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2017 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge (retired challenge - doing old boards for fun)
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Showing posts with label U.S. Settings: California. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.S. Settings: California. Show all posts
Friday, January 10, 2025
Life-Affirming "Spring" Novel Uplifting in Any Season
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Even though Isabel in Bloom by Mae Respicio is more of a Spring/Summer read than a Fall/Winter one, I loved the infusion of sunshine it gave my end-of-the-year reading. Its hopeful, life-affirming message is uplifting no matter what the season!
Written in verse, this middle-grade novel concerns a 12-year-old girl from the Philippines who has just moved to California to live with her mother. She has been raised by her grandparents for most of her life while her single mother worked in the U.S., visiting her native country only occasionally. Isabel is nervous not only about relocating to a foreign place, but also about living with a woman she barely knows. In the Philippines, she has her friends, her beloved grandparents, the lush garden she helps care for, and the sights, sounds, and tastes she's used to. What is there for her in America?
Just as Isabel feared, she feels like a complete outsider in San Francisco. When she discovers a neglected garden at her school, though, she sees a glimmer of hope. Could resurrecting the Garden Club be the key to finding belonging in her strange new life? Or will her efforts be shut down before she—and the garden—really gets the chance to blossom?
Isabel in Bloom addresses some serious issues, including Asian hate, but overall, it's a sweet, wholesome novel with a happy ending (that comes too easily, but still...). It provided a perfect palate cleanser for me after a series of darker reads. Isabel is a sympathetic character. Even if we've never had to start over in a new place, all of us have been the "new kid" in one situation or another. It's easy to empathize with Isabel as she navigates life in a foreign environment, tackles homesickness, and learns to trust a parent she hardly knows. I loved watching our heroine use her unique talents and skills to not just find belonging for herself but also to inspire her classmates to help others in their community. Her story is inspiring, teaching valuable lessons about teamwork, speaking up about things that are important, the power of the natural world to bring people together, service to others, etc. Because I lived in the Philippines briefly as a teenager and it still holds a special place in my heart, my favorite part of Isabel in Bloom is the descriptions of life in that country. Reading about the smell of sampaguita flowers, the taste of bibingka cakes, the mano po gesture used to show respect to the elderly, and more brought back happy memories of things I'd almost forgotten. For all these reasons, I very much enjoyed this nostalgic, edifying read.
(Readalikes: Reminds me a bit of Blackbird Fly by Erin Estrada Kelly and New From Here by Kelly Yang)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for mild violence
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Isabel in Bloom from Cindy over at Kiss the Book, who got it free from an American Library Association conference. Thank you!
Monday, August 07, 2023
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Cartoonist Pens Gut-Wrenching, Powerful Graphic Memoir
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Once I started reading The Talk, a graphic memoir by Darrin Bell, I couldn't put it down and it's a heavy book—in more ways than one. The title refers to the vital discussion parents must have with their Black children about racism. For boys, especially, this includes instructions on how to act calm, respectful, and non-threatening in any confrontations they have with the police, no matter how unfair or ridiculous the situation might be. Bell, who is bi-racial, was raised in East Los Angeles in the '80s and '90s by his white mother. His parents were divorced, his Black father largely absent from his life, so it was his mom who explained how things were for people with Darrin's skin color. The talk was prompted by the 6-year-old's request for a squirt gun, a plea that ended in his acquisition of a neon green toy that (despite his mother's warning) led to a terrifying run-in with a police officer that deeply traumatized the little boy.
As the book explains, Bell continued to experience acts of blatant racism as he grew up, including being shadowed while shopping, getting shut down by teachers, name-calling from his peers, accusations of plagiarism, profiling by police, and more. He sought solace and escape in his art, where he found his voice as a political cartoonist/satirist. His pointed, provocative, and often controversial ruminations on politics, injustice, prejudice, racism, and more have earned him both accolades and death threats over the years. In 2019, he won a Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning, the first Black person to do so.
It's easy to see why Bell's work has earned so much attention. The illustrations in The Talk are top-notch, loose but also vivid and compelling. No less so are his words, which pair with his pictures to create an immensely powerful story. For me—the white mother of an adopted, bi-racial child—the most poignant, heart-wrenching chapter in the book is the final one, in which Bell's 6-year-old son asks his dad about George Floyd. Not having planned to deliver "the talk" until the boy is a bit older, Bell is forced to shatter his child's innocence by talking about the hard truths of living while Black. It's excruciating to read, especially since, in the cartoon face of Bell's child, I see mine.
