Wishing You a Merry Christmas . . .

– from Jacob of The Bookshelf

Please Ignore Vera Dietz: Number One for a Reason

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King is number one this year on my best books list. It may be the best book I've ever read, and it is most certainly in the top ten best books I’ve ever read. Here’s why:

But, first, let’s make a few changes to the title of this post:

 

There. Much better. I would “officially” change the title, but “Number One for Reasons” just doesn’t has the same ring as “Number One for a Reason.” Anyway, here is a list of eight or so reasons for why you should read Please Ignore Vera Dietz:

Its Title:  As humans, we naturally do things that we are not supposed to do. Just like the urge to open a box that says “Do Not Open,” it is next-to-impossible to avoid a book with a title Please Ignore Vera Dietz.

Its Author: A.S. King is a literary mastermind. Vera is only her second book, yet it’s been racking up accolades like crazy. Creative and witty, King tells stories that deserve to be told again and again.

Its Story: Please Ignore Vera Dietz is the story of—you guessed it—teenage Vera and her struggle to find answers. The novel begins with the funeral for Charlie, Vera’s neighbor. Vera and Charlie were once best friends, even sortakindamaybe more than friends, until he brutally betrayed her. Now that he’s dead Vera doesn’t know what to think. She hates him and loves him at the same time. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn their story and see what went wrong. Eventually, Vera embarks on a mission to clear Charlie’s name, which was tainted by rumors. Trekking the long, twisted path, she crosses many obstacles. She discovers, she reconciles, she forgives. 

Is it okay to hate a dead kid? Even if you loved him once? Even if he was my best friend? Is it okay to hate him for being dead?

– from Please Ignore Vera Dietz

Its Characters: What I love about the characters from Vera is that they’re so round and complex. They’re like real humans, which is the highest compliment to an author, in my opinion. Vera is likeable for both her innocence and mistakes and for her loudness and quietness. Charlie, through flashbacks and “reincarnated” objects/ghosts, is lost and confident—loveable and despised. Even Vera’s dad is perfectly composed. He’s not perfect, but he’s still a great role model.

a pagoda

Its Eccentricities: The majority of the chapters of Vera are narrated by Vera herself. But on occasion a few other characters take over the book’s point-of-view. Charlie, frequently seen as a sliced pickle by Vera, gives little side notes from the “Dead Kid.” Vera’s dad has occasional chapters—in the form of flow charts. But, wait! Don’t worry! It’s the good kind of flow charts. The ones were you’re faced with a question, and branched off the side of the question are the answer options yes or no. And then you continue down the page until you reach a conclusion. And lastly a pagoda—yes, I mean an “Asian tiered tower with multiple eaves” (thanks, Wikipedia!)—doles out sound advice to the reader. “A pagoda?” you may ask. Yes. A pagoda. No, I won’t tell you why there’s a pagoda! READ THE BOOK! 

Also, Vera works at Pagoda Pizza, so you learn all the pizza delivery lingo and inner-workings.  

a flow chart similar to those in the book

Its POWER: A.S. King has a way with words. With A.S. King’s powers channeling through each page, I—just like Vera—simultaneously loved and hated Charlie. You can tell that each word is hand-crafted and hand-chosen to create a wide array of emotions and imagery.

Its Awards: That’s right, Vera’s a Printz Honor novel and has collected numerous starred reviews from the big-name reviewing companies. Rightfully so, too.

It’s About Everything and Nothing: Does that make any sense? Maybe I’m not explaining it correctly, but—to me—Please Ignore Vera Dietz is a beautiful, fragile, and wonderful book about something not too out of the ordinary. 

OK, there are eight reasons to read Please Ignore Vera Dietz. If you’re not convinced to read this book yet, I do not know what will convince you. This official trailer might, though:

And, A.S. King, if you’re reading this, please know that you’re a magnificent author and deserve all the acclaim that you are given.

Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

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Fudgin' It and My Best Books of 2011

So. It's been a while since I've posted. Seventy-six days, to be exact. But, I'm here now. With only eight days left of 2011, I have decided to post my annual “Best Books” List. Without further ado:

. . .

I command you to read this book. READ IT!

I lied. I’m going to add some more “ado” before I reveal the list. This year’s list has an important backstory that needs to be told. And, besides, it’s been a while since I’ve blogged; I feel the need to type more than what is necessary (scroll to the bottom for the official list, if you must).

Like most other years, which book that I was going to choose to be number one was evident the moment I read it. It was actually January, early in Reading Season, that I first read and fell in love with Please Ignore Vera Dietz. It’s one the best I have ever read, and it achieved the great honor of being number one on my personal best book list this year. 

So, number was easy-peasy. I knew eleven months before the end of the year what it was going to be. The other books on list, however, were . . . not so easy to choose. On the journey to creating the list, I lied, cheated, and broke promises. And I fudged it.

