REVIEW: "The Last Romantics" by Tara Conklin

The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have a lot of feelings about "The Last Romantics" and to begin, I picked it up because it reminded me of "The Immortalists" by Chloe Benjamin. But beyond the leafy cover that binds the story of four siblings, that's pretty much where the similarities end.

Conklin constructs a beautifully poetic tale of the Skinner siblings that starts with the youngest, Fiona's, story behind her most famous poem at what is considered her final signing in 2079. The four siblings Joe, Renee, Caroline and Fiona have come to rely on each other in the youth as they survived their single mother's 'pause', which seems to be a medical issue that I analyzed as a deep depression (but assume it's much more than that). As they grow, they go their separate ways, until a tragedy strikes that challenges them to think about love, family, honesty and self-identity.

This book was a slow read because I wanted to indulge in it, especially while I was reading through hectic work schedule with little time for reading. And after meeting the author at a signing sponsored by the Carmel Clay Library Foundation, I wanted to give it justice. I didn't expect this book to put into words about how I feel about hopeless romanticism-- "We believe in love because we want to believe in it. Because really what else is there, amid all our glorious follies and urges and weaknesses and stumbles? The magic, the hope, the gorgeous idea of it." And for these words, I am all the more grateful.

If you're a fan of "The Interestings" by Meg Wolitzer, "The Immortalists" by Chloe Benjamin, family oriented literary fiction, or a hopeless romantic, you'll enjoy this one.

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"Dune" Literary Review

Dune by Frank Herbert
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Hailed as a Science-Fiction masterpiece, there are many reasons why anyone who considers themselves an intellectual should pick up Herbert's classic.

1. There is a TON of planning in it! Down to political views, ecological standpoints, and hierarchies, there is nothing that comes close to the exemplary structure that unfolds within this three "book" compilation that takes place on a fictional, futuristic planet. However, one thing that I struggled with was losing track of what was going on. Read this in a secluded area, away from distraction, both physical and mental. AKA, reading this while starting back to school was NOT a good idea.

2. Paul, a "chosen one" figure, is well-developed, but what I particularly enjoyed was the development of others around him. Most stories with this stereotype, tend to focus on that character and their entirety, whereas this is not the case.

3. Sci-Fi addict? READ THIS BOOK! Nuff said. Whether you're hard-core, occasional or the oncer who has picked up a futuristic novel, then you would enjoy this novel.... If you've never picked up a Sci-Fi delectable, dive into something simpler, such as "Ender's Game" or even Stephenie Meyer's "The Host" to get an idea of the structure and absurdity.

Overall, a great book, there's no denying that, but this was a struggle for me to get through. I had to keep turning back due to distraction and it was a difficult read that I couldn't wait to shelve onto the "no way no how" shelf, simply because I couldn't wait for it to end and I could pick something else to read. :(

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"The Fault in Our Stars" Literary Review

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So many people hyped this book up for me, and much like other titles, such as The Cuckoo's Calling or Eleanor & Park with hype, yet "almost perfect, but not quite" stories, I finally found one that satisfied the reader within me.

What did I want to read exactly on a vacation away from grading term papers at work to the concerning emails from professors about my own graduate work?

1. I wanted a love story. No, not a Nicholas Sparks story, because that's a formula I could find on my Sparks shelf in my library. Yes there's a shelf. Get over it. But rather a love story with ups, downs, dismay, disarray and the unpredictability that comes with the general concept of love. Give me that and a fuzzy blanket to replicate the warm and fuzzy feelings, and this single gal will be satisfied. Hazel and Augustus are two characters who quickly fall in love with each other because they seem to have what the other one is missing... It's one of those relationships that you root for.

2. Secondly, I wanted a struggle... Not action movie struggle, but internal character struggle. Both protagonists (as well as every character) deals with cancer in some way, shape or form. Being screened for cancer myself, I could relate to these individuals. Nuff said on that topic. But what was particularly interesting was how Hazel and Gus balanced each other out through their dilemma of terminal illness, and how you forgot that they [almost] were sick in the first place.

3. GIVE ME SOME SARCASTIC WITTINESS! I saw John Green speak once at a writing seminar at Butler University, and boy oh boy did he have some witty charm. It's a signature trait that I remember distinctly from
An Abundance of Katherines, which was too trademark high school for me. I wanted a dark situation (cancer-ridden teens seems to be the one in this scenario), in which there was still room for personality. Green nailed it with every line that comes out of Hazel, Gus and Issac (a minor character).

4. Memorable scenes. I'll never be able to look at a swing set the same ever again. Don't understand why? Well then go read the book!

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"Boy Toy" Literary Review

Boy Toy by Barry Lyga
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a disturbing read that provokes human thought and interaction... Josh is an eighteen year old baseball player who just wants to graduate from high school and go to college. The only problem is that he's being haunted by Eve, his seventh grade history teacher who molested him, and the scandal that has somehow turned him into a social pariah.
The message is that Josh wants to be normal, but furthermore, understood teenager. Baseball, girls and straight A's take up most of his time. However, when a controversy involves you and puts pressure on you, it's hard to deal with.

As a teacher reading this, it was more like a horror story considering the molestation factor, but Lyga presents the book in a way that makes it a disturbing, upsetting read in which the reader doesn't want to put it down. I even gave up sleep to finish this page-turner. However, I have concerns letting young adults (especially my own students)read this for the events and content involved, for the simple fear of possible controversy.

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"The One and Only Ivan" Literary Review

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What an adorable little book that helps portray the message of helping others to today's youth! Applegate's Newberry Winner, "The One And Only Ivan" is a must read for young adults and anyone who just wants to read a feel-good tale.

