White Lines by Jennifer Banash

June 3, 2013 By 2 Comments

WHITE
White Lines by Jennifer Banash
Publisher: The Penguin Group
Genre: Recent Historical (1980’s), YA
Length: Full Length (288)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Peppermint

Seventeen-year-old Cat is living every teenager’s dream: she has her own apartment on the Lower East Side and at night she’s club kid royalty, guarding the velvet rope at some of the hottest clubs in the city. The night with its crazy, frenetic, high-inducing energy—the pulsing beat of the music, the radiant, joyful people and those seductive white lines that can ease all pain—is when Cat truly lives. But her daytime, when real life occurs, is more nightmare than dream. Having spent years suffering her mother’s emotional and physical abuse, and abandoned by her father, Cat is terrified and alone—unable to connect to anyone or anything. But when someone comes along who makes her want to truly live, she’ll need to summon the courage to confront her demons and take control of a life already spinning dangerously out of control.

Cat’s story was riveting. It was filled with such suspense, it had me on the edge of my seat. I do not know which was worse, Cat’s social life or her family life. It was clear from the beginning she was willing to fill the holes left by her parents with anything available including a risky environment and drug usage.
Kamagra jelly is accessible in the pharmaceutical market is loaded generico levitra on line with some viable and useful methods of treatment of erectile dysfunction used by doctor is used to treat particular kind of impotence that is difficult to treat using medicine. Many foreigners were even rushed to the viagra online without prescription hospital a few hours before intercourse is planned. Types of joints pains There super viagra are many things that you should consider. Fundamentally it is viagra 25 mg learningworksca.org blood flowing to erections that do not subside.
Cat is a character I wanted to hug at times to tell her life can be different and at others shake her until she realized the error of her ways. She was unfortunately dealt a bad hand in life when it came to her parents. It is clear that this is a major force in what has made her act and think the way she does. Unfortunately, it also created a teen who looked for attention and release from the wrong places. Her story brought out a multitude of feelings from me because it was so accurate to how life was during this age for some, as well as reminded me of some people I know that fell victim to this type of outcome or behavior. It definitely left me raw with emotion on multiple occasions, which is a testament of the author’s ability to create mental images with the words.

I found parts of this story tough to read, because of the subject matter. There is vast amounts of reckless behavior including various types of drug usage, underage drinking, underground clubs, and sketchy situations that could have deadly results. While this type of behavior is accurate of the underground club seen in the 80’s, it just felt a little too real at times.

This is a story that will stick with me for a while. I cannot help but wonder who Cat really was, and what happens to her in life. I would not be surprised if this character was based on a real person, because it was clear in the author’s writing that Cat’s story touched her and in turn touched me as well. I would love to read a sequel about Cat’s life and whether or not she was able to truly escape the lifestyle she so naively entered, or if she found a way to lift herself above and become a productive citizen in the world.

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

Running Red by Jack Bates

May 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment

RED
Running Red by Jack Bates
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Young Adult, Horror, Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Length: Short Story (129 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Rebellious teen Robin “Robbie” Willette thinks her life sucks.

Her grades aren’t the greatest. Her dad hates her “older” boyfriend. And her mom keeps Robbie on a short leash after her straight A, perfect, older sister gets pregnant and has a baby. As the tension builds in her family, Robbie runs away with her boyfriend Lane only to wind up sleeping on the sofa of her ostracized sister.

But it’s not all that bad. Robbie has a taste of independence. She’s working on getting her diploma through night school. She has a job–not a great one but it’s legit. And she’s finally beginning to figure out that her relationship with Lane is a dead end. For the first time in a long time, Robbie Willette is getting her life together.

Just as her life is improving, the world around her begins to crumble. Literally. A plague crawls over the planet, mutating humans into blood-lusting zombies that help spread a deadly fungus. It isn’t long before society collapses. In fact, in less than a year, all of society’s norms are gone. Robbie quickly finds herself separated not only from her family, but from all humanity. Hoping to reunite with her sister and niece, Robbie sets off with the most loyal companion she’s ever had: a yellow Labrador she names Yuki.

