YA – Page 12 – One Chapter

Good Enough by Jen Petro-Roy

4 stars Realistic Fiction/ Middle School

I didn’t know what to expect from this book when I first started listening to it. I knew that I wanted to read it as it was on my TBR list but as I started to listen to it, I didn’t like how the book was starting out. I continued listening and, in the end, I liked the rollercoaster ride that I took with Riley.

When Riley was checked into the treatment center by her mother, Riley acted standoffish and I thought she wouldn’t make it. She didn’t see herself belonging to the individuals on this floor. She didn’t feel that she had an eating disorder and she believed that she would be in-and-out of the center within hours. She hid behind the truth because she believed it, she’d convinced herself that she was normal, so why was she there?

Riley liked salad and she liked to run. Actually, I thought Riley was obsessed with running. If you could look inside her head, you would see a different Riley but of course, you couldn’t. Riley had convinced herself that what she was doing was normal because that was the world that she lived in. I could totally understand what Riley was saying and why she was saying it. Riley had not just convinced me but I looked at Riley’s life and I saw things the way she saw them. While at the center, Riley was playing the staff and not being totally honest with them. I felt that if she continued, they might just release her, and then what? She’d go right back to being Riley and hiding her eating disorder. Riley really needed to see that eating healthy wasn’t a bad thing, she needed someone to help her take those first few steps.

Being in treatment, Riley is able to take a few baby steps towards a healthy eating plan. There are others in the program who are struggling, so she is not alone. It’s not easy, every meal they struggled and there are the inner voices that haunt and taunt them, as their eyes glare down on their food. It was the voices that got me as I listened to this novel on audio. I don’t feel that I have an eating disorder but I could totally relate to what they were telling Riley. I’m health conscious and I think about those extra calories before I eat them.

I thought she was making huge improvements. Riley was starting to feel good about herself, she was learning to accept her new image, and Riley was living in a controlled environment, yet wait…….what would happen when they set her free? I hate to be a Debbie Downer but let’s face reality here. What would happen when Riley gets released and she has to face her friends, her family, and the real world? You have to consider this outside world influences Riley. How is she going to handle this? Riley is a twelve-year-old teen and pressure is high at this age. I, seriously had my doubts for Riley. I wouldn’t be surprised or upset if Riley had issues once she is released.

I like how this book addressed Riley’s eating disorder. How it began, her struggles and successes, and how her life was like outside the center. This was a great, realistic novel that I’m glad I read and would definitely recommend.

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson

4 stars Middle School/ Ya/ Children’s Chapter

I listened to the audio of this book and I thought it was really good. The only issue I had was some of the voices on the audio. It sounded like some of the voices were dubbed in, for they were louder than any of the other voices on the CD’s and it was annoying. I enjoyed how the students discussed their opinions and their lives, and I enjoyed the discussion on the last CD.

As the students gather weekly in the Art room, they have become a small family. They were chosen to be a part of this group and at first, they’re not quite sure exactly what their part is, in all of it. They are a small group, a group of their own peers. Meeting weekly to discuss anything they wanted, without any distractions or interruptions.

I like how the conversations started to change overtime. They become more lucid and fluid, their tones changed and they started to care more for one another. They weren’t just peers anyone but they became friends and sometimes they became brothers and sisters, someone they could depend and lean on. They’re not all the same which makes their conversations interesting and sometimes intense.

They’re kids, they speak from the heart and they show their emotions without warning. It’s a great audio and it’s rather short. The interview/conversation with the author at the end was interesting so make sure you stay tuned to that, if you listen to the audio. I highly recommend the audio version of this book.

The Devil’s Revolver by V.S. McGrath

This was better than I imagined. I loved the cover and that is what sold me on reading it. The story is part fantasy and part western but the story is total enjoyment as Hettie tries to save her little sister, Abby. Bonded with Diablo (a.k.a the Devil’s Revolver) Hettie unfortunately is walking into many situations blindly. Her accuracy holding a firearm is one talent she can count on and one that she uses to her advantage.

I like how Hettie takes matters into her own hands. She doesn’t wait around and hope for someone to help her out and she doesn’t whine, she moves. She almost moves too fast, sometimes. She immediately goes after Abby. When she sees Ling in trouble, she steps in. She’s not afraid of speaking her mind to anyone, she is herself. When bonded with Diablo, the unknown of what has occurred doesn’t shake her, she just continues on.

With magic and loaded weapons, Hettie learns the truth behind Diablo and the price this demonic weapon carries. This was a high energy read for read and the magical aspects of the novel were entertaining. I can’t wait to read what happens in the next novel. 4.5 stars

I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley and IBPA in exchange for an honest review.

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

4.5 stars Fiction

Wow! Let me see if I can find the correct words to describe this book: enticing, captivating, startling, and remarkable. The more I read of this book, the more questions I had and the more I needed to know. The females who lived on this island fought for their own survival, barricaded behind a fence, they fought to live, yet somehow the Tox had made its way into their compound, so what is the fence keeping out?

