2009 in a Nutshell

This year has been such a great reading year. In fact, I found myself having problems narrowing down my most loved books of 2009 to a mere ten. (Ten is an arbitrary number, for sure. But I had to stop somewhere because twenty would lead to twenty-five which would lead to - well, you get the idea).

So.

Drumroll please!

My top ten reads of 2009, in no particular order.

Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - What is not to love about this novel? It's the a tale of anguish, love, survival, and hope - or in one world, teenagers. This is a classic, in my opinion.

Being Written by William Conescu - A book designed for the reader to question reality. Uh, fabulous! An existential crisis? A psychotic break? Or is the character really just a character? This book was checked out through the library, but I really wish that I owned a copy.

The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale - I was completely and utterly surprised by this book. Seriously. I had never read Shannon Hale, and the premise of the book did not sound appealing *at* all. But because everyone continued to rave, I thought, "What the hell". Am I glad that I did!

House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III - Another book that took me by surprise. It was nothing what I expected and ended up being so much more. I would not be surprised to find this on college reading list studying a literature curriculum.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - A science fiction novel that I enjoyed?! Oh yeah. NLMG did something that I find doesn't happen a lot in science fiction (or at least what I've read) - the characters are 3-dimensional. That's right, it's not a plot driven novel - it's all about the characters and their reaction to the environment.

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - OK. I don't have to go into much detail here do I? Hunger Games rocks. I can't believe I have to wait months for the final book! Argh. I hate series specifically for that reason :(

Looking for Alaska by John Green - *squee* John Green. Have I mentioned what a fangirl crush I have on this author? It was tough to decide between Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska, but I ultimately chose this one because it takes place in a boarding school and well, I've always wanted to attend a boarding school!

Blankets by Craig Thompson - This is such a beautiful graphic novel centering around a first love. Beautifully captured in the written word and illustrations. A must have for any library!

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver - One of the most disturbing book that I've read. Raw and right to the point. A sociopath is truly created.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi - My first ever graphic novel! And perhaps my first novel read that took place in the Middle East (yes, I'm fully aware that I am admitting to my ignorance). Is there anyone out there who still hasn't read this one? And if so, why not?!?

Now....onto the most hated books!

Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold - Since my review posted at the beginning of the year I've found my distaste for this book grew. It really just did nothing for me. I know so many people loved it but I just don't get it. And the movie? It looks earth-shattering awful!

Dewey by Vicki Myron - I first heard about Dewey from a news clip. Being a cat person, I immediately fell in love with the story. Having read the book, I wish it had been written better.

Kissing Kate by Lauren Myracle - Hated it. Hated it. Hated it. Characters were flat, story was predictable. *le sigh* the only redeeming aspect was it happened to be a quick read!

Just the Facts, Ma'am

Books Read: 114
Pages Read: 29,143
Average Pages Per Day: 83
Fiction: 32 (28%)
Non Fiction: 15 (13%)
Graphics: 24 (21%)
Young Adult: 37 (32%)
Poetry (including poetic novels): 4 (>1%)
New To Me Authors: 80 (70%)
Male: 44 (39%)
Female: 51 (45%)

Best Reading Month: June (4107 pages)
Worst Reading Month: September (1111 pages)

Well guys! I'll see you in 2010. I hope everyone has a safe new year's. Cheers!

Let It Snow

Title: Let It Snow - Three Holiday Romances
Authors: Maureen Johnson, John Green, Lauren Myracle
Pub Date: 2008
Pages: 352
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Seasonal
What I picked it up: Um, hello?! John Green. Heart goes pitter-patter,fangirl squeal, "he's sooo dreamy" *le sigh*

Let It Snow features three short stories all set in the same town during Christmas Eve/Christmas Day.

The Jubilee Express by Maureen Johnson - Jubilee (Julie) is looking forward to a wonderful and romantic Christmas Eve with her perfect boyfriend Noah. It is after all, their one year anniversary. Life couldn't be more lovely until Julie's next door neighbor rushes over and plans are unexpectedly changed. Julie's parents, while in the pursuit of purchasing the newest Flobie (the Christmas craze), were arrested when a riot broke out. Instead of spending a delectable holiday with Noah, Julie is packed up and sent on a train to spend Christmas with her grandparents. And then, if that doesn't make matters worse, the train smacks into tons of snow. Coming to a sudden stop, Julie is stuck in the train with twelve cheerleaders and a boy named Jeb. What to do, what to do? Julie decides to walk to the Waffle House across the way wherein she meets another boy Stuart and agrees to go home with him to avoid cheerleader-ness giggles. Mourning her unfortunate luck, Julie tries to make the best of it.

