Good as Lily

Just a quick note: I will be on vacation when this review posts. I may not or may not have internet access during vacation, but I will play catch-up with your blogs and comments when I get back. 

 Most stories that I've read are generally about people competing with others, but Derek Kirk Kim asks us a different question: what if the person you're trying to up is actually yourself? What kind of person do you want to be and if you saw future self, how would you embrace yourself? All of these philosophical questions and more are discussed in the part coming of age/fantasy, romantic comedy graphic novel called Good As Lily.

Description: Following a strange mishap on her 18th birthday, Grace Kwon is confronted with herself at three different periods in her life. The timing couldn't be worse as Grace and her friends desperately try to save a crumbling school play. Will her other selves wreak havoc on her present life or illuminate her uncertain future?


Review: Grace Kwon's friends throw her a surprise 18th birthday party with a picnic in the park. There they meet a strange vendor who refuses to sell them ice cream, but sells them a pig-shaped pinata instead. When it finally breaks after falling on Grace's head, she learns that it's empty much to her disappointment. Later that night, when she returns to the park, she meets a little girl, a young woman, and an old woman who look eerily like her. It turns out that all of them are named Grace Kwon at different parts of her life, a six year old toddler, a woman in her twenties, and an elderly woman. Now Grace must deal not only with the philosophical concept of encountering her past and future selves, but also with the day-to-day chaos that they create. Each of Grace's selves are dealt well for the most part as the child stealing snacks, the senior citizen smoking cigarettes, and the young woman hitting on Grace's drama teacher. I would have liked the three selves interact more with Grace herself but they are kept at a distance. Grace, the teen, is naturally confused and exhausted seeing her past and future go out of control. The black-and-white pictures are simply drawn, but manage to convey all the emotional highs and lows of this story. The title refers to a subplot so small that readers might not recognize the reference until they've finished the book and taken some time to digest it. Part coming of age, part magical realism, and part romance, Good as Lily has different things to offer different readers.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some sexual innuendos in the book. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

 If you like this book try: Same Difference by Derek Kirk Kim

Picture Books: How to Raise Mom and Dad, Mirror Mirror, and How Rocket Learned to Read

Just a quick note: I will be on vacation when this review posts. I may not or may not have internet access during vacation, but I will play catch-up with your blogs and comments when I get back. 

 I've got a bunch of picture books that I've read in the last few months that I still need to review. Today I have an ecclectic batch of books that range from tongue-in-cheek humor to incredibly creative to just plain adorable. Today I'll be reviewing How to Raise Mom and Dad by John Lerman, Mirror Mirror by Marilyn Singer, and How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills.  




Description: With tongue placed firmly in cheek, this book follows an older sister as she dispenses advice to her brother on how to train their parents.


Review: I stumbled across this title looking for a humorous picture book to read. The title immediately grabbed my attention as did the description. A girl offers her younger brother some advice for dealing with Mom and Dad. All the admonitions parents tell their children are subverted and used in to train the adults. While I did find the book funny, I'm not sure if younger kids would get the humor as they are just learning how to behave but I do think older kids would definitely nod their head in agreement and understand the humor in the book. Pictures are of varying sizes and shapes and occasional word balloons extend the artwork. Overall, an enjoyable read that you might want to check out from your library.


Rating: 3 stars


Words of Caution: None. Recommended for K to 2nd grade.



If you like this book try: Would I Trade My Parents? by Laura Numeroff,  What Do Parents Do? (When You're Not Home) by Jeanie Ransom

Description: What’s brewing when two favorites—poetry and fairy tales—are turned (literally) on their heads? It’s a revolutionary recipe: an infectious new genre of poetry and a lovably modern take on classic stories. First, read the poems forward (how old-fashioned!), then reverse the lines and read again to give familiar tales, from Sleeping Beauty to that Charming Prince, a delicious new spin. Witty, irreverent, and warm, this gorgeously illustrated and utterly unique offering holds a mirror up to language and fairy tales, and renews the fun and magic of both.


