A Bittersweet But Realistic Love Story

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Omaha, 1986. Eleanor is an unwieldy red-head who decorates her sweaters with fishing lure and lives with her mother, four siblings, and an abusive stepdad. Park is a comic book-loving do-gooder whose half-Korean heritage makes him a novelty in this neck of the woods. When Park lets Eleanor, the new girl, share a seat with him on the school bus, they soon find themselves bonding over comic book heroes and exchanging mixed tapes. Soon, they have embarked on an unlikely romance—however, both have personal issues that repeatedly threaten to end the relationship. The author’s admirable refusal to shy away from the painful (and frightening) subject of domestic abuse, as well as the story’s bittersweet but realistic ending, are what make this love story stand out. Recommended for Grades 9 Up for strong language.

Interesting Departure from Normal YA, But About As Unapologetically Preachy as the Late Michael Crichton

The War on Science Goes Batshit by Allen J. Woppert (BookBaby, 2013, 248pp.)

You probably haven’t heard of Batshit, IL. It was founded in 1879 by a Persian immigrant named Omar al-Baht-Shi’it. Us Americans being the way we are, Omar quickly became known as Omar “Batshit.” The name stuck. One hundred and thirty years later, our story begins. 

The novel focuses on the perilous Freshman year of local brainiac Timothy Thompson at Omar L. Batshit High School. Timothy is the son of a high-powered lawyer who frequently takes on controversial cases. On the first day of school, Timothy saunters off to enjoy one of his favorite classes, biology, and is startled to discover that the teacher, Mrs. Barker, has decided to forego evolution entirely. Instead, she will teach her students Intelligent Design, an alternate theory that proposes that life on Earth is too complex to have simply crawled from some primordial ooze, and must have developed under the direction of a higher being. Timothy reasons that since the higher being must be God, and that since teaching religion in public schools is frowned upon, this is obviously a heinous violation of the separation of church and state. Without another thought, he contacts his mother, who promptly issues the school a cease and desist order.

There is a mixture of reactions to this event. Timothy’s friends, who are all science geeks who believe in evolution, immediately dismiss Intelligent Design (ID) as hokum. The Christians in the school think that since Timothy has denounced ID, he simply must be a Godless heathen and begin fervently praying for his soul. He also becomes the subject of bullying, pranks, and scorn. Despite this, Timothy and his circle of friends decide to sponsor a series of lectures on evolution, a decision that will lead to a dramatic, life-threatening climax.

I really have to commend the author on his choice of material. While a good number of YA books blither over love triangles and hormones, Woppert’s novel instead tackles some pretty relevant material: separation of church and state, public school systems, etc. However, the author’s stance on the material threatens to alienate some of its readers. As is the case with Jodi Picoult, who writes heavily biased, politically-charged fiction, the author trumpets the virtues of his beliefs, and then lumps all dissenters together as a troupe of ignorant fools. True, there are some exceptions in the story, but these seem few and far between. In the end, the story turns out to be  not so much about its characters as the agenda it’s trying to push on readers. It’s one of those books that makes your blood pressure go up in unhealthy ways. It forces us to pick a side, and God help your blood pressure if you don’t pick the “right” one. Overall, an interesting book, but not one to read if you prefer a nice, soothing story before bedtime. Recommended for Ages 16-18.

Complicated, Plot-Driven Modern Fantasy

Pigments of My Imagination (Soul Painters #1) by Angela Kulig (Green Envy Press, 2013, 324pp.)

I don’t know why I inevitably compare everything to Harry Potter, but I do. This book will be no different. Pigments of My Imagination starts out a little bit like Harry Potter, if J.K. Rowling had forgone wizards and instead focused on artistic, creative types who reincarnated on a regular basis. The heroine of this tale is Lucia, a budding prodigy who arrives at Bayside Art Academy in Galveston, Texas. Before long, she meets fellow classmate Leo. Although he’s a bit stand-offish at first, she soon realizes that he has been her soulmate from the beginning of time—literally. The two of them are Soul Painters, a group of artists with magic capabilities who reincarnate through the ages. They are also at war against the Deceivers, another similarly-abled group who are, well, deceitful. Add to this mix various fantasy entities (harpies, oracles, and mysterious beings called the Fates), and you have the world of the Soul Painters series. 

Many teens will find the love-at-first-sight between Lucia and Leo appealing, but as for myself...I just felt confused from page 1. Although Lucia walks into the novel completely unaware of her past lives, her first meeting with Leo soon remedies this. She begins experiencing memories of past lives, and seems to instantly gain an understanding of the mysterious goings on. Unfortunately, as the reader, I never caught up. It always felt like the characters always knew something that I didn’t, and because of this, I had trouble connecting with them and their situation. Some readers may have this problem, others may not. In any case, what I thought was going to be a simple paint-by-numbers paranormal romance turned into a more complicated, plot-driven modern fantasy best suited for older YA readers. My suggestion? If the plot summary sounds interesting, give it a shot. Recommended for Ages 16-Up.

A Worthy Retelling of "Beauty and the Beast"

Roses by G.R. Mannering (Sky Pony Press, 2013, 320pp.)

