Ms. Marvel, volume 2

by Wilson Alphona and Miyazawa Bondoc
PRMS hardcover unpaged
genre: YA graphic novel, superhero

Kamala is back as sixteen-year-old Ms. Marvel, trying to save Jersey City from evil.

Fave part: her realizing her brother is a three-dimensional person and appreciating him. (And Bruno being such an amazing friend to her.)

Least fave part: her falling head-over-heels for Kamran the first time they meet. (And her desire to save the kittens more than she wants to deal with the emergency situation of saving her brother's life.)

I know I read Ms. Marvel volume 1, but I'm not sure I blogged it. It surprised me with its perspective (American Pakastani Muslim girl becoming a superhero . . . ). I liked it.

Sophie and Carter

by Chelsea Fine
on a shelf paperback 119 pages
genre: YA realistic, relationships

I had purchased this for school but reconsidered . . . the fonts used are super hard to read and it looked as though it might be a too-mature book for middle school. So it sat on my "consideration" shelf for a long time until I finally started reading it during lunch breaks.

Then I brought it home to finish it. The content is serious, indeed, but not in the way I expected. Sophie's mom is a prostitute who is almost never home, leaving the high school senior responsible for her three younger siblings. This includes feeding them, making sure they get to school, do their homework, etc. Next door neighbor Carter was horribly abused by his father until he was big enough to fight back. Now Carter cares for his mother, a broken woman who is mentally ill.

Through their years of friendship, the two have fallen in love but it takes a while for them to realize it. On some levels, this is a really beautiful book about what love really is. In other ways, it is so trite. The likelihood of these two seventeen-year-olds to overcome such traumatic childhoods to be balanced, caring, healthy individuals is unlikely. That said, I'm trying to think of which kiddo would *love* this book and want to own it!

If I Grow Up

by Todd Strasser
Carver County Library hardcover 220 pages
genre: YA realistic, gangs

This was so sad! Strasser again mixes factual information within his fictional story. DeShawn is a good kid growing up in the projects. He sees the drug dealers, prostitutes, violence, and hopelessness. The story is told in short chapters that broke my heart. This is almost a "call to action" for its readers. Poverty and hopelessness are powerful and real. Some students helped me create an audiobook for students who struggle to read. I had to bring it home to finish reading the whole story. So incredibly sad!

Every Day

by David Levithan
Hennepin County library audiobook 7 discs
read by Alex McKenna
genre: YA SciFi gender fluidity

A - changes bodies every day, sometimes a male and sometimes a female. Has been this way since birth but didn't realize it was unusual until reaching the age of 4.

Rhiannon - changes A's life by being herself. A is in her boyfriend's body for a day and falls in love with her. A is determined to stay with her.

Nathan - is inhabited by A for a day and KNOWS something happened to him. He confides in a preacher who has a website looking for people's stories of "demon possession."

Overall, I disliked this story but found that it stuck with me. Though the premise was far-fetched (a person whose "self" lives in a different body each day of existence), Levithan made it worked. I cared about A and wanted "him" to have a happy ever after . . .

The author's stance that gender is superfluous and same-sex, trans, and every other permutation of sexuality is irrelevant in light of who the person is "on the inside" came through loud and clear. Rhiannon's hesitance to kiss A when A is in a female body is roundly denounced by A, who doesn't see why it should bother her.

Ultimately, the story had my attention and I was pleasantly surprised by the resolution . . . although it brought me back to the oddness of the premise. Levithan is a talented storyteller, no question. I just didn't enjoy this one. 

More: How to Move from Activity for God to Intimacy with God

by Greg Hawkins
Hennepin County Library hardcover 203 pages
genre: Christian living

This was recommended by a colleague. Overall, I wasn't as inspired as I was by Francis Chan's Crazy Love. I marked a lot of pages, though, so clearly I made some connections!