The Talk is many things: raw, angry, gut-wrenching, timely, impactful, and, yes, hopeful. Surprisingly, it's also funny in parts. I laughed out loud when Bell recalled his mom marching to his school in her bathrobe and curlers to confront the principal. Embarrassed, he pled, "Mom? Couldn't you at least get dressed before ruining my whole life?" While most of the book is very serious, there are moments like these that occasionally lighten the mood. Mostly, though, The Talk is a hard-hitting denunciation of racism and injustice. Like Bell, I also hope that the issues he addresses in the book can be overcome so that our Black children can live in a world that is safer, kinder, and more empathetic toward them. One step in that direction is to read this excellent book, take its message to heart, and use it to confront our own prejudices in order to create a better world for all of its people.
(Readalikes: Surprisingly, I haven't read a lot of other books like this. I should. Which do you recommend?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (no F-bombs), violence, disturbing subject matter, and mild innuendo/sexual content
To the FTC, with love: I received a copy of The Talk from the generous folks at Henry Holt and Company in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Friday, March 18, 2022
Cheese-Themed Cozy Gouda Been Better
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Cheesemonger Willa Bauer is in desperate need of a new start. Yarrow Glen—a picturesque little town in California's Sonoma Valley—seems like the perfect place for the 33-year-old to begin anew. It's beautiful, serene, and appealing to tourists with money to spend. Willa hopes they will be just as enchanted as she is by her new cheese shop, Curds & Whey. A positive review from Guy Lippinger, the local restaurant critic, will help immensely. If only she can impress the hard-to-please foodie.
Guy's surprise visit to the cheese shop turns into a very public, very embarrassing disaster. Things quickly go from bad to worst when the critic is found dead, a Curds & Whey knife embedded in his neck. Willa is shocked not just by the killing but by the fact that she is now the prime suspect in his murder. Guy was not a popular man, but who hated him enough to end his life? Willa is determined to find out before the new life she's worked so hard to create for herself crumbles like an aged asiago. Can she track down the killer before she, herself, becomes the next victim?
A cheese-themed cozy mystery sounded fun, so I delved into Cheddar Off Dead (available March 29, 2022), a debut novel by Korina Moss, with hopeful expectations. With its punny title and cheery cover art, I definitely found the book's packaging appealing. As for content, like most cozies, this series opener is a light, clean, easy read that's entertaining even if it's not realistic or believable. The characters are likable for the most part, although none of them stand out as really unique or memorable. Willa is so-so as a leading lady. She's agreeable enough, although she doesn't have much of a personality and she's very fickle when it comes to men (all of whom are instantly smitten with her, naturally). I didn't love her, but I didn't hate her. As far as the mystery goes, I saw the killer coming from fairly early on. There's enough going on in the story that their identity isn't complete obvious, which made the plot compelling enough to keep me reading. Moss' prose is pretty ho-hum, although the story has some clever lines here and there that made me smile. All considered, I found Cheddar Off Dead to be an okay read. Will I continue with the series? I'm undecided at this point. I think it has potential, so I'll probably give the second book a shot. We'll see.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other food-themed cozies, like those by Ellie Alexander, Vivien Chien, Amanda Flower, etc.)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, and scenes of peril
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Cheddar Off Dead from the generous folks at St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Thursday, December 16, 2021
Harrowing, Horrifying Donner Party Tragedy Sensitively Explored in Brown's Engrossing Account
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Everyone who visits BBB regularly knows I love a gripping, immersive survival story. If it's true? Even better. As we all well know, not everyone in the infamous Donner Party lived to tell the group's grisly tale, but enough did that we have a pretty good idea of what happened that fateful winter in 1847
when they became stranded in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. While cannibalism is what they became known for, there is a lot more to their story. Who were the people in the Donner Party? Where were they headed? How did they lose their way and become perilously trapped in the snow? Why did they resort to eating the flesh of their family members and friends? If you can stomach the more macabre details, theirs is a truly fascinating story. Daniel James Brown tells it well in his engrossing account, The Indifferent Stars Above.
