In this installment featuring just about everyone's favorite twin sisters, Jessica and Elizabeth are dying to see their favorite singer in concert, buIn this installment featuring just about everyone's favorite twin sisters, Jessica and Elizabeth are dying to see their favorite singer in concert, but their parents won't give them permission to go. But as usual, Jessica finds it hard to hear the word "no," and she masterminds a plan that will allow her attendance. But things go awry quickly. Colorful art, clean panels, and a relatable scenario combine to make this an appealing read with a strong message about what happens when someone disobeys their parents and sneaks out. And how tangled is the web in which Jessica wraps herself at almost every step. ...more
Most of us probably consider Thanksgiving to be a thoroughly American holiday, and while to some extent, that's true, this picture book depicts ChuseoMost of us probably consider Thanksgiving to be a thoroughly American holiday, and while to some extent, that's true, this picture book depicts Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving, through the ideas of a young girl who wants to learn more about the holiday and share it with her best friends. Su-Jin, the granddaughter, is thoughtful enough to realize that her grandmother may be feeling homesick and missing her cultural traditions since this is her first year away from Korea. By embracing her grandmother's knowledge and being open to what she has to share, Su-Jin helps the woman feel valued. The text and colorful illustrations depict the foods, crafts, and the lunar calendar to count down the days until the arrival of the harvest moon. All of this is presented in a warm, inviting fashion, making this picture book a possible choice for a collection consisting of books about cultures or holidays as well as one with a gentle reminder that it's possible (and even desirable) to blend cultural traditions. ...more
Oh, how easy it is to be blinded by the fame and celebrity of someone else, especially when that person seems to be a friend. In the latest installmenOh, how easy it is to be blinded by the fame and celebrity of someone else, especially when that person seems to be a friend. In the latest installment of a blended Black family living in New York City, Sunday Saunders, who has far too many great ideas but who suffers from a lack of self-confidence, is determined to host a community musical with auditions and performances from various neighbors. But she doesn't know how to pull everything together, especially since she refuses the help of her sisters, Bo, Lil, and Lee, in favor of the promised assistance of television star Talitha Thomas, who has just moved into the neighborhood. Sunday's not the best at planning and organizing although she's creative and innovative, and readers will recognize early on that Talitha is more talk than action and that she's into the project for her own purposes. Even the book's title gives away what is essentially happening. Reading this humorous book with its realistic characters felt like pulling a warm blanket around me on a cold summer night. There's plenty of Black girl magic and familial and community love sprinkled throughout its pages. ...more
After her father's death, Lucretia Sanderson and her move to the small town of Candle Island, Maine, in order to heal and build their lives again. TheAfter her father's death, Lucretia Sanderson and her move to the small town of Candle Island, Maine, in order to heal and build their lives again. The small tourist town has appeal for them for many reasons, partly because of its beauty and isolation, but also because Lucretia has a secret, one that isn't revealed right away. While she and her mother paint, she also tends to a young osprey and forms a friendship with Bastian, one of the locals. He, too, has a secret that she accidentally discovers. As Lucretia deals with the animosity of Murdock, another local, she also lands in the midst of a conflict between the locals and the tourists, a conflict that builds inexorably across the book's pages. As with all books by this author, this one has an interesting setting and plot, characters that are richly drawn, and questions about grief, loss, voice, and being true to oneself. In many respects it's also an homage to art, writing and music (all means of self-expression) and the power they have to help us find our way and heal....more
I don't quite know how he does it, but this author always, always manages to tell stories in a way that makes me care about his characters, even thougI don't quite know how he does it, but this author always, always manages to tell stories in a way that makes me care about his characters, even though they are nothing like me, and prompts me to see the world as being a little brighter and humans as better than I have before. In his most recent title, he explores the power of friendship and artistic expression through the stories of four teens who spend a splendid summer together in a town by the sea. Their homes are not exactly sanctuaries as there is violence in some, death and dying in others, and carelessness in still others. But none of that matters when they're together. Their stories are told through the eyes of Ted, one of the boys, 25 years later, as he and Louisa, an 18-year-old artist, deal with loss and their connection to a recently deceased artist who has given her, a homeless girl, his most famous and most valuable painting. As usual with this particular writer, there are moments of immense pain and heartbreak, but there are also moments of joy and humor, and readers can't help but feel uplifted by his words and the time they have spent with these characters. ...more
