Book Title: The Chosen One
Author: Carol Lynch Williams
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Source: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Year: 2009
Page Count: 213
ISBN: 9780312627751
Add to your Goodreads shelf.
My Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Goodreads' Blurb:
Thirteen-year-old Kyra has grown up in an isolated community without questioning the fact that her father has three wives and she has twenty brothers and sisters, with two more on the way. That is, without questioning them much---if you don’t count her secret visits to the Mobile Library on Wheels to read forbidden books, or her meetings with Joshua, the boy she hopes to choose for herself instead of having a man chosen for her.
But when the Prophet decrees that she must marry her sixty-year-old uncle---who already has six wives---Kyra must make a desperate choice in the face of violence and her own fears of losing her family forever.
Before I read this book, I know that there are these kind of religions, faith, cultures that hold polygamy value high. A few years back, there was a renowned religious figure in my country that married his second wife and caused such an uproar. Many people opposed and there were many that supported him too.
I don't know much things about the religious background for someone to do polygamy, but when I read this novel, I was appalled. I really was because there's apparently someone (and it happens to be Ms. Carol Lynch Williams) who writes about the whole things of polygamy in pretty much details. I never read one that lifts such issues. The worst part is that how Ms. Williams blatantly shows the fact that some men have only lusts towards their young brides, hiding beside the masks of religious duties, tribal myths and etc.
In this book, it's not that the author explores such sensitive issues (at least in my country it is), but she hauntingly shows the desperation that the thirteen-year-old Kyra feels about her having to marry her sixty-year-old uncle. Throughout her journey, I was constantly feeling enraged, shocked, anxious of what would happen to Kyra in the end.
Despite the severity of the topic, the novel is a very easy read and the characters will absolutely live in my heart for a long time.
Book Title: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock
Author: Matthew Quick
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Source: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Year: 2013
Page Count: 273
ISBN: 9780316221351
Find it at: Matthew Quick's Official Website
Add to your Goodreads shelf.
My Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Goodreads' Blurb:
Today is Leonard Peacock’s birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather’s P-38 pistol.
But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart-obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate, Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school’s class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.
In this riveting look at a day in the life of a disturbed teenage boy, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made—and the light in us all that never goes out.
After reading two works of Matthew Quick, now I'm really sure he's a very kind man. I want to meet him in person and give him the biggest hug in the world. Seriously, how can an author manage to write two books that effectively dried my eyes from tears while I was reading them? T_T
Leonard Peacock is another ordinary teenager who is damaged. He's being bullied at school, no one befriends him, and his parents don't care about him. The four people who give a care are his old neighbour, one of his classmates, a devout Christian girl and his teacher. As I read through the book, these four people are the only one who at least can bring some happiness to Leonard.
Quick also once again puts one of the kindest characters I ever read. This time, it is Herr Silverman, Leonard's teacher. He plays the biggest part that determines Leonard's decision in the end.
About the main character, Leonard is also a very unique character. Even though he's been disappointed by so many people in his life, he got me thinking that he still cares about them and believes that everyone should not be forced to live a life they don't like. He's a contemplating and even a sweet boy, I think. There are only few authors that can create a character who makes me want to scream about the injustice they are through, and want to laugh at the same time at the naive, quirky and witty voices they bring.
I really want to thank you to Matthew Quick for writing this kind of book. I'm wondering what a wonderful world we live in would be, if everyone read books like this and was changed to be a better person because of them.
Read my review for Matthew Quick's Sorta Like a Rock Star here.
Book Title: On the Jellicoe Road
Author: Melina Marchetta
Publisher:
Source: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Year: 2006
Page Count: 419
ISBN: 9780061431852
Add to your Goodreads shelf.
My Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Goodreads' Blurb:
I'm dreaming of the boy in the tree. I tell him stories. About the Jellicoe School and the Townies and the Cadets from a school in Sydney. I tell him about the war between us for territory. And I tell him about Hannah, who lives in the unfinished house by the river. Hannah, who is too young to be hiding away from the world. Hannah, who found me on the Jellicoe Road six years ago.
Taylor is leader of the boarders at the Jellicoe School. She has to keep the upper hand in the territory wars and deal with Jonah Griggs - the enigmatic leader of the cadets, and someone she thought she would never see again.
And now Hannah, the person Taylor had come to rely on, has disappeared. Taylor's only clue is a manuscript about five kids who lived in Jellicoe eighteen years ago. She needs to find out more, but this means confronting her own story, making sense of her strange, recurring dream, and finding her mother - who abandoned her on the Jellicoe Road.
The moving, joyous and brilliantly compelling new novel from the best-selling, multi-award-winning author of Looking for Alibrandi and Saving Francesca.
Melina Marchetta really rules contemporary young adult books! I had been holding myself to read this one, since I heard it was a very emotional reading and it indeed was. And after finished turning every page, I found myself crushed, torn, but sometimes I laughed too at occasional humor this book brought.
After having Saving Francesca and The Piper's Son read, I've slowly begun to recognize Marchetta's novel theme pattern. She is one of the few authors I've encountered this far, to have the courage to take up such dark and heavy themes for young adult, which is inevitable that we need to examine such restricted matter, and Ms. Marchetta was flawless in doing it.
Marchetta applied the first person point of view which is of Taylor. As a seventeen year old teenager, Taylor is moulded in such a way that she's not a common young girl character you find in a novel. She is tough, has been through much predicament which uncommon to teenager like her and not what you think as the oldest in the orphanage, that is always expected to be responsible in her role.
In this book, you will also find the novel draft written by Hannah, which leads to clues that can reveal Taylor's past. Will Taylor reconnect with her long lost mother at the end? You should find out further in this masterpiece.
Book Title: The Piper's Son
Author: Melina Marchetta
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Source: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Year: 2010
Page Count: 328
ISBN: 9780763660628
Add to your Goodreads shelf.
My Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Goodreads' Blurb:
The award-winning author of Finnikin of the Rock and Jellicoe Road pens a raw, compelling novel about a family's hard-won healing on the other side of trauma.
Award-winning author Melina Marchetta reopens the story of the group of friends from her acclaimed novel Saving Francesca - but five years have passed, and now it's Thomas Mackee who needs saving. After his favorite uncle was blown to bits on his way to work in a foreign city, Tom watched his family implode. He quit school and turned his back on his music and everyone that mattered, including the girl he can't forget. Shooting for oblivion, he's hit rock bottom, forced to live with his single, pregnant aunt, work at the Union pub with his former friends, and reckon with his grieving, alcoholic father. Tom's in no shape to mend what's broken. But what if no one else is either? An unflinching look at family, forgiveness, and the fierce inner workings of love and friendship, The Piper's Son redefines what it means to go home again.
I'm in love with Melina Marchetta. Totally.
The Piper's Son is another contemporary work from her and, it's like a spin-off of Saving Francesca, only this time the main characters are Thomas Mackee, Francesca's friend; and Georgie Finch, his aunt. While Saving Francesca applies first person naration, The Piper's Son uses third-person one and Marchetta has proven that she is the author who can handle everything perfectly.
There are several themes this novel raises. The relationship between Tom and his father, who is an ex-alcoholic; the friendship with his so-called ex friends who never give up on him, the girl Tom betrayed; the long grief of Tom's family towards the sudden death of Tom's beloved uncle; and Georgie's unexpected pregnancy and her strange relationship with her unborn child.
Seeing those considerable themes, one is likely to doubt the capability of the author to handle it. But once again, it's Melina Marchetta! No need for such thought.
Just like what it was with Saving Francesca, the author writes the first hundred pages of the novel in such way it's full of mystery. You might find yourself puzzled with what's really going on in the novel, but that was what kept me going, the author's inexplicable way to reveal one by one like peeling an orange.
And now I'd like to talk about the cover. Actually what I got is the other version of the cover:
It's really indie, but I don't get the feeling that the man in the cover is Tom, which I think the major character among the others. Instead I think it's Tom's father, Dominic. Since the texture of the figure says it doesn't belong to someone below twenties. I much prefer the Australian version (on the preface of this post) than this one. It really resembles Tom in such way.
This novel is one of those which I won't forget as long as I live. It brought me sadness, warmth feeling on how a family unites to fight the grief despite all their broken relationship, and what a truly friend is like.
Thank you very much, Ms. Marchetta for such a warm book.
Book Title: Sorta Like a Rock Star
Author: Matthew Quick
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Source: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Year: 2010
Page Count: 355
ISBN: 9780316043533
Find it at: Matthew Quick's Official Website
Add to your Goodreads shelf.
My Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Goodreads' Blurb:
Amber Appleton lives in a bus. Ever since her mom's boyfriend kicked them out, Amber, her mom, and her totally loyal dog, Bobby Big Boy (aka Thrice B) have been camped out in the back of Hello Yellow (the school bus her mom drives). Still, Amber, the self-proclaimed princess of hope and girl of unyielding optimism, refuses to sweat the bad stuff. But when a fatal tragedy threatens Amber's optimism—and her way of life, can Amber continue to be the rock star of hope? With an oddball cast of characters, and a heartwarming, inspiring story, this novel unveils a beautifully beaten-up world of laughs, loyalty, and hard-earned hope.
Wondering why all books I read recently were given five stars? I'm wondering as well. Maybe because I've been trying to read all good books recommended by one of my most favorite Goodreaders, Emily May. I don't know, we just happen to have the same taste, so I always rack her shelves to find new gems to read. Thanks, Emily!
I've seen The Silver Linings Playbook before, and I've been wanting to read the book even though I haven't got the chance. So this is my first Matthew Quick's written work. To say that I liked it, would be an understatement. Because i really LOVED this book.
This book is divided into four parts, where the first two parts recount that how much Amber convinces herself to be everything but negative. She has her own special group of friends in school. She teaches English into a number of unconfident Korean women. She volunteers and thus mingles with the elderly people in a retirement home. She makes best friend with a Vietnam war veteran. Amber is nothing but a bundle of sunshine to everyone around her. Now the last two parts deal at how suddenly her life is turned upside down and she loses all the cheerful demeanor and starts to not care about people.
This book is about good people. About no matter how much life shatters you, you need to keep going and be good to others, even though there will be no guarantee that other people will treat you the same as you do them.
Even though the title of this book seems to lead you into an idea that this book is all about rock music, but I think that the 'rock star' part means that no matter how hard her life is, Amber needs to be a rock star to herself, get up and move on from the tragedy life brings to her.
Read my review for Matthew Quick's Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock here.
Book Title: Saving Francesca
Author: Melina Marchetta
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Source: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Year: 2003
Add to your Goodreads shelf.
My Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Goodreads' Blurb:
A compelling story of romance, family, and friendship with humor and heart, perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Lauren Myracle.
Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastian’s, a boys' school that pretends it's coed by giving the girls their own bathroom. Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an impossibly dorky accordion player. The boys are no better, from Thomas, who specializes in musical burping, to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can't seem to stop thinking about.
Then there's Francesca's mother, who always thinks she knows what's best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling of who she really is. Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, her social life and—hardest of all—herself.
I needed to force myself looking up from the pile of excellent books I've been currently reading, and started to write about them before the feeling goes out.
Since the first time I heard and read about this book, I was not really sure about the title, it didn't seem to blend well with the synopsis. But as I turned out the pages of this book and was engrossed in the writer's simple yet deliverable proses, it all made perfect sense.
There were tons of topics this book discussed, using the high-schooler's daily life, Francesca. From complicated friendship, school, sisterhood, teen romance and family's issues. I'm not sure how those great contemporary writers write, Marchetta is one of them who had that skill which could grip you in such topics without being too intricate and complicated. Each character was perfectly carved, and so different with each other. But the other thing I loved that the writer did them all in Francesca's first person point of view.
I was so lucky that I could get the opportunity to read Marchetta's work, and I certainly can't wait to get my hands on the next one, The Piper's Son.
Book Title: Please Ignore Vera Dietz
Author: A.S. King
Publisher: Ember
Source: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Year: 2010
Page Count: 323
ISBN: 9780375865640
Find it at: A.S. King's Official Website
Add to your Goodreads shelf.
My Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Goodreads' Blurb:
Vera’s spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she’s kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything.
So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone—the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name? Does she even want to?
Edgy and gripping, Please Ignore Vera Dietz is an unforgettable novel: smart, funny, dramatic, and always surprising.
This review is going to be hard, because I don't think I can find exact words to describe how I feel about this book.
Vera Dietz is just like other ordinary teenagers we know. Her father is a parsimonious accountant, who always emphasizes the importance of having a work for Vera. Her mother left her when she was in her early teen age. Vera is also that girl who can still keep her straight A grades while having a full time job in a pizza store. And she had a best friend, Charlie Kahn, whom she secretly fell in love.
The book is delivered in first person point of view, most of it is Vera's, with occasional from Vera's father's, Charlie's and even the ancient Pagoda (one of the symbols for Vera and Charlie's friendship. You will find the story recounts between the past and the present time.
This book is all about Vera Dietz. About how Vera copes with her best friend's death and with her mother leaving her and her father. The author has a very neat way in delivering the story, the readers can feel and understand Vera's grief without her being a noisy character. This leads into how such a complex story becomes a very light reading.
Enough what I have to say. It's better if you just grab the book and read it. Trust me, some books are not meant to be reviewed, and just to be felt and experienced so that you will know how I'm feeling.
Book Title: Some Girls are
Author: Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Source: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Year: 2010
Page Count: 246
ISBN: 9780312573805
Find it at: Courtney Summers's Official Website
Add to your Goodreads shelf.
My Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Goodreads' Blurb:
Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard—falling from it is even harder. Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around. Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge. If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day. She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully. Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.
Tensions grow and the abuse worsens as the final days of senior year march toward an explosive conclusion in this dark new tale from the author of Cracked Up To Be.
Another mind-blowing story from Courtney Summers!
Just like Cracked Up to Be, Some Girls Are is a story of high school teenagers. In this book, the main character is Regina Afton, who was once a member of a feared girls-gang in Hallowell High, led by her best friend, Anna Morrison. On one occasion, Anna is convinced that Regina has an affair with her boyfriend. Regina then is frozen out and bullied by the gang and avoided by the students, except for one nerd and misfit, Michael Hayden.
If I could feel the sensation of being Parker in Cracked Up to Be, in this book, I only needed to put myself as the reader, but felt the magnificent effect that gnawing my mind. This book creeps me out. I know the bullying in this book is not that nasty as what I heard in real life from other sources, but the way the author describes and drives the story are the one which put fear and horror into me.
In her trademark, the author puts some mystery and reveals it little by little in the most vague ways, which made me wondering whether I got my interpretation right or not. In short, I think every teenagers, teachers and parents should read this book. No, they should read all Courtney Summers books so that they can understand what really happens in high school.
Hell, it even brought me the aftereffect to fight bullying in every way and form in real life.
I think I need to take a rest for a while from Courtney Summers' works. Fall for Anything should be the next of her works that I will read after this. Once again, read her books, people!
Book Title: Cracked Up to Be
Author: Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Source: Purchased
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Year: 2008
Page Count: 214
ISBN: 9780312383695
Find it at: Courtney Summers's Official Website
Add to your Goodreads shelf.
My Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Goodreads' Blurb:
When "Perfect" Parker Fadley starts drinking at school and failing her classes, all of St. Peter's High goes on alert. How has the cheerleading captain, girlfriend of the most popular guy in school, consummate teacher's pet, and future valedictorian fallen so far from grace?
Parker doesn't want to talk about it. She'd just like to be left alone, to disappear, to be ignored. But her parents have placed her on suicide watch and her conselors are demanding the truth. Worse, there's a nice guy falling in love with her and he's making her feel things again when she'd really rather not be feeling anything at all.
Nobody would have guessed she'd turn out like this. But nobody knows the truth.
Something horrible has happened, and it just might be her fault.
Two words: mind-blowing!
The first time you read the synopsis, it might make you think this would be 'one of those cheesy high school stories', but guess what? It's all wrong! Because Ms. Summers does a VERY GOOD job in delivering what teenagers go through in high school, and how they feel when nobody understands, and instead belittles, narks them of how they are not up for life challenge and how they can do much better than this one.
Parker Fadley is an unconventional character who is not supposed to be loved by the readers. It was not the author's intention at all. You can feel how the author is incredibly honest in developing Fadley's character. The first 80% of the book does not even tell you what really is going on in the story, it makes you keep wanting more and more.
I guess, this book is a really must-read for parents and high school teachers. I can only think that one message that concludes the book perfectly: Don't think that high school problems are that petty. Wear their shoes and walk a mile on it.
I'd like to deliver my greatest gratitude to Courtney Summers for writing such a book. Especially when I was in a reading-crisis, hopeless in finding great books. This book completely healed the syndrome. One thing for sure, I'm officially Ms. Summers's fan now. I'll always be hugely anticipating her works.