Ivan is a gorilla who has lived at a mall for almost 27 years (!) and has a fondness for creating art. He draws, paints and sculpts for his animal friends Stella, an elderly elephant and Bob, a stray mutt. On the day a young elephant Ruby shows up, Ivan is forever changed by the notion to protect this newly introduced innocence, and he strives to make a change. He is "the mighty silverback" and will stop at nothing to save Ruby from the horrors that come with exotic animal showmanship.

The most impressive feature of this title was the style in which it was told. It is very simplistic and quite easy to speed through. It is a page turner indeed. This is not a style that can be mastered easily, and Applegate succeeds tremendously at telling the story of Ivan's mission to save Ruby, the humor that exists between the animal friends, and the sadness that lies within the backstory of animal captivity. This author will punch you in the gut when she has Ivan tell you his history, as well as have you cheering for him during his endeavors. I don't think I've ever done this for a young adult book, besides for perhaps Katniss in "The Hunger Games".

As a teacher, it is lower on the lexile level for students to read, however I would assign it for them to analyze for major themes, as well as develop connections to nonfiction texts and events, much like the true Ivan in which Applegate based this fiction work off of. I enjoyed reading "The One and Only Ivan", and I believe that many young adult readers will as well.

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"The Graveyard Book" Literary Review

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The first of my Young Adult lit class reads and I feel like I've stepped off on the right foot!

Bod has grown up in the graveyard ever since the murder of his parents. After his escape, he's adopted by a set of ghosts and a mysterious guardian, Silas, only prepared with the knowledge that a man named Jack is out to get him. Bod has many adventures with ghosts and ghouls within the graveyard, but also many encounters with the criminal minds of humans in the real world. Specifically, an outing with a new friend Scarlett may forever change his life in the ways that he thinks he knows it.

Having read "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman, (and not being a fan), I was hesitant to read this Newberry winner simply for the absurdity that could be served within the fantasy genre. However, considering that it was also a Newberry winner, may have persuaded me to go at it, instead of choosing another young adult pick for my class. Gaiman constructs a fantasy world that we encounter within our everyday reality; the graveyard is indeed mysterious and at some times, creepy. Furthermore, his character of Nobody "Bod" Owens, is a young boy who is trying to deal with the fact that all of his family members are the deceased visions that exist within this ghastly setting. Bod is still adventuresome, finding trouble behind unmarked headstones and down deep dark caverns, and all of these tales are somehow supposed to set him up for the encounter with Jack--the killer of his mortal family-- when he becomes older.

My issue was that the suspense was always building up to it and although it did indeed deliver us to a delightful twist, it dropped off after that. Bod does indeed encounter Jack, but after that, well.... I feel like it had much more potential with this plot line, considering that it was the one that I was focused the most on. My other, more subservient, issue is the context of using a graveyard as a setting. Yes, we have ghosts, crypts, headstones, ghouls, chants, and most of all--stories! I loved hearing all of the stories, but I felt like Gaiman kept trying to get them to all connect, even though they didn't actually or necessarily need to. Furthermore, what was the deal with Silas? His job is to Bod's guardian, yet he is neither mortal, nor dead. Help someone? Because this is the thing that I'm remembering most from this book and it shouldn't be.

As a teacher, I'd recommend this book to a young reader who was fascinated with the supernatural and wanted something different to read. It does have potential to be openly criticized by a large, younger audience, which is what I think Gaiman's goal was to achieve. Bod is a character who constantly asks how things work, and I feel like the readers will do the exact same.


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"The Maze Runner" Audiobook Rant

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you're looking to get your Hunger Games fix, then you've found your match! "The Maze Runner" is another one of those dystopian society books focused on teenage protagonists; kids will love it because it is a story of survival and beating the system. However, it was not my cup of tea.

Disclaimer! I listened to the audiobook, which I've found that that can often influence your perception on the book. I would have rather created the images of the characters, such as Thomas, Newt, and Chuck in my head, rather than hear them through my speakers on the way to work. It was a struggle I must say...

If you plan of diving into the mystery of "The Maze Runner", don't do it via audiobook.

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"Sing Me An Old Song" Book Review

Sing Me An Old Song by Morgan James
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Folks, this one was an ideal summer beach read, but for one being in the midst of school starting in Midwest Indiana, I had trouble. Fighting to finish, I praise the author Morgan James for allowing me to review this book as a Goodreads giveaway, so I will provide my opinion in regards towards the novel's content and style.

In "Sing Me An Old Song", Mavis Banks Book is a Southern Belle who returns to her home as a ghost ten years after her funeral. Right off the bat I loved the idea of having a ghost coming back to their roots, because as an adult, I love reminiscing about old houses I grew up in and what they look like now. It's a fun idea, but for me, Mavis got a bit troublesome. As a teacher, I would have encouraged student writers to italicizes any and all relation to the ghosts movement and/or dialogue. However, since this is not the main technique in this novel, I got lost at times.

In "Sing", we also have the relationship between Niki and Jack, two roommates in Mavis' house that goes on during the story. For me, the chemistry between these two could have used more details... Yes they annoy each other at times, but the moments are often cut short because some sort of connection to Mavis comes up. At some times, I was annoyed that Mavis kept coming up.... Shouldn't the dead stay dead and forgotten? As the story progressed however, I learned why but read the book because I'm not spoiling it for you.

Overall, I award 3 stars due to literary entertainment that one could gain from reading James' new novel. It was my first exposure to her work, and after learning she writes mysteries (more of my forte), I'll have to check one out sometime.

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