Blue Thread Book Review

 Author: Ruth Tenzer Feldman. Release date: 2012. Publisher: Ooligan Press. ISBN: 9781932010411.

Annotation: In 1912 Portland, Oregon, sixteen-year-old Miriam Josefsohn wants nothing more than to become a businesswoman and help the women’s suffrage movement, both things her strict father would never dream of allowing her to do. Everything changes, however, when Miriam’s uncle gives her a family heirloom: a prayer shawl with a single blue thread that has the power to transport Miriam thousands of years in the past to the time of Moses.  

Personal thoughts: I hadn’t heard much of anything about this novel prior to picking it up, but as a Portland, Oregon native I wanted to give it a try. Fortunately it is one of those gems that somehow always seem to get lost in the sea of young adult literature. Obviously, I really liked this novel pretty much from start to finish. It is well-written and not overly wordy or dramatic. Miriam is really likable and I found myself cheering her on as she struggled to stand up for herself against her misogynistic father. I also loved reading about turn-of-the-century Portland and learned a lot about the women’s suffrage movement and the Daughters of Zelophehad. I think that Blue Thread could easily have a place in the classroom, especially as a novel that enhances education about a certain time in history, or simply as a good book for both teens and adults to enjoy.

Plot summary: Being a well-to-do girl in 1912 Portland, Oregon doesn’t give sixteen-year-old Miriam Josefsohn the freedom to choose what kind of life she leads. Her strict German-born father insists that Miriam be a proper young lady, which means that she will never be able to work a job, cannot get involved in politics like the women’s suffrage movement, and needs to focus on what’s important: getting married to a wealthy Jewish man. The problem is that Miriam wants nothing to do with marriage, and wishes she could become a businesswoman and suffragette. Everything changes, however, when Miriam meets Serakh, a girl her age with bronze skin and a long white braid who asks her about a prayer shawl with a single blue thread. Miriam has never seen such a prayer shawl, but is shocked a few days later when her uncle gives her a family heirloom he has been keeping for her: her great-grandmother’s prayer shawl with a single blue thread. When Serakh returns, she informs Miriam that the shawl has the power to transport Miriam thousands of years in the past to the time of the Daughters of Zelophehad: five sisters in biblical times who sought the right to inherit their father’s lands. Miriam learns that the daughters need her help in their struggle for justice, and that their plight might influence her own generations later.  

Review: History author Ruth Tenzer Feldman demonstrates her prowess at creating enjoyable, thoughtful works of fiction with Blue Thread. Combining historical fiction, fantasy, and Jewish fiction, Feldman weaves a tale that both educates and entertains readers who are interested in experiencing something less fluffy and melodramatic as other novels for teens. The most successful part of Blue Thread is, without-a-doubt, the protagonist, Miriam. The character is well-written to the point that by the end of the novel, the reader feels like she is a long-lost friend. Although she lives 100 years ago, modern teens will find much to identify with in Miriam’s struggle to prove to her parents that she is capable and independent. Miriam evolves throughout the story, learning from her travels to the past, and ending her journey on a very exciting note. The time travel aspect of the novel is interesting and adds a level of fantasy to the book, but more important is Miriam’s efforts to champion women’s rights in general. The author does an excellent job of intertwining the fantasy and historical fiction components of the story, but the novel is primarily a coming-of-age story about a really likable and admirable young woman.

Genre:  Historical Fiction/Fantasy

Reading level: Grade 7+

Similar titles: Cleopatra’s Moon by Vicky Alvear, The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, Darker Still: A Novel of Magic Most Foul by Leanna Renee Hieber.   

Themes:  Women’s suffrage movement, Portland, Oregon, father/daughter relationships, time travel, Judaism, the Bible.  

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from authors Karen Cushman, Anne Osterlund Swan, Janice Dilg and David Michael Slater.  

Series Information: N/A

Discussion questions:

-     Why do you think Miriam’s father was so strict? Do you think that his beliefs were normal for the time period?

