Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String...

These are few of my favorite books read during 2017. Criteria?: Did the story linger after I finished the book? Did the character(s) evolve (I like excitement and adventure, but usually prefer character-driven over plot-driven books.) Were there surprises? Did it have emotional resonance? Did I excitedly look for time to continue reading it? Would I read it again? (Two of these books I've read or listened to twice.) If it was fantasy or science fiction (my favorite genres) - did it feel true?

My very favorite read from 2017, out of 100+ books, is Philip Pullman's The Book of Dust. It is an elegantly written tightly drawn suspenseful fantasy set mostly in a canoe on the River Thames, from Oxford to London, during a great flood. It is Malcolm's story chronologically before The Golden Compass takes place. Lyra is a baby in the story. This story was riveting from start to finish. I was bereft when I finished it, and immediately looked up interviews with Philip Pullman to find out when the next book in the trilogy would appear. Apparently the second volume in the series is finished - but no publication date has been set. Practicing patience here...

Number 2 in the top 5 of my top 10 is the audiobook of Born A Crime, by Trevor Noah. Read by Trevor Noah. This book gains so much nuance and flavor from the author's narration that I recommend listening to it over reading it. Trevor speaks five languages and incorporates words and expressions from those languages into his story. His memoir is both educational and greatly entertaining. It is a window into a slice of South Africa history.

Number 3 on my favorites list, The Hate U Give, was the book I sponsored this past summer for school choice summer reading for HWRHS. (I have written about this book in a previous post.)

Favorite Number 4 was a surprise as I was not expecting to like it as much as I did. The reviews and summaries did not do it justice. After reading And I Darken, I was thrilled that the second book in the Conquerors Saga trilogy was published this year so that I could go right on reading in that world. The character development of the brother and sister in the Saga is completely engrossing. It's a fantastic historical fiction story, loosely based on actual people and events during the Ottoman Empire, that feels like fantasy because of the world building. Though I have not had a chance to hear them, we also have the highly rated audiobooks of the Conquerors Saga, in our audiobook collection.

I encourage both reading and listening to The Pearl Thief, as I did. Maggie Service,the audiobook narrator of The Pearl Thief, does a superb job with the accents and the different character voices. The print format lets you savor the story and pick up some of the details that you will probably miss in the delight of listening to the Scottish accents in the audiobook.

If you read any of the books on this list, come and talk with me, I'd like to hear what you think. The book summaries below are from our library catalog, sometimes paraphrased by me. Click on the title to place a hold.

1 The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage, by Philip Pullman, 2017. When Malcolm finds a secret message inquiring about a dangerous substance called Dust, he finds himself embroiled in a tale of intrigue featuring enforcement agents from the Magisterium, a woman with an evil monkey daemon, and a baby named Lyra. Fantasy fiction. First book in The Book of Dust trilogy, prequel to The Golden Compass.

2 Born A Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood, by Trevor Noah, read by Trevor Noah, 2016. The host of The Daily Show With Trevor Noah traces his wild coming of age during the twilight of apartheid in South Africa and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed, offering insight into the farcical aspects of the political and social systems of today's world. Adult books for Young Adults. Memoir. Audiobook time: 8 hrs., 50 min.

3 The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas, 2017. After witnessing her friend's death at the hands of a police officer, Starr Carter's life is complicated when the police and a local drug lord try to intimidate her in an effort to learn what happened the night Kahlil died. Realistic fiction.

4 And I Darken, by Kiersten White, 2016. In this first book in a trilogy a girl child is born to Vlad Dracula, in Transylvania,in 1435--at first rejected by her father and always ignored by her mother, she will grow up to be Lada Dragwlya, a vicious and brutal princess, destined to rule and destroy her enemies.
Now I Rise, by Kiersten White, 2017. This sequel to And I Darken finds a vengeful Lada striking out at anyone who stands in her way and finding herself unexpectedly rejected by her skillful brother, Radu, who reluctantly works as a spy for a power-hungry Sultan, Mehmed. Historical fiction. LGBTQIA diverse. First two books in the Conquerors Saga trilogy.

