The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett

Just yesterday afternoon I dove into the 2016 RITA Award-winning Young Adult Romance The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett. I have the absolute best kind of book hangover. This book was incredibly charming and will not be the last of Ms. Bennett's that I read. Oh yeah, I also have a new book boyfriend, Jack Vincent----le sigh.

Plot Summary

photo credit: Cross Section of Human Heart [451/1000] via photopin (license)
Jack's Heart, possibly?

Beatrix Adams lives with her single mother and older brother in San Fransisco, California. She loves art and especially loves drawing anatomy. She wants to become a medical illustrator when she grows up. Yes, this is a lofty goal, but Bex is totally focused and believes that through her hard work, persistence, and also through volunteering at the hospital where her mother works she is going to get a leg up on the competition.

It is when Bex is secretly meeting with Dr. Sheridan, really she is stood up, that she has to find a new manner of public transportation to get home at a later time at night. On this fortuitous trip, she meets Jack and has a once in a lifetime moment with him. She does not introduce herself to him, per se, but gives him a very clear way to research her identity. 

Jack and Bex eventually settle out into a relationship of equals--or are they? Jack has some major skeletons in his closet, but Bex is fully equipped to deal with the baggage that they both bring to the relationship. 

This book's tagline is "Some people are worth the risk." Yes, they are. Jack had to take a risk to let Bex into his life to see that his Perfect Family is not so perfect at all. Bex had to learn to focus less on academics and more on being a teenager--Jack was the perfect guide to help her navigate being a teenager. 

photo credit: Street Art: Croydon via photopin (license)

Possibly Bex's final project looked like this?

What I Loved:

Everything. Seriously, Everything. The End. Period.

Okay, Okay.....I will elaborate

• I loved how Ms. Bennett treated very tough Mental Health issues with dignity and respect. In my other world, I work as a Juvenile Probation Officer with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. I complete Mental Health Assessments on my Juveniles on a daily basis. Unfortunately, I encounter juveniles who present with very serious mental health issues on a daily basis. 
• I appreciate the sensitivity with which Ms. Bennett wrote about Bex's older brother Heath. Heath seemed to be a reprobate at first (he enjoyed partying and he dropped out of two colleges) and his relationship with his partner Noah grounded Heath and helped him to become more focused on changing his life for the better. 
• Jack Vincent. He was a down to Earth artist who genuinely wanted to find out more about Bex--simply for the sake of getting to know her. Rockabilly style with artistic tattoos, wonderful. Zen Buddhist with tips and tricks for chilling out, yes, please. Ghost, a 1958 Corvette, hello friend!! Bad boy graffiti artist, oooohhh-yeah!!!! Really, he is a great all around book boyfriend.
• Bex and Jack have a completely realistic love story with a MAJOR plot device that is totally believable. 
• There was a completely believable and appropriate resolution to every storyline. As someone who has an incredibly difficult relationship with her father, I was optimistic and hopeful for the status of Bex and her father's relationship. 
• Bex's mother did something that would seem to be horrible by a number of readers. I can understand why her mother chose to do what she did. It was certainly not an easy choice BUT it is one that had positive consequences for Bex in the long run. 
• Bex Adams--she is a character who is vastly different from the boring world. I love her for this because I get to view the world through the eyes of an artist. It was also incredibly fascinating to learn about some of the technical sides of art--chiefly Medical Illustration. 

Meaningful Quotes

I feel like I jealously guarded some of the quotes regarding this book. I Love, Love, Love spoilers (like so hard) but don't want to spoil this book for anyone else (weird, huh??).

Jack is describing his work on a graphic novel with his friend Andy to Bex.... "It's what I do," he said. "Just words. I'm good at layout and design, but unlike you. I'm total shit at drawing people."

He had an art thing. I had an art thing. I smiled, ridiculously happy about this" (Bennett, 2015 p. 82).

Bex spoke with Heath about her blossoming relationship with Jack. She mused "Mom says you should never ask for advice you aren't willing to take. I wasn't sure I agreed. Having an unbiased pair of eyes point out a sensible solution was helpful. But the sensible thing and the right thing weren't always the same choice, and no one but you could truly understand the difference" (Bennett, 2015, p. 104).

Final Thoughts

I loved this book so very much. Seriously. This was a realistic portrayal of teenage life. It was also fascinating for someone who has no discernible artistic talent whatsoever to read about artists. Bex and Jack make a great couple and I am really rooting for them to succeed in the future. I loved the supporting characters (Sierra--not so much) and all that they added to the story. I appreciate the sensitivity that Ms. Bennett used when describing REAL LIFE topics (mental health issues, single parent households, sexual activities, and many more topics). This will not be the last book I read by Ms. Bennett, by far!!

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

I just finished reading Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon and illustrated by David Yoon and boy do I have the best kind of book hangover. This was a quick, but deeply emotional read.

Plot Summary

Madeline Whittier is a teenage girl who has the terrible disease SCID, or Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, or “bubble baby disease.” Essentially she has been cut off from the entirety of the outside world because if she goes outside she will die, if other people touch her—she will die, if she is exposed to any elements, she will die. Madeline is alone, but she is not lonely because—she is a girl after my own heart—a reader.

Madeline’s home is a state of the art fortress meant to keep the outside world outside. Madeline realizes that she has new neighbors when she hears a truck beeping outside. She “meets” the new family next door, Olly, Kara, and their parents through observations rather than direct interactions. Madeline is keenly interested in Olly and eventually they are able to communicate with one another via notes on windows—with Olly providing her his email address.

Madeline’s nurse Carla plays a large role in the facilitation of physical contact between Olly and Madeline. After Madeline begs for Olly to cover over to her home (he would have to be thoroughly decontaminated first), Carla breaks down and lets Olly come over. Madeline and Olly become close to one another. He touches her and Madeline was in love—spoiler alert—she did not die.

