Drive Back the Darkness by Amy M. Newman

February 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

DRIVE

Drive Back the Darkness by Amy M. Newman
The Darkness Quartet, Book One
Publisher: Etopia Press
Genre: Action/Adventure, Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (434 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Jasmine

A kingdom shrouded in darkness. One girl who can save it all. On her sixteenth birthday, Ellie Lyons discovers her entire life has been a lie. Kidnapped, she finds herself in a strange kingdom-Alladon-a kingdom she was born to rule, ruled already by those who would see her dead. The children have been imprisoned, caged and awaiting a fate Ellie can only imagine, and only she can save them. But to do so, she must master the skills of a warrior and learn to contain the magic that roars through her veins and burns everything she touches. But when Morfan, the king’s advisor, sends an assassin to kill her, Ellie finds herself falling for the dark, dangerous Devin. Though she knows her life is at stake, she can’t seem to stay away from him, even as her feelings become strong enough to scare her, and strong enough to disturb Vance, Devin’s second. Vance is the opposite of Devin-blonde, charming, seductive. But his heart holds a kernel of something darker, something that makes him dangerously unstable, especially once he realizes he has feelings for Ellie that Ellie doesn’t share…

Imagine being fifteen years old and having some creepy woman with sharp pointy teeth following you. She follows you home, right up to your door, she stands outside your school watching you in class – and your parents reaction to the whole thing is just weird. Like it’s expected or something. Then, you turn sixteen and suddenly this creepy woman shows up in your bedroom in the middle of the night and transports you to some other world and tries to tell you that, not only are you the long-lost Princess of this land, but you have to fight the evil ruler.

Welcome to Ellie Lyon’s life.
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At first I wasn’t really a fan of Ellie. She seemed like a normal teenager, with all the angst, self-doubt, insecurities and doom-and-gloom attitude of a teenager present. She was likable, and she was also bullied, which engendered sympathy, but she was not very heroic. I found myself snorting and thinking ‘yeah, right’ to some of things that she was supposed to be able to do. It wasn’t until she was surrounded by her ragtag band of misfits that she truly began to become the person that she was always meant to be. Watching Ellie’s transformation from the insecure, quiet, bullied girl to the person they need to win back this land for the people was what really made me grow to like her. She is never cocky about the fact that she is a Princess. In fact, she’s not even sure if she believes it through most of the book, but she readily takes on the tasks put before her. She takes the time to learn about this new world, and learn from her companions. She is loyal to her new friends and inspires loyalty in all of them as well.

The world building in this book is well done. It was never overwhelming with descriptions as to be boring but it was still conveyed well enough that I could clearly picture it in my head. The villagers and gypsies that the group encounters, the guards and the evil ones intent on stopping her and the different species of people and animals you get to see keep your attention. The presence and use of magic in the book, and Ellie’s struggle to learn it quickly, is a lot of fun. There is also enough mystery left throughout the story that you are just never quite sure who you can trust and who you can’t.

One person that you know from the beginning that can’t be trusted is Morfan, the evil ruler that took the throne from Ellie’s parents. He is very well written. Creepy and clearly evil. Amusingly enough though, throughout the entire book I kept picturing him looking like Jafar from Disney’s Aladdin. There are a few chilling background details of him along with creepy encounters, so it offset my image of Jafar quite handily.

I was very surprised by the ending. I knew it had to be coming up because of the page numbers, but I thought it ended very abruptly. I actually had no idea it was the end until I tried to turn the page and realized there wasn’t any more pages. I felt like there could have been more of a lead-up to let you know it was coming. That should give you an idea of how engrossed in the book I was though. It did leave an open ending for the sequel, so you don’t get resolution of anything at the end, but I was very glad when I noticed it was book one in a series.

A fantastic debut novel from Ms. Newman! If you’re willing to be carried away to another land for a few hours, meet some fun and interesting new characters along with some talking, giant jaguars (among other things) and get caught up in a new battle of good versus evil, then you are in for a treat with Drive Back The Darkness. Enjoy!

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Dromos by G. Arden O’Feden

February 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

PINCH

Dromos by G. Arden O’Feden
Publisher: Torquere Press, Inc.
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (11 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Lavender
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Thousands of people go missing each year, and Everett Lacrowe discovers where they go when he falls into a world where the only purpose seems to be collecting others like himself. While most people in Dromos accept their surroundings and use a pointless routine to distract themselves, Everett will attempt to find out a way out.

