"The F-- It List" Literary Review

The F- It List by Julie Halpern
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Every once in a while there will be a book that comes along that will become one of those stirring sticks of controversy... Boy oh boy I can't wait to see the reality television-esque turmoil that will erupt once this book gets released. First and foremost, look at that title!! "The F-It List" implies exactly what you think... it's a list with things that the protagonist Alex and her cancer-striken friend Becca want to say "F it!" and just do within their lifetimes. But along the way, both of the girls become stronger both within their friendship and their individual lives. Becca struggles with chemo and the fact that she may not survive to graduation, while Alex deals with more menial aspects of teenage life, such as saying "I love you" to a boy she truly loves, but she's still insecure.

This is a great book for teens to indulge with and connect to.... The only downside is the proverbial usage of vulgarity. Oh well, teenagers will be teenagers.

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"Hoot" Literary Review

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a book that I had heard so much about and how the endeavors of the young protagonists was enlightening and adorable. However, I couldn't quite get my head around this tale.

Roy is a young boy who has just moved to Florida from Montana, only to be greeted with the challenge of Dana Matherson, the school bully. Right away, we can determine that this will be the problem that is most pronounced in Roy's mind, primarily because he being beaten up, harassed and made fun of on an almost daily basis. According to recent legislation regarding bullying (see http://www.stopbullying.gov/laws/indi... for guidelines), Roy would not have had to be a victim of these incidents due to the fulfilled obligations of the school's staff, i.e. principal, teachers, etc. But then again, we wouldn't have had a problem story then would we?

Roy finds solace in the mysterious boy, Mullet Fingers, who looks more like a fugitive than a young boy, simply because he is avoiding his neglectful and emotionally abusive mother. This in itself is also a problem because how is a young child supposed to survive without a safe home? Mullet Fingers doesn't concern himself with his unfortunate circumstances, but would rather vandalize a construction site that would demolish an endangered breed of owls. THis plot line would entice readers who are subjected to emotional abuse, as well as neglectful parents, as well as any young reader who would be interested in wildlife, Florida, protests, and conservation.

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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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"Carrie" Literary Review

Carrie by Stephen King
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have always avoided the horror genre, both books and films, and many other readers have recommended "Carrie" as a stepping stone. I also had never read Stephen King, so this was just a new experience overall that I was proud I was taking.

Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed. I was expecting a full fledged thrilling horror story, but I wasn't getting it. The style of the book has a variety of media; newspaper clippings, police reports, and even memoirs from the individuals that survived Carrie's wrath. However, it just was not my cup of tea. Maybe some more forward thinking or just psychological viewpoints? Oh well, no love lost.

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Artemis Fowl- Reading Suggestions!

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Oh if only I had read this book at a different time in my life.... Perhaps when I was actually a teenager looking for a teenage book that I could connect with, instead of reading this as part of my grad school homework. I would have found it much more enjoyable. SO- instead of giving a literary criticism, I figured I'd provide you with a list of other novels that you may enjoy if you have read "Artemis Fowl" and vice versa...

1. "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card- The protagonists are both thrown into a situation and must deal with it. Furthermore, both protagonists are young teenage boys.

2. "The Odyssey" by Homer- Yep, I went old school with this one.... However, if you are into fantasy, there is a good chance you will also like mythology, especially the Greek gods and goddesses. Odysseus is also the epic hero, so you may enjoy seeing another protagonist change throughout a journey.

3. Harry Potter Series.... Need I say more? Read them. Live a little.

4. "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman.... Fantasy galore! Male protagonist as well...

Suggestions?? Post THEM!

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"Entwined" Literary Review

Entwined by Heather Dixon
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I don't really know where to begin on this review, simply because this book didn't really affect me that much. Which is the most tragic thought concerning a book! I'd rather hate a book because it has evoked correlating emotions, instead of just having a blah or "okay" feeling.

Let's compile a list:

1) Azalea, our protagonist, is the eldest, aka the leader, of her twelve sisters... And they ALL happen to be too whiny for my taste.

2) Why do they all have awkward names? Azalea, Bramble, Clover, Delphinium, etc... WHY?!

3) There's a family drama issue that I won't reveal for fear of spoilers, but this issue is remnant throughout the book and never seems to be resolved until the actual resolution. I felt like that young adult readers would absorb this issue and could even entice rebellion within readers themselves. As a teacher, I want students to discover lessons from literature, and even though the primary idea would be to detect that there is an issue, some readers may not grasp this.

