Review: Fuzzy Mud

By Louis Sachar
Available now from Scholastic
Review copy

I think many reviewers other than myself will compare FUZZY MUD to HOLES.  It's the obvious comparison.  Both involve disparate plot threads coming together, strong social messages, and young heroes with the strength to do the right thing.  FUZZY MUD feels like HOLES, even though it is a less complex and ultimately less successful novel.  No shade - HOLES is practically perfect.

Tamaya Dhilwaddi had my heart from go.  She's smart and follows the rules and has trouble making friends.  I definitely remember that difficulty of trying to figure out what I was doing wrong as a kid.  She's friends with seventh-grader Marshall Walsh, who is two years older and who won't interact with her during the school day.  They just walk home together.  Then they take a shortcut through the woods one day, because he wants to avoid the school bully, Chad.

But Chad goes missing and Tamaya gets sick. 

FUZZY MUD builds up the dread of what is lurking in the woods wonderfully, repeated equations giving a small sense of the scope of what is happening.  Court transcripts hint at what is waiting and how it was allowed to happen.  (At the end, these transcripts also reveal an imperfect compromise.)  The environmental message doesn't seem so preachy when wrapped up in a nice layer of horror and an ending that isn't nice and neat.  It also helps that Tamaya is a compelling main character who can make her actions come across as more important than the message.

FUZZY MUD is a great introduction to some complicated scientific debates regarding the creation, manufacturing, and regulation of biofuel.  It's also a great story about bullying and forgiveness and courage.  It is written for a slightly younger age group than HOLES, and I think it hits the mark.

Spoiler: The dog dies.

Review: Swagger

By Carl Deuker
Available now from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt BFYR
Review copy

I don't often read sports books, but I found myself surprisingly impressed by Carl Deuker's SWAGGER after I picked it up on a recommendation.  It's told in simple but compelling language.  I think boys like the main characters Jonas Dolan and Levi Rawdon who aren't big on school and studying would enjoy reading it.

Jonas is a good basketball player.  He's never gonna be a pro, but his coach thinks that he could get a scholarship for a Division II team.  And he's right - Jonas has a real chance at Monitor College if he can bring his grades up.  But then he has to move to a new school.  Coach Knecht has a totally different style and his lab science (chemistry) teacher is so tough that Jonas will be lucky to get a D.  He needs to get playtime during games and he needs to make a B to get the scholarship.  The new Coach Hartwell is a dream come true for Jonas, since he plays a more up-tempo game and promises to help Jonas (and his friend Levi) with their grades.

I found the basketball parts of SWAGGER surprisingly enjoyable.  Deuker does a good job of explaining how different positions on the team work together and how different plays can suit different players' styles better.  I'll never be interested in watching basketball, but I felt like I was following the descriptions of the games.  I also liked the realism of Jonas being talented, but not one of the incredibly few players who can make it as a professional.  His dedication to studying to get the scholarship leading into some genuine interest in his education was also an interesting storyline.

But the heart of SWAGGER is the reveal that the likeable Coach Hartwell is a predator.  The hints of it start early, particularly the way he finds ways to make each of the boys on the team indebted to him so that they'll keep his secrets.  Levi is also understandably reluctant to come forward and tell everyone what happened to him.  He can barely tell Jonas, his best friend.  SWAGGER remains realistic here too, as Jonas fails to read all of Levi's signals and respond absolutely perfectly to the truth.  Hartwell is always at fault for what happens, but that doesn't make everybody else in the story perfect.

SWAGGER has lots of appeal for reluctant readers and fans of Chris Crutcher.  It also reads somewhat younger than Chris Crutcher's books.  I can see this in a middle school library.  The abuse is not graphic. 

Review: The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley

By Shaun David Hutchinson
Illustrated by Christine Larsen
Available now from Simon Pulse

Andrew Brawley has a lot of guilt and a big secret.  His parents and sister are dead, and he should've died with them.  But he didn't, and now he's living in the hospital, hiding from the woman he calls Death.  He works in the cafeteria, volunteers the night ER shift, and otherwise hustles to keep people from noticing that he's around all the time.

The something happens to shake him up: a boy named Rusty is admitted.  He was burned badly in a hate crime, because he's gay.

THE FIVE STAGES OF ANDREW BRAWLEY takes on a lot of big topics.  There's death from accident, illness, and suicide - and that's just the beginning. Almost everyone in the hospital has a story, down to the cook that employs Drew in the cafeteria and the woman in a coma he's claimed as his grandmother.  The biggest stories are those of Drew himself, Rusty, and two teenagers with cancer: Zachary and Lexi.   Drew dreams of Zachary and Lexi realizing that they like each other and living the lives they could have, but he's afraid to act on his attraction to Rusty.

Between some chapters are graphic novel excerpts from Drew's story about Patient F.  Christine Larsen's stark black and white artwork, with its brittle lines, is startlingly dark.  It's a tale of people in bodies that don't belong to them, death and torture and repeating it again and again as Patient F travels through time to try to save his family this time.  As a priest who talks to Drew realizes, it reveals a lot about his state of mind and the issues he's trying to work through.