5 The Pearl Thief, by Elizabeth Wein, 2017. Set in 1938, 15-year-old Julia Beaufort-Stuart wakes up in a hospital not knowing how she was injured, and soon befriends siblings Euan and Ellen McEwen, the Scottish Travellers who found her, and later, when a body is discovered, she experiences the prejudices their family has endured and tries to keep them from being framed for the crime. Prequel to Code Name Verity. Historical fiction. Mystery.

6 Release, by Patrick Ness, 2017. Struggling with his family's religious beliefs, an employer's ultimatum and his unrequited love for his ex, Adam struggles to move on with a best friend and a new relationship while trying to find the courage to stay true to himself. Magic Realism. LGBTQIA fiction.


7 The Bear and the Nightingale, by Katherine Arden, 2017. Raised on a steady diet of stories, "wild maiden" Vasilisa Petrovna, known as Vasya, has grown up wandering the grounds of her father's rural estate, befriending the spirits of the natural world. But when Vasya's pious stepmother joins forces with an ambitious young priest to force the villagers to forsake the old ways (and the old gods), they set in motion a tragedy that only Vasya can avert. First book in the Winternight trilogy. Historical fantasy. Mythological. Adult books for Young Adults

8 Tower of Dawn, by Sarah Maas, 2017. Following the shattering of the glass castle and the deaths of his men, Chaol pursues recovery by searching for healers in the southern continent while trying to convince Dorian and Aelin to ally with him and Nesryn in order to avoid war. Sixth book in The Throne of Glass series. Fantasy fiction.

9 Down Among the Sticks and Bones, by 2017. In Every Heart a Doorway we met Jack and Jill, two sisters bound together yet alienated. In this installment, we learn how they escaped their parents when they exit the world we know for a realm of fairy-tale horror via a magic stairway, appearing in a trunk in a locked room. This is a story about two young women and the trauma that shapes them; a story about love, hate, and the thin line between. Second book in Wayward Children series. Fantasy fiction. Adult books for Young Adults.


10 Killer of Enemies trilogy, by Joseph Bruchac, 2013. In a world that has barely survived an apocalypse that leaves it with pre-twentieth century technology, Lozen is a monster hunter for four tyrants who are holding her family hostage.
Trail of the Dead, 2015. With an assassin on her heels, Lozen leads a group of survivors to the valley where her family once took refuge but arrives to find a terrible surprise, forcing her to reluctantly put her trust in Bigfoot and Coyote to find safety.
Arrow of  Lightning, 2017. In the final installment of the Killer of Enemies trilogy, Lozen attempts to live a life without the violence that so far has defined her life, but the remaining Ones will not let that happen without a fight. Science Fiction.

Eleven First Quarter Favorites

Posted here are my picks for favorite books read so far in 2013, as of March 31.  Out of the 42 I have read, eleven are now in the running for my top ten reads of 2013.  If I had to put them in order of favorites from 1 to 11, the four realistic fiction titles would be wrestling for top spot.  This is a surprise since although I like realistic fiction it is not my favorite genre.  So, if realistic fiction is not usually your favorite genre too, you might consider giving one of these a try.  If you read something on this list, I would love to hear your opinion.  Titles are linked to the Library's online catalog.

HISTORICAL FICTION

A Time of Miracles, by Anne-Laure Bondoux, 2012.

In the early 1990s, a boy with a mysterious past and the woman who cares for him endure a five-year journey across the war-torn Caucasus and Europe, weathering hardships and welcoming unforgettable encounters with other refugees searching for a better life.

HISTORICAL FANTASY

Dodger, by Terry Pratchett, 2012.

In an alternative version of Victorian London, a 17-year-old Dodger, a cunning and cheeky street urchin, unexpectedly rises in life when he saves a mysterious girl, meets Charles Dickens, and unintentionally puts a stop to the murders of Sweeney Todd.

Etiquette and Espionage, by Gail Carriger, 2013.

In an alternate England of 1851, spirited 14-year-old Sophronia is enrolled in a finishing school where, she is surprised to learn, lessons include not only the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also diversion, deceit, and espionage.

