abuse – One Chapter

The Glass Girl by Kathleen Glasgow

5 stars YA mental health

I couldn’t put this book down as I needed to know the fate of these characters. The language and the subtleness of the book was whisking me away. Each puppet carried their own distinct voice and personality and value. The wolf and his comments about his teeth, the king ‘s comments about what he thought his status represented. The owl’s wisdom, the boy’s desires, and the girl’s insight. They each had a vision, a desire, and even though they knew they were puppets, they had hope.

The journey is just beginning for the puppets as they soon find themselves moving. Inside the box, the puppets feel the box moving but where they are going, they do not know. Finally at their destination, two small voices can be heard. Martha and Emma have received the box from their uncle, a box of puppets. Emma and Martha have their own hopes and desires when they see what was inside the box and it becomes one fantastic story as each of the puppets begin their own journey on their own way to fulfill their own destiny. It’s a short story but the journey is quite impressive. I really enjoyed this book.

The pressures were mounting. Issues were stacking inside her head like a Jenga tower, and she needed a release. To the outside of the world, she had it all together, at least she thought she did. The weight and tensions of the world were bearing down on her and those first few sips cooled the fires within her. She could juggle life and a couple drinks to get her through the day but then, those couple drinks began to multiple. A couple of drinks and a light buzz turned into a handful of drinks, a variety of concoctions now flowed through her veins and Bella’s life began to change.

The roles/ titles that Bella once proudly wore were no longer important. Bella: a student, a sister, a friend, a daughter, an employee, these titles took a backseat for now, what was important was where and what drink could Bella get to help her make it through the day. Bella’s situation comes to an abrupt stop when she hits bottom. Finding herself in rehab, she, like many others struggle and this book isn’t glamourous. We don’t find Bella walking out of rehab with a gold star on her chest, this book doesn’t end with a happily ever after because typically, life comes with battles. Battles make us stronger. This book is about struggles, about the push-and-pulls of addiction. Life isn’t easy and Bella shows us her struggles now and the reality that she will continue to struggle throughout her life. Addiction is real, addiction is hard, addiction is everywhere. Addiction is not just alcohol either and it affects everyone. This was an excellent audio book. 5 stars

Coyote Queen by Jessica Vitalis

5 stars Middle School/ YA Fiction

There’s something about these stories that draws me in repeatedly. Fud and his mother lived with Larry in his trailer. Fud doesn’t know much about her father except that he returned to Spain after learning her mother was pregnant with Fud. Mom thought their life would be better with Larry and I guess if living with fear and anxiety is better, then she is right.

See, mom tries to be the perfect woman for Larry, but nothing makes him happy. He’s demanding, he likes to yell, and he likes his drink. Fud tries to block out the yelling but sometimes it gets to be so loud. Fud is worried about their future with Larry, but her mother doesn’t see it that way. Larry has been physical with her mother, yet Fud doesn’t understand why her mother keeps hanging onto Larry, doesn’t she see the danger that lies up ahead? Larry was a boxing champion and he’s a big talker about his days in the ring. He’s determined that he’s headed back into the ring. Those dreams are suddenly taken away and Larry pulls a massive, defeated boat into the yard.

Larry new plans are to rehaul this shipwreck. He plans to create a new houseboat for his new family and set sail. Warning lights immediately go off inside Fud! This cannot be happening! Out on a boat, in the open waters, alone with mom and Larry, this sounds like a horrible situation! Can’t mom see this? Fud starts to calculate how long it will take Larry to overhaul this boat and what she can do to prevent them from boarding it.

Meanwhile, new neighbors move in, and Leigh seems like a nice girl which is too bad. Fud knows that Ava will add her to her posse the minute she walks into the school. It’s a shame too as Fud needs a friend. It’s surprising how much Fud and Leigh have in common and how well they get along, considering Ava influence on Leigh. Leigh ends up being the branch that Fud needs when she mentions a pageant with a cash payout as the prize. If Fud could only win that pageant, it just might be their ticket to freedom. Their ticket away from Larry.

I enjoyed how realistic this book felt and how quickly the story moved along. Great relationships and the dramatics between the characters created powerful connections with the characters that made me feel like I was part of the story. Leigh was a neutral character when she arrived, and I liked how she tried to fit in. Leigh saw individuals for who they were, even though others were trying to influence her. Fud wanted/needed a friend yet when she found Leigh, she was reluctant to really embrace her. I feared the day that Larry would finish his boat and what that would entail and as Leigh and Fud’s pageant day crept closer, these days seemed to be on a collision course. There were a lot of factors playing into Fud’s future and as the pages of this book started to dwindle, I just didn’t expect this book to end the way that it did. Such a powerful story about status, acceptance, family, friendship, poverty, and abuse. 5 stars

“To Leigh, this was plain old hair cream. To me, it was friendship in a bottle.”

Dust by Dusti Bowling

5 stars Middle School/Children’s Chapter

Every breath is precious. I imagined Avalyn’s parents wanted to place their daughter in a plastic bubble after they almost lost her following an asthma attack. They’ve researched and located a city in Arizona with calmer winds that they hope will help her breathe better. It’s a challenging and difficult life for a twelve-year-old girl to live. Having to constantly monitor the foods that she consumes and the places that she visits, for any type of dust, animal, or particle could just set off her immune system. Avalyn thought she was safe, until Adam moved into the area.