THE FIVE STAGES OF ANDREW BRAWLEY is not a happy book, although it has many humorous moments and a hopeful ending.  It was hard for me to read at times, since it seemed like bad things just kept happening.  I expected the twist involving Rusty, but not the ultimate fate of Zachary and Lexi.  It's definitely a strange book, one that will stick out in my mind as a unique reading experience.

I particularly liked how the stories each character told wove throughout the story.  THE FIVE STAGES OF ANDREW BRAWLEY is a novel about how we see ourselves and how others see us (among other things).  It's a portrait of its enigmatic eponymous hero, but also of the people in his life.

Review: The Honest Truth

By Dan Gemeinhart
Available now from Scholastic Press
Review copy

I was 100% sure I did not want to read a novel about a twelve-year-old boy with cancer, but I was convinced to give this one a try anyway because of some trustworthy people gushing about the writing.  I must say that the writing is lovely, especially the little haiku Mark comes up with on his journey.

THE HONEST TRUTH evokes old-school adventure novels, just a boy and his dog surviving on their own.  The boy is not stranded by a plain crash nor parental death or abandonment.  He runs away to climb Mt. Rainier, which he promised to climb before he died.  And he's afraid, and angry, now that his cancer is back.  He fought a long, four-year fight, and Mark's not sure if he's up for fighting again, even if he doesn't want to die.

That angry part is important.  I loved that Mark is not a nobly suffering kid with cancer.  He is tired of being the nobly sick child.  He makes a lot of bad decisions in THE HONEST TRUTH, but they do feel like they come from an honest place.  They come from anger and despair and fear.

There are places where the novel falls apart for me.  The chapters alternate with interstitials from Jessie, Mark's best friend who knows where he is running.  I wasn't thrilled by the depiction of their friendship, but horrified that she wouldn't realize this is not a time to keep her friend's secret, especially when the weather turns worse.  I find the adult who knows that Mark is the runaway on television and does nothing to stop his foolhardy plan absolutely unbelievable.  I must agree with Mrs. Yingling that Mark choosing to take his small dog on this dangerous journey is unspeakable, rather than a beautiful portrayal of the bond between boy and companion.

I thought THE HONEST TRUTH was a beautifully told story, and I really liked that Dan Gemeinhart didn't turn it into a tearjerker.  THE HONEST TRUTH was much less sad than I expected.  At the same time, if you're handing this book to someone actually in the intended audience, I'd accompany it with a discussion about bad decisions.  I can just forgive the ailing twelve-year-old, but so many of the other characters act like they have no sense.

Review: Say What You Will

By Cammie McGovern
Available now from HarperTeen (HarperCollins)
Review copy

Amy has severe cerebral palsy and requires a wheelchair and a voice box.  She's a bright girl and determined to look on the bright side.  But her classmate Matthew points out to her that she can't be that happy; after all, her only friends are adults.  So, Amy decides to request teenage helpers for her senior year of high school.

And she requests for Matthew to be one.

I loved the blooming friendship and romance between Amy and Matthew.  They're really portrayed as issues.  Amy has the drive that Matthew lacks, and she's more open about her issues since she can't hide them.  Matthew, meanwhile, is trying to deny his OCD.  I also like that Cammie McGovern went outside the box.  Not only is Amy not a paint-by-the-numbers heroine, the plot goes unexpected places.  It doesn't end with senior year and the prom, for instance.

I liked that SAY WHAT YOU WILL was realistic about Amy and Matthew's limitations, the way society views someone as physically crippled as Amy and the way mental health issues are stigmatized.  I liked that both of them had difficult journeys, but ones they could help each other with - if they approached each other with respect and understanding.  It's a hard road for two teenagers.

The charm of SAY WHAT YOU WILL started to run out for me about three quarters of the way through the book.  The ups and downs just went on for too long for me, like a soap opera.  I think I might've enjoyed it more if I read it slower, interspersed with other books.  At the same time, I still liked it a lot.  McGovern's prose is unobtrusive and she imbues both of her protagonists with charming voices.  I liked how organically the relationship grew, and that SAY WHAT YOU WILL explored what happened after high school, when the relationship is tested by long distance and other factors.

SAY WHAT YOU WILL is McGovern's first YA novel and bodes well for her future forays in the genre.

Review: Gracefully Grayson

By Ami Polonsky
Available now from Disney-Hyperion
Review copy

Note: I am using male pronouns throughout this review.  The book is unambiguous that Grayson is a girl, but she is identified as male throughout the story.

First of all, GRACEFULLY GRAYSON is notable from being a middle grade (or tween) novel that deals with trans* issues.  There aren't stories that deal with this issue for that age group filling the shelves, so this fills a very important gap.

