Conjured

So, I love all things carnival-related.  Specifically side-show histories/biographies.  I went through a period of reading only non-fiction books about Tom Thumb, Schlitzie, Daisy & Violet, et al.  I watched Carnivale compulsively (don't get me started on my "WTF!?!" toward HBO canceling like it did...*shaking head*).  And made my family watch Freaks...multiple times.  "One of us, one of us..."  AND visited the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, WI.

This interest led me to requesting Conjured by Sarah Beth Durst.  

Eve has a new home, a new face, and a new name—but no memories of her past. She’s been told that she's in a witness protection program and that she escaped a magical serial killer who is still after her.  She tries to appear normal as she shelves books at the local library, trying to not let anyone know that she can do things like change the color of her eyes or walk through walls. When she does use her powers, she blacks out and has horrible visions.   When she comes to, she finds that days, even weeks, have passed and she’s lost all short-term memories. Eve must find out who and what she really is before the killer finds her.

I'm still not quite sure what I thought of this book.  I didn't dislike it...there wasn't a lot of carnival-y stuff til the last quarter.  However, the events leading up to it are definitely interesting!  It's kind of Memento meets Mirrormask/Coraline/Stardust (so...lots of Gaiman-esque overtones) meets, I don't know, CSI?

It does have insta-love between Eve and a co-shelver.  I prefer more of a relationship development other than--eyes lock, you're hot, we're soul-mates.  

Because it was similar to Memento with the short-term memory loss, it took me awhile to get into it.  I spent the first quarter of the book very confused- but in a good way.  Well, first it was frustrating, but then I figured "this is what Eve is feeling, too!"  So unraveling her past is all part of the fun!

There was a stretch about 3/4 of the way in, where I rolled my eyes...then the story got really cool again.  I realize there are magical elements in the story, but it got a little ridiculous and seemed like an easy way out of every obstacle.  That said- it wasn't enough to make me dislike the book.  And after that it REALLY got into the magical carnival "stuff" and was right up my alley!  I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!

It's definitely an interesting concept, and if you're into magic, carnivals, and such, you'll probably enjoy it.  I can't say it's very genre-specific, definitely runs the gamut as far as action, horror, suspense, fantasy, some romance.  Plus, you know, there's a library!  Try it! You may like it!





Conjured is published by Bloomsbury.  Digital ARC provided by NetGalley.
Released: 09.03.2013

Samurai Summer

So, I picked this book, because I tend to be drawn toward all things Asian.  And then I realized the author is Swedish (wha...???)  Then I actually started reading it, and learned it's about a summer camp.  Having spent many a summer at summer camp (and band camp, and theater camp), I was intrigued.

Sidenote: The term "camp" has actually been the base of many an argument between my husband and me.  I grew up in New England, where a camp- not a summer camp- is basically a summer home.  Or winter home.  Away from "it all." Nearness to a body of water is generally a given.  We have a nice one on Moosehead Lake. My husband says this is a cabin, and camp is where you play games with a bunch of kids, do crafts, and have counselors.  Deer/moose camps are something else, entirely.

Plus, the cover's pretty awesome, eh?

Samurai Summer by Åke Edwardson (translated by Per Carlsson) is the story of Kenny's last summer at camp.  Kenny's real name is Tommy- he renamed himself after ken (Japanese for sword).  He is obsessed with the ways of the Samurai, and is training himself to become one. It is set in Sweden in the early 1960s- families are just starting to get TVs and telephones.

The camp is run by "The Matron" and has visits from her creepy son, Christian.  Campers wash in a sludgy brown lake, and eat oatmeal that "tastes like chicken poop."  Dessert is similar to fruit cocktail syrup.  Campers only get to wash up with hot water and soap once, in the middle of summer, before parents come.  Counselors steal candy from the campers. There are 40 kids attending the camp, but there is no laughter.  

To escape The Matron and her counselor lackeys, Kenny and his friends escape to the forest, where they are building a castle.  As Kenny gets to know Kerstin, a girl at the camp, he toys with going against the rules, and showing her the castle.  When Kerstin suddenly disappears, Kenny teams up with his samurai "trainees" and they try to find her.  The result is a grim "us vs. them" battle.

***

I enjoyed Samurai Summer.  It wasn't a fun read- it actually got to be pretty disturbing- but it was very well-written.  There was a point I had to put the book down for a sec, because the description of the food was making me nauseous. It was like a darker, more disturbing, Holes (Sachar). 

There is a lot of information about samurai.  Legends of famous samurai like Miyamoto Musashi, who beat his opponent Sasaki Kojirō with a boat oar; training one's thoughts toward that of a warrior; LOTS of romanized Japanese, especially for weapons.

There's an ominous feeling throughout the whole book- absolutely not happy.  There are entertaining moments, however.  One of my favorites is when Kenny and his friend Janne sneak into town and meet a couple of "Explorers" their age, paddling a canoe.  The Explorers want to travel to Missouri (remember, this takes place in Sweden).

I was also interested in the significance of the bag of Twist candy.  Like, it's mentioned in almost every other paragraph, and I was like "what the heck is this stuff?"  Thanks to Google, I found out it's a bag of different flavored chocolate candies from Norway.  Of course now I want to figure out how to get my hands on some...

As I said, it's not happy.  But it's very well-written.  I would definitely recommend it to boys- probably Junior High and up, anyone who was a fan of Holes, and anyone interested in Samurai culture.

Samurai Summer Release date: 6.25.13  ARC provided by NetGalley

A Really Awesome Mess

"They sent me away to boarding school. Sent me away makes it sound like they sent me to an asylum. There were no straps involved." -Andrew Largeman, Garden State

I try to relate books to other books, or movies.  This YA novel was like Garden State mixed with Juno, mixed with Perks of Being a Wallflower, with snippets of Fault in Our Stars.  And I ate it up (pun kind of intended).

A Really Awesome Mess by Trish Cook & Brendan Halpin is, well, a really, awesome mess!

This is the story of Emmy and Justin. Both are 16. Both are "messed up."

Emmy is adopted. She's Chinese, and her real parents left her, because, well, she's a girl.  Her adoptive parents and sister are all tall, thin, and blonde. She always feels like an outsider.  After threatening a bully at school, she is sent to Heartland Academy.

Justin feels numb.  When his Dad walks in on him with a girl, in a compromising position, things just go downhill.  After a handful of Tylenol, he is sent to Heartland Academy.

The two find each other, and an unconventional group of friends, at this reform school. They are denied Internet, TV, razors, nail clippers, tweezers, and books like 13 Reasons Why. Through classes, therapy sessions, and different antics, they learn to deal with their issues, discover themselves, and let others in.  

Oh goodness, I loved this book.  It's snarky and sarcastic, sad and cynical, quippy and crass...a full range of teenage emotion.  With some serious laugh-out-loud moments.

It's told from alternating points-of-view, and does so as well as a David Levithan novel.

The supporting cast was as good as the two main players.  We've got Mohammed, Justin's roommate, who's the "only black kid in 100 miles" and has some anger issues.  Jenny, Emmy's roommate, who has selective mutism and a bit of an obsession with pigs.  Diana, the 13-year old, cute-as-pie "psycho" and Chip, the mullet-sporting gamer, round out the Anger Management Group-turned-friends.

As Justin and Emmy try to make their way through the 6-tiered system, they made their way into my mind and heart.  I was rooting for these kids, who have these deep-seated issues.  I wanted them to achieve the next breakthrough (as much as I wanted them to backtalk the counselor trying to help them).  As I got deeper and deeper into their issues, my heart hurt for them.  And that made the breakthroughs that much more sweet.

If anything, read the book for an epic bout of Porcine Pandemonium at the State Fair.  I would recommend this to anyone who's a fan of Ellen Page/Michael Cera movies & David Levithan or John Green books. I would also recommend it to anyone who has an interest in teens and mental health, unconventional heroes, and bacon.


A Really Awesome Mess is published by Egmont USA.  ARC provided by NetGalley.

Reality Ends Here

Guilty Pleasure admission: I love reality TV.  I tend to go more toward the weight loss/cooking challenge shows, though.  The others make me feel better about myself for an episode or two, and then I just feel sad/frustrated/over the characters and drama.  I did watch all episodes of Jon & Kate Plus 8 (stopped when it became Kate Plus 8).

That is what got my interest piqued for Edgar-nominated Alison Gaylin's YA mystery: Reality Ends Here.

Estella Blanchard's father died 10 years ago. Since then, her mother has re-married.  For the past 6 years, Estella's life has gained a new stepfather, sextuplet half-siblings, and a reality show- Seven Is Heaven. It's hard enough being a teenager- without having an image-obsessed family, and your life being caught on camera 24/7.  After a viral video-worthy incident, Estella is forced to attend "therapy" for troubled child stars- run by "not Gary Coleman." 

To add fuel to the fire, she's got a paparazzo stalker, who swears her dad is still alive; she keeps seeing the same sketchy people in the oddest places- and of course there's the huge crush on a boy band pop star!  Will life ever have any semblance of normality for Estella?

I really enjoyed this book.  It was an entertaining mystery (and I tend to not go for mysteries).  I thought Estella was spunky and likable.  She had a good relationship with her siblings- teaching them sign language to communicate privately, though cameras were all around.  I will say, I rolled my eyes at her Mom enough to strain them.

The child star (and former child star) characters were SO entertaining.  You'd be feeling sad for them one minute, and laughing at their antics the next- while still feeling sad.  It was amazing the lengths the stars would go to to either keep things hidden, or to get noticed.  There was a lot of pop-culture name dropping: Teen Choice Awards, One Direction, Bieber, Gomez, Scarlett Johansson, Full House, etc.  So that will make it relatable to teens and tweens.

The mystery aspect was good.  I mean, it's not Dan Brown, but it got (and kept) me interested.  A slight clue would be dropped, and I would wonder "wait...where did that come from???" or "how did that disappear?" or "what is the relationship between this and that?"  It kept me guessing, and made me want to keep turning pages. 

I also liked the way the book showed how unrealistic Reality TV is.  Staging fights, planting objects, exploiting emotions, and sponsors up the wazoo!

All in all- I thought Reality Ends Here was an entertaining, pop-culture mystery!



 Reality Ends Here eBook is published by Simon & Schuster.

I Am Algonquin

As it says in my brief, little, header thingie at the top of my "About Me" section- I grew up in Downeast Maine.  As the crow flies, 2 miles from Canada, and about 15 from the Atlantic Ocean.  My father worked as a Forester for the Passamaquoddy Tribe. -And yes, before we moved there, all I could think of was the town in Pete's Dragon. I grew up with close friends within the tribe (even another Sarah Dawn!), and was frequently around that culture.  In fact, for a report for grad school few years ago, I was watching the PBS show Colonial House.  I knew it had been filmed near my hometown, but was surprised to see George, a family friend, on the show in full costume.  He and my father were good friends- they hunted moose together, and George helped build our log home. He has since passed away, but I do rent the DVDs from time to time when I'm feeling homesick.

The above paragraph is part of the reason I wanted to read I Am Algonquin: An Algonquin Quest Novel by Rick Revelle.  The Passamaquoddy tribe is part of the Wabanaki Confederacy, and is part of the Algonquin Nation.  The Wabanaki Confederacy consisted of five tribes that banded together in response to Iroquois aggression. The Tribe was such a large part of my childhood, I wanted to learn more about Algonquin history.

I Am Algonquin is a Young Adult historical novel that follows Mahingan and his family in 14th century Ontario.  Through it, the reader learns traditional Algonquin ways of life- hunting, playing sports, marriages, births, deaths, tribal conflicts and warfare, and the rites of passage for boys to become men.  It was really interesting to learn more about the gender roles, and how highly regarded women were.  

I wasn't the biggest fan of the dialogue.  While I enjoyed learning the vernacular, it just felt...clunky. It kind of reminded me of that scene in Anchorman where Baxter is talking to the Bear. I could understand if they were trying to speak English- but since this is 14th century, pre-European invasion...they are supposed to be speaking their native tongue, and I would figure it would flow a bit more smoothly.  It did seem to get better toward the end- maybe I just got used to it.

As I said in my post on far far away I love learning languages.  I appreciated Revelle's use of the Algonquin language in his narrative.  However, it got to be a bit distracting.  Each Algonquin word was followed by a parenthetical translation.  This would have been fine, except he uses a lot of Algonquin vocabulary.  I think it would have been much smoother to have footnotes on each page with the translation (this is probably just personal preference).  Revelle does include a glossary at the end of the book- instead of footnotes, he could've maybe just written the Algonquin in bold in the text?

Also, there was a point where the point-of-view suddenly changed from first person (Mahingan) to third-person.  It threw a wrench in the flow of reading, because all of a sudden we're getting two perspectives and thinking "Wait...how can Mahingan be both here and here at the same time?  And why is he referring to himself in the third-person?"

Those are my only pseudo-complaints (they're really not that big- they didn't detract much from the overall story).  While I mentioned I wasn't a fan of the dialogue, I have to say I was a huge fan of the descriptive narration.  I would read ten pages on a battle and not even realize it!  The final battle alone is worth the read.

One of my favorite scenes involves a woodland buffalo hunt with members of the Wabanaki Tribe.  From the tracking to the kill to the butchering, I was enraptured (I grew up around all this, so it wasn't a tough read).  There is actually a point where he is describing the smell of the decaying meat, and I remembered the time my Dad had gotten a moose.  He and George came home, and Dad had set the skull (not fully cleaned) on top of the coat closet, and started putting his equipment away.  A week or so went by and we could not figure out what this horrible smell in the house was- I was standing on our landing, and saw a skull/antlers with bits of moose still on it.  So, I absolutely related to that whole chapter.

My other favorite scene was a battle over hunting grounds.  Not just any battle, though!  I was expecting blood and death and war-cries.  I got an epic game of lacrosse.  I wish we still settled disagreements that way...

There are moments of great joy and celebration, moments of fear and sorrow.  It is a good narrative of what life was like for these people in that time.  

I'd rate this probably a 3.5/5.  I loved the history, the description, and learning about Algonquin traditions.  I just wish it had flowed a bit better with the dialogue and vocabulary.  I would recommend this to anyone interested in Tribal history, Canadian history, hunting, and languages.  


I Am Algonquin: An Algonquin Quest Novel is published by Dundurn. ARC provided by NetGalley.