They were all girls inside this huge house, originally labeled Raxter School for Girls, located on an island. What’s left of them, live in quarantine, staying alive by the rations supplied to them by boat and brought to the house by the Boat Girls and an adult, the only people allowed past the fence.

The authorities are still working on a cure and the girls were left in the dark about the Tox. Waiting and living with their conditions, each of them are growing older and watching each other, as each one of them receives their own form of the Tox and have their “first.” Individually, as one of the girls begins twitching and then shaking, I was eager for what was about to begin but nervous and scared for the actual event to occur.

The story is told by Hetty and compared to some of the other girls at Raxter, Hetty is down-to-Earth. Byatt sleeps next to Hetty on the bottom bunk and Reese sleeps on the top bunk, you really get to know these girls in the novel as they are very close to one another. One day, Byatt is missing. How can she be missing when no one goes outside the fence?

The novel felt creepy and mysterious, like there was a big secret that no one was telling you. What was beyond the fence was exciting and it felt like Little Red Riding Hood mother said, “stay on the path.” I really enjoyed the author’s writing, the imagery I had while reading was fantastic. I liked the storyline and how, there were times that I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. This was one of those books that ran in a cycle for me, it was slow at times, then fast and this cycle continued as parts of the novel’s mystery was revealed throughout its pages. There were a few times that I had to go back and reread a few things, but other than that, I really enjoyed this novel. 4.5/5

Thank you, Penguin Random House, for providing a copy of this novel to me in exchange for an honest opinion.

Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake

4.5 stars YA

Who’s the liar? Owen is her twin and they’ve been close growing up but she’s been best friends with Hannah for years, yet now Mara has to decide whose story she believes. She can’t imagine that either of them would lie about the incident but as Mara watches and listens, she’s able to uncover the truth.

Ashley Blake does a fantastic job covering some difficult issues including gender identity and rape. As these topics touch the lives of family, friends and peers, the author shows the reaction and magnitude that they have on the individuals involved.

The night of the party, Mara saw her brother drunk with Hannah. Later that night, someone told Mara that they saw Owen and Hannah together and they seemed fine. Owen claims now that what happened that night, was a misunderstanding and things between Hannah and him weren’t fine that night. Mara’s thoughts were like a swing, as she goes back-and-forth between believing in what her brother says and accepting what Hannah says was the real story.

Her parents believe Owen’s version of the story and they tried to use family pressure to persuade Mara. I liked how serious Mara felt about the situation as things around her began to close in. I liked the character of Alex for he felt as confused as Mara but for different reasons. This was a great novel that I highly recommend if you like to read these types of novels. 4.5 stars

The Whispers by Greg Howard

5 stars Children/Middle School

I absolutely got swept away in this children’s book and whether it was the Whispers, the hobgoblin, Riley’s “own condition” or the way Riley tried to unravel the mystery behind his mother’s disappearance, I had Riley’s back. Since his mother’s disappearance, Riley’s life has gone off course and he’s the only one who can get it back where it belongs.

They think Riley knows more about the day his mother disappeared and even though he tries to remember, he can’t remember much about that day. One day she was here and the next day, she had vanished. Riley is determined to solve this mystery and he’s determined to call upon the Whispers, to help him.

He’s been told that these fairies, need a tribute so they can do their magic and Riley is more than happy to provide them with one, if they can magically bring back his mother. Riley and his dog, Tucker are quite the pair and when they go out hunting for the Whispers, my heart melted. It was their anticipation as they got ready to embark on this journey, then it was the hope and the journey itself, as the two of them traveled out together, that swept me away.

Riley is wrestling with many issues besides the disappearance of this mother right now. Things are stacking up and the pile is getting bigger: he’s trying to keep his sheets dry at night, his father is becoming more distant from him, Riley is getting tired of being bullied at school because of his “condition,” and now, he’s been told about the hobgoblin, the one who lives in the trees, where the Whispers live. The Whispers, the only help that Riley feels he has and now, they are shadowed by a hobgoblin?

I really enjoyed this novel a great deal. It was a great mystery, fantasy, and adventure book. I thought it emotional read as Riley dealt with his own feelings and the events in his life. This book actually gave me the shivers a few times as some of the events occurring in it, surprised me. I highly recommend it.

The Missing Season by Gillian French

3.5 stars YA Mystery

I was really hoping for something creepy from this novel but what I found was something more mysterious than suspenseful. The first half of the novel set the stage but the second half, I felt that I was flipping the pages for a while as the story seemed to lag at first and then, picked up. Since I was truly vested in what was happening, I had to finish the book. Call this story whatever you want, but I thought of it as a fiction with some mysterious elements in it.

