YA Review: Giving Up the V by Serena Robar

Giving Up the V by Serena Robar
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

So...
Yeah.
This book was NOT what I expected it to be.
From the description, I was truly expecting a humorous journey through the life of Spencer Davis, proud virgin.  What I got was a journey through the life of Spencer Davis,...um, Just kinda waiting on someone to give it to.

I'm not a prude, nor am I a stranger to books that cover the sexual ideas and philosophies of teenaagers, but this book left me unsatisfied.

Spencer Davis has just turned 16.  And in her house that means her first trip to the gynecologist and a brand new shiny pack of birth control pills.  The first date in the stirrups proves to be mortifying but not fatal and Spencer is less than enthused about receiving this rite of passage because she personally can't see herself needing the pills.  She isn't very much like the other members of her "Crew", who are very much sexually active.

YA Review: Scored by Lauren Mclaughlin

Scored by Lauren McLaughlin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My ACT score was in the 20's.
Nobody cares about that anymore.

My GPA has always been "above average"
No one wants to hear about it.

My life has been carefully controlled by grades, scores, ratings and rank since before I was even aware of it, all under the premise that if I scored well enough, the finances that I didn't have wouldn't matter.  That without these scores, I was doomed to only achieve the levels my money would allow.  The rich children would have better opportunities, but the well-scored could always level the field through merit-based scholarship.

Recently, I've begun to monitor my Klout score.  Klout is an algorithim calculations based website that monitors your social media influence.  Higher scores reflect the amount of people on the web that value what you talk about and share.  Companies use these scores to pinpoint the best people to help market their products.  For instance, a high klout score with an emphasis on Cars, may get you a free week-long test drive from a car company.

On the surface these things sound AWESOME.  No more is it about "who you know", or "what you have", but it's about YOU.  Who you are.  What you do.  Fair and impartial, technology does the work that humans have failed at.

That said, let me just start this review by admitting that the most chilling thing that hit me almost immediately, was that Imani, our main character's "score" in this book is 64...

My Klout "score" is 64.

We're ALREADY scoring and charting and tagging ourselves into a fresh new caste system.  One where everyone is "better" because no one is.

Oh my gosh where do I even begin.

It's Here (and everywhere else): The Hunger Games Official Trailer

Yes, please.

YA Graphic Review: Skim by Mariko Tamaki

Skim by Mariko Tamaki
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Whenever I read a book that has graced a few banned lists, I always wonder why people don't trust young adults or worse yet, TEENS, to be intelligent and open-minded enough to ingest a story and take only the parts necessary to them. Contrary to belief, they are not as susceptible to peer pressure as most accuse them of being, and are actually more willing to step out on their own beliefs than most adults I know!

That being said, it is clear why Skim made the banned list. Teen Suicide, Student/Teacher impropriety, Wicca and homosexuality make it a prime target for rough attention. However, each and every one of those plot-lines is addressed in such a cavalier way that this book becomes all too important for young adults to read.

YA Review: The Dust of 100 Dogs

The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A-MAZING.
There are a good number of YA books that can crossover to Adult Fiction and cause quite a stir. This book just rose to the very top of that list. Two personalities could be a hard thing to read through but A.S. King serves up two exceptional heroines who are hard to ignore or underestimate.

In the 17th century, Emer's horrible luck and sad past has led her away from her family and one true love into piracy. When she finally comes close to returning to that life, the evil Frenchman, to whom she was once betrothed, kills her lover Seanie and when Emer takes her revenge on him, his first mate(and lover)is furious. He kills Emer, but only after cursing her to "live 100 lives as the female dog she is".

To Read: Christian YA Fiction

Prime Choice by Stephanie Perry Moore - With college football recruiters checking him out, grades to be proud of, and a gorgeous girlfriend, Perry Sky has every reason to believe that his Senior year is going to be awesome. His relationship with his girlfriend, Tori would be awesome as well, if he could convince her to take their relationship to the next level. The one snag in Perry's plan? He and Tori's commitment to God. Will Perry's desire to do what feels good tamper his judgment in doing what feels right?