Review: Mirror Mirror is incredibly innovative with marrying both poetry and well known fairy tales to create something completely new. The book contains reversos, or poems which have one meaning when read down the page and perhaps an altogether different meaning when read up the page. The reversos not only make the poems come to life, but also allows the reader to read from a different character's point of view of the same story. The 14 pairs of poems easily distinguished by different fonts and background colors allow changes only in punctuation, capitalization, and line breaks, as Singer explains in an author's note about her invented poetic form. I thought the book was challenging, stimulating, and fun. It was like playing a game with people I already know. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and give it to big thumps up.


Rating: 4.5 stars


Curriculum Connection: Great for Poetry and/or fairy tale unit. 


Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 3 and up.



If you like this book try: Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett, Clever Jack Takes the Cake by Candice Fleming

Description: A little yellow bird teaches Rocket the dog how to read by first introducing him to the "wondrous, mighty, gorgeous alphabet."


Review: How Rocket Learned to Read is such a cute book! Rocket is an endearing white dog with black spots loves chasing leaves and chewing sticks. He loves napping under his favorite tree, but his sleep is interrupted one spring day by a tiny yellow bird that designates him her first student. Rocket wants no part of her lessons, but the bird is determined to teach him to read. She ensnares Rocket by telling him a story that ends in a cliffhanger and he has to return each day to find out what happens next. Slowly, Rocket becomes the reluctant student and the tiny bird teaches him the alphabet. The two characters have a great time using the "mighty, gorgeous alphabet" to spell out all the things in Rocket's world. The bird leaves as winter approaches, but Rocket continues practicing, spelling everything in sight. And when Bird returns the following spring, a tail-wagging, eager-to-read student greets her with joy.
  The illustrations, rendered in oil and colored pencil, offer full pages, spreads, and oval vignettes. They are heart warming and depict Rocket in all his various moods. I loved the bird's enthusiasm but also related to Rocket's reluctance of interrupting his routine. I definitely think kids would relate to Rocket as they themselves are beginning readers too, plus the cast of characters are adorable and irresistible.


Rating: 4 stars


Words of Caution: None. Recommended for K to 2nd grade.



If you like this book try: How to Teach a Slug to Read by Susan Pearson, Reading to Peanut by Leda Schubert, Hooray for Reading Day! by Margery Cuyler

Hunting Ground (Alpha and Omega #2)

Just a quick note: I will be on vacation when this review posts. I may not or may not have internet access during vacation, but I will play catch-up with your blogs and comments when I get back. 

  I'm really enjoying the Mercy Thompson spin-off series, Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs. While it's hard not to compare these two series together, the Alpha and Omega series explores the aspect of romantic relationships particularly of the main pair, Charles and Anna, much more than the paranormal politics in the Mercy books. I do highly recommend reading both series.


Description: Anna Latham didn’t know how complicated life could be until she became a werewolf. And until she was mated to Charles Cornick, the son- and enforcer- of Bran, the leader of the North American werewolves, she didn’t know how dangerous it could be either.
Anna and Charles have just been enlisted to attend a summit to present Bran’s controversial proposition: that the wolves should finally reveal themselves to humans. But the most feared Alpha in Europe is dead set against the plan- and it seems like someone else might be too. When Anna is attacked by vampires using pack magic, the kind of power only werewolves should be able to draw on, Charles and Anna must combine their talents to hunt down whoever is behind it all- or risk losing everything.

Review: Hunting Ground takes place a month after Cry Wolf. Charles and Anna are officially married as they accepted their wolves counterparts to be mated. Though they have a mating bond, their relationship needs work as both characters learn to trust one another and themselves. As I mentioned in my review of Cry Wolf, I love that Anna's and Charle's relationship is a work in progress. Despite them being paranormal creatures, their relationship makes them more human and familiar. Briggs does a great job in demonstrating how difficult it is for Anna and Charles to open themselves up as we get to be in both Anna’s and Charles’ heads and experience their doubts, fears and deep need for one another. Their ability to see one another for what they truly are, is what makes their relationship so special.
  I know many readers were a bit put off by the plot in Cry Wolf, but it didn't bother me as I was so entranced by the characters. Unlike many readers who enjoyed the mystery part of Hunting Ground, I found myself a bit annoyed with it. I thought Briggs took much time to introduce us to many different international werewolf packs mentioned in the book. While I did find a few of them piqued my interest, I got a little bored. I also thought the villain and the good guys were apparent to me in the book as well as the incorporation of Arthurian lore, while an interesting angle, appeared to be a bit forced. Despite these issues, I did enjoy the book and I absolutely love the idea of Anna, who appears to be fragile like the book covers indicate, is completely the opposite and continually saves the day with staying true to herself. She, like her mate, is a force of nature. I’m anxiously awaiting the third novel, Fair Game, which seems to be most people's favorite book of the series thus far. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, strong violence, and suggestions of sex in the book. Recommended for mature teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: Fair Game by Patricia Briggs (Alpha and Omega #3), Nightshade series by Andrea Cremer, Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