Fudgin’ It, a List of Last-minute Decisions and Half-Hearted Efforts (etc.)

Length: Last year my list was twenty-one books long. Yes, an odd number, I agree. This year I struggled to decide if I should put a cap on how many books should be on the list. Should I add as many books as my wee heart desires? Should I continue adding until I fill up a page? Should I set an exact number, like, say, ten, and stop there? With no reasonable answer, I decided late Tuesday night that exactly fifteen books should be on the list. No more, no less. I didn’t even really look at which books I had already had on my twenty-two books long rough draft. I just copied the first fifteen and dumped them into a new Word doc. I made a few rearrangements, but I refused to make the list longer.

Doubles: In previous years I made up the rule “Only one book per series, per year.” This year, that rule transformed into “Only one book per author, per year.” John Green, you’re an amazing author. You truly are (I wrote a whole post on you). But I read all five of your books this year, and as much as I loved them all, I couldn’t put all of them on the list. If I did, then you would claim an entire third of the list. Sadly, that’s not fair to the rest of the books I read this year.

Second Place: Second place can get a bad rap sometimes. I mean, yeah, it’s not first, but it’s still silver. It’s worth something. I value my second place book almost as much as I value my first place book. This year I struggled deciding who should receive the honor of second place. I had three candidates: the book that actually received second, #3, and #4. I tried creating a three-way tie, but that would mean the list would only be thirteen books long.

2011?: OK, not all books on the list were published in 2011, but all books on the list were read in 2011.

The Rear End: So, as made clear by the previous nugget of fudgin’ (hmm . . . that sounds...funny?), books one through four are clearly life-long favorites, and they fully deserve the position on the list that they have received. The other eleven books, however? Eh, I just threw them together. Don’t get me wrong, all books on the list deserve to be on the list. It's just, I don’t know if they’re truly in their “right” position on the list. Looking at the finalized list now, I wonder if #5 and #7 should switch spots. But then I think, Is #7 really better than #6? And, But does #6 truly belong near the top four? Do you get what I’m saying? I could make so many changes and never be certain that it’s perfect (a chronic illness amongst us writers). So I just arranged the books in a manner that I though seemed right-ish, and then I just let it be.

. . . 

Well, I think that’s it for this episode of Jacob’s Mistakes. Let’s turn it over to the moment we’ve all been waiting for! The unveiling of The Best Books of 2011! [crowd goes wild]

BEST BOOKS OF 2011

1.  Please Ignore Vera Dietz written by A.S. King

2.  Looking for Alaska written by John Green

3.  Matched written by Ally Condie

4.  Wintergirls written by Laurie Halse Anderson

5.  Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children written by Ransom Riggs

6.  Nothing written by Janne Teller

7.  Divergent written by Veronica Roth

8.  Where She Went written by Gayle Forman

9.  Uglies written by Scott Westerfeld

10. Delirium written by Lauren Oliver

11. The Giver written by Lois Lowry

12. Okay For Now written by Gary D. Schmidt

13. Shine written by Lauren Myracle

14. Hate List written by Jennifer Brown

15. Olive’s Ocean written by Kevin Henkes

And by the covers:

Enjoy!

Look for more reviews soon, but don’t expect them. Weird advice, I know, but with the holidays and school, I have no idea when I’ll update next.

Merry Christmas,

Happy Hanukkah,

Happy Kwanzaa,

and Happy Whatever Holiday I May Have Forgotten!

– Jacob

You Have to Stop This: The Mystery! The Adventure! The Secret!

Another – you guessed it – syndicated Amazon.com "mini-review". But, hey, it's better than no reviews at all . . .

As with the previous four books in the Secret Series, You Have to Stop This (love the titles from this series!), expertly weaves mystery and humor, good and evil, and sense and madness.

Mystery and Humor: Incorporating unsolved mysteries threads from the previous books in the series – Ms. Mauvais and Dr. L's conniving plans, PB's true identity, and . . . The SECRET – along with new mysteries – a missing finger and a walking mummy – this final book produces a new question for each old question answered. But don't worry! All that is important is revealed, in some way or another, by the end of the tale. And, of course, humor is another big element in this story. Complete with poor mummy puns, chocolate lovers, and an application to join the Terces Society, You Have to Stop This provides comic relief coupled with a serving of crime-solving.

Good and Evil: Cass, Max-Ernest, and Yo-Yoji all make reappearances in this final tales. Their roles? The heroes, of course! All three heroes go through satisfying character developments in this book, creating the ultimate alliance to beat the well-characterized villains and obstacles surrounding The Secret.

