The Juvie Three

by Gordon Korman
Carver County Library audiobook 5 discs
read by Christopher Evan Welch
genre: YA realistic fiction

Gecko, RJ, and Terrence went to prison for different reasons, but Douglas Healy saw something in each of them worth redeeming. He fought for a special halfway house to help them get out of juvenile detention (and in RJ's case, adult prison). What happens to the "boys" when they are with Healy would give away the story. Suffice it to say, I really dislike Terrence and his propensity for selfish choices. Gecko was my favorite and I loved RJ! This was a thoroughly enjoyable story without being too goody-goody (yet doesn't have a lot of the ugliness that so many edgy YA books have). Delightful! Welch did excellent vocal work on this!

Skullcrack

by Ben Bo
PRMS hardcover 159 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction w/supernatural elements

A parent called last year to complain about her son reading this book. I talked to the student and found a different book for him to read. So now I have FINALLY read this, and I'm not sure what she was objecting to . . . did she think it was about drugs?

Jonah loves to surf. It's how he escapes his problems, and especially his alcoholic father. He has some weird visions and kids at school think he's crazy (like his dad). Megan tries to befriend him while her brother Billy taunts. His dad takes the money Jonah has earned working for Fergus on his boat and spends it all on alcohol. Worse, he tears up the only photo of his mother that Jonah had.

Sally
twins
The Bone Man
prophesying
Gaelic words, expressions
hurricane Edwin in Florida

Interesting book. Not especially well-written, but not horrible.

Sweet Mercy

by Ann Tatlock
Carver County Library paperback 311 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction

Set during the Great Depression, this is a story of a teenager who strives to be the "good girl" she thinks her parents want. Her older sister Cassandra was a wild child, drinking, partying, and hanging out with the boys.

Ugh. Can't write a synopsis. Loved the book! Tatlock is a wonderful writer. Even seemed almost too innocent and pure, but it was realistic for the era . . . and in response to trying to be unlike an older sibling who went astray. Eve's black and white view of everything was part of what made the lesson of mercy come home in this book.

Link, Marcus, Jones, Annie and Moses, bootlegging, bands, raids . . . It was very fun to go see The Belmont Hotel show right after reading this.


Added 4 Dec 2013:
I had made some notes on a card after our book club discussion. Not much came of it . . .
- Al Capone - end of life conversion to Christianity? I didn't find anything that indicated he had repented and turned to Jesus before he died. I am not willing to invest a lot of time and energy looking, but I spent some time searching online and didn't come up with anything. There was an interesting story about what happened with his body and publicity hounds, though.
- Five and Twenty Law? Doesn't seem as though this was a real phenomenon. In the book, it sounded completely legit, but I can't find evidence of a law like this anywhere. Again, I didn't search exhaustively, but it certainly doesn't show up in the many keyword searches I tried.
- MN History Center? They have a new exhibit on Prohibition and I really want to go! I wonder if I should try to get Louie to go with me, or get the book club ladies to go.
- Killer who repented to Chuck Colson? Again, couldn't find it. In his many years of prison ministry, he probably heard lots of criminals repent and turn their lives over to Jesus. But in my looking online, I couldn't find a story that stood out. I think someone at book club had mentioned this.

Lockdown (Escape from Furnace #1)

by Alexander Gordon Smith
PRMS paperback 290 pages
genre: YA horror

Alex Sawyer - thief, bully . . . NOT a killer, tried & convicted for the murder of his best friend Toby
Donovan - his cell mate, been in Furnace five years (for killing abusive father figure to prevent his mother's death)
Zee - went in with Alex, helped him once, planning with him to escape
Montgomery - went in with Alex and Zee, picked on by the Skulls
Gary - new "fish" - cruel, takes over the Skulls

After the horrible "Summer of Slaughter" when so many teenagers ran rampant and killed innocent people for no apparent reason, Furnace was built deep underground. "An underground hellhole. A place of pure evil with walls soaked in blood." The horrors of Furnace are part the reality of a really horrible prison and part the imagined horrors of supernatural creation. This book is intense (and part of me wants to keep reading the series . . . ). My favorite parts were when the guys talked about the importance of having hope. And the author interview at the end. What a fun individual!