Brown became interested in researching the Donner Party when he discovered he was distantly related to one of its members, a young woman named Sarah Graves Fosdick. She accompanied her parents, her eight younger siblings, and her new husband on the journey from Illinois to California. Brown decided to use her viewpoint to tell the stories of a group of travelers whom he says "deserve better" than to be remembered only as clichéd pioneers who were forced to make a horrible, desperate choice in order to survive an utterly hopeless situation. Brown describes the whole tragedy from beginning to end in a manner that is sensitive, compelling, and illuminating. With all the elements that make for great fiction—an extreme setting, interesting characters, nail-biting tension, and constant conflict of multiple varieties—it's a riveting read. Narrative non-fiction at its best.
Because the story of the Donner Party is about a lot more than just cannibalism, the majority of the book has nothing to do with consuming human flesh. The sections that do address it are—not gonna lie—grisly and nauseating, even though Brown doesn't sensationalize what happened or use overly graphic descriptions. He doesn't need to. The facts are horrifying enough in and of themselves. What really comes through from Brown's account, though, is the humanity of those in the Donner Party. They were ordinary people who faced extraordinary circumstances and had to make agonizing decisions as they slowly went mad from starvation, hypothermia, hopelessness, and despair. As with all books of this kind, The Indifferent Stars Above asks two very pointed questions: What would I do in similar circumstances? How far would I go to save myself and, perhaps more importantly, the people I love?
Thought-provoking and arresting, this is an excellent read that I recommend highly to anyone who has the stomach for it. I wasn't sure I could get through it, but I'm glad I did. I love inspiring pioneer stories and absorbing survival tales—this is both.
(Readalikes: Hm, I've read plenty of pioneer survival stories, but I can't think of one that really compares. You?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, disturbing subject matter, and blood/gore (the chapters on cannibalism are not overly graphic, but they might actually merit an R-rating simply because of what is happening in them)
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of The Indifferent Stars Above with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Wednesday, May 05, 2021
Much Anticipated Rom-Com A Little Too Madcap
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
At 26, Meddelin Chan is playing the part of the dutiful Asian daughter by living with her mother and working as a photographer for the family wedding planning business. It's not exactly what she had in mind for her future, but she can't allow herself to follow her cousins' shameful examples by flitting off to a more exotic clime in search of her own life, leaving her mother behind to cluck over her disloyalty. Even as she yearns for freedom, Meddy has to admit she finds reluctant comfort in the way her mom and her mom's three loud, overbearing sisters fuss over her every move. When a bad blind date takes a turn for the much, much worse, she knows exactly who to call. Turns out, when it comes to hiding a body, her always-feuding, middle-aged aunties are better than the mob.
Meddy's timing couldn't be worse, however. With the biggest wedding of their career about to unfold, the women have to bring their A-game to the sparkling event. Having a corpse along for the ride is not exactly helping. Things become even more complicated when Meddy realizes her college boyfriend—the one she has pined for ever since their devastating break-up four years ago—is part of the wedding. Then, the groomsmen get too plastered to walk down the aisle, millions of dollars in gifts go missing, a storm descends on the resort venue, and everything else that could possibly go wrong does. A suspicious sheriff on the premises could mean the end of the charade and the incarceration of Meddy and her unlikely accomplices. Can the ladies pull off both a flawless wedding and the perfect crime? Or will they be planning their next event behind bars, wearing those oh-so-unflattering orange jumpsuits?
Ever since I heard about Dial A for Aunties, a debut novel by Jesse Q. Sutanto, I knew I wanted to read it. It just sounded like the perfect light-hearted blend of rom-com and cozy mystery. Sure, it would be far-fetched and silly, but it also promised to be a fun, upbeat romp. I've read a lot of dark, depressing books lately, so I was down for something different. My verdict? Dial A for Aunties is a fun read in lots of ways. The "aunties" are definitely the highlight of the story with their constant bickering, hilarious malapropisms, and misplaced pride. While little about the plot makes any logical sense, it is entertaining in its madcap absurdity. I also appreciated the #OwnVoices aspect of this novel, in which Sutanto highlights her own Indonesian-Chinese heritage. All of these elements combine to make the story humorous and entertaining.
