New Year's Resolutions #5

Welcome to New Year's Resolutions, or all those classic books you "should" be reading, but don't really want to. But I only talk about the really cool ones, that ones that are classic books for a reason! This week's theme is...Actually, I don't even know what theme this book would fit into.  But since I spent yesterday reading it (and feeling very depressed and sorry for myself), I 'm going to write about it anyway.  

Go Ask Alice by Anonymous. (Amazon/IndieBound) This book remains one of the most contested books ever written, both because of its extremely controversial subject matter, and because of the ongoing dispute over its authenticity.  The book is presented as an edited but genuine diary kept by a fifteen-year-old girl as she discovers and is eventually trapped by drugs and the dark world that goes along with them.  Unfortunately, even within the text it's hard to believe that it is entirely genuine, and if you look very carefully in the preface, you can see that it actually claims to be based on a real diary, instead of being one.

But whether this book is genuine or not, in my opinion, it's still an amazing book.  You'd be hard-pressed to find a book that puts you off drugs as much as this one - except maybe Ellen Hopkins's Crank and Glass - and even if this particular story isn't entirely true, you know that enough of it was based on some kind of fact to make it utterly heartbreaking.  I dare you to read the last page and not feel at least the tiniest, tiniest twinge of remorse, horror, and too many other emotions to name.

While I wouldn't recommend this book to middle-schoolers, elementary students and preschoolers, as teenagers I believe I have the right to choose what I read - so if you can squeeze in the time to read one short book (it took me about an hour to finish), exercise your rights and pick up a copy of Go Ask Alice - and I doubt you'll look at the '70s the same way again.

Wake

This book was purchased as a final published edition. In no way was I paid or subsidized for this review by the author or publisher. (See Disclosure in Accordance with FTC Guidelines)

Wake by Lisa McCann

ISBN 9781416974475

Associate Links: Amazon/IndieBound

Ever since she can remember, Janie has been trapped by a bizarre talent, one that’s more of a curse—she can see other people’s dreams.  Ever since she can remember, sleepovers have been a no-no, study hall is hellish, and even the job she’s working at the nursing home to put herself through college has become excruciatingly difficult.  Because not only does she see the dreams, she’s sucked into them—involuntarily.  And when she finds herself falling in love with a boy who is plagued by some of the most terrifying nightmares she’s ever witnessed, Janie knows that life’s about to get a lot more complicated…

Wow.  Wow.  Wow!  I love the kind of book that’s short and sweet, one that I can read in one sitting 100% guilt free.  After all, you can only put off doing the dishes so long!  And this book is the epitome of short and sweet—gritty, believable characters from the wrong side of the tracks, relatable relationship ups and downs, and science fiction turned reality so subtly you find yourself wondering if, just maybe, that girl you know who just “doesn’t do” sleepovers is really Janie.

My favorite part, definitely, was Cabel.  A sensitive but scarred guy who happens to be kind of cute?  Yeah.  My type.  The relationship between Janie and Cabel was so nuanced and heartbreaking that it soon took over the story for me—and I just “don’t do” romance, as a rule.  But this one was so real it was almost too real, so full of misunderstandings, short tempers and heartbreak that by the end I was thinking, Just get together already!

But my second favorite part, definitely, was the dream thing.  McMann’s ideas flowed so smoothly and panned out so well, not to mention the incredible twist at the end that I didn’t see coming, that by the end I was sad that it was so short.  Her understated style, her way of showing that you can mix tough topics like drugs and relationships with the supernatural, and an ending that manages to leave you hanging without being a cliffhanger, all leave me desperate for a sequel!  (Which there are two of so far, by the way.)

The Final Verdict:  Understated, nuanced, amazing.  Just read it!  Four and a half out of five stars.

On the Web - Inkpop

Thanks to a friend, I discovered the COOLEST site this week - can't get enough YA fiction, and have some spare time on your hands?  Then head over to www.inkpop.com - HarperTeen's newest way to find fresh talent online.  Writers submit manuscripts, dedicated readers add them to their "Picks".  Every time you add a book to your picks, its popularity increases.  And at the end of the month, the five most popular books are looked over by a board of HarperCollins editors, and the authors they like are given a contract.  Sound like a good idea?  It is!