-      Explain why Miriam’s father was so opposed to her having the prayer shawl. Did his attitude change in the novel?

-     What was the significance of Baloo in the events of the story?

-      How did Miriam help Tirtzah and her sisters fight for justice? How did they help her?

-       If you lived in 1912, do you think you would have been like Miriam and fought for women’s right to vote? Why or why not?

-      Describe how Miriam is similar to a sixteen-year-old girl in 2012. How is she different?

 

 

 

 

Touch: A Denazen Novel Book Review

 Author: Jus Accardo. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Entangled Teen. ISBN9781620610138.

Annotation: After Dez has a chance run in with the handsome and mysterious Kale, she learns that her father is part of an elite organization called Denazen that collects Sixes: people with mutations that give them extraordinary super powers.  

Personal thoughts: One thing I kept thinking throughout this novel was, “This is what X-Men would have been liked if Magneto had been in charge of the school instead of Professor Xavier.” After finishing it, that thought pretty much sums up the story! I found a lot of elements in the book to be similar to other young adult novels, and the parallels with X-Men are so apparent that the author even mentions them in the book. The one thing that really saved the novel for me was the author’s obviously thoughtful construction of Dez. She starts off the story seriously annoying and obnoxious, but the reader gets to see her personality mature and progress as she becomes more entrenched in her plight to find out the truth about Denazen. So often, protagonists in young adult novels are somewhat wooden, so it was nice to read about a “real” girl with a lot of spunk. Although this book wasn’t my favorite, I would still recommend it to teen girls who want something with action and romance. There is enough to enjoy about the story to make it a worthwhile read.

Plot summary: Seventeen-year-old Deznee “Dez” Cross has spent most of her life trying to break through her lawyer father’s iron guard by making him angry. Her mother died giving birth to her, and Dez has always assumed that her dad’s icy relationship with her is because he blames her for losing his wife. Dez isn’t sure how else to get his attention, so she spends her days partying, hooking up with guys, and pulling daredevil stunts like skateboarding off of roofs. One night after a particularly wild party, Dez happens to meet a handsome and mysterious guy named Kale. Kale seems disoriented, and Dez soon learns that he is on the run from Denazen, the “law firm” her father works for. Kale informs Dez that her father is actually involved in the collection of Sixes, people, mostly children and teens, with a mutated sixth chromosome that gives them extraordinary superpowers. Kale has the ability to kill anyone just with the touch of his hand, but he and Dez are shocked to discover that Dez is inexplicably immune to his power. Horrified by the truth about her father, Dez and Kale find themselves both targets of Denazen and on the run. But how long can Dez evade her father, and what will happen when he and Denazen discover a dangerous secret she has been keeping all of her life?

Review: Debut author Jus Accardo’s personality shines through in Touch, the first novel in a new series for teens. While the storyline isn’t really anything new, the author’s writing style gives it a bit of freshness, particularly in her portrayal of Dez, a foul-mouthed, rebellious seventeen-year-old with a dangerous secret. Almost from the first pages of the book, it’s clear that Dez isn’t a typical teen heroine. She’s rash, abrasive, and more than a little obnoxious. As the story progresses, however, the reader experiences Dez maturing as she learns more about the truth of her father and his role in the sinister Denazen Corporation. Her relationship with Kale, the handsome and strong Six who managed to escape from Denazen, is enjoyable and romantic, although predictable. There are also many twists and turns in the plot, with characters switching allegiances and secrets being revealed left and right. Overall, Touch isn’t a particularly original novel, but it is entertaining and has all the elements that will appeal to many readers, especially teen girls. The sequel, Toxic, is set to be released September 11, 2012.

Genre:  Science-Fiction

Reading level: Grade 8+

Similar titles: X-Men comic series, Damage by Anya Parrish, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, Tempest by Julie Cross, Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson.

Themes:  Superpowers, father/daughter relationships, conspiracy, kidnapping, romance.   

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from authors Darynda Jones, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Inara Scott.