Olly’s father is an abusive man who takes his frustrations out on his family. In a pivotal moment, Madeline leaves the confines of her home when she sees Olly on the receiving end of his father’s wrath. Madeline’s mother, Dr. Patricia Whittier, does not take it lightly when Madeline attempts to console Olly—she shuts communication off between Olly and Madeline. Of course, Madeline bristles at this communication breakdown. Therefore, she decides to run away from her Los Angeles fortress, fully becoming herself by visiting Maui, Hawaii. 

photo credit: Ellen taking the leap via photopin (license)

Because of Madeline’s relationship with Olly, she is able to access the freedom of the outside world. She is able to question her very existence. Madeline’s brief bout of freedom leads her to uncover information that questions the very fiber of her being. Madeline achieves a tentative peace with her life after receiving this information.

photo credit: 2016 JAPAN 0622（EOSM2）-129 via photopin (license)

What I Loved

Seriously, #weneeddiversebooks. Because of this book, I was able to read about a half African American half Japanese girl’s life—essentially Madeline is the girl in the bubble (rather than John Travolta’s Bubble Boy). Madeline obviously has a vastly different background from me, and my life is so much richer for reading about her background and circumstances.

This was a very quick (if very emotionally charged) book. This book dealt with a great betrayal in a very respectful manner. Madeline was a lot more gracious than I would have been given her circumstances. I would like to think that I would behave graciously had I found out the information Madeline did; however, I know myself, and I know that I would have behaved like a simpering, whining crybaby.

I loved Mr. Yoon’s illustrations—they added so very much to the text. I also loved that Madeline and Olly conducted a portion of their interactions via Instant Messaging. My inner 90s girl rejoices when alternative means of communication are used. I like the intimacy of this means of communication because given that it is not face to face and generally is comprised of just the two people (group chats exist—just not in this book)—both Olly and Madeline were able to let their guard down, flirt, and eventually fall in love.

I loved that Madeline was a reader. She is very much a girl after my own heart. She created fanciful inscriptions for her books, example—reward if found—picnics, me, etc. I also loved her Life is Short spoiler reviews—those who know me know that I am a massive Spoiler-a-Saurus Regina—I love spoilers. It is only the rare book or movie that keeps me from Wikipedia-ing plot spoilers.

I also loved the connections to other books. For example, I keenly remember reading Flowers for Algernon when I was in 8^th grade at Hart County Middle School. I was saddened by the plot, of course. The connection to FfA gave me all the feels, though.

Meaningful Quotes

“I’ve read many more books than you. It doesn’t matter how many you’ve read. I’ve read more. Believe me. I’ve had the time” (Yoon, 2015 p. 1).

“My disease is as rare as it is famous. It’s a form of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, but you know it as “bubble baby disease.”

Basically, I’m allergic to the world. Anything can trigger a bout of sickness. It could be the chemicals in the cleaner used to wipe the table that I just touched. It could be someone’s perfume. It could be the exotic spice in the food I just ate. It could be one, or all, or none of these things, or something else entirely. No one knows the triggers, but everyone knows the consequences. According to my mom I almost died as an infant. And so I stay on SCID row. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years” (Yoon, 2015 p. 3).

“My birthday is the one day of the year that we’re both more acutely aware of my illness. It’s the acknowledging of the passage of time that does it. Another whole year of being sick, no hope for a cure on the horizon. Another year of missing all the normal teenagery things—learner’s permit, first kiss, prom, first heartbreak, first fender bender. Another year of my mom doing nothing but working and taking care of me. Every other day these omissions are easy—easier, at least, to ignore.

This year is a little harder than the previous. Maybe it’s because I’m eighteen now. Technically, I’m an adult. I should be leaving home, going off to college. My mom should be dreading empty-nest syndrome. But because of SCID, I’m not going anywhere” (Yoon, 2015 p. 10).

Carla, Madeline’s nurse speaking with her about their relationship: “’We’ve been together in this house for fifteen years, so I know what I’m talking about. When I first started with you I thought it was only a matter of time before depression would take you over. And there was that time one summer when it came close, but it didn’t happen. Every day you get up and learn something new. Every day you find something to be happy about. Every single day you have a smile for me. You worry more about your mother than you do about yourself” (Yoon, 2015 p. 33)
.
During one of Olly and Madeline’s first IM exchanges, she wrote this about Pride and Prejudice (one of my absolute desert island keeper favorite books): “Olly: what’s so great about darcy?
Madeline: That is not a serious question.
Olly: he’s a snob
Madeline: But he overcomes it and eventually realizes that character matters more than class! He’s a man open to learning life’s lessons! Also, he’s completely gorgeous and noble and dark and brooding and poetic. Did I mention gorgeous? Also, he loves Elizabeth beyond all reason” (Yoon, 2015 p. 50-51).


Once Olly starts school for the year, he sends pictures to Madeline. She relates the following: "With Olly back in school, our IM sessions are even more limited. He IMs when he can--in between classes or, sometimes, right in the middle of one. During his first week back he does his best to make me feel as if I'm right there with him. He sends pictures of his locker (#23), his class schedule, the library and the librarian, who looks exactly as I imagine a high school librarian would, which is to say bookish and wonderful. He sends pictures of math proofs from his AP math class, his AP English required reading list, pictures of beakers and petri dishes from his biology and chemistry classes" (Yoon, 2015 p. 155). 

Timeout: As an aspiring Media Specialist (with the great hope to become a High School Media Specialist), I only hope that I will one day be described as bookish and wonderful. I am pretty doggone bookish and wonderful if I do say so myself :). 