Sense and Madness: Pseudonymous Bosch deftly creates stories in which the mystery makes sense, yet you're constantly wondering what happens next. Full of unexpected plot twists that not only deepen the characters' troubles, but also move the plot forward in a timely manner, You Have to Stop This is the perfect story for the imaginative.

Decorated with Gilbert Ford's whimsical illustrations, You Have to Stop This is the ultimate book for anyone looking for a fun, smart, and suspenseful read.

 Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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Goliath: Imagination Inducing

Another mini, syndicated Amazon.com review of mine. Sorry for the mini-ness. . . . it's because I've been busy tired lazy experimenting with the power and simplicity of shorter writings these days. :)

Oh, how I've missed the series! And how I'll miss it forever more!

Goliath is the ultimate conclusion to the thrilling, witty Leviathan Trilogy. All the characters you love - Alex, Deryn (aka Dylan), Dr. Barlow, Bovril, and Newkirk (Yes, he'll become of favorite character of yours in this book) - along with a few new ones mold together with vivid settings to create a imaginative, crisp universe.

Alex and Deryn, still aboard Leviathan, the sky's greatest Darwinist, DNA-mutant "beastie", struggle with their problems. Alex's problems? His parents are dead, his home taken away from him, he's the heir to Austria's throne, and he's a deeply confused Clanker, one of engine and steam upbringings, that is surrounded by a world of Darwinists. And Deryn's problems? She has a "barking" huge crush on Alex, but he's nobility and she's just a low commoner. Oh! And she's also a girl disguised as a boy, who will be kicked off Leviathan, her newfound home, and possible tried for treason if her secret's revealed. No biggie . . .

Already faced with unimaginable obstacles, Alex and Deryn's troubles reach a new level when the Leviathan makes a pit-stop and picks up a new passenger . . . Mr. Nikola Tesla, a complete mad-man, whose ideas of world peace involve great deaths. And with Mr. Tesla comes deception, truths, and more secrets.

Faced with brutal decisions, Alex and Deryn must each decide their own future. Becoming closer than ever before, Alex and Deryn start a "no secret" relationship. But will that be enough to save their friendship from the life-changing, life-destroying war that has already taken one too many victims?

Accented by Keith Thompson's stunning black-and-white illustrations, Goliath is a perfect tale that depicts an alternative past. Scott Westerfeld flawlessly relates Alex and Deryn's problems to the issues of our age. Goliath, abundant in imagery, adventure, humor, and wonder, is not a story to be missed.

Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

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If You're Looking For . . .

Okay, I admit it. I've fallen behind, terribly behind, in updating. With the start of high school, particularly The Commonwealth Governor's, a half-day magnet school, the last two weeks have been rather hectic for me. I've decided to include multiple review/recommendations (Informal reviews. There are ellipses aplenty. Many parentheses are present. This is example A, for those out there keeping track.) in one post, in hopes that you will (pretty please) forgive me for my tardiness!

If you're looking for a scary story that also incorporates hippies, private schools, and those terrible all-of-a-sudden, why-are-you-doing-this-mrs-author-lady-you-must-finish-the-book-with-a-happy-ending endings . . . read Bliss by Lauren Myracle. Once a hippie, Bliss Inthemorningdew (Yes, that's her name. Yes, it screams "World Peace!" and "Alternative Fuels!") has recently moved in with her grandmother, who is strictly against all things hippie. Bliss is living with her grandmother because her parents have moved up north to Canada in attempt to enter total hippie-dom, or something of that nature. Bliss must attend a rather prestigious school because her grandmother is heck-bent on "restoring Bliss's virtues and ways of living". However, trouble seeps in when Bliss hears voices on the first day of school . . . voices that she can only she can hear. Voices of a dead girl. Complete with mean girls, blood rituals, toilet floats, and quotes from The Andy Griffith Show, Bliss is a story to replenish your fear factor.

If you're looking for a book about human-animal relationships that also defines brotherhood, humane treatment of animals, and doing what is best even when it's hard . . . read Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel. Taking place in 1973 before many animal protection rights were established, Half Brother is about Ben Tomlin who was an only child . . . until his parents brought home a chimp. Zan, an ultra-wild, uber- friendly chimpanzee is brought into the Tomlin household as an experiment. Ben's father, a behavioral scientist, has been granted money to run a research project to determine whether chimps are capable of language and hand communication. Ben, at once first reluctant, eventually becomes a friend, a teacher, and, most importantly, an older brother to Zan. However, when questions of if Zan is actually learning to communicate or is just memorizing the hand gestures arise, Ben must question Zan's role in the family. A heart-wrenching, coming-of-age story, Half Brother shines light on the natural bond between brothers.
 

