Contemporary YA

He’s KING DORK, APPROXIMATELY–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a newly released contemporary YA title from Frank Portman. KING DORK APPROXIMATELY is a sequel, and I haven’t read the previous title, but that’s cool. Because this book sucked me in, and I didn’t miss out.

King Dork ApproximatelyAbout the book:

From Frank Portman comes the long-awaited sequel to the beloved cult classic King Dork, of which John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars, said, “Basically, if you are a human being with even a vague grasp of the English language, King Dork will rock your world.”

Aside from the stitches and the head wound, Tom Henderson is the same old King Dork. He’s still trying to work out who to blame for the new scar on his forehead, the memory loss, and his father’s mysterious death. But illicit female hospital visitations, The Catcher in the Rye, and the Hillmont High sex-pocalypse have made him a new man.

What doesn’t make you stronger can kill you, though, and tenth grade, act two, promises to be a killer. Tom’s down one bloodstained army coat, one Little Big Tom, and two secret semi-imaginary girlfriends. Now his most deeply held beliefs about alphabetical-order friendship, recycling, school spirit, girls, rock and roll, the stitching on jeans, the Catcher Code, and the structure of the universe are about to explode in his face. If only a female robot’s notes could solve the world’s problems, he’d have a chance. But how likely is that?  

King Dork Approximately–it feels like the first time. Like the very first time.

My Review:
It’s 1999 and Tom Henderson is a kid with a conspiracy-filled brain. He’s sure one of his former teachers killed his father years ago. This is based upon a whacked-out Catcher Code he believes said-teacher followed, and he’s convinced the ‘psychotic normals’ are after him. Case in point: he had previously been attacked by a tuba-wielding mob and had his head bashed open.

While recovering from this horrific attack, Tom spends time with his bandmates, Sam Hellerman and Shinefield, composing horrid music (with abhorrent drumming) and assembling his case against the universe for his oppression and the (possible) murder of his father. Tom weathers the Y2K-Not-Meltdown, but big change is on the horizon for King Dork–Hillmont High, scene of his hazing and serial brutality at the hands of the normals, is closing.

Oh, and King Dork has other big news:

I did it. With a girl.

And maybe you’re thinking I’m just being cagey, and it will turn out that the “it” that was done, with the girl, by me, was something like baking cookies, or playing Monopoly, or fetching a pail of water from the old well up the hill. But I assure you, it means what people usually mean by “it.”

So! This adventure takes us through the vagaries of Tom’s completely plain life, in a way that is spectacularly textured. Tom’s agitated and verbose narration is a feat of ingenuity. The way he describes his school’s use of alphabetically ordered seating, is well…

The state, having determined that its interests would be best served by turning the lives of its citizens into a living nightmare at as early an age as possible, had entrusted the day-to-day soul-crushing process to the Santa Carla County School District. And the District found that its iron fist could most efficiently grind the aforementioned could into a fine, terrified, inert paste if the bodies they animated were clearly marked and organized in a rigid, alphabetically ordered grid, like books or socket sets, or fireworks.

Tom’s home life is in more dire straights than normal: his apathetic mother is more so, and his sunshiney, platitude-spouting step-father Little Big Tom has moved out due to unknown causes, though his sister, Amanda is sure it’s because of some panties in a gym bag–not that Tom gives Amanda’s theory any credence.

In Tom’s new school, he’s not the King Dork. He’s a Bone, trombone, that is, and part of the Pep Band, because, astoundingly, Clearview High has…pep.

I had long ago given up trying to discern any hint of sarcasm, or mockery, or even mild irony in this sort of behavior at Clearview High School: there really wasn’t any. These people, as crazy as it seems, really were this into it, and the “it” they were into, believe it or not, was simply high school. Damnedest thing I ever did see.

While engaging at Clearview, Tom finds himself a friend, Roberta, the Female Robert, and her best-ish pal, Pammelah, who inexplicably becomes Tom’s girlfriend.

The story is basically about Tom coming to terms with life, finally fitting in (sorta), being ostracized yet again, and realizing that his take of the universe is subject to re-evaluation from time to time. He invests himself in his music, and finds a better path, as it were. Plus, he makes out a lot with Pammelah, which is pretty cool for a 15 y/o boy.

The side characters are rendered so caringly. Sad-sack Little Big Tom and his uber-paranoid friend Flapjack who make attempts to teach Tom to play guitar. Sam Hellerman, and his pill-popping, motivational tape listening ways pining for a girlfriend. Even Roberta the Female Robert (who later becomes the Female Robot in Tom’s head) is fleshed out in girly-notes that are harrowing and hysterical at the same time.

I loved the voice, but sometimes I got lost in the long-winded sentence structure and had to re-read. Tom is an engaging narrator. And I mean that literally: he talks to the reader directly, all the time, which is a fun style for me. I dug the references about music and vinyl and Y2K and clunky cellphones, and I imagine other readers will as well, if not for nostalgia, simply because Tom makes it all so ludicrous and funny. Poor Sam, with his expensive phone and no one to call him becomes a running joke, and one I think tech-savvy teens today might find amusing. The whole awkwardness angle, and being a hopeless “dork” in the pre-anti-bullying timescape is mercilessly exploited what with the ‘psychotic normals’ always on the prowl. Tom’s deadpan wit was so cutting, I’d nearly hurt myself laughing, at points. I really enjoyed the book, and expect teen readers will, too.

Interested? You can find KING DORK APPROXIMATELY on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other outlets, undoubtedly. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends! 🙂

Cover Reveal! LOLA CARLYLE’S 12-STEP ROMANCE

Lola Carlyle’s 12-Step Romance

by Danielle Younge-Ullman
Release Date: 05/05/15
from Entangled Teen

Summary from Goodreads:
Lola Carlyle is lonely, out of sorts, and in for a boring summer. So when her best friend Sydney calls to rave about the fun she’s having at a luxurious Malibu rehab (it’s basically a spa!) and reveals that the love of Lola’s life, Wade Miller, is being admitted, Lola knows what she has to do. Never mind that her worst addiction is decaf cappuccino; Lola is going to rehab.

Lola fakes her way into Sunrise Rehab, only to discover she’s actually expected to be an addict. And get treatment. And she has insane roommates, and an irritatingly attractive intake advisor, Adam, who’s determined to thwart her at every turn. Worst of all is the strictly enforced NO ROMANCE rule.

Oh, and Sydney? Is gone.

Turns out Sunrise is more jail-like than spa-like, and it’s going to take more than Lola bargained for just to get through the program.

About the Author
Danielle Younge-Ullman is a novelist, playwright and freelance writer. She studied English and Theater at  McGill University, then returned to her hometown of Toronto to work as professional actor for ten years. Danielle’s short story, Reconciliation, was published in MODERN MORSELS—a McGraw-Hill Anthology for young adults—in 2012, her one-act play, 7 Acts of Intercourse, debuted at Toronto’s SummerWorks Festival in 2005, and her adult novel, FALLING UNDER, was published by Penguin in 2008.