My favorite Life is Short (TM) Spoiler Reviews by Madeline is: "The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery Spoiler alert: Love is worth everything. Everything" (Yoon, 2015 p. 302). 

Final Thoughts

It was awesome to read a book about such a very diverse character. Also, in reading about Madeline's situation, I was able to gain an understanding of someone who is medically fragile. There is a BIG PLOT TWIST that I halfway saw coming just a bit before it happened. I am sure that it will bother some readers and other readers will adore it--I understood the rationale behind it and felt great empathy toward the characters because of this twist. Nicola Yoon's prose was beautifully written and I thoroughly loved David Yoon's drawings. This book was very innovative and I am eagerly looking forward to the next book. Also, there is an Everything Everything movie coming down the pipeline...I am sure that I will see this movie one day.

Sugar by Deirdre Riordan Hall

I recently finished Sugar by Deirdre Riordan Hall. This book was somewhat difficult to read and will definitely be difficult to write about because of my relationship with food.  Please bear with me as I ponder my thoughts about this wonderful book.

Plot

This book follows Mercy Bella Legowski-Gracia, a/k/a Sugar through the trials and tribulations she experiences both during High School and living with her morbidly obese bedridden mother. Sugar is an almost 18-year-old Junior at Johnson Regional High School in New Hampshire. Due to her weight and socioeconomic status, Sugar is often the butt of jokes and pranks at her school. Sugar is the youngest of her parent’s children, following Henry (a/k/a Fat Henry) and Ernesto (a/k/a Skunk).

Up until this year, Sugar’s life has been very depressing, seemingly without hope for her future. She has been the butt of her classmates’ jokes, she has had to be her mother’s primary caretaker after mom fell and blew out her knees, and she has had to deal with her older brother Skunk’s increasingly terrifying behaviors.

photo credit: Her Personal Summer via photopin (license)

Sugar experiences a breath of fresh air when Even Anderson moves to town from the New Hampshire coast. Even sees Sugar for who she really is, not simply as everyone at school sees her. After literally bumping into Sugar in the cafeteria, Even goes out of his way--becoming Sugar’s friend. He hangs out with her on a regular basis and they walk to school together often. Because of Even, Sugar has a newfound agency to become more than her mother’s slave and more than the girl made fun of by her classmates. Because of Even, Sugar has once in a lifetime experiences (seeing the coast for the first time, going to NYC for the first time), and she even becomes a licensed motorcycle driver—because of Even.

Soon, Sugar must learn to autonomously rely upon herself to escape the confines of her home. Skunk and his friends start terrorizing her, her mother becomes even more demanding and downgrading than ever, and she is the butt of a terrible Senior class prank at the Johnson Regional High School.

Mercy Bella beginning her cross country trip.
photo credit: via photopin (license)

What I Loved

Reading this book was intensely personal due to my relationship with food. Hi, my name is Michelle, and I am an emotional eater. My job is one of the most stressful I could ever find—simply because I am not able to leave the horror and desolation behind. Much like Mercy Bella, I am only recently learning to have a positive relationship with food (ironically, I have cut as much Sugar out of my diet as possible, since January this Sugar-aholic has been dessert free and has lost 25 plus pounds!!). It is very easy to let external factors control you and have a great impact on your weight; however, it is very difficult to get these external factors under control. I loved witnessing Sugar’s journey from Sugar to Mercy Bella.

This leads me to something I tell the juvenile offenders on my caseload all the time…this situation is what you’ve done (or what has been done to you) NOT WHO YOU ARE!! Sugar is so very much more than an obese girl. She is a walker, she is a motorcycle driver, she is a girl who recognized that she needed someone to talk to, she is a daughter, she is a sister, she is a friend, and most importantly, she is a very valuable person.

Selected Quotes

Sugar reflecting on how she lost friends due to her size: “For some reason, my size made me unwanted, a nuisance, and specifically, about as desirable as accidentally touching a wad of chewed gum on the underside of a desk” (Riordan Hall, 2015 p. 10).

Sugar reflecting on her feelings: “Never in all my life, have I felt anything close to pride, like the winning contestant cheering on TV. Mostly, I just know shame” (Riordan Hall, 2015 p. 12).

Sugar reflecting on seeing bullies from school at the local grocery store: “I try to ignore them. I hold back the tears that blur my eyes. I force the cart forward and down the nearest aisle. I want to get away from them, but almost more than that, I want to get away from myself” (Riordan Hall, 2015 p. 17).

Sugar pondering her relationship with food after eating her very first Twinkie ever in the grocery store: “I plow through my Twinkie stash and, before I know it, I hardly remember what they tasted like. All that remains are my full belly and very empty heart. Preservative-filled tubes of sponge cake are a poor substitute for decency” (Riordan Hall, 2015 p. 19).

Even complimented Sugar’s beautiful smile, and here’s her reflection: “I remember his comment about my smile. No one, not a single person in my entire life, has ever paid me a compliment. I’m at once excited and humbled” (Riordan Hall, 2015 p. 62-63).

Even takes Sugar to his hometown on the coast of New Hampshire. Sugar has the following revelation: “’This is my dad. I’ve never known him either. He’s somewhere out there, I think,” I say, looking toward the ocean. The world’s a bigger place than Johnson Regional High School, Od Town, and the bitterness within the walls of my house” (Riordan Hall, 2015 p. 91).

Even finds a shell for Sugar on the beach. He relates the following: “’See this?” Even holds out a shell smoothed into the shape of a heart by the tumbling sea. “It’s for you. A shell like this one, beautiful to begin with, can get cracked and slivered, and then time, the tides, maybe even the wind, tumble and toss it, and it becomes something new, a perfect version of itself” (Riordan Hall, 2015 p. 93).

