Hard Love

Title: Hard Love
Author: Ellen Wittlinger
Pub Date:1999
Pages: 224
Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, GLBT

She was counting out dollar bills now, so I reached in my pocket for a few of my own. "Do you know what 'coming out' really means?" she asked, looking me square in the face again. "it means you stop lying. You tell the truth even if it's painful, especially if it's painful. To everybody, your parents included."

"I'm not gay," I told her, though I really had no strong evidence for saying so. "At least I don't think I am."

"There are other closets."

John Galardi is pretty miserable. His parents split up and he lives with his mom - who for the first couple of years did nothing but cry and now has begun dating. He visits his dad every weekend in the city, but it's really a ritual that looks good on paper. Every Friday night John and Dad go out to dinner in a very loud restaurant where they don't have to talk, and the rest of the weekend he's pretty much on his own as Dad is hooking up with multiple women.

The time period is the late 90's and the zine scene is pretty big. John decides he's going to write his first edition, Bananafish. Upon 'publication' he goes to a music shop and checks out the competition. John finds "Escape Velocity" written by the self-proclaimed "rich spoiled lesbian private-school gifted-and-talented writer virgin" Marisol Guzman. Of course he has to meet her.

What begins is an interesting friendship. Every weekend Marisol and John meet and chat about writing, life, and love over coffee. Marisol is everything that John isn't - confident, loud, defiant, and on the move. John quickly falls for Marisol, perhaps convincing himself that Marisol's attraction to women will end.

There's a lot of depth to this book. The title Hard Love not only describes what is going on between John and Marisol, but equally with John's parents who he finally confronts.

I enjoyed this book while reading it. My only "eh" is that it's quite forgettable. I'm writing this review weeks after reading it and couldn't really remember why I liked it until I began skimming the book. Then I was able to say, "oh yeah this really was pretty good".

Catching Fire

Title: Catching Fire
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pub Date: 2009
Pages: 391
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction/Fantasy

I think everyone already knows how awesome Hunger Games was. Likewise, I am sure it is common knowledge that Catching Fire is the incredible sequel to the Hunger Games and there will be a third book to wrap up the story of Katniss, Prim, Peeta, Gale, and the rest.

So what did I think of Catching Fire? Uh, it rocked. Sure, maybe not in the same rockstar-guitar-and-drum-session that The Hunger Games did, but it was the second in a trilogy, it's suppose to be the transitional book, right?

There were twists and turns and unexpected "are you kidding me" moments. I felt the frustration and chest tightening moments as the triangle between Katniss, Gale, and Peeta builds. Catching Firemaintained the same pace as The Hunger Games - once I started it, I didn't want to put it down. And geez louise, the cliffhanger of an ending. Argh. I have to wait how long until the third one?

(And a side note on series, trilogies, etc. I HATE THEM. I am not a patient person. I get frustrated because I forget important details while waiting in the down time. I felt that way with Harry Potter. And even to this day, I could not tell you what occurred in each book even though I read and watched them all. I have such a short attention span. Remind me next time people when a brilliant series comes out to not read them until they're all published!)

Zombie Haiku

Title: Zombie Haiku
Author: Ryan Mecum
Pages: 160
Pub Date: 2008
Genre: Zombies, Poetry

Zombie Haiku uses the Japanese Haiku form 5-7-5 to tell the story of a man who observes his world overtaken by zombies and his eventual demise into becoming one.

I didn't know it actually told a story through the haiku. I just expected funny little poems about eating brains. The tale told in poems really worked and made this not only a fun and spooky read, but a plotted one as well. (Plus, I had just seen Zombieland in the theaters right before reading this quirky thing. I was definitely in the right mental mind).

Here are some fun examples from the book:

I loved my momma
I eat her with my mouth closed,
how she would want it.

Little old ladies
speed away in their wheelchairs,
frightened meals on wheels.

He tends to not flinch
though I'm yelling in his ear
which is in my hand.

Finally, check out his website.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days

Title: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
Author: Jeff Kinney
Pages: 224
Pub Date: Oct 2009
Genre: Young Adult, Graphic, Humor

Jeff Kinney has done it again. I'm incredibly impressed with his wit and ability to capture a fun loving character that a part of every kid can relate to. Greg is back in another dose of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. This time around it's summer and Rowley and him are in a bit of financial strife. Greg comes up with (yet another) fabulous idea to make money - start a lawn service. Problem? Of course there's problems! This is Greg.

What should have become a summer of, Greg must spend it with his family for quality time. There's plenty of snickers to be had while Greg deals with his brothers, his first girl crush, and arguments with Rowley.

Highly recommend yet again. You'll be in stitches!

Stuck in the Middle

Title: Stuck in the Middle: Seventeen Comics from an Unpleasant Age
Author: (Editor) Ariel Schrag
Pub Date: 2007
Pages: 210
Genre: Graphic Novel, Memoir, Young Adult

First I have to say that I love graphic novel collections, and this one is no different.

Stuck in the Middle is a collection of seventeen stories all from the chaotic (and neurotic) middle school years. The front cover of this book is absolutely fan-tas-tic! In the top right hand corner is the old looking lunch lady, with her hair net and smock. There are three or so tables squished together with tons of activity: notes being passed, a spitwad being spat, boys laughing and leaning back in their chairs. And finally, the only colored boy walking in the midst of it all, cringing and appearing absolutely terrified! For someone who lives middle school every weekday, this is exactly what the cafeteria would look like without adult supervision.