Guest Post: Jolene Perry

  As part of the promotional blog tour for Jolene Perry's latest novel, Knee Deep, I'm delighted to provide you a guest post from the author herself as she discusses her inspiration for her book.

Sometimes a story is more personal than you expect it to be. I read an article in an online newspaper that talked about the YA books coming out that year which dealt with abusive relationships. I'd part mapped one out a while back, and thought maybe I'd work on it - all evidence that the market had just gotten an influx of them didn't sway me the way it should have… The more I wrote in the story, the more personal it became.

  I was not ever hit by my boyfriend in high school. He never screamed and yelled at me - though I heard him trashing his room a few times when I left after an argument, and he didn't hesitate to show me when he was pissed about something. He'd pick fights with me over the phone and hang up, knowing it meant I'd sneak out to "straighten things out." There was one really horrible night with him that I'd blocked from my mind for a long time, that I remembered when I was writing, so I used it.

   I see these cases my husband talks about with women who are beaten and bruised and making up excuses and going back over and over. One ended in murder a couple of weeks ago. A case my husband will be prosecuting when it goes to trial.

   The abuse story I told is nowhere near that dramatic, but so much of Ronnie's story was mine. WAY more than I realized while I was writing it. When I got to the end, and started writing down the parts of her story that were real (I always do this for my author site), I realized more and more how much of me was in that girl. I stared at my computer screen in shock.

   I had one of my best friends, who was a guy, who I shared more with than I probably did to most of my girlfriends - (like Luke from Knee Deep) and a boyfriend I'd known since I was a kid (like Shawn from Knee Deep) And I felt this draw to my boyfriend, only because I'd known him for so long, not because we really had anything left in common.

   I felt more like I was stuck in this relationship, and didn't even realize I didn't want to be there until I visited a friend in college and saw how much more LIFE was out there. It was just that the idea of this one person had been in my head for way too long. And where did I end up? Married to the best friend.

   People talk about writing what you know, and then talk about keeping yourself out of your books. But you know what? I KNEW that situation - and I know I'll get some bad reviews (like you always do - ESPECIALLY when you tackle a tough topic) that are going to say that Ronnie's actions weren't believable.

   But here's the thing - I told her story, the best way I knew how. Ronnie's reactions with pieces of my truth. And there are some drastic differences, but there are also some startling similarities. So, to me, Ronnie's actions were completely and totally understandable.

  And that's the story of how Knee Deep came to be.

 Shawn is the guy Ronnie Bird promised her life to at the age of fourteen. He's her soul mate. He's more uptight every day, but it's not his fault. His family life is stressful, and she's adding to it. She just needs to be more understanding, and he'll start to be the boy she fell in love with. She won’t give up on someone she’s loved for so long.
   Luke is her best friend, and the guy she hangs with to watch girlie movies in her large blanketopias. He's the guy she can confide in before she even goes to her girlfriends, and the guy who she's playing opposite in Romeo and Juliet. Now her chest flutters every time he gets too close. This is new. Is Ronnie falling for him? Or is Juliet? The lines are getting blurry, but leaving one guy for another is not something that a girl like Ronnie does.
  Shawn’s outbursts are starting to give her bruises, and Luke’s heart breaks as Ronnie remains torn. While her thoughts and feelings swirl around the lines between friendship and forever, she’s about to lose them both.



 For information about Jolene Perry, please check out the following links:


Jolene Perry's Facebook

Jolene Perry's Twitter

Jolene Perry's Website

Jolene Perry's Blog

Jolene Perry's GoodReads





For information about Knee Deep, please check out the following links:


Knee Deep web site
Knee Deep Twitter hashtag

Knee Deep GoodReads page


Kindle buy link

Nook buy link

Google buy link

Smashwords buy link

PDF buy link  

Hallowed (Unearthly #2)

  Just a quick note: I will be on vacation when this review posts. I may not or may not have internet access during vacation, but I will play catch-up with your blogs and comments when I get back. 

