Bright Shining World, By Josh Swiller ~ 2.0 Stars

Tags

Coming of Age Stories, Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction, Social Satire, The Environment, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Books For Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 24th, 2020

304 Pages

Synopsis: Wallace Cole is perpetually moving against his will. His father has a deeply important job with an energy company that he refuses to explain to Wallace who is, shall we say, suspicious. Not that his father ever listens to him. Just as Wallace is settling into a comfortable life in Kentucky, his father lets him know they need to immediately depart for a new job in a small town in upstate New York which has recently been struck by an outbreak of inexplicable hysterics—an outbreak which is centered at the high school Wallace is to attend.

In the new town things go from disturbing to worse: trees appear to be talking to people; a school bully, the principal, and the town police force take an instant dislike to Wallace; and the student body president is either falling for him or slipping into the enveloping darkness. Bright Shining World is a novel of resistance, of young people finding hope and courage and community in a collapsing world.

You can probably guess from my rating that Bright Shining World was not for me. I wanted to like this, I really did. Mainly because of Wallace, who I loved and is the sole reason why I’m giving this 2 stars. But even this endearingly snarky, clever, courageous misfit couldn’t save a story that to me, just never found its footing. It’s a convoluted mess of coming-of-age, science fiction, a bit of horror, some social satire, and environmental activism. While I’m all for genre-defying tales, this was jumbled and confusing and in the end, made my head hurt. And to make matters worse was that except for Wallace and his mysterious father—who was unlikable but at least somewhat interesting—the other characters were so overwhelmingly stereotypical that I found myself continually rolling my eyes. When I reached the last page all I could think was “Thank God it’s over!” It’s too bad, because Bright Shining World had a lot of potential, especially with such a strong protagonist. 

The Ten Thousand Doors of January, by Alix E. Harrow ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Coming of Age Stories, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Racism

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit/Redhook for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 10th, 2019

384 Pages

Synopsis: In the summer of 1901, at the age of seven, January Scaller found a Door. You know the kind of door—-the lead to Faerie, to Valhalla, to Atlantis, to all the places never found on a map.

Years late, January has forgotten her brief glimpse of elsewhere. Her life is quiet and lonely but safe on her guardian’s estate, until one day she stumbles across a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds in its pages, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure, and danger. A book that might lead her back to the half-remembered door of her childhood.

But, as January gets answers to questions she never imagined, shadows creep closer. There are truths about the world that should never be revealed.

“Books can smell of cheap thrills or painstaking scholarship, of literary weight or unsolved mysteries. This one smelled unlike any book I’d ever read…It smelled like adventure itself had been harvested in the wild, distilled to a fine wine, and splashed across each page.”

January Scaller ~ The Ten Thousand Doors of January, by Alix E. Harrow

What drew me first to The Thousand Doors of January, was that breathtaking cover, and that coupled with its intriguing synopsis made me request it. You know how sometimes a book will suck you in so completely that when you surface it takes you a little bit to re-acclimate yourself to the real world? Well, fair warning. That’s exactly what’s going to happen if you chose to dive into this exquisitely written debut novel, by Alix Harrow.

All of the characters—heroes, villains, and faithful canine companion alike—are so well-written that they fairly leap from the pages. January though, is the star, and my God what a memorable character! The way she grows and develops from a sullen unhappy, but imaginative child, to a young woman who has embraced her past, present, and future, in a little less than 400 pages, is nothing short of brilliant. Her voice even as that seven-year-old at the beginning is so distinctive and alive, by the end of the book I felt as though I had met her in real life. The world building is beyond amazing, with the story jumping from America of the late 1800s and early 1900s, to not one but three “elsewheres.” It’s seamlessly done and I felt as though I was visiting these different settings along with the characters. And finally, there’s the actual plot. Alix Harrow has taken the concept of hidden doorways to other worlds and spun an entirely new and ingenious mythology around them. From the ending this could very well be a standalone, but I’m hoping not. I want more!

The Ten Thousand Doors of January was one of my most anticipated reads of 2019, and I’m thrilled to say it’s now my favorite, which is saying something as I’ve been luck enough to read some pretty spectacular books this year. It’s a magical ode to storytelling and…well, let me just finish with this: Read this if you’re a fantasy fan. Read this if you’ve never picked up a fantasy novel, yet have been tempted to veer out of your usual comfort zone. Read this if you’re a bibliophile and believe in the magic and power of stories. Read this if you love books with strong, diverse and kick-ass female characters who will have you cheering for them. Most importantly, read this if like me, you’ve ever wondered, even if just for an instant, about the possibility of magical doorways that can transport you to other worlds and wished with all your heart you could find one and walk through.