HISTORICAL MYSTERY

Out of the Easy, by Ruta Sepetys, 2013.   Josie, the 17-year-old daughter of a French Quarter prostitute, is striving to escape 1950 New Orleans and enroll at prestigious Smith College when she becomes entangled in a murder investigation.

REALISTIC FICTION

Eleanor & Park, by Rainbow Rowell, 2013.

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits--smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Alire Saenz, 2012.  15-year-old Ari Mendoza is an angry loner with a brother in prison, but when he meets Dante and they become friends, Ari starts to ask questions about himself, his parents, and his family that he has never asked before.

My Sister Lives on theMantelpiece, by Annabel Pitcher, 2012.

With his family still grieving over his sister's death in a terrorist bombing seven years earlier, twelve-year-old Jamie is far more interested in his cat, Roger, his birthday Spiderman T-shirt, and keeping his new Muslim friend Sunya a secret from his father.

Now is the Time for Running, by Michael Williams, 2011.

When soldiers attack a small village in Zimbabwe, Deo goes on the run with Innocent, his older, mentally disabled brother, carrying little but a leather soccer ball filled with money, and after facing prejudice, poverty, and tragedy, it is in soccer that Deo finds renewed hope.

SCIENCE FICTION

Homeland, by Cory Doctorow, 2013.  (sequel to Little Brother, 2008)

When Marcus, once called M1k3y, receives a thumb drive containing evidence of corporate and governmental treachery, his job, fame, family, and well-being, as well as his reform-minded employer's election campaign, are all endangered.

Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline, 2012.
Immersing himself in a mid-twenty-first-century technological virtual utopia to escape an ugly real world of famine, poverty, and disease, Wade Watts joins an increasingly violent effort to solve a series of puzzles by the virtual world's creator.

S U S P E N S E

How to Lead a Life of Crime, by Kirsten Miller, 2013.

A teenage pickpocket, haunted by the ghost of his brother killed by his father, is recruited for Mandel Academy, a school for criminals where only one student survives each semester.

Start your engines: 50 BOOK CHALLENGE & COMMUNITY READ

Did you make a resolution to read more in 2012?  Would you like a fun way to keep track of the books you read this year?  Announcing the 2012: 50 Book Challenge...there might possibly (maybe) be a prize or two at the end -- though reading is its own reward.  The Challenge begins January 16, 2012.

 click here to print your 50 book challenge reading log

As you turn the ignition on the 50 Book Challenge, you may want to consider reading the companion book for the Library's 2012 Community Read; a biography from the teen collection: Farewell to Manzanar, by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston.  

Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment, by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston, 1973.   This is a short, engaging biography about a young girl and her family that were sent to a Japanese internment camp in California during the 1940s.  Houston provides an opportunity to understand what it was like to live in the camp; coping with physical deprivations, and psychological difficulties within her family.  It tells the story of what happened before the family was forced to go to Manzanar, the years of living in the camp, and what happened after people were allowed to leave. Farewell lets one look in to a murky corner of American history.  I gave it 4 stars. Recommend!

 

REALISTIC FICTION that SHINES

Well, I began writing this post on Monday before I heard about the controversy that happened around the multiple blunders of the National Book Awards nomination committee.  All I have to say, is; the mischievous telephone spirits got it right, because Shine ought to have been on the list of nominations.  The two books below contain brilliant stories that not only entertain, they thoughtfully dig into heinous situations.

Everybody Sees the Ants, by A. S. King, 2012.
Fifteen-year-old Lucky Linderman has been continuously bullied by one boy since grade school.  The adults in his life are ineffectual, and worse - counter-productive.  After one more particularly vicious attack which literally drops him on the ground he starts to see anthropomorphic ants.  The ants become his humorous cheering section, as his mother finally takes some action and takes Lucky on a trip to Arizona to visit relatives.  Throughout the story Lucky dreams about his grandfather, who went missing during the Vietnam War.  The dreams seem to manifest things in his waking life giving the story a glow of magic realism.  In Arizona Lucky meets Ginny, who makes him tag along to play rehearsals for The Vagina Monologues.  Ginny helps him to see himself in a new way, which ultimately results in positive action in his life.  Everybody Sees the Ants is by turns funny and sharply insightful.

