YA Review: Beautiful Music For Ugly Children by Kirsten Cronn-Mills

 When you think about it, I'm like a 45.  Liz is my A side, the song everybody knows, and Gabe is my B side - not played as often but just as good.

There really was beautiful music here. 

  

Gabriel Joseph Williams struggles with talking to people.  Every conversation and interaction brings about anxiety and frustration, and most at school know him to be quiet and reserved.  Very unlike his best friend since kindergarten, the very popular Paige.  But after hiding all day at school, he comes alive at night on his new radio show "Beautiful Music for Ugly Children", on the town's low-budget radio station.  With a catalog and musical knowledge of everything and everyone from Flo-Rida and Jay-Z to The Rolling Stones and The Sex Pistols, the show is an instant hit and there's seemingly nothing standing between Gabe letting his personal coolness out in his everyday life. 

  

Except for the fact that most of the world knows him as Elizabeth Mary Williams.  And he is slowly but surely falling in love with his best friend.  And his parents won't make eye contact with him anymore. And his little brother thinks he's a freak.  And his only other best friend in the world is a 68 year old man who just may have one day been the most important DJ in America.   

  

Kirstin Cronn-Mills handled the very serious moment of a young transgendered man growing into himself with so much grace and honesty in this book.  I felt so much for Gabe.  It's has been a long time since I've read a main character who I didn't want to smack.  Gabe was not a selfish or pushy person, but he was determined and steady and actually very patient in willing those closest to him into respecting him AS a person.  Gentle reminders to his parents when they'd purposefully call him "Liz", or refer to he and Paige as "The Girls". 

  

My dad glances up. "How are you today...Elizabeth?" 

              "I'm Gabe. How are you?"  

  

Moments where he's honest about what the cost of him being himself has brought onto his family, 

 Instead of storming out, which is my first impulse, I close my eyes and breathe because he's right; this is hard on them.  I may be young and stupid, like he said, but they're confused and hurt.  Because of me.

And also sad and lonely moments where the vulnerability of knowing that perhaps nowhere is safe, 

 She'll tell me to go to the police, because she believes in law and order.  I, on the other hand, believe the police won't care about someone like me.

  

The friendship between Gabe and John, his beloved mentor and next door neighbor had that Doc Brown and Marty McFly-ness that was familiar and instantly loveable.  Their mutual love and respect for the safety and passion that they both found in music was absolutely palpable.  And on the subject of music, while this book did remind me of quite a few others, "This Song Will Save Your Life" for example, it was really awesome to see multiple genres overlapped without some jarring explanation, as many books seem to do. For playlists that spanned from Prince to Souljah Boy and back to Elvis, it never felt weird or contrived. 

  

The subject of Gabe's "guyness" was also handled very honestly, even allowing itself to have the humor that sexuality just naturally has sometimes, to trickle in.  Searching for ways to use a urinal.  Choosing a loose enough shirt that doesn't show the chest binder underneath.  It was a very vivid but not heavy-handed look at the worries and cares that Gabe has to live with every single day just to be, and how much those who don't have to live in bodies that don't agree with our minds, take for granted.  There was much to be found here about identity's and people not always being who we expect them to be.  

  

Both also very integral parts of the story were the Ugly Children's Brigade - a group of Gabe's radio fans who listen every night and act out the positive affirmation actions he proposes, and the Twin Cities Vibe Radio Contest - which could be the key to a life outside of this town, and a job. While both of these had some fantastical and YA cliche'd elements to them, neither were very "Fairytale" in execution, and readers of the "New Adult" genre will appreciate the author's aversion to wrapping either of them up with a neat bow.   

  

The afterword also includes a pretty interesting note on sexuality and gender, as well as some information on where to go for support and information. 

  

This book made me happy, and sad, and most importantly, aware.   

I loved it. 

YA Review: All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

Meh.
I didn't dislike it.
But I'm not writhing in pain from it ending either.

In the year 2083, chocolate is the new contraband. As we all know, or should, if we've paid any attention to history at all, whatever is illegal, will soon open a door to black markets and organized crime families. For 16 year old Anya Ballenchine, that organized crime family just happens to be her family.

YA Review: Noggin by John Corey Whaley

Travis Coates died of cancer five years ago.
Or at least, his body did. His head was cryogenically preserved until which time that a donor body could be collected for him to be reanimated with. 
Sounds crazy, right?

Well it sounded that way to his girlfriend, best friend, and parents also, when he told them five years ago that he'd be ending his fight with cancer and flying to Denver for the operation that would hopefully give him a second chance at life. 
For five years, they mourned him, and continued with life, until a crazy thing happened.