 

IA: Union (IA #3), by John Darryl Winston ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Coming of Age Stories, Coping With Loss and Grief, Inner City Life, Relationships, Science Fiction, YA Fiction

 

Thanks to the author for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 24th, 2017

385 Pages

Synopsis: Naz races to put the pieces of his life together while D’s life hangs is the balance.

Naz has lost everyone that he loves. And while he may have found refuge and pause at International Academy, he has found no piece and certainly no answers. All that he knows calls to him from the streets of the Exclave and Union High School where he reunites with friends and mentors.

Naz struggles, unsuccessfully, to put the pieces of his shattered life back together again—-until D comes into his world and changes everything. She helps him put everything into perspective, sees things he couldn’t see before and helps him remember things he had all but forgotten.

But when D goes missing, it will take more than Naz’s newly found abilities to discover her whereabouts, rescue her, and bring her unlikely captor to justice. Will he reach her in time?

I was first introduced to young Naz, back in 2015, when John reached out to me on Goodreads and asked if I’d like to read and review his debut, IA: Initiate. I immediately fell in love with this young teen who had lost so much yet never stopped pushing forward. In IA B.O.S.S. Naz suffers from another devastating loss, and I was anxious as to how he was going to cope with this latest blow. IA: Union perfectly wraps up this trilogy with an action-packed story that also explores love, loss, and closure.

Naz is such an empathetic and relatable character. Because of the horrible things that have happened in his young life, he has been forced to grow up much too quickly. Yes he has special abilities that help him finally bring the villains to justice, but more importantly he has tremendous strength of character and moral integrity. That’s not to say he doesn’t stumble along the way. Struggling with self-doubt, he wants revenge for what’s been done to him and his family. Helping him though, are his friends, girlfriend and mentors who play an integral role in shaping Naz into the remarkable young man he becomes. 

While the story is set in the not too distant future, it also very similar to life in today’s inner cities. Society is not kind to under-privileged youth, especially ones like Naz, who have lost both parents. It’s a dark and gritty world where it’s difficult at times to know who to trust, including adults who seek to either control Naz and his abilities or destroy him. Yet there is hope here as well for new beginnings, especially at the end.

While IA: Union does an outstanding job at wrapping up Naz’s story, I’m going to have a difficult time saying goodbye. He is someone I feel like I personally know and I’ve watched him grow up.  John Darryl Winston teaches when he’s not creating incredible stories, and it’s obvious he knows his audience. From the first book to the last, Naz is someone teens will like, admire, and relate to. I enthusiastically recommend this book and the entire trilogy for teens ages 13 and up. As hard as it is for me to picture John writing another book not featuring Naz, I’m eagerly looking forward to his next venture. 

 

Burntown, by Jennifer McMahon ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Coming of Age Stories, Fantasy, Mystery, Science Fiction, Supernatural, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Canada for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

336 Pages

Synopsis: Eva grew up watching her father, Miles, invent strange and wonderful things in the small workshop behind their house on the river that runs through their old mill town. But the most important invention of all was the one Miles claimed came from the mind of Thomas Edison himself–a machine that allowed one to speak with loved ones long passed. Smuggled out of Edison’s laboratory, the blueprints were passed down to Miles, and he’s been using them to protect Eva, her mother Lily, and her brother, Errol, ever since.

Then, one night when a storm is raging and the river is threatening to flood, the machine whirrs to life on it’s own. Danger, it says. You’re in terrible danger. The next thing Eva knows is waking up on the side of the river and seeing her mother’s grim face. Eva’s father and brother are dead, their house has been washed away and an evil man is searching for them both. They need to hide.

Eva changes her name to Necco–a candy she always loved–and tries to put everything in the past behind her as she adapts to her new life off the grid. But when her boyfriend is murdered and her mother disappears, she know the past is starting to catch up to her.

What really happened the night of the flood? As Necco searches for the truth, her journey unites her with two women who are on desperate quests of their own. And as the trio follows the clues to solving the mystery of Necco’s past, they discover that sometimes it’s the smallest towns that hide the strangest secrets.

Burntown is a genre-defying novel that’s an interesting mix of coming-of-age, supernatural, fantasy, science fiction, mystery and suspense. I’ve read previous books by Jennifer McMahon’s and one thing I’ve learned is to expect the unexpected, and this latest book is no different.

In addition to the quirky characters, there are mysterious murders, a flood, an obese former circus performer, a machine that may let you communicate with the dead, and a sinister figure wearing a chicken mask. Yes. You read that last bit correctly! While it seems as though all these separate elements are just too dissimilar to work together, somehow the author weaves everything together in an entertaining way.  

The story might be a bit strange, but it’s oddly enjoyable. The only reason why I’m marking this down is because after being captivated throughout the entire book, I found the ending to be a bit anticlimactic. Overall though, Jennifer McMahon has once again proven what an imaginative writer she is. Burntown is a vividly written tale with endearing and memorable characters, and a unique and suspenseful plot.

 

 

 

 

The Hundred Lies Of Lizzie Lovett ~ By Chelsea Sedoti – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Bullying, Coming of Age Stories, Friendship, Mystery, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 3rd, 2017

398 Pages

Synopsis: A teenage misfit named Hawthorn Creely inserts herself in the investigation of missing person Lizzie Lovett, who disappeared mysteriously while camping with her boyfriend. Hawthorn doesn’t mean to interfere, but she has a pretty crazy theory about what happened to Lizzie. In order to prove it, she decides to immerse herself in Lizzie’s life. That includes taking her job…and her boyfriend. It’s a huge risk–but it’s just what Hawthorn needs to find her own place in the world.

By the time I finished The Hundred Lies Of Lizzie I was completely exhausted, but in a good way. The story is told in the first person POV of Hawthorn and being inside her head is a bit like being in an arcade pinball machine where the ball, or in this case the reader, is sent wildly careening around, completely at the mercy of of the player. I know how strange that must sound, but it’s the closest thing I can come up with that describes the way I felt reading this book. To be honest, I think Hawthorn is someone that readers are either going to fall in love with, or wind up incredibly annoyed with. For me it was a mix. During the first few chapters I found myself laughing out loud at many of her antics. But then there came a point where she’s so self-absorbed and immature that she started getting on my nerves. But my annoyance didn’t last long, because it becomes clear that Hawthorn is a lonely girl, bullied by most of her peers, who feels as though she’s unlovable. Her parents love her, and although her popular older brother, Rush and she have a strained relationship, it’s obvious as the story proceeds, he cares about her. And then there’s her best friend Emily, who to be honest is a much better friend to Hawthorn, than Hawthorn is to her. Yet Hawthorn still feels alone and isolated. I think the biggest issue is that she doesn’t know where she fits in, and as a result she pushes away people who care about her and could help her. She also has an overactive imagination which gets her into trouble on more than one occasion. While the mystery centers around the disappearance of Lizzie Lovett, a girl Hawthorn barely knew, she becomes obsessed with not only discovering what happened to her, but also obsessed with the girl herself. Why was Lizzie so popular? Why did everything seem to come easy to her? Everyone loved her, including Rush. After meeting her once, Hawthorn had even dreamt of Lizzie taking her under her wing and offering her guidance, and when this didn’t happen Hawthorn never got over it. Because of this, the mystery actually takes a backseat to the drama around Hawthorn, but that doesn’t make the story any less engrossing. One thing that did bother me a little was Hawthorn’s developing relationship with the older, self-involved Enzo, Lizzie’s boyfriend who was there the night she disappeared. I understood why Hawthorn became fascinated with him, but I never really bought into why he became interested in her as much as he did. There are many secondary characters that come and go, including a caravan of hippies, but instead of taking away from the story, they add color and flavor to it. The ending is about as near to a perfect conclusion as you could ask for, and wraps everything up satisfactorily. I don’t think The Hundred Lies Of Lizzie Lovett will be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you like quirky characters, and you can relate to being an outsider, I highly recommend this. Due to some sexual scenes though, I wouldn’t recommend this for younger teens. Sedoti’s writing is witty and refreshing and I’m looking forward to seeing what she comes out with next.

 

The Warden’s Daughter ~ By Jerry Spinelli – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Coming of Age Stories, Coping With Loss and Grief, Historical Fiction, Juvenile Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 3rd, 2017

352 Pages

Synopsis: Cammie O’Reilly is the warden’s daughter, living in an apartment above the entrance to the Hancock County Prison. But she’s also living in a prison of grief and anger about the mother who died saving her from harm when she was just a baby. And prison has made her mad. This girl’s nickname is Cannonball.

In the summer of 1959, as twelve turns to thirteen, everything is in flux. Cammie’s best friend is discovering lipstick and American Bandstand. A child killer is caught and brought to her prison. And the only mother figures in her life include a flamboyant shoplifter named Boo Boo and a sullen reformed arsonist of a housekeeper. All will play a role in Cammie’s coming-of-age. But one in particular will make a stunning sacrifice to ensure that Cammie breaks free from her past.

I have been a passionate fan of Jerry Spinelli’s since I first read his Newbery Award winning YA novel Maniac Magee back in 1990. One of the many reasons why I love his writing is because he creates these incredible characters who come to life and literally leap off the page, and the ones in his newest novel are no different. Young Cammie reminded me very much of an older version of Scout from To Kill A Mockingbird. The story is told in the first person POV, so you get a true sense of who she is and what she’s going through. Her personality is prickly and she can come across as being disagreeable, but she’s a young girl struggling with never knowing her mother and the adults in her life don’t seem inclined to address it, including her loving but distant father. And balancing the more negative aspects of her personality is her compassion such as her wanting to spend time with the female prisoners because she think it will be therapeutic for them. Her relationships with the trustee/housekeeper, Eloda, Boo Boo, a female prisoner she’s become close with, and her best friend Reggie, though are the three that really play a large part in Cammie’s coming-of-age. The affectionate feelings shared by Cammie and Boo Boo, an ebullient black woman is especially touching. I have to be honest and say I initially cringed at the portrayal of Boo Boo as an uneducated, jolly black woman, but her character is skillfully woven into something much deeper by Spinelli. There was one passage in particular that involved Cammie doing something for Boo Boo in the outside world simply so the prisoner could live vicariously through her. It was so beautifully detailed it had me tearing up. Eloda was a bit more problematic for me. Cammie becomes determined to turn her into a mother figure, which despite numerous schemes, doesn’t exactly go well. Eloda determinedly keeps Cammie at a distance, and while I understand what Spinelli was doing, I was never really able to connect with her. And then there’s Reggie who is twelve going on seventeen, is fame obsessed (even appearing on American Bandstand) and is the complete opposite of the tomboyish Cammie. The two clash a few times, especially over Cammie’s feelings toward Eloda, and Reggie’s determination to get an autograph from the prison’s newest resident, an accused child killer, yet through it all their friendship stays strong. The setting in Spinelli’s hometown of Two Mills, PA, which was last seen in Maniac Magee, is vividly and nostalgically brought to life. This is the time of early rock and roll, and children being able to freely move around their neighborhoods. In many ways it’s a much more innocent time, yet there are some dark undercurrents. As the story takes place in 1959, racism is referred to, such as the section of Two Mills being segregated, yet this is not the prevailing theme of the book. This is mainly due to the fact that Cammie doesn’t view or judge people on the basis of their color. Overall, The Warden’s Daughter is another perfect example of why Jerry Spinelli is such a widely respected children’s and YA author. It’s perfect for classroom use and book discussion groups, as well as family reads. If you haven’t read anything by this incredibly talented and prolific author this is a great book to start with!

Cursing Fate (The Fated #2) ~ By Brenda Drake – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Bullying, Coming of Age Stories, LGBT Relationships, Paranormal Fiction, Romance, Suicide, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen Crave for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

220 Pages

Release Date: November 22nd, 2016

Synopsis: There’s something strange about the Layne sisters, and Wade Diaz wants nothing to do with them. Especially the one who ripped his heart out and set it on fire before tossing it in the garbage several months ago. Iris. He can’t even think her name without unconsciously rubbing the spot in his chest where she left a gaping hole. But now her sisters are claiming some evil spirit is after his soul, and Iris is the only one who can save him. Well, at least his heart would stop hurting, right? Didn’t sound so bad.

Iris Layne has always been the sweet sister. She’s kind to everyone, including her best friend Wade… Until she makes a horrible mistake and breaks his heart. All she wants is to go back to before ‘the dumping’. Of course, Wade would rather see her in hell first. But then Iris touches her sister’s tarot cards and unleashes an evil curse intent on playing a deadly game where no one Iris loves is safe, especially Wade.

How do you convince someone they need your help when you’re the one who hurt them the most?