If you're looking for a book about popularity, media, misbehaving celebs, and our technology obsessed world . . . read Famous by Todd Strasser. Only fourteen-years-old, Jamie Gordon is already part of the paparazzi, receiving loads of attention on gossip and fangirl sites. When she's invited to spend a week with pop sensation Willow Twine, Jaime knows this is an opportunity that will either make or break her career. But when some scandalous photos of Willow make their way on to Jamie's camera, photos that she didn't even take, Jaime holds the pop star's future in the palm of her hand. Everyone wants to get their grubby, greedy paws on the provocative shots, but there's only one person who can hold the title of the photographer. A suspenseful look into the difference between photography and stalking and living your life with a camera as opposed to living your life looking through a camera, Famous supplies original characters in an original setting.

If you're looking for a book about teen characters who act just like teen characters and have real problems that real teens are often faced with and also create for really, really, really (really) FANTASTIC stories that consist of spectacular prose . . . read anything by John Green (specifically Looking for Alaska, but all his books are stellar) and anything by Laurie Halse Anderson (specifically Wintergirls and Speak, but, much like with Green, all her books are MEANT TO BE READ). Excellent story-telling, wonderfully-drawn characters, and meaningful messages are what make these books award-winning, accolade-garnished, waterproof up to fifty meters, shock resistant masterpieces of literature. OK, I was kidding about the sportswatch-esque (?) details, but what can I say? I really like this particular set of novels.

And, lastly,

If you're looking for two of the absolute best books ever published . . . read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King. I've already written a review for The Book Thief, so you can read that for details on a historical novel that takes place during the Holocaust and is narrated by Death (However, it's a super old review, so don't make fun of any spelling or grammatical or lifestyle errors. Please). As for Ms. Vera, she has been the best book I have read so far this year, and I expect her to stay at that number one position too, so I would like to publish my review of her on the first day of the new year. (Or maybe the last day of 2011, since it's going to be numero uno this year, not next.) However, I will tell you that it is an AMAZING book about pizza deliveries, flow charts (the good kind), and losing a friend who was kindasortamaybe an enemy/love towards the end. (For the record, I never use gigantic font sizes, so you have to infer that is book is very good. And when I say "good", I mean "one of the best books ever written".)  It, along with The Book Thief, also won the Printz Honor, making them two of the best books in young adult literature.
 
So there you have it! Read, read, read! It's the beginning of the school year and you are now well-equipped with a list of books to take you through the first semester. I hope that I will be updating regularly this month, but I cannot make any promises. Just hang with me, internet community!

Till next time,
Jacob Hopkins
 
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Torn: M.P. Haddix Has Done It Again!

A short note from your reviewer:

Greetings, readers of The Bookshelf! I know earlier I posted a list of reviews that would be published throughout this month, but with the start of school, my personal vacation to Ocean City, Maryland, multiple orientations, and . . . oh, yeah, the EARTHQUAKE, I've fallen a wee bit behind.

Below is a short "mini review" of Torn by Margaret Peterson Haddix. This is a syndicated review from my Amazon account. While this review is shorter and more informal than most, I believe it provides much insight, explanation, and opinion of a fourth book in a historical, mystery, sci fi, thriller time traveling series.

Look for a few more posts before the end of August. Thank you!

And by "done it again", I mean "created another great history/mystery time travel tale".

The fourth installment in The Missing series, Torn by Margaret Peterson Haddix, follows Jonah and Katherine as they travel back in time to the year 1611. The missing child that they must return to history in order to correct time? John Hudson, son of the famous (famously crazy, that is) Henry Hudson. The only problem: JB, Jonah and Katherine's time travel...supervisor, you could say, is unable to find the 21st century boy who is actually John Hudson to send him back to the past. A truly missing child!

But, of course, there are more problems than just a missing (missing) historical figure. Jonah must pretend to be John, mask, wigs, clothing, and all, in hopes of setting history straight. However, after an hour or so aboard the Discovery, Henry Hudson's ship, all time is thrown out of balance. Tracers, ghost-like figures that show what is supposed to happen in history, go missing, Jonah and Katherine lose all connections with JB, and an evil Mr. Prickett threatens the safety of the ship's crew, most significantly Jonah.

Taking matters into their own hands, Jonah (still disguised as John Hudson) and Katherine (who is invisible thanks to the time traveling device, the Elucidator) try to make sense of the odd mishaps in time that keep occurring and attempt to save history and rescue their friends who are still stuck in the year 1600.

Captivating and well-paced, Torn provides a set of loveable characters and rich historical settings to create an enjoyable read. Fans of the previous books in the Missing series will not be disappointed.

Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

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Michael Vey, The Prisoner of Cell 25: Positively Electrifying

Recommended to me by Amazon (my new bookseller since the tragic death of Borders), Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25, by Richard Paul Evans, is the latest book to receive the coveted title of “the next new Harry Potter”. Despite that being a cliché saying in the bookselling universe, I couldn’t resist what could possibly be the next multibillion dollar franchise.