Danielle lives in Toronto with her husband and two daughters. Catch up with her online on her Tumbler, twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook.

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He Learns All About LOVE AND OTHER UNKNOWN VARIABLES–Review and Giveaway

Love-and-other-variables banner

Hi all! Today I’m sharing a contemporary YA romance from Shannon Lee Alexander. LOVE AND OTHER UNKNOWN VARIABLES left me a teary, ugly-cried-out mess and I relished every second of it.

love and other unknown variables 1600x2400About the book:
Charlie Hanson has a clear vision of his future. A senior at Brighton School of Mathematics and Science, he knows he’ll graduate, go to MIT, and inevitably discover solutions to the universe’s greatest unanswered questions. He’s that smart. But Charlie’s future blurs the moment he reaches out to touch the tattoo on a beautiful girl’s neck.

The future has never seemed very kind to Charlotte Finch, so she’s counting on the present. She’s not impressed by the strange boy at the donut shop—until she learns he’s a student at Brighton where her sister has just taken a job as the English teacher. With her encouragement, Charlie orchestrates the most effective prank campaign in Brighton history. But, in doing so, he puts his own future in jeopardy.

By the time he learns she’s ill—and that the pranks were a way to distract Ms. Finch from Charlotte’s illness—Charlotte’s gravitational pull is too great to overcome. Soon he must choose between the familiar formulas he’s always relied on or the girl he’s falling for (at far more than 32 feet per second squared).

My Review:
First, allow me to remind everyone that I AM A SCIENTIST. It’s my day job, and part of my psyche. I’m a fixer and a delver. I delve in order to fix. But, enough about me. Let’s find out about Charlie. Here’s what he thinks of himself:

Geeks are popular these days. At least, popular culture says geeks are popular. If nerds are hip, then it shouldn’t be hard for me to meet a girl.

Results from my personal experimentation in this realm would suggest pop culture is stupid. Or it could be that my methodology is flawed. When an experiment’s results are unexpected, the scientist must go back and look at the methods to determine the point at which an error occurred. I’m pretty sure I’m the error in each failed attempt at getting a girl’s attention. Scientifically, I should have removed myself from the equation, but instead, I kept changing the girl.

My inner (and outer) geek had palpitations. Charlie is such a self-deprecating, snarky, witty narrator. I couldn’t help getting sucked into his world. Especially when he encounters Charlotte. He’s drawn to her infinity-shaped tattoo and even moves her hair to read the word inscribed within the loop: hope. Yes, socially-awkward Charlie accosts a stranger in Krispy Kreme to rebut the logic of her tattoo.

“I wanted to apologize.”

“Oh,” she says. Her muscles relax. “Thanks.”

She smells amazing. At least I think it’s her and not the warm donut in her hand. Either way, I have to force myself to focus on what I was about to say.

“So I’m sorry.” Now, walk away. Go, Hanson. “But I’m afraid you’re mistaken about infinity. Infinity is quantifiable. Hope is immeasurable.”

Her expression shifts, like Tony Stark slipping into his Iron Man mask. She shakes her arm free from my slack grip. “So if it can’t be measured, I shouldn’t count on it? That’s bleak, man. Very bleak.”

She turns and pushes through the door.

Quite the auspicious meet-cute. Charlie does manage to salvage his lackluster first impression when he returns home from school to find Charlotte is his sister Becca’s new friend. And, he doesn’t want to mess that up because anxiety-riddled Becca has had bad luck with friends…

In fifteen years she’s had three. One moved away when she was eight. The other two were imaginary. I am calculating the statistical improbability of Becca choosing this girl–of all the girls in our town, this beautiful, tattooed girl–to be her friend.

And, as it turns out, Charlotte is the younger sister of Charlie’s new English teacher, Ms. Finch–sworn target of all the brainiac budding scientists at his private gifted math/science academy high school. When Charlotte learns Charlie is in her class, Charlotte prods Charlie and his buds to make class as difficult as possible for Ms. Finch. Because, well, that will mean her overachieving sister will get so distracted devising creative reading and writing projects that she won’t have time to worry about Charlotte’s failing health.

Yeah. Did I neglect to mention that Charlotte’s ill? Like REALLY REALLY ill? Big C ill? Because Charlotte actually neglects to mention it to Charlie–who is steadily falling arse-over-teakettle in swoon for her. Not that I blame her–her life is in turmoil and Charlie’s home, family and attention give her the normalcy she can’t find with her own family.

Lookit, I ain’t gonna lie:  this book is heartbreaking. It is a slow descent into the kind of literary agony that makes me count my blessings and kiss my kids good night–even my almost-legal teen who fights my authority like a starving dog over a bone. Ms. Finch is desperate to convince Charlotte to try just one more clinical trial. Charlotte is resisting–and Charlie’s caught between them. In the months that he spends with Charlotte he is thoroughly smitten, and thoroughly cowardly. He fears breaking up his sister’s friendship. He fears falling for a girl he (rightfully) believes is dying. He fears NOT loving a girl he loves. Is it really worse to never love than to love and lose, after all? He’s not sure.

All the Shakespeare and To Kill A Mockingbird he’s being force-fed in English are worming into Charlie’s brain, however, weakening his logical desire to avoid avoid avoid this doomed entanglement. And, his BF Greta has some great counsel:

“I’m scared,” I say to the carpet. Being left behind will break me. Of this, I am sure. “How am I supposed to fall in love with a girl when I know she’s going to break my heart?”

“Hey,” Greta says, her voice sharp enough to pull my eyes back up to hers. Maybe that wasn’t pity. “You’re stronger than you think. If you want to fall in love, then fall.”

So, he does. It’s a bit A WALK TO REMEMBER, but hell–that tore the heart right from my chest in the best worst way. And, I loved this tale. Charlie is terrifically human, and scientific, and viciously funny, and honest. You can guess the end, but you can’t imagine the journey. Like real life, this book is all about the journey. It is a trip worth taking.

Interested? You can find LOVE AND OTHER UNKNOWN VARIABLES on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo Books.

shannonAbout the Author
Shannon Lee Alexander is a wife, mother (of two kids and one yellow terrier named Harriet Potter). She is passionate about coffee, books, and cancer research. Math makes her break out in a sweat. Love and Other Unknown Variables is her debut novel.  She currently lives in Indianapolis with her family.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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They Learned to Handle WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU–A Review and Giveaway

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Hi all! Today I’m sharing a contemporary Young Adult romance from best selling author Julie Cross. Released yesterday, WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU is a solid read for older teens.
Whatever Life Throws at You
About WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU:
Seventeen-year-old Annie Lucas is too young to remember her dad’s glory days as a pitcher for the Yankees. So when her father is offered a coaching position with the Kansas City Royals, Annie is intrigued to see the baseball side of her dad. Of course, knowing he’ll be a mentor to hot young rookie pitcher, Jason Brody, certainly makes it more enticing.