Cause: Reconstruction America, 1863-1877

by Tonya Bolden
PRMS hardcover 121 pages
genre: non-fiction, history

I feel so ignorant of history! This was an interesting book about the period just after the Civil War. It is a bit disconcerting to think of what the Republicans and Democrats stood for at that point in U.S. history. It was also a very stark reminder that our country had some very serious problems (and that our modern view of things getting really bad is perhaps a bit skewed). It makes me sad to read about some of the ugly things done and to imagine what it would have been like to live (especially in the south) during that era. "Andrew Johnson" has never been a very key president in my mind, but his leadership definitely impacted our country in a powerful way. I can't help but wonder how things would have been different had Lincoln remained in office.

Beastly

by Alex Flinn
Hennepin County Library audiobook 6 discs
read by Chris Patton
genre: YA romance, fantasy

Basically, it's the Beauty and the Beast story in modern NYC.

Liked: interesting enough to listen to, great narrator, happy-ever-after, literary allusions and references

Disliked: the "chat room" stuff with other creatures who've had transformations, generally a shallow story, Kyle's jerk personality dominating so much of the book

Now I know what kind of reader to recommend it to!

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

by John Boyne
PRMS hardcover 212 pages
genre: YA Holocaust fiction

I'm glad I *finally* read this book! Kids seem to love it a lot. It's often gone from my shelves.

Bruno is a nine-year-old boy who really doesn't understand a lot of things. Mistaking "Fuhrer" for "Fury" and "Auschwitz" for "Out-with," he can only relate to the fact that he and his family have had to leave their lovely home in Berlin so that his father can wear a fancy new uniform and be a Commandant. He doesn't understand the large fence next to his new home or why all the people living inside the fence are so skinny and wearing striped pajamas.

I feel silly saying this, but the ending took me a bit by surprise. I wonder if kids reading this book understand the true horrors of the Holocaust, or if Bruno's naive view somehow softens the reality. This would be interesting to do for book club.

Smiles to Go

by Jerry Spinelli
Hennepin County Library audiobook 4 discs
read by Conor Donovan
genre: YA realistic fiction, relationships, family

Although there were some things that were very likable about this book, the irritating behavior of five-year-old Tabby made me not able to appreciate them. She is absolutely horrid in her behavior and her parents are benign figures who just take everything in stride. Protagonist Will Tuppence is definitely a bit too rigid in how he deals with everything in his life (including his little sister), but this story fell flat for me. Will and his best friends Mi-Su and BT are navigating the waters of teenage life, but the friendship dynamic is an odd one with these personalities.

My favorite part: Will getting advice from five-year-old neighbor Korbet.

Bigfoot Boy: Into the Woods

by J. Torres and Faith Erin Hicks
PRMS paperback 100 pages
genre: YA graphic novel, fantasy adventure

Quick. Fun. Rufus is left at his grandma's house, where he escapes her soap operas by following neighbor girl Penny into the woods. He finds a totem necklace and when he says the word on it, Sasquatch, he turns into one. A "younger" more innocent graphic novel.

Creed's Honor

by Linda Lael Miller
Hennepin County Library audiobook 10 CDs
read by: Jack Garrett
genre: romance

Speaking of romance, WHY do I continue to sample them? The protagonist, Tricia McCall, is too wishy-washy. The relationship progression goes: attraction, first kiss, hot sex, first date. What?! Conner Creed is gorgeous, smart, etc. and yet is available. His twin brother Brody has recently returned home, but they have bad history between them.

Redeeming qualities? Not as trashy as some other romance writing. But I know why some people refer to romance novels as "pornography for women." The storytelling was weak. What happened between Brody & what's-her-face to make Conner think his brother betrayed him and caused the two to not talk for over a decade? Why did Tricia stay in a "relationship" for a year and a half with a guy she almost never communicated with? Because he's "safe"? Really? Her great-grandmother vacates her house within a few days once she has decided to move to Denver. Really?