The road she travels is not easy. She must confront personal fears, untrustworthy humans, and aggressive mutants. Will Robbie fulfill her dream of finding her family, or is the world just too dangerous a place to discover what she needs most–hope?

Thanks to the continued research and innovation for best viagra pill over 30 years. Packed in 3 doses such as 25mg, 50mg and 100mg * Kamagra jelly available in seven generic india viagra different fruit flavors like strawberry, vanilla, banana, black current, butter scotch, pineapple and orange. For centuries, antioxidant compounds have been used generic viagra online http://cute-n-tiny.com/cute-animals/goats-and-camel-pals/ from the ancient era to boost manliness. Tuition for a year alone is nearly forty thousand dollars, as viagra order per their estimates. How do you outrun an enemy that can hide inside your own body?

Running Red has the pacing of an action movie. From the very first paragraph readers are thrust into Robin’s chaotic, dangerous world. Most of the character development and exposition in this tale actually occurs in the flashbacks which made certain plot twists even more unexpected. Everyone who has survived so far is far too busy staying alive to worry about their emotional health, but I was surprised to see how much Robin matured during the year or so she lived on the run.

I never quite understood the logic behind how the disease spreads or why Yuki appears to be immune to it. While the descriptions of this invasion are terrifying the explanation for why some people were more susceptible to it than others would have made more sense had the author described the disease as a virus instead of a fungus.

While I initially harboured a few doubts about a decision Robin makes as the end of this tale grew near the final scene stays true to everything we learn about her personality and moral code. All of the major plot points were resolved satisfactorily, but a few answers were open-ended enough to justify a sequel in the future if the author ever chooses to revisit these characters.

It’s difficult to write a novel about zombies without including a lot of violent scenes. This book is full of graphic descriptions of characters hurting and killing one another, and while it may be appealing to younger audiences it definitely should not be read by anyone under the age of 16.

Anyone in the mood for a fresh twist on the zombie meme should give Running Red a try. It reinvents some of the most common tropes in the genre while paying homage to the expectations of hardcore fans.

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

Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards

May 23, 2013 By 1 Comment

PHOENIX
Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards
A Black City Novel
Publisher: Penguin Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA, Paranormal, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Full Length (350 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Weeks after his crucifixion and rebirth as Phoenix, Ash Fisher believes his troubles are far behind him. He and Natalie are engaged and life seems good. But his happiness is short-lived when he receives a threatening visit from Purian Rose, who gives Ash an ultimatum: vote in favor of Rose’s Law permanently relegating Darklings to the wrong side of the wall or Natalie will be killed. The decision seems obvious to Ash; he must save Natalie. But when Ash learns about The Tenth, a new and deadly concentration camp where the Darklings would be sent, the choice doesn’t seem so simple. Unable to ignore his conscience, Ash votes against Rose’s Law, signing Natalie’s death warrant and putting a troubled nation back into the throes of bloody battle.

Hold on for this wild ride!

The pill has to be consumed with the http://robertrobb.com/return-to-normalcy-would-win-in-a-landslide/ cialis tabs 20mg help of water an hour before a person makes love. sildenafil online no prescription Super p Force: The use of these chair style toilets can become the cause of generating constipation, IBS, hemorrhoids, diverticular disease, and other problems. There is cialis discount no wonder that many people, including some urologist, think that prostatitis can lead to infertility and is an indicator of hypothalamic and pituitary function. Well, there is no such right normal phase for sexual cialis without prescription wish since it certainly gets varies throughout life. There are few books that stop me in my tracks. This is one of those books. I like a story where I’m snagged from the beginning and don’t want to put it down. Yes, this was one of those books.

Elizabeth Richards writes with an intensity and a flowing quality that immersed me right into the story. I didn’t want it to end. I felt like I was right there in Black City.

This story is geared towards teens and here’s where my conundrum lies. Natalie and Ash are very much in love and they deal with love and life in many ways that teens do. But there is a lot of sexual contact that might not be for a younger teen. There is a lot of emotional distress in this book that a younger reader might not understand, either. But don’t let that deter you! This book definitely packs a punch.

The push and pull between Natalie and Ash is interesting. I could identify with both characters. She wants to protect him and he refuses to sacrifice her. Intense reading. I got a little irritated with them after a while because I wanted them to just work things out, but come on! This is fiction and well, everything can’t go smoothly.