Page 45 - The study that his church commissioned found four groups of Christians. Group Four were the "more" group. "People in this group love God with their whole heart and love others as themselves. They have found a life of purpose, a life of loving others, a life of inner contentment and peace. We want these things. We crave that kind of life, especially when we learn that it's not about doing more things." So true! I want to BE one of "those" Christians . . .

Page 51 - "We were made for an intimacy we cannot even imagine, one in which we feel loved and safe and joyful in ways we've never experienced in this life."

Page 85 - "When we worry, we are telling God, 'I don't trust You. I don't think You can help. . . '" This theme has come up in my readings before, but it's always a good reminder! I have gotten better about trusting God, but I'm surprised I still struggle with this at all!

Page 99 - "Rather than thinking I've got to . . . begin to think, We're going to . . . you and God. Think of doing your day, moment by moment, with God." This is an interesting shift. I'm not sure I can do it! But I think it's an exercise I should try.

Page 127 - "I really prefer the idea of the Bible as 'food' or nutrition that is essential to having an intimate relationship with God. Eating isn't a habit; it's absolutely necessary to live. A habit is something you can break or give up. You simply cannot live without food, and that's how you should approach the Bible: I need this to survive. Without it I will die."

Page 140 - Sometimes, this author's words bugged me rather than inspired me. I don't feel like noting all of them, but this one jumped off the page at me! "At the end of the day, the only thing that will last is people. The only thing that is truly immortal is the human soul." What?! People *don't* last - that's why there's so much crying at funerals. And the "only thing" that is truly immortal is God Himself! If you're trying to make the point that people are important and we should pay attention to them, find a different way to express that!

Page 144 - I'm not sure why I marked this part on small groups . . . maybe I was thinking of the value of book club and the conversations we have about life and following Jesus.

Page 179 - "Push kills your life. I push so that things happen at the pace I want them to happen, not at the pace that God would like them to happen. And God has a pace in mind for things, which will bless me." This really resonates. I hate the go-go-go of modern life. I hate the push, and want God's MORE.

PRMS Book Club

I deleted this widget, but thought I might want to save the list. Each title should also be a blog entry somewhere . . .

Past Titles:
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh - March 2014
The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout - February 2014
Having Our Say: The Delaney Sisters' First One Hundred Years - by Sadie Delaney and Bessie Delany, with Amy Hill Hearth - January 2014
Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi - December 2013
The Secrets of Mary Bowser by Lois Leveen - November 2013
Wonder by R.J. Palacio - October 2013
Personal favorites - May 2013
Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly - April 2013
No Easy Day by Mark Owen and Kevin Maurer - March 2013
One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus - February 2013
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore - January 2013
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - December 2012
The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon - November 2012
Defending Jacob by William Landay - October 2012
Any Classic book (re-reads ok) - May 2012Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer - Apr. 2012 
Same Kind of Different as Me (Hall, Moore, Vincent) - Mar. 2012
Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (Ford) - Feb. 2012
Grisham titles - any - Jan. 2012
Home of the Brave (Applegate) - Dec. 2011
Little Bee (Cleave) - Nov. 2011
Bossypants (Fey) - October 2011
The Art of Racing in the Rain (Stein) - May 2011
Freedom (Franzen) - April 2011
American Assassin (Flynn) - Feb. 2011
Cutting for Stone - (Verghese) - Nov 2010 & Jan 2011!
The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud - (Sherwood) - Oct. 2010
Shanghai Girls (See) - May 2010
The Hunger Games (Collins) - April 2010
The Greatest Generation (Brokaw) - March 2010The Lost Symbol (Brown) - February 2010
The Dive From Clausen's Pier (Packer) - January 2010
The Glass Castle (Walls) - December 2009
Who Killed My Daughter - November 2009

Newton & Polly: A Novel of Amazing Grace

by Jody Hedlund

HC lib paperback 389 pages

genre: Christian historical fiction

John Newton and Polly Catlett

love at first sight / slave trade & abolition / music and passion

Loved the author's note at the end! Most of this story actually was true. (John Newton wrote the hymn "Amazing Grace.")