It worked.

YA Review: Going Bovine by Libba Bray

The Wizard of OZ on steroids. No,...on hallucinogens.

First off, let me say that I tried this book a year ago on audio and just couldn't get into it. I liked what I heard, for the most part, but the beginning is more of an introduction to who Cameron is, and unfortunately beginning-of-the-book Cam, is kind of a jerk. I mean, when watching The Wizard of Oz, you don't really care how Dorothy came to be living with Auntie Em and Uncle Henry, you just want to see her get caught up in that twister.

Anyway, I picked the print version up this go-round and was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I fell down the rabbit hole. Cameron's angst about his possibly/maybe having an affair dad, his flighty mother, and his perfectly popular twin sister is heightened to the point of being obnoxious, but there's also some endearing qualities about him, like for instance the fact that he's dying. Yeah, bummer.

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.

YA Nonfiction Review: Dating Declassified by Jeanne Mayo

Dating Declassified: The Uncensored Truth About Friendship, Dating and Sex by Jeanne Mayo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There are two things that young adults value over anything:
1. Honesty
2. Trust in their abilities and maturity.
Jeanne Mayo has without a doubt made it clear that she gives these two things freely.

The attractive cover and enticing table of contents made me grab this book and I'm glad that I did. I was not aware of the fact that it was written from a Christian perspective until I had already been caught up in the captivating narration. For somewhat of a "self-help" book, Mayo doesn't sound as though she is telling the readers what to do, but merely reminding them that they already know what and how to do what they need to. (Slow down, read that again)
The fact that the book is written by a Christian Youth pastor is not covered up or hidden, but many of her suggestions and statements can apply to ALL youth (and some adults).

YA Review: Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel

Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Imagine God.
Now Imagine God as a 12 foot tall Tuskeegee Airman named Joe.
Now Imagine God, the Tuskeegee Airman named Joe, creating a place for all ghosts to dwell in six days.
Because of course on the seventh day, he rests.

The place he's built is called Ghostopolis, and all the types of the dead (live) there: Specters, Wisps, Bony Skeletons, Mummies and more. They reside in somewhat perfect harmony until a stranger named Vaughn appears and stirs up rumors and trouble between all the groups only to then present himself as the only one to bring peace. He uses giant bugs, summoned from the Underworld, to help him police Ghostopolis, and he secretly works to ensure that he will soon be as powerful and in control as Joe, who no one has seen for years.

And he would be successful too, if not for two problems: Traitors and Living People.

YA Review: My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody

My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Brooklyn Pierce is no stranger to catastrophic trouble. When she was two years old, she captured the hearts of millions when she fell down a mine shaft and was trapped for fifty-two hours. Now, at 15 years old, "Baby" Brooklyn is re-examining her life. Because "when you're being handcuffed and lowered into the backseat of a squad car," you kind of have to. She's just let a load of peer-pressure by her best friend Shayne Kingsley land her in serious trouble. Again.

This time, things can't be smoothed over by a flip of Shayne's gorgeous blonde hair, or by her quick ideas on what Brooks should say. No, burning down one of her mother's model homes can't be fixed by anyone but Brooklyn herself, by completing 200 hours of community service at a nearby nursing home and devoting her time to helping rebuild the home. Instead of focusing on the trouble she's in though, Brooklyn is more concerned with finding out what has happened to Shayne, since she hasn't seen or heard from her since they were busted by the cops.

YA Review: SEX: A Book for Teens

Sex: A Book for Teens: An Uncensored Guide to Your Body, Sex, and Safety by Nikol Hasler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was very impressed with this book, but I'm sure it will be the type to get tons of reads in my library's teen room, but not actual checkouts.

I'd learned of the Midwest Teen Sex Show a while back when searching for good resources to direct my teens to about sex and reproductive health. The show is almost jarringly blunt and unrestricted and the conservative in me screamed out in fear. LOL Yet, I found it extremely informative and honest. The same can be said of my experience with the book.

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: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

You know how there's those books that everyone LOVES, and you feel as though you most certainly have to try them out and take part in the collective euphoria?  Your heart palpitates when you are finally able to check it out from your local library, and you get goosebumps as you start the first chapter...then somewhere during the fourth or fifth, you realize that you aren't having nearly as much fun as everyone else claimed to have had?
This was my experience with Uglies.

I really wanted to jump all over this book.  According to every must-read YA list, Scott Westerfeld's Ugly series was one to leave you chomping at the bit for more.  While I do agree that the storyline is captivating and extremely frightening, I have to admit that I'm not exactly salivating to complete the series. But that being said, it was worth the read.