Shine, by Lauren Myracle, 2011.   Shine begins with a newspaper article: "Stunned residents of Black Creek, North Carolina, pray for seventeen-year-old Patrick Truman, beaten and left for dead outside the convenience store where he works....The slur written on Truman's chest, coupled with the placement of the gasoline nozzle in the victim's mouth, suggests that Truman's attack was motivated by anti-gay sentiments."  The local law enforcement have no leads, and are ready to explain away the violent assault as the crime of a chance stranger.  While Patrick is in a coma in the hospital, sixteen-year-old Cat, a childhood best friend of Patrick's, has her suspicions about what happened.  Over the course of a week, Cat who has troubles of her own that she hasn't dealt with, finds the courage to move out of her passivity and fear, to uphold the life of her friend, and eventually herself.

NEW FANTASY CLUTCH-ABLES

The following two titles are clutch-ables, because I did not want to let them out of my clutches. Both of them rate a delicious 4 and a half cones of almost perfect yummy creamy crunchy smoothness.
 

Among Others by Jo Walton, 2010.
Among Others is probably not going to draw mass readership, but if you are an enthusiastic reader of both fantasy and science fiction you won't want to miss this unique book. Keep paper and pencil handy while reading Among Others, because this girl, who loves to read, has read intelligently and deeply in the science fiction and fantasy genres, and you will find yourself wanting to jot down the titles and authors, that will constantly entice you throughout the story, to start a reading list of your own. (There should be a reading list in the back of this book, but there is not.)  On the surface, this book is about a girl, Morwenna (Mori), who has grown up in Wales, and has left there under difficult and mysterious circumstances. Mori has lost her twin sister in a car accident, and run away from her mother to find her long absent father who lives in England. She is immediately packed off to a boarding school, where she is the odd girl with a limp and a cane, who doesn't do sports. Mori joins a book club at the local public library, goes for acupuncture for her leg injury, and fights the circumstances of her sister's death.  Below the surface of the story the chilly supernatural world of spirits and faeries blows lightly through, more like magic realism than a full-on tale of faerie.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone, by Laini Taylor, 2011.

An urban fantasy set in Prague harbors a talented art student who is the foster daughter and handmaid of a creature named Brimstone.  Enter warrior angels, zombie-like chimera; a parallel universe at war; star-crossed love, heartbreak and betrayal, and the story glides you across a dancing turquoise sea of the unexpected.  You will not want it to end, and will be thrilled to know that it is the first of a planned trilogy.  There is already a wait list for this one, so place your hold soon.

My Library Thing "Read in 2011" tag counter toggled up to 75 books over the weekend.  A Librarian colleague, helped out by adding Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs to my book bag last week.  Riggs' first novel has been on the New York Times Children's Chapter Books bestseller list for 7 weeks, and this week stands at number 4 on the list.  Although "Peculiar Children" was reviewed in the adult new fiction section of some of the review journals (Booklist, Library Journal), our Consortium libraries are placing the book in their Young Adult fiction collections.  After reading the book, I concur with that placement.  Yes, it is a book that may appeal to many adults, however, it is at heart a story about a teen with typical teen themes such as friendship, first love, family relationship, identity, and finding your place in the world.   "Peculiar Children" is a fantasy-mystery with some science fictional time loops, and some horror in the form of "tentacle-mawed" vampire-like "hollowgasts". This tale's appeal clearly hangs on the 44 weird, and quirky, atmospheric black and white photographs that accompany and illustrate the text as a freaky sideshow.  This is the only way I can account for the book's ride on the best seller list, because, while the pacing and writing starts off smoothly dark, it becomes a bit lumpy towards the middle, and drags towards the end.
My rating: 2 and a ½ stars. Dede enjoyed the book more than I did and rates it: 4 stars.

This past week I also read Mindblind, by Jennifer Roy, The Space Between Trees, by Katie Williams, and The Kid Table, by Andrea Seigel.  If you liked Mark Haddon's, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night, or Francisco X Stork's, Marcelo in the Real World, you will probably enjoy "Mindblind," another tale in the growing lexicon of books about people (teens) with Asperger's or Autism. My rating: 3 and a ½ stars.