What an interesting and strange experience Everett Lacrowe is about to have. He is a young man working in the local museum. Things seem normal in his life; then he has an accident. This bizarre occurrence sends him on a journey between dimensions. He walks into a place hard to imagine in real life, and the adventure begins.

Unusual beings wander about in this crazy new world. Everett tries to figure out how things work here because it seems like he could be trapped. Threats abound. He’d better catch on quick. Luckily, he meets a nice man, Frank, who helps him. Both Everett andFrank are kind, honest characters. It’s easy to root for them. Everett shows courage, and a reader can get behind him.

Dromos means passageway—a passageway between worlds. Suspense happens as one wonders if Everett will ever get back to the real world where life is mundane. There is some vagueness in the tale such as “When food wasn’t enough to satisfy, they had other things you could taste.” What other things? Some details would have been nice here. And jumping to conclusions happened at times. For instance, how did Everett have certain knowledge about Dromos? It’s not explained within the story. Sometimes the plot jumps around, throwing off the pace, but there are some good descriptions, especially of the illusory inhabitants of the new place. It’s certainly an imaginative story. It’s also interesting when Everett wonders if he’s mentally ill. This is a fast read with a unique storyline.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Normalish by Margaret Lesh

February 15, 2013 By 1 Comment

NORMALISH

Normalish by Margaret Lesh
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, YA
Length: Full Length (175 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Quince

Fifteen-year-old Stacy questions the strange world of high school, love, her role in a harsh universe, and life, in Normalish.

People tell you high school’s so great and wonderful, but they’re lying. It’s mostly horrible and full of disappointment. It sucks. Your best friend abandons you. The jerk you’re in love with pretends to be into you, and then the big dump. The boy you’ve really clicked with as a friend decides to go all crushy over you, so you break his heart just like yours was — smashed into little pieces. Your sister goes mental, and you get involved with a guy who’s even crazier than she is (who you know is a very bad idea, but you do it anyway). Math only adds another stink of failure to the whole thing.

High school blows. Just ask freshman Stacy. She’d want you to know.

In Normalish reader is following the ups (toward the end) and downs (at the beginning) of the 15 year old Stacy through her freshmen year in high school. And she is facing some tough challenges and choices, and she is dealing with lot of not so nice things. The main problems in Stacy life are:

– her father is dead
– her older sister starts to act strange and end up institutionalized
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– she has neither a boyfriend nor money, nor new clothes
– she hates math

Throughout the course of the story many things on this list will change for the worst in order to get finally better. Stacy’s heart will be broken, but she will also break someone else’s, and she will find a love only to lose it. She will lose the best friend, get a new friend, got a job. She will grow up and realize that thing cannot be normal, because no one can actually define what normal means and that she should be happy and enjoy life instead of feeling guilty because she is happy.

Margaret Lesh’s writing is great because, let’s be honest, often in the YA novels the voice of the main character can be either too childish, or too mature for the character age. But here Stacy’s voice is kept on her age level through whole story. Furthermore Stacy is a great character; on one hand she is vulnerable, while on the other is brave, outspoken and she knows how to stand up for herself.

But Stacy’s character is not the only one that makes this story so good. The secondary characters are well defined and they bring a whole new juiciness to the story. I particularly like Stacy’s sister’s boyfriend and Bobby (the boy Stacy meets while visiting her sister in the mental facility), because they are different, quirky, nice, and warm at the same time. I also like the family dynamics between Stacy, her sisters and mom. These girls really care for one another and they lean on each other and there is special bond between them that is so well described in the story. All in all, Normalish is great heartwarming story with the beautiful characters that I enjoyed tremendously.

Normalish is contemporary Young Adult novel. It is not Young Adult romance novel, although it has romantic elements. It is a good story that I recommend to readers of all ages who like to read Young Adult/ Middle grade genre.

I’m finishing this review with one of my favorite quote from the book:

“Normal” is all about perception. I mean, isn’t “normal” what the majority of people do? So what if suddenly ninety-nine people out of a hundred decide to walk their iguanas down the street while wearing a tutu? Wouldn’t the one guy who didn’t own an iguana and wear a tutu be the freak? And isn’t it the ones who seem normal on the outside who, in actuality, know where the bodies are buried in the backyard or are secretly in love with their toaster?