My biggest problem is one, finding the time, and two, reading on the computer - reading on a screen for too long gives me a nasty headache, and there seems to be no easy way to save the documents so you can print them out or put them on your e-reader, if you have one (I don't).  But I find myself wanting to MAKE time for this amazing, if not-too-user-friendly website.  It's brand new, so the usability should improve with time.  And what a boon for good writers who hate query letters, huh?

Madapple

I borrowed this book from my local branch library and received no compensation (monetary or otherwise) for this review whatsoever. (see Disclosure in Accordance with FTC Guidelines) 


Madapple by Christina Meldrum

ISBN 9780375851766
Associate Links: Amazon/IndieBound

Aslaug’s mother may have taught about science and religion, plants and animals and the rest of the natural world—but what she’s never been taught about is life.  Especially about her life, or who her father could be.  But when Aslaug’s mother dies, and Aslaug is a suspect in her death, her world is torn to pieces.  She escapes to the only tie to the outside world she’s ever known—a monastery turned church that houses her aunt, cousins and terrifying secrets about Aslaug’s past…a past that holds uncanny sway over her future.

Boy, was this book worth a second read!  I was blown away by everything about this novel—its spare, dark style, the pages and pages of scientific, religious and herbal lore that somehow weave their way seamlessly into the story, and most of all, the haunting and startlingly realistic characters.

It’s rare that I find a book that I can’t find anything wrong with.  And even with those books, I still tend to find something wrong.  For example, with this one, the end of the story was a little less than satisfying.  But even so, with all of the books upon books upon books that I’ve read, I still think I’ve found a new favorite.  Luscious description, hypnotic prose, and achingly real dialogue made for a book I couldn’t put down.  And I mean quite literally couldn’t put down.

It’s even rarer that I find a book that I want to cash in my savings account on and buy a copy for absolutely everybody I know.  But Madapple is that book!  So in lieu of an extra thousand dollars or so, I’m begging you to pick this one up at your local (indie!) bookstore, or at least go to the library for it.  After this roller coaster ride of emotions, revelations and a 101 course in pretty much every subject I can think of, I doubt you’ll  be disappointed.

One thing I’ve never found?  A debut author that delivers quite as thoroughly as Christina Meldrum has done here!

The Final Verdict: Read it, right now, and be utterly transformed.  Lyrical and heartbreaking and utterly unforgettable!  Five out of five stars.

Movie Cast Mondays - Impossible

Want to join in the fun? Anyone can play! Here are the guidelines:

1) Create your own cast for an upcoming book-to-movie adaptation OR pick a book you'd like to see be turned into a movie and choose a cast.
2) Post the book title, author, and summary.
3) Try to pick at least 3 of the main characters to cast.
4) Grab the button please!
5) Come back and link to this post so everyone can check it out!

I will pick...

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Lucy can’t complain—her life could be worse.  For example, she could still be living with her insane bag-lady of a mother, instead of her wonderful, supportive foster parents.  Or she could be pregnant at seventeen, like the dozens of girls her foster mother treats every year.  But when her mother returns one day at school, singing her own haunting version of “Scarborough Fair” and referring to an unbreakable curse, it seems like a bad omen that’s hard to ignore.  And when prom night goes horribly awry, Lucy begins to wonder if perhaps she’s cursed after all.

Lucy

Alexis Bledel

I love how Alexis Bledel can be funny, determined and vulnerable all at the same time - exactly like Lucy!

 

Zach

Zac Efron

 Perhaps I was just the teeniest, tiniest bit influenced by the name.  But honestly, everything about Zach screamed EFRON! to me when I was reading this book!  After seeing him in 17 Again, I'm pretty sure he could act the part, too.

Miranda

Helena Bonham Carter

Okay, maybe a bit of an odd choice, seeing as she's British...but I think that she'd be great at the crazy-but-sympathetic character of Miranda.  And she kind of looks like Alexis Bledel, too.

Padraig Seeley

James Marsden

Okay, very odd choice, but James Marsden's exactly how I pictured him.  Go figure.

Again, Impossible was fantastic - read my review here!