Uglies takes place some time in the future, after our current generations, referred to as Rusties by our descendants, are extinct.  The powers that be of the future have decided that most of our societal ills are a result of our differences. To avoid having their civilization meet the same hate-filled fate as ours, they decide that all people at age 16 must undergo mandatory plastic surgery and become Pretty by modifying skin tones, facial and body features, even hair. With everyone looking the same, and life becoming a party, who has time to start wars and conflicts?

YA Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Often in my career, I've come across photographs.
Some are left between the pages of donated or returned items. Others still are found on library floors and tables; accidental droppings from the purses and pockets of patrons. I stare at these photographs and am unable to thrown them away because I feel as though I'm discarding the lives found within them. I find myself imagining who the people are, and how they felt during the scenes I'm eavesdropping on, but never have I constructed such an enchanting and haunting tale as this one.

From found and collected photos , Ransom Riggs has pulled together an adventure that appeals to a range of my interests. Multiple times within this story, I found myself feeling as though I'd discovered a land that was the perfect mix of Percy Jackson, Pan's Labyrinth, Through the Looking Glass and others. From the very first chapter, I realized that I wouldn't be able to rest until I'd devoured this tale of loss, love, family, adventure and history.

YA Graphic Review: Level Up by Gene Yang

Level Up by Gene Luen Yang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Almost every gamer has had this boss battle.
Almost every young adult has had this hurdle.
The one where what you LOVE to do, is questioned by parents who want you to do things that will get you a job.


Dennis Ouyang was bitten by the video game bug when he was six years old but try as he might, his parents refused to even let him have money for the arcade, let alone purchase a home system.  Playing games is no way to learn how to "eat much bitterness", his father decides, and instead steers young Dennis into a life of science and schoolwork.

YA Review: The Accidental Genius of Weasel High

The Accidental Genius of Weasel High by Rick Detorie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"A Book for the Wimpy Kid who has grown into a Wimpy Teen" is the phrase written on the back of this book and it is seriously appropriate.

Fourteen year-old freshman, Larkin Pace, is writing a blog for his English class assignment. Making up this book are the entries themselves which helped him win the class coveted prize; an 100% grade.

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".

YA Review: The World is Mine (The Come Up Series)

The World Is Mine by Lyah B. LeFlore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a great picture of what hip hop youth culture is really like.

If you're tired of reading the stories that glorify only the violence or profane worlds of hip-hop and the urban music scene, then this series may be perfect for you.

Blue Reynolds is a young, hip 17 year-old who doesn't necessarily want to make his mark on the world by attending Howard University and becoming a lawyer the way his father has. He's more interested in the P.Diddy/Berry Gordy school of fine hustling. His best friend Collin, also the son of a lawyer, is feeling that he doesn't want to attend Georgetown and practice law just to please his dad. Together with their friend Whiteboy, a graphic and tattoo artist, the three friends embark on pulling together their own entertainment company, Blue Up.

On the path to stardom in the music scene there are a lot of ups and downs as romance, parental clashes and the struggle to get away from the streets, tries to catch up to them. For Blue, the appeal of being the hottest promoter in DC could lead to making some pretty shady choices in the eyes of his father and his girlfriend Jade. Collin, desperate to please his dad, may be biting off more than he can chew when he decides to helm the business end of Blue Up instead of pursuing Georgetown fame. And Whiteboy can't seem to get far enough of way from the violence and gang life that lurks around his growing tattoo business.

Author Alex Flinn Wages a Beastly arguument for YA Realistic Fiction

Alex Flinn is best known as the author of "Breathing Underwater" and most recently, the Beauty and the Beast spin "Beastly".  In her blog this week, she talks about her disgust for journalists and critics that protest realistic Teen fiction.  Her argument makes TONS of sense, so I thought I'd share a bit of it here. 

So this is the article that's pissing me off today. And the reviews to which it refers, blasting two new dating violence "problem novels" (not meant as a pejorative term, btw, at least not on my part).  It is something of an annual-or-so tradition that the New York Times (or, occasionally, the Wall Street Journal) will write an article, the subject of which is "Why Are There So Many Dark Novels for Teens . . . Lock Up Your Babies!"

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: Plan B by Charnan Simon

Plan B by Charnan Simon

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Before I tell you what I did like about this book, let me first say that if you've ever watched a really good episode of Degrassi, or MTV True Life:I'm a Pregnant Teen, etc., then you've already read this book.
It played out sooo seamlessly predictable that it was hard to take it seriously at first. I mean really, Luke and Lucy?!? That's the best you could come up with?

But anyway, what I did like about the book was that for all of its predictability, there were some classy touches that put small twists on the usual pregnant teenager story.