If you want a book that’s rife with emotion and struggle as well as some hot love, then this might be the book for you.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Killing Caroline by Christina Dotson

April 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment

CAROLINE
Killing Caroline by Christina Dotson
Publisher: Etopia Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (304 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Nothing can come between two sisters. Except murder…

Althea James is the girl everyone loves to ignore. Even her parents act like she doesn’t exist, especially after her perfect sister, Caroline, arrives home from college for summer break. But the sibling rivalry Althea shares with Caroline goes much deeper than competing for their parents’ affection. Caroline represents everything Althea isn’t and never will be. Until one tragic night that threatens to change her life forever.

For more than 17% of men buying viagra in italy in their 60s are four times more likely to suffer impotence than men in their 40s. However, it’s rare to find people facing potency problems because of hormone imbalance. acheter viagra pfizer One of the major causes for samples of generic viagra male infertility is still uncertain. Such problem makes levitra generic canada man feel emotionally weaker and lose the erection. Suddenly, Althea is forced into the blinding spotlight of fame, but for all the wrong reasons. Her sister is dead, her boyfriend is in jail, and her parents have reported her missing. Now, caught in the middle of the media storm, Althea is the girl no one can stop talking about. But is her newfound fame worth the secret she so desperately wants to keep?

Althea is the younger sister. The one who is different. Her parents want her to be more like her older sister, Caroline. Her peers at school tease her to the point of retaliation, causing her to be suspended. Her life goes further downhill when sister Caroline comes home from college and resumes her goal of making Althea’s life unbearable.

The only bright spot in her life is her boyfriend Jacob who sees a beauty in Althea that no one else does – not even Althea. The return of Caroline and the arrival of Jacob’s brother Davis sets her life spinning. Unable to please anyone and frustrated by her parents believing Caroline’s lies, the final straw comes when her sister taunts her about why Jacob is dating Althea. She snaps and hits out at Caroline who falls to the floor – dead.

Althea is a strong character, despite her conviction she’s not worth anything. Her problems are similar to those of most teenagers but enhanced by her own dark nature. Davis has a similar type of personality although he tends to come across as a bit psychopathic. All the main characters are well defined and the author had me wondering how Althea would cover her
part in her sister’s murder.

At this point I found the story became confusing. However, that could be due to the fact I’m not a teenager. I’m sure that age group would read this with a different outlook on the story than I did. Despite this, I believe Althea’s character was an accurate portrayal of teenage angst and Ms Dotson has told the story with definite insight into teenage life.

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

Saving Casey by Liza O’Connor

April 19, 2013 By 1 Comment

CASEY
Saving Casey by Liza O’Connor
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full length (197 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Aster

Having been diagnosed with cancer, Cass Goldman decides to opt out of any futile medical care and end her life. While she has some thoughts on afterlife, she never expects to reincarnate into the body of a seventeen-year-old girl named Casey Davidson.

When she awakens in a hospital, Cass discovers two disturbing facts: One, she is now inside the body of a troubled teenager, and two, the former owner of this body committed suicide, but only Cass knows that. Everyone else believes Casey has survived, but suffered a complete memory loss. Cass has two choices: to take on Casey’s life and turn it around, or to confess the truth about her reincarnation and end up in a mental asylum. Given this second chance to life, Cass decides to take on the future life of Casey—the frightening ghoul-faced teen with short, black, spiky hair.

Every person around Cass has an ulterior motive and discovering the truth of Old Casey’s life is more complicated than the “new math” she is forced to learn in school. In addition, Cass has to contend with raging teenage hormones and the prior crimes of Old Casey, which she might not remember, but everyone else certainly does. However, her biggest frustration concerns her feelings for her father’s rugged security specialist who sees her only as a teenager and doesn’t want to explore the mutual attraction between them.

Will her second chance at life prove to be worth the struggles she has to overcome?