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Dream Slayer by Jill Cooper

February 14, 2013 By 6 Comments

DreamSlayerBookCover

The Dream Slayer by Jill Cooper
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Paranormal, YA
Length: Full (312 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rated: 4.5 Stars
Review by Poppy

In the young adult teen series Dream Slayer, Natalie Johnson has always dreamed she’s someone else; calm, beautiful, in control. A chosen warrior with a maniacal arch nemesis and a dreamy boyfriend, the type that can make your knees melt and your heart quiver.

Real life is much different. She’s tormented by a bully and endures the sharp tongue of her father, but finds solace in her dreams.

When her bully ends up dead, de ja vu from a dream hits her hard as everything around her begins to fall apart. Whatever killed Sarah in her dreams is now in reality, hunting her from the shadows. And it wants her dead.
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Somehow as the lines between reality and nightmare blur, Natalie must discover hidden strength to pull her friends and family back from the brink of madness.

Natalie has a rotten life. An alcoholic, verbally abusive father, a school bully and more — who could blame her for dreaming a whole new life for herself?

I was fascinated by the idea of a dream world becoming real and am glad to say the story didn’t disappoint. With a nod to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” in a few ways, The Dream Slayer is a book about a young girl with no self-confidence becoming empowered, first in her dreams and then in her life.

The author does a great job with her parallel universes, making the characters in each similar but just a bit different. This is awesome, but can occasionally make you wonder which Meadow’s Creek you’re in at any given time.  Regardless, it’s exciting and interesting to see the story unfold.

Ms. Cooper has a way with words that is descriptive but not dull, and she completely creates her world. The place and the people are three dimensional and real. The writing is clean and well-edited, and never intrudes on the reader’s enjoyment of the story itself. I wasn’t fond of the romance with Damien in the “real” Natalie’s world, since it’s mentioned he’s “too old” for her and it made it felt a bit inappropriate (in the dream world, it hadn’t felt as though he was so much older so I never got that vibe until later), but thankfully he isn’t her only romantic interest — of course. Because, what kind of YA story would it be without a love triangle?

With some surprising twists and turns, with a heroine who becomes truly admirable despite her situation and with sidekicks who will make you smile and sigh, The Dream Slayer is a great book for paranormal loves of all ages.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

To Dance in Liradon by Adrienne Clarke

February 13, 2013 By 7 Comments

Cover_ToDanceInLiradon

To Dance in Liradon by Adrienne Clarke
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Genre: Fantasy
Length: Full (220 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 4 Stars
Review by Rose

Seventeen-year-old Brigid O’Flynn is an outcast. A chance encounter with the Faerie Queen left her tainted in the eyes of the villagers, who blame the Faerie for the village’s missing women and children. Desperate to win the village’s acceptance, Brigid agrees to marry her childhood friend: Serious, hardworking, Connell Mackenna. But when Connell disappears before their wedding, Brigid’s hopes are shattered. Blamed for her fiancé’s death, Brigid fears she will suffer the same fate as the other village outcasts, the mysterious Willow Women. Lured into Faerie by their inhuman lovers, and cast out weak and broken, the Willow Women spend their lives searching for the way back into Faerie. When Connell suddenly reappears, Brigid is overjoyed, but everything is not as it seems. Consumed by his desire for beauty and celebration, Connell abandons his responsibilities, and Brigid soon finds herself drawn into a passionate, dangerous world of two.

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To Dance in Liradon is a faery tale… not of the Disney version with fairy godmothers and dancing mice, but like the darker faery tales of Hans Christian Anderson or the Brothers Grimm. The fae are not to be trusted–as 17-year-old Brigid found out to her sorrow. As a child, she had met the Queen of the Fae after picking a flower for her mother–only to find out that keeping it came with a price–the death of her father. This was particularly hard on Brigid, for he had told her story after story about finding her true love and romance.

Shunned by the village because of her encounter with the fae, Brigid found unwanted favor from the Lord of the village. A childhood friend, Connell, proposes –to keep her safe and to help her gain acceptance from the villagers. However, even though Brigid accepts Connell’s proposal, she still wishes for the romance she has dreamed of all her life. When Connell comes back from a trip changed–romantic, attentive, loving–Brigid has won her heart’s desire–or has she?

Ms. Clarke does an admirable job presenting the dark side of fae and the appeal of giving up the daily toil for a chance at a lifetime of pleasure. In the Willow Women, she presents the alternate reality for those who have joined with the fae for a season.