Michael Vey has always been a little different. He’s a little short by fourteen-year-old standards, has Tourette’s syndrome, which forces him to blink and twitch excessively, and. . .oh, yeah, has electrical superpowers. Living with his mother in a small apartment in Idaho, Michael finally finds a way to blend into the high school crowd. He’s figuratively invisible. Ostin, his only friend and straight A+ nerd, is the only person outside of Michael’s family that knows of his powers. One day, after being constantly tortured by older classmates who never receive consequences for their wrongdoings, Michael takes a stand. And does something dangerous. He uses his powers to, lightly, shock three bullies that are about to beat him.

Michael’s mom, an understanding, hard-working, caring person, refuses to let Michael to use his powers of electricity. The last few times that Michael used his powers, all times where he was in a situation of being seriously hurt, Michael and his mom packed their bags and moved to another unknown town in another unknown state. But Michael begs his mother to not make them move. He insists that only the three bullies were there to see what happened, and that they would be too scared of being called “crazy” to rat him out. Except, someone else did see Michael use his power of electricity through touch. A girl, named Taylor.

Taylor confronts Michael and asks him how he shocked the three menaces. When Michael doesn’t supply a response, she makes him a deal. Taylor reveals to Michael that she, too, has powers. She has the abilities to essentially “reboot” someone’s mind. Using electricity, Taylor can make a person disoriented and confused; forget what they were doing.

Constructing an investigation, Taylor, Michael, and sidekick Ostin, the self-proclaimed “Electroclan,” discover that both Taylor and Michael were born within one day of each other at a hospital in Pasadena, California. Searching for birth records on the hospital website, Taylor finds a gap of missing records around the time of their birthdays. After more internet research, Taylor, Ostin, and Michael discover that a new electric imaging machine was introduced around the same time as the births of seventeen children in Pasadena.

Unbeknownst to her, Taylor accidentally alerts an internet spider, a hidden internet scanner, which notifies its home base that someone is looking into the missing birth records. The spider was put into place by an agency in Pasadena, an agency that is searching for the two remaining children of the original seventeen: Michael and Taylor. And when Taylor and Michael’s mom go missing one day, Michael must take the investigation into his own hands, with the help of his best friend, of course.

Ostin and Michael take an undesirable road trip to Pasadena to get to the bottom of what this agency does, why they’re capturing these children, who may or may not be electric, and, most importantly, where they’re keeping Taylor and Michael’s mom.

Creating an unlikely group, Michael, Ostin, and Taylor are all loveable, relatable characters. A flowing, quick, read, Michael Vey is a book to be enjoyed by people of all ages. Its settings are rich with vivid descriptions and quirky expressions and its story is carefully plotted, allowing sequels galore.  While, I’m not sure if it’s the next Harry Potter, Michael Vey is certainly a refreshing, funny, mysterious, clean, new addition to a world of wonderful books.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Ninth Ward: A Poignant Scene of Survival

Lanesha, a twelve-year-old, lives in New Orleans’s Ninth Ward. She’s lived with Mama Ya-Ya, the midwife that helped deliver her, her entire life. Inquisitive and quiet, Lanesha always does her best at school, and teaches herself extra information from her encyclopedia set.  Teased at school for her freaky eyes, Lanesha makes relationships not with people, but, rather, ghosts. Born with the ability to see beyond what is present, Lanesha frequently runs into ghosts, including her mother who died minutes after her birth.

Mama Ya-Ya is Lanesha’s ultimate role model. She acts as Lanesha’s mother, grandmother, teacher, and friend. Kind and thoughtful, Mama Ya-Ya teaches Lanesha the unseen ways of the world. Claiming that everything is a symbol for something and that there is more to our world than most people see, Mama Ya-Ya encourages Lanesha to respect and take pride in life.

One day, an aging Mama Ya-Ya receives an uncertain dream after a restless night’s sleep. Often feeling premonitions about the future, Mama Ya-Ya sees something, something hazy and unpredictable that she can’t describe, looming in the future. With news that a hurricane is on the way, Lanesha stocks up on food and boards down windows and doors.

The storm, Katrina, arrives. Taking shelter in the bathtub, Lanesha and Mama Ya-Ya survive the terrible storm with their house still standing. But, as Lanesha soon realizes, the pounding rain, howling winds, and blazing lightning were only the beginning of a life-destroying storm. With the accompaniment of neighborhood friend Tashon, Lanesha must fight off the high flood levels that are consuming her house. Moving to the house’s attic, Lanesha horrifyingly realizes that the water will not stop rising. Taking action into her own hands, Lanesha must make a series of rash, terrifying decisions that no child, and even no adult, should ever have to make.