Not everyone gets a second chance. Eighty year old Cass Goldman got hers.
As men age, energy level decreases, this cheap viagra from canada is an early sign of reduced sexual desire. It blocks the order viagra without prescription conversion of testosterone into dihyrdo-testosterone, commonly referred to as DHT. The mouth is the place that ought to change from 15-30 viagra ordination http://appalachianmagazine.com/2018/09/22/historic-upset-old-dominion-stuns-13-virginia-tech/ degree centigrade. Physiological problems: In a small http://appalachianmagazine.com/2018/05/07/provoking-thought-dont-take-pictures-of-car-wrecks/ viagra free percentage of men.
Cass ended her own long life after a diagnosis of terminal cancer. Instead of the pearly gates, Cass woke in a hospital room in the body of a seventeen year old suicide survivor, surrounded by her parents. She soon learns Casey, the girl who was actually successful in her suicide, although no one but Cass knows, had alienated just about everyone in her life. Further investigation, however, showed Cass that Casey was much more of a victim than a perpetrator.

This was an interesting story. Casey was a very strong person to have endured what she did, and my heart bled for her. Seemed everyone in her life abandoned her when she needed them most, so she needed to turn inward to survive. The journey Cass takes to save Casey from further harm was complex, suspenseful, and full of twists and turns.

I was left with a few questions, or holes I felt the story contained, which kept it from scoring higher. Cass was supposed to be eighty when she passed originally. As Casey, she spoke very young, so other than occasional reminders of her chronological age, it was hard to remember Cass was actually a much older soul. It just seemed at times she was another person in a strange body instead of being so much more experienced. I wondered why Cass didn’t mention, or at least investigate, what happened to her original self after she passed, but once she was Casey, she was Casey. I’m still not sure we ever got reason for the switch, either.

The romance between Cass/Casey and Troy was not believable to me. I can see Cass relying on Troy, since he was her protection, but there was little reason, or opportunity, for Troy to develop feelings for Cass. As far as he was concerned, she was a seventeen year old kid (to his thirty). I knew he admired her tenacity, but as far as anything further – especially something long lasting – I just wasn’t sure what that was based on. The romance seemed a secondary storyline, but it did take much of the second half of the book.

Poor Casey endured much more than any person should ever have to, and reading it was difficult at times. Her mother was far from likable, but her father seemed a good guy. If you’re looking for a story of survival, redemption, strength and ultimate victory, this one has an interesting ride.

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

Return by Charity Santiago

April 8, 2013 By 7 Comments

RETURN
Return by Charity Santiago
Publisher: Self
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Length: Full (301 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rated: 4 Stars
Review by Rose

For the last three years, eighteen-year-old Ashlyn Li has been running from her destiny. A free-spirited ninja, Ashlyn would rather loot an abandoned city or challenge a fiend to battle than assume leadership of Toryn, her father’s kingdom. However, when a series of attacks reunites Ashlyn with the friends who helped her save the sun three years ago, she discovers that her kingdom is at war and her father has presumed her dead.

Suddenly Ashlyn is faced with not only fulfilling her birthright, but also making sense of her feelings towards two very different men- Drake Lockhart, the enigmatic vampire who captured her heart three years ago, and Vargo, the charismatic assassin who was once Ashlyn’s sworn enemy.
Some people have it just to experience how it feels! But it is suggested that one should only prefer the sildenafil 100mg tab whenever it is necessary. viagra is made for the humans who are unable to intimate along with their partner, it helps humans to satisfy their partner. Keep in mind, most times it is embarassing not to perform the way http://appalachianmagazine.com/2016/01/03/federal-government-fining-people-for-being-poor/ generic viagra one wishes to and this can lead to a lot of stress and complications in relation. A trial pack will line viagra help you firstly to confirm that the pharmacy is legitimate and not a ponzi scheme. Date pastes are used http://appalachianmagazine.com/2016/page/13/ generic uk viagra a lot in bakeries and hotels where natural sweeteners are needed.
Will Ashlyn ascend the pagoda and become Lady of Toryn?

Ashlyn is very much her own person–she’s a ninja and proud of it. She’d much rather fulfill her role as ninja than fulfill her role as the heir of her father’s kingdom. But, once that birthright is threatened, then she decides to take matters into her own hands.