I read mostly serious books, which sometimes makes it tough for me to really appreciate a kooky comedy. So, while I found Dial A for Aunties entertaining, its quick transitions from silly to ridiculous to utterly absurd did drive me a little crazy after a while. By the end of the story, I was very much done with the over-the-top-ness of it all. Even in a screwball story like this, there has to be some logic governing the characters' actions, right? Another thing that tempers the fun in this one is that it's actually very R-rated. I was surprised to find F-bombs being dropped all over the place, as well as a plethora of innuendo and less subtle sexual references. This just didn't fit the fun, cozy-ish vibe Dial A for Aunties seemed to be going for. I admit to going into this book with unrealistically high expectations, which maybe contributed to me feeling (disproportionally?) disappointed in it. Nevertheless, I found myself wishing for a less daffy, more PG version of this novel. This opinion will probably make me an outlier in the book blogging world (which is totally okay), but for me, Dial A for Aunties was just an average read. An entertaining one, just one that didn't turn out to be as satisfying as I wanted it to be.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of the Noodle Shop Mystery series by Vivien Chien)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, sexual innuendo and mild sexual content
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC for Dial A for Aunties from the generous folks at Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Thursday, April 01, 2021
New Literary Thriller Broody and Atmospheric
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
A seasoned San Francisco missing persons detective, 35-year-old Anna Hart is used to dealing with the atrocities that are a daily part of her job. Although she can steel herself enough to perform her duties, each case embeds itself deeply inside of her. When tragedy strikes in her personal life, the emotional toll throws her over an edge that forces her to take a step back from work. Taking a leave of absence, she retreats to Mendocino, the coastal town where she lived as a child after being taken in by a loving foster family. It's the place she feels most at home, most at peace, making it the perfect spot from whence to lick her wounds.
Anna is supposed to be resting, but when she discovers that a local girl has gone missing, she can't just sit idly by. The Mendocino sheriff, an old pal of Anna's, is thrilled when she offers to assist him with the case. She's puzzled by the disappearance of Cameron Curtis, the 15-year-old daughter of a famous, wealthy actress. The girl had been sheltered and kept separate from the local kids. If she ran off, with whom did she go? If someone took her, how did they get access to her? And what have they done with her? Cameron's case reminds Anna too much of the last time a girl from Mendocino went missing, twenty some years ago. Is it possible the disappearances are related? Whatever it takes from her, Anna vows to find Cameron as well as the long-missing Jenny Ledford. Asking probing questions in the tight-knit community soon puts the detective in the spotlight—an increasingly dangerous place to be. Can she find the answers she needs to find the missing? Or will she be the next woman to vanish without a trace?
When the Stars Go Dark (available April 13, 2021) is a new literary thriller by Paula McLain. Because it's more of the former than the latter, the story moves slowly (but steadily) with more emphasis on the characters and their relationships than on the twin mysteries at the novel's center. The characters are sympathetic and likable enough; the prose is skilled, even poetic in places; and the plot is suspenseful and engaging. The mystery part of the story is pretty straightforward, without any surprises. In fact, I saw the "bad guys" coming from a mile away. Usually, I hate predictability in a mystery/thriller, but it didn't bother me too much in this one since the book is really more about Anna finding herself than solving another case. I don't know if McLain plans to write more books starring Anna Hart, but I would definitely read a series with her as the leading lady. I enjoyed this broody, atmospheric novel overall and will be on the lookout for more stories like this one from McLain.
(Readalikes: A million titles should be coming to mind, but I'm drawing a blank. Help?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a dozen or so F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, blood/gore, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of When the Stars Go Dark from the generous folks at Penguin Random House via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Wednesday, February 03, 2021
Newest Meissner Historical Another Immersive, Absorbing Read
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
An Irish immigrant, Sophie Whalen will do anything to get out of New York City, where she lives in squalor in a crowded tenement building. She's even willing to move to far away San Francisco and marry a man she's never met. A handsome widower, Martin Hocking desires a living wife to give him a proper family man appearance in order to better sell insurance. His 5-year-old also needs a mother. Sophie steps in, figuring love or at least a warm friendship will eventually grow between her and her enigmatic new husband. Even though she's more interested in being a mom than anything else, Sophie's still confused by Martin's cool treatment of her. He's gone all the time, shows no desire for her physically, ignores his own daughter, and is always vague about his work. It's becoming increasingly obvious that Martin is hiding something, but what?
On the eve of the great earthquake that will bring San Francisco to its knees, Sophie receives a shocking visit from a stranger. The young pregnant woman bears more questions than answers, but it's enough to make Sophie desperate to get them all away before Martin returns home. When the unthinkable happens, she finds herself on the run in a crumbling city with a laboring mother and a terrified child. With chaos and destruction all around them, can the trio find safety from the earthquake, its devastating aftermath, and the terrible secret that binds them together? Will Sophie ever triumph in her ongoing quest for security, happiness, and love?
