Matched

Matched by Ally Condie, Dutton Juvenile, 2010, 384 pp, ISBN: 0525423648

Recap:

Cassia is a member of the Society - a community where there is no need for stress or anxiety; all of your decisions, from your spouse to your career, are carefully planned and decided for you. Cassie just celebrated her 16th birthday, and as a key part of the celebration, she attended her Match Banquet and learned the identity of the boy whom she would eventually marry.

The only catch is, once Cassie got home got home and checked her Match's microchip (the Society's facebook?!), a different boy's face appeared on her screen.

Now Cassia is questioning everything about the world that once made her feel so safe. The only tricky thing about questions is... you may not always like the answers you find.

Review:

I have been dying to read Matched for months. I swear, a week does not go by where I don't see another Matched review pop up on my blog roll. This book is everywhere! I started Cassia's story in a book store over Christmas break and got hooked, but was determined to wait for a copy to come in at the library. In the luckiest twist of fate ever, I met with my favorite YA lit professor a week ago and she so very graciously gave me her ARC copy!!!! It was like Christmas and my birthday rolled into one :)

Now that I've finished this long awaited read, I feel somewhat underwhelmed... Did I enjoy Cassia's story? Absolutely! Am I already pumped up to read Crossed? You bet. I thought Cassia was a protagonist to admire. I wish more of my female students had her unique blend of intelligence, thoughtfulness, courage, and sense of family honor. 

I actually love the ideas behind the Society. We do have such an overabundance of technology in our world today, and many of those modes of technology serve as just another source of pressure or unnecessary drama. On top of that, we have the constant stress of career, relationships, and even personal appearances. The Society has found a way to deal with all of that - to make all citizens feel peaceful and safe. For at least the first half of the book, I found myself half wishing that I could trade places with Cassia!

The "100" lists were fascinating. I am truly all for simplicity, but I cannot imagine doing away with all of our literature and music. How could a person possibly choose just 100 of the world's best stories? Or poems? Or songs? Beyonce better have made that list...

So why was I left feeling so underwhelmed? I was honestly just disappointed when I realized a quarter of the way through that I already knew how the book would end. There is nothing I love more in a book than being surprised by new twists in the plot, and although I was intrigued by the world of the Society, there weren't any real surprises. On top of that, I'm pretty sure Cassia picked the wrong guy. I mean, I don't need to get in a big debate about this, but what did she really see in him? A mystery, but what happens when the mystery is solved? Someone to take care of, but those type of relationships rarely end well. Really, I just wasn't buying it.

Of course, many thousands of people are obsessed with Matched, so don't let the last bit of this review make you think it's not worth reading. It was wholly enjoyable book that I can't wait to recommend to kiddos as The Giver meets Romeo and Juliet! 

PS: I spent a long time playing this Matched game from the book's website. All of my results were waaay far off base (Is there any way I can get Matched with my husband?!), but it didn't stop me from playing over and over! 

The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2006, 560 pp, ISBN: 9780375831003

Recap:
A book thief
A boy with hair like flame
A world divided
A hidden Jew
A papa and mama
Lots of German cursing
Too much death

"If you feel like it, come with me. I will tell you a story.I'll show you something." - Death

Review:
When was the last time that you read something and thought, "My gosh. This is what greatness looks like?" The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is nothing short of extraordinary. The scope of the author's imagination, the beating heart of each character, and the exquisite language, all come together to shine light on the life that existed during one of our world's most tragic periods of death.


Liesel, the book thief, came to Himmel Street in Molching, Germany as a foster child after witnessing the death of her brother. Placed with Hans and Rosa Hubermann, Liesel is granted the opportunity to heal, to grow, and to learn that there can be many different definitions for the word "family." Hans, Liesel's papa, teaches her to read - a skill that will transform the rest of her life.