The Space Between Trees is a murder mystery page turner, with a surprising realistic conclusion that is not neatly wrapped up, nor particularly happy.   Adults as well as teens who like murder mysteries would like this book.  My rating: 3 and a ½ stars.

Lastly, but not least, The Kid Table, is a window into family dynamics over the course of one year at five various holiday and celebratory gatherings. The "kids" (or cousins) relegated to the kid table are all (but one) in high school or college, and are all only children.  It is by turns charming, humorous, and serious, and lets you know that though someone has grown up knowing their cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. what one doesn't know about them, and about yourself, can be a wide field of discovery.    My rating: 3 and a ½ stars.

10 Favorite Fiction Books

Since the start of 2011, I have read 71 Young Adult fiction books.  So, instead of another (fourth) travel related book list this week, I thought I would post my top ten favorite Young Adult fiction reads from the past six months.  Some of the books on the list are newly published, and others are older titles that I have just gotten around to reading.  The descriptive terms beneath the title are my quick thoughts about the book.  The story abstract's (except for Abhorsen Trilogy) are from the Library's online catalog.  I gave all of these books a minimum of 4 stars, or the max (5 stars), in Library Thing.

Kim's 6 Months Top 10 YA Fiction Reads :

 

Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix.   Fantasy, Adventure, Necromancer, the line between good and evil, life and death, magic and mundane.  Over the course of three books, a family of necromancers battle against evil by entering the land of the dead.

 

BADD by Tim Tharp.  Contemporary Realistic, PTSD, Iraq War, Brother-Sister relationship, Humorous.  A teen girl's beloved brother returns home from the Iraq War completely unlike the person she remembers.

Blink and Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones.  Suspense, Crime, Runaways, Contemporary, set in Canada.  Two teenagers who are living on the streets and barely getting by become involved in a complicated criminal plot, and make an unexpected connection with each other.

Darkangel Trilogy by Meredith Ann Pierce.  Fantasy, Supernatural, touch of Science Fiction, some Horror (Vampire, Wraiths, Gargoyles), Romance.  The servant girl Aeriel must choose between destroying her vampire master for his evil deeds or saving him for the sake of his beauty and the spark of goodness she has seen in him.

Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge.  Steampunk Fantasy, 1950s alternate history, Supernatural, set in Boston.  In an alternate 1950s, mechanically gifted 15-year-old Aoife Grayson, whose family has a history of going mad at sixteen, must leave the totalitarian city of Lovecraft and venture into the world of magic to solve the mystery of her brother's disappearance and the mysteries surrounding her father and the Land of Thorn.

The Luxe series, by Anna Godbersen.

Historical Romance, social classes, set in New York and California.  
In Manhattan in 1899, five teens of different social classes lead dangerously scandalous lives, despite the strict rules of society and the best-laid plans of parents and others.

Orchards by Holly Thompson.  Contemporary Realistic, Bullying, Suicide, bi-polar, written in free verse, set in States and Japan.  Sent to Japan for the summer after an eighth-grade classmate's suicide, half-Japanese, half-Jewish Kana Goldberg tries to fit in with relatives she barely knows and reflects on the guilt she feels over the tragedy back home.

Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt.  Contemporary Realistic, Road Trip, Iraq War, Marines, PTSD, Brother-Brother relationship, set in Massachusetts.  Although they have never gotten along well, seventeen-year-old Levi follows his older brother Boaz, an ex-Marine, on a walking trip from Boston to Washington, D.C. in hopes of learning why Boaz is completely withdrawn.

Trash by Andy Mulligan.  Mystery, Adventure, Poverty, Corruption, Friendship, set in Phillipines.  Fourteen-year-olds Raphael and Gardo team up with a younger boy, Rat, to figure out the mysteries surrounding a bag Raphael finds during their daily life of sorthing through trash in a third-world country's dump.