After an awkward first meeting with “Brody” involving very little clothing and a much-too-personal locker room interview, Annie’s convinced she knows Brody’s type: arrogant, self-involved, bossy. As her dad grows closer to the pitching phenom, the friction between Brody and Annie increases. But when opening day arrives and it looks like both her dad and Brody may lose their dream jobs, Annie steps up and offers support. She and Brody call a truce that grows into friendship—and beyond. Falling for a rising star who’s quickly reaching a level that involves rabid female fans is not what Annie would call smart, except suddenly she’s getting hints that maybe this crush isn’t one-sided after all. Could someone like Brody actually fall for a girl like her?

Excerpt:

He eyes me skeptically. “What kind of article?”

“It’s for Sports Illustrated,” I say without hesitation and then quickly realize that I don’t look nearly old enough to be a real reporter for a huge publication. “I’m an intern,” I add.

The skepticism falls from his face and he looks nervous, which gives me a boost of confidence. I walk closer and pull out the chair in front of the locker beside his, propping my feet up on the bench across from me. “Frank Steadman said you’d be willing to answer a few questions.”

His mouth falls open, and he looks down at his towel and then back at me. Water drips from his hair and off his dark shoulders. “Um…okay,” he says. “Mind if I get dressed first?”

I wave off his concerns, my face heating up, blowing my confident cover. But him getting dressed might allow enough time for Dad to return, and I’d rather not have to deal with that. I duck my head down, letting my hair hide my cheeks and flip open the first page of the notebook. “This will just take a minute… So, you’re nineteen? And you’re from Texas?”

“Chicago,” he corrects.

I had no idea where he was from but figured it sounded better if I pretended to know. I write down this information and then search my brain for some more questions. “Does the wind in Chicago affect your curveball? Do you throw into it or against it?”

He gives me a funny look. “I…well…I just throw toward home plate.”

My face gets even hotter. “Right, kidding. What’s your favorite color?”

“Orange.”

I take my time writing orange in really big loopy cursive while I think of my next question. “What are your opinions on sushi?”

His forehead wrinkles like I’ve just asked him to publicly declare a political party. “Raw fish and seaweed? I think it’s best eaten while stranded on a desert island with no other options.”

“Very diplomatic.” I scribble down his answer. “How many strikes have you thrown in your career?”

“Don’t know,” he says. “Do people actually count that stuff? Before the majors?”

“Some of them do,” I say, though I have no idea. “If you could be any magical creature in the Harry Potter series, which would you choose?”

“You said this is for Sports Illustrated, right?”

“Yeees, But it’s the…kids’ edition.”

“Oh, right.” He scratches the back of his head. “I guess maybe one of those elves.”

“A house elf? Seriously? They’re slaves.” I shake my head. “Why would you want to be an enslaved elf? They can’t even wear clothes.”

He grips his towel tighter and releases a frustrated breath. “Fine, I’ll choose an owl. That’s what I’d want to be.”

I snort back a laugh and drop my eyes to the page again.

“What? What the hell’s wrong with being an owl? They’re smart, they know geography and shit like that.”

“Owls in real life are actually pretty stupid. But no big deal, I’ll just relay that message on to the children of America. Jason Brody, temporary Royals pitcher, wants to be an owl when he grows up because they know geography and shit like that.”

Okay, I’m getting way too into this fake reporter role.

“Who says this is temporary?” he snaps.

“Your two-way contract.” Isn’t that how Dad explained it? He plays a few games then goes back to Triple-A, all without signing a real major league contract.

He yanks a pair of jeans from his locker and then grabs a bundled up orange T-shirt. “Well, I plan on kicking some ass on Opening Day and making this a permanent gig.”

“I think you need a reality check,” I say. “One game isn’t going to be enough–”

“Annie, what the hell are you doing?”

I leap off the bench and turn around to face Dad and Frank standing about five feet from me. “Introducing myself to your new pitcher.”

“Brody, what are you doing here, son?” Frank asks. “We’re off today.”

“Just getting in some cardio and weights.” His gaze darts from me to Dad to Frank. “I was just finishing up this interview for Sports Illustrated. The kids’ edition.”

“Well, we won’t keep you from getting your clothes back on, then,” Frank says, like he’s trying not to laugh. “And just for future reference, all interviews will go through the team’s publicity department so no one will be wandering in here, surprising you. Savannah will meet with you tomorrow to discuss publicity.”

Dad moves forward and extends a hand to Jason Brody. “Jim Lucas, nice to meet you, son. I’ve seen your spring training videos. You’ve got some real talent. I’m looking forward to working with you.”

Brody shakes Dad’s hand, his eyes still on me.

“And this is my daughter Annie,” Dad adds.

Brody glares at me. “Let me guess—you don’t work for Sports Illustrated?”

My Review:
This is a mature YA read due to sexual content that is accurate, age-appropriate, and handled with tact.

Annie is a high school junior whose father was a hot-shot pitching prospect 17 years ago. He was signed to the Yankees, played one game and was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, never returning to the game as a player. Now, he’s being recruited by a longtime baseball friend to be a pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals. It’s a long way from Arizona where Annie, her dad and her senile Grams life a quiet life.

Annie likes it quiet, and hates when her flighty mother drops in–as she tends to do every couple years, or so. So, she urges her dad to make the move, and NOT reveal their new address to his estranged wife.

Annie’s dad’s main job is to refine a hot-shot prospect, Jason Brody, who has a great arm, and a bad history. He’s nineteen, an ex-con? (Sorta) Anywho, Annie and Jason spend a lot of time together, and Annie develops the teensiest mega-crush on the pitcher. But, she can’t act on it. First, she’s 17, he’s 19. Second, if anything goes wrong with Jason, her dad’s out of a job. Third, does it matter? You know she’s going to make a play for him…

Here’s the thing, this isn’t a flitty teen romance. It gets to the seemy underside of pro sports. Annie’s new BFF Lenny is the daughter of First Base. He’s a playa, and his famiy is polished yet fragile. Lenny’s a smart girl, but likes to cut loose, bringing Annie along for the ride.

Jason’s a decent guy, even if he’s attracted to a high school girl. Actually, one thing he really lacks in his life, a family connection, is something that he really admires in the bond between Annie and her dad. He’s infatuated with the idea of being a part of a family again, ever since his mother disowned him.

I really enjoyed the playfulness, and the introspection. Annie is a confident character, not a hot mess. She has goals–and is extremely competitive–yet she is human. She sees the heartbreak of a teammate and makes a choice to help someone else, instead of herself. She is mature, having practically raised herself with no mom around. And, she is fierce in her love for both family, and Jason.

The book unfolds over the course of the baseball season–roughly five months. The feelings develop and are expressed in terms of months, not weeks, so we don’t get whiplash from INSTALOVE, which is grand. Again, the characters do become intimate. In careful stages. With lots and lots of verbal communication. They make responsible, adult decisions and though Annie’s dad goes a tiny bit (read: whole lot) ballistic, life works out well for all the characters. In a way that doesn’t compromise the MC’s ideals.