I was a bit disappointed at first.  There seemed to be nothing happening in the novel except for Grayson's discomfort with his gender role, and then a tentative relationship with a new girl.  I felt rather sorry for the kid as he seemed to think that becoming a girl would be all skirts, dresses, and princesses.

Things really pick up when Grayson tries out for the school play -- as the female lead.  It's an important step in Grayson stepping out of his shell and reaching for the person that he wants to be, but not all of the adults around him recognize it as such.  I liked that there were no true villains.  Some of the adults come close, but only because they're trying to protect Grayson from bullying (that reaches the extent of bodily harm).  Yes, sometimes adults have to overrule a child's wishes to keep them safe.  It's a difficult conundrum, even if Grayson much prefers one side of the battle.

GRACEFULLY GRAYSON is a fairly slight story that leans a bit too heavily on the issue and too light on plot, especially at first.  However, that doesn't make it a dull issue novel of the eighties.  Ami Polonsky's writing is quite sweet, and she has a good knack for character.  I particularly liked the various girls who reach out and become friends with Grayson.  There's also a brief appearance by a progressive mom that I really enjoyed.

One day, LGBTQ books will be widely available for all age groups, and kids will be able to find themselves and their troubles reflected in the stories around them.  GRACEFULLY GRAYSON is a good step in the right direction.  Grayson's struggle is sympathetically drawn and very suitable for younger readers.

Review: Damsel Distressed

By Kelsey Macke
Available now from Spencer Hill Contemporary
Review copy

Imogen Keegan knows she's the ugly stepsister.  Heck, her stepsister is named Ella Cinder.  But her stepsister moving in is just another thing going wrong in her life.  There's her mother's death, her weight gain, her hopeless crush on her best friend, and her depression.

Imogen is not an easy heroine to like.  She's unhappy with herself, and tends to think badly of others in return.  She has very little empathy.  Debut author Kelsey Macke, however, understands that her heroine is no angel.  Throughout the book, people tell Imogen when she goes to far, or she eventually realizes that for herself.  Often, she judged people harshly before they could judge her, and she learns that maybe she should get to know people a bit more before making such decisions.  Macke also maintains a careful balance with Imogen's depression.  It colors how Imogen sees the world and her struggle is very sympathetic, but it is also not a free pass to treat other people badly.

DAMSEL DISTRESSED will appeal strongly to artsy YA fans.  Imogen is in charge of the sound booth for the school musical, Once Upon a Mattress.  All of her close friends are involved in the crew in some way.  There is art before each chapter, and Macke recorded an album with her duo (Wedding Day Rain) to accompany the book.  It adds some nice layers to the whole package.

DAMSEL DISTRESSED also has a lot of appeal for fans of contemporary YA retellings and books that deal with serious issues with humor.  Imogen's difficulties are definitely lightened by her own humor and that of her closest friends.  The Cinderella angle is a nice hook, but DAMSEL DISTRESSED diverges quite a bit to be its own story.  There is a Prince Charming, but he's no distant, half drawn figure.  In addition to depression, bullying figures prominently, as does Imogen's acceptance of her weight.  There's quite a bit going on, but it all gels.

Review: The Gospel of Winter

By Brendan Kiely
Available now from Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon & Schuster)
Review copy

Brendan Kiely's debut is a tough read.  It is set back in the early 2000s, when the first large wave of abuse cases in the Catholic church were made public.  Aidan Donovan seems like a normal spoiled rich kid.  Closer to his nanny than his mother, drinking and taking drugs.  But he does work at his church.  And that's the source of so many of his problems.

I think one of the great strengths of THE GOSPEL OF WINTER is that it really explores why Aidan hasn't told anyone what's happening, why he wants to stay silent.  He's afraid of what will happen if he tells, and being pressured by many to stay silent.  He's scared and hurt and his denial is allowing him to function.

THE GOSPEL OF WINTER is also told beautifully.  Many scenes take place outdoors - on beaches, golf courses, rooftops - and Kiely captures the wintry landscapes beautifully.  Aidan's world is a cold one, but there are touches of warmth and beauty.

THE GOSPEL OF WINTER is a moving novel of a young man coming to terms with the sexual abuse he suffered.  Moments of levity are few, mostly provided by Aidan's three new friends, one of whom has his own troubles.  At the same time, it wasn't a depressing reading experience.  It would make a good pairing with last year's THE NAMESAKE by Steven Parlato.

Review: The Truth About Alice

By Jennifer Mathieu
Available now from Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan)
Review copy

THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE is told elliptically, through the eyes of her frenemy, her ex-best friend, a grieving golden boy, and a nerd with a crush.  She gets the final word, but most of the words are gossip, innuendo, speculation, and outright lies.

It all started at a party hosted by Elaine.  Shortly after the party everyone knew Alice had slept with two guys within one hour.  Then one of those guys, Brandon, died in a car crash, and Josh blamed Alice for distracting him with texts.  That's all it takes for Alice to end up totally ostracized, as a slut and killer.  Kelsie, her former friend, thinks she can't trust that Alice didn't sleep with the guys like she says.  Kurt wants to help, if he can gather the courage to speak to Alice.