 Readers of my blog know that I'm extremely picky when it comes to reading books that feature angels. Most of these books feature a similar plot with generic characters, but Cynthia Hand's Unearthly series stand out from the crowd with great writing, intriguing characters, and a different spin on the age old debate of free will versus fate.

 Description: For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning. In this compelling sequel to Unearthly, Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

Review: Hallowed beings a few months after the world altering events of Unearthly. I highly suggest reading the first book to become familiar with the characters and the setting before jumping into this sequel. For the most part Hand deftly avoids the middle book syndrome with Hallowed and adds a complex layer to her characters, plot, and tone of the book. Hallowed is a much darker, somber read than Unearthly but I still enjoyed it.
 The likable Clara Gardner faces her senior year with a new set of problems. She is beginning to have nightmares. Each dream ends the same way with the death of a person who is close to her. With the help of some friends, Clara tries to piece together clues and a new purpose from the dreams. At first glance, the person in danger seems to be obvious but I was a bit surprised when the big reveal came and it turned out to be someone completely different. Along with solving the mystery as time ticks away, Clara must also be on constant watch for the evil fallen angel (known as a Black Wing) Samjeeza.
  Unlike most middle books in the paranormal/supernatural romances where nothing new is added, we learn a lot about the lives of angels and Clara's own angel qualities. We meet new and fascinating characters along with surprising revelations. Although it's clear which direction Clara's increasingly petulant younger brother, Jeffrey, is heading, I wanted to learn more about him. He really does seem to have a minor role in this book and I'm wondering if he will play a large part in the third book.
 As in the first novel, the incessant conflict between destiny and free will drives Clara's actions and heart. In Hallowed, Clara receives tough love in coming to terms of being powerless in certain situations. It's a wake-up call for her and it once again makes he wonder if she'll ever have an ordinary life. She begins to question how she's living her life including who she is allowed to love.
  While there is a love triangle in Hallowed, it doesn't present itself in the ordinary ways we seem them in books. Yes, the charming and adorable Tucker Avery is still present but his appearance is limited due to the focus on angels and their lifestyles. Christian, who I thought wasn't a fully developed character to form an opinion of, is fully fleshed out in Hallowed. He doesn't worm his way into Clara's heart and cause a rift with Tucker, but becomes Clara's sounding board when she needs someone to talk to as he has first hand experience of what she is going through. I'm definitely still on Team Tucker, but I can't label Christian as the bad guy nor can I discredit his allure. I'm very anxious to read Boundless to see how everything ends.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are some disturbing images and suggestions of underage drinking. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Embrace by Jessica Shirvington, Kiss by an Angel series by Elizabeth Chandler, Halflings by Heather Burch, A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink

Anya's Ghost

 Magical realism and the realities of high school collide in Vera Brosgol's delightfully, creepy Anya's Ghost. Like great graphic novels, Anya's Ghost will appeal to a wide range of readers by touching on the universal plight of wanting to fit in and our eagerness to shed our "otherness" skin.

Description: Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn’t kidding about the “Forever” part... Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century.
   Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya’s normal life might actually be worse. She’s embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she’s pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend—even a ghost—is just what she needs. Or so she thinks.