A story of life, death, loss, hope, and, most importantly, rebirth, Ninth Ward, by Jewell Parker Rhodes, is a moving tale of one girl’s survival during a time of so much hurt. Complete with rich characters, witty southern traditions, and friendship, Ninth Ward offers an outlet of hope for change, resilience, strength, and love.

Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars 

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Sweetly: Deliciously Mysterious

To start off, let me say that Jackson Pearce is one of my absolute favorite authors. Her books are different, her videos are hilariously entertaining, and she doesn’t seem afraid to take risks in her writing. Sweetly, Pearce’s latest book, is a modern retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ classic fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. Sweetly takes place twelve years after three siblings, Gretchen, her twin sister and Ansel, encounter a horrible beast, a witch-like creature, in the woods near their house. Gretchen and Ansel make it back to their house alive, but the outcome for Gretchen’s twin sister was much more gruesome. Having to live with the horrifying truth that the sister is dead or, at best, lost forever in the menacing woods, the members of the grieving family each take on different roles. Gretchen, who becomes a recluse, and Ansel, who acts as Gretchen’s protective bodyguard, are thrown out of their house by their stepmother, who, needing a scapegoat, blames the family’s loss on Ansel and Gretchen.

Homeless, Ansel and Gretchen hit the road, hoping to discover a place where they can find solitude in their multitude of sorrow. When their car breaks down in a small town called Live Oak in South Carolina, Ansel and Gretchen seek refuge in a chocolatier shop owned by a sweet, but lonely, twenty-something-year-old lady named Sophia. Taking a likeness to Sophia, Ansel becomes her boyfriend and Gretchen becomes her best friend. Mesmerized by her chocolate treats, her caring smile, and her welcoming aura, Ansel and Gretchen seem to have finally a place they can call home.

However, not all is perfect. Gretchen, despite her resistance not to, notices something hidden underneath Sophia’s candy-coated smile and sun-kissed skin. Gretchen notices a sadness that is all too familiar, the same sadness that enslaved her for so many years after her twin sister’s disappearance. After discovering that eight teenage girls have gone missing from Sophia’s annual chocolate festival, Gretchen confronts Samuel Reynolds. Samuel is the town crazy, who claims that Sophia is crazy and spews nonsense about werewolves. Samuel, along with the families of the missing, is sure that Sophia has something to do with the town’s disappearances.

All the talk of disappearances causes many memories to flood Gretchen’s mind – memories of her twin, memories of the woods, memories of the witch. But could sweet, kind, gentle Sophia really be a witch? A witch who kidnaps innocent girls? Realizing that she needs to take control, Gretchen begins an investigation into what really happened to those girls, what secrets Sophia is hiding, and, most importantly, what happened to her twin sister, whose name she cannot even say due to the incredible hurt it brings.

Entrancing, Sweetly chronicles the journey of Gretchen as she finally makes amends with what happened to her many years ago. With the ever-present threat of something just out of reach, Gretchen makes it her mission to uncover the truth, no matter what consequences come with it. Full of realistic, loveable characters, Sweetly creates a flowing, rhythmic story of mystery, resolution, and the truth behind what’s sweet. 

 

Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

Note: I was fortunate to recently receive an Advance Reading Copy (ARC) of Sweetly by Jackson Pearce. Officially, Sweetly will not be released as a hardcover until August 23rd. Since I have finished reading the ARC, I thought it seemed fit that you, the readers of The Bookshelf, should receive an inside look at one of this summer’s most captivating reads.

 

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What's Happening this Month? "A is for..."

A is for...

1. An ARC (Advance Reading Copy) Review: Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
2. Adapting to Severe Change: Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes
3. Anthologies, Collections of Short Stories
4. An Alternate WWI: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld 
5. An Abundance of Admirable Books: Great Back-to-School Reads
6. An Announcement
7. Another Announcement
8. An Accompaniment to I Am Number Four: The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore
9. Traveling Back to Ancient Times: A Possible Review of The Missing Series by Margaret Peterson Haddix 
10. Astonishing Heat

A is for...
    11. AUGUST on The Bookshelf!

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The Results Are In! (Poll #8)

The readers of the newly redesigned The Bookshelf have voiced their opinions; the results to Poll #8 are in! Poll #8 addressed the topic of the ever-debatable and ever-changing market of eBooks and eReaders. I imagine everyone understands what eReaders and eBooks are by now, but for the theoretical few that may not, this previous post might be handy to you. 

Amazon Kindle

My views on eReaders and eBooks are mixed. On the one side, paper will always be my most favorite form of book. I enjoy holding the book in my hands, feeling the cover, turning the pages, and easily jumping from the front of the book to a page in the back. However, on the other side of my mind, the defendant side, I truly recognize that the material, the words, and the story are not at all different in the eBook format than the paper format. I also recognize that eReaders and eBooks aren’t leaving any time soon – they’re too popular to just stop existing one day. It is my hope that the paper book will share that same outcome. I do not think paper books will become obsolete because paper books have been around for thousands of years. The Amazon Kindle, the most popular eReader, was first released in 2007, just four years ago. I believe that a world with equal parts e- and paper books would be perfect.