Series Information: First installment in Denazen series. Second novel, Toxic, set to be released September 11, 2012.

Discussion questions:

-         Why do you think Dez is constantly trying to “piss her father off”?

-        Why was Dez so quick to side with Kale against Denazen?

-     Do you think that Dez’s father actually loved her? Why or why not?

-      Who was your favorite character in the novel? Why?

-       Dez told Alex that she didn’t think she would ever be completely over him. Do you think it's common for people to feel that way about their "first love"? Why or why not?

-       Which plot twist surprised you the most? Why? Did you anticipate anything that happened in the novel?

Every Other Day Book Review

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  EgmontUSA. ISBN: 9781606841693.

Annotation: Kali isn’t like other girls: every twenty-four hours she changes into a hunter with strength and speed who can kill supernatural creatures that pose a threat to humans. Kali doesn’t have any friends at school, but when she notices that popular girl Bethany has been marked for death by one of the creatures she hunts, Kali must try to save her life while keeping what she truly is a secret.

Personal thoughts: I was intrigued when I heard about this book, and after reading it, found that my interest was warranted. Jennifer Lynn Barnes has done a good job of creating something interesting and unique that also challenges the reader to think below the surface of the plot. Of course the story contains more fantastical things like chupacabras, hellhounds, dragons and basilisks, but they play second-fiddle to Kali trying to cope with her distant father, abandonment by her mother and her general loneliness. Many teens are certain to pick up on these bigger issues, while the supernatural elements of the book will appeal to a wide audience. I hope that the author decides to write a sequel because I think there is something really interesting in this story that could easily be expanded upon further.  

Plot summary: In Kali D’Angelo’s world, Darwin discovered preternatural creatures on his journey to the Galapagos Islands, and things like hellhounds, zombies, and basilisks are a normal, if unpleasant, part of everyday life. Kali’s mother left her and her father when she was three-years-old and since she was twelve, Kali has kept a secret from the rest of the world: every twenty-four hours, Kali transforms. One day, she is a normal teenage girl. The next, she is a hunter with superhuman speed and strength and a desire to track and kill the preternatural creatures that feed on humans. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but her dark side has left her angry, bitter and without any friends. Everything changes, however, when Kali accidentally spots a strange marking on popular girl Bethany at their high school. It appears that Bethany has been bitten by a chupacabra, a preternatural creature that infects and drains the life of its host. Although they’re not friends, Kali knows that she must save Bethany and find a way to kill the chupacabra. One major problem exists with Kali’s plan, however: she spots the mark when she is a normal human girl. How can Kali fight a deadly preternatural creature without her mysterious powers?

Review: From Jennifer Lynn Barnes, author of the Raised by Wolves series, comes the briskly paced and dark story of Kali D’Angelo, a girl who spends half her life as a vicious demon-hunter and the rest as a loner who wonders why she and her father were abandoned by her mother years earlier. Many heroines in young adult novels spend a lot of their time pondering their identities. In Kali’s case, however, trying to find out who she is has a more literal meaning: Kali, and the reader, don’t know why she morphs every other day into a demon-hunter, and much of the story is spent in uncovering exactly what is behind her transformations. The novel is also full of other mysteries that need solving, including the chupacabra that Kali must rid from her new “friend” Bethany, the truth about Kali’s mother, and the psychic connection that Kali discovers with someone Zev. Although the plot is, at times, a bit confusing, many readers are sure to enjoy this story. It is not overly romantic, but instead focuses on Kali, who is a likable if not warm and cuddly heroine. The side characters are also interesting, as is the relationship between Kali and Zev. Jennifer Lynn Barnes has stated that she intended Every Other Day to be a stand-alone novel, but is open to the possibility of writing a sequel at some point in the future. Whether the story becomes part of a series or not, it is still something that can be easily recommended to teens who enjoy supernatural novels with a lot of action and mystery.

Genre:  Science-Fiction

Reading level: Grade 7+

Similar titles: Damage by Anya Parrish, Misfit by Jon Skovron, Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs.   