There are many layers in this story of the search for true love and I highly recommend it.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

Family by Lynley Wayne

February 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment

FAMILY

Family by Lynley Wayne
Publisher: Featherweight Press
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, LBGT
Length: Short Story (19 pages)
Rating: 3 Stars
Age Recommendation: 12+
Reviewer: Astilbe

Emily Thompson is your average teenager. She goes to school, has friends, and enjoys spending time with her family. The one thing that makes her different is her definition of family. To her, family means loving and accepting those around her. The fact that her dad is gay doesn’t make him any less of a father — he is the same as other dads, with the exception of who he loves. Her family may not be traditional, but it’s hers.

Who decides when and how love can be shared? Must divorce be the end of a family or can it be the beginning of something incredible?

Emily Thompson knows other people don’t understand her family dynamics. A few years after her parent’s divorce Emily learns that her father is gay. She cheers her parents on as they fall in love with other people and the entire family comes together to celebrate her mother’s remarriage. Her father and mother even dance with one another at the reception. Some friends and neighbours think this is a little odd. How can ex-spouses get along so well with one another?
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The secret is that not all families look the same. Emily’s parents may no longer be romantically involved with one another but they are committed to raising their daughter together as a team. The best scene in this book occurs when Emily helps her shy, flabbergasted father set up a date with the man who will eventually become his life partner. Watching Emily’s dad sputter in embarrassment as she makes all of the arrangements was quite funny and it demonstrated her self-confidence and unconditional love for him in a tangible manner.

I would have preferred to see a better plot structure in this book. The stories Emily tells about the formation of her nontraditional family are inspirational but they are often interrupted by paragraphs discussing how certain events made her feel. Family reads more like a personal essay than a short story in several places. For the age group for which it is intended it would be more effective to stick with one writing style.

The biggest strength of this tale is that its message appeals to preteens living in a wide variety of circumstances. One doesn’t need personal experience with divorce or growing up with an LGBT parent to sympathize with Emily’s experiences. In fact, I could see this book being quite useful for kids who live with legal guardians, foster parents, single parents or who consider more than two adults to be their moms or dads.

I’d recommend Family to anyone in the market for an easy conversation starter for preteen loved ones who struggle with explaining their living arrangements to outsiders. Emily’s a great role model for anyone in this situation.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Fairy Godmother Files: Cinderella Complex by Rebekah L. Purdy

February 6, 2013 By 2 Comments

COMPLEX3

The Fairy Godmother Files: Cinderella Complex by Rebekah L. Purdy
Publisher: Astraea Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (281 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Jasmine

Sixteen-year-old Maggie Winters can’t think of anything more exciting than junior year. There’s her first prom to look forward to, she can drive, and most important Connor Prince has finally noticed her. But unfortunately so has the school snob, Katrina Melville, who goes out of her way to make Maggie’s life a living hell. If that’s not enough, Maggie’s grandma has decided to retire, which doesn’t seem like such a big deal. That is until she finds out her grandma is a Fairy Godmother, and not just any Fairy Godmother. The Fairy Godmother, as in Cinderella, pumpkins, and mice. And she has informed Maggie that she’s next in line to become the new Fairy Godmother.

At first Maggie is excited, the whole getting wings, flying (or rather trying not to crash), and a wand that let’s her grant wishes. It’s like being a superhero, without all the action, explosions, and spandex. Then she gets her first assignment, Katrina Melville, her nemesis. And if that doesn’t make her want to poof herself into oblivion, she finds out that part of Katrina’s happily-ever-after is Connor Prince. Life is so unfair. Even worse, she can’t tell her two best friends about any of it and they’re getting sick of her disappearing acts. Then there are the dangerous creatures, called Grimms who will stop at nothing to keep the happy endings from being fulfilled, even if it means destroying the Fairy Godmother responsible. With time running out, Maggie has to make this wish come true or it will ruin the fates of everyone involved, and open the world to darkness beyond imagination. Maggie will soon find out what it truly means to be a Fairy Godmother—and it isn’t all about princes, gowns, and wings, but something much more.

I think every teenager (and some adults) hopes that there is some secret destiny meant only for them, just waiting to be discovered. It may be a secret talent, or maybe you want to be the next “big thing” in the acting or modeling world. Perhaps, for some maybe it’s the life of a spy, or if you really dream big, maybe you are waiting to find out that you are the long, lost princess of a foreign land. I could hazard a guess that not many expect to find out that they are the next Fairy Godmother. Yes, that one. Minus the singing mice (so far). I think few could do it with the absolute hilarity that Maggie Winters does though.

