Tom Leveen writes ‘Party’ in 11 chapters, one for each point of view presented. While we start with Beckett in Chapter 1, each additional chapter addsTom Leveen writes ‘Party’ in 11 chapters, one for each point of view presented. While we start with Beckett in Chapter 1, each additional chapter adds more information and additional perspectives, thus, building up the suspense and details that we can only get from the additional players in the story. The headings of the chapters are cool, as well, because all names are printed out, and the chapter’s lead character is highlighted.
Without being preachy, Leveen shows the world of YA that everyone has got something going on, for better or worse. Beckett is hiding a terrible secret and is making a plan of her own for her senior year of high school. Morrigan wants someone to show her that they love her, within her family and outside of her family. Tommy tries to be a good friend, even while checking out the evil ex-girlfriend’s friend (What harm could it do?) Brent is fed up with his love-sick friend and just wants to tear it up now that he’s finished senior year. Daniel checks out the blow-by-blow action, rooting for the demise of his friend’s ex-girlfriend, while checking out the potentials at the party. But this is where the suspense is turned up…WAY UP! Daniel forgets that he ordered a pizza…until the cops show up at the party.
I KNOW! Right?? Readers are started to get into the groove of this story and the individual mini-dramas of each, and then you get a bomb like that dropped at the end of the chapter…and it’s like, “What the hay is going on here, people?” Here’s my advice…plan for this A-bomb at the end of the chapter with Daniel. Don’t make any plans. Don’t think of starting this and then putting it down because from here on in, it’s an investment. You’re going to want to know what happens next. It gets better, scarier, more intense than you ever expected. Our characters continue with Azize, the pizza delivery guy, who tries so hard to be good, even when the timing is not in his favor. Ryan is fiercely loyal, even when the situation looks as bad as it could get. Then there’s Anthony. Ah, yes, “Antho.” That boy just cannot get his mind off of his brother. He’s at a party and he’s watching the news, which gets some quizzical looks, but no one really messes with the guy, considering his size and position. Until someone does…mess with him that is. Someone who stands up to defend his honor, his family’s honor, and the honor of everyone else who has ever been profiled, racially or otherwise.
And this is where the A-bomb explodes. Everyone was having fun, until this thing that came from a place of fear mixed with Jack Daniels. It’s unstoppable, and readers begin to wonder if it can be fixed at all. The phrase that is haunting, “Make it right,” will stay with readers long after the book is finished.
Our closing chapters of Josh, Max, and then Ashley remind readers to go slow with your anger, take a chance on love, and to connect with real people. Isn’t that what life is all about?
Leveen has written a book not easily forgotten. It is mesmerizing in its dialogue and with its details.
As Meg Cabot’s newest release “Runaway,” opens, we see that Em Watts is hiding, from the paparazzi, from her family, from her friends, and even from hAs Meg Cabot’s newest release “Runaway,” opens, we see that Em Watts is hiding, from the paparazzi, from her family, from her friends, and even from her own life. Forced into an unhappy partnership with her non-boyfriend (who just happens to be the power hungry son of her evil employer), Em is at her breaking point. Now she’s just waiting her time out, but the waiting is taking to look. She is, in fact, waiting for the live Stark Angel fashion show and for the real Nikki to stand up and reveal what she found out about Stark Enterprises, as well as what led to this whole predicament. Her dilemma is that she is stuck between the desire to protect those she cares about and the determination to expose Stark’s wrongdoings. Em will have to decide if she can take a stand, or if she’s better off running away from it all.
“Runaway,” third in the Airhead series, was preceded by “Airhead” and “Being Nikki” and closes this trilogy off nicely. The storyline was fascinating and Cabot still managed to surprise her readers with tidbits. I don’t like to reveal anything substantial about the book, its progression, or its ending, but this one does end happily ever after. Em’s character goes through quite a bit and with this last book of the trilogy, readers will applaud her ability to hang in there. Also, a big driver of this book was the background discussion about business ethics, identity theft, and even reclaiming a new identity. It’s the gift that Christopher gives to Em at the end that is so thoughtful and touching, and it reminds readers that we are who we are, not matter what crosses our path in life. ...more
As “The Clearing” opens, we are privy to the main character’s thoughts, and we know that things are not quite right. She lies awake, listening to the As “The Clearing” opens, we are privy to the main character’s thoughts, and we know that things are not quite right. She lies awake, listening to the sound of late-night TV coming from her mother and step-father’s room. Most of all – at night – she wishes herself to be far, far away. She imagines a life far away from her suburban neighborhood, far away from the green lawns of her high school, but most of all, far away from a guy named Matt and the bruises he left on her arms.
To the reader of Heather Davis’ second YA novel, Amy seems like a broken soul. She is unhappy when her friends think she is lying about Matt and the bruises, when her mom and stepdad have a life of their own, and when she realizes that high school life in the small town of Rockville is no different than high school life in the big city of Seattle.
When Amy suggests moving in with her great aunt Mae in the North Cascade Mountains, her mother doesn’t argue, leaving Amy feeling bereft and alone, but she is out of options. Aunt Mae is gracious and loving and seems to think the balm for a broken spirit is manual labor. Living up in the mountains means there is always wood to chop for the fire, apples to peel for pie, and weeds to remove from the garden.
It is when Amy grows bored with her wood chopping that Aunt Mae’s german shepherd, Katie, provides entertainment with a game of fetch. Where she leads Amy starts the mystery that is the true adventure of this book. The path they are on ends in a rectangular field, bordered on three sides by trees and on the fourth by mist. It is this mist that feels like a secret hiding place and allows Amy some peace from her memories of an abusive boyfriend, a mom who did nothing, and the friends who didn’t believe her. As calming as going into the mist is, it’s still kind of weird and Amy is curious as to what’s on the other side.
When she does get to the other side of the mist, she meets Henry who is mowing the lawn with a push mower and wearing some “old-school farmer outfit.” Amy is sure he must be in some religious group that doesn’t believe in new technology or something to explain his super retro ways. Instead, the truth between them becomes apparent as the story continues. Henry may seem like he is old school to Amy; but in fact, he is in perfect sync with his time period, which happens to be 1944. Something about the mist in the clearing shifts their time and space continuums.
As Amy struggles with the concept, she and Henry forge a friendship and learn about each other bit by bit. In doing so, Amy reclaims her power as a person and begins to lose her shame of being treated so badly by Matt. Most of all it is Henry’s sense of chivalry that makes this a heartwarming story. He sees the fear in Amy’s eyes when he gets too close, and he has this powerful urge to keep her safe. While he’s never felt so strongly about a girl before, his ties to Amy are tenuous, at best. He fears that if he lets reality in beyond the borders of the mist, the carefully constructed world that he has built to keep his family safe will be gone. What happens then? What happens to Amy?
What he does in the end is so moving and so touching that it resonates with the reader as a true act of love. Through a simple action, Henry changes the course of Amy’s history and gives her a good life, while sacrificing his own. “The Clearing” is one of those novels where the story will stay with you, long after you have finished the last page and closed the back cover.
**spoiler alert** This was so well written that I could not put it down. You know, one of the those books where you create the space and time to sit a**spoiler alert** This was so well written that I could not put it down. You know, one of the those books where you create the space and time to sit and read as often as possible? That was this for me.
This is a story that transcends reality and makes the reader feel as if they are personally involved with the characters. We are not separated by pages and words in a book. We are engaged and vested in the fate of our character. This is the book that you stay in bed to read a bit longer, and this is the book that you clear your schedule to treat yourself to a quiet afternoon.
I am giving this book 5 stars because Bullen's writing is clear and articulate, and it is a story well-told. I think that she could have written sappier, but she didn't. She respects her readers enough to make this a real story with a magical element. Bonus: I was pleasantly surprised to find out this was set in San Francisco, with the ability to make this book a travelogue for a newbie in town.
In response to some feedback about the drinking in the story, I thought Bullen hit the nail on the head with her description of the children of wealthy parents who attend an exclusive school in a very open city. Teenagers experiment and when they have their own cars, keys to the summer home, and free reign, they are going to emulate adult behavior. It's what they've seen, and it's what they know. These are cues teens pick up from the adults in their lives. Does that mean Bullen is encouraging underage drinking? No. She is simply an observer who is writing about teen behavior. That's what makes this a real story. There is no sugar-coating here. Teens who want to experiment are going to do so.
Onto the story itself:
As the story unfolds, we learn that Olivia has been uprooted from all that she knows to find herself in a new school, in a new state, and without her fearless twin sister to help navigate the social mores. Her parents are distant. Her first friend at school exists only because their two moms work together, and – worse than that – he wears squishy mushroom-colored loafers. And then she sees a boy. One who meets her eyes and smiles like he knows her. But, of course, he is dating the prettiest and most popular girl at school.
In her complete and utter loss, Olivia does the very best she can with what she has. She finds a tailor, Posey, who can fix dresses to suit the wearer in a way that is unexpected. In fact, Olivia has no idea that her bad night had a purpose, and her wish to see her sister again is about to come true. It is only in re-tracing steps and asking questions that Olivia realizes what a gift she has been given.
So, if you had just one wish…what would you wish for?
Set on the Cape, I loved reading about life on the island and how Tucker wants to win Sabrina over. There's a bit of mystery and intrigue, as the readSet on the Cape, I loved reading about life on the island and how Tucker wants to win Sabrina over. There's a bit of mystery and intrigue, as the reader isn't told immediately why she is so insistent NOT to meet this great guy. Overall, an enjoyable read....more
This is a sweet story about redemption. When we think things can't get bad enough, we are reminded that they can...and they do.
No matter what your faThis is a sweet story about redemption. When we think things can't get bad enough, we are reminded that they can...and they do.
No matter what your faith or your belief system is, read this story about a pastor's kid who is trying to make her way in this broken, fractured world....more
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