My thoughts:

This is not going to be a favorable review because I ultimately found the overall story unbelievable. Christmas magic or not, there were a couple of major fallacies that I could not overlook. (1) it is snowing horribly outside, you are a high school girl with no idea where you are at, and you are going to hop off of the train without telling anyone and just trudge through to the Waffle House, (2) once in the Waffle House, you're going to agree to go home with a complete stranger, albeit a stranger your own age so that makes it safer, to spend the night in a warm home, and finally (3) while all of this is going on you're not calling your grandparents - elderly people !!! - who are awaiting your arrival to tell them "Oops. Train stalled; I'll be late. But I'm safe". Do you see why I had some problems here? I couldn't really enjoy the story because I kept rolling my eyes thinking now way would that happen! And the sad part is? I kinda liked Julie as a character. I mean, there were some funny moments.

I haven't read anything else by Maureen Johnson and don't know if I will.

A Cheertastic Miracle by John Green - Meet JP, The Duke, and Tobin. Three best friends hanging out watching James Bond movies on Christmas Eve. Then, Tobin receives an urgent phone call from Keun who is working a the town's Waffle House: [paraphrased] "Dude, you're never going to believe this! Cheerleaders just showed up here and they're stranded. You heard me. For the night. Their train stalled. You have to come up here now. Don't be an asshat." What starts out as a leisurely and quiet night turns into mayhem, near death moments, and freezing cold weather. The Duke (our only female protagonist) agrees to go along with the pursuit of cheerleaders because of her undeniable adoration for the Waffle House hash-browns. As the night wears on, the mission isn't about obtaining the cheertrophy, but staying alive from snow, bullies, and each other.

My thoughts

This short story does not make me love John Green any less (alternatively, it doesn't make me love him any more either). I mean it was definitely John Green. I love his narration, especially because the main character is a guy, and quite honestly there just aren't enough leading male protagonists in YA lit. Especially romance-love-driven novels. Also, if you haven't noticed Green does a phenomenal job incorporating nicknames for his characters "The Duke" rather than Angie (I think? I can't remember her real name right now). Plus it's just pure zany. The romance (and there is romance) isn't necessarily the impetus to the story line. In this case it centers around friendship and adventure. Still, it wasn't enough for me. I cannot fangirl rave. I fear it's just because I'm not a short story kinda girl. I can think of only a handful of short stories that truly left me in awe.

The Patron Saint of Pigs by Lauren Myracle - Addie is miserable. It's Christmas Eve and she's heartbroken. A week earlier she and her boyfriend, Jeb (ring a bell?) broke up because she stupidly made out with another boy at a party. In a desperate move, Addie sent Jeb an e-mail begging him to meet her at Starbucks to talk about their relationship. Jeb never showed. To make matters worse, her two closest friends just told her that they thought she was self-centered. Her? Self-centered? Whatever. In fact, she'll even prove to them how unselfish she is: she'll pick up Tegan's pet pig.

My thoughts

This was perhaps my least favorite story. I mean, I didn't really believe The Jubilee Express, but at least I smirked a couple of times. The Patron Saint of Pigs best part was the description of the cute little teacup pig. In fact, I had to go on a youtube fiesta and seek out cutesy snorting piglets.

I looked up Lauren Myracle (don't you love the spelling of that name?) and realized that she also wrote Kissing Kate, which I also did not find favorable. Maybe this author just isn't my kind of YA.

Overall Thoughts

• I really liked that characters were introduced in the stories and then carried over into the next. Or an older character that we had already met popped up again. Very cool.
  
  
• I don't get the all warm-fuzzy-holiday-miracle-love-conquers-all. Perhaps that's why this selection didn't WoW me like most. (Does this make me a Scrooge?)
  
  
• John Green was the reason why I chose this book, and John Green is the only author that I will continue to seek out again having read this book.
  