Review: Anya's Ghost is a not a revolutionary graphic novel, but its humor, the dabbling of the eery paranormal, and the great artwork is what grabs the reader's attention. Anya is a curvy, sarcastic, insecure, snarky, dark, and relatively sweet Russian girl who wishes to be everything that she’s not. She is the daughter of Russian immigrants who, unlike Anya, are comfortable with their strong cultural roots.
  Like any ordinary teen girl, Anya has a hopeless on a boy who is absolutely unobtainable, the school basketball captain, and is incredibly envious boarding on unreasonable hatred for his girlfriend, the perfect blonde Elizabeth. Things get worse to awful when she falls into a well one afternoon and discovers that she’s not alone. The very lonely ghost of a girl named Emily, who died in the well a hundred years before and can't leave her bones. With a mutual understanding and the insatiable desire to wanting to be seen and fit in the world, Anya and Emily struck an unusual friendship. Anya's the only one who can see Emily, of course, but Emily's excited enough to be out in the world again (via a tiny bone Anya carries around with her) that she offers to help her new pal out in all sorts of ghostly ways; Anya, in return, resolves to try to solve the mystery of Emily's murder.
   In addition to the mystery and horror aspect of the graphic novel, Anya's Ghost addresses what it feels like to be an outsider. Anya reflects on the times she was bullied as a child after immigrating to the U.S., which what encouraged her to turn away from her identity and heritage. We watch as Anya desperately trying to mold herself and adapt herself to assimilate to the kids at her high school, which needless to say don't really turn out that well. We are happy once Anya discovers the mysteries of her world as well as gain self confidence and takes pride in being who she is.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some smoking, a teen partying scene where drinking and sexual situations are alluded in the graphic novel. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try:  Ghostopolis by Dough TenNapel, Coraline by Neil Gaiman, Mercury by Hope Larson, American Born Chinese by Gene Yang

My Life Next Door

  Huntley Fitpatrick's debut novel, My Life Next Door, is a hotly anticipated summer read. It promises romance, summer fun, and lovable characters that you wish could stay longer with you after you finished the book. For the most part, the book delivers on all of these aspects. Though I did have a few issues with the book, it's definitely a book that I would be recommending for those in search for a good summer romance novel.

  Description (from Goodreads): The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

Review: I absolutely loved the first half of My Life Next Door. In the first chapter we see the juxtaposition between warm and distant, normal and abnormal. The Garrets and Reeds live in proximity to one another; however, socially there are as far from each other as the North and South Pole.
   The Garrets radiate warmth, bringing smiles to our faces as we see a large family getting along with one another. We recognize our own family quirks and idiosyncrasies with theirs. Though personally, I do find ten kids a bit difficult to manage (I come from a family of four siblings plus me) and openly breast feeding in public a little weird, but that's what give them their charm. They are real, genuine inside and outside of the house. Like many of us, they also share common household issues. They are not ashamed of who they are despite the names their neighbors call them behind their backs.   
   On the complete opposite side of the spectrum are the Reeds, run by a single mom with political ambitions with her two daughters. The Reeds give off a stiff, sterile impression. Their house is museum-like, staged, and perfectly clean. It's as if their family is constantly "on", trying to fit the mold of what a perfect family should be. Just picture any political ad for a politician that showcases their family and you pretty much have the Reeds. Out of these two families, it's no wonder that Samantha chose the Garrets over her own family. I would too.
  The biggest strength of My Life Next Door is establishing the various characters in the book and developing their relationships with one another. Each character has their own unique voice and personality. We aren't just told in the narrative that these characters become close, but we are shown their strong bonds as they share small but mundane moments with one another such as fixing a car and babysitting.
  Due to the strong bonds already established, Samantha and Jase's relationship start out and progress naturally. Huzzah for no insta-love! The romance is incredibly sweet and guaranteed to make you smile and sigh. I loved Samantha and Jase as a couple. They are adorable without being obnoxious and clingy. They both complimented each other so well. Both are struggling to find their own identities, overcome the pressure of meeting other people's expectations of themselves, and develop self confidence amongst other things. I will say that Samantha at times bugged me, especially when she tried to keep Jase as her dirty little secret but knowing her relationship with her mom, I can understand why but I still don't agree with her actions. 
  My main issue with the book is the second half where the conflict is introduced. I got the impression that the conflict was pinned on at the end and the story lost a bit of its steam for me. The issue instead of being shocking, which I think is what the author was going for, came across to me as anti-climatic and resolved too quickly. I would have liked the problem to slowly build a bit more in the first half and then come to the book's climax, which I think would give the book a bit more of an emotional punch, which is why I gave the book it's 3.5 stars rating. If you're looking for a good summer read to unwind and put a smile on your face, be sure to check out My Life Next Door. Despite my issue with the second half, I definitely think it's worth picking up and reading.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: Strong language, implied drug usage, candid discussion of sex, and a small non-explicit sex scene. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen, Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott, Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti, Summer series by Jenny Han.