The points of view weave together seamlessly, moving back and forth through time as they reveal their secrets, how they relate to Alice, and how they led to Alice being a scapegoat.  Everyone has their pain and regrets.  What happens to Alice is incredibly cruel, but debut author Jennifer Matheiu keeps it believable.  Even more, she doesn't demonize anyone.  Brandon might've been a heinous douche, but he still didn't deserve to die.

That being said, THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE is not a subtle book.  The characters have depths, but right and wrong are clearly portrayed.  It works though, because we do live in a world where girls are shamed for sex, whether they've had it or not.  Alice's voice isn't heard until the end, and that's very intentional.  Whether she had sex with Brandon or not isn't the question.  The way her classmates and town treat her is.

THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE is loosely woven, driven more by character than incident.  It is a very good thing the book is short, because there isn't much of a plot to speak of.  But the emotional journey is very cathartic and hopeful.  This is a stunning debut, and I look forward to Mathieu's sophomore novel.

Review: Chasing Shadows (A More Diverse Universe)

By Swati Avasthi
Graphics by Craig Phillips
Available now from Knopf BFYR (Penguin Random House)
Review copy
Read my review from last year's Diversiverse

Today is the first day of the second annual A More Diverse Universe.  It lasts from November 15-17, and all you have to do to participate is write about a speculative fiction book by an author of color.

I've had CHASING SHADOWS in my to-read-and-review pile for about a month.  Charlotte reminded me about it in her reminder about this event.  Now, CHASING SHADOWS isn't straight-up speculative fiction.  It's a contemporary novel that incorporates elements of superhero comics and Hinduism in a very visceral way, which gives some passages the feeling of speculative fiction.

CHASING SHADOWS begins with Holly, Savitri, and Corey running across rooftops.  It's a tight-knit group: Holly and Sav are best friends, Sav and Corey are dating, and Holly and Corey are twins.  But it's when they get in their cars to go home that tragedy strikes - Corey is shot and killed and Holly ends up in a coma.  CHASING SHADOWS alternates between Sav and Holly's points of view, and Holly's point of view alternates between prose and graphic novel panels.  It's a wonderful effect that demonstrates her breaks from reality quite well.

I wasn't expecting to ugly cry throughout this book, but I did.  Both girls are extremely traumatized and CHASING SHADOWS is about Holly and Sav reclaiming their lives, their futures, and eventually their friendship.  Because yes, their relationship is under quite a bit of strain.  I particularly liked the way Swati Avasthi wove the cops' search for Corey's murderer into the girls' story.  Because Holly was shot and Sav got a better look at the guy, they are defined as only a victim and only a witness respectively.  But both girls are victims and witnesses, and those labels are important to their internal story, even if it doesn't help the case.

(Side note: I loved that Sav can't give a great physical description - white, not tall - but notices exactly how the guy walks because that's what is important to her as an athlete.)

Two graphic novels shape the girls' stories.  One is a series about the Leopardess, a heroine Holly admires.  The other is a telling of the legend that gave Sav her name.  The girls are both inspired by these comics and shamed by them, feeling guilty because they weren't fast or clever or something enough to save Corey.  Holly's reality is distorted by them, the imagery and iconography bleeding into her waking world.  It's a very interesting look at the way that fiction can shape lives.  And, in the case of Sav, it's very clear how important her collection of comics starring Indians is to her and the ways it shaped her childhood.

CHASING SHADOWS is a real gut-punch of a novel.  It's dark, and heartbreaking, and the triumphs are tempered by tragedy.  It's also, I think, the book I wanted when I read WHAT WE SAW AT NIGHT.  The freerunning and the mystery are incorporated better into the characters' story, as is the Chicago setting.  I don't think I've ever read a book quite like CHASING SHADOWS, and it's more than just the inventive format that makes me say that.  This is a book well worth reading.

Review: The In-Between

By Barbara Stewart
Available now from St. Martin's Griffin (Macmillan)
Review copy

Sometimes I'm just not sure how I feel about a book.  Barbara Stewart's debut THE IN-BETWEEN is one of those rare books.  Elanor Moss, her mother, and father were in a car wreck on their way to their new home.  Ellie and one of her parents survived.  But ever since the accident, Ellie's been seeing this girl, Madeline, around - her other half, who has a plan for her.

I liked the unreliability of the narrator.  There's a question of whether the things happening are supernatural, all in Ellie's head, or some combination of both.  Ellie has a family history of depression and a recent tragic event, on top of a friendship that went horribly awry and led to a suicide attempt in her old hometown.  Ellie needs help, but it's hard to know what kind of help she needs.

The writing is wonderfully poetic and creates a terrific atmosphere.  THE IN-BETWEEN is well suited to more elaborate prose, reflecting the chaos in Ellie's head and the confusing atmosphere.  It's a nice atmosphere, one that portends bad things coming, but also offers hope for Ellie.