Some of the shorts that stood out:

BFF by Veronica Davis ~ the timeless tale of two besties planning on being "friends forever" until a boy comes in between them all. But rather than the friendship ending, we are left to speculate how it will survive.

Snitch by Tania Schrag ~ Poor little Tania tries to defend herself from merciless teasing in class only to be called a snitch and scorned by the rest of her peers. Her days are spent being bullied, ostracized and pushed out to find new friends. The only saving grace is it *is* middle school, and eventually there will be a new snitch.

Plan on the 7 Busy by Ariel Schrag ~ Two "friends" ride together on the public bus to another "friend's" house. Their sole purpose for the visit is to viciously (and slyly) torture the other girl. The catty chit chat is ear prickling and the mean-spirited behavior includes sharp one liners to one and another about each other.

Like a Weed, Joe by Daniel Clowes ~ Perhaps one of the most heartbreaking tales of giving into peer pressure. Young Daniel is stuck with his grandparents for the summer. In the beginning, although he is bored, he appreciates the loving and nurturing quality of his grandfolks. Then, as the summer moves along he pairs up with the 'riff raff' of the neighborhood. A smart mouthed boy with an attitude that screams delinquent. As the days go by, Daniel models similar behavior, ultimately scorning the old people who take care of him.

There were so many other great stories in this collection (The Adventures of Batboy and Starling by Nick Eliopulos was especially amusing) that I wish I had purchased a copy for my personal library. For the most part, I am pretty content with my middle school years (my high school years on the other hand....) but do recall how mean and nasty we could be if you put a group of us girls together in a room for a couple of hours. I think that even though each generation deals with their own demons, the underlying behaviors are pretty universal (base that on brain developments - they're still trying to build connections to their frontal lobe!).

Finally, the comics themselves didn't speak to me as some other graphic novels have, but I believe that has more to do with me and less to do with the artist. I don't have an eye for technique; I just base my opinion on what catches my fancy.

Benny & Shrimp

Title: Benny & Shrimp
Author: Katarina Mazetti
Pages: 209
Pub Date: 2008
Genre: Fiction

Brief Summary

Benny and Desiree ("Shrimp") have very little in common besides they're visits to the cemetery. Benny is a hardworking farmer who has concerns about his harvest and finances. He has very little time for any extracurricular activities and desires an equally hardworking woman to run the household. Desiree is mourning the loss of her husband and a relationship that was stable but not passionate. She is well-read and slightly pretentious without meaning to be.

And because of one misunderstanding, Benny and Shrimp begin a relationship.

My thoughts

Aw, this book was exactly what I needed to read. It was simple, beautifully written, and had strong believable characters. The conflict of two mismatched people falling in love is hardly new in the literary world. In order to "pull it off" you need to have strong characters. Benny & Shrimp were just those characters.

In fact, I was saddened when it came to an end. And what an end (Shhh...I won't give it a way, but it was a total cliff hanger). But guess what? Evidently the author is going to make a sequel. I'll be sure to check it out.

Scary Book, Please

I'm already feeling nostalgia for Halloween. Man, I love the month of October.

(It's also that time of year when pumpkin becomes an acceptable ingredient in anything - YAY. Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bagels, pumpkin smear, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin milkshakes...*sigh*)

But, back to Halloween and, as the title of this post says, scariness.

Can you believe that the only scary book that I read in the month of October was The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman. Which, although absolutely gorgeous and delightfully creepy, it is hardly jeepers creepers nail biting SCARY.

So, I'm looking for input. What has been the best scariest books you've read. Not just year, but ever? I'm ready to go on a book binge. Help me out people. :D

Defenders of the Scroll

Title: Defenders of the Scroll
Author: Shiraz
Pages: 248
Pub Date: 2008
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Summary: (From book jacket) "Far away in the realm of Mythos, an evil entity has broken free of its prison to darken the land. However, entrusted with her father's magic scroll - the only hope for the realm - young princess Dara summons six heros from different times and places to defend her: a hardened Roman legionaire, a swift Japanese samurai, a might African warrior, a fiery Amazon archer, a spirited Shaolin monk, and a guitar-playing high school student named Alex. Now, constantly on the run from an army of Shadow Warriors, the teens must endure perilous journeys and face frightening monsters - while trying not to fight with each other - as they struggle to find the mysterious Hall of Shadows."

My thoughts: Shiraz contacted me a couple of months ago to see if I would read and review his book. Generally, I turn down books from authors or publishers if they fall into the scifi/fantasy genre, so I really surprised myself when I accepted Defenders of the Scroll. Why you might be asking? Well first off did you look at that cover? I mean come on! How fabulous is that? It looks all 80's retro style, with some He-Man and the Castle of Greyskull love. Secondly, I love the idea of these four heros from different regions and time periods getting pulled into this alternative universe to save the day. I figured I might get some history lessons along with some fantasy fun.

Overall, I enjoyed Defenders of the Scroll. I admit, I was initially reluctant after reading the first few pages, but it's not in my nature to let a book slip through my hands without a fair fight. By the time I finished chapter 2, I knew that I would finish it. And I did, in two days. I found reading it pretty interesting - it's wasn't one of those books that I raced home to read, but once I began, I got suckered in and didn't want to stop.