The novel takes place in the small town of Pender, where Clara’s father finds work on the demolition of the town’s mill. Clara is used to moving around wherever her father can find employment. I find it amazing how fast seventeen-year Clara fits in with the other teens at Pender and how, she immediately becomes friends with Bree and Sage. Taken to the skate park, Clara notices that this is the place where the teens gather and she notices Kincaid, a guy that Bree also thinks is hot.

As the teens get talking, the story about the disappearance of some local teens is brought up. The locals have their own logical explanations for why they’re gone but these teens believe that the Mumbler is behind the obduction. It’s the Mumbler: he who comes every fall and takes for his own, one bad Pender child. To the marsh, they shall go and only one of them will return. It happens every fall, he collects his victims. Clara is not sure if she believes this story but then, when someone goes missing Clara starts looking for some type of clues. 3.5 stars

Heroine by Mindy McGinnis

5 stars YA

I can’t believe I haven’t written this review yet. This book pulled me in and swallowed me whole! It had that spiral effect and as I saw Mickey spiraling down and down, I wanted to just cry. As I flipped the pages, I found myself yelling, cursing, and shaking my head at her because she was sinking and going under fast. Someone had to save her, didn’t they?

They were both great students and softball players. Carolina was the team’s pitcher and Mickey was the catcher, they made a great duo. Then suddenly, it happened. A car accident leaves both girls in the hospital, one teen more injured than the other.

Carolina’s injury to her arm should be healed by the beginning of softball season but Mickey’s leg injury is more serious. With weeks of therapy ahead of her Mickey is determined to be ready, even if it about kills her.

With the best therapists beside her, Mickey begins pushing herself and her body. The lies begin rolling off her lips because there is nothing that can come between Mickey and her softball. Mickey discovers that the doctor’s prescription of Oxy helps with more than just pain and her bottle drains too quickly. It isn’t too long before Mickey realizes that she is becoming, “one of those people” but she feels that her pain is just too much to bear without her meds.

It’s all the justifications that Mickey offers in this novel that makes this novel stand out. How she rationales her continued drug use, the persistent lies, her bold behavior, and her future. It’s a never-ending cycle, one that just escalates, if you really paying attention.

This novel is a horrible look at addiction but also shows a very realistic side of it. Surrounded by friends, Mickey begins to find another world to walk in as she finds her current world too difficult. She needs to find a place that will accept the new Mickey and she can be herself. It’s sad how quickly she becomes a part of her new community.

I really liked this novel as it showed the effects of drugs on a person and their life. For the most part, I thought it portrayed an accurate picture (although I have never gone through it myself). I am surprised that her family and friends didn’t play a more active role in her life during this time as they knew she was recovering from her accident. One of my favorite reads so far this year, dealing with this subject matter.

The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die – audio

3 star mystery YA

I’m not so sure about the nail-biting aspect of this thriller as I didn’t feel this way about it as I listened to it on audio but perhaps, I would feel differently had I actually read the novel instead. I thought the novel moved quickly and I was intrigued as to what was actually transpiring but it wasn’t a suspenseful read for me.

The novel begins with the main character waking up on the floor of a cabin. She doesn’t remember anything about her situation as she slowly awakens to the voices of two men discussing her fate. With death in her immediate future, she eventually makes her way outside and yet again, she has no idea where she should go. She has this, “damned if I do and damned if I don’t” thought process running through her head as she contemplates putting the pieces of her life back together. It’s like a huge mystery and all the pieces of her puzzle are blank.

I liked how she figured things out one step-at-a-time and how she didn’t go all crazy and stupid in the process. I liked how things moved along quickly and she didn’t get all wrapped up in the moment. The novel doesn’t go deep and it’s a novel where you can just listen and enjoy it. It was an enjoyable novel to just take in, to sit back and enjoy the ride.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

5 stars YA

I don’t even know where to start with this review. I absolutely loved this book! I cried and I laughed while listening to it. I had multiple episodes of goosebumps over my arms and times where I found myself thinking about Charlie throughout my day. I would pull into a parking lot or my garage and I would just sit, listening as Charlie finished telling me his story. I couldn’t shut my car off until Charlie was done writing to me in his letter/diary as I always verbally helped him close out each entry with his signature closing, “Love Always, Charlie”

Charlie tells it like-it-is from a teens point of view as talks about life and shares his stories from hanging out with his friends. Charlie talks about a wide variety of topic including his family. When he talks about his Aunt Helen, I could feel their emotional connection and the bond that he felt with her. I really enjoyed his friendship with Patrick and Sam, they had some great times together. I laughed as he spoke about his age of innocence. His stories were so pure as his honesty shined through when he shared some of his adventures. His account of the brownies at the party and the individual who was “baked like a *^#*^’& cake” were hilarious.

I can’t say enough about this novel except that I loved it dearly and I am now looking for my own audio copy so I can listen to it whenever I want. I don’t know why it took me so long to finally pick this novel up but perhaps this novel was exactly what I needed now. So yes, I highly recommend this novel and the unabridged audio version is excellent.