But did I enjoy THE IN-BETWEEN?  Not that much.  I read it quite quickly because I didn't feel an urge to linger over the words, no matter how pretty they are.  I had my ideas about what was real and what wasn't fairly early, and I cared more about what would happen next than deciphering the veracity of Ellie's journals.  At the same time, I felt there was a lot to enjoy about THE IN-BETWEEN.

This book didn't work for me.  But I'm glad I read it, because I always enjoy books that take chances.  THE IN-BETWEEN is a strange book.  I think that makes it less suited to wide audiences, but at the same time will make it more meaningful for the people it clicks with.  I'm not sure I've read another YA novel that approached (probable) mental illness quite like this.  And I just want to love books that are ambitious, even if they fall short.

If THE IN-BETWEEN sounds like your kind of thing, give it a read.  If not, it isn't essential.

Dual Review: Made of Stars and Fault Line

Made of Stars
By Kelley York
Available now from Entangled Teen
Review copy

I discovered Kelley York's HUSHED sometime around March last year, I think.  I still haven't read it, but it's on my wishlist.  The summary really stuck out and has hung in my mind.  When York's new book, MADE OF STARS, popped up on Netgalley, I made with the grabby hands.  Here was a chance to give her a try!

MADE OF STARS is the story of three teenagers.  Hunter and Ashlin are half-siblings, and Chance is their childhood friend, who they hung out with during summers at their dad's.  Now, Hunter and Ashlin are living with their father again as they both take a gap year and decide what college to go to and whether college is even right for them.  When they meet back up with chance, it becomes clear that they're no longer children.  Something is wrong with their friend, who never lets them see his house and who has mysterious injuries.  There are also romantic shenanigans afoot, complicated by Hunter's long-distance girlfriend.

I liked that York dealt with coming out angst in MADE OF STARS.  It's a bit passe in YA novels nowadays, almost verboten.  But there are still a lot of teenagers dealing with accepting themselves and the fear of rejection, and it's nice to have books that deal with it.  York manages to balance it with the plot about Chance's home life so that neither one really takes over the book.  That's where we come to my misgivings.

MADE OF STARS contains a big epiphany, and there's definitely a climax.  But where's the falling action?  It just ended, right when things were getting really exciting.  And as far as I can tell, there is no sequel coming.  I want to read about the consequences, and York just left me hanging.

Which brings me to FAULT LINE.

Fault Line
By C. Desir
Available now from Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster)
Review copy

FAULT LINE is the story of Ben, a popular jock, dealing with the fallout of something unknown that happened to his girlfriend, the confident, artistic Ani.  He didn't go with her to a party, and she ended up in the hospital with no memory of what happened, having to have a lighter removed from her body.

Kelly at Stacked made a great post about the issues raised by this book and the choice of the lighter for the cover.  I don't agree entirely with her about this book, but I think her review is very worth reading, so I wanted to point it out.

One way in which we differ is that I liked the beginning.  I think the future scene lets the reader know they're in for a wrenching read, and that the sweet, almost romantic comedy tone of Ben and Ani's courtship isn't going to last long.  Now what I disliked was the ending, which doesn't really move past the beginning.  FAULT LINE truly is Ben's story, and it's about his journey.  The ending made me realize I'd rather be reading Ani's story and see her reach some resolution.

FAULT LINE is a difficult book to read.  Debut author Christa Desir's prose is fine, and doesn't linger nastily over unpleasant details, but the few details there are hurt.  Ani's story is powerful, painful, and - worst of all - realistic.

I do agree with Kelly that the character of the rape counselor is a bit too obvious, although it was obviously easy for Desir to draw on her own experiences for that character.  And if a book hammers in that there is no right way for a woman to react to rape, but that it's certainly wrong for others to shame her, at least its being unsubtle with a decent message. 

I think that FAULT LINE deals pretty well with a very difficult subject, and hope that experience smooths out the bumpier aspects of Desir's plotting.  I know lots of people don't like issue novels, but I'm always up for an author who can take an issue and turn it into an interesting, affecting story.

MADE OF STARS is also a book that tackles difficult issues, with a little bobble at the end.  I put these two books together, because in the end I reacted to them much the same way.  I was completely absorbed until the book just ended, leaving me wondering where the rest of the pages had gotten off too.

Review: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

By Matthew Quick
Available now from Little, Brown BFYR (Hachette)
Review copy

FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK is brilliant and you should read it.  The end.

Oh, that's not enough for you?

First off, this book is by Matthew Quick, author of THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, which was made into a movie that won several awards.  He's also the author of the acclaimed, loved, but tragically underrated SORTA LIKE A ROCKSTAR and  BOY 21.  Stop the madness and make FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK a bestseller.

Second, this book has a great premise.  The eponymous Leonard Peacock plans deliver packages to the four most important people in his life and then kill his classmate Asher and himself.  Don't you want to know why he wants to do that?  Don't you want to know whether he will?  If you don't, you will once people start sending Leonard letters from an apocalyptic future.