After reading Touching Fate, I was curious as to where this series was headed next. I was hoping that Cursing Fate would continue to build upon the intriguing mythology of the first book, and I’m happy to say it exceeded my expectations. Unlike her older sister Aster, Iris isn’t a fate changer, but after finding Aster’s tarot cards, she unwittingly unleashes the cursed spirit who has brought such tragedy to the Van Buren family for decades. My main complaint with the first book was that the characters, especially the secondary ones weren’t developed enough. Although the sequel is even shorter in length, somehow the author completely makes up for this and I enjoyed it even more. In the first book, Iris was mostly an indistinct figure, but what I did see of her I didn’t really like. She came across as being flighty and shallow. Here she came across much more sympathetically and I was surprised at how much I liked her. She’s entirely aware of her flaws and she’s determined to correct them. She admires her twin Violet and aspires to be more like her. The romance between her and Wade is sweet and believable and is the heart of the story. While the main theme concerns the curse, Drake also explores bullying, suicide, and LGBTQ relationships in a thoughtful manner. Overall, Cursing Fate was a quick and fun read and its left me looking forward to reading more about the Layne family. I think this series will have wide appeal with teen girls.

Watched ~ By Marina Budhos – 3.0 Stars

Tags

Coming of Age Stories, Islamaphobia, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Wendy Lamb Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

272 Pages

Synopsis: Naeem is far from the “model teen.” Moving fast in his immigrant neighborhood in Queens is the only way he can outrun the eyes of his hardworking Bangledeshi parents and their gossipy neighbors. Even worse, they’re not the only ones watching. Cameras on poles. Mosques infiltrated. Everyone knows: Be careful what you say and who you say it to. Anyone might be a watcher.

Naeem thinks he can charm his way through anything, until his mistakes catch up with him and the cops offer a dark deal. Naeem sees a way to be a hero–a protector–like the guys in his brother’s comic books. Yet what is a hero? What is a traitor? And where does Naeem belong?

I’m a little torn as to my feelings about this book. Budhos successfully takes on Islamophobia and living under constant surveillance which are timely issues given what is happening in the world. I also found Naeem to be a sympathetic character, despite him being a troublemaker. He’s a senior in high school chafing under the expectations of his parents who want a better life for him, and resentful of the way society views him. Living under the constant watch of cops, cameras, and neighbors, his paranoia and bitterness are understandable. Because of this, his attention turns to petty crime, and when he’s caught shoplifting he finds himself in the unenviable position of working with the very people he distrusts the most and potentially betraying someone he knows. The plot however is extremely slow moving in part because Budhos tends to convey one thing, two to three different ways. From the synopsis I expected this to be full of suspense, but although Naeem is in a difficult situation, the action never really picked up. The story is filled with uncertainty which could frustrate some readers, although it’s a good lesson of how you can’t always be sure of other peoples’ intentions, even if you think you know them. The ending I felt was a little contrived which added to my feelings of frustration. So, this leads to my dilemma as to who I would recommend this to. Despite my issues with the author’s writing style, I do think she does a good job at capturing what it’s like to live as a Muslim where so many people view you suspiciously. I also really liked Naeem and I think many teens could relate to him. I think this would be a decent choice for classroom discussion or a book group because of all the timely issues raised. While I didn’t love this book, I did find many parts of it interesting and I’ll definitely be looking out for future books by this author.

Harry Potter And The Cursed Child ~ John Tiffany, Jack Thorne, J.K. Rowling – 3.5 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Coming of Age Stories, Fantasy

Synopsis: It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he’s an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes darkness comes from unexpected places. 

Dumbledore: Harry, there is never a perfect answer in this messy, emotional world. Perfection is beyond the reach of humankind, beyond the reach of magic In every shining moment of happiness is that drop of poison: the knowledge that pain will come again. Be honest to those you love, show your pain. To suffer is as human as to breathe.