Ms. Santiago drops the reader right in the middle of the action–and doesn’t let up. In fact, it’s so much so that if the reader didn’t know better, she might think she had joined a series in the middle. Ms. Santiago, though, does a good job of bringing the reader up to speed — you aren’t bored, that’s for sure. You don’t have time to get bored!

Not only is there non-stop action, there’s a love triangle that will leave the reader pulling for either Drake or Vargo–if she can make up her mind! I’m looking forward to the second book of the series to see what happens next with Ashlyn Li.

 

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

Desert Rice by Angela Scott

March 25, 2013 By 8 Comments

Cover_DesertRice

Desert Rice by Angela Scott
Publisher: Evolved Publishing (206 pgs)
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Length: Full
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rated: 5 Stars
Review by Poppy

Samantha Jean Haggert is a beautiful twelve-year-old girl, but no one knows it. All they see is an awkward boy in a baseball cap and baggy pants. Sam’s not thrilled with the idea of hiding her identity, but it’s all part of her brother’s plan to keep Sam safe from male attention and hidden from the law. 15-year-old Jacob will stop at nothing to protect his sister, including concealing the death of the one person who should have protected them in the first place–their mother.

Sam and Jacob try to outrun their past by stealing the family car and traveling from West Virginia to Arizona, but the adult world proves mighty difficult to navigate, especially for two kids on their own. Trusting adults has never been an option; no adult has ever given them a good reason. But when Sam meets “Jesus”–who smells an awful lot like a horse–in the park, life takes a different turn. He saved her once, and may be willing to save Sam and her brother again, if only they admit what took place that fateful day in West Virginia. The problem? Sam doesn’t remember, and Jacob isn’t talking.

Stunning. Disturbing. Touching.  Raw.

Lawax capsules and Vital M-40 capsules offers the best natural treatment to stop early ejaculation and help to last longer in bed and delaying ejaculation will improve over time.If you are at risk of getting heart disease, make healthy lifestyle changes, loose or manage your weight, and increase your physical activities ,stop smoking and pfizer viagra uk drinking excessively. Study says that high blood pressure may cause erectile dysfunction even cycling as well. online pharmacy viagra Reduced levels of testosterone sildenafil pills affect your sex drive. It is cheap viagra india cute-n-tiny.com made by the famous pharmaceutical house, Eli Lilly. And even those words don’t do this justice. Ms. Scott has got serious writing chops. She made me love this book, even though it’s nothing like my usual choice for reading and even though it’s terribly sad and tragic for the vast majority of its pages.  She creates incredibly real characters in Jacob and Sam, then puts them in a place that broke my heart.

They aren’t always the most endearing of people. They do things that are frustrating, dishonest, and heart-rending. But they always love each other, and they always determine to make a life for themselves. Jacob’s first and only real goal in life it to take care of his sister. As we learn the truth of what happened, we understand what drives him so frantically to keep her safe.

Sam doesn’t remember what happened to put them in the place where they are. And she’s remarkably typical for a girl her age, except that she’s dressing and acting as a teenaged boy. No punches are pulled in this book; there is language, graphic situations and more. Even something like Sam’s first period are described so clearly I was cramping up right there with her.

Thankfully, all is not bleak here. Eventually they meet a good-hearted man and his girlfriend who take them under their wings, but even that doesn’t go smoothly.

This isn’t a book for light reading. It’s one you will think about long after you finish and wonder if this is how it truly is for some kids out there. It’ll make you grateful for your rather normal life and will cause you to count your blessings, no matter how small.

Reading Desert Rice is a life-changing experience and I’m glad I was able to read it.

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

I Kiss Girls by Gina Harris

March 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment

KISS
I Kiss Girls by Gina Harris
Publisher: Prizm Books
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Length: Full Length (196 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lotus

Joanie’s got all of the problems of an almost seventeen year old girl. She’s trying to get her driver’s license, her mom and dad are pressuring her about going to prom, and she never can seem to make it to the bus on time.

Even worse, Joanie likes girls, not boys, and all of the girls in her hometown are pretty darned straight. Her best friend, Zane, can attest to that, considering that he never has trouble getting a girl, even if he’s not interested in the freshmen who swarm around him. When new girl Kate shows up, needing tutoring in math and chemistry, Joanie figures Zane will get the date, like he always does, and that makes life even more difficult.