Third, this book is hilarious.  It's the funniest book about mental illness and suicide and attempted murder and abuse you'll read all year.

Fourth, this book has beautiful language.  I was going to quote some, but none of my favorite quotes are as PG as I like to keep this blog.  (I didn't even notice when I was reading!)  

I want more.  That's the problem with books as good as FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK.  They leave you wanting, afraid the next book won't be as wonderful, as true.  I mean, sure Quick has a backlist, and it's a great backlist, but Leonard Peacock isn't in those books.  He's in this one.  And you have to read it to find out if he survives.

Review: Crash and Burn

By Michael Hassan
Available now from Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins)
Review copy

CRASH AND BURN lingered in my to-read pile because Bookworm1858's review cooled my enthusiasm for it.  I gotta say, I think she hit a lot of the nails on the head.

CRASH AND BURN is an excellent book.  Michael Hassan is a powerful, talented writer.  CRASH AND BURN is his first novel and I'm quite excited to pick up his next book.  It tells the story of two boys whose lives are entwined.  Burn held his school hostage at gunpoint, planning to blow it up.  Crash stopped him.  The story moves back and forth in time, showing the boys' relationship since elementary and what happened to Crash after he became a hero.

The novel's biggest flaw is that Crash is a repulsive human being.  He's quite often a good guy and a sweet kid, but he could be a good guy and sweet kid all the time.  He chooses to do dumb things, things that are cruel and dangerous.  He drives when drunk and/or high.  He gets girls drunk and/or high to lower their inhibitions so they'll sleep with him.  He convinces those same wasted girls that they don't need to use condoms.

Crash's incredible grossness is balanced by the fact that CRASH AND BURN has some of the best female characters I've read lately, and a lot of them point out that his behavior sucks.  The girl who looms the largest is probably Roxanne Burnett, the older sister of Burn.  I was more curious about what would happen to her than to the school, because I couldn't fail to notice that she was never in the present-day parts of the novel, curse my narrative instincts.

The past parts of the novel reminded me of MY FRIEND DAHMER by Derf Backderf, which I read late last year for the Cybils and has lingered in my mind ever since.  Dahmer had certain qualities that would draw people to him, but mostly never quite fit in.  The kids knew something was wrong.  Burn certainly gets more help than Dahmer did, but even at his most normal Crash can still sense that Burn is on the edge of snapping.

CRASH AND BURN is a great novel, a memorable one, and I'm quite impressed.  But I don't love it.  Crash's substance abuse problems are serious.  If there's ever a far future sequel, I wouldn't be surprised if he did a stint on Celebrity Rehab.  And it is terrible, because he has the potential to be a great guy.  His soulless father (the only thing he and Burn agree on) and ADHD are crutches he leans on to keep from changing.  If only he had changed.  I recommend CRASH AND BURN, but with reservations.

Review: Sketchy

Book One of the Bea Catcher Chronicles
By Olivia Samms
Available now from Amazon Children's
Review copy

Olivia Samms' debut novel is an interesting blend of paranormal, mystery, and contemporary issue novels.  Bea Washington is an addict who has been clean for a little more than three months.  She's trying to regain her balance after getting out of rehab and starting over in a public school.  But she has a secret ability - when she sketches, she can draw images from peoples' minds.  There's a serial rapist murderer on a spree, and local cheerleader Willa Pressman survived.  Bea quickly realizes Willa knows more than she's telling police.

SKETCHY has a dynamic premise and interesting characters.  Bea got hooked on drugs pretty young, and it's hard for her to stay clean.  The temptation is pretty constant.  But she is resisting.  Throwing herself into the mystery helps her have something to focus on.  There's also a great deal of personal guilt driving her to find the perpetrator.   Bea is well aware of many of her faults and mistakes, but she doesn't let them define her.  And sometimes she is blind to them - she's a teenager, perfect self awareness would be unreal.  Most hilariously, she wonders why her parents don't trust her again after three whole months of sobriety.

The side characters are well done too.  Willa must have a reason for not telling the truth, so there's a mystery to unravel there.  And Bea reconnects with an old friend from art camp, Chris.  He listens to Bea and helps out, but he's got his own goals too.  He's a photographer who has her model for him in return.  There are also two police detectives who keep running into Bea, one of whom is much more willing to listen to her when she tells them things she couldn't possibly know.

The mystery isn't the strongest aspect of SKETCHY.  I guessed who the killer was pretty easily.  But there are some nice touches.  I enjoyed how involved the cops were.  Bea can't just solve the case through mystical means.  Evidence is needed to arrest people and take them to trial.  Finding out who the killer is is important, but so is proving it.  (But Bea could make things easier on herself by making more of an effort to be civil to the cops.  At least the one that doesn't flirt with her.)

I think SKETCHY is a brilliant start to a series.  The characters are flawed people, but they have many good qualities.  There's also some interesting social dynamics at play.  (For instance, Bea is biracial.  Her father is black and her mother is white.)  Plus, SKETCHY ends with a massive hook for the next book in the Bea Catcher Chronicles.  Be warned, SKETCHY is upper YA - if the drug addiction, rape, and murder didn't give it away.