This just didn't work for me. And the romance wasn't. Romantic, I mean. Tricia was just too pathetic for me.

The Moon and More

by Sara Dessen
Hennepin County Library hardcover 435 pages
genre: YA romance, coming-of-age

Better than the Colasanti stuff, but still not my cup of tea! Emaline has been dating the gorgeous Luke since the two were freshman. Ready to enjoy her last summer before college, Emaline gets caught up in a wave of emotions surrounding her relationship with her biological father, ambitious Theo, and her friends and family members.

My favorite parts involved Clyde, the mysterious artist about whom Theo and his obnoxious film-making boss are pursuing a story.

Predictable, but definitely a better story than other YA romances.

Mountains Beyond Mountains: The quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a man who would cure the world

by Tracy Kidder
Hennepin County Library audiobook 9 discs
read by Paul Michael
genre: non-fiction

later!

I finished this a week ago, but the impact it left on me is strong. I had never heard of Dr. Paul Farmer before this story. He is undoubtedly an exceptional person who has not allowed barriers to stop his work in improving health care for Haitians and others. His methodology and philosophy are not acceptable to everyone, however. He can come across as arrogant and self-important. He certainly doesn't hesitate to criticize anyone who disagrees with him.

Yet . . . who of us has worked so tirelessly to help others? His compassion for the poor and frustration with the disparities of rich vs. poor access to health care is very real. He has truly made a difference.

I think this author did an amazing job of capturing and relating the different facets of Farmer's personality, philosophy, and work. I would love to read more of Kidder's work; I think he's a gifted author.

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

sub-sub titled "Supercharge your mental circuits to beat stress, sharpen your thinking, lift your mood, boost your memory and much more."

by John J. Ratey, M.D. with Eric Hagerman
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by  ??? The author, I believe
genre: non-fiction self-help

Must blog later - just realized how late I am!

Later (8/30/13) - started several days ago . . . and am now finishing.

This book was very interesting. The author cited a lot of research that correlates aerobic exercise with mental wellness. He covered the impact of exercise on depression, dementia, addiction, stress, ADHD, etc. My favorite parts were the school-related findings and how exercise can decrease the negative impacts of stress. Now if only I could get it in gear and start moving!

The Raft

by S.A. Bodeen
PRMS hardcover 231 pages
genre: YA survival story

This is a good one for kids who like quick reads. Robie is flying from her aunt's home in Honolulu to her parents on Midway Island when the plane goes down. A lot of the story is about this relatively shallow (IMO) teenager and how she reacts to situations. But there are some neat undercurrents that result in a fun ending. I enjoyed it and can easily recommend it to middle schoolers who like suspense. As Carol Scheffler said, "There are so few survival stories with female protagonists."

Eleanor and Park

by Rainbow Rowell
Hennepin County Library hardcover 325 pages
genre: YA relationships

Leslie Geissler told me "You HAVE to read this book!" I'm so glad she did. It was a bit hard to get past the use of the F-word (for me), but it was such an incredible story of two people who find friendship, then love, after being misfits for a long time. Eleanor is a very poor girl who wears strange clothing and has flaming red hair. She's not petite. Park is an Asian American who is quite attractive, but not typically masculine. They are wonderful characters to get to know. I need to buy this one for my collection.

Blue Moon Bay

by Lisa Wingate
Hennepin County Library paperback 377 pages
genre: Christian fiction

"For Seattle architect Heather Hampton, a trip back to tiny Moses Lake, Texas, is hardly in the plan. Yet because a promotion hinges on the sale of the family farmland, Heather heads to the last place she ever watned to go. She's determined to return home, signed contract in hand, the next day."

This was a wonderful book! Maddening at times - I actually had to set it aside for a bit - the relationships and characters were engaging. I empathized with Heather while I thought she should work on her communication skills. There was some mystery at the end, and of course everything works out. Some of these people wasted 16 years not resolving issues, though.