Adam was quiet, he was good at holding secrets. When Adam moves into the area, he disturbs Avalyn’s quiet new world. Adam was different but so was Avalyn. Two individuals so alike yet totally opposite.

Avalyn used words to cope. The word’s definition, its origin, and spelling are all important and knowing them calms Avalyn for this is something that she can control. While the world around her is unpredictable and weighs heavily upon her, words are her shield. Relying upon her extensive vocabulary, Avalyn finds refuge while her classmates taunted her about her medical condition. When Adam arrives, he becomes the new victim at school and they label him: Adam, the Dirt Boy. Avalyn is grateful that the attention is off her and she starts to notice something about Adam. As the days pass, Avalyn starts to get a feeling for how Adam copes, but realistically, it can’t be true. Avalyn’s medical condition worsens each day while watching Adam become more withdrawn and isolated. The city is getting dustier and dirtier as the days pass, how can this be?

I liked the relationships in the book as the characters felt realistic and honest, dealing with some credible issues. Avalyn didn’t like moving from city to city because of her illness. Each time was like starting over and with that, came a host of other issues. Avalyn was smart and she had created her own coping mechanism to deal with it. When Adam moved into the area, the attention was off her at school and Avalyn thought that was great. Avalyn realizes that perhaps there might be more to this boy Adam and the book shifts, and we see another side of these characters. Avalyn had a couple friends who she counted on but when she discovers that they are hanging out without her, she is crushed. These were her friends, basically her lifeline and now, they are having fun without her. Lots of real emotions and a wake-up call. Adam is there, alone. She just needs to take another step in Adam’s direction. A great book which addresses abuse, friendship, bullying, obstacles, feelings, and making your way in the world.

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

“Content warning: mentions of sexual abuse, rape, assault, child abuse, kidnapping, and addiction to opioids.” Yes, to all of this but yet, there is no warning about not being able to eat, drink, or think of anything else besides this book once you step inside its pages. Then, there’s that book hangover, once you’re finished and you’re left staring at the back of the book breathing, reliving those incredible scenes that were more than just words on a page, where was this warning, as my mind tries to unwind.

Korey, was everything she ever wanted. He was perfect, at least that side of him was. When Enchanted finally sees all sides of Korey, it’s too late. This was a fantastic page-turner of a book, a book in which I felt a deep connection to the characters and the story couldn’t have been more honest and real unless I knew these individuals personally.

The book opens with a brutal murder and then, the book flashes back to when the characters first met each other and their story unfolds. Enchanted was trying to fulfill her dream, a dream filled with music when she is spotted by Korey. Korey, the famous R&B artist has taken an interest in Enchanted and tells her everything that she wanted to hear. As he works his charm, she is swept away. Korey knows exactly what he’s doing, as he wins Enchanted over but Enchanted is an innocent, 17-year-old, victim who just wanted a music career. And Korey, he’s a manipulator, a controller, an abuser(mentally), and a serial pedophile, who just got his next victim.

This was a hard book to read as Enchanted voice got harder to hear. Korey began placing restrictions on her which confused her yet Korey made them seem like a positive part of their relationship. More constraints and limitations began to weigh Enchanted down. She was losing control as she began acting like a puppet, doing what she was told, losing her self-confidence as she feels she has no other option. Such a powerful book, a book that had important messages and I appreciate the author addressing these issues openly and directly. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy stories addressing these issues. Amazing story!

The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden

The ending of this book was fantastic! That was one adrenaline rush! I seriously don’t think I took a breath as the minute-by-minute action played out. As I reflect back on this book, I realized just how much I enjoyed it. After I had been introduced to the characters, I didn’t want to put this book down.

Zoey didn’t want to be on the debate team, nor did she want to be a part of the debate club. It’s not like she didn’t have an opinion, its just that she doesn’t like to talk out loud in class and isn’t that important in debate? Zoey’s teacher sees something in her and she motivates her to join. As Zoey attends a few of the meetings, I had to laugh as she begins scribbling information down and it seems as if she’s just “existing” while she’s there. You can tell she’d rather be anywhere else then, sitting there in these meetings. Yet, she’s listening and she’s grasping what’s really transpiring all around her, is anyone else doing the same?

Zoey’s life at home is complicated. She has three younger siblings (Hector, Bryce, and Aurora) which she helps care for when her mother works at the Pizza Pit. Zoey doesn’t see her father and Bryce and Aurora don’t visit their father either. Her mother is trying, she really is. With a roof over their heads and a bed to sleep in, her mother is trying to make a better life for her children. They’re all currently living with Hector’s father, Lenny and his grandfather in a trailer. Sounds cozy, doesn’t it?

I could see myself in Zoey’s mom, so much that it hurt. Her mom saw a goal and she was trying to reach it. In-between her and that goal were her kids -that’s it……nothing else. She was trying to make a better life for them and that was her goal. Zoey: her view through the lens was different. With everything that Zoey is juggling, she wants to help her mom now.

This is an excellent story that addresses the issues of poverty and abuse through the eyes of a middle-schooler. I really enjoyed how Zoey’s knowledge of debate came into play and how Zoey’s character matured in this book. Zoey relationships with her peers and her family played a huge part in her life. The responsibility she shouldered and her attitude was remarkable. I loved how realistic this book felt and how smooth the writing was. It deserves more than 5 stars!