In Wicked, Gregory Maguire reinvented the land of Oz and completely changed the way we look at the Wicked Witch of the West. In G.R. Mannering’s Roses, the oft-retold fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast” gets a similar modern fantasy treatment. Taking place in the fictional land of Sago, Roses documents the life of Beauty, a strange, silvery-skinned girl with amethyst-colored eyes who lives a miserable existence with her cruel Aunt Dane. Left on her aunt’s doorstep by her mother years earlier, Aunt Dane considers Beauty a freak and a burden—clearly someone of Magic Blood, considering her appearance. The only person who seems to care about Beauty’s well-being at all is the kindly Owaine, the head of the House’s stables. When a genocide targeting Magic Bloods begins to sweep throughout the land, Owaine leads Beauty from the dangerous cities to the rural Hillands, where life continues to be difficult. Her appearance continues to inspire fear and disgust, and Owaine’s daughter considers her to be competition for her father’s affections. When Owaine is cursed by a mysterious beast for stealing a rose from his enchanted garden, Beauty quickly offers her own life to save his. Meanwhile, enemies from the past threaten the Hillands and everything she loves.

So, what makes Roses different from other retellings? The world-building details, for one. For another, the unusual decision to make Beauty not so much a “Beauty” but a strange half-Fae hybrid adds a different element to the story that you don’t see in other versions. The Beast, on the other hand, is not nearly as interesting as he could be. He is, more or less, a beastly creature who lives in a castle, and quickly comes to fall in love with the heroine. Their interactions and courtship are to be as expected, and the ending is somewhat rushed. Overall, though, Roses is a worthy retelling, full of imagination and with plenty of potential for future sequels. Recommended for Ages 16-18.

A Sensitive Fable About Grief and Loss

One Stone Left Unturned by Marianna Heusler (Wild Child Publishing, 2013, 230pp.)

Augusta Ashford’s life has become considerably more difficult since her grandmother, Elvira, developed Alzheimer’s. Augusta is already picked on on a regular basis, and now she has to defend her grandmother’s peculiar antics to her bullying mother. Elvira has a habit of taking things that aren’t hers, the most recent of which is a precious tourmaline she found in the basement of a ruined Catholic church—but it isn’t any ordinary stone. Augusta soon discovers that the stone has miraculous healing properties. Meanwhile, almost 100 years earlier, we learn that the young princess Tatiana Romanov also owned the stone, and used it to ease the symptoms of her younger brother’s hemophilia while in her family was held in captivity. Interweaving the two stories of the doomed czar’s family in Russia, and the American teenager, Augusta Ashford, One Stone Left Unturned is both a fresh, suspenseful take on the Romanov murders, and a sensitive fable about grief and loss. Recommended for Ages 12-15.

Interesting Start to a Series, But Still Needs Work

Shadow (The Rex Deus Dynasty #1) by Olivia Cooper (Self-Published, 2013, 113pp.)

Orphaned when her adoptive parents both die within months of each other, 18-year-old Angelina Hathaway is a high-school dropout who works a satisfying, if low-paying, job at a restaurant. Enter Guillermo, a mysterious young man who contacts her with information about her birth parents: unbeknownst to her, her parents were high-ranking members of the Rex Deus Dynasty, an organization dedicated to protecting the lineage of Christ—of which Angelina is the last direct descendant. After she’s almost killed in her apartment by a mysterious assailant, the Rex Deus Dynasty whisks her away to a remote compound in Mendocino, California, where they provide her with a lavish lifestyle and opportunities to complete her education. She is allowed to come and go as she pleases; the only non-negotiable factor in the deal is that she must marry another of the blood and produce as many children as possible. Certainly not the worst fate imaginable, especially since her proposed future husband, Guillermo, is fairly attractive—but to a modern girl like Angelina, the proposition is more than a little creepy. Then, when one of the organization is mysteriously murdered by the same assailant who attacked her before, Angelina realizes that not even her new “friends” can ensure her safety.

Shadow is an interesting variation on a somewhat original premise (Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene!), but at only 113 pages, I finished the story with the impression that both plot and characters were left underdeveloped. So, while I recommend it as an interesting start to a series, I feel that it could still use a little more work. Recommended for Ages 14-Up.

A Good Second Installment For the Series

Incubus (Daughters of Lilith #2) by Jennifer Quintenz (Secret Tree Press, 2013, 255pp.)

A year after the events that wrapped up Book 1 of the Daughters of Lilith series, evil Lilitu Ais has been defeated in her efforts to open the gateway between worlds and destroy humanity. But now there’s another threat: a rare male Lilitu, an incubus, has been spotted, and the Guard fears that he will make an attempt to finish what Ais started. Having been promised by the angel Sansenoy that there’s still a chance for her to become human, good-girl Lilitu Braedyn Murphy is torn between her duties to the guard, and her desire to carry out a normal life (i.e. being able to have sex with her boyfriend without accidentally killing him). Then, Braedyn hears of a spell that will seal the gate forever, eliminating the Guard’s need for her Lilitu powers. As challenges mount both at home and at school, though, Braedyn finds herself tempted to use her powers in ways both good and bad—and the further she crosses over this line, the less likely she will be allowed to become human. While Incubus’ plot is fast-paced and interesting, the supporting characters aren’t as developed as they could be, and the ending was a little too neatly wrapped up. However, I’m still eager to know how the series will continue. Recommended for Ages 16-18.

Click on cover for image source.

Hers

Anatomy of a Single Girl (Anatomy #2) by Daria Snadowsky (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2013, 240pp.)

A year after she’s dumped by her first boyfriend, Dominique Baylor, now a pre-med major at Tulane, is officially single—and not at all sure how to feel about it. Then she meets Guy, an attractive physics student who's as nerdy about science as she is. When they decide to have a summer fling (each agreeing to go their separate ways in the fall), Dom finds out just how complicated “no strings attached” relationships can be.

Anatomy of a Single Girl is the follow-up to Anatomy of a Boyfriend, a novel that deals with first-time relationships (and all the baggage that comes with them). Single Girl, on the other hand, debunks more advanced issues like sexual health and non-traditional girl/guy relationships. Although the novel works as a whole, there are some scenes that read more like a primer on sexual health and gynecology visits than as a work of fiction. Despite this, however, the novel's message itself is enough reason to check it out: it’s perfectly okay for a guy to remain a friend. Recommended for Ages 16-18 for sexual content.

Very Readable and Enjoyable, But Still Needs Work

Cuspian (Cuspian Saga #1) by DC Hall (Self-Published, 2013, 348pp.)

“The destiny of the world is laid out in the stars. Each man, woman, and child’s life. The struggles, successes, the major and minute details are written out in the skies of the heavens, concealed from mankind.”

A tale told by a pair of fraternal twins, Cuspian tells the story of Kennedi and Kendal Myles, two close-knit siblings who find their lives shattered when their mother is murdered. After their father, who abandoned the family years ago, arrives to take custody of them, strange things begin happening. Kennedi can suddenly hear other people's thoughts, while her brother, Kendal, is plagued by a force that threatens to cause serious injury those around him. Then they learn that they’re Cuspians, individuals born during the period of time when one astrological sign is receding, while another moves into prominence. As one character explains it, “[Cuspians] are born on the cusp between the stars with two destinies: one of unspeakable good or unimaginable evil. ... Cuspians have abilities to help them fulfill their true destinies.” 

Cuspian, the first in a series, is ultimately engaging, and ends with a tense, cliff-hanger ending. You know, the “Oh-my-God-when-is-the-next-book-coming-out?” kind. The mystery surrounding the origin of the twins’ powers is intriguing, and although the narrative voices aren’t really that distinct from each other, the author is still able to develop the twins into two distinct personalities. However, I certainly wouldn’t call this book a finished product, just yet. It could use a lot of trimming and tightening of certain elements. More specifically, pacing is inconsistent throughout the novel, and tends to lag in between big events and important revelations. Some events that occur are confusing, and the cliffhanger ending leaves some questions unanswered that may annoy some readers.

The verdict: very readable, but not the best it could be. The story is dark, and gets pretty bloody and graphic towards the end, so I’d recommend this for fans of dark fantasy only. Recommended for Ages 16-18.

Click on cover for image source.

The Tree House

The Tree House by Shay Lynam (Self-Published, 2013, 272pp.)

***Spoilers are present.***

When two mysterious gunmen break into Hailey’s house and try to kidnap her, she just barely manages to avoid capture by fleeing into the maze of downtown Seattle. As the armed agents close in, she runs into a young man named Jack, who not only helps her escape, but also knows why she’s being pursued. Enter Sy, Jack’s superior, and the other members of the Tree House. What is the Tree House, you ask? Well, it’s certainly not the condemned building it seems to be (even though it does have a tree growing through its cement floor). Those who live in the Tree House are survivors—just like Hailey—in a massive science experiment gone awry.

Back in the 1990s, E. Scott Pharmaceuticals, headed by medical genius Eli Scott, experimented with newborns around the world that had been infected with neonatal tetanus, a disease contracted by infants when they are born into a non-sterile environment. To solve the problem, the company inserted a microchip into the infants’ brains in order to fight off the infection. Then, instead of sending the children back home to their parents, they were placed in the care of foster families so the company could monitor their progress. When something about the experiment went drastically wrong, the company made the decision to scrap both the project and its test subjects (hence, the chase-scene).

While The Tree House has plenty of action and romantic tension, the characters are flat, and the premise itself is, I’m sorry to say, illogical. Why would anyone use microchips to fight off tetanus? It’s a bacteria. There’s a shot for it. If there has to be experimental microchips involved, why not have the company focus on something neurological, like Parkinson’s? Also, why the need for secrecy? If the company is breaking human rights laws, why perform these experiments in the United States? Why not hold them in a third world country with where people can be bribed to look the other way? The Tree House is a problematic novel that still needs a lot of work, and is unfortunately one that I can’t really recommend to readers at this time.

Click on cover for image source.