I hadn't heard of this author before. Book Club should be fun!

9/1/13
Book club WAS fun! It's always a joy to hear other people's opinions. I already took my post-it flags out of the book, but I marked sections where Heather expressed her love for her brother Clay, where she compared Clay's attitude to having faith, where she remembers her father talking about accepting Jesus and the way he loved unconditionally . . . there were a lot of good parts in this book. I mostly didn't like how her family kept secrets from her. We also had a good conversation about parents being partial to one child over another. How can people do that?

Spinal Cord Injury and the Family

by Dr. Michelle J. Alpert and Saul Wisnia
Hennepin County Library paperback 329 pages
genre: non-fiction

This is an amazing book - so much so that I'm ordering my own copy off Amazon. It is informative, positive, and has lots of examples from different people's lives. It covers an incredible range of issues for SCI individuals and their families.

I also liked (but not nearly as much) - Mayo Clinic Guide to Living with a Spinal Cord Injury. I didn't read a lot of it, but it was definitely informative and had helpful graphics.

I absolutely could not get much out of a third book I got at the same time. I've already returned it and don't remember the title, but it was written by two doctors who are apparently unaware that lay people do not have their medical knowledge.

Added 2/6/14
I finished reading all of SCI and the Family. What an incredibly well-written book. The authors are compassionate, helpful, realistic, and encouraging. They talk about physical issues, parenting, sexuality, dating, and different types of relationships. I'm glad I read this. I hope that it reaches a large audience of people who have been affected by SCI.

Deeply Odd

by Dean Koontz
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 discs
read by David Aaron Baker
genre: paranormal adventure, mystery

This one actually had me wondering what would happen to Odd. It was so very dark in places . . . I still like the very first Odd Thomas book the best. This one was hard to listen to in places with the demons and the evil. I liked Edie Fischer, though thought her unusual addition to Odd's life to be a bit too coincidental. I liked the interactions with Alfred Hitchcock's ghost, though I still prefer Elvis Presley - again, the first story is best! This is a new release, but I'm already anticipating the next installment. I haven't ever read any other Koontz books, but I love this character. As always, Baker does an excellent job voicing it.

Bugged me: repetitions. I understand Koontz including info from other stories to "catch" readers up if they haven't read the other Odd Thomas books, but he repeated within this book. For example, Odd explaining Stormy's interpretation of the afterlife to Mrs. Fisher and then again to Alfred Hitchcock. It gets old! It was fun to read some of the reviews on Amazon. I should pay more attention to my writing! But as always, this blog is just my spot to record my reactions. I liked this book a lot.

Ask the Passengers

by A.S. King
Hennepin County Library hardcover 293 pages
genre: YA coming-of-age, GLBTQ

Astrid Jones isn't sure of a lot of things. Feeling unloved (by her parents, friends, etc.), she sends her love to the airplanes that pass overhead as she lies on the picnic table in her back yard. Her "best friend" Kristina is popular and cute in the small town culture of Unity Valley. Her dad gets stoned. Her mom is a perfection / control freak. Her little sister Ellis just wants to fit in. Her co-worker Dee is sometimes too aggressive, but Astrid loves kissing her. Her philosophy class is really challenging her to think about truth, life, and her paradox: Nobody's perfect.

My favorite scene: when Astrid and Ellis finally talk to one another about life toward the end of the book.

I didn't like this one quite as much as Everybody Sees the Ants, but King is an amazing writer who captures the thoughts and moods of teenagers. The small-mindedness and gossip of this small town will resonate with lots of kids.

Pendragon: the Lost City of Faar

by D.J. MacHale
personal copy paperback 386 pages
genre: YA fantasy adventure

Like: Cloral, Spader, Faar, reading it rather than listening to it as an audiobook
Dislike: ponderous storytelling style, Mark being a wuss about Andy Mitchell the bully and not telling Courtney about the problems with him and the journals until the end, the author's use of outdated slang terms . . .

I don't think I'll continue with this series. I just don't enjoy his writing style (especially compared with Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series which are super-quick and engaging reads).