4) The plot is quite simple, but does introduce complicated twists that don't seem to be delivered fluidly... Keeper is our antagonist, and we don't fully realize that he's a bad guy until it's too late... (SURPRISINGLY, much like the princesses themselves).

5) The original fairytale is one to encourage love, yet the love story is dismal. I definitely wanted more!



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"Princess of the Midnight Ball" Literary Review

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What an interesting and delightful take on a traditional fairytale! At first, I vaguely remember the story of the Twelve Dancing Princesses (often who go just for sport), but George's tale made me delve into a fantasy that was so enjoyable that I didn't want to put it down.

Galen is a soldier who has just returned home from war and is a new employee at the castle where twelve young princesses live. In the gardens he is tending, he meets Rose, the eldest princess, who just conveniently happens to take his breath away. But Rose and her sisters have a secret.... Why do they have worn out dancing slippers every morning? Furthermore, why are strange things beginning to happen in the kingdom? Galen is the only one who wants to figure it out in order to save Rose, her sisters and their kingdom.

I loved this book simply because not only did I feel like I was living through a fairytale, but rather a young adult adventure that had fairytale affiliations. I was constantly wondering about the curse that the princesses were under, as well as the development of the characters and the magical plot that surrounded them. Finally, there was a well crafted love story, that even if you knew the fairytale beforehand, you were still entertained at how it played out.

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"Real Men Don't Text" Literary Review

Real Men Don't Text: A New Approach to Dating by Ruthie Dean
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a great reference tool for the modern woman who is conflicted in today's world of dating. Not only does it offer solid advice, but provides realistic examples that support scenarios involving the simplistic and technological communication methods, especially texting. The husband-wife duo were supportive through this learning process, and as the reader concluded the book, I personally felt as if I had became friends who have heard both the horror stories and praise tales from the dynamic Deans.

To simplify the contents of the book, the authors suggest to construct lists of what you want in a relationship, however do not follow the list to a tee. This is a concept that I think future readers will struggle with, because why would they have constructed lists to begin with? Furthermore, the list idea is neglected in order for the typical catchphrase "give every guy a chance"....except the bad ones. There were a few oxymorons that a reader, who may be a young, struggling dater, (like myself) would have had issues with while reading in her search for answers.

Overall, the context of the book is tailored to the needs of today's woman. They reinforce the idea that there are indeed good relationships to be had, however, insist on constructing them in any other manner than the simplified 140 characters known as a text message. Create a list of values that you as an individual want to keep in a relationship, regardless of who the opposite party is; don't bother with the whole "oh he'll change" concept, because it'll never happen; and finally, have a belief. Whether it is in yourself, Christian faith, or that the Cubs will make it to the World Series, have faith in something that will help support your journey into finding happiness.

I received this book from NetGalley via the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my honest opinion in this review.

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"Ship Breaker"- Literary Review

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For fans of futuristic and dystopic literature, here's one that you'll enjoy! I won't even say that it's anything similar to The Hunger Games, other than it is geared towards Young Adults, simply because it can hold its own in this genre.

Nailer is a teen who is scraping for metal in deserted ships in the Gulf Coast region. He works dawn to dusk crawling in tight places for copper wire and signs of oil, and his only refuge is in the loyalty that he tries to foster with his crewmates. When he and a fellow crew member find a shipwrecked schooner off the coast of their island, Nailer wants nothing more than to find a way to escape his life and abusive drug addict of a father. However, he never expected to find Nita.

Nita is a swank, aka rich girl, who is a pawn in corporate trading to gain monopoly over the known world. She finds Nailer and promises him an escape to paradise if he can help her return to her father. Nailer, despite every instinct to say no, accepts. They are chased by bounty hunters, greedy corporate assassins and pirates, and even Nailer's father, Richard, in an adventure that I would consider exciting on an epic scale.

Adventure stories are not often well constructed, but with a dystopia, there's a lot of room to create a "new world". Bacigalupi does this with perfection; he constructs a desolate world, connects it to his teenage protagonist, which furthermore allows a young adult reader to connect with it. The aspect of abusive parent also plays in well, because despite pirates, disease and danger lurking around every corner, it's worse when it exists at home within your own family.

As a teacher, I would recommend this title to students as a great coming of age story, as well as an interesting and engaging read.

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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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