I'm a fan of historical fiction, disaster novels, and Susan Meissner, a tantalizing trifecta that comes together perfectly in The Nature of Fragile Things, the author's newest offering. I buzzed through this book in a day because it tells such a compelling, engrossing story. Even though the novel really isn't about the San Francisco earthquake, the disaster makes an intriguing, dramatic backdrop for this tale about a woman's plight to forge ahead despite her devastating past and uncertain future. Sophie is a sympathetic heroine, one who's brave, loyal, and determined. It's easy to root for her survival and success. What she discovers about her husband is not what I expected, but it creates a tense, suspenseful plot that kept me burning through the pages. The Nature of Fragile Things is an absorbing read that reminds me why I enjoy Meissner's work so much. I can't wait to see what she does next.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain and of Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan Henry)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, blood/gore, mild sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of The Nature of Fragile Things from the generous folks at Penguin Random House via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Monday, February 01, 2021
Middle Grade Historical a Beautiful, Illuminating Read
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Esperanza Ortega lives a luxurious life in Mexico. Her father is a wealthy landowner, which allows her to live in a spacious home with servants to tend to her every need. On the eve of her 13th birthday, Esperanza is thinking only about her upcoming fiesta and all the fine presents she will receive from her loving family and friends. When her beloved father is killed by bandits, however, everything changes. Grief settles like a pall over the family's ranch. With their brother out of the way, Esperanza's greedy uncles threaten to kick Esperanza and her mother off the property. Before she knows it, they are being smuggled out of the country, headed to the United States to find their own way as migrant farm workers.
Her shocking reversal of fortune makes Esperanza's head spin. Once, she had her own bedroom filled with expensive toys and fancy dresses. Now, she shares a cramped shanty with two other families. Once, servants cleaned up after her. Now, she does her own sweeping and washing. Once, her father paid serfs to work in his fields. Now, Esperanza and her mother are competing with other desperate workers to labor for pennies on someone else's farm. As she becomes used to her shabby new life in California, Esperanza's eyes are opened to the harsh realities of life as a poverty-stricken immigrant struggling to get ahead in a foreign country already devastated by the Great Depression. When Esperanza's mother falls desperately ill and rumors of a massive workers' strike threaten the family's only source of income, Esperanza is ready to give up. She's already overcome so many hardships and struggles. How can she rise above them? Will she ever be happy again?
Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan tells an unforgettable riches-to-rags story set against a memorable Great Depression backdrop. With its focus on Mexican immigrants, the book has a unique angle that feels timely even though it's set in the past. An atmospheric setting coupled with a cast of sympathetic characters and an engaging storytelling style make the novel an engrossing, empathy-inducing read that is as affecting as it is heartfelt. Esperanza's growth as a character is the best part of the story as it shows her realistic progression from spoiled princess to pragmatic peasant. While Ryan's depiction of Mexican migrant life during the Depression might not be entirely realistic (Esperanza's ability to save a large chunk of money in a short amount of time with her meager earnings seems inauthentic, for instance), it's grim enough to get her point across while remaining upbeat enough for a children's book. Overall, Esperanza Rising is a story about hope, hard work, and finding joy in the things that really matter—family, friendship, traditions, etc.—even in the bleakest of circumstances. It's a beautiful novel that I very much enjoyed.
A note: I listened to Esperanza Rising on audio, with Trini Alvarado reading the book. Her voice is smooth, soothing, and authentic as she seamlessly narrates using both Spanish and English to bring the characters and story to life. If you're looking for a new book to listen to an audio, I would absolutely recommend this one.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah, although it's an adult book and much bleaker than Esperanza Rising. The Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar and Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros are also great middle-grade reads about the plight of Mexican immigrants in modern America)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence, scenes of peril, and difficult subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Saturday, December 26, 2020
MG Novel-in-Verse Realistic and Relatable
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Hannah Lincoln's life has always been safe and stable. The 12-year-old has two caring parents, plenty of friends, and a love of gymnastics and dancing that sustains her. Her cousin, Cal Pace, has had the opposite experience. His mother died three years ago leaving him with his drug-addicted father. His chaotic home life ended with his dad going to prison and Cal coming to live with the Lincolns. Hannah's childhood has given her confidence and balance. Cal's has left him with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Hannah gets that her cousin's been through a lot, but she can't help feeling resentful of his sudden presence in her life. Cal acts strangely and has serious anger management issues. Not only is he bullied at school, but his behavior is causing contention in Hannah's home. She's trying to be patient and understanding, but Hannah feels like her nice, quiet life is spinning out of control. Will her family ever go back to normal? Or will Cal's antics tear them apart for good?