Preacher's Kids by Keleigh Crigler Hadley - The stereotype says that PK's or Preacher's Kids are usually the exact opposite of what their parents preach, but is that really true? Mia Griffin believes that she would be considered a normal teen if it weren't for the constant scrutiny attached to her being a PK. Follow her as she encounters everyday challenges under the microscopic lens of her parent's lives.

YA Review: Hot Girl by Dream Jordan

Hot Girl by Dream Jordan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

From the first ten pages I knew I would love this book.
Kate is not your average girl from Bed-Stuy. Well, maybe she is, but her past may be decorated a bit more colorfully than most. She is starting on her 14th summer all alone, with a new foster family, a burning crush on her homeboy Charles, and without the guidance of her best friend Felicia who is spending her summer in Africa. Kate is all set to hold things down solo and slowly press up on Charles when in steps Naleejah, a fly girl from around the way who is all about the fast cars, fast boys, and fast life.

Naleejah takes one look at Kate's "bummy" appearance and painfully obvious crush, and then latches herself on as Kate's new best friend. Eventhough Naleejah laces her with a fresh hairdo and eye-catching new clothes, Kate's street smarts tell her that this new "friend" isn't all she says she is and that her "all that" life isn't all that its cracked up to be either. First of all, Naleejah is far too friendly with the boys, jumping into cars with men she's just met, and proclaiming that men are who get her all her fly gear. Then there's the all-talk part of her that Kate can see right through. Finally, the way she presses up on Charles, rubs Kate the wrong way. Pretty soon, Kate has to decide whether being a good new friend has its limits.

YA Review: This Book Isn't Fat, It's Fabulous

Read this book in two hours! It was THAT good. So many times I found myself literally laughing out loud. Ms. Beck is either a plus-sized fabulous diva herself, or she surely knows how to get into our heads because Miss Riley Swain was awesome-sauce.

A classic tale of misdirected young love, slipped effortlessly into the frenemy drama we've all grown accustomed to. What I loved about the sub-plot of this book, was that Riley was content and happy with her body. Even while being at "fat camp", she never once let on that she hated her body, and actually spoke more of being quite aware of her shape and size. Her being aware never came off as being ashamed, just aware.

There were some deliciously vile portions where the girls were positively vicious to one-another, but the author found a way to tie up all these ends in a style that wasn't forced or phony. Each person in this fairly quick novel had some variance of personality and depth, and some hidden redeeming quality. While the male characters were few, and somewhat clueless, they were also generally likeable. If there was one thing that I did NOT like, it was the ease with which the author allowed Riley to become "okay" with the idea of mile Myspace and Internet stalking. Not sure that's the right message for girls in this intended age audience.

Other than that, this book was hilarious and sweet, in that "You're my best frenemy and I want your boyfriend", kind of way. ;)

I'm also PSYCHED to see that there is a spin-off featuring the characters in this book with a focus on one of Riley's friends, Samantha. Can't wait

YA Review: After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

The Summer of D Foster, and how it intertwined with the loss of Tupac Shakur, is the focus of this summer tale by Jaqueline Woodson.

While exploring the not so nearby neighborhood of her newest foster mother, D Foster claims Neeka and the unnamed narrator as her new friends.  A strange, but effective friendship ensues as the three 11 year-old girls live through the ups and downs of life in Queens, NY.  D is that friend we all have had.  The one who is unafraid and "cool".  The fearless one who brings adventure and wonder into our lives.

Along with the story of D, we are also introduced to the relationship between Neeka and the narrator as they learn more about themselves and where they stand on life's issues.  One such issue being Neeka's older brother Tash who is in jail for making a bad choice. Feelings on his homosexuality are also explored through the narrator's thoughts.

YA Review: Life As We Knew It

Perhaps the most frightening thing about this story, as with M.T. Anderson's Feed, is that it could possibly be more accurate than even the author is aware. Chilling.

After the first twenty pages, you will never look at the moon the same again. Author Susan Beth Pfeffer, bravely takes on the topic of environmental apocalypse with a freshness and somehow comfortable humor that is all but infectious upon reading. Set in modern times, seventeen-year-old Miranda is more concerned with the amount of homework she has to complete, not being asked to the prom yet, and the news of her stepmother's pregnancy than the thought of the asteroid that is set to collide with the moon.