The cast of characters in Liesel's story is one of the most memorable I've had the privilege of reading about. Max, the fist-fighting Jew who hides in the Hubermann's basement, is so completely endearing that I've been sitting here for 10 minutes thinking about him, and still can't find words to describe his impact. His character is filled with sadness, yes, even heart break, but at the same time he brings so much joy to the story. Through his stories, illustrations, and moment of sky-stealing, he makes Liesel all the more aware of how precious this life is.


Rudy Steiner is my new true-literary love. He is fierce and brave and has the biggest heart and my gosh Liesel, why won't you kiss him already?? In many ways, Rudy made this book for me. I couldn't read through one of his scenes without a smile on my face. A favorite Rudy scene...

"After learning the basics, each student was to write two letters, one to a friend and one to somebody in another class. Liesel's letter from Rudy went like this:

 Dear Saumensch,Are you still as useless at soccer as you were the last time we played? I hope so. That means I can run past you again just like Jesse Owens at the Olympics...

 When Sister Maria found it, she asked him a question, very amiably.

***Sister Maria's Offer***

Do you feel like visiting the corridor, Mr. Steiner?

Needless to say, Rudy answered in the negative... [His] second attempt was to someone named Liesel and inquired as to what her hobbies might be."

And the scene with Rudy and Liesel's book in the river?? Priceless. I can still picture his dripping, freezing, shining face and again I must say... My gosh Liesel, why won't you kiss him already?

One of the most brilliant characters is that of the narrator. His name is death. The quote on the cover of my book reads "Brilliant and hugely ambitious..." and that is exactly the truth. To write in the voice of death... how shockingly, boldly ambitious. And to write so convincingly that I now feel quite sure that I intimately know the habits and emotions of death? Pure genius.

The entire text is so skillfully crafted, peppered with private asides, revealing chapter titles, and passages of hand-drawn stories and illustrations. Each new page is a treasure to be savored.

Please tell me, Book Lovers. Have you experienced the magic of The Book Thief? And if not, what are you waiting for?

Favorite quotes from The Book Thief:

"Arthur had moved on to Rudy. 'And you're the Jesse Owens one, aren't you?' Rudy nodded. 'Clearly,' said Arthur, 'you're an idiot - but you're our kind of idiot. Come on.'

They were in."

"'How about a kiss, Saumensch?'

He stood waist-deep in the water for a few moments longer before climbing out and handing her the book. His pants clung to him, and he did not stop walking. In truth, I think he was afraid. Rudy Steiner was scared of the book thief's kiss. He must have longed for it so much. He must have loved her so incredibly hard."

"'Hair the color of lemons,' Rudy read. His fingers touched the words. 'You told him about me?'

At first, Liesel could not talk. Perhaps it was the sudden bumpiness of love she felt for him. Or had she always loved him? It's likely.

...'Of course I told him about you,' Liesel said.

She was saying goodbye and she didn't even know it."

"I have hated the words

and I have loved them

and I hope I have made them right."

The Mermaid's Mirror

The Mermaid's Mirror by LK Madigan, Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2010, 320 pp, ISBN: 9780547194912

Recap:

Lena has always felt the powerful pull that the ocean has on her heart, and longs to join her best friends as they surf the breaking waves. But Lena has also always honored the wishes of her father, who almost died in a surfing accident before she was born, and has forbidden her from ever trying the sport.

But when Lena sees a mermaid at Magic's, the most dangerous surfing cove on the coast, she knows that she can't stay out of the water any longer. She will do whatever it takes to see the mermaid again, even if it means risking her own life.

Review:

Let me start out by saying, I am a HUGE fan of LK Madigan's Flash Burnout. It is intense, realistic, unpredictable, and often laugh-out-loud funny. I won a copy of The Mermaid's Mirror, and was so excited to experience more LK Madigan magic. I quickly realized... these two books are SO DIFFERENT from each other. It's almost difficult to believe that they were written by the same author. Now that's not to say that I didn't enjoy The Mermaid's Mirror. I did! I just usually expect for an author's books to have threads of similarity between them, but Ms. Madigan is definitely not afraid to do her own thing. I like that.