page 92 - "She didn't know why she bothered to argue with Susanna. She never won the word sparring." I can relate to this! There are times I want to argue, but know I may as well just keep quiet.

page 153 - "But even as her prayers formulated, her soul echoed with emptiness. Would God really hear her? Why would he listen to her when she was riddled with faults? Would she ever be free of her sin and good enough to truly connect with God and feel his presence? If only she could earn his favor. Maybe then he'd finally hear her prayers." I understand why people can feel this way, but trying to earn God's favor is foolish! His grace and mercy are what connects us to Him. We simply can't do enough to be good enough. That's the point!

page 233 - Ugh! How maddening that John continues to make stupid choices! What an idiot! It was hard to like him as a protagonist at times.

page 352 - Finally! "Newton dropped his face into his hands and wept for the man who'd never given up on him. The man who'd loved him though all the difficulties and disappointments and failures. The man who'd never stopped loving him. 'Thank you.' His voice cracked. 'I love you too, Father.'" And I love how he comes to the realization that his heavenly Father loves him, just as his earthly father does.

page 369 - Polly's mom: "No one can expect a perfect marriage. Both partners are sinful human beings, and we bring those sins with us to marriage. However, when two people are committed to growing in holiness there is hope for any problems that arise." So true!

page 385 - from the author's note, a message from John Newton to his wife - "My love has been growing from the day of marriage, and still it is in a growing state. It was once as an acorn, but it has now a deep root and spreading branches like an old oak. It would not have proved so if the Lord had not watered it with his blessing." Love this actual quote from his writings!

Book club discussion - slave trade.

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

by Wendy Mass
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 discs
read by Andy Paris
genre: YA realistic fiction

I enjoyed this story, and there's a lot to it (great discussion book!) but I kind of understand why it hasn't been a hit at my school. It's kind of an odd story. Jeremy and Lizzy are unusual kids, best friends but almost more like siblings. Jeremy's dad is dead and Lizzy's mom is gone.

"A mysterious box with the words "THE MEANING OF LIFE: For Jeremy Fink TO Open On His 13th Birthday" arrives in the mail from Jeremy's long-departed father. The four keys needed to open the box are lost, setting Jeremy and Lizzy off on a quest to find them somewhere in the vastness of New York City."

I liked a lot of the quirkiness (junk dealers, collections, unique people) but was confused by Jeremy's weird phobias and how they developed. Paris' vocal work was wonderful!

The 5th Wave

by Rick Yancey
Hennepin County Library audiobook 10 discs
read by Brandon Espinoza and Phoebe Strole
genre: YA dystopian SciFi

This book was so depressing! In addition to the usual darkness of dystopia, there were kids turning into killers. Lots of death and destruction. The "Others" don't show up as ET-type aliens; they have inserted their intelligence into humans. Who is "infested" and who is not? How do you tell, or do you shoot first and try to figure it out later?

Cassie (short for Casseopia) and her brother Sammy, Ben, the mysterious Evan Walker, . . . and lots of other young people take center stage in this gripping story.

Some of my notes:
- part two is Ben!
- Vosch is evil! Or is he?
 - Evan IS the silencer, right?
- part five is Sammy! Nugget / Sammy
- Who will get there first? Ben/Zombie or Cassie & Evan?

When the book ended, I was frustrated. What happened to Evan? Where will these kids go next? How long until Vosch is after them? I need to read the Infinite Sea!

I found another scrap of paper with notes:
- dystopian = depressing
- theology . . . don't go there! "God hasn't kept His promises" / ugh! I hate when YA authors use their fiction as a platform for theology. It's one thing for a character to explore these issues, but another when proclamations are made.
- hope - yes! So true! If this is lost, then all is over.
- Some beautiful descriptive passages!
- for more mature readers / lots of swearing / challenging, even bleak outlook