Review: Allegra

By Shelley Hrdlitschka
Available now from Orca Books
Review copy

I was drawn to ALLEGRA by the summary, which promised both music and dance.  Allegra Whitman transferred to a performing-arts high school to focus on dance -- her parents are both musicians, but she doesn't want to follow in their footsteps.  But the school requirements mean she has to take music theory.

ALLEGRA deals with several thorny subjects.  One subplot involves her parents' unhappy marriage.  But the biggest thorny subject is that of student-teacher relationships.  Allegra develops a crush on her music theory teacher Mr. Rochelli.  He's young, attractive, challenges her, and respects her abilities.  It's no wonder she crushes.  When they start working on a composition together, he does act unprofessionally by treating her as a fellow professional rather than a student.  They meet after school, use first names, et al.  But I think Shelley Hrdlitschka does draw a clear line between Mr. Rochelli being a bit too chummy and actually returning Allegra's affections.

Part of the reason Allegra is drawn to her teacher is that she's quite introverted and has trouble making friends.  Some kids at her new school do reach out, most notably fellow music theory student Spencer.  Still, a few friendly overtures don't make it simple for Allegra to develop lasting friendships.  My problem with the friends plotline is that all her prospective friends drop out of the story completely after one of them brings Mr. Rochelli and Allegra's relationship to the attention of the administration.  They're totally demonized.  I get that Allegra would feel that way, but . . . I just felt like they weren't the worst.  Trying to help someone you think is in a bad situation is a good thing.

The few dance scenes in ALLEGRA are beautifully described, but this is mostly a music book.  Allegra's composition consumes her life and her relationships.  It is very wish fulfillment that her composition is brilliant, but the book does try to ground it by first establishing that she's very familiar with music theory and performance.  And some of my favorite musicians started writing wonderful songs even younger than seventeen.  What really crosses it over into unbelievable territory is that she's also talented enough as a dancer to consider going professional.

ALLEGRA is a quick read despite the difficult subjects it tackles.  I think it will be of most interest to readers who enjoy books about musicians and dancers.  Hrdlitschka does a wonderful job of writing about a teacher-student relationship in a realistic, rational way.  There is drama in ALLEGRA, but little hysteria and no fear-mongering.  Allegra can be frustration, but that's pretty average for a seventeen-year-old girl.  ALLEGRA isn't, however, the best choice for someone looking for a really exciting read.  It's fairly low key.

Review: Breath

Book Three of the Riders of the Apocalypse
By Jackie Morse Kessler
Available now from Graphia (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Review copy
Read my reviews of HUNGER, RAGE, and LOSS and my two interviews with Jackie

I have enjoyed the Riders of the Apocalypse story more with each book.  Jackie Morse Kessler has brought her series to a fitting, stirring conclusion, albeit one that won't make sense to readers who haven't read the three previous books in the series.  BREATH is not only the story of Death, but also the end of the stories of each of the Horsemen.

Death is not like the other Horsemen and never has been.  He is older and more powerful and never human.  But that doesn't mean he can't become suicidal.  And if Death commits suicide, then the world dies with him.  The world's only chance is Xander Atwood.  Death owes him a boon and can't end the world until he repays it.  Xander, who can barely face his own issues, is thrust into the position of confidant and therapist.

I loved how the stories of Tammy, Missy, and Billy weaved into the stories of Death and Xander.  BREATH could have easily felt overstuffed, but I thought all of the elements worked together.  And I was especially happy to get more of Tammy's story, considering I mentioned long ago in my 2010 review of HUNGER, "Tammy's story has no resolution."  Turns out I was wrong.  Kessler also addresses the issues I had with Missy and Death's relationship, and briefly touches again on her sister.  Billy's connection to his predecessors continues to be important to the story, just as he continues to be my favorite Horseman.  Leaving threads hanging can make stories seem more realistic, but I'm happy that Kessler finished her tapestry neatly.

I have been fascinated by the figure of Death through HUNGER, RAGE, and LOSS.  I wondered how Kessler could ever reveal more about him without ruining everything, but I think she managed.  Death's tale contains love, betrayal, creation, despair, the whole of our universe.  It's an intriguing origin and makes him no less interesting.

I enjoyed Xander's story too.  I felt it was a bit easy to figure out what happened to him, but I'm  not sure it was supposed to be a huge mystery.  Kessler certainly wasn't leery of giving clues.  But I loved his personality, very giving and compassionate.  He was the right character at the right time, albeit one with a life punctuated by inopportune moments.

I highly recommend the Riders of the Apocalypse series as a whole.  They're a unique blend of urban fantasy and issue novels and each piece comes together so wonderfully.  Kessler's afterword tells how much of the story was unplanned, which is amazing given how wonderfully constructed the series is.