The Mermaid's Mirror is a full-on fantasy, where mermaids are real and can even live among us on land. I won't reveal the identity of Lena's mermaid, but once you're a few chapters in, you will likely be able to quickly figure it out for yourself. The world that was created for the mer-people to inhabit is different than anything I had originally imagined. Like Lena, I had more or less pictured scenes from Disney's The Little Mermaid. Yet Madigan's world makes much more sense: the mer-people must always be ready to move if danger creeps in, so their "home" is transitory, and can be re-created almost anywhere. 

Clearly, a huge amount of thought went into creating the culture and traditions of the mer-people. I was fascinated to learn that Madigan has actually been writing this book since childhood! When she was only 8-years-old she wrote a 78 page story titled "Mermaid's Fun." This particular version of the story has been in the works for over 9 years, long before Flash Burnout, even though that novel was published first.

I would be remiss not to touch on a few of the other key characters in this novel. Lena's relationships with her two best friends, Pem and Kai (who recently became her boyfriend), are written so incredibly realistically. In particular, I appreciated the scenes where Lena wrestled with how she was supposed to act toward Kai: She knew what he wanted, but she just wasn't ready to be a swoony, lovey, one-track-minded girlfriend. Hooray! There's more to life than having a boyfriend! And even though there is a little more swoony-loveyness later on... Lena's priorities always came back to family, rather than falling in love. 

From the inclusion of her childhood stories, to the inspiration given by her own sister's love of surfing, it's clear that The Mermaid's Mirror was really written from the heart. This book is a fantasy unlike any I've read before, and left me wondering... "Could mermaids really exist?"

For more information, check out:

- this interview between Malinda Lo and LK Madigan

- the cover story behind The Mermaid's Mirror

YEEEEESSSSSS!!!

A couple of months ago I posted the news that Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian was on the short list for 2011's One Maryland, One Book.

Now I don't know when it was officially announced... but I just discovered that JUNIOR WON! That's right, Book Lovers! The Absolutely True Diary is officially the One Maryland, One Book pick for 2011! I'm SO EXCITED!!!!

"So what does this mean?" you ask. Well, this means that copies of Sherman Alexie's brilliantly hilarious, eye-opening, heart-wrenching novel will be delivered by the box load to schools and libraries all across the state of Maryland. Book clubs, high school and college English classes, and independent Book Lovers will read the novel, and then be able to participate in discussion groups all around the state. Mr. Sherman Alexie will be appearing in libraries, and schools, and community centers to discuss his work. In short, Junior will be getting more of the attention that he so rightfully deserves.

The 2010 OMOB pick was Outcasts United by Warren St. John. It was a phenomenal piece of nonfiction, and since reading it, I honestly can't tell you how many conversations I've had with all different people about the book. I can't wait for the same thing to happen with The Absolutely True Diary.

2011 is going to be a great year for reading in Maryland!


In honor of this momentous occasion, I have to post my favorite quote from the book just one more time:

"I grabbed my book and opened it up. I wanted to smell it. Heck, I wanted to kiss it. Yes, kiss it. That's right, I am a book kisser. Maybe it's kind of perverted, or maybe it's just romantic and highly intelligent."

For more glorious quotes and Sherman Alexie goodness, check out my review.

Candor

Candor by Pam Bachorz, Egmont USA, 2009, 256 pp, ISBN: 1606840126

Recap:
Everything is perfect in Candor, FL. From the model homes, to the model students, to the model families, everything flows according to plan. No one ever feels lonely or discontent. No one ever hopes for more. And if they do... well, they can be fixed.

Oscar Banks is the most perfect child of all. But Oscar Banks knows the truth. In Candor, you are what you hear. Every person in the town is subjected to a non-stop stream of Messages, fed into their subconscious. Messages like...

"Academics are the key to success."
"Respectful space in every place."
"Healthy bodies make strong minds."
"Never keep secrets from your parents."
"Trust your parents with everything."

...guarantee that no one jeopardizes the perfection that is Candor. But Oscar has learned how to create Messages of his own, and so far, none of his "clients" have had any complaints. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and it looks like Oscar's reign as teenage master of the Messages could be nearing its limits.