You Don't Know About Me by Brian Meehl.  Contemporary Realistic, Road Trip, Humorous, Doubt vs. Faith, Mark Twain, Homophobia, Geochaching, Mother-Son relationship.  Billy has spent his almost-sixteen years with four cardinal points--Mother, Christ, Bible, and Home-school--but when he sets off on a wild road trip to find the father he thought was dead, he learns much about himself and life.

Featured Author: Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie Halse (rhymes with waltz) Anderson has been publishing books since the mid 90's.  She writes both historical fiction and realistic contemporary fiction.  Regardless of genre, her stories are issue-oriented, serious with a small sprinkle of humor, and are hard wired to the heart and soul of a character.
Another author whose issue-oriented books tackle similar subjects such as family problems, emotional problems, death, anorexia, rape, step-families, and best friends, is Sarah Dessen. 
If you like Anderson's or Dessen's writing, you may also like:
Chris Crutcher, Sharon Draper, or Carol Plum-Ucci.

Forge, by Laurie Halse Anderson, 2010. (historical fiction)  Book 2 in the Seeds of America trilogy.  Catalog Summary: Separated from his friend Isabel after their daring escape from slavery, fifteen-year-old Curzon serves as a free man in the Continental Army at Valley Forge until he and Isabel are thrown together again, as slaves once more.

Chains: Seeds of America, by Laurie Halse Anderson, 2008. (historical fiction)  Book 1 in the Seeds of America trilogy.  Catalog Summary:  After being sold to a cruel couple in New York City, a slave named Isabel spies for the rebels during the Revolutionary War.

Wintergirls, by Laurie Halse Anderson, 2009. (realistic fiction)

My Review:  This is the story of two friends, Cassie and Lia.  Cassie is dead, and Lia now struggles with anorexia, and with the memories and the death of her friend Cassie.  Cassie's death was the end result of bulimia.  She called Lia 33 times on the night she died, and Lia did not answer.  I really did not want to read this book.  I was not in a frame of mind to read a story on the subject of eating disorders, so I kept passing this book up in favor of an adventurous fantasy or a humorous contemporary novel.  However, when it was voted onto the Teens' Top Ten for 2010 this past October, it was time to put my squeamish feelings aside and check it out.  Happily I discovered that although I felt the pain of the characters, I wasn't dragged down by the story.  Anderson incorporates just enough distance in this very interior story, so that you are moved to want to understand, but are not wrung out by the distressing feelings and events, i.e. this book is emotionally intense but not completely bleak.  It is a compelling story - a worthwhile and recommended read for anyone interested in these issues, or who enjoys realistic, character-driven, problem-solving, engrossing fiction.   My rating: 4 stars.

The following video is part of an AdLit.org interview with Laurie Halse Anderson talking about her book Wintergirls :

Twisted, by Laurie Halse Anderson, 2007.  (realistic fiction)  Catalog Summary: After finally getting noticed by someone other than school bullies and his ever-angry father, seventeen-year-old Tyler enjoys his tough new reputation and the attentions of a popular girl, but when life starts to go bad again, he must choose between transforming himself or giving in to his destructive thoughts.

Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, 2006.  (realistic fiction)  Catalog Summary:  A traumatic event near the end of the summer has a devastating effect on Melinda's freshman year in high school.



Prom, by Laurie Halse Anderson, 2005.  (realistic fiction)  Catalog Summary:  Eighteen-year-old Ash wants nothing to do with senior prom, but when disaster strikes and her desperate friend, Nat, needs her help to get it back on track, Ash's involvement transforms her life. 

Catalyst, by Laurie Halse Anderson, 2003.  (realistic fiction)  Catalog Summary:  Eighteen-year-old Kate, who sometimes chafes at being a preacher's daughter, finds herself losing control in her senior year as she faces difficult neighbors, the possibility that she may not be accepted by the college of her choice, and an unexpected death.

Fever, 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson, 2000.  (historical fiction)  Catalog Summary:  In 1793 Philadelphia, sixteen-year-old Matilda Cook, separated from her sick mother, learns about perseverance and self-reliance when she is forced to cope with the horrors of a yellow fever epidemic.

Laurie Halse Anderson's website