot going on in Rot & Ruin - this book really has it all. Heroes, villains, love, grief, blood and guts, action, friendship, birth, death... It's very entertaining and filled with well developed characters and their stories. Take a chance. Give it a try. After all, life's too short to spend it reading something you don't like. And maybe this novel will help you know what to do when the zombie apocalypse comes to town. Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti Here is an author with important things to say. Susane Colasanti has written a book that is meant to speak to teens about the perils of bulliying and what it's like to live in fear of bullies.
Noelle has had a pretty tough life. She is neglected by her mom, lives in perpetual hunger, is mostly unhappy, and lives in a state of poverty no one else at her upscale high school would understand. This makes her different. Different makes her a target for bullies. Fortunately, it's not all bleak for Noelle. She has a best friend who wants to take care of her, a popular boy who seems to like her, and some new doors opening through her work with the school's magazine. Now all she needs is to stand up to the people who are making her life miserable, and it takes a tragic turn of events to get Noelle to fight back. This book is on our Grade 9 Only shelf (there are some references to sex and date rape), but I really do recommend it. The writing style is very strong - I had no problem getting hooked into the story and I have both positive and negative feelings for these characters. I believe the the premise entirely. It is a fast read and never boring, but it is occasionally predictable. Keep Holding On can read a bit like an after school TV special, but it really is good. Some of this story is heartbreaking, some is empowering, and all of it is important. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick I have been trying to read this book for three weeks now. I thought I was just being slow because of my current busy schedule, but guess what? I was slow because it is a terribly disappointing YA paranormal read! I know lots of people really enjoy this series, so instead of making all those readers distrust my reviews, I'm going to direct you to a review that says it all for me. Click on this link for another blogger's review of Hush, Hush: http://www.thebookrat.com/search?q=hush+hush As "The Book Rat" says in her review, "It was self-indulgent, cheesy, melodramatic in the worst sense, and confusing. I wanted to like it; I loved the fallen angel premise, the idea of an anti-hero, and bits and pieces of the writing through out. But Hush, Hush suffered from too many villains and too much shock and awe, and not enough thought and follow-through." Apologies to fans of this series, but it's not good. Not good at all. Bad Girls Don't Die by Kati Alender Here is a great and creepy story for middle grade readers.
Alexis is a high school student who doesn't quite fit in. She portrays herself as an anti-cheerleader, pink haired, troubled teen who is living in a dysfunctional family. She lives in an old and (she soon discovers) haunted house where the stove can boil water without being turned on, doors randomly open and close, and evil is in the air. She has a babysitter/child relationship with her 14 year old sister, who often acts younger than her years - so when Kasey begins displaying bizarre and angry behavior, Alexis needs to get to the bottom of it and help her at any cost. Alexis ends up being offered help from two of the most popular kids in school, Carter and Megan, class president and cheerleader pretty girl respectively. There are many things to like about this novel. The characters are easy to relate to, their relationships are interesting and well-rounded and the writing is very descriptive. The story itself is a page turner! It's simple, fairly short and appropriate for virtually all age groups. The romantic portion of the book is more implied than realized, and the violence is not at all graphic. We have all seen or heard stories about a sinister doll before, and this one is a fresh take on the theme. It's not complicated, but it is creepy! There are some continuity problems that I easily overlooked because the book had me so involved (for example, Alexis' love interest pops in and out of the story with explanations that don't really fly. Alexis' friend Megan lives with her Grandma whose function is not fully realized. Alexis' parents are not very involved with the family, but is this the fault of the ghosts? etc). Although I enjoyed this novel, I doubt I will read the other two books that now comprise the trilogy. Bad Girls Don't Die stands well on its own and that's good enough for me. The Nest by Kenneth Oppel Warning: This book contains BUGS, specifically WASPS!! Beware...
Here is a book I have mixed feelings about. This is a book about a boy named Steven and his quest to help save his baby brother. That sounds simple enough, but every good story needs conflict. So, Oppel made Steven into a kid with anxieties, OCD and other emotional problems. After getting stung by a wasp, Steven's babysitter (who is a biology student) takes time to teach him more about the insect he is afraid of, and show him that wasps aren't necessarily bad. Meanwhile, Steve starts to have some very realistic dreams about the queen wasp and her hive. Without giving more of the plot away, let's just say if you don't like wasps, the climax of this story might just have you on the edge of your seat. My heart was pounding in the last third of the book! Kenneth Oppel is one of my favorite Canadian authors, and I usually love his writing style. I can say I loved the writing style in the second half of the book, but found the first half a little dry. Also, the plot is a bit strange, once the surreal parts start with the wasps and their intentions. Be careful what you say 'Yes' to Steven! If you are reading fiction for grades 5-8, this is likely a book you will enjoy. It is not a YA or adult novel, but will appeal to middle grades. If Kenneth Oppel is an author you enjoy, I would highly recommend The Boundless. Hotel Ruby by Suzanne Young Audrey and her brother, Daniel, have tragically lost their mother and it's tearing their family apart. Their dad is having a difficult time recovering from the loss, and he has decided to send his teen kids to live at their grandmother's house "for the summer". The siblings are fairly certain he is too distraught to ever want them back, and they are not happy about it. While on their way to their new home, the fractured family stops at the Hotel Ruby for a night. The night turns out to be an entertaining distraction from their new normal, and their stay becomes two nights, then three. Which leads to the question, will the family ever leave the Ruby? Will the Ruby let them leave?
This is a book about family, love, tragedy, being a teenager, and the effect other people can have on our lives. There are some characters I cared about, some characters we are meant to fear, and some who are just kind of boring. The story is a bit cliche at times, but works for me when it becomes a ghost story. My recommendation is, if you can hang on through the boring stuff about family, then wade through the confusing parts about the hotel and its occupants and staff, the ending will be worth the wait. I spent a lot of time asking questions without answers (and being frustrated that Audrey wasn't pushing for answers), but was rewarded in the end. If I were a reviewer who gives a star rating, which I am not, I would rate this book a solid 3 of 5. If I could rate the book in halves, I would give the first half a 2 and the second half a 4. Give it a try! |
AuthorThis book lover's blog is brought to you by the Learning Commons at Vincent Massey School, Calgary. Specifically, Ms. Gammon and various student book reviewers. We want to share our favorite titles with you! Archives
May 2017
Categories
All
|