Review:
Candor reminded me so much of The Unidentified in that the whole time I was reading I kept thinking, "Holy smokes. This could all come true." Oscar's father created the Candor community after Oscar's brother's death. Mr. Banks created the Messages as a way to ensure that nothing else bad could touch their family; in fact, he went so far as to try and use the Messages to make his family forget that their first son had never existed. You can imagine how well that went over.

As more and more people experienced the "calming" effects of living in Candor, families began to flock to the small Florida community - especially families with "problem children" who had heard that Candor could "fix" their kids. Now I know that this sounds pretty twisted: widespread brainwashing, non-stop subliminal messaging that people actually pay for... But I can think of a few good ways to put the Messages to use in my own school! Just kidding. Mostly.

Of course, no YA novel would be complete without a love connection, and in this case she comes in the form of Nia. Now, I understand that Nia's arrival in Candor is really the catalyst for the entire plot, but is it crazy to say I preferred Mandi? Mandi's constant back-and-forth mental battle with the Messages (that she had no idea she was even fighting) just made me laugh. She may have been the teenage version of a Stepford Wife, but I still felt like she was the more interesting of the two girls.

I have to say, I completely enjoyed Candor from start to finish, but the last chapter was what made this book just so incredibly satisfying. I really did not see that ending coming! I can't wait to recommend it to my middle school readers.

Author Pam Bachorz found the inspiration for Candor from the six years she spent living in Celebration, FL. See... this whole story could really happen! This was Bachorz' first novel, and in many ways she reminds me of the hugely talented LK Madigan. Both women have a brilliant knack for writing in the voice of a teenage male.

For more on Candor, check out Pam Bachorz' website. I LOVE the section of Candor "goodies." Especially the real Candor, FL website. Too funny!

Friday Blog Hop

Check out all of the details on this weekly "BOOK PARTY" at Crazy for Books! Here is this week's question: "Do you read only one book at a time? Or have several going at once?"

Typically, I am a monogamous book lover! I rarely read more than one book at a time because once I start the second, I lose all interest in the first. However, I've been doing nightly devotions with this book since the beginning of Lent, in addition to my regular reads, and that two-book relationship is treating me well so far :) What about you? Leave me a comment so that I can come check out your book blog and reading habits!

If you are new to Book Love, welcome! I love meeting new Book Lovers. Have a look around and enjoy this beautiful spring weekend!

FINALLY: Katniss Everdeen will be played by...

... Jennifer Lawrence! Yup, I hadn't heard of her either.

But evidently she's amazing, and surely she must be in order to have won this oh-so-coveted role. I'm just excited that someone has finally been cast so that we can start shooting this darn movie! Mockingjay feels like years ago, and I need some fresh Hunger Games goodness in my life.

Now if you'll excuse me, Book Lovers... I'm off to imdb Ms. Everdeen Lawrence.

Winter's Passage

Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa, Harlequin Teen - ebook, 2010, 59 pp, ASIN: B003N2QUZG


Warning: You probably don't want to read the following recap if you haven't read The Iron King!


Recap:
Mere minutes after being reunited with her family in the human world, Prince Ash had already returned to collect Meghan Chase and deliver her to Queen Mab in Tir Na Nog.


Winter's Passage, an e-novella, is the story of Ash and Meghan's journey into the Winter Court.


Review:
Ok Book Lovers, you know that The Iron King just didn't do it for me, but I still wasn't ready to give up on the series. When I learned that the Iron Fey site was offering a free download of Winter's Passage, the novella that fits between The Iron King and The Iron Daughter, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to give the series another shot.

At 59 pages, Winter's Passage is a super quick read. I liked that it gave Meghan and Ash's "relationship" a little more time to develop. Their whole attraction didn't make much sense to me in The Iron King, but because the entire novella focused on their travels together, I was able to finally buy in to their growing attraction.

Over the course of their journey to Tir Na Nog, Meghan and Ash travel to visit Puck, one of my favorite characters, who is still healing within a giant oak tree. I have to confess... I love Puck, but I was a little relieved that he was still unconscious because I needed a respite from the Ash-Meghan-Puck love triangle.

Winter's Passage actually got me excited to read The Iron Daughter. It was short, sweet, and focused: the perfect afternoon book-snack. If you want to read it for yourself, the free download is only good until April.

Thank you to Small Review for bringing it to my attention!

Lost and Found WINNERS!

Thank you to all who entered the Lost and Found Giveaway! The two lucky winners are Beth and Kathleen, who will be emailed in the next 30 seconds for their mailing addresses... If they don't respond within the week, 2 new winners will be chosen!

Fallen

Fallen by Lauren Kate, Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2009, 368 pp, ISBN: 0385738935


Recap:
After leaving her last boarding school under a cloud of suspicion and shame - she may or may not have murdered her crush in a fire - Luce is at her last chance school: Sword and Cross.

Once she arrives on campus, Luce is quickly swept up in the drama of the "reformers." But even as she learns to navigate the soul-sucking classes, weigh the sincerity of potential friends, and cope with the bitter loneliness of leaving her family... all of that is overshadowed by the connection she feels to the mysterious Daniel Grigori.

Daniel is far from charming, in fact most of the time he goes out of his way to avoid Luce, but she just can't shake the feeling that they're meant to be together. If Luce had any idea just what "being together" would mean for her and Daniel.

Review:
First I just need to say, "Thank you Lauren Kate!" This lady has officially shaken me out of my reading slump. While the last novel I finished took me a month a half (I think that's some kind of record), I finished this baby in two short days. Fallen is nothing if not a page-turner!

I received Fallen in the Book Blogger Holiday Swap (Thank you again, Jennie!), and it was my first ever "angel book." From the very first page, I was completely consumed by Luce's story. There was romance, danger, and a mystery to solve. On top of that, some of the characters were just downright funny; Arrianne was one of my favorites.

Now that being said, there were some aspects of Fallen that were just a little too Twilight-esque for my tastes. Just so we're clear: I love Twilight. For real. But Edward and Bella are the only couple where I'll buy the whole "It's totally inexplicable and you're really not even that nice to me but I'll still swoon over you every single day because I know we're destined to be together forever and forever. And I might even lose my soul just to make sure I don't lose you." Outside of Forks, WA, I need my love relationships to develop a little (or a lot) more realistically.

You can bet on one thing, Book Lovers. I will most definitely be reading Torment, book 2 in the series, just as soon as I can get my hands on a copy! Check out the following video for the inside scoop on Fallen, straight from Ms. Lauren Kate:

Today is the Day! Let's Battle.

My gosh, I love School Library Journal's Battle of the Kids' Books!

February was a pretty dismal month for me, book wise. I only actually finished one book (and that was on February 1st!). I think the Battle of the Books is just what I need to shake this reading slump once and for all.

Historically, the BOB has been chock full of fantastic books that I haven't yet read. Last year over Spring Break I read my way through 8 of the contenders, and it was one of the best weeks of reading I had all year. I was introduced to jaw-droppingly-incredible books like The Lost Conspiracy and Tales from Outer Suburbia, that I probably would not have picked up on my own.

I can't wait to start reading through this year's list! Today marks the official start of the battle, as judge Francisco X. Stork (love him!) has to choose between As Easy As Falling Off the Face of the Earth and The Cardturner. Who will win? I have no idea. But I can't wait to read the verdict!

And one more thing... my vote to win the whole shebang? I've got to go with Will Grayson, Will Grayson. What about you, Book Lovers? Who is your #1 contender this year?

Why I'm Becoming a Hobo

This is too funny.

Thank you to the Lovely Little Shelf for sharing!

What a Giveaway!

Ok Book Lovers, I have never blogged about a giveaway in my life, but this one is just so darn good! If you're the lucky winner, you will receive signed copies of:

- The Eternal Ones by Kiersten Miller
- The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
- Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
- Matched by Ally Condie
- Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Guess how many of these I've read... ZERO. That's right. I need to fix this situation! For your chance to win, find out all of the details on how to enter here.

The Iron King

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa, Harlequin Teen, 2010, 368 pp, ISBN: 9780373210084

Recap:

Meghan Chase has grown up always feeling like something of an outsider. But when her little brother Ethan is kidnapped, Meghan quickly learns that she is even more of an outsider than she could have ever imagined. She is actually the half daughter of King Oberon, King of the Seelie Court. Her brother was taken in order to lure her into the realm of the fey, to take her place in the brewing war between the fairy courts.

Review:

I was incredibly excited to finally read The Iron King. Every since I started blogging, I had seen person after person list it as one of their absolute favorite reads. In fact, this series was part of the reason why I joined the YA Series Challenge.

Unfortunately, this book just did not live up to the hype for me. I felt like there were elements of the Percy Jackson series: a "half-blood" child discovers the truth about his/her heritage, and has to rise to a challenge in order to save a world... human or otherwise. However, in the case of Meghan's story, I almost wished that she could have spent a little time at Camp Half-Blood, developing her powers and learning about her history before jumping into her quest. Her whole story just felt a little disjointed to me. In addition, the love story between her and Ash felt far too abrupt to be believable. I need something to base a passionate connection on - beyond just the fact that the guy is hot! Or in Ash's case, icy-hot :)

That being said, the action really picked up near the end of the story. I was fully invested in Meghan's face-off with Machina, and her exit on the last page left me curious to find out what will happen in the next book. 

So tell me Book Lovers, are you a big fans of this series? What am I missing? Would you recommend The Iron Daughter?

WIN a Copy of Lost and Found by Shaun Tan!

This is your lucky day, Book Lovers!

Thanks to the generous people at Big Honcho Media, TWO special readers will win a copy of Lost and Found by the brilliant Mr. Shaun Tan.

All you need to do is leave a comment below with...
- your name
- your email address (to be used in the event that you WIN!)
- something interesting that you have either lost or found

 Then just cross your fingers for luck and wait until Wednesday, March 16 when the contest closes! Unfortunately, this giveaway is for US residents only.

Lost and Found

Lost and Found by Shaun Tan, Arthur A. Levine Books, 2011, 128 pp, ISBN: 0545229243

"I see that sort of thing less and less these days though. Maybe there aren't many lost things anymore. Or maybe I've just stopped noticing them. Too busy doing other stuff, I guess." - Shaun Tan, The Lost Thing


Have you lost hope that better things are ahead?


Have you lost your sense of wonder at the world around you?


Have you lost the peace that comes with having a home of your own?


Shaun Tan's Lost and Found is vivid reminder that nothing is ever lost, only waiting for us to look with different eyes.


Each of the three short stories within tells a tale of something that has gone missing. Much of each story is left up to the reader to interpret: what is really the thing that is lost? Where do I see that lost thing in my own life?


Tan's meticulously detailed art work adds new shades of mystery and meaning to each word in the text. Truly, Lost and Found is a piece of work that can only be classified as an experience.

The Lost Thing

The Red Tree

The Rabbits

The Rabbits was my favorite story of the three. While all of the art work was done by Tan, the text came from John Marsden. Although the main characters are rabbits, the story clearly brings to mind the plight of the American Indians as the white men took over their land. Marsden explains in the author's notes that his inspiration came from a book that he read about Tecumseh, the great Shawnee leader (who is also the namesake of the camp my dad directs!). At the same time, the story reflects the experience of the Australian aboriginal people who were displaced by white Europeans. I would love to use The Rabbits in a social studies classroom, at almost any grade level.

Finally, I would be remiss not to direct your attention to Tan's absolutely brilliant, Academy Award winning animated short for The Lost Thing:

For more information on this marvelously talented writer and artist, visit Shaun Tan's website. It is a work of art in and of itself! If you're looking for more of Tan's literature to love, check out Tales From Outer Suburbia, my personal favorite from his collection.