  
• Yay for teacup piglets!
  
  
• I am discouraged to read more short fiction.

Touching Spirit Bear

Title: Touching Spirit Bear
Author: Ben Mikaelsen
Pub Date: 2001
Pages: 240
Genre: Young Adult; Realistic Fiction
Why'd I pick it up: A couple of teachers at my school have taught this novel in the past. I read it in pursuit of a novel study for the 3rd nine weeks.

Summary

Fifteen year old Cole has been arrested and this time around his wealthy, drunk, and divorced parents cannot bail him out. In a rage-filled moment, Cole smashed peer Peter's head against the concrete sidewalk leaving him permanently physically damaged. The courts plan on trying him as an adult, and Cole's future appears to hold nothing less than a long jail sentence. Except Cole's probation officer, Garvey, sees something on himself in this destructive young boy and suggests the town consult with a Circle Justice before trying him. After hearing the pleas of Peter, Peter's family, Cole, Cole's parents, and the townsfolk, Cole is banished to an island on the offshore of Alaska for a year where he must survive alone. Garvey believes the silence of solitude will allow Cole to come to terms with his anger and allow for growth and healing.

Thoughts

I loved this book, and I know that my students will love it as well. Cole is a believable character. I can actually feel his anger and vulnerability. The first half of the book reminded me of Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, which is a favorite of my students, so I know the survival and adventure aspect of Touching Spirit Bear will appeal to them as well. But the book is so much more than realistic fiction; it's interspersed with life lessons and bits of spiritual philosophy. The Justice Circle is Native American based, and the two Native American characters in Touching Spirit Bear come from the Tlingit tribe. I admit, I know very little about Native American culture, but the small dosages that Mikaelsen feeds his readers are manageable, insightful, and teasingly enough for me to want to research more of the area and aspects of the Tlingit tribe and their form of punishment.

Garvey and Edwin (the two natives and guides to Cole) speak in abstract illustrations rather than telling Cole his lessons straightforward. It reminds me of what I find so appealing with Eastern religions, the individual hears the lesson and personalizes it. There's a necessary "Aha" moment that allows for ownership. What real learning is, I suppose.

"This discovery excited Cole and set him to thinking. If animals existed in a world of instincts and senses beyond conscious thoughts of the mind, what happened to people in their frantic worlds of noise and hectic rushing? How much of the world did people miss because they were not calm enough, empty enough, to experience it? Cole's thoughts raced as he stared up at the black ceiling of the small cabin."

I love novels that encourage stillness, especially to our kids.

The Circle Justice is an interesting idea as well. Does our system of imprisonment actually rehabilitate or does it only continue the criminal cycle? The Circle Justice way attempts to heal rather than punish, is that sufficient? Especially when it comes to crimes such as Cole's where another human being's quality of life is less because of the criminal act? I don't necessarily believe that our criminal justice system is a deterrent to criminal behavior, but I surely don't have the answer to an acceptable exchange. Primarily because I think that we're too large of a nation. In tribal communities, individuals are families with their neighbors, their livelihood is based on their relationships. We don't have that sense of community, of love of neighbor. What I did think was significant in Touching Spirit Bear was that even though Cole went through the banishment, he was reminded by Garvey several times that he could potentially still face a judge and be sentenced. There were moments when I was even reminded of Band of the Hand (the movie, has anyone else seen it?).

Overall, I think that this review is pretty straightforward on my feelings- this is such a fantastic novel, both in plot, characters, and philosophy. Whatever flaws I could find were easily overlooked (so far as I cannot even recall any right now two days after reading the book!). I can't wait to see how receptive this book is to my kids.

Skinny

Title: Skinny
Author: Ibi Kaslik
Pub Date: 2004
Pages: 244
Genre: YA, Eating Disorders

Giselle is an early twenty something med student who has a nervous breakdown. Unable to deal with the grief of losing an unloving father, the powerful voice of self-loathing convinces her to starve.

Holly, her younger sister and athlete, not only struggles with watching her older sister slowly die in front of her, but is often asked questions about their father who obviously loved her more.

This story is told in alternating voices: Giselle's voice is filled with longing, hatred, and devastation; Holly's voice is filled with anger, frustration, the desire to have and live her own life, and dealing with normal adolescent troubles.