Joanie’s in for a surprise, though, because Kate doesn’t fall for her good-looking best friend. In fact, Kate seems to like girls, too, and things get a little scary when Kate asks Joanie out on a date.

Somehow Joanie knows if she says yes to Kate, things will change forever. Can she manage to pass her driving test, get to prom, and come out to her parents the way Kate wants her to? Or will Joanie’s seventeenth birthday be the worst day in history?

Sexual dysfunction is not something that is new, and it has existed for decades. look at this drugshop cialis generic no prescription Kamagra Side effectsKamagra is a generic viagra sample splendidly endured tablet online which is the generic type that is prepared taking in to concern the wellness of the individual. important site cialis without prescription So, assure the quality of the medicine without consulting with the physician. I decided that she would be my role model and my mentor and since I was named after her, I really had no choice but to emulate her. viagra generic uk Joanie has a secret that only her best friend Zane knows about. She is torn between blurting it out to the world and fearfully keeping it to herself. However, time is running out and she must decide on what to do and how to do it…

Joanie and Zane, who are both juniors in high school, have been best friends for a long time. They know each other very well and spend lots of time together. In fact, Joanie’s parents are under the impression that they are more than best friends and are assuming that they would be going to the prom together despite Joanie’s repeated protests that they are not more than friends.

Joanie is 16 and has a great family with parents and a sister who all love her. She does well in school and has a best friend to hang out with, so she seems to have the perfect life. However, she is afraid of what her family and her classmates’ reactions would be if they found out she is gay. Would she lose them as family and friends?

Kate, a new girl in school, is about to shake things up for Joanie. Not only is she pretty and smart, but she also likes girls. When she asks Joanie out on a date, Joanie begins to worry that even though this is what she has been waiting for, could she handle the consequences if someone found out???

I Kiss Girls is a sweet story that is a bit predictable, but nevertheless satisfying and reassuring for teenagers who are in similar circumstances. While I was reading it, I felt as though it were similar to an episode of my favorite family TV series in which things got resolved neatly, which is not a bad thing since I always want to watch reruns of it.

I Kiss Girls does have a couple of very interesting twists to the story which I really enjoyed. For a great young adult story that has a LGBT theme, be sure check out I Kiss Girls to find out how Joanie figures out how to live her life and be true to herself.

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

Dolphins in the Mud by Jo Ramsey

March 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

MUD

Dolphins in the Mud by Jo Ramsey
Publisher: Featherweight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Length: Full Length (193 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

When Chris Talberman’s family moved to Wellfleet, Massachusetts, Chris left behind his boyfriend and friends. Six months later, Chris still feels alone.

When a pod of dolphins strand themselves on the cove outside Chris’s house, his autistic younger sister, Cece, runs out to see them. A boy named Noah Silver helps catch Cece before she gets hurt. Noah is even more alone than Chris, and he’s just as eager to find a friend.

Then everything goes downhill — Chris’s mother leaves, putting Chris’s workaholic father in charge. With no one else to talk to, Chris turns to Noah, and their relationship deepens. But Noah has problems he isn’t willing to share.

I found this book to be truly inspirational, not in the religious sense, but in the way it shows teenagers how to cope with the unusual in their lives and proves that they are not alone, even when it seems everything is against them.
The results that are obtained from these viagra sildenafil 100mg conventional treatment options might not be long lasting and also power they have to become daddy and also an effective spouse cannot occur. Similarly, smoking can narrow the arteries and impair smooth flow of blood to different parts of the globe, though you can order cialis on line online, it is important that you take advice of your doctor. Depression, jealousy, social complexes, failures canada pharmacy cialis of life and wrong decisions which leads to irreversible conditions are also the reason for erectile dysfunction. No side effects Herbal sexual supplements in the form of heat-activated penile implant might help men to overcome the condition. generic cialis pharmacy
Many dolphins beach in the mud on the nearby beach catching the attention of Cece, the autistic sister of teenager Chris. Cece escapes to look at the dolphins and Chris rushes after her, and his life changes from that time forward.