Yes, there are curveballs. Yes, sometimes Annie has to perform a suicide squeeze when she wants to hit a dinger. Yes, Jason is panty-melting hot–and Annie’s not sure if he’s capable of reading her signs. The baseball metaphors are sprinkled throughout the book like poppy seeds on a Chicago style hotdog bun, and it worked for me. (side note: this reviewer played 10 seasons of fast pitch softball and spent her youth, and adulthood, cheering on the White Sox.) I appreciated the appropriate language of the game, and how skillfully the story enfolded all aspects of baseball in a way a non-fan could still understand.

A big hit, for me. I received an ARC via NetGalley.

Interested? You can find WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU on WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU Goodreads, Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, and Powell’s Books.

Julie Cross Author PhotoJulie Cross Bio:
Julie Cross lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast and longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former gymnastics program director with the YMCA. She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres. Outside of her reading and writing credentials, Julie is a committed—but not talented—long-distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar-weather survivor, and expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym-shoe addict.

Check out Julie online on her blog, Facebook page, Twitter feed, on Goodreads.

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He Learned to Love Between THE BEFORE NOW AND AFTER THEN–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a contemporary YA gay romance newly released by debut novelist Peter Monn. THE BEFORE NOW AND AFTER THEN relates the tale of Danny, a high school boy growing up gay in Indiana and learning to love following the loss of his twin brother, Sam.

The Before Now and After ThenAbout the book:

Danny Goldstein has always lived in the shadow of his identical, twin brother Sam. But when a hurricane of events forces him into the spotlight, he starts to realize that the only thing he’s truly afraid of is himself. With the help of his costume changing friend Cher, a famous gay uncle with a mysterious past of his own, two aging punk rocker parents, and Rusty, the boy who will become his something to live for, Danny begins to realize that the music of the heart is truly the soundtrack for living.

My Review:

Danny Goldstein’s family dissolves the day he “comes out”–though the issues don’t surround his confession. No, it is also the same day his mother learns of his father’s infidelity and his twin brother, Sam, dies in a car wreck.

See, Danny was the shadow twin. Sam was bigger-than-life with all the friendships, girlfriends and sports prowess. In the wake of the family trauma, Danny and his mom move across town and he attends a new school for senior year. He is tentative, but actually makes a friend his first day. Cher, who is a spirited-outsider-girl, anxious to have a gay BFF. Danny hasn’t even confessed his sexuality, but all the kids he meets simply assume he IS gay, so I guess that worked out.

He also meets Rusty, a Venezuelan boy with bright eyes and a kind smile who may-or-may-not be gay (spoiler: he is) and an over-the-top-ass-riding-bully Pat Jones (who may or may not be gay…). Danny clings to his friendship with Cher, and makes a few other friends through her, though they don’t go to his school. Meanwhile he and Rusty become close.

Danny has never had a boyfriend, and Rusty becomes that–but Rusty has issues: his young sister is very ill. His family has moved around the country seeking specialized care for her for years. She is currently being treated in a teaching hospital in Indianapolis, but this may change at any time. As such, Rusty doesn’t want to get too serious because he doesn’t want to be hurt if/when his family up and moves, as they always do. Rusty stands up for Danny, against Pat’s bullying, which leads to some low level stalking and a big showdown that calls into question Pat’s sexuality.

During the six months the books spans, Danny learns a lot about himself. His “Uncle” Alex, BFF of his mother from high school, provides some insight–Alex is gay and had a rough time as a teen, and Danny has a good sense of his story growing up. For Danny, life isn’t much like that–his punk-rocker-grown-up parents accept his sexuality–almost eerily so. They shower him with acceptance and love, in a way that feels stifling, as if they are afraid he’ll get too depressed and kill himself and they’ll be left with no children; it’s almost its own burden.

There are some other, larger, societal issues–teen pregnancy, grief, the “out of control” aspect of teen life, homophobia, and bullying–touched on. Danny, after many months of not speaking about/dealing with his emotions regarding Sam’s death, his parent’s divorce, his own homosexuality, and his love-and-loss regarding Rusty, finally opens up to his therapist and gains some closure as well as the strength to grow into his own person–outside of the shadow of Sam and his parents’ expectations.

The ends wraps up tightly, with a rather solid happy. This is an excellent book for gay and questioning teens with lovely language and believable characters. For all that I have described here, I haven’t even done the novel’s plot justice. It moves so fast, and with such grace, I read it in a day.

Interested? You can find THE BEFORE NOW AND AFTER THEN on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I received an advanced review copy via NetGalley.

Peter MonnAbout the Author:

Peter Monn is a native of Indianapolis, Indiana where he lives with his dashing husband Alex and their brood of dogs named after their favorite literary muses. He is known for being one half of the infamous celebrity interview team, http://raannt.com, as well as being a Huffington Post Gay Voices guest blogger. Besides being a life coach, a dreamer, a romantic, a moon-child and a lover of carnivals, night swimming and driving around late at night, he is also a writer. His first book, The Before Now and After Then, is now available.

You can find Peter on his website, Goodreads, Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping by and keep reading my friends!

He Was SEARCHING FOR GRACE–Review and Giveaway

Hi there! Today I’m reviewing a book that really hit home for me. I review a lot of books that are fun, or sexy, or flirty, but sometimes a book just—

Well, look. I’m gonna share some “V stuff,” so bear with me. I was born and raised a Christian. I went to church, church camp and youth group–faithfully–throughout my childhood. Then, I went away to college. And met the man who is my hubs, going on 23 years together. He is, BTW, Jewish.

This was a point of consternation for, uh, some of my family. It actually took quite a long time for him to be accepted. As a goy–or worse, a shiksa–I was, in fact, not an ideal daughter-in-law candidate either.

My eldest son was accused of being a “devil worshiper” and ostracized by Christian kids in his third grade class–because we celebrate both Christian and Jewish traditional holidays.

My children were not recognized at my “home church” because their father is Jewish. My minister, at a church I had been a member of for 19 years at that point, would not perform my wedding ceremony because my husband was Jewish.

Long point here is, I have felt the hellish finger of bigotry, cloaked in religious tenets, many times in my own life because of the person I loved and married.

Lots of people ask: Why do I celebrate Jewish holidays if I’m Christian? Simple:  My hubs’ grandparents actually survived German work camps in WWII. They were the only Holocaust survivors of their whole families. There is no way I want my kids to feel that DAD’S religion is LESS than MY religion. That’s not my way. If my kids turn out Christian or Jewish or Buddhist or Pastafarian, I really do not care–so long as they are happy.

Many years ago, my hubs asked me: What would you do if one of our sons was gay?

At that time, I hadn’t really considered it. When I did, my only answer could be: Love him. Gay or not. Because, for me, parenthood is unconditional love.

This week I came across this YouTube video (trigger warning!) of a grown man being beaten and disowned by his family for coming out. The reason? “God says being gay is a sin.” Well, there are a lot of sins out there, people. I don’t see parents beating their kids and putting them out on the street for theft. Or coveting. Or what-the-heck-ever other “sin” committed. For some reason, homosexuality has become a “GET OUT OF PARENTING FREE” card for some, and the very idea scrambles my brain.

Books like the one I’m sharing today, SEARCHING FOR GRACE by Juliann Rich, are important–because this is REALLY happening behind closed doors by closed-hearted parents/friends all across our country, and world. If you, or someone you know, is in a bad spot due to homophobia, in the home or outside of it, please seek help. The Trevor Project (866-488-7368) and the GLBT Helpline (888-843-4564) are available for counseling and crisis intervention. Please, call for help. It is available.

About the book:

First it’s a rumor. Then it’s a fact. And then it’s on.

Camp is over and Jonathan Cooper returns home. To life with his mother whose silence is worse than anything she could say…to his varsity soccer teammates at East Bay Christian Academy…to the growing rumors about what he did with a boy last summer at bible camp.

All the important lines blur. Between truth and lies. Between friends and enemies. Between reality and illusion.

Just when Jonathan feels the most alone, help arrives from the unlikeliest of sources: Frances “Sketch” Mallory, the weird girl from his art class, and her equally eccentric friend, Mason. For a short while, thanks to Sketch and Mason, life is almost survivable. Then Ian McGuire comes to town on the night of the homecoming dance and tensions explode. Fists fly, blood flows, and Jonathan—powerless to stop it—does the only thing he believes might save them all: he prays for God’s grace.

Excerpt: (This scene takes place in the school’s cafeteria, the day after a new kid at school “outs” Jonathan to his soccer team and they tell him he can’t sit at their table any longer.)

I wandered away, scanning tables, until I reached the middle of the cafeteria and stood there, holding a tray with a plate full of gross.

“Yo, Jonathan,” a familiar voice called my name, “are you going to stand there drooling over a bunch of butt cracks or are you going to sit down and eat?”

I walked over to the small table in the corner and sat next to Sketch and Mason.

“You okay?” She looked at my face. “You look like you’re going to hurl.”

“Fine.”

“I’m just saying, if you’re going to hurl, I’d appreciate some warning.” Sketch slid a few inches to the left.

“I’m fine!” I turned to Mason and changed the subject. “Thanks for bailing me out in American lit. What are you, like a genius or something?”

Sketch stuck a finger in her mouth and made a gagging sound.

“Now he notices me in a class.” Mason sprinkled Parmesan cheese on his lasagna, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Is it because you’re finally out?”

“W-what?” I stammered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Well, I do,” Sketch said. “Word has it Luke, the new transfer kid from Minnetonka Public, knows for a fact you had all sorts of raging gay sex with a guy at soccer camp last summer. Says he has proof.”

I wanted to scream. I wanted to throw my tray across the cafeteria. I almost hurled.

“I heard it was two guys and it was full on anal wham-bam-thank-you-sir.” Mason butchered more than a stupid rhyme. “I also heard you caught some STD.”

I gripped my fork and counted to ten. “It was a Bible camp, and sure, I hung around with a guy named Ian, but we did not have raging gay sex, and I most certainly do not have a STD!”

“That’s not what I heard.” Mason lifted his box of chocolate milk to his lips.

“Well, I was there and I should know!” My voice rose a few decibels. Heads turned. I mean, more heads turned. Actually, the few heads that weren’t already staring at me, turned. “He was my friend. That’s all!”

“Chill, gentlemen. The important thing right now is that Jonathan is about as popular as a case of herpes.” Sketch pointed out the obvious. “Whether he has it or not is immaterial.”

“It’s not true!” I hissed.

Mason snorted. “Okay, Jonathan. Whatever you say.” He took another sip.

I willed him to choke on his chocolate milk. Really I did. For one malicious moment, I saw it spewing out of his nostrils like a Hershey’s geyser. It didn’t happen, but it felt good to picture it.

Sketch erupted, “Knock it off, Mason. He’s one of us now.”

“He’s one of us? Mr. we were just friends, I swear?”

Something thudded under the table, and Mason frowned at Sketch. “Quit kicking me!”

“Have you forgotten two years ago? When you went around telling everyone I was your girlfriend?” She threw a tomato slice at Mason. It hit him in the chest, leaving a red stain and a few seeds on his shirt when it dropped to the table.

“Wait, so you’re not…” I looked at Mason.

“Going to sit here while this stain sets in.” He stood and shot a lethal glance at Sketch.

“And you’re…?” I asked Sketch after Mason headed toward the boys’ bathroom.

“Does it matter?” She frowned. “Listen, Mason and I have been trying to form a Gay-Straight Alliance for two years, but school policy states a club must have a minimum of three charter members to form, and you know how much Hardin loves his school policies. What do you say…will you be our third?”

Somehow it didn’t seem advisable to tell the only person willing to sit with me at lunch, especially since she was prone to throwing food, that I would rather contract a case of herpes.

My Review:
I can say, I was stunned reading this book. It’s not a blow-you-away-with-plot-twists story. Instead it relates what I believe is an achingly real experience for many LGBTQ teens out there.

Jonathan is gay. He hasn’t told many people, but he did tell his counselor at Bible camp. And, of course, his fellow camp-goers knew about his boyfriend. He’s home from camp now, and his mother is determined that Jonathan re-think his “choice.” See, Jonathan is only 16. Clearly, he’s “just confused” and she schedules him for therapy with their minister, and an intake appointment for an Ex-Gay therapy clinic. She can’t handle her son’s sexuality.

Meanwhile, Jonathan’s childhood friends are turning on him. They refuse to interact with him on the soccer field, even though he was a star player. His boyfriend, Ian, has been kicked out of his family home, and is living in foster care on a farm in Wisconsin. For Jonathan, it feels as if his life is unraveling. He steadfastly refuses to acknowledge publicly that he is gay, but does agree to starting a GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance), albeit reluctantly.

Biggest problem with that plan is the school is only paying lip service to opening such a club. No teachers will stick their necks out to sponsor the group–knowing it would likely lead to termination. So, Jonathan reaches out to his camp counselor. This plan is unhappily accepted by their school, and the student involvement is more than Jonathan and his two new buds–Mason and Sketch–could have dreamed. Jonathan is no longer a pariah, but he’s still in danger. He’s attacked, verbally and physically, by some of his homophobic classmates.

Meanwhile, Ian is pressuring Jonathan to run away with him. A stolen rendezvous leads to critical injury, and Jonathan must decide how to move forward in a life where his parents are not accepting his sexuality.

There’s this point where Jonathan finally tells his friends:

I haven’t planned this, but if I had I sure as hell wouldn’t have picked the middle of a crowded cafeteria. But I guess coming out is a lot like falling in love, only you’re falling in love with yourself. The minute you realize it, you need to say the words.

“I’m gay,” I say and wait for their shocked and indignant responses. 