Time for the poll results!

The question: What are your views on eReaders and eBooks?

And the results:

• They are the way of the future! Paper books are the past! 3 votes, 12%
• They're nice, but paper books are better. 12 votes, 50%
• I think both eBooks and paper books are excellent! 4 votes, 16%
• eBooks and eReaders are horrible! 2 votes, 8%
• I've never read an eBook, so I'm not sure. 3 votes, 12%

Nook Color

The clear winner is option number two, “eBooks = good, paper books = better”. Second place, and my personal opinion, is “eBooks = paper books = excellent!” Tied for third was “eBooks > paper books” and “eBooks = ?” Interestingly, there were only two votes for “eBooks are D:< ” compared to the three votes that “eBooks are :D” received. I like that option number two won because it says that both e- and paper books are good, but that eBooks and eReaders will need much improvement until they reach the level of awesome that is reserved for paper books.

Thank you so much for the total of twenty-four (twenty-four!) votes! Unfortunately, there will be no polls in August. But don’t fear! August will be filled with a great deal of reviews, recommendations, summaries, and news! A new poll, topic yet to be revealed, will be published in mid-September.

– Jacob 

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Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: Eccentric and Exceptional

Eccentric. With a title that sums up the mood of the book itself, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (a pseudonym, presumably) is a treasure chest of witty characters, unique photographs, and a delightful story. Wonderfully composed, Miss Peregrine tells the tale of Jacob and the stories that were told to him by his grandfather.  Jacob’s grandfather was a Jewish WWII survivor that, as a child, escaped from his native country of Poland to an island off the coast of England. Jacob’s grandfather told him tales of a house for children that he stayed at during the war. He told Jacob about children at the house that had special qualities and abilities. A levitating girl, an invisible boy, a girl who could make fire with her hands, and a boy made of bees were among the children that Jacob’s grandfather insisted were real. As a child, Jacob believed the unbelievable stories, but as he got older doubt began to replace his once wondrous beliefs.

Fast-forward to when Jacob is sixteen-years-old. In a freak accident, Jacob is the last to see his grandfather alive. The police describe his grandfather’s death as an animal attack. Jacob wearily believes the police, but there is a strand of recollection in his memory. Right after his grandfather’s death, Jacob saw a creature, a monstrosity, with tentacles hanging outside its mouth. Making connections, Jacob begins to return to his grandfather’s stories, finding coincidences and patterns. Traveling with his father, Jacob visits England to find his grandfather’s old rescue home, hoping to resolve the many secrets that are wrapped around his mind.

An inside photograph

Jacob becomes determined to figure out if his grandfather was telling the truth or if he was simply crazy. Photographs included in the book of the children described by Jacob’s grandfather, inspire the reader’s creativity levels, while encouraging Jacob to dive deeper into a world unknown.

Exceptional. Fast-paced and detailed, Miss Peregrine leaves you hanging on every word. Definitely one of my top books for this year, it is a refreshing, humorous, different summer read. The inside photographs supplement the book perfectly, adding to the genius of the story and often breaking up the rather long chapters (One was bordering on seventy pages!). Jacob’s adventure is one to be heard and one to be remembered. Miss Peregrine’s sequel cannot possibly arrive soon enough to fulfill the desire that came with the cliff-hanger ending of the first book. A quirky rollercoaster ride of a book, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children allows your mind to explode in an array of creativity, wonder, and imagination.

Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

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STRONG Characters

STRONG, in all caps, characters are leaders that can be viewed as role models and influential people in literature. STRONG characters seek excellence, but not at the expense of others. They strive to be the best they can be, but understand their limitations. They display their generosity and teach others, but also realize when it’s their turn to follow instead of lead. They face their obstacles and succeed, or at least try, to defeat their fears and demons. STRONG characters are often liked, main characters in novels. However, any book character, much like any person, can be STRONG. Listed below are three STRONG female and male characters and what traits, skills, and values they possess.

Three STRONG Female Characters

• Evie, from Paranormalcy: Determined, thoughtful, and witty, Evie always does her job, containing paranormal creatures, in a timely manner. Assertive, but not harmful, she disarms her suspects, but always makes sure that they are properly treated and are set on the right track at the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA). A good friend to her mermaid pal, Evie demonstrates a STRONG, powerful aura of stability and gratitude.