This quote doesn’t appear until three quarters of the way through the script, but for me it’s not only beautiful and true to life, it also, in a small way, pertains to this book, particularly the first two lines. Doubtless, you’ve seen a multitude of reviews of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child already. Because of the polarizing views, I thought I’d throw my own into the ring. As always, I’m going to endeavor to be as fair and honest as I can and also not include any spoilers. So here it goes. First of all, if you’re on the fence about reading this, a word of warning: this is not a novel like the original series. This is the script for the play which has opened in London’s West End to mainly rave reviews. IT IS NOT written by J.K. Rowling, although the story and characters originate with her. No, it’s written by John Tiffany and Jack Thorne who gamely try to capture that spark of magic that was always present in the original books, but in my estimation doesn’t  quite hit the mark. Many reviewers have said this reads like badly written fan fiction, but I’m not sure I’d go that far. I just wasn’t swept up in the story like I always was with each Harry Potter book. I read this over the space of three days, which given that I’m a rabid fan (just in case you didn’t know!), who gobbled up every one of the originals within twenty-four hours of their release, this was not like me. It wasn’t that the plot moved too slowly, it actually moved along at a pretty brisk clip. It’s more like I struggled with many of the characters and had a difficult time becoming emotionally invested in them. At the heart of the story is Harry’s tumultuous relationship with his youngest son Albus. While Harry is now almost forty years old and has a wonderful family and successful career, all is not well. He still suffers from the trauma in his past and because of this, his fathering skills are not always up to par. He doesn’t underderstand Albus, and at times treats him pretty abysmally. That said, I could understand his frustration and anger even though I didn’t always agree with his actions. While I felt badly for Albus, and the responsibilities and expectations he was carrying on his young shoulders, I thought for the most part, he came across as whiny and bratty. Thankfully there’s Draco’s son Scorpius, who much to my surprise is sweet, funny, loyal, and courageous. Despite him trying to live with a certain horrible rumor swirling around him, he’s a wonderful friend to Albus, and he turned out to be my favorite character in the story. There are many familiar faces here and some come across better than others. I loved Ginny, Hermione, and Draco, but Ron comes across as kind of silly and ineffectual. There’s also the antagonist who never really lives up to their villainous parentage. The ending is a fitting conclusion which I think will satisfy most readers despite a couple of loose ends. I have a feeling this story is a lot more magical on the stage with the actors speaking their lines and the special effects. Despite its flaws though, I’m happy I read this. I was one of those readers that had some lingering questions after The Deathly Hallows and wondered if Harry and company truly lived happily every after. True to life, their adult lives are messy and complicated, but you know what? That’s perfectly alright. In the end what saves the day is love and friendship, and that’s what I’ve come to expect from a Harry Potter story. Rowling has said that this is the last we’ll be seeing of Harry and I think that’s fitting. To continue to go on would be a disservice not only to the incredible world she created, but also to her fans. I hope this review helps any of you who haven’t decided whether or not to read this. I’ve tried not to ramble, but I have to admit I found it difficult to review this without including spoilers. If you choose to take the plunge, just keep an open mind and remember this is a script that’s not written by Rowling. I think as long as you remember those two things you should have an enjoyable reading experience. I hope so anyway!

Learning To Swear In America ~ By Katie Kennedy – 5.0 Stars

Tags

Coming of Age Stories, Humor, Relationships, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA Childrens for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: An asteroid is hurtling toward Earth. A big, bad one. Maybe not kill-all-the-dinosaurs bad, but at least kill-everyone-in-California-and-wipe-out-Japan-with-a-tsunami bad. Yuri, a physicist prodigy from Russia, has been recruited to aid NASA as they calculate a plan to avoid disaster.

The good news is Yuri knows how to stop the asteroid–his research in antimatter will probably win him a Nobel prize, if there’s another Nobel prize awarded. But the trouble is, even though NASA asked for his help, no one there will listen to him. He’s seventeen, and they’ve been studying physics longer than he’s been alive. 

Then he meets (pretty, wild, unpredictable) Dovie, who lives like a normal teenager, oblivious to the impending doom. Being with her, on the adventures she plans when he’s not at NASA, Yuri catches a glimpse of what it means to save the world and live a life worth saving.

I thought the premise of this book sounded so interesting, but I had no idea how much I would actually wind up loving it. It’s one of those reads that I didn’t want to end because I had become so attached to Yuri, Dovie, and Dovie’s brother Lennon. Yuri is such a lovable character, that you can’t help relating to him which is really saying something given that he’s a prodigy who has never experienced a normal teenage life. The secondary characters are just as interesting and three-dimensional, from the NASA scientists who doubt Yuri’s abilities, to Dovie and her family who embrace Yuri and enthusiastically introduce him to American traditions such as prom, and swearing. Part end-of-the-world, part coming-of-age story, Learning To Swear In America is a novel that will have you laughing out loud, while at the same time tug at your heartstrings. It’s prevailing theme of controlling your own destiny will resonate with both teens and adults. It’s a perfect book to use in classrooms as well as book discussion groups. The story and it’s characters are sweet, funny and delightful, and I guarantee that if you read this you won’t soon forget it.