Review: The Namesake

By Steven Parlato
Available now from Merit Press (F+W Media)
Review copy
Winner of the 2011 Tassy Walden Award for New Voices, young adult category

Reading THE NAMESAKE was an emotional experience.  I had to read it bit by bit over a couple of weeks, lest I be overwhelmed.  Evan Galloway is haunted by his father's suicide, and the more he discovers about his father's secrets the worse it gets.

Evan was named for his father, although their middle names are different and he isn't a true Junior.  He looks like his father, aside from his ears.  He attends the same Catholic school his father did.  He's interested in art too, although he prefers writing instead of painting.  Evan wants to know that he isn't going to follow in his father's footsteps and to know that he has to know his father and why he did it.

THE NAMESAKE is beautifully written.  Debut author Steven Parlato evoked several images that are going to linger in my mind.  It's a story that tackles a lot beyond the big issues of suicide and sexual abuse.  It is truly Evan's journey even if it is underpinned by his father's tragic story.

Some parts of THE NAMESAKE are very graphic.  I don't regret reading the novel, but I do wish I could cut some of the details out of my mind.  Parlato does not pull his punches, which makes the catharsis more powerful if more difficult to reach.

THE NAMESAKE is powerful, moving contemporary fiction that will appeal to fans of Beth Kephart and Laurie Halse Anderson.  It is a very strong debut, and Parlato has left a mark even if he never writes another novel.

Review: Stealing Kevin's Heart

By M. Scott Carter
Available now from The Roadrunner Press
Review copy

I decided to through another small press book into my 48 Hour Book Challenge pile. The RoadRunner Press's Director of Sales and Marketing sold me on the book at the second day of the Texas Library Association Convention, but had run out of copies.  Luckily, I was able to go back early the next to pick up a copy of STEALING KEVIN'S HEART.

Political reporter M. Scott Carter's debut young adult novel is the story of Alex Anderson, who saw his best friend Kevin Rubenstein die in a drunk driving accident.  Feeling guilty and adrift, Alex falls into a suicidal depression.  His parents decide to send him to a counseling camp, where he meets Rachel, a Texas girl escaping her ex and recovering from heart surgery.

STEALING KEVIN'S HEART is definitely an issue novel.  Issues addressed range from depression to bullying to rape to organ donation.  It's a lot to pack into a novel that also has a prominent romance.  It's tough for an experienced author to give so many weighty issues their due in a single book, and STEALING KEVIN'S HEART does show a lack of polish.  Many problems are solved quickly, often with a single enlightening speech.

There are moments of powerful emotion.  The flashback to Kev's death and the aftermath choked me up.  The scene where Danny first beats Rachel is genuinely shocking.  But Alex's story often feels like an excuse for after school set pieces than a meaty exploration of his psyche.  The narration between scenes is clumsy, with frequent unsubtle foreshadowing like ". . . so everything was just about perfect.  Of course, it couldn't stay that way (201)."

I am willing to be lenient with STEALING KEVIN'S HEART since it is a debut novel.  And, honestly, I admire ambition and STEALING KEVIN'S HEART has that in spades.  If you're interested in organ donation or enjoy books that tackle tough topics, go ahead and give STEALING KEVIN'S HEART a chance.  It wasn't visceral enough for me, but I think Carter could write a story to pierce my hard heart.

Review: The File on Angelyn Stark

By Catherine Atkins (no author website)
Available now from Knopf Books for Young Readers
Review copy

Catherine Atkins writes heart-staggeringly good books. WHEN JEFF COMES HOME and ALT ED earned their place on my favorites shelf. Thus, I held THE FILE ON ANGELYN STARK to an extremely high standard. I don't think THE FILE ON ANGELYN STARK lives up to Atkin's two previous novels, but it's still an excellent (if tough) read.

Fifteen-year-old Angelyn Stark begins her day smoking in the bathroom with her best friends Jacey and Charity. No one messes with them. She's got a boyfriend, Steve Coslow, who keeps pressuring her for more. He always wants to have sex. She's got a mother who is never on her side. She's just met the new girl in school, who knows someone from her past she'd rather forget. She's also just been told by her World Cultures teacher, Mr. Rossi, that she's smart. That she could do better.

The first person narration doesn't occlude the things Angelyn doesn't think about. Even when she doesn't understand herself, the reader has a sense of her emotions. She's a complex, absorbing character. It's interesting to see how her interactions with others change throughout the novel as she grows more confident in her ability to judge character.

Atkins wisely doesn't make Angelyn a victim. She's affected by the sexual abuse she sufferer at the hands of her stepfather, as well as the emotional abuse by her mother, but it's not her defining quality. Nor is it her only problem. I really rooted for her, because she did have so much potential she'd been taught to ignore.

Parents may want to read THE FILE ON ANGELYN STARK with younger teens and have a frank discussion about sexual abuse, bullying, and street harassment. Fans of Laura Wiess's SUCH A PRETTY GIRL will also enjoy THE FILE ON ANGELYN STARK.