• Lanesha, from Ninth Ward: Young and independent, Lanesha must take lead over her elderly guardian, Mama Ya-Ya, her dog, Spot, and her friends, TaShon, Max, and Ginia, as the take cover in the heart of Hurricane Katrina: the poverty-stricken Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Lanesha has the ability to see ghosts, including her deceased mother. Despite be mocked for her ability, Lanesha remains kind, curious, and STRONG during such an uncertain time.

• Liesel, from The Book Thief: Facing a new foster family during a difficult time in the world’s history, WWII, Liesel must adapt to new surroundings and new ways of living. Hiding the majority of the time due to her religion, Judaism, Liesel teaches and occupies herself while living in conditions that would cause many to give up. STRONG till the end, Liesel’s story is one to be heard.

Three STRONG Male Characters

• Marcelo, from Marcelo in the Real World: Born with Asperger’s Syndrome (a form of autism), Marcelo is proud of his abilities. Enjoying taking care of animals and learning the Christian religion, Marcelo is not afraid to speak his mind. But when he’s forced to get a job in the mail room of his father’s law firm, Marcelo must enter a whole new world, where not everybody is kind or easy to understand. Marcelo must be STRONG to be prosperous.

• Doug, from Okay for Now: Between moving to a new house, attending a new school, and living with an abusive father, being STRONG is not easy for Doug. However, finding friends at the local library and solitude in drawing, Doug discovers how happiness and generosity can change people for the better.

• Brewster “Bruiser,” from Bruiser: An outcast, a loner. Teased, bullied. Brewster, better known to his classmates as “Bruiser,” is always silent, the bruises covering his body the only thing expressing that something’s wrong with him. When Brewster falls in love with a girl named Brontë and becomes best friends with her brother, Tennyson, he begins to feel like he is STRONG enough to reveal his dark secrets.

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John Green: Stories that Sing and Soar

“What sings and soars in this gorgeously told tale is Green’s mastery of language,” wrote Kirkus Reviews in a review of John Green’s novel Looking for Alaska. Looking for Alaska, the winner of the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award for Young Adult Literature, is John Green’s first published book, but not his only award winner. Green’s books have accumulated legions of fans, stunning reviews, and armfuls of awards.

Just because Favorite Author Month, May, is over here on The Bookshelf doesn’t mean I’ve stopped recognizing great, favorite authors. John Green, an author from Indiana, writes novels about facing difficult situations of identity in a realistic manner. Having written three books and co-written two more, John Green writes deftly, blending loneliness, sorrow, humor, love, and self-realization to create stories that soar high above the bar of standard young adult literature. Choosing abnormal situations that can be matched with more realistic ones, Green brings the words on the page into the mind of the reader, planting questions and harvesting ideas. I have all five of John Green’s books, and I give them all five out five stars. I think it’s agreed that John Green is an author worthy of recognition here on The Bookshelf.

Looking for Alaska tells the story of Miles “Pudge” (ironic because he is tall and lanky). Miles, a loner who thrills himself in learning the last words of famous figures, begins attending boarding school, in search for the “Great Perhaps” (part of Rabelais’s last words). At this new boarding school, Pudge develops many new friends, some of which you would not call the best of influences. These friends include Colonel, a roommate who acts, well, like a colonel, and Alaska Young, a colorful, mysterious girl. Surprised at how deep his new friends’ thoughts are, Pudge sees the world from a different angle. Finally finding happiness and friends, Pudge thinks he’s on his way to the Great Perhaps. Until, of course, something terrible happens. Using humor and an interesting storytelling method of counting the days before and then the days after a certain event, Looking for Alaska is a great book for mature readers about decisions and the impacts they have on yourself and others.

 

Two other books by John Green, An Abundance of Katherines and Paper Towns, also tell eloquent tales of trials and tribulations throughout the often harsh journey known as life. While these books pull key elements from Looking for Alaska, elements that made Alaska amazing, they are their own books, all completely original and diverse. An Abundance of Katherines won a Printz Honor.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson, co-written by John Green with David Levithan, and Let it Snow, co-written with Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle, are both fun, engaging reads that also contribute to Green’s repertoire.

Through a YouTube channel, Vlogbrothers, John and his brother, Hank, have been making vlogs (video blogs) since 2008. Quirky and different, these videos offer facts about current events, opinions about current events, news about John’s books, and other assorted facts. With 539,164 subscribers and counting, the fans of these videos call themselves “nerfighters.” And fight they do. Through raising money for organizations across the world, supporting terminally ill nerdfighters, and creating sayings whose meanings are only known to them, nerdfighters and John and Hank Green have made a big impact on the world.

With his incredible writing, expert symbolism, and excellent storytelling, John Green is an author like no other. His next book, The Fault in Our Stars was number one on Amazon for six days after Green he announced that all preorders would be signed by him personally. The amazing thing is that that book won’t be published until early next year. I will be preordering my copy soon, so I’ll be ensured that I will receive the literary world’s next masterpiece. 

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