“Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda” Book Review

Author: Becky Albertalli

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Type: Young Adult, LGBT, Romance

Rating: 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸 out of  🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Synopsis:

Simon Spier is a sixteen-year-old junior with a secret from his friends and family, he’s gay. The only person with whom Simon has been able to share this secret with, is a fellow student he exchanges emails with. Before Simon knows it though, Simon’s email fall into the hands of another student who uses them to blackmail Simon into helping set him up with one of Simon’s friends. Simon finds himself faced with the choice of either helping his blackmailer, Martin; or refuse to do so and have his secret laid bare for the entire school. Even worse, Simon fears that if his pen pal, Blue, who is also not out in the open, finds out about Simon’s carelessness that he’ll lose the boy he’s falling for forever.

Thoughts:

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is one of those books that’s I’ve seen in bookstores, but I had no idea what it was about. It wasn’t until I came across a tweet from Penguin Platform about the books they were going to be discussing for their #PrideBookClub that I finally got around to reading the description and decided to check it out from the library.

I loved this book, so much so that I read this book in one sitting. This was such an enjoyable book to read in large because of Simon. I found Simon to be a highly realistic character. He does his best, but he messes up sometimes and has to learn from those mistakes and keep moving forward. It was nice to follow Simon’s growth throughout the book and get to see him become more comfortable with who he is and opening up to his friends and family as a result of his conversations with Blue and Blue’s courage in coming out to each of his divorced parents.

The romance between Simon and Blue was so sweet and gave me butterflies as it reminded me of what it’s like to have a crush. I really enjoyed following the progression of their relationship: from two students operating under assumed names looking to discuss their sexuality, to a friendship that evolved into deeper feelings for one another. When Simon and Blue finally meet in person, I couldn’t help but release a huge sigh of contentment as I was so deeply happy for each of them as they had each overcome varying obstacles to find themselves and one another.

Reading this book, I couldn’t help but think back to when I was in high school and two of my friends came out to me. Each of these friends chose to inform me prior to informing the rest of our group of friends. I remember when I asked them why they chose me over other friends of ours they were closer to, they each said because they knew I loved them and accepted them for who they are and wouldn’t judge them. Much like Simon, it took a lot of courage for my friends to come out to me and our other friends. What Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda did for me was to remind me of these occasions from my teen years, when homosexuality wasn’t discussed the way it is now, and how important it is to have those friends you trust and know will love and accept you no matter what.

I’m so glad that I stumbled across Penguin Platform’s #PrideBookClub and finally read this book. It’s the kind of book that I will gladly recommend to fellow readers and that I would assign as part of a summer reading list if I were and English teacher. If you’re interested in learning more about what other books Penguin Platform has chosen for their book club, be sure to check them out @penguinplatform. They will be discussing this book and others through the end of August.

 

“The Hate U Give” Book Review

“Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.” The Hate U Give

Author: Angie Thomas

Publisher: Balzar and Bray

Type: Young Adult

Rating: 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸 out of 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Synopsis:

Starr Carter is sixteen and trying to navigate two different worlds. In one she comes from a poor black neighborhood where gangs rule the street and people are afraid to speak out against them. In the other world, Starr is a student at a predominately white prep school in the suburbs. As Starr walks the line of these two worlds, that line becomes blurred when Starr witnesses the shooting of one of her childhood best friends, Khalil, at the hands of a police officer. The catch though, Khalil is unarmed.

Struck with fear of speaking about what really happen out of fear about police retaliation against her family, as well as fear of what her friends at school will say if they find out, Starr has to work to not only overcome the horror of that night but to also find her voice if she hopes for any kind of justice to be brought about. As racism starts to rear its ugly head at school, Starr’s neighborhood goes from protests to full on riots in a matter of moments.

Thoughts:

I will be the first to admit that I did not have anywhere near the same kind of upbringing as Starr. Where Starr comes from a poor black neighborhood and her father is a former convict; my father was an officer in the US Air Force and we were considered upper middle class. Despite these differences in our upbringing, I could relate to Starr in other ways. As an African-American young woman, I was able to empathize with Starr when she was questioned about having a white boyfriend and if it was because she thought she was too good for the black guys. I know what it’s like to get looks from those around me when I’m seen holding hands with a white boyfriend. I know how it feels to have other African-Americans try to put you down for wanting to get good grades, go on to college and succeed in life.