Told in verse, Ellen Hopkins' first novel for middle-grade readers tells a poignant story about two cousins with very different life experiences trying to find common ground. Closer to Nowhere is a quick read that's realistic and relatable. Based on the author's own experience, the story paints a vivid, sympathetic picture of how addiction impacts not just the addict but his/her whole family. While Closer to Nowhere deals with tough subjects, overall it's a hopeful book. I've enjoyed other books by Hopkins and this one is no exception. It's a heart-wrenching, empathy-inducing novel that spoke to me.
(Readalikes: Reminds me a little of Christmas After All by Kathryn Lasky)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence and difficult subject matter (drug abuse, alcoholism, divorce, school shootings, etc.)
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of Closer to Nowhere from the generous folks at Penguin Random House via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Thursday, December 24, 2020
Efrén Divided Provides Intimate Peek at Illegal Immigration Through the Eyes of Those It Impacts Most
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
In many ways, Efrén Nava is just like any other American seventh grader. He hangs out with his best buddy, hides in the bathroom to get away from his pesky younger siblings, worries about how his ears stick out, wolfs down the food his mom makes, and is forever trying to convince his overprotective parents that he's ready for more independence. His neighborhood is rundown and his apartment is tiny, but Efrén is surrounded by a caring family and a warm, vibrant Mexican-American community. He is loved and protected. And yet, he never quite feels safe. Although he was born in America, his parents are in the country illegally, as are many of their neighbors and friends. The threat of ICE raids and deportation is a constant dark cloud looming over them all.
Efrén's worst fears come true when his mother is arrested and sent back to Mexico. With his father taking on extra work to earn the money needed to bring her back home, he must step up and take care of his rowdy younger siblings. In addition to wrangling rambunctious kindergarten twins, he still has to keep up with his schoolwork, help his BFF with a school election, and keep all his fears and worries in check. Desperate to keep his family's problems a secret, Efrén is exhausted, terrified, and in need of help he's too scared to ask for. Can he keep it all together so no one finds out what's really going on in his life? Will his family ever be reunited? How will Efrén cope when his entire world is falling apart?
No matter how you feel about U.S. immigration policies, border walls, and detention centers, you can't read a book like Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros and not be moved. The story is fictional, of course, but it mirrors the sad reality of many immigrant families who live lives marked by fear and division every day. Cisneros provides an intimate peek at what that looks like and how it affects all members of a family that's already just doing its best to get by. Efrén Divided features sympathetic characters, a compelling plot, and engaging prose. It's a timely, impactful, discussion-worthy read that teaches empathy while exploring the explosive issue of Mexican immigration to the U.S. through the eyes of those it impacts most.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for difficult subject matter and scenes of peril
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Debut MG Novel Funny and Entertaining
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Yumi Chung's Korean immigrant parents expect a lot of her—intensive studying, perfect grades, admission to an Ivy League institution, and the pursuit of an ambitious career (her older sister is in medical school). Eleven-year-old Yumi couldn't care less about school. In fact, she kind of hates the fancy prep academy her parents make her attend. Her big dream? Becoming the next great stand-up comic. To her family, comedy is a silly hobby, a waste of time. To Yumi, it's a way to express herself and connect with people in a way she can't otherwise.
When Yumi happens upon a comedy camp for kids taught by her favorite YouTube comic, she can't help wandering in. She's instantly mistaken for an absent camper. Knowing her parents would never let her join the camp for real, Yumi assumes the missing girl's identity. Yumi's thrilled to be learning from her idol, but maintaining her lie and keeping her activities a secret from her parents is stressing her out big time. When the inevitable happens, Yumi must decide how much she's willing to risk to make her dream come true.
A debut middle-grade novel by Jessica Kim, Stand Up, Yumi Chung! tells a fun, upbeat story that's entertaining and humorous. The set-up is a little cliché with its demanding Asian-American parents and restaurant setting, but the stand-up comedy angle is one I haven't encountered before in a children's book. Yumi is funny and likable, which makes her an easy-to-root-for heroine. She and her friends act a lot older than 11, with more freedom and ambition than kids typically have at that age. This made the story feel unauthentic, making me think this novel would have worked a little better as a YA book. Still, Stand Up, Yumi Chung! is an enjoyable, empowering romp with lots of heart. I didn't absolutely love it, but I definitely liked it.
(Readalikes: A hundred titles should be coming to mind, but I'm drawing a blank. Any ideas?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
To the FTC, with love: Another fine find
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
MG Novel-in-Verse a Gut-Wrenching, Illuminating Illegal Immigration Story
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Betita Quintero loves going to fourth grade in her East Los Angeles neighborhood. There, a beloved teacher has been showing her how to express her feelings using vivid "word-poems." She has plenty of emotions to illustrate—happiness from being surrounded by loving parents and a poor, but supportive community of immigrants; excitement over the impending birth of her baby sibling; and fear of her parents' undocumented status being discovered. Betita's worst nightmare comes true when her father is arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported to Mexico. Now, she and her pregnant mother are worried, scared, and on their own. How can they survive without Papi?
Things go from bad to worse when Betita and her mom are detained, locked away in a dirty cell with other terrified refugees. How will they survive in such a hopeless, joyless place? Will her Mami's baby be okay? Most of all, will the Quintero family ever be reunited?
Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar (who was born in Mexico and brought to the United States by her undocumented parents when she was a baby) tells a gut-wrenching, heartrending story that is all too timely and real. It's grim and disturbing in a lot of ways, but it's also hopeful and beautifully told in verse. No matter what you think of U.S. immigration policy and its enforcement, it's impossible not to be moved by this illuminating story. It's a quick read, but a powerful one that has stuck with me for months.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of Efrèn Divided by Ernesto Cisneros)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence, language, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Wednesday, December 02, 2020
Grim and Gritty, Dust Bowl Novel Also Memorable and Moving
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Because of a childhood bout with rheumatic fever, 25-year-old Elsa Wolcott has long been treated as an invalid by her wealthy family. Lanky, awkward, and shy, she figures she'll always be a spinster, slowly suffocating to death in her parents' home. She's shocked, then, when she meets Rafe Martinelli, an Italian-American farmer, who pays her the kind of attention she's only read about in romance novels. The Wolcotts will never accept him as a suitor—he's a blue collar worker, a penniless dreamer, and a "foreigner" to boot. Elsa and Rafe's secret romance turns into a hasty marriage when a pregnant Elsa is kicked out of her parents' home. Although the Martinellis are not thrilled with the situation either, they accept Elsa into their fold, soon recognizing what the Wolcotts never have—Elsa is a quick learner, a hard worker, and a person adept at making the best of a bad situation.
By 1934, Elsa is a poor farmer's wife, who is beloved by her in-laws but ignored by her parents and treated with indifference by a husband who is increasingly distant and depressed. When Rafe abandons Elsa, their young children, and his family's farm, she is left to struggle along with the senior Martinellis to turn a profit from the dying land. Between the choking dust, the country's desperate financial situation, and the constant work of farming and caring for a family, Elsa is at the end of her rope. Many of the residents in her Texas town have already fled the Dust Bowl, headed for California, the land of opportunity. Should Elsa stay or go? Can she really find salvation in The Golden State? What will become of her, her elderly in-laws, and her young children?
Kristin Hannah has become known for writing sweeping, emotional sagas about families fighting to survive in difficult situations. Her newest, The Four Winds (available February 2, 2021), is no exception. With a setting so vivid you can feel grit stinging your eyes, Hannah paints a grim, gut-wrenching picture of life in the Dust Bowl during The Great Depression. There's no more sympathetic character than a tireless mother who will do anything to save her children and Elsa is absolutely that. She's a complex, brave, admirable woman whose determination makes her relatable and root-worthy. While I found Hannah's depiction of "Okie" life in California fascinating, her descriptions are so vivid, so heartbreaking, that I'm not sure I'll ever forget them. The Four Winds concludes with an interesting twist, one I didn't much care for; still, the ending feels not just satisfying, but also hopeful. Despite its bleakness, I found this novel absorbing, moving, and memorable. It's because of books like this that I've become a big Kristin Hannah fan over the last few years. I can't wait to see what she does next!
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other stories about the Dust Bowl and The Great Depression, like The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, I Will Send Rain by Rae Meadows, and A Promise to Break by Kathryn Spurgeon)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (1 F-bomb, plus milder expletives), violence, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of The Four Winds from the generous folks at St. Martin's Press via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Thursday, October 15, 2020
Japanese-American Internment Novel Heartbreaking, Thought-Provoking
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Before Pearl Harbor is bombed in 1942, the Takeda family is living in Los Angeles and doing very well for themselves. Afterward, they start receiving the same distrustful sideways glances as every other Japanese-American in the U.S. It's not long before suspicion turns into paranoia. The Takedas, along with many of their friends and neighbors, are rounded up and forced into an internment camp. With her father recently dead, 14-year-old Lucy and her mother have to fend for themselves in a place that is fraught with danger, corruption, and desperation. Lucy's mom will do whatever she has to in order to keep herself and her daughter safe—including unspeakable acts that will have long-reaching consequences for them both.
Decades later, a murder in San Francisco leads police to Lucy. As the investigation heats up, Lucy tells the harrowing, heartbreaking story of what really happened in Manzanar to her own daughter in an effort to clear her name and unburden her soul.
Garden of Stones by Sophie Littlefield is a thought-provoking story set during a shameful period of America's past. I thought it would be more of a mystery than a historical drama—it's both, but with a heavier emphasis on the latter. Littlefield's descriptions of life inside Manzanar are heartbreaking and barely believable, although they're based on indignities suffered in real life by real Americans. Obviously, a story set in an internment camp during World War II is not going to be a happy one. Garden of Stones is, not surprisingly, sad and depressing, a tale full of despairing people struggling through awful situations. It is, however, also interesting and compelling. The middle sags and the ending leaves some annoying loose ends, so overall, I didn't love this book. It held my interest, though, and I liked it well enough to finish the novel and think about it quite a bit afterward.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other novels about the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, such as The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner, Within These Lines by Stephanie Morrill, Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban, Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers by Sara Ackerman, and Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackerman)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a couple F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, mild sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I bought a digital copy of Garden of Stones with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Friday, July 03, 2020
Drought Dystopian a Tense, Exciting, Thirst-Making Read
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
"Doomsday scenarios are only fun when doomsday is just a hypothetical" (163).
The drought is old news to Californians. They're already allowing their grass to die, not filling up their swimming pools, and jumping in and out of the shower as fast as possible. Although they've been warned the water will run out eventually, most are shocked—and woefully unprepared—when the worst happens. With no water gushing or even trickling out of their taps, people are panicking. Those who aren't rushing to leave the state are ransacking the grocery stores, buying up every bottle of water on the shelves. When not even an ice cube is left and days continue to pass with no relief in sight, chaos reigns.
Alyssa Morrow barely recognizes her neighborhood anymore—her once peaceful subdivision has turned into a war zone. When her parents don't return from their trip to get help, the 16-year-old realizes she's on her own to take care of herself and her 10-year-old brother. With no stored water in her home, her only hope lies in the weird kid who lives next door. Kelton McCracken is the geeky son of a prepper. If anyone knows how to survive the water apocalypse, it's him. When a shocking tragedy sends the teens on a frantic flight to find the supplies they need to survive, all of their lives are put on the line. Desperate to keep her brother safe and healthy, Alyssa must make some impossible decisions as the ordered world she once knew falls apart around her.
Considering all that's happened already in 2020, Dry—the newest YA novel by Neal Shusterman and his son, Jarrod—rings eerily true. Luckily, the catastrophic drought at the center of the story is only fiction (at least for now). As such, it makes for a tense, exciting page-turner that will force readers to ask themselves, "What would I do?" The answers may be unsettling, especially considering all we've all been through this year. Besides being an engrossing novel, Dry is definitely a thought-provoking one. The characters are realistically complex and conflicted; on the whole, though, they're a likable and admirable lot. Interesting characters, an engaging plot, and plenty of food for thought combine to make Dry not just a riveting read, but a powerful one. I absolutely recommend picking yourself up a copy. Just be warned: you're going to want to have a big glass of ice water next to you while you read this book because I guarantee it's going to make you crave a nice, cold drink!
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other YA dystopian novels, especially Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (no F-bombs), violence, blood/gore, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of Dry from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
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