After an incredibly terrible even, Mercy Bella realizes her relationship to food, stating “As plainly as if it’s written on a doctor’s chart in front of me, I suddenly see that when I feel bad, sad, mad—whenever I feel anything, I turn to food” (Riordan Hall, 2015 p. 130-131).

Mercy Bella reflecting on her therapy session: “Juliana asked me about the thoughts, the mean little voice, I have in relation to my body and if I would ever say those kinds of things to a friend. She suggests when I hear it, I say the words out loud” (Riordan Hall, 2-15 p. 248).

Final Thoughts

Sugar was a very personal book to read. I realize that not everyone will have the same set of associated feelings with this book as I do. However, I would universally recommend this book. Teenagers often feel like they are misfits like they do not have a place in this world. Even if a teenager is “normal” and fits in everywhere they go, I would still recommend this book because it would help to build empathy for others. I was fortunate to be able to read this book through Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited program. I will be purchasing it as well because I do not want to lose my notes for this wonderful book. 

I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

Guys, I just spent my 4th of July falling in love with a new book boyfriend!!! Josh Mitchell from I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios. Gah, this was such a great book. I have a book hangover on the 4th of July and it is all Skylar and Josh's fault....spoiler alert....I wouldn't have it any other way.

photo credit: atheist dog tags via photopin (license)

We meet Skylar when she has just graduated from high school and is about to leave her hometown of Creek View, California in her dust. She has a huge scholarship to study art in San Fransico. If only she can make it through this summer. The book starts with Skylar attending a party with the hope of seeing Josh Mitchell, her former co-worker at the Paradise Motel.

Josh, Josh, Josh. He is the stuff of local legends. He attained a godlike swagger prior to leaving Creek View in the dust for the Marines. Josh is back in town as a result of a tragic incident in Afghanistan. After attempts at healing, Josh is on leave and is back in town to continue the process of healing (or at least trying to attain a new normal).

Josh starts working at the Paradise again and Skylar starts feeling some kind of way about him (okay, she has a full-blown crush on him). Skylar is a very relatable character who has an incredibly tough life. She is trying to navigate the summer before college and has to do so in a very adult manner. Her mother is a ne'er do well who cannot help Skylar properly adult. She was devastated by the death of Skylar's father (when Sky was 12)--this event has emotionally stunted her and she was never properly able to recover, process, and ultimately move on with her life. Mother has been stuck working at Taco Bell for the past eighteen years, living in the run down trailer park, and is now relying upon the company of a fellow ne'er do well, Billy Easton, the former best friend of Sky's dad. That's messed up? Right? Skylar sure thinks so, enough so that she leaves home and spends the bulk of her time elsewhere.

photo credit: Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) via photopin (license)

Skylar starts spending a lot of time with Josh and both of them have very conflicting feelings about this time together. Skylar has made a pact with her best male friend Chris to get out of town and leave Creek View with no entanglements. Josh, and the desire to care for her mother, start pulling her back to Creek View. Skylar has to wrestle with these entanglements and comes to a fragile truce having made peace with her mother, Creek View, and Josh by the end of this wonderful, wonderful, wonderful book.

I cannot express my love of this book adequately. Read it, you won't regret it at all.

What I Loved:

Josh Mitchell--he's my new book boyfriend. It has to be a delicate balancing act to create a character facing as many demons as Josh. Demetrios hit a grand slam when she created Josh and Sky. They are very relatable and honest characters.

Skylar was a strong female character who had to wrestle with some very BIG and important decisions. She did so in a very grown up manner for someone of her age and circumstances.

Supporting characters were all wonderfully written. Even the scuzzy supporting characters you might not have ever wanted to root for, you ended up caring what happened to them (as long as they would leave Sky and Josh alone).

Meaningful Quotes:

"Central California was a veritable no-man's-land: this was not the California of people's dreams. We didn't have a music-video world of palm trees and sandy beaches that we frolicked on under the sun. I mean, there were more items on the McDonald's Value Menu than there were things to do in Creek View" (Demetrios, 2015 p. 41).

"Hanging out with Josh was like learning how to drive stick. It was hard enough just to start and then it was one stall after another. But somehow I always managed to crawl forward just a little bit" (Demetrios, 2015 p. 92).

"A crush. I had a silly crush because he'd suddenly became exotic, an enigmatic hero. He'd been in a land full of mysteriously clothed women and men in long tunics and turbans. He'd seen the kind of stuff Picasso painted Guernica for. He had stories to tell, unlike anyone else in this town.

But I'd had crushes before, and this...this was no crush" (Demetrios, 2015 p. 101).

"In my essay for San Fran, I'd written about how I'd always felt like there was something magical about taking bits and pieces of the world around me and creating something whole. It gave me hope: if you could make a beautiful piece of art from discarded newspapers and old matchbooks, then it meant that everything had potential. And maybe people were like collages--no matter how broken or useless we felt, we were an essential part of the whole. We mattered" (Demetrios, 2015 p. 108).

"I went back to tearing up a magazine for Marge's collage, the feel of paper familiar, soothing. Picasso was right when he said, "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." Just as the rain outside drenched Creek View, my art was washing me clean" (Demetrios, 2015 p. 163).

"This choreographer named Twyla Tharp once said, "Art is the only way to run away without leaving home." So I ran. As far and as fast as I could" (Demetrios, 2015 p. 296).

"The composer Stephen Sondheim said, "Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos." As I ran my hand over the finished collage, I decided that he was right. The mess of my life, of Creek View, of the summer, had been transformed into something beautiful" (Demetrios, 2015 p. 365).

"Love is medicine and dreams are oxygen" (Demetrios, 2015 p. 384).

