And We Call It Love

November 21, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

42778410

Title: And We Call It Love

Author: Amanda Vink

Page Count: 200

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: June 1, 2019 by West 44 Books

Format: eBook

Review: I have not read many books in verse, but this one caught my attention because it is being marketed as a hi-lo reader. This is appealing to me because we have many teens that visit my library branch that have a very low reading level. It can be difficult to find suitable reading material that is not only appropriate for their current reading level, but also contains subject matter that is of interest to them.

This book was great because it contained teen characters and teen themes, but did not use overly complicated verbiage. I really liked that the story went full circle and addressed sensitive issues in a relatable and easily comprehensible way. There was also some excellent use of analogy, which I very much appreciate.

I had some difficulty following the formatting, and I am not sure if this is typical of verse style writing or if it was just the formatting on my eReader. It did not prevent me from understanding the material, but it did take some adjustment on my part.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Only a Breath Apart

November 20, 2018November 20, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

39863269

Title: Only a Breath Apart

Author: Katie McGarry

Page Count: 368

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: January 22, 2019 by Tor Teen

Format: eBook

Review: This was a very sweet love story that tackled the very difficult topic of abuse. Both Scarlett and Jesse have been victimized by a parent, causing deep and lasting trauma.

At times this was a painful read, because it really shows how devastating and self-perpetuating the cycle of abuse can be. Sadly, it is not uncommon for a victim of abuse to blame themselves, and many are trapped in a toxic relationship because of fear, love, finances, and/or a misplaced belief that the abuser can change.

This story also demonstrates that there are different types of abuse, and that emotional/psychological abuse can be equally as damaging as physical abuse.

Scarlett and Jesse show that it is possible to heal, and that reaching out to people we trust can help us transcend a dangerous situation. There are many other important lessons to be found in this story and I think that makes it is a great reading recommendation for teens.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fantasy · Fiction · Historical · Young Adult

Dread Nation

November 16, 2018January 16, 2019 youwanttoreadthistrustme1 Comment

30223025

Title: Dread Nation

Author: Justina Ireland

Performer: Bahni Turpin

Length: 11 hr, 56 min

Series: Dread Nation, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: April 3, 2018 by HarperAudio

Format: eAudiobook

Review: This book is fantastic, and I loved every minute of it. Bahni Turpin did an excellent job reading it, and I have come to expect nothing less from her than a stellar performance.

Shortly before finishing this book, I browsed through some of the reviews posted on Goodreads and was surprised to find that there has actually been some controversy regarding this book. After reading through these criticisms, I strongly believe that many people misunderstand the difference between author opinion and writing a story that is true to the era in which it is taking place.

Many people took issue with the fact that people of color are spoken of negatively in this book and did not like the way they were portrayed. I saw words like “colorism” being thrown around because of the way the main character describes herself and other people of color, but it is important to remember that people of this time period had been indoctrinated with a very negative view of people of color. It is not surprising that many people of color internalized this negativity, and it deeply affected the way they viewed themselves and others. This is largely the reason that colorism exists, and I think this book was a powerful commentary on how damaging that type of rhetoric is.

It also confused me that so many people considered this an LGBT+ representative book. Some people consider Jane bisexual, but I think that this is a stretch. I think it can be argued that she is curious, but her strong attraction to men is made apparent throughout the book. I understand that sexuality can fall on a pretty broad and fluid scale, but it does not seem that she considers herself to be particularly attracted to women. It is also stated by reviewers that another central character, Katherine, is asexual, but I think this is also a stretch. She admits that she has not experienced attraction to anyone, however, considering her traumatic upbringing and the near constant barrage of sexual harassment she experiences on a daily basis, I do not find this to be especially surprising. My point in all of this is that this book should not be touted as LGBT+ literature. Perhaps this topic will be explored more deeply in the next book, in which case I may change my mind.

There are so many positive things to say about this book. It features strong female characters who are equally clever and badass. It is a truly original story and the character development is quite good in my opinion. The author even hit me with a twist at the end that I did not see coming at all. I feel good about the ending, and I am so excited for the next book in this series!

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Historical · Non-fiction

End of Days

November 15, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: End of Days, the Assassination of John F. Kennedy

Author: James Swanson

Page Count: 398

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: 2013, William Morrow

Format: Printed, paperback

Review: ‘Does this guy only write about assassinations?’ my coworker asked when I told him about James L. Swanson’s books. And yes, yes he does. And he does it well. End of Days is a compelling read and had me on the edge of my seat despite knowing what happened. I grew up hearing about JFK’s assassination from my parents and later in documentaries but this is the first book I sought out to explain it. That’s probably because I loved Swanson’s book on Lincoln’s assassination (review for Manhunt), so I already knew his writing style and the level of research he puts into his work (which is a lot, by the way).

Much like his book on Lincoln, he wrote this full of historical facts but made it so it read like a novel. You don’t find yourself inundated with a bunch of dates and names; instead, he integrates it all into the narrative so smoothly.

I highly recommend this book, and one of the biggest pluses for me is that it doesn’t go into any of the conspiracy theories. He mentions some of them at the end, but only to acknowledge that they exist. I thought that was a good call on his part.

Reader: Kymberly

Rating:

Historical · Non-fiction

Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates

November 12, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates

Author: Brian Kilmeade

Page Count: 304

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: November 2015/Sentinel

Format: eBook

Review: This was a very interesting book. I hadn’t heard about any naval battles the US took part in during its infancy, so I was surprised when I came across this book. Kilmeade goes into Jefferson’s struggles in keeping American ships from being taken over by pirates once the US lost the protection of the British Navy. No longer flying the British flag, the American ships were free game to the Tripoli pirates; no deal had been struck to pay the pirates off to assure ships could pass in safety.

No spoilers for the rest of it, you’ll have to read that for yourself.

I would have liked there to have been more discussion on Jefferson’s more problematic aspects in the beginning, but I understand that it probably wouldn’t have fit with the narrative flow very well. That, and given the author’s political stance, I don’t think he would have anyway.

I would still recommend it, that’s for sure. It was well written and engaging and I enjoyed reading it.

Reader: Kymberly

Rating:

Non-fiction

HausMagick: Transform Your Home with Witchcraft

November 10, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

41085440

Title: HausMagick: Transform Your Home with Witchcraft

Author: Erica Feldmann

Page Count: 256

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: March 12, 2019 by HarperOne

Format: Paperback

Review: I happened upon this book by pure chance, or by destiny (however you want to look at it). I came into work, and there it was — sitting on my desk in a manila envelope. It was sent to me by a friend who works at our main library, and I guess as he was sorting through ARCs sent to us by various publishers, he thought it might be of interest to me.

Witchcraft isn’t my thing, but I decided to give the book a chance. Although I cannot really buy into the “magical” aspect of the rituals described in this book, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could really get behind a lot of the ideas. At the core of this book are themes like mindfulness and setting positive intentions, and these principles really resonate with me. I do believe that people can set the tone or vibe for themselves and others around them, and this book has a strong focus on creating an environment that centers us and gives us peace.

This book covers a lot of different topics including astrology, crystals, and herbs. I enjoyed learning more about these various topics and I could appreciate the aesthetics of the photographs sprinkled throughout the book.

All in all, I am glad that this book happened upon my desk, and I even already have someone in mind who I will be recommending it to!

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Young Adult

Belly Up

November 8, 2018January 16, 2019 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

35128563

Title: Belly Up

Author: Eva Darrows

Page Count: 384

Series: Unknown

Publishing Date/Publisher: April 30, 2019 by Inkyard Press

Format: eBook

Review: There are so many things I love about this book. Most importantly, there are the characters. Darrows’ characters are full of personality and spunk and the dialogue between them sometimes had me snickering out loud. Bottom-line, I want all of them in my life for reals.

Teen pregnancy books often fall into the realm of “issue” fiction, but this is so much more than just a cautionary tale. Certainly the main character, Sara, has to come to terms with the repercussions of a single night of indiscretion, but she finds strength in herself and the people in her life as she navigates through some tough choices.

There is a whole lot of representation in this book. The main character is biracial and bisexual/questioning. Her best friend is asexual, another friend is transgender, and her boyfriend is demisexual. I have to admit that I had to look up several of the terms and identifiers used in this novel because I had no idea what they meant. The story really covers a wide spectrum of gender and sexuality, and it is rare to see that kind of fluidity represented in YA fiction.

I highly recommend this book. It is smart, it is funny, and it really shows how important it is to surround yourself with supportive and loving people…people who will be with you through thick and thin (pun intended).

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Historical · Non-fiction

Washington’s Spies

November 4, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: Washington’s Spies

Author: Alexander Rose

Page Count: 402

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: December 2007/Bantam

Format: eBook

Review: I don’t have too much to say about this book, to be honest. I enjoyed it and I also didn’t. It was interesting but also not. It lagged a little too much to recommend highly, but I don’t want to discourage people from reading it at the same time, if that makes sense.

It was informative, that’s for sure. I learned a lot about the use of spy rings during the Revolutionary War, which is something I hadn’t even thought before: it’s not like we go into detail about it in school. But reading about how they developed their codes for letters and the danger they put themselves under was interesting.

I’m not sure exactly what it is about this book that makes it interesting and not at the same time, but it is. It’s the Schrödinger’s cat of books. So I recommend it, but simultaneously don’t recommend it.

Reader: Kymberly

Rating:

Fiction · Young Adult

Letters to the Lost

November 3, 2018November 3, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Image result for letters to the lost

Title: Letters to the Lost

Author: Brigid Kemmerer

Page Count: 391

Series: Letters to the Lost, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: April 4, 2017 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Format: Hardcover

Review: I actually really enjoyed this book. The premise reminded me of the movie You’ve Got Mail in that the two main characters connect anonymously through letters. In actual life, they are initially at odds but slowly start to fall for each other.

This type of book can be infuriating due to all the near misses of “AHA” moments between the two characters, however, I never found myself feeling that way. It takes predictably long for the characters to realize that they are writing to each other, but I nevertheless found myself really liking the story.

There are a some twists in the plot. Some I saw coming from a mile away, but others caught me by surprise. I would definitely recommend this book to young readers because it is a very sweet story that handles topics like grief, trauma, and betrayal in a sensitive and relatable way.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Young Adult

My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life

November 1, 2018January 16, 2019 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

38491757

Title: My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life

Author: Rachel Cohn

Page Count: 352

Series: Unknown

Publishing Date/Publisher: December 18, 2018 by Disney-Hyperion

Format: eBook

Review: This is a cutesy Cinderella-esqe story about a girl who is lifted out of an American foster care system and whisked away to a faraway land by her absent until now, incredibly rich father.

It goes about how you would imagine, with Elle acclimating to a new life in a new place where she does not speak the language. Conveniently she is enrolled in an expat private school where classes are taught in English, but she still has to learn how to navigate through a nuanced culture that is vastly different from what she is accustomed to.

I like that fact that the author made Elle a multiethnic character, and it adds some conflict to the story as her “otherness” initially makes it challenging for her to ingratiate herself with her very traditional Japanese family members. It is also interesting to see how she adapts to a mostly homogenous world where customs and etiquette are a very important part of everyday interactions.

I felt like I learned a lot about Japanese culture (I am trusting that the author did her research), and I thought that overall it was an enjoyable read. I will be recommending this to readers who enjoy loose fairytale adaptations and gossipy teen dramas.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: