August, 2017
"Body Parts" by Jessica Kapp
When Tabitha is finally selected by a family for adoption, she is shocked to be kidnapped by an odd assortment of characters. The group tells her that she was raised for her organs and that "adoption" meant she was condemned to die. Her thoughts immediately turn to the kids she left behind in the foster care center and a plan to rescue them quickly forms.
I think that young adults will enjoy this book. However, it felt like the premise was ripped off from The Island. There were so many contradictions and problems with the back story that the whole story came off as amateurish and poorly thought out. For example, if the kids were so worried that they had to hide in a bunker, why did they spend afternoons playing at a waterfall, visiting the town and eating ice-cream very publicly. This book was just a mess.
"Seven Days in May" by Kim Izzo
This novel follows the lives of three individuals during WWI. Isabel works in London, decoding hidden German messages. Edward, a poor English lord travels to the U.S. to escort his bride, Brooke, home for their wedding. Sydney, Brooke's sister, is tired of the proper life expected of women of her station and wealth. When Isabel starts seeing messages tracking the progress of the Lusitania, she immediately begins to worry about its safety. Edward, Sydney and Brooke are traveling on the Lusitania.
I have mixed feelings about this book. The writing style wasn't bad and the character development was solid. However, the love triangle between Edward, Sydney, and Brooke was trite and predictable. It made Edward and Sydney very unlikeable. Isabel's back story seemed unnecessary, it took away from the strength of her character. The build-up and aftermath of the sinking seemed to take forever. With some editing, the book could have been really good. As is, it's a bust.
"Landscape with Invisible Hand" by M. T. Anderson
An alien race has landed on earth. With their astute bargaining skills and advanced technologies, they have created a huge divide between the rich and poor. Adam and his family are dirt poor, struggling to earn enough money to feed themselves. When Adam and his girlfriend Chloe decide to record their experiences, the Vuvv watch fascinated, enamored with true love. Adam and Chloe begin to despise one another and when their relationship falls apart, the Vuvv demand their money back - after all, they were selling true love and true love lasts forever. Desperate, Adam enters an art contest, hoping to win enough to save his family.
This was a very bizarre book, but in a really good way. I think it will be a big hit with middle schoolers and perhaps even teenagers. Overall, a hit!
"When I Am Through With You" by Stephanie Kuehn
Ben and Rose have been an item throughout high school, ever since she announced that she was his girlfriend. So the big question is why...why did Ben kill Rose. From his jail cell, Ben writes out the story of their high school camping trip, and how half of them did not make it back alive.
This was a well written and engaging novel. I was captivated by the characters and how they interacted with one another. The end, after Rose was killed and Ben was in jail, wasn't what I wanted or needed from the story, leaving the whole thing feeling a bit unsettle. However, sometimes that's how books end. Overall, a three out of five stars.
"You Were There Before My Eyes" by Maria Riva
When John returns to Italy to find a wife, Jane seizes the opportunity to move to America. John, a worker at the Ford factories, and Jane live in a boarding house along with several other immigrants. Jane quickly befriends Hannah, the mistress of the house, who helps expand Jane's world.
I have mixed feelings about the book. I liked and enjoyed the characters but I found the story itself very unsatisfying. The author spent a lot of time analyzing the characters, which she should have left up to the reader. The story itself was a bit dull, lacking vibrancy and excitement. Overall, not a book I would re-read or recommend.
"Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress" by Dai Sijie and Ina Rilke
Two city boys are sent to a remote village for re-education during China's cultural revolution. In the mountains they meet the Little Chinese Seamstress, who both boys flirt and fantasize about. When a third boy leaves the mountains, they steal his pile of western books.
I'm not sure what to say about this book other than "That's it?" I needed an epilogue or any conclusion at all. I felt that the book was aimless and just wandered all over the place. Overall, this one was not for me.
"By Light of Hidden Candles" by Daniella Levy
Alma has inherited a gold ring, a ring that has been based down from generation to generation. When she decides to spend a semester abroad in Spain, she undertakes a project to uncover her families genealogy and the history of the ring. Manuel, decides to travel with her and search for his own family history.
This book was extremely slow and extremely predictable. It unraveled exactly as I expected, there were no surprises or unexpected moments. During Manuel's chapters, Alma comes off as extremely ditzy. I almost wondered if she was the same confident woman from her chapters. Overall, a bust.
"Finding You" by Lydia Albano
When Isla runs to the train station to wave her sweetheart goodbye, she is abducted and thrown into a train with a number of other kidnapped girls. After traveling for days, she along with a dozen other girls are selected and taken to a dungeon. One by one the girls are taken away until only a handful are left. Together, the girls escape and travel to the resistances camp.
Although this book had an interesting premise, it just didn't feel real. The character and the story were watered down. Overall, a bust.
"Endurance" by Scott Kelly
Scott Kelly spent a year at the International Space Station. This book outlines his journey to the space station as well as time spent inside. I thought this book was so-so. It was very repetitive and talked in minute detail about mundane topics. Other topics were breezed over, creating an unbalanced feel to the book. Overall, not a book I would re-read or recommend.
"The Prague Sonata" by Bradford Morrow
With World War II raging, Otylie splits a sonata into three parts, hoping to keep the treasured score from the hands of the Nazi's. In present day, Meta Taverner, a musicologist, is handed 1/3 of the manuscript and tasked with finding the other two pieces. Her journey leads her to Prague, where she meticulously searches house to house for information on Otylie.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Meta was an interesting and well developed character. I did find Whittman to be a poor villain, he could have been developed in a much more fluid way, leaving Meta with real challenges and obstacles. I did find the constant switching of people and timelines to be distracting. It would have been nice if the past timeline was done in a chronological manner. 4 out of 5 stars.
"The Boat Runner" by Devin Murphy
With the onslaught of WWII, Jacob is caught between his Dutch heritage and his family's reliance on German business. When his father is forced underground, Jacob begins working on his Uncle Martin's fishing boat. While Uncle Martin appears to be a German collaborator, he is doing everything in his power to kill and sabotage the Germans. When Jacob's remaining family is killed by an allied bomb, Jacob breaks ties with Martin and joins the German army.
This was a well written and interesting book. Jacob was a very likeable and sympathetic character. His struggles with nationality are pretty intriguing and, I imagine, are characteristic of the time period. Overall, well worth picking up.
"Nine Continents" by Xiaolu Guo, Xiaolu Guo
Author Xiaolu Guo speaks about her childhood and her coming of age in an oppressive, paternalistic China. Raised by illiterate grandparents, she finds her voice through art and writing. Overall, this was a pretty generic book. It is a bi