In Praise of a DNF (Did Not Finish) Book

I love a long weekend. Over this 4th of July weekend, I have been able to devote lots and lots and lots of time to reading and blogging. One of my absolute favorite hobbies is reading. I am happiest when I am lost in a book. I love reading about new places, new people, new experiences.

What happens when I find books that I cannot get involved with? Should I waste my time and slog through just to say I finished X, Y, and Z book? I do not think so. This might be contrary to what should happen, but I genuinely believe that life is too short to read books you cannot make a connection with.

I even got into a discussion with some of my Facebook friends about this very topic. We are all of the mindset that if you cannot get into a book after a period of time then it is best to just move on. So, in honor of the posts that I was not able to submit today, I give you a picture of my husband's cat Jolene. Okay, okay, she is my cat, too.....she and I have a mutual (un)admiration society. This mackerel is very set in her ways.

Jolene enjoying a rare Georgia snow day.

More reviews will be forthcoming. Just not reviews of the 2 books I was unable to get into. The whole purpose of this blog is to read YA and to read outside of my comfort zone. What should happen when novels are WAY outside of my comfort zone or are just not appealing? I move on to the next YA reads.

Keep reading, loving, and enjoying YA. I will be back soon with more exciting and witty reviews ;).

Rollergirl by Victoria Jamieson

Rollergirl by Victoria Jamieson was a wonderful story wrapped up in a delightful package. I seriously cannot say enough good things about this beautiful book. When reading this book, I made sure to Facebook Message a friend to ask if her young daughters knew about Rollergirl. She said she didn't think that they did. I felt like a winner because I recommended this wonderful book to her.

photo credit: DSC_3615 via photopin (license)

In Rollergirl, we meet 12-year-old Asterid and her best friend Nicole. Asterid's mom, Ms. Vazquez enjoys taking the girls to what Astrid describes as ECE's, Evenings of Cultural Enlightenment. As part of an ECE, Ms. Vazquez takes the girls to an evening of Roller Derby. Astrid is hooked and wants nothing more than to join in this awesome sport. In the program for the Roller Derby bout is an ad for the Junior Roller Derby Camp for young ladies ages 12 to 17. Astrid immediately begs her mother to sign her up for this camp. She also begins daydreaming about participating in this camp with Nicole, who obviously had just as great a time as she did at the Roller Derby. Or did she? Nicole thought that Roller Derby was okay, but not nearly enough fun to forgo ballet camp (where she will be able to go en pointe for the first time). Astrid finds out that Nicole is going to ballet camp with her nemesis, Rachel. Rachel is the queen of the mean girls, she had even said that Astrid (or Ass Turd as Rachel likes to call her) had rabies after she touched a dead squirrel when they were younger.

Astrid signs up for the Junior Roller Derby Camp and has a great time getting to meet other young ladies who like-mindedly admire roller derby. Astrid struggled with learning the rules and ropes of roller derby. Along the way she meets some new friends and also gets to interact with her heroine Rainbow Bite. At the culmination of camp, the Junior Roller Derby girls are allowed to participate in a bout during the intermission of the Rosebud's Roller Derby Match. Astrid is a crucial part of the intermission bout. I would encourage you to read all about Astrid's love of roller derby. Rollergirl is a wonderful book that I believe younger readers should embrace with open arms.

photo credit: DSC_3751 via photopin (license)

What I Loved:

Astrid was an incredibly strong character. She learned a great number of new things both in terms of the technical side of roller derby and also about herself over the course of Junior Roller Derby Camp.

Astrid's mother was an incredibly sympathetic and strong character. She is a librarian (only my ultimate goal in life) who appears to be a single mother. Ms. Vazquez cares for Astrid and encourages her creativity. She also encourages Astrid to be open and honest with her emotions rather than keeping them bottled up.

Learning about Roller Derby. I admit that I have always, always, always wanted to participate with my local Roller Derby group the Classic City Rollergirls, but my hubby and mother have put the kibosh on this idea because of my terrible clumsiness. It's bad like I can fall up stairs bad. My hubby says that he is not going to support a sport where I can break myself in two (I think this is a bit overly dramatic). I went skating a few years ago, to reminisce about the good old days when I was very young (my daycare used to take us skating when I was younger than 8...so about twenty-something years ago) and I used to be able to zip around like I owned the skating rink. Well, let me tell you, that was not the case a few years ago...I could not even make it off the carpet, and I was sooooooooooooooooooo heartbroken :(. (Like Ugly Cry Heartbroken).

I loved the way that Jamieson highlighted her creative process in a free PDF booklet. Writing a graphic novel is much more involved than I would have ever thought. Meanwhile, the end result is gorgeous. I also appreciate how that Jamieson used real life characters (and also provided interviews with real life Junior Roller Girls into this booklet).

Roller Derby Connections and Resources


I chose to create a Pinterest board after reading this book. I was and have always been interested in Roller Derby, so I know that I will continue to add to this board.

Suggested reading and viewing:

Lila Felix's Love and Skate series of New Adult Romances for older teens.

Whip It Starring Elen Page and Drew Barrymore for older teens as well.

Final Thoughts

This was the first book I have read by Ms. Jamieson. It will not be the last. I think that this would engage readers as it is very exciting and a quick read. I would encourage everyone to seek this novel out.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is a Young Adult Literature classic that deals with an extremely difficult and heavy subject. I missed this novel when it was first released because it came out in 1999 when I was a Junior in High School. Unfortunately, my high school Media Center and Media Specialist were not very inviting, and therefore, I did not often go there to check out books. I am very glad to have read this book at this point in time.

photo credit: Farm on road between Montreal and Hemmingford DSC03933 bw Ferme sur la route entre Montréal et Hemmingford, drive-by via photopin (license)

In Speak, we meet Melinda Sordino a high school Freshman from Syracuse, New York. The summer prior to 9th grade Melinda experienced one of the most traumatic experiences a woman can ever experience. She was raped at a party the summer before 9th grade. As a result of this incident, Melinda spirals into a very deep depression, resulting in a loss of her voice. She has an extremely difficult time both adjusting to life in High School and also has difficulties fitting in and finding her voice. Melinda has checked out of the great majority of her classes. She is very tuned in and connected during Art class, however.