I’m not going to reveal how this was received, but the whole book kept me riveted. Ideas like tolerance and homophobia are tackled head-on. I really appreciated the sensitivity with which these aspects were handled, actually. The evangelicals were not demonized, but they were portrayed to be stalwart, if misguided and anti-gay. That is not the case for all religious persons in this book, praise God.

Jonathan’s camp counselor was very understanding, and helped introduce Jonathan to a new, progressive church where at-risk gay teens were welcomed and allowed to worship in a safe space. I found this to be especially poignant because there are such places as these, and it’s often helpful for LGBTQ persons to have a church family that supports them in their sexuality. In fact, in mt town we have such a house of God where gay persons are welcomed. (This is likely not the only gay-friendly church in my town, it was simply the closest one I could bike to.)

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The end was a good stopping point, but it was clear there is more to the story–I only hope that Jonathan continues in his growth, and in finding a suitable partner with whom to express his love. I really enjoyed Jonathan’s character and found myself so in his head I kept wanting to reach through his hands and shake his mom. She isn’t a bad mom, but she is terribly blinded–I was glad to see that she gained some insight in the course of this story.

Interested? You can find SEARCHING FOR GRACE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bold Strokes Books.

About the Author:

Minnesota writer Juliann Rich spent her childhood in search of the perfect climbing tree. The taller the better! Perched on a branch ten to thirty feet off the ground and surrounded by leaves, caterpillars, birds and squirrels was a good place for a young girl to find herself. Seeking truth in nature and finding a unique point of view remain crucial elements in her life as well as her writing.

Juliann is a PFLAG mom who can be found walking Pride parades with her son. She is also the daughter of evangelical Christian parents. As such she has been caught in the crossfire of the most heated topic to challenge our society and our churches today. She is committed to writing stories that shed light on the conflicts that arise when sexual orientation, spirituality, family dynamics and peer relationships collide.

Juliann recently won the Emerging Writer Award at The Saints and Sinners Literary Festival in New Orleans.

Juliann lives with her husband and their two chronically disobedient dachshunds in the beautiful Minnesota River Valley.

You can catch up with Juliann on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and her blog.

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Best of luck and keep reading my friends!

Reading Addiction Blog Tours

She Learned HOW TO FALL (Just in Time!)–A Review

Hi all! Today’s book is a contemporary YA mystery, with a hint of romance. HOW TO FALL by Jane Casey is a page turning whodunit…if there was a “dun” done, that is.

How to FallAbout the book:

Sixteen-year-old Jess Tennant has never met any of her relatives, until her mom suddenly drags her out of London to spend the summer in the tiny English town where her family’s from. Her mom’s decision is surprising, but even more surprising is the town’s reaction to Jess. Everywhere she goes, people look at her like they’ve seen a ghost. In a way, they have—she looks just like her cousin Freya, who died shortly before Jess came to town.

Jess immediately feels a strange connection to Freya, whom she never got to meet alive. But the more Jess learns about the secrets Freya was keeping while she was alive, the more suspicious Freya’s death starts to look. One thing is for sure: this will be anything but the safe, boring summer in the country Jess was expecting.

My Review:
You may recollect that l have, perhaps, on occasion shared my love of Nancy Drew? It was these novels, about a smart, tenacious teen girl taking on criminal masterminds that enthralled me to the point of being grounded…for reading. Yes, my father lamented that. Not that I gave him any choice; I was obsessed to the point of skipping my school work to devour one for the first (or tenth) time.

So, anywho, I’m a lifelong sucker for teen sleuths, which is why I loved this book. Also: Anglophile = ME!! Thus, a story of a London girl on holiday to visit her mother’s sister and home town for the first time in her 16 years is pure catnip for me.

Here’s the thing, the book didn’t start out like a mystery. It started off like a girl helping her overwrought mother get over her divorce. Jess isn’t bitter over her dad being a philanderer–she’ bitter that he’s moved on entirely, and she hopes that this extended visit to the small coastal town where her mother grew up will turn the tide of her mom’s depression. Also, Jess is anxious to meet her cousins. She has no siblings and longs for a bigger family.

What she didn’t anticipate was becoming her dead cousin Freya’s doppleganger. On the drive Jess learns her resemblance to Freya is so strong, her mother opted to stay away from her niece’s funeral, afraid having Jess there would be too shocking.

From the outset the reader knows something bad happened to Freya. (She fell off a cliff on page 5.) But, was she haunted, hunted or–maybe–pushed? The authorities, namely Jess’ mum’s high school sweetheart Dan Henderson, has ruled Freya’s death an accident. (One reason I love British books…the actual classification was “death by misadventure,” which sounds a whole lot more romantic…) Yes, Inspector Henderson is quite the enigma. He’s creepily over-friendly to Jess and her mum, despite being married, and he’s unduly harsh on his son, Will. Will is a town pariah for confessing some nasty business to his dad years ago; he’s also Freya’s closest friend. Does Will know what happened that night?

Through the weeks of visiting and working in the idyllic locale, Jess is befriended by Darcy, Freya’s best girlfriend, and hated by the town bully–Natasha. Nats has a good deal of obsessive affection for pretty-boy Ryan, and Ryan likes Jess just the same as he admired Freya. After a few altercations, Jess is concerned that her cousin was being harassed. Did Natasha bully her into suicide?

Few people will talk openly about Freya, thinking that each may have played a role. Will feels guilty for not being a better friend. Ryan’s miserable that Freya wasn’t into him, but that she paid the price of Natasha’s bullying. Darcy knows she let Freya down right as she needed her most. But, still the question remains–what sort of misadventure took place on that cliff? Natasha seems a likely target for blame, and yet Inspector Henderson’s admonitions to “drop it already, or else…” seem far too sinister for comfort.

While the love triangle wasn’t necessary, it was certainly handy to the plot. Jess is attracted to Will, whose tap runs lukewarm most of the time. Ryan’s attracted to Jess, much to Natasha’s psychotic dismay. In the midst we get some interesting interplays of characters. I liked Jess. She was sharp, and determined. She saw the suffering of her cousin’s family and her entire thought-process was to bring them closure. The big showdown revealed the killer–who happened to make my shortlist but wasn’t top three. I loved that I was fooled, a bit.

Pacing wise, the book cracks along. We don’t get too bogged in Jess’ head. We also don’t spend too much time in Love Central. Jess knows she doesn’t care much beyond friendship with Ryan, Natasha’s antics notwithstanding. But, Jess is sharp enough to recognize that making allies where she can will get her the info she needs to lay Freya’s ghost to rest. I really enjoyed and would recommend to any lovers of YA mystery. Just a touch of romance, but not enough to turn off the younger readers.

Interested? You can find HOW TO FALL on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I obtained a copy of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Jane CaseyAbout the Author:
Born and brought up in Dublin, Jane Casey has been twice shortlisted for the Irish Crime Novel of the Year Award. She is the author of The Missing and two previous Maeve Kerrigan novels The Burning and The Reckoning.

Married to a criminal barrister, Jane lives in south-west London.  You can find Jane on her Goodreads page, her website and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends. 🙂

Cover Reveal–HER DESTINY by Monica Murphy

Ta-da!!!

HD Cover

A contemporary YA romance coming soon

from best-selling author Monica Murphy.

Add HER DESTINY on Goodreads

About HER DESTINY:
I knew from the moment I first saw him he was the one. The only boy I could ever want.
The only boy I could ever love.

They say he’s bad for me.

But I know he’s not.

Until the day he rejects me.

And breaks my heart.

Everything changes in the blink of an eye. My entire life as I’ve known it is…gone. Secrets are revealed. Promises once made are irrevocably broken. There’s no way my family can get back to what we once were.

So when Nicholas Fairfield walks back into my life like he never left it, I’m furious. Thrilled. Irritated. Excited.

Despite my confusion, I want to be with him. I love him. But danger lurks where we least expect it. Someone will do whatever it takes to tear us apart. All I know is: I won’t let them.

 

Don’t forget to read HIS REVERIE while you wait…

His ReverieAbout HIS REVERIE:

I knew from the moment I first saw her she was the one. The only girl I could ever want.

The only girl I could ever love.

She is light.

I am darkness.

She is innocent.

I’ve done too much.

She is good.

I am bad.

She is my every dream.

I should be her every nightmare.

We come from different worlds. She’s…perfect. And I’m…

Not.

Somehow she wants me anyway. So we’ll grasp at what we can. We’re going to make this summer count. She’s my secret. And I’m hers.

The problem with secrets is they never last for long. And when others discover we’re together, they’ll do whatever it takes to keep us apart. All I know is: I won’t let them.

Because Reverie Hale? She’s mine.

Interested? You can find HIS REVERIE on iBooks, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

MonicaMurphypic-250x373About Monica Murphy:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite. A wife and mother of three, she writes New Adult and contemporary romance for Bantam and Avon. She is the author of One Week Girlfriend and Second Chance Boyfriend.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Author Goodreads | Amazon author page

Inkslinger

Cephalopod Coffeehouse July 2014–THE ART OF SECRETS

0ed81-coffeehouseHi there! Welcome one and all to the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, a cozy gathering of book lovers, meeting to discuss their thoughts regarding the tomes they enjoyed most over the previous month.  Pull up a chair, order your cappuccino and join in the fun.

I had a hard time choosing a book this month–there were a few that really got to me. My second choice was TORN AWAY by Jennifer Brown. It’s a story about a girl surviving a tornado and the destruction her life becomes in the aftermath. You can find my review here.

This month I chose THE ART OF SECRETS, a newly released YA mystery for two reasons. It’s set in my hometown–Chicago, and it tricked me! I lite really had to wait for the last three pages to learn who were the culprits. I had the great pleasure to meet the author, James Klise, at a local book signing and picked up an autographed dead-tree edition of this book. I’m so glad because I plan to pass it around faster than swine flu…

I’m not shy of my uber-love of mysteries. Confession time, my dad grounded me in third grade because I spent too much time reading Nancy Drew mysteries and too little time doing my schoolwork. #TrueStory So, this multi-POV, multicultural whodunit was a real treat for me.

The Art of SecretsAbout the book:
A Fire Destroys . . .
A Treasure Appears . . .
A Crime Unfolds . . .

When Saba Khan’s apartment burns in a mysterious fire, possibly a hate crime, her Chicago high school rallies around her. Her family moves rent-free into a luxury apartment, Saba’s Facebook page explodes, and she starts (secretly) dating a popular boy.

Then a quirky piece of art donated to a school fund-raising effort for the Khans is revealed to be an unknown work by a famous artist, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and Saba’s life turns upside down again. Should Saba’s family have all that money? Or should it go to the students who found the art? Or to the school? And just what caused that fire?

Greed, jealousy, and suspicion create an increasingly tangled web as students and teachers alike debate who should get the money and begin to point fingers and make accusations. The true story of the fire that sets events in motion and what happens afterward gradually comes together in an innovative narrative made up of journal entries, interviews, articles, letters, text messages, and other documents.

My Review:

First of all, this book has, roughly, seven narrators. As noted in the blurb, the story itself is a collection of interviews, journal entries, newspaper articles, texts and emails. It’s bedlam, in the best way.

Saba’s family is from Pakistan. She was born and raised here, but her parents are traditional. They are, perhaps, more indulgent than other immigrant families allowing Saba to dress in modest Western clothing and compete on the school tennis team as long as her body is covered. We learn through Saba’s journal that her apartment is destroyed one day while she and her family are out at one of her tennis matches.

Her father reveals that he fears the fire was set by Saba’s 6 y/o brother, who has recently discovered matches. In the meantime, Saba’s high school community, most of which are affluent families, pitch in to stage an auction fundraiser headed up by Kendra and Kevin Spoon–two newcomers to the school. In fact, it is Kevin who discovers an undiscovered work of art from an “outsider” Chicago artist which he donates to the cause. The appraised value is $500,000, and Saba’s family is overwhelmed with the possible windfall.

In fact, people start to question if Saba’s family should benefit from this tragedy. Especially as the cause of the fire is suspicious. The high school principal, Dr. Stickman, thinks the money should go to the school which is in need of repairs.

The whole argument becomes moot, however, when the artwork goes missing two weeks before the auction. Then it’s a foot race to find the art. Teachers turn on teachers, accusing one another of theft. Was it Mr. Delacroix, the gay art teacher who needs capital to finance his fiber art projects? Or, Coach P, the retiring basketball/tennis coach who had easy access to the art as it was locked in her office? Students start accosting other students. Saba’s distraught that her family’s fortunes keep plummeting. Dr. Stickman was my choice for the thief, but, in the end I was completely, artfully, misdirected.

All I’m gonna say is: Best. Grift. Ever.

I wasn’t sure I’d like the story–I usually go for first-person traditional narratives in my YA. This is the exact opposite. There is (virtually) no romance. Surprisingly, the emotions shine through these third-person accounts. Humor is wry and abundant, with irreverent speech from Saba, incongruent speech from a Spanish exchange student (“in the kitchen, not the chicken” *snorts*) and the contrast between the humble laborer life of Saba’s father and the privileged pomposity of Dr. Stickman.

The story clips along, with devious reveals and backhanded breadcrumbs. I love being led on a merry chase, and enjoyed each moment of red herrings–once I finally saw them for what they were. Bravo.

Interested? You can find THE ART OF SECRETS on Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, Amazon and other local outlets, no doubt.

About the Author:

James Klise lives in Chicago. His short fiction has appeared in literary journals like StoryQuarterly, New Orleans Review, Ascent, Sou’wester and Southern Humanities Review. His essays and reviews have appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times, Booklist, the Readerville Journal and elsewhere.

By day, he works as a high school librarian in Chicago, where he also advises a teen book group, writing club, and the Gay-Straight Alliance.

You can connect with James on his website, Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping in. Please also take the hop on over to my fellow bloggers to find out which books they liked this month!