This is Canadian author Kaslik's first novel, and her writing is often harsh and powerful:

"He started the whole mess with those ice-blue eyes that kept me begging for my right to exist. Holly doesn't know what it's like to love someone who doesn't care whether you life or die. She doesn't yet realize that love unreturned eventually transforms into a fierce tangled mess, nerves and entrails exposed like split animal innards. She doesn't understand that sometimes the unrequited must demand reparations, that love can be a mean and spiteful process, that sometimes one loses patience with love. So, when the nerves and guts have seemingly been packed away, sewn in and cleaned up so as not to make all the innocent bystanders uncomfortable, the carrier of this love becomes heavy with toxic lump that grows, slowly, and steadily, into a fierce ball of scarred tissue."

I love the raw imagery she uses her. Anyone who has ever loved someone who has not loved them knows the inner turmoil of that experience - it's searing, gut-wrenching, and convulsive. And then to imagine that unreturned love coming from a parent only magnifies the pain.

This is the writing that pulled me in. Unfortunately, at times, the voice was distant and non-linear which added a bit of confusion. Plus, I'm not a big fan of the multiple voices convention.

I could really appreciate where Holly was coming from a lot more than Giselle. I don't know what it was about her (and this will probably make me sound like a horrible person) but I really wanted to just shout, "for chrissake's will you just die already?". I know, I know. I really am a good person, and do not under-empathize the destructive hell that ensues when an eating disorder enters someone's world. I just didn't feel as though that self-destructive voice was nearly as authentic as, say, Anderson's portrayal in Wintergirls. And so, having Wintergirls still fresh in my mind (even though it was nearly six months away, the book was that powerful), I have trouble comparing other anorexic voices to Lia's (the main character).

I do hope that Kaslik writes more novels. Overall, this was a great first publication.

The Vampire Diaries

The Awakening
The Struggle
The Fury
Dark Reunion

I know since the Twilight craze, vampires (and werewolves) have been the big rage. This is nothing more than history repeating itself, or rather teen books dealing with the occult or other mystical elements. LJ Smith's The Vampire Diaries illustrates that point perfectly as it was a popular teen book back eighteen years ago. (My students are actually incredulous over this matter; I shock them even more when I say their beloved R.L.Stine used to write books other than Goosebumps).

I devoured books as a kid, but overlooked a lot of the books popular with the 'kids my age'. The Vampire Diaries is one such series.

So why did I pick it up? I will enthusiastically admit that I sucked down the Twilight Saga (Team Edward!) and revel in all of the pop culture cheesiness that I get to share in with my students, but do not necessarily lean toward the vampire-ish novels. I know many adults who, since the rise of vampire acceptance, went on a blood thirsty reading spree. Not me. I did my Twilight thing and went back to my normally eclectic reading.

But then, VampDi advertised itself as a new series. I am always looking for relatable ways to explain vocabulary, devices in literature, and the such with my students. I also figured I could endure VD more than what I have been tolerating (Gossip Girl, anyone?). I watched a couple of episodes and decided to break down and purchase the books. I figured I'd read them and then put them on my shelf - another way to pull the kiddies in and talk books with them.

Oh my good-vampire-grief. I read the 1,000 pages of fluffiness in a couple of days (combined). It was an easy read and only half of the time did I want to gouge my eyes out. I kid, I kid. But I am all serious as a turkey hiding a week before Thanksgiving in saying the CW's series is oh-so-much-better-tolerable-enjoyable-than-the-10000-pages-of-fluff-I-read.

First, Elena? Hello. At least she's a likable character on the show. I mean, you can empathize with her torn emotions: losing her folks, finding out her boyfriend is a vampire, seeing friends around her getting the blood sucked out of them. In the book, Elena is shallow, a user, and a princess. How did she have any friends? Why would Stephan want to be with her? Secondly, Damon? On the show he has some redeeming qualities. Yeah, obviously he has some anger issues and probably needs a good dosage of Prozac, but he's in that delinquent vampire stage. The book? Damon is awful. I don't buy that there is any sort of love triangle brewing or common bond. Generally books reveal a more three-dimensional character; in this case that never happened.

Ah well, my students will love it. Let the vampire craze continue.