Mr. Freeman, the art teacher, assigns students to pick an item blindly out of a beaten in globe. Melinda picks TREE as her piece of artwork to create. Melinda spends the remaining semester attempting to create a tree. Eventually, Melinda becomes very depressed and starts skipping school. Melinda has to deal with the trauma and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) that makes her plummet into a downward spiral. Melinda eventually finds her voice, finds redemption, and is able to create a beautiful piece of artwork.

photo credit: Le champ du Cygne via photopin (license)

Fun fact: Speak was made into a movie starring Kristen Stewart pre-Twilight. I plan to check this movie out soon.

Memorable Quotes:

"Art follows lunch, like a dream follows nightmare" (Halse Anderson, 1999 p. 9).

Melinda, on her parent's relationship:

"I bet they'd be divorced by now if I hadn't been born. I'm sure I was a huge disappointment. I'm not pretty or smart or athletic. I'm just like them--an ordinary drone dressed in secrets and lies. I can't believe we have to keep playacting until I graduate. It's a shame we can't just admit that we have failed family living, sell the house, split the money and get on with our lives" (Halse Anderson, 1999 p. 70).

Melinda speaking with Mr. Freeman about her art project:

"Me: "All right, but you said we had to put emotion into our art. I don't know what that means. I don't know what I am supposed to feel." My fingers fly up and cover my mouth. What am I doing?

Mr. Freeman: "Art without emotion is like chocolate cake without sugar. It makes you gag." He sticks his fingers down his throat. "The next time you work on your trees, don't think about trees. Think about love, or hate, or joy, or rage--whatever makes you feel something, makes your palms sweat or your toes curl. Focus on that feeling. When people don't express themselves, they die one piece at a time. You'd be shocked at how many adults are really dead inside--walking through their days with no idea who they are, just waiting for a heart attack or cancer or a Mack truck to come along and finish the job. It's the saddest thing I know" (Halse Anderson, 1999 p. 122).

What I Liked:

I like that Halse Anderson was not afraid to tackle a taboo topic. Yes, it is controversial, but there are teenagers who experience rape, sexual abuse, and other forms of violence on a daily basis in their real-life. This book would not be classified as an easy read, at least not emotionally or spiritually easy, but was short. This book would be very engaging to reluctant readers and could possibly be utilized to engage students that you might suspect of having either mental health or delinquency/ungovernable situations going on within their family dynamic. It might also be beneficial to read this as part of a book club. It would also serve to raise empathy and understanding if this were read and a panel discussion with rape survivors, police detectives, crisis counselors, and other interested participants were invited to participate.

Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed

I cannot say enough good things about the next book I am reviewing, Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed. It was breathtakingly beautiful, haunting, and suspenseful in equal turns.

We are introduced to Naila, a senior in Florida, and her boyfriend Saif. Naila is unlike other teens because her family is a very conservative and traditional Pakistani family who immigrated to the United States. Naila's parents are very stifling toward Naila, all in the name of making a good match for her future. Yes, you read that right, Naila's parents and culture is one in which arranged marriage is front and center. Naila has already found the love of her life, Saif, though. We see Naila as a young lady who is in the prime of her adolescence. 

Image Credit: Is, N. (2010, October 29). Desi Designs. Retrieved July 01, 2016, from https://goo.gl/jQx2Ky. The fabric of a Salwar Kamiz. 

Naila desperately wants to be able to attend to the rituals that "Normal" kids (meanwhile, what is normal?) are able to participate with, such as prom, graduation, and going to college. Naila is unable to participate in these teenage rituals and this has her really upset. Naila is finally given freedom to spend the night with her best friend, Carla. The aftermath of this slumber party has long-standing consequences that severely restrict Naila's freedom. 

This story proves that #LoveWins. Naila is a very strong female character. She is able to conquer the adversity of a TERRIBLE situation and does so with tremendous grace and dignity. 

As a thirty-something-year-old Caucasian female, I desperately needed to read Naila's story. Yes, I am aware of sexual violence and sexual slavery, but until you read from someone who experiences it (even if it is a fictional character), you are never truly able to empathize with the situation. American teenagers should be aware of various world cultures. Written in the Stars allows us, the reader, to view a new culture in spades. 

photo credit: Shazia mehndi putting ring on via photopin (license)

Memorable Quotes:

"I watch the trees along the road fly by as we drive past. It's almost summertime. Noth that anyone can tell. Elsewhere there are seasons. Leaves bloom green and then turn gold and crimson as they fall to the earth, change coming to everything in its path. 

Not here. 

In my world, the leaves stay green, the same Florida heat beating down on us, day after day, year after year. Unchanging. 

But not for long. Soon things will change. Soon they will have to. I've spent my entire life banking on this very truth" (Saeed, 2015 p. 8). 

This is a scene between Naila and her mother. 

"Remember, just because you will be away at college doesn't mean the promises you've made no longer apply. You can choose many things," she continues. "You can choose what you want to be when you grow up, the types of shoes you want to buy, how long you want your hair to be. But your husband, that's different. We choose your husband for you. You understand that, right?"

I've heard this more times than I can count. The first time we had this conversation was seven years ago, when I was ten. "What if I find him first?" I asked then. 

"That's not how it's done," she had said. "Just because we live in a different place doesn't change how things should be" (Saeed, 2015 p. 11-12). 

Naila describing her mother.

"Florida might be where she lives. But Pakistan is home" (Saeed, 2015 p. 59). 

An exchange between Naila and her cousin Selma about Saif:

"You are not the same person anymore. Honestly ask yourself, is this fair to him? My mother always says when you fight destiny, destiny fights back. Some things, they're just written in the stars. You can try, but you can never escape what's meant to be. You've tried. You both tried very hard to fight your destiny, but things didn't improve--they just keep getting worse" (Saeed, 2015 p. 199). 

An exchange between Naila and Saif. 

"Love is about the good moments, but it's about holding on to each other during the difficult ones too. Coming out the other side, weathered but still holding hands, isn't easy. It's the most difficult thing there can possibly be, but I know now it's the truest test of love there is. Life hasn't been easy, but it gets less painful every day, and as I look at Saif, I know that love--in its essence, at its core--is the most bittersweet thing there is" (Saeed, 2015 p. 277). 

What I loved:

Everything. Period. The End. 

Saeed created Naila and gifted her with such a wonderful voice. This novel was equal parts romance, suspense, travelogue, and cultural narrative. All this wrapped up in a beautiful YA package.

Naila. She was a strong young woman. She had to leave her family to have peace of mind and a good future. The lesson here is that sometimes your family, those you are supposed to love with your whole heart and those who are supposed to have your best interests at heart, do not have your best interests at heart. Sometimes you just have to make your own way in this terrible, harsh, and cold world. 

The resource list at the back of the book is wonderful. I am so glad that it was presented and that those who are able to help can help out. 

My one gripe is that the glossary was at the back of the book. This would have been helpful to have up front, but this is only a minor annoyance. 

I am Princess X by Cherie Priest illustrated by Kali Ciesemier

I cannot explain how much that I genuinely enjoyed and loved I am Princess X by Cherie Priest and illustrated by Kali Ciesemier!!!!!

This book, while much more lighthearted than others I have read (We Were Liars, I am looking at you), it does not mean that this story is not as valuable as the others. Within this book, which is a hybrid traditional book and graphic novel/manga lies a sparse yet suspenseful story.

Image Credit: Hirai, R. (2015, January 11). The Ryurouni Kenshin pose. Retrieved June 26, 2016, from https://goo.gl/IFtJXU. Maybe not Princess X, but a young Libby?

In this story, we meet May Harper and her best friend Libby Deaton, who met up in fifth grade when they were both sidelined from participating in PE. May and Libby pooled their collective talents of storytelling (May) and drawing (Libby) to create Princess X. Unfortunately, right around the beginning of this story, Libby passed away (or DID she?). After Libby's death, May also experienced the traumatic breakup of her parent's marriage was unfortunately shuffled back and forth between Atlanta and Seattle. Three years later May is coping with these traumatic events as much as possible when she sees a sticker for Princess X. May is shocked to say the very least. She enlists the help of her neighbor, "Trick" to locate Libby. What follows is an incredibly suspenseful ride. 

What I liked: 

This book flowed so very easily. I read it in essentially one sitting. 

I believe that reluctant readers would engage with this work very quickly and very easily. 

The hybrid format I think it was a breath of fresh air. I visited some of the websites within this text, enjoyed the graphics, and also enjoyed the story. I think it takes a delicate balance to make this type of novel well-written and enjoyable, and I could see how it could become bogged down in the details. 

Memorable Quotes or Passages

May's laptop conks out and she finds a flyer about "Trick's" computer abilities. This struck me because my hubby always asks me this question:

"....You go home and keep reading. 

I can't, remember? My laptop crapped out. 

Did you try turning it off and on again? 

She scowled, because she hadn't even tried and it was the most obvious thing ever--next to plugging it in and letting it charge. "I barely know you and, and I already hate you" (Priest, 2015 p. 65). 

Patrick explained technology thusly when speaking about the Needle Man "Maybe he was useful IT, maybe he was just there to answer the phones. Not everybody in a headset knows anything" (Priest, 2015 p. 149). 

Patrick explained a mausoleum by saying "I know there's a building back on the far right side of the hill, so maybe that's it--kind of like a library for dead people" (Priest, 2015 p. 156). 

Final Thoughts

This book was so exciting that even the most difficult to engage reluctant reader would probably love it to pieces. I eagerly look forward to Ms. Priest's additions to the YA genre and will contemplate reading her Sci-Fi (not my favorite genre AT ALL). 

We Were Liars by e. lockhart

After I attended the Georgia Library Media Association's 2016 Summer Institute, I was invigorated to read more YA Literature. Specifically, after I attended a Presentation about the Georgia Peach Book Awards by the wonderful, wonderful, wonderful Shanna Miles (seriously, I want to be her when I grow up, simply because of the passion she has for serving her students at the South Atlanta High Media Center, she had a life skills conference at the Media Center that sounded simply amazing). Anyway, I digress. After attending this session, I realized just how much that I did not know about current YA literature, and I sought to remedy this fact by reading from the Peach Award backlist.

Image Credit: Sinay, N. (2010, April 9). Pulau Ubin in black and white. Retrieved June 26, 2016, from https://goo.gl/Vdq42z. This is how I viewed the staff dock at Beechwood Island

This weekend, I read We Were Liars by e. lockhart. In this story, we meet Cadence Sinclair Eastman, her cousins Mirren Sinclair Sheffield, Jonathan Sinclair Dennis, and their friend Gatwick Matthew Patil, also known as the Liars. This group (well at least the cousins) has a very wealthy and privileged background where they summer at Beechwood Island, a private island owned by their family in the Cape Cod region close to Martha's Vineyard. This novel follows Cadence and the Liars through her fifteenth summer to her seventeenth summer. I won't give too much away, but Cadence, the Liars, and her family suffer through one of the worst tragedies I have ever read about. In the throes of reading this novel, Cadence almost came off as an unreliable narrator and I almost put this novel down. However, in the end, there was explanation and closure. Cadence, who honestly comes across as a member of the 1% and this might be annoying for some readers, does experience a tremendous amount of growth as she struggles to remember the details of her accident.

Image Credit: Pustovit, V. (2014, June 28). Fire. Retrieved June 26, 2016, from https://goo.gl/LrryWj

Memorable passages include:

Cadence about her relationship with Gat "...I saw Gat and I saw that rose in his hand, and in one moment, with the sunlight from the window shining in on him, the apples on the kitchen counter, the smell of wood and ocean in the air, I did call it love. It was love, and it hit me so hard I leaned against the screen door that still stood between us, just to stay vertical" (lockhart, 2014 p. 15).

Cady's mom speaking with her about why they are not discussing her grandmother Tipper's passing: "It was important, she said; it was kind; it was best. Don't cause distress, she said. Don't remind people of a loss. "Do you understand, Cady? Silence is a protective coating over pain" (lockhart, 2014 p. 29).

Cadence did not return to Beechwood island during her sixteenth summer. She went away with her father. After this summer, Cadence said "The fall after the European trip, I started a project. I gave away something of mine every day" (lockhart, 2014 p. 45).

Cadence realizing that her family places great importance over material wealth. "The jolt of a new purchase makes Mummy feel powerful, if only for a moment. I think there is a status to having a house full of pretty things...she's got power--because she's got money" (lockhart, 2014 p. 46).

Cadence's recognition after her injury "If I Google traumatic brain injury, most websites tell me selective amnesia is a consequence. When there's damage to the brain, it's not uncommon for a patient to forget stuff. She will be unable to piece together a coherent story of the trauma" (lockhart, 2014 p. 48).

Final Thoughts:

For all of Cadence's unreliability as a narrator and the fact that this story is about the 1%, Cadence's story is very worthwhile. I believe that it will appeal to a wide variety of people. Once the reader learns Cadence's truth, it will stick with them for a good long while.

None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio

I've just finished reading None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio  and am kind of still processing this book.

Image Credit: Pinera, H. (2013, February 13). Run. Retrieved June 26, 2016, from https://goo.gl/NxFmiD

In this novel, we meet Krissy, an 18-year-old high school student who discovers that she is intersex  only after visiting the ob-gyn after having excruciatingly painful intercourse with her boyfriend for the first time. Krissy is one of the shining stars of her high school, having been recently named Homecoming Queen and being a track superstar (she has a scholarship to a Division One school). In other words, the intersex diagnosis throws Krissy for a loop making her question her very existence and place in the world. Is she a man? Is she gay? Is she a transsexual? Krissy wrangles and wrestles with these questions and more during the course of this novel. Not to mention that everyone at school hears through the grapevine about Krissy's intersex status. Navigating high school is difficult even for the most stereotypical "NORMAL" person ever. Krissy's struggle to accept herself leads to a great story. Including a totally crush-worthy book boyfriend.  Eventually, the reader understands that love and forgiveness heal, and that self-acceptance is key to a "good life." Yes, it is a rough and rocky journey, but once you are at peace with yourself, you can live your best life.

On a side note: I read this book on one of the saddest days in recent American history. I woke up this morning to learn that the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, had been the scene of the worst mass shooting in American history. I have always resolved to treat everyone I meet how I want to be treated. Period. However, it is easy to let my snarkiness, pride, and even disdain of other personalities get the better of me and I end up treating others in a less than stellar manner. After reading this book, and reflecting on the events of the day, I vow to treat everyone (even those who might pogo jump on my last nerves) with dignity and respect seeking nothing in return.

I currently work as a Juvenile Probation Officer and have for the last almost 10 years (June 16 is my 10 year anniversary). To my knowledge, I have not ever worked with an intersex youth. However, I have worked with a gracious plenty amount of youth who identify on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, and my life has been enriched by working with them all (and really all the youth I have ever worked with). I will wholeheartedly recommend this book to some of my probationers who might be struggling.

Reading Gregorio's blog, I just learned that None of the Above has been optioned for TV by Lifetime. This would be an amazing story to adapt, and if it is ever adapted, I will totally watch every episode!

Gregorio, a surgeon, was inspired to write this story after meeting a real life intersex patient. It was fascinating to read about Gregorio's patient. The patient had to navigate their intersex discovery all alone. I cannot imagine having to navigate this very complex (really this can chip away at the very essence of a person) process all alone.

I hope after reading my thoughts, you are inspired to read None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio.

Here were some amazing quotes that stood out to me during my read:

"While I waited, I studied Dr. Johnson's Howard and NYU diplomas and her posters of the female reproductive system. Somehow, the pictures made girl parts look like an alien, with the uterus being the body, the cervix a bad hairdo, and the tubes and ovaries a pair of demented eyes" (Gregorio, 2015 p. 32).

"I couldn't stand the word female. It gave me PTSD or something. When I heard the word, a jolt of electricity went down the back of my neck and turned into a ball of stress in my stomach. It was like, when Mr. Morris used the word, he wasn't just saying "female." He was saying "not Kristin Lattimore" (Gregorio, 2015 p. 140).

"I passed huddles of giggling girls, a trio of guys smoking and telling jokes outside a club. Everyone seemed to understand that strength came in numbers and identity came as a part of a group.

I wouldn't make the same mistake again" (Gregorio, 2015 p. 186).