 

1. The Armchair Squid 2. mainewords
3. Stephanie Faris, Author 4. WOMEN: WE SHALL OVERCOME
5. Cherdo on the Flipside 6. Trisha @ WORD STUFF
7. StrangePegs — Secrets 8. I Think; Therefore, I Yam
9. Life of a Writer 10. Katie @ Read, Write, Repeat
11. StrangePegs — The Shadow Lamp 12. Mock? MOCK!
13. Mina Burrows 14. V’s Reads
15. My Creatively Random LIfe 16. Life Before the Hereafter
17. Words Incorporated 18. Berriesandmore
19. Sally’s Scribble 20. Hub City

Tornadoes Left Her TORN AWAY–A Review

Hi there! Today I’d like to share a YA book that hit several notes with me. TORN AWAY, by acclaimed writer Jennifer Brown, recounts the aftermath of one girl’s life after an F5 tornado destroys her hometown in rural Missouri.

Torn AwayAbout the Book:

Jersey Cameron has always loved a good storm. Watching the clouds roll in and the wind pick up. Smelling the electricity in the air. Dancing barefoot in the rain. She lives in the Midwest, after all, where the weather is sure to keep you guessing. Jersey knows what to do when the tornado sirens sound. But she never could have prepared for this.

When her town is devastated by a tornado, Jersey loses everything. As she struggles to overcome her grief, she’s sent to live with relatives she hardly knows-family who might as well be strangers. In an unfamiliar place, can Jersey discover that even on the darkest of days, there are some things no tornado can destroy?

In this powerful and poignant novel, acclaimed author Jennifer Brown delivers a story of love, loss, hope, and survival.

My Review:

Having grown up in the Illinois, I immediately identified with Jersey–and her almost nonchalance when the tornado sirens go off at 5:16 on a Tuesday evening.  I endured the twice-yearly school tornado drills, kneeling on the hard floor against an internal wall, balled up tight head down with my hands crossed over my neck, from kindergarten through senior year.  I have been there, cooking dinner for my kids watching the winds pick up and the sky darken when those ear-splitting peals have sounded. I have been trapped in the tin can of a moving van driving my earthly possessions cross-country as the anvil cloud formed and the hail pelted down and the rain blew sideways with funnel clouds visible in the NOT NEARLY FAR ENOUGH distance. My son was part of a crew that cleaned up the disaster zone in Washington, Illinois nine months ago when a tornado took out half the town. So, yeah, this book hit me freaking hard.

See, like Californians get inured to earthquakes, Midwesterners get too comfortable with storms. What are the chances one is going to hit, right?

Jersey is a typical teen in a blended family. She has a step-father, Ronnie, and a five y/o half-sister, Marin. At times, Jersey is moody and jealous and self-centered. But mostly, she’s a good student who doesn’t get into trouble and has friends she gets along with, even if they have more money and Jersey always feels inferior due to their nicer clothes and slimmer bodies. She’s never known her father, her mother ran away when she was pregnant, so she’s never met her grandparents, either.

Then the tornado comes. Jersey is alone in the house because her mother has taken Marin to dance class and Ronnie has been delayed at work.

The house is torn apart. Jersey survives by hiding under a pool table in the basement which now has a skylight where the kitchen used to be.

She’s terrified, as are the rest of the neighbors, who crawl out of their basements only to find their neighborhood, well, gone. Where the houses stood there is either rubble, or nothing.

Cars? Gone.

Street? Impassable, littered with debris.

Trees? They haven’t been splintered to lay across the road or toppled over onto houses, they are simply missing. Gaping wounds in the soil bear witness to the storm’s intensity, simply plucking them from the ground like carrots. (I had chills too easily visualizing this level of destruction. I want to say I cried, but I didn’t because I was so freaking knotted up my heart was racing and the tears sat poised on my eyelashes.)

People encourage Jersey to join them in a nearby shelter–the rain is coming, and they can’t tell if another tornado is coming because the sirens have been destroyed–but she opts to wait in the open-air basement, so that she’ll be home when her mother returns.

Mild spoiler: Jersey’s mom and Marin don’t make it. I only reveal this because it sets up the rest of the story. See, after two days of searching and waiting, Jersey is discovered by Ronnie, who is so busted with grief he sends Jersey three hours away to live with her father. That was when I started crying.

Jersey lives with the guilt of surviving. And, she’s doing that on a screen porch in a house full of low-lifes and lunatics with a father who–straight out–tells she she’s unwanted and of lesser status than his other kids. It is all Jersey can do to cope, yet she does. She keeps notes on Marin, keeping her spirit alive with tiny cartoons and cherishing Marin’s most precious treasures rescued from the wreckage. She laments her previously mean ways, wishing to turn time back and do it all differently. Even to have gone to the dance class if it would mean she had died with her mother and sister and not had to live this horrible half-life.

Don’t think Jersey is a puddle of woe. She isn’t, but she is forgotten and forsaken. Back in her home community, people are rebuilding, and she wants to be a part of that. She wants to feel love–and it isn’t happening in her dad’s home. Her stepsisters torment her, steal from her, until one day Jersey snaps and an altercation leads to her running away.

She doesn’t end up on the streets, however. (THANK GOD!!) In fact, the place she’s sent is the exact right place she needs to be. Ronnie is moving back east–he can’t bear the loss he’s suffered, and Jersey is all tied in with that, so he’s leaving her behind, too. No, Jersey’s new home is the place her mother ran from, the people she’s heard horrible stories about her whole life. And it is there that Jersey is able to heal.

Jersey’s tale really got to me. She is let down and abandoned by just about everyone–her stepfather, her real father, her friends–but she finds sanctuary and she finds hope and she finds that she has people to love her, to share her grief. All I can tell you is this: I would recommend this book to anyone. It is amazing.

Interested? You can find TORN AWAY on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

Jennifer BrownAbout the Author:

Two-time winner of the Erma Bombeck Global Humor Award (2005 & 2006), Jennifer’s weekly humor column appeared in The Kansas City Star for over four years, until she gave it up to be a full-time young adult novelist.

Jennifer’s debut novel, HATE LIST (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009) received three starred reviews and was selected as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a VOYA “Perfect Ten,” and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. HATE LIST also won the Michigan Library Association’s Thumbs Up! Award, the Louisiana Teen Readers Choice award, the 2012 Oklahoma Sequoyah Book Award, was an honorable mention for the 2011 Arkansas Teen Book Award, is a YALSA 2012 Popular Paperback, received spots on the Texas Library Association’s Taysha’s high school reading list as well as the Missouri Library Association’s Missouri Gateway Awards list, and has been chosen to represent the state of Missouri in the 2012 National Book Festival in Washington, DC. Jennifer’s second novel, BITTER END, (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011) received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and VOYA and is listed on the YALSA 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults list and is a 2012 Taysha’s high school reading list pick as well.

Jennifer writes and lives in the Kansas City, Missouri area, with her husband and three children. You can connect with Jennifer via her website, Goodreads and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!