Not too long after it does make contact, Miranda, along with the rest of the world realizes all too soon that the crash is more of a tragedy than once believed, as it tilts the moon and leads to cataclysmic events happening worldwide.

Update Review: Those Sleeping Dogs Sucked

So, I told you I would come back and let you know what I thought of “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie” by Mirjam Pressler.

Click here if you're okay with Spoilers!

YA Graphic Review: Water Baby by Ross Campbell

I picked this one up yesterday and finished it in an hour.

It is in graphic format, which is why my first comment will be:

THE PICTURES IN THIS BOOK WERE GREAT!

Ross Campbell’s drawings in this book made me want to go surfing, joy-riding across the country and take a bath.

No, seriously, the story of Brody was one I couldn’t put down right away.  She’s the rebel, tom-boy, outspoken friend that we all have.  Unfortunately for this friend, one of her surfing days ends up with her leg becoming shark food.

The story takes place a year after her accident with her best friend Louissa living with her to help out.  Everything seems to be going well until her ex-boyfriend Jake shows up unexpectedly and wants to stay with the girls for the summer. While dealing with getting used to being on an artificial leg, her feelings for Jake and her fears of the water, Brody is trying her best to put her life back together.

Overall, Brody was a really cool character to follow.  She was odd, but sweet and even in her most raunchy, booger-eating, moments, you couldn’t help but want to be her friend.  I especially liked that she had a good attitude about losing her leg to the shark.  She never played a pity game, or felt sorry for herself, but kept it moving.  Louissa was a really good friend too,who stuck by her through everything and tried her best to help her get used to her new leg and her fear.

When dealings with Jake finally get to a level that Brody won’t tolerate, the group embarks on a ridiculous road-trip, with Brody at the wheel, to get him out of Miami and back to his parents in New York.
Another cool feature is that when the book is held all the way open, you can see a full size pic of Brody.

Should you choose to pick this one up, be mindful of the fact that Brody does discuss her affections for boys, girls, and older men.  She also has an affinity for walking around in her underwear…a lot.  LOL  So, some parents may not dig this one.

I’m interested to see what else Ross Campbell has to offer.

Drama, Drama, Drama

So, I've read most of the Drama High books.  I don't know if I'm pleased or not. They were good, and had a lot of real things going on, but sometimes the author gets a bit out of order with adding things like magic and voodoo.  They come out of nowhere and throw me off while I'm reading. BUT, for all intents and purposes, the storylines are good and they keep me engaged. There is a lot of talking about who's dating who, trying to handle school, and falling out with friends, so I think it is very realistic of high school.  So if you're looking for something to read this summer, check out Drama High by L.Divine.  From the covers, they seem to be only for girls, but I think young men would like these stories too.
The first book in the series is The Fight.  It talks about Jayd, the main character and how she is being pressured into fighting her ex's new girlfriend.  There's some mild violence, drug and profanity.

These books also remind me of the book I LOVED in 9th grade, Flyy Girl by Omar Tyree.  I would DEFINITELY recommend that one too.
This one was one of my FAVORITES because it dealt with the pressure of being more comfortable being different than how you may have been raised.  Story of my life.  Tracey, the main character is the daughter of two successful parents, but is just more comfortable with the kids from the street and the fast-money people of the neighborhood.  While dealing with her parents' separation and her boy-crazy attitude, Tracey takes you along on a CRAZY ride.  There's also the talk of that FIRST TRUE love, (who you know is probably bad for you).  Anyway, there are some themes in this book that may be a bit racy for some, but like I said, I read it in high school myself, and the moral of the story is a good one.

Currently Reading: Sleeping Dogs Lie by Mirjam Pressler

Let Sleeping dogs Lie - Mirjam Pressler

Saw this at the Oak Park Public Library last week and picked it up. Ever since learning about Anne Frank, and watching a lot of stories about the Holocaust, I've always been interested in the stories. This one, is supposed to be about what happened to one family who made money off of the suffering.

It talks about a young girl who finds out her family became rich because they stole from one of the families who were victims of the Holocaust, and what she does about it.

I wonder if I'd be brave enough to confront my family about something like this.

Would you? If you knew that confronting your family about it could be the end of all your family's wealth?

I'll let you guys know how the book goes when I finish it!