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The voice of the teenager in this book is so authentic that they could have been standing in front of me narrating it. Ms. Purdy has done an excellent job with the characters in this book. We have the nice girl, the mean girl, the jealous best friend, the annoying brother, the hot guy, the guy best friend that could be more, and the evil stepmother. All of them are well fleshed out and uniquely individual. Maggie is a great heroine. She is her own person, even if she’s not sure for herself who that is yet, the reader can clearly see it. She is compassionate and selfless, insecure and lovestruck and hilariously overwhelmed with her new responsibilities. Jackson is a great older brother, both protective and annoying, as most older brothers are. Seth is sweet, a little bit of a bad boy and very hot. And Taylor is fantastically loyal and protective of her friend while Katrina is guarded and prickly until you get to know the real girl hiding behind the mask. Maggie’s mom and dad, her evil stepmother and the annoying step-sisters are all well drawn out. Even though we don’t see as much of them as the others, we get a clear picture on who they are.

There were a couple of points in the book that confused me a bit. It took me a while to figure out how old Maggie’s brother, Jackson, is. They have the same friends, eat lunch together at school and seem pretty close so, for a while, I wondered if maybe they were twins. This got cleared up but it was quite a ways into the book. I was also confused as to why Maggie’s grandmother just sort of threw her into the position without helping her figure out what she was doing. Especially when there are Grimms whose sole mission is to kill her. Having said that, Maggie not knowing what she is doing leads to several hilarious moments.

This book kept me laughing out loud through the entire thing. I haven’t laughed this much reading a book in a while. If it ever gets picked up for a movie, I will be the first in line. Despite the humor, there is a very valuable lesson that comes across in this book – things, and people, aren’t ever what they seem, whether good or bad. In helping the girl that has been bullying her in school, Maggie soon realizes that Katrina isn’t truly the image she displays at school and that there are reasons for the way she is. In learning this lesson, she gains a new friend.

This is one book, that while I lamented the open ending that left me hanging a bit, I was glad to see that I’ll get to follow more of the adventures of these fun teens. I will be anxiously watching for the next book in this series. I can’t wait! Well written, with a few twists and turns that had me gripping my reader in suspense, and tons of humor, this is a book that I would recommend to anyone, adults and teens alike. If you pass this one up, you will truly be missing out on an excellent story.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Secrets by Tim Mettey

January 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment

SECRETS

Secrets by Tim Mettey
Publisher: Kenwood Publishing Group
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (327 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review by: Cholla

The Midwest lies in complete ruins after a catastrophic disaster kills tens of thousands and leaves hundreds of thousands injured. Nicholas Keller emerges out of the devastation as a shining light of hope for all. But his newfound fame comes with a price that his aunt will not let him pay. They flee into the shadows in order to protect his secret. However, as Nicholas begins his sophomore year at his fifth school in five years, strange and unexpected things begin to happen. He soon tumbles into a web of doomed love, extraordinary talents and a secret past, which threatens the lives of everyone he cares about. It’s up to Nicholas to confront the truth, even if it means his own death.

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Nicholas Keller is a different sort of boy. After becoming a hero following the great quake on 10-10 five years earlier, he’s been forced into hiding for his own safety. Even though he’s forced to move every year on the same day, he doesn’t let it get him down. Not one to make friends, it’s easier to pick up and go on to the next city and the next life. His character was a nice mix of hero and real boy. He knew his duty and yet, he had his moments of insecurity and rebellion as well. It made for a more realistic Nicholas.

While the story was engaging and the characters interesting, sometimes the writing, mostly the dialogue, fell a bit flat. Although the story is aimed at an older audience, the more simplistic writing style makes it perfect for younger readers in the 12 to 14 age range to cut their teeth on.

Secrets is a novel full of just that – lots and lots of secrets. As they’re slowly revealed to both the reader and Nicholas himself, you’re drawn farther and farther into this new alternate universe that is so familiar and yet very different from our own. Aside from a few issues I had with the author’s style, the novel itself was interesting and engaging and a good read for younger audiences.

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The Secret to a Perfect Latke by Foxglove Lee

January 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment

PINCH

The Secret to a Perfect Latke by Foxglove Lee
Publisher: Prizm Books
Genre: Young Adult, Holiday, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (19 pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Noah has never been on TV before, but he dreams of having his own cooking show one day. When he’s asked to help a gourmet chef prepare latkes for a Hanukkah segment on the Sunny and The Bear show, his family is proud but suspicious. Sunny and The Bear is a “lifestyle” show that’s popular among straight women, but it’s hosted by gay men. What’s more, the guests on this show have an uncanny tendency to come out of the closet live on national television…

On 9th October, clinical psychologist Manoji, professional social worker Sangeeta ji and interns Asha and Sakshi took an education session on effective communication skills. viagra sample india Give this medicine http://amerikabulteni.com/2011/11/29/sp-downgrades-credit-ratings-on-dozens-of-global-banks/ free sample cialis to your man so that he can deal with the issues of erectile dysfunction that are around today. During sexual stimulation, nitric buy tadalafil in australia oxide is released into the erectile tissue of the penis which initiates the protein guanylate cyclase. It may occur viagra uk purchase http://amerikabulteni.com/2013/10/13/beyzbolda-lig-sampiyonluklarinda-heyecan-firtinasi-suruyor/ when your partner is on top. The holidays are an awkward time for anyone whose relatives hold onto rigid ideas about the definition of real adulthood or what constitutes a good life. This is even more true for those of us who are LGBT and have ever worried about what loved ones will say when they discover the truth. Will coming out change how you’re treated? Has anyone figured it out already?

Poor Noah is so deeply connected to his family, girlfriend and Jewish heritage that sometimes he can’t see where they end and he begins. Loyalty is a great character trait but the chasm between the man Noah pretends to be and who he actually is such a source of anxiety that I’d like nothing more than to give him a hug. Of course not everyone will be kind or understanding when they realize the truth about you but more often than not I’ve been pleasantly surprised by whole-hearted acceptance when I come out to new people. This doesn’t make Noah’s concerns any less valid, of course. There are families and communities out there that react quite negatively upon learning that their child, sibling, neighbor or coworker is queer but I still wish I could have stepped into this story and reassured Noah on his journey.

One of the most powerful gifts a young person can be given is the knowledge that they are not alone. One needs not identify as LGBT in order to know what it feels like to be out of step with the rest of humanity for any number of reasons. The strength of this story lies in Noah’s transformation and his realization that the world is a far bigger place than he ever could have imagined.

The Secret to a Perfect Latke is actually quite simple. The answer lies not the quality of the ingredients, the temperature of your oven, the strength of your frying pan or how quickly the results are gobbled up. It is simultaneously the simplest and most complex thing that exists. Are you wondering what the secret is yet? Why not pick up this book and find out!

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Alabaster by Nick Hirsch

December 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Alabaster by Nick Hirsch
Publisher: Prizm Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (15 pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewe by Astilbe

Alan turned to stone as a boy, and now he’s started cracking. His father left when he was a kid, his mother is impossible to talk to, and he’s always been bullied at school. One day he meets a boy on the bus named Luke, and things start to change. Will his feelings for Luke finally cure him, or will he simply fall to pieces?

For some people the passage of time does not heal all wounds. If anything it makes them worse!

The idea of love transforming us into better versions of ourselves has long been a cliche. By pushing this concept from metaphor to a literal act Mr. Hirsch breathed new life into this concept. Alan’s emotional trauma is evident in every inch of his cold, grey skin and he has lived with the effects of it for so long that he’s forgotten what life is like for people without his affliction.

Magical realism is a slippery genre. Inject too much magic into an otherwise ordinary setting and one risks distracting the characters (and audience) from what might happen by the peculiar things going on right now. If too little time is spent on the mystical elements, though, the reader will be left wondering if the narrator is a reliable witness to what is happening. Happily Alabaster strikes a good balance between these two extremes. While I wondered why no one in Alan’s life comments on the condition of his skin this can easily be explained away by the long period of time that elapsed between him turning to stone and the beginning of his relationship with Luke.

I had some trouble determining an appropriate age recommendation for this story. It contains offensive language and includes a briefly violent scene. Although the altercation is not described in great detail and the slurs were necessary in order to explain why Alan finds certain memories so painful they do make this selection inappropriate for younger or sensitive readers.

Repeated punctuation errors were only reason why this book didn’t receive a much higher rating. So many sentences included misplaced commas and spelling and grammar errors that I had trouble understanding the meaning of some of them.

Alabaster has a heart of gold, though. I’d highly recommend it to anyone interested in a sweet tale of a boy’s first taste of love.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,
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