Angie Thomas’s debut novel is a timely and poignant novel that takes a close look at what its like to witness a police shooting and feeling powerless and afraid to do anything. The day I finished reading this was the same day that the jury decided to acquit the police officer of all charges in the shooting and death of Philando Castile. I’m sad and sorry to say that I was not at all surprised that the jury chose not to convict the police officer. As is discussed in the book, it seems like anymore, anytime a black man is shot and killed by a police officer, that they’re not going to be charged. That’s a horrible thing to think and believe, but that continues to be the case.

Just as Starr believes that one day things will get better, I too believe that. But, it’s going to take hard work and diligence. It’s going to take continuing the dialogue and working together to find solutions. The Hate U Give serves as a wonderful way to open up that dialogue. It’s the kind of book that can bring wonderful discussions to mixed race book clubs and even to high school and college English and literature classes.

“One Of Us Is Lying” Book Review

Author: Karen M. McManus

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Type: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Rating: 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸 out of 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Synopsis:

On a Monday afternoon, five students find themselves in detention after all having been caught with cell phones in their bags during class, the thing is, the found cell phones do not belong to the offenders. Each of these students have been set up by an unknown figure and for an unknown reason. As they quickly come to realize that they’ve been set up, detention takes a turn for the worse when Simon dies in front of the other students. In what should be thought of as an accident is labeled murder by the local police, the four remaining students learn that the next day, Simon had planned to post scathing and true gossip about all of them to his app About That.

The book is narrated by the four remaining students, Bronwyn (the Brain), Addy (the Beauty), Nate (the Criminal) and Cooper (the Jock). Through the progression of the book, the reader learns of each characters secret that Simon had found out and the possible reasons they would want Simon dead. With red herrings being thrown throughout, and the characters questioning what they know and one another, the crime can only be solved if they all learn to work together and even trust one another.

Thoughts:

This is one of those books that is hard to discuss, because I don’t want to give anything away, so here goes. When I first heard about this book and that it was being referred to as “The Breakfast Club  meets Pretty Little Liars” I immediately put in a hold request for this book at the library so that I could read it as soon as the book became available. I’m happy to say that this book did not disappoint. I was drawn into the story right from the start and just as the characters questioned one another and possibility of it being someone who wasn’t in the room that had planned out this murder, I too was left questioning and working through different theories.

I found that the author did a great job of taking your stereotypical characters and high school personalities and turning them upside down. The criminal wasn’t just a criminal who got in trouble for selling prescription drugs, instead he was a more complex character who only got into drug dealing in order to stay alive and be able to support himself. The beauty turned out to actually be really smart and a fighter. Each of the characters proved that they were more than just what people saw and expected them, they were all flawed thus making them more realistic and relatable.

This is a debut novel that lives up to the hype. I cannot wait to see what Karen McManus comes up with next as she is a new favorite author that I will be sure to read more of.

20 Books of Summer

Recently while scrolling through my Instagram feed, I came across a posting about a summer reading challenge. The challenge is to read 20 books during the summer, between June 1st and September 3rd to be exact. The challenge was created by 746books.com and I am really excited to take part in this challenge as it will be a wonderful way to work on lowering my to be read list which currently has 1190 books on it.

In order to achieve this challenge, I will need to read an average of 7 books a month, a feat which I view to be very achievable as I have been averaging that amount prior to this challenge. Although the pictured books above are the twenty I hope to make it through this year, I am flexible in my reading. I know that I will read a few books on my Nook which will count towards the twenty, I also expect to read books that I currently have a lot of hold requests in at the library as they become available. My reading selections will further be adjusted with the arrival of my monthly subscription boxes to Uppercase and Owlcrate.

Currently, my planned reading list of 20 books are as follows:

• One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus
• The Perfect Horse: The Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped by the Nazis by Elizabeth Letts
• Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza
• House of Names by Colm Toibin
• Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton
• Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith
• Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter
• Dove Alight by Karen Bao
• The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye
• The Crown’s Fate by Evelyn Skye
• Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
• Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
• Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones
• A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess
• Hunted by Meagan Spooner
• Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh
• The Diabolic by S. J. Kincaid
• Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women by Kate Moore
• Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
• The Rise of the Dawnstar by Farah Oomerbhoy

It should be noted that I am currently reading Nyxia by Scott Reintgen on my Nook and finished One of Us Is Lying the other day. I also just received notification from the library that The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas has arrived and is waiting for me on the hold shelf. So needless to say, the list will definitely fluctuate, but I’m still planning on sticking to reading 20 books this summer.

 

“American Gods” Book Review

Author: Neil Gaiman

Publisher: William Morrow

Type: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Mythology

Rating: 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸 out of 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Synopsis:

Not wanting to give anything away about the story, all I will say, is that American Gods is the story of a war that’s brewing on Earth, in America no less, between the gods of old and the new gods of technology. Amid this growing battle, is Shadow, a recently released convict who finds himself encountering a strange man who goes by the name of Mr. Wednesday. What ensues is a strange and mind bending journey through the United States and all the ethnic groups and their belief systems which have created the country.

Thoughts:

American Gods is one of those books that I bought after my best friend told me that I had to read it since I love all things to do with mythology of any kind. After being told this, it still took me about a year or so before I finally purchased copy, selecting the 10th Anniversary Edition with the Author’s preferred text. It should also be noted this was the first book of Neil Gaiman’s I ever purchased for myself, all the other books I owned by him up to this point, my best friend (the one and the same) had bought for me as birthday and Christmas gifts. Yet, even after buying the book, it still sat on my bookshelf for another year. I finally picked up American Gods last month as I wanted to start reading it before the premiere of the television adaptation that Starz was heading up.

Having finished the book, managing to stay ahead of the show in my reading, my initial thought upon completion was “why did it take me so long to read this?” My best friend was right, I did love this book and it was right up my alley with my love of mythology and religion and how people’s belief systems not only affect them but society around them. For as Sam says to Shadow:

“I can believe things that are true and things that aren’t true and I can believe things where nobody knows if they’re true or not.”

This book posed the question of “what would happen if all the gods of old were brought to the new world and found themselves being forgotten as humans began to worship technology?” and it summarily answered that question.

I loved this story and all the detail that Neil Gaiman put into writing it. The small vignettes which were inserted at varying points throughout provided wonderful guideposts to help explain how all these vastly different gods found themselves in the United States as well as an idea of how the different cultures worshiped their deities to remember their heritage and what they had been taught as children. Reading this made me want to read more mythology, especially lesser known myths and gods that aren’t commonly taught, such as those from Africa that are not part of the Egyptian pantheon. Neil Gaiman has helped to remind me that not only is important to know the history of a people and where we came from, but part of that is also knowing their cultural and religious beliefs for all of those help to form not only a society, but we as individuals.

In the end, I’m glad that I finally read American Gods, I think it may be my new favorite book by Neil Gaiman. I’m also pleased that I started and finished it before the completion of the show on Starz, although now I must wait patiently for some of my favorite scenes to unfold on the show. If you are a Gaiman fan and haven’t read this book, read it already! If you’re a Gaiman novice but love mythology, pick this book up. Keep in mind this is not the easiest book to get through, but persevere and push through and let me know what you think.

 

“Lake Town” Book Review

Author: Jane Redd

Publisher: Mirror Press

Type: Science Fiction, Dystopian, Young Adult

Rating: 🌸🌸🌸🌸 out of 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Synopsis:

Having had her secret discovered by the Legislature, Jezebel “Jez” James finds herself on the run and being placed in the care and protection of members of the Lake Town. Being forced to leave behind both her home as well as her friend and love interest, Sol, Jez travels to the Lake Town with Reuben and other insurgent members. The story proceeds to flip between Jez’s experiences in the Lake Town where she meets Sol’s brothers and works with the members of the town to come up with a plan to infiltrate the Legislature; and Sol, who staying behind, has been captured and forced to work against the Legislature by joining the Faction.

As the time nears for the members of the Lake Town to infiltrate and destroy the city system, Jez is faced with the realization that although what they are about to do will save the lives of thousands, it may very well destroy the Sol, the man she loves and cannot live without.

Thoughts:

As with the first book, Solstice, I really enjoyed Lake Town. I was very pleased with the fact that it picked up exactly where the first book left off versus days or even weeks after the ending of the first book. With the book starting off this way, I was able to jump right back into things without feeling as though I needed too much of a refresher course. I appreciated the alternating chapters and viewpoints between Sol and Jez. I found that the author’s decision to write the book in this way better provided a more rounded picture of what was happening in both societies and how the endless rain had truly affected the human race and planet.

I really enjoyed getting to see the infrastructure and governing system of the Lake Town and how the endless rains had affected their population. Jez’s introduction to Sol’s brother, Jude, was interesting and I found myself not trusting him for reasons that I didn’t completely understand at first. As I continued to read of the Lake Town’s decision to use Jez and the fact that she’s a carrier to re-enter the city and activate the generators, which may or may not kill Jez, I found myself thinking of the old adage, “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”

Not wanting to give anything away, I will say this, I fell even more in love with these characters and cannot wait to see how the actions they have taken will affect them in the next book. I am interested to see if my suspicions about certain characters will proved true, or if the author will continue to surprise me. I must also say that if you haven’t read the first book, Solstice, make sure to read that one before diving into this. Unlike some series where you can come in on the middle and be okay, this is not one of them.

“The Night Strangers” Book Review

Author: Chris Bohjalian

Publisher: Crown Publishers

Type: Fiction, Mystery, Paranormal, Thriller

Rating: 🌸🌸🌸🌸 out of 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Synopsis:

Chris Bohjalian’s creepy thriller tells the story of the Linton family: Chip, Emily and twin ten-year-old daughters Garnet and Hallie. The Linton’s have moved to New Hampshire for what they hope will be a fresh start for their family, following Chip’s tragic plane crash of his regional jet into Lake Champlain. For Chip, the day started off like any other, with a normal taxi and take-off; unfortunately, the flight quickly went wrong when the plane hit a flock of geese causing dual engine failure and the inevitable crash into the lake. Despite Chip’s best efforts to safely land the plane, a la “the Miracle on the Hudson”, the majority of the passengers and crew aboard his flight die upon the initial impact or shortly thereafter due to drowning.

While Chip works to cope with the crash and discern what the ghosts who now haunt him want, Emily and the twins find themselves the center and focus of a group of herbalist women who are viewed as being witches by others in the town. As the ghosts push Chip closer towards harming his own family, Emily finds that not only does she need to protect her children from the father who has become distant and a stranger in their own home, but also from the neighbors whom she kept telling herself were just a harmless group of herbalists, yet are showing themselves to be anything but.

Thoughts:

From the very first sentence to the final page of the book, I was hooked on The Night Strangers. I found the depiction of the crash to be both engaging and wonderfully described, so much so that it caused me to reflect on my training as a flight attendant the different scenarios I’m trained for, to think about what kinds of actions I would be performing in that scene as part of the cabin crew. As I followed the family in their journey to their new town and house, I couldn’t help but pick up on what I viewed as influences on the author from other pieces of literature. The haunted house with whispers in the dark to the father, slowly driving him mad and pushing him towards murder made me think of both The Amityville Horror  and The Shining; I further thought of The Shining in the depiction of the twins. Although Garnet and Hallie are in no way shape or form as creepy as the twin girls in The Shining, there was still something about them and the keen interest the women of the herbalist club took in the girls that made me feel that there was something possibly supernatural within the girls themselves.

Anyone who has read a book by Chris Bohjalian will tell you that he is an amazing writer who really brings his characters to life and has an unbelievable knack for writing the female voice, but of all the books I have read by him I think that this may be my favorite in how he tells it. Most authors will tell and entire story in either first person narration, or third person; in The Night Strangers, Chris not only utilizes both first and third person narrations, but he also incorporates the second person narrator which was a truly unique and enjoyable method of storytelling to encounter as the reader. For those who are not familiar with second person narration, it is typically encountered in how-to books and cook books, for it’s when you as the reader are told what to do. In The Night Strangers, the second person is used when the reader is alone with the father, Chip. In these scenes, the reader is made to feel as though they themselves are Chip performing the different actions throughout the house. These scenes were some of my favorite parts of the book as it made me more sympathetic towards Chip as I was literally placed into his shoes.

In the end I was very satisfied with The Night Strangers, in no small part because it was an interesting and unique read which held my attention, but also because of how it was told. The only thing I had to complain about, it you can even call it a complaint, was a brief section in the book when Chip is reflecting on how if he hadn’t had the crash, he was on track to go from being the Captain on a regional jet to one day flying a Boeing 777. The issue I had with this is that that’s not how it works. In the airline industry, regional pilots can only transition from a regional plane (United Express, American Eagle) to a mainline aircraft (Airbus A319/A320 and Boeing 777, 747, etc.) if they interview with a mainline carrier (United Airlines, American Airlines) and are hired by that mainline airline. This was such a minor issue, and one that unless the person works in the airline industry or has family who works in the industry, the average reader wouldn’t even pick up on this, which I do recognize.

Despite my nitpicking of a truly minor detail to the larger story as a whole, I continue to be an avid fan of Chris Bohjalian. I will continue to read more of his books, and I’ll probably even return to this story at some point as I know that there are things I will pick up on with future readings.