Themes:  Demon hunters, supernatural creatures, chupacabras, vampires, conspiracy, father/daughter relationships, abandonment.  

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.   

Series Information: First installment in Starters and Enders series. Second novel, Enders, set to be released December 11, 2012.  

Discussion questions:

-      Would you like to be able to transform like Kali does? Why or why not?

-      Kali is often described as having a “hero complex” in the novel. What does that mean? Do you think it’s a good way to describe her?

-     Why do you think Kali and her father have such a strained relationship?

-    Do you think that Skylar truly cared what people at school said about her?

-    Do you think Zev truly betrayed Kali? Why or why not?

-     If a sequel is written for this novel, what would you like to see happen in it?

Falling Under Book Review

Author: Gwen Hayes. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  NAL Trade. ISBN: 9780451232682.

Annotation: Seveteen-year-old Theia Alderson is shocked when the handsome but mysterious boy from her dreams shows up at her high school one day. Theia isn’t sure what to make of Haden’s professions of love in their nightly meetings, and is even more confused when he seems to ignore her during the day. As she, and her best friends Donny and Amelia, learn more about Haden, however, Theia worries that something sinister is drawing them together.   

Personal thoughts:  I’ve had this book in my “pile” of to-reads for awhile, and I’m kicking myself for not picking it up sooner. I enjoyed the story from start to finish, even though it’s about a topic that is pretty popular in young adult literature these days. I really liked the author’s take on the half-demon, half-human concept and found the romance between Theia and Haden to be very intriguing. I can’t wait to pick up Dreaming Awake and to see what else Gwen Hayes comes up with in the future!

Plot summary: Theia Alderson is seventeen, but lives the life of a ten-year-old with her over-protective father in the small town of Serendipity Falls, California. After her mother died giving birth to her, Theia’s father insisted upon keeping her safe at all times, refusing to allow her to spend a lot of time with her best friends, Donny and Amelia, forcing her to dress modestly in clothes he’s selected for her, even decorating her room for her. Theia feels like she’s trapped, making her shy and reserved, and she wants nothing more than to go unnoticed by anyone but her two friends at their high school.  Everything changes, however, when she begins to dream of a dark but handsome boy who appears to be her age, but is always dressed in old-fashioned finery. Their nightly meetings take place in a beautiful but slightly sinister garden, full of music and grotesque revelers.  Theia doesn’t know what to make of her incredibly realistic dreams, especially when she wakes up to discover black roses placed on her bed. Matters are complicated when a new student arrives at Serendipity Falls High School. The mysterious stranger that has the entire school intrigued turns out to be Haden, the handsome boy from Theia’s dreams. Although he won’t acknowledge that they have been meeting nightly, dancing in his enchanted garden, Haden seems fixated on Theia, her skin tingling anytime he gazes in her direction. Unsure of who, or what, Haden is, Theia worries that his arrival in her waking life means much more than the possibility of her having her first boyfriend.

Review:  The half-demon, half-human concept is something that seems to be appearing more and more in young adult literature recently, some novels doing a better job of creating an original take on it than others. Fortunately, Falling Under, the first installment in Gwen Hayes’ Falling Under series, takes a common plotline and turns it into something fresh, romantic and more than a little macabre, but, above all, utterly enjoyable. Theia Alderson, the leading lady, is like many teens in young adult novels: sheltered, shy, and longing to break free of what she refers to as her “gilded cage.” Her beau, the darkly handsome Haden, however, is another story. His first appearance in the novel is very unusual: his burning, tortured form falls quietly passed Theia’s window one night, drawing her outside to wonder at how such a person came to be on her back lawn. For the remainder, Haden “steals the show” with his dapper apparel, enchanted yet horrifying garden, and mysterious powers of unknown origin. Theia is powerless against his charms, as is the reader who longs to learn more about just who Haden is. This curiosity will cause most readers to plow through the story until the final pages, and yearn for the sequel, Dreaming Awake, which was, thankfully, released on January 3, 2012. Overall, Falling Under is an engrossing start to a series that most fans of supernatural romance will thoroughly enjoy.

Genre: Fiction/Romance

Reading level: Grade 8+

Similar titles: The Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent, Misfit by Jon Skovron, Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey, The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff, Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach.    

Themes:  Demons, Hell, father-daughter relationships, death, loss, guilt.   

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from authors Sarah Beth Durst and Rosemary Clement-Moor.  

Series Information: First installment in Falling Under series. Second novel, Dreaming Awake, released on January 3, 2012.  

Discussion questions:

- Why do you think Haden was burning when he first fell past Theia’s window?

- Why do you think Haden was so reluctant to touch Theia? Do you think it was the right thing to do?

- Which of Theia’s friends did you like more: Donny or Amelia? Why?

-  Why do you think Theia’s father was so protective? How would their relationship be different if her mother was still alive?

- What would you like to see happen between Theia and Haden in Dreaming Awake?

Misfit Book Review

Author: Jon Skovron. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Amulet Books. ISBN: 9781419700217.

Annotation:  Jael Thompson is just like every other sixteen-year-old girl except for one small thing: she is half mortal, half demon. Pursued by the evil demon Belial who murdered her mother, Jael must use her newly developing supernatural powers to save the people she loves.   

Personal thoughts:  I wasn’t overly excited about reading this novel, but once I started it I was surprised to find how much I liked it. It really is easy-to-read and the characters are all likable and not over-done. I liked how the author included a lot of mythology and theology in the plot as well. Overall, this novel is simply difficult to not  enjoy.

Plot summary: Jael Thompson has known since she was eight-years-old that she is half mortal, half demon. Her father, a Catholic professor of religion, fell in love with her mother, an ancient and beautiful succubus named Astarte. Shortly after Jael was born, Astarte was killed by an evil demon named Belial, and Jael’s father has told her very little about her mother. Now Jael is fifteen and wondering more than ever what Astarte was like and how being half demon is anything but a burden. Constantly pursued by Belial, Jael and her father have spent their lives on the run, moving from place-to-place. Now in Seattle, Jael is finally making friends and even has a boyfriend, a geeky skater named Rob. On the night of her sixteenth birthday, Jael’s father gives her a strange gift: a beautiful amulet that her mother left her. But this amulet is more than just a necklace: it contains Jael’s demon half. Once Jael reincorporates this part of herself into her body, she begins developing extraordinary supernatural powers. But the presence of the new demon power attracts the attention of Belial, who now knows where Jael is hiding and is coming to destroy her and everything she loves.  

Review:  This breezily paced and entertaining novel forms a very promising start to an enjoyable new series for young adults. Demons are a commonplace character in teen paranormal fiction, but Skovron manages to keep the genre fresh with an original storyline. The novel is full of flashbacks that explain Jael’s beginnings, from how her parents met, to their days fighting rogue demons, to her mother’s sacrificing her life for her. The story also manages to delve into the topics of Catholicism, religion and faith to some degree, which isn’t often broached in this genre. The support characters, including Jael’s math obsessed, skater boyfriend and her lovable, fish-shaped uncle Dagon add to the fun. Look for a sequel to this novel being released sometime in 2012.

Genre: Fiction/Paranormal/Supernatural

Reading level: Grade 8+

Similar titles: Soul Screamers series by Sarah Vincent.

Themes:  Demons, Hell, Catholicism, religion, murder, loss, father-daughter relationships, Seattle.

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from Kirkus and Publisher’s Weekly.

Series Information: First novel in Misfit series by Jon Skovron.

Discussion questions:

- Much of the storyline in Misfit is told via flashback. How do you think flashbacks add to the novel? Do you think they are important in literature? Why or why not?

- Why do you think Jael’s father was so reluctant to talk to her about her mother? Do you think it was the right thing for him to do?

-  Why was it so important to Belial to kill Jael?

-  What would you like to see happen in the sequel?