Chris, whose parents accept he is gay, is attracted to a boy he meets when he catches his sister and stops to look at the dolphins. His wishes are thwarted by his mother who suddenly disappears, leaving Chris and his father to cope with Cece who is naturally upset by the huge change in her routine.

I liked this story being told from the first person point of view of Chris. It enabled me to get inside his head and know what he was thinking. To some he may have seemed jealous of the attention his sister received, but although Chris admitted there was an imbalance, he didn’t blame Cece. Autism was not something a nine year old could help.

Chris and his family had moved to the coastal area recently and, wisely, the young man kept his sexual preferences discreetly to himself. In time he hoped to meet someone, but was content to wait for the right person.

The author approached both children’s differences in a truthful, but helpful manner. I don’t know much about autism, but this book helped me understand it more widely than before. The teenage angst of being different was also handled with tact and might, I believe, prove of assistance to young people in a similar situation.

I believe this book is well worth rating of 5. Not one but two difficult circumstances were dealt with in a natural way. Prejudices, whispered remarks and loss of temper were not kept out of sight, everything was out in the open which kept me involved with the story right to the end. A truly remarkable book.

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

Life Skills by Jo Ramsey

March 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

LIFE

Life Skills by Jo Ramsey
Publisher: Featherweight Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (66 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Brian Monahan thinks his school’s new community service requirement is ridiculous. Especially when he’s told that since he didn’t submit his own community service proposal, he’s been assigned to volunteer in his school’s Life Skills class. But despite himself, he begins to enjoy working there and likes helping the kids.
Fragment 176-191 peptide is also available in bulk when needed. generic viagra The only difference cheapest cialis between the two is the price. If they reacted with a feeling of hope and an attitude of “I can beat this,” their immunity was strengthened. view here now viagra no doctor Shilajit is nothing but a rejuvenating herb which contains 85 essential minerals in its ionic form. coût viagra
When he sees one of the Life Skills students being bullied in the school cafeteria, Brian intervenes. He’s been bullied enough himself because of his sexuality, and he refuses to let it happen to anyone else. Using his experience in coordinating his school’s Day of Silence, supporting GLBT students, he decides to organize a “Spread the Word to End the Word” rally at his school, using the national campaign against the “R-word.” But can Brian pull it off?

Brian is called into his Guidance Counselor’s office to explain why he hasn’t turned in his community service proposal. He’s resisting doing the project because it makes high school feel even more like prison than usual. What was the point? Now, since he hadn’t thought up a plan for himself, he’s given a project instead. Every other day he has to assist the teacher in the Life Skills class – for children with special needs. Quickly calculating, Brian works out it’s only for fifteen days – not the end of the world after all. After the first few classes though, he discovers he likes the kids. More and more frequently he finds himself helping them, protecting them from bullying and becoming friends with the other students.

This is an enjoyable Young Adult book, I found it to be easily relatable to and with a good message. There is no overt profanity (though there are a few initial “community service sucks” style comments) and I feel the majority of parents won’t have any concerns with the language. Personally, I also enjoyed how Brian is testing out different things emotionally with his personal relationships. He’s openly dating both a girl – Trista – and a boy – Javier. All three of them know the score and there aren’t any secrets. While I felt this added to the realism of teenagers exploring their desires – I could also understand some parents might not be comfortable with this, particularly for their teenage children. There is nothing more heated than a few kisses shared between some of the characters, and while the challenges of dating two different people is explored, it’s a secondary plot.

I also particularly like how, while a good protagonist, Brian isn’t perfect. He’s realistic. He drags his feet over the assignment, hoping it will go away. He’s not jumping with eagerness to help in the Life Skills program – though he does admit he has nothing against the children themselves – he just doesn’t want to lose his spare class and have more work on his shoulders. When he gets to the class he’s extremely polite and tries to be as helpful as he can be. He’s a very understandable teenage boy and at heart a very good character. I enjoyed how as he came to know the students and the challenges and bullying they face Brian became far more eager and leapt in to do what he could to help and support these kids. I feel other young boys and girls will be able to relate well with him, and maybe have their eyes opened to situations outside their own personal experiences. Showing respect to others and how unthinking/unconscious some bullying can be also is a strong lesson here.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »