The Happiest Are Sometimes the Most Miserable...

Happyface by Stephen Edmond is an amazing book. The story is added to and punctuated by drawings and sketches of Happyface, the protagonist, and his thoughts and experiences. The book is set up to be his journal.

Happyface can't escape his past. His brother is dead, his relationship with his former-best friend and love is torn to shreds, and his parents are separated. He moves to a new town with his mother. He realizes he has an opportunity to put his past behind him and be the person he choses. And Happyface is born. He makes new friends and even a new love interest named Gretchen. Things are going great until Gretchen's ex-boyfriend Trevor reappears. Afraid of their romance rekindling, Happyface's facade begins to slip. The situation gets worse when Chloe shows up, a dark figure in his past. Happyface struggles to keep the life he wants, without denying the one he had. Edmond unravels extreme loss in a teen's life through Happyface's story. Through the facade of joy, Happyface attempts to rebuild his life the way he'd like to be. To conquer your fears, you have to face them. While you can't run away from your past, it doesn't have to destroy you either....9/10

Almost Perfect, But Pretty Damn Close

Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher. Within the pages of this book lies a story profound, controversial, and downright confusing. Katcher paints a brilliant picture of two teens and the struggles of trying to be normal in an abormal world. When Logan (a small-town track runner and average high school kid) meets Sage (the tall, pretty newcomer in town) their worlds are flipped upside down. Logan falls for Sage and her strange ways. Sage wants to be with Logan, but can't for reasons she won't explain. After a hapless kiss in the night, Sage reveals her secret to Logan: she's really a boy. So begins the emotional roller-coaster of Sage and Logan, a teen romance gone terribly askew. Logan likes Sage, but can't accept his growing attraction to her because of her "condition". From friends to lovers to enemies and back again, the suspense in the story never stops. Katcher approaches transgender transformation in a unique and stylish way. Sage Hendricks is both a believable angst-ridden teen like every other girl in high school, and a boy deeply struggling to be the girl she knows she can be in a world that doesn't accept her. Logan's feelings of contradicting love and abhorrence towards Sage is remarkable and shows the good and acceptance that someone can feel when they truly look past skin deep. A remarkably tense, gripping, and eye-opening ride, one you'll never want to put down. 10/10

*Note: The blue words are the 50 word review.

Kristin Cashore

Today was definitely one of the coolest and most exciting days the club has had. Thanks to the Boulder Bookstore, we were able to host a visit from Kristin Cashore.

The event was even more exciting because today was also the release day for her newest book, Fire. She read from her book and talked a bit about her writing process, which was definitely interesting to hear. She was very personable and easy to talk with; it definitely seemed like the students enjoyed being able to meet and talk with her. After talking with her and enjoying some delicious treats thanks to our culinary arts program students, she took the time to sign our copies of both Graceling and Fire, which are high on our reading lists now! This was a great way to start October... can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings!

King of the Screwups by K.L. Going

Liam Geller is Mr. Popular. He has the skills, the charm, and the fashion to be the man everybody loves. But it's never quite good enough for Dad. After one too many screwups, Liam is kicked out of the house. Fortunately for him, his gay glamour-rocker "Aunt" Pete is willing to take him in. Despite its appearances, Liam sees this as more than a step down in the hierarchy of society. He sees this as a chance to remake himself into everything his father wants in a son. But Pete sees him for who he really is, forcing him to choose: be true to his father or himself?

----------------------------------------

REVIEW: A magnificent story about finding yourself. Liam goes through an amazing shift, seeing life in a different way. He realizes the most important thing in life is being yourself, no matter who wants to change you. Lots of comedy and life lessons bundled into one. A great book, highly recommended for young readers. 9/10

Book 1: Ghost Huntress - The Awakening by Marley Gibson

Kendall Moorehead never wanted to move. She missed all her friends from Chicago, the big city. Now she's stuck in a small blip called Radisson. To make matters worse, she can't sleep. In an attempt to help her sleep, Kendall's father buys her a white-noise machine. Instead of soothing sounds, however, Kendall starts hearing voices. The more curious Kendall becomes, the deeper she is thrown into a world she never knew existed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEW: An interesting story. The story has a good flow and despite all its focus on "otherworldly things" still manages to address the normal issues of an uprooted teenager. Kendall and her friends have good character style and development. I'm interested to see how this series develops. 8/10

Out of the Pocket by Bill Konigsberg

Bobby Framingham has it all. He's the star quarterback of his highschool football team. He's popular, handsome, and gets good grades. But Bobby isn't happy. The one thing nobody knows about Bobby could rip his world apart: Bobby is gay. When Bobby's secret gets out, he finds himself scrambling to keep ahold of his friends and his life. He's out of the pocket and out in the open with no one to rely on but himself.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEW: This is a great story about being true to yourself and finding out how you really fit into the world. I really like the perspective on the gay side of the most popular kid in school, instead of the usual shut-in or outcast. Definitely makes people think about how simple things like orientation can affect how people really see somebody. 8/10

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Tenth Grade Bleeds by Heather Brewer

This is the third installment in the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series. Fans from the previous two books can expect to be just as satisfied with this one. The plot is more personal and readers see more of the developing Pravus side of Vlad. Aside from battling the ever-vengeful Diablo and his vampiric minions, Vlad must also contend with his best friend rebuking his drudge status and Vlad's feelings for Meredith. The story is gripping and the action stays fairly constant. Unexpected plot twists send the story and its characters down paths readers won't see coming.
--------------------------------------------------
REVIEW: The story is thrilling, the characters continue to grow and develop, and the readers are pulled more deeply into the growing world of Vladimir Tod. Between the external struggles Vlad must face as the Pravus, there is also a key aspect of his internal struggle of self-realization. Readers will be delighted and won't be able to put it down. 10/10

Wisdom or Wisdon't?

Another book recently read and added to my collection was a book on the subject of ethics. Is It Still Cheating If I Don't Get Caught? by Bruce Weinstein, the self-appointed Ethics Guy. It's not bad for an off the shelf guideline but it could use less childhood-related issues. The book revolves around the application of five principles known as the Life Principles: 1) Do No Harm, 2) Make Things Better, 3) Respect Others, 4) Be Fair, and 5) Be Loving. The essential words of wisdom of Mr. Weinstein is "in any situation, apply all five of these principles and everything should work out fine."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REVIEW: The five Life Principles proposed are good ideas and are of sound logic. Slightly better than conventional wisdom, but could use some brushing up on the times. For $5 wisdom, I give it a 5/10

The Traitor Game - B.R. Collins

Michael and Francis never got along with others. Both stand-offish, they formed a friendship built upon their avoidance of others. And from that frienship came Evgard. Evgard was their secret fantasy, their escape, and Michael's everything. So when he finds a note in his locker revealing his secret, Michael flips. He begins to doubt if Francis is really his friend, or a traitor poking fun at him all along.

Interwoven in Michael's dilemma is the story of Argent, a resident of Evgard. After being captured by a sadistic duke, Argent forms a tentative friendship with the duke's son. As tension mounts and a chance for Argent to escape draws near, Argent must make the fateful decision between loyalty and becoming a traitor...

-------------------------------------

REVIEW:

A masterful tale of fear, paranoia, and friendship. Collins draws Michael and Francis together like magnets to metal. His inner tale of Argent and his troubles adds to the struggle within Michael, cleverly voiced in the world of his own creation. 8/10

Write Before Your Eyes by Lisa Williams Kline

Gracie is the quiet child. Only twelve-years old, Gracie keeps a low profile, always a blip on the radar screen. But when Gracie buys an old journal at a yard sale, things start to get wierd. Gracie soon realizes that whatever she writes in the journal comes true, in one way or another. Gracie is awed with her new power and begins to use the journal to attain the life she always wanted. After losing the journal, Gracie and her best friend Dylan are so caught up in chasing it down, Gracie barely has time to fix the damage she's done. Along the way, Gracie learns just how powerful words can be...
------------------------------------------------
REVIEW:

An intriguing read despite its designation for a younger audience. Kline delivers a powerful message of what change simple writing can cause without disconnecting the plausability from her twelve-year old protagonist. A pleasure to read. And it even features a special guest appearance from an Alice In Wonderland favorite.... 8/10

The Comet's Curse by Dom Testa

When an interstellar virus plagues the Earth, the planet's population is devastated. Anyone over the age of 18 quickly falls victim to this radical disease. Seeking to save the human species, a project is launched. The mission: build the Galahad, a gigantic ship that will house 251 teenagers as they make their way to a habitable planet in Alpha Centauri. But things go awry when a saboteur is discovered on board. Now the crew must pull themselves together to uncover this hidden threat before it's too late.
----------------------------------------------------------
REVIEW:

Another slow starter. The book is more focused on a teenage audience, given the main characters' status as teenagers themselves. A good read if you have an interest in space fiction. 7/10

Backtracked

Pedro de Alcantara weaves a beautiful story of a young man finding his true identity. After the death of his brother Jimmy during the 9-11 tragedy, Tommy rebels and becomes a grafiti artist. But after a dangerous prank goes wrong in the Times Square, Tommy finds himself lost in 1918. He finds a home with among the Italian immigrants and a job working on the subway tunnels he will love years later. Just as Tommy gets used to his new life, a subway crash flings him into the depths of the Depression in 1932. There he finds friends in Hooverville in Central Park. Desperate for something more, Tommy accepts a job helping gangsters to profit from the Prohibition. But things go wrong and he once again spins the wheel of time. He lands in 1942, in the middle of World War II. He joins the army, getting himself a new life. But the real question is, will he ever make it home?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEW:
A little slow at first, but a good read once the story gets rolling. There's a good amount of character building happening and the plot keeps its momentum. Despite the scenery jump, the story gets related back and holds the book up as a whole. An interesting historical perspective too. 7/10

The Stowaway

R.A. & Geno Salvatore's The Stowaway is a part of the new Stone of Tymora series. One of the central characters is Drizzt Do'Urden, a dark elf who had his own series not too long ago. The Stowaway focuses on the life of Maimun. An orphan since birth, Maimun is plagued by the Stone of Tymora. Constantly on the move, Maimun is hunted by the demon Asbeel, who hopes to use the power of the stone for himself.

.....................................................................................................

REVIEW: Fun, exciting, and intriguing. The story is told in flashback fashion, reverting to the 'present time' in between phases of Maimun's life. A good style for its type. A good story filled with very interesting characters. Can't wait to read the rest of the series. 8/10

The Rule of Won by Stefan Petrucha

Caleb Dunne, slacker extraordinaire, coasts through life doing the minimal effort. His overachieving girlfriend, Vicky, has different ideas about Caleb's future though. She convinces Caleb to join a club based on the controversial book The Rule of Won. Caleb goes along with it, thinking the whole thing is just a big joke. As the club gains popularity, however, things start to get out of hand. Caleb realizes that the only thing worse than doing something about the new cult is not doing anything at all. But he soon realizes, stopping The Rule and it's followers won't be as easy as it sounds....

.....................................................................................................

REVIEW: A definite gem. Petrucha sheds light on the dangers of group thinking and how sometimes our inner desires can be taken a little too far, all with a twist of some delightfully dark humor. Excellent plot and characters. A marvelous read, definitely recommended. 9/10

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Part 2

The adventures of Vladimir Tod continue in this sequel to Eighth Grade Bites. As Vlad discovers more about his own powers, he begins to realize how much a part of both the human world and the vampire world, and yet how much apart. But his training won't come easy, not with a slayer in Bathory. And he might be closer than Vlad thinks...
.....................................................................................................
REVIEW: A remarkable book. Definitely upholds the story I sought as a sequel. Weaves a charming tale of a boy not quite sure where he belongs in the world, but still pulls through thanks to his friends and family. A good read for those interested in the winged and sharp. 10/10

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer

Vladimir Tod is a vampire hybrid living among the people of Bathory. His best friend Henry and his surrogate mom Nelly are the only ones who know. Since the death of his parents, Vlad has been on his own. But his father's legacy seems only to bring him trouble. It seems Vlad's father took something the vampires want back, and they'll do anything to get it....

.....................................................................................................

REVIEW: I absolutely loved this book. It's a gripping tale of a child struggling to live where he doesn't feel he belongs. A tale of friendship, courage, and most of all, family. A marvelous read. 10/10

Caught Between the Pages by Marlene Carvell

PJ Barnes is a high school slacker on the fast-track to nowhere. Everyone is on his case about getting his life in shape, specifically his English teacher Mrs. Jordan. After a mix-up with some papers, PJ ends up with Mrs. Jordan's personal notebook. He reads the journal, hoping to an easy A in his English class. What he finds startles him more than he anticipates, connecting him and Mrs. Jordan like PJ never expected.

......................................................................................................................................

REVIEW: The book was a good example of a confused teenager trying to sort things out. Despite his torn apart family, PJ desires to do the right thing. I found the book an entertaining read and recommend if you are looking for a little something to pass the time. 6/10

More thoughts on The Book Thief

I stated before that this was and is one of the best fiction books I'd read in a while, and I stand by that. There were several things that struck me about this book; I want to talk about them a little bit here.

First, Death as narrator. An interesting idea, and one that I thought Zusak pulled off well. Death was quite a sympathetic character; one who didn't necessarily love his job, but didn't loathe it, either. I thought it interesting that when it came to adults, he would just as easily sling the soul over his shoulder to carry them, but children he always carried lovingly in his arms. It's not often to find an author that can portray Death as an interesting character; only two others spring to mind, actually. Piers Anthony did it well (and interestingly) in On A Pale Horse, and Neil Gaiman's portrayal of Death as a perky (yet at times insightful and downright snarky) goth chick in his Sandman stories/mythos certainly is one not to be missed.

The theme of the power of words really hit home with me, though perhaps I'm a little biased, being an English teacher and all. I found it interesting that Liesel's first act of thievery occurs when she is illiterate and dreams of meeting Hitler, yet as the book progresses and she becomes increasinly literate and intellectually driven, her understanding of Hitler's words grows and she begins to loathe him and the effects his words have on her immediate world and the world at large, reflective of Hitler's difficulties with (and loathing of) intellectuals of his time.

Anyone else? I've got more, but let's hear you first!

The Book Thief

A few weeks ago, I was sent a copy of Markus Zusak's The Book Thief for consideration for the book club. I spoke with the students about it, and we've agreed that it will be the featured book for the month of January, with the goal of having it read by January 16, so we can attend the Boulder Bookstore's Teen Book club meeting on January 16. I decided to cheat a little and read it over the holiday break; I finished it today.

The Book Thief is one of the best fiction books I've read in a while... it's absolutely worth the praise it's been given. I don't want to say a lot more about it yet because I don't want to ruin it for the students and staff who might read the book with us, but I will definitely post my comments up soon. For now, I'll just say that if you haven't read this book yet, I heartily recommend it... it's nothing short of amazing.