While I realize that romance novels are formulaic and the ending rather predictable, I'd seen quite a lot of buzz around this book and decided to giveWhile I realize that romance novels are formulaic and the ending rather predictable, I'd seen quite a lot of buzz around this book and decided to give it a whirl. After all, the title and the premise sounded promising. Even though I'd read and not particularly enjoyed People We Meet on Vacation, also by this author, I figured it couldn't hurt to give the author another try. Unfortunately, this book, which so many reviewers seemed to find so original, reminded me of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo except the subject of the possible bio, Margaret Ives, didn't have nearly as an interesting life as Evelyn did. I could forgive that since there were some interesting parts of her life story, but the romance between the two writers, Alice Scott and Hayden Anderson, just left me bored. There was all this business about holding back and not responding to each other physically but still doing everything except intercourse so that they wouldn't feel involved with each other or invested or have regrets that seemed old-fashioned and dated. It reminded me of how President Bill Clinton claimed not to have had sex with "that woman" back in the day when he meant not having penetrated her. Maybe romance fans will love this--clearly, they do, judging from the ratings, but for me, even the sexually charged passages don't redeem it enough for me to raise my rating to more than a 2.5. Haven't I read something quite like this, not just the Evelyn Hugo parts, before? Clearly, I'm not in the mood for love, at least when it's delivered in this particular predictable package. Perhaps the only redeeming point for me is that it was a quick read. ...more
Richly layered, filled with hope, humor, and introspection, this latest graphic novel [3.5 for me!] by the author of Fun Home will be devoured by her Richly layered, filled with hope, humor, and introspection, this latest graphic novel [3.5 for me!] by the author of Fun Home will be devoured by her fans. The plot concerns Bechdel and her partner, Holly, living in Vermont, where they care for pygmy goats. While Alison writes--or prepares to write or procrastinates writing, often spending writing time ordering stuff online--Holly is getting in touch with her do-it-yourself side, chopping wood, and offering advice about handling various machines. posting videos filmed by Alison. Alison also feels some envy over her sister's efforts to tell her story of their upbringing while growing increasingly dismayed about how her own memoir, now turned into a television series, is being handled. Watching this couple and their friends settle into middle age with some of its insecurities and some of its unexpected joys and comfortability is quite entertaining. While parts of the story are serious, other parts are amusing, and Alison's self-deprecating comments may make some readers uncomfortable, even if they contain a ring of truth. The subplots concerning the goats and the experimental nature of one couple's sexual antics add layers of humor to the story, and observant readers will be delighted to find cats to be an important part of the daily lives of Alison and Holly, present in several scenes and almost always curled up on the bed or some other inconvenient spot. The cover with its emulation of the classic painting, American Gothic, lets readers know exactly what they're in for, and the contents remind them that no matter how bad or confusing life can be, as the song says, we get by with a little help from our friends. ...more
I've been a fan of this series ever since I read the very first book, and my admiration for its creator, Suzanne Collins, continues to grow as she offI've been a fan of this series ever since I read the very first book, and my admiration for its creator, Suzanne Collins, continues to grow as she offers fans the back story of some of the characters who appear in the first three books. While The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes offers readers the origin tale for the Hunger Games by focusing on Coriolanus Snow and his slow but relentless descent into the dark side, this book follow Haymitch Abernathy, winner of the fiftieth Hunger Games, as he becomes a tribute and manages to outlast all the other competitors. Savvy readers will recall how broken Haymitch is as he guides Katniss and Peeta in their Hunger Games, no doubt wondering what has caused him to be so broken. Surely, something terrible must have happened, and while fans of the series will already know that he survives, a feat that surely would haunt anyone because of what is necessary in order to leave the Games alive, they'll have no idea just how harsh his punishment will be for having embarrassed President Snow. His is not a triumphant return to District 12 at all, and I felt a literal chill at Snow's final words to him since I knew that he'd come home to nothing. While this book may not have quite the same emotional impact that the previous book does, it's still moving and disturbing, mimicking in some ways the helplessness that any individual or group of people must feel when all the odds are, indeed, stacked against them and are never in their favor. The skillful weaving of lines from Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" with its echo of "Nevermore" through parts of this particular love story adds another layer to the story, contributing to the hopeless yearning of Haymitch, who must surely be driven mad by his longing and feelings of loss. This one simply MUST be read. ...more
Both a great beach read and insightfully humorous social commentary, this debut novel [3.5 for me!] couldn't be more timely or original. The book's prBoth a great beach read and insightfully humorous social commentary, this debut novel [3.5 for me!] couldn't be more timely or original. The book's protagonist, Julie Chan, struggles to make ends meet while her twin sister, Chloe Van Huusen, is living the high life as a social media influencer. Due to their parents' death, the girls were separated when they were four and have had little contact since then. After Julie receives a brief and aborted phone call from Chloe and then gets no response to her calls, she travels to Manhattan to check on her. Finding her dead, she impulsively decides to assume her identity and becomes involved with a group of influencers called the Belladonnas--beware of anyone or anything with that name!--who were her sister's friends. Initially, Julie is down to earth and immune to the lifestyle that their posts and views afford these women, but she's quickly lured into posting her own stories and photos due to the lucrative nature of these activities and the allure of all the positive feedback she receives online. Page by page, it becomes clearer that the old Julie Chan really is dead, and this iteration of her needs the adulation provided by online activity. While the book could have been even better by exploring this aspect of social media a bit more, it's still a strong debut, with whip sharp writing and insight into the hearts of humans. ...more
While those around her, including her best friend, Rochelle, seem to have settled down and found their niches in life, Maggie Barnes, this book's protWhile those around her, including her best friend, Rochelle, seem to have settled down and found their niches in life, Maggie Barnes, this book's protagonist, is rudderless and feeling lost as she drifts from job to job. It often seems as though she becomes easily distracted and interested in the social nature of those jobs rather than their main tasks. In order to regroup, she moves temporarily to Bell River to work in her bookstore while Rochelle is pregnant. Maggie's not an avid reader, but she does know people and makes friends easily. When she concocts a plan to bring revenue into the store through an underground book club, she runs counter to its owner's rules that the store stock only classics and the books of Edward Bell. But it's only a matter of time before she gets caught. Bibliophiles will enjoy parts of this one, especially those special events Maggie plans in which authors write their own versions of some classic tales. There are several humorous moments as well as a dash of romance here, but as some other reviewers have noted, it's hard to like Maggie since she's so impulsive and frequently forgets about how her actions will affect others. Still, reading this one [3.5 for me!] was entertaining enough. ...more
I've loved everything that this author has written, especially Plan A, which just knocked it out of the park. In this one, her latest, she explores soI've loved everything that this author has written, especially Plan A, which just knocked it out of the park. In this one, her latest, she explores some of the negative aspects of Artificial Intelligence while also examining the importance of families, both birth and found, and the importance of being seen and heard. Through the lens of the protagonist, Eleanor Diamond, whose father, tech god Hugo Harrison, has never acknowledged her or her older sister Rosalind, readers watch as Eleanor learns some hard truths about her father and his ethics. For years she's lived in awe of him, longing for his love and recognition while also feeling ignored by her mother and sister. When she has the chance to be a nanny to Arlo, Hugo's young son, and work with Aurora, his famous and beautiful wife and stay in their Seattle mansion, she leaps at the opportunity, changing only her last name. The more time she spends with this family, the more confused she becomes, growing increasingly uncomfortable with how carefully curated everyone's life is and Hugo's ambitious project intended to replace mothers. As alluring as Hugo's world is, not all of it is real or meaningful, and it's clear that both he and Aurora fail to realize that there's a difference between paid help and real friends. For some, the references to comic books and a comic heroine, Miss Fury, may be confusing, but she serves as Eleanor's alter ego, and is important to include as is the back story about her creator and other comics. I also loved the Soggy Pages Book Club and would wish for such a support system for myself if I were still a teen. Readers will probably finish this one with an inclination to do some soul-searching and thinking about what is real and what isn't and why the distinction matters. I read some of the more negative reviews about this book, and while I respect the fact the everyone has different reactions to books, I didn't agree with their comments. The book isn't perfect, but its positive points far outweigh any flaws. ...more
Hans Christian Andersen's own story seems just as fantastic and magical as the ones he wrote and shared with others. It's safe to say that ours would Hans Christian Andersen's own story seems just as fantastic and magical as the ones he wrote and shared with others. It's safe to say that ours would be a much less delightful world without stories such as "The Ugly Duckling" or "The Snow Queen." And to think that he had very little formal education and that he never found the love he was searching for! This elegant tribute to the man whose fairy tales have been published around the world is a must-read for anyone who enjoys underdog stories or wants to know a little more about Andersen. Young readers might appreciate having some of this background about his formative years and his later ones. Created with watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink, the dreamy, softly colored illustrations evoke a feeling of the past and could easily have been used to complement one of Andersen's fairy tales. The entire book took me back to my own childhood when I was enchanted by these tales, reading them over and over again. ...more
I'm not sure why some reviewers found the writing of this nonfiction title to be mediocre. I enjoyed the entire book thoroughly. While there were a feI'm not sure why some reviewers found the writing of this nonfiction title to be mediocre. I enjoyed the entire book thoroughly. While there were a few spots that could have been more tightly edited or connected more carefully to previous parts of the story, the overall product left me fascinated. As is the case for many readers, I had no idea that the origins of such a prestige university as Stanford had such a bizarre origin story. The Gilded Age [1885] during which Jane and Leland Stanford cofounded the university as a tribute to their son who died when he was 16 was certainly rife with wealth in the hands of a few and often could be considered ill-gotten gains. The personalities of the individuals who populate this book seem larger than life. And trying to figure out who might have killed Jane Stanford, who died after being poisoned with strychnine kept me reading as fast as I could. I had my suspicions from the beginning, but there were plenty of individuals whose behavior and motivation kept me guessing. And oh, my goodness! what a rat David Starr Jordan, Stanford's president, turned out to be. In my naiveness I suppose that I expected better behavior from university officials, but it seems that there were plenty of folks who didn't want the truth to come out or justice to be served, simply because they worried that the university's reputation would suffer and that it wouldn't receive the money it expected. As I took all this in, I wondered just how much things have changed from then to now. This was well worth the time I spent reading it since it unfolds just like a mystery or detective story. ...more
True crime stories and tales about journalism always thrill my little newshound heart, making this one [3.5 for me!] a good choice to keep me occupiedTrue crime stories and tales about journalism always thrill my little newshound heart, making this one [3.5 for me!] a good choice to keep me occupied. I knew a little bit about the 1922 murder at the heart of the book--the death of Reverend Edward Hall and Eleanor Mills, a member of his choir, both found posed in bizarre ways and with later evidence pointing to an affair. But this account, which provides various details, enough to satisfy my curiosity to know more, takes readers back in time and reels out a cast of possible suspects and motivation for the crime, which was never solved. Part of the story, of course, also focuses on the tabloid war that surrounded coverage of the case, with some newspapers even getting involved in trying to find witnesses for the trial(s). Part of the pleasures in reading this book is imagining solutions and pondering how it might have been handled in modern times as well as how the coverage of this case gave rise to the country's fascination with these sorts of events and coverage. I thoroughly enjoyed it although I wish the book had also contained a timeline and map. ...more
Filled with scented humor and abundant references to smells and farts, this book will appeal to many third and fourth graders as it introduces readersFilled with scented humor and abundant references to smells and farts, this book will appeal to many third and fourth graders as it introduces readers to a superhero with unexpected gifts. Can a boy named Phartolomew and his Reeky Dog save the day? You bet they can, and readers will laugh along the way as they deal with evil in very un-scent-imental fashion. Hand this graphic novel to those who like their reading material with lots of illustrations and laugh-out-loud humorous situations. ...more
Serendipitously I was reading another book about the Hall-Mills double murder in the fall of 1922 while also reading this one, which focuses on F. ScoSerendipitously I was reading another book about the Hall-Mills double murder in the fall of 1922 while also reading this one, which focuses on F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, but also features that very same crime as Sarah Churchwell, the author, examines the influence of that murder on Fitzgerald and his masterpiece, The Great Gatsby. Her research takes Churchwell and her readers to some interesting places as she relies on letters, notes, published columns, and newspaper articles as well as her own reading of Gatsby to offer a different perspective on the novel. While she doesn't completely succeed in her endeavors since the murder, which remains unsolved, doesn't offer enough material to fully flesh out each chapter, her take on this event is fascinating, provocative, and intellectually titillating. The inclusion of passages from Gatsby and from Fitzgerald's calendar and letters opens up new ways of reading his work, and any fans of his writing--myself included--will be drawn into the book, which is fascinating in its portrayal of Fitzgerald and those around him as well as those particular times while also offering insight into his writing life. The book's title comes from one of my own favorite passages in The Great Gatsby. ...more
No single article or book can do justice to a place like South Bronx, and anyone who reads this book and comes away with the notion that everyone liviNo single article or book can do justice to a place like South Bronx, and anyone who reads this book and comes away with the notion that everyone living there has the same chaotic lives as Jessica and Coco, who are its focus, is incredibly naive. Yes, there are others just like these two Latina women, who are caught up in cycles of abuse, unhealthy relationships, and poverty. Some of them turn to crime, but that isn't always the case. While I had many unanswered questions upon finishing the book and felt curious about what happened to all the members of this sprawling random family. I also wondered about how the author gained access to these particular individuals and how her presence affected their behavior. Nevertheless, she provides fascinating insight into poverty and the institutional maze through which many individuals must travel in order to receive some of the services they need to survive, much less thrive. making this a rich, substantive slice of its place and times. By the time I finished this book, I felt as though I knew quite a lot about Cesar, Boy George, Lourdes, Serena, and Mercedes, but never enough, never enough. If nothing else, reading it serves as a cautionary tale about getting rich through illegal means since the fall is often faster than the rise, a plea for understanding, and possibly a call for welfare reform. As other reviewers have noted, the book puts faces behind the concept of poverty. It bears considering how difficult it is to get out of the endless loop of poverty as even when someone moved from the Bronx to Troy, New York, some of the same problems seem to go with them. ...more
I liked this historical fiction title even more than the author's previous one, The Secret Life of Sunflowers. Just as the other one follows the life I liked this historical fiction title even more than the author's previous one, The Secret Life of Sunflowers. Just as the other one follows the life paths of two different female characters, so does this one, making the plots quite similar. But that's perfectly okay since we can never have enough stories about strong females with dreams and the determination to succeed and thrive against all odds. Plus, the fact that one of the protagonists is Suzanne Valadon, a half-forgotten artist who grew up in the poor section of Paris in the 1870s, eventually hobnobbing with all the famous artists of her time, including Renoir, van Gogh, and Degas, and even musician Eric Satie. Self-taught, she was a trapeze performer, a wreathe-maker, and a model, becoming the first woman to be named to the Societie Nationale des Beaux-Arts, all fascinating elements that tick all the buttons for what I look for in a book. Ellie, the other protagonist, is interesting in her own respect too since she's in mourning over the loss of her husband, Chris, and the life that they thought they'd have, when unexpected events change everything for her. The loss of her job is disappointing, but she pulls herself together and finds a way forward, finding inspiration in Valadon's life and example. There is plenty of detail about the art world and painting as well as interesting historical tidbits sprinkled throughout the narrative, making readers feel as though they have traveled back in time. It's a fast read, but it's also deeply involving. ...more
This one is a 3.5 for me. Weaving in her own family's history and economic ups and downs with a shocking murder in the Mississippi Delta in 1948, authThis one is a 3.5 for me. Weaving in her own family's history and economic ups and downs with a shocking murder in the Mississippi Delta in 1948, author Beverly Lowry relies on archival information and interviews to try to solve the crime. While Ruth Dickins, daughter of the wealthy white victim, is charged, convicted, and incarcerated for the murder despite her insistence that she saw an unfamiliar Black man in her mother's house, she serves only a handful of her sentence before being released. While the crime itself is shocking, given that the murder weapon was a pair of garden shears, what elevates this particular story is how the author delves into white and economic privilege, racial assumptions, and social status as well as the historical backdrop of the time period as the Jim Crow era was coming to an end. Law enforcement officials' initial willingness to believe Ruth's story of a Black culprit as well as the ways that her husband worked to persuade the state's governors to pardon are add to readers' understanding that justice isn't always particularly just. While I appreciated the book's structure and the parallels with her own family, there were parts of the book that seemed to be unnecessarily long, especially when there is no clear resolution about who killed Idella Thompson. ...more
This gossipy but respectful work of historical fiction sheds light on the career of famed opera singer, Maria Callas, and her relationship with AristoThis gossipy but respectful work of historical fiction sheds light on the career of famed opera singer, Maria Callas, and her relationship with Aristotle Onassis. Organized just like a play or opera with a prologue and acts, the book immerses readers into the diva's performances as well as bits of her formative years, including her desire for her mother's love and acceptance, something she seems to have felt that she never received. The rich details of her rehearsals, singing and acting, her clothing, her jewelry, and the famous individuals around her elevate this story over others written during the same time period. Enormously talented, Callas seems to have bad luck with men, giving her heart to someone who collected shiny things, as the author puts it, and singing her heart out for someone who never really was able to hear her or appreciate her on her own merits. In the end readers realize that even a glamorous woman with so much going for her can be just like the rest of us, vulnerable, longing for acceptance and applause, and never quite satisfied. Small but important scenes describing how Maria, who once weighed over 200 pounds, denies herself more than a morsel of sweets or most foods in order to maintain her slender figure are heartbreaking but also telling. ...more