I blurbed this for my library: "If you like a rivals/former friends to romance story with a dash of humor and an adorable, ambitious cast, you’ll love I blurbed this for my library: "If you like a rivals/former friends to romance story with a dash of humor and an adorable, ambitious cast, you’ll love this book. When highly driven Celine gets a chance to apply for a highly prestigious teen leadership seminar sponsored by her lifelong heroine lawyer—she puts her all into it. Even if the seminar involves camping trips and bringing her into unfair closeness to Bradley- OCD-battling former best friend, now school rival. Turns out they may not be able to read each other (or even themselves, sometimes), but the appeal- of this pair and their seminar group-- is easy to see. "
I love Celine, even though she's got issues with listening to herself. And I adore Bradley, he's such a sweet guy and he works so hard managing his OCD. The whole story line about the leadership seminar (with outdoorspersonship element) and the heroine lawyer-- also great!...more
Getting into the Chrysalis Academy (because her mom submitted her private fanfiction stories) is exciting but scary. Then... in her Art of the Novel cGetting into the Chrysalis Academy (because her mom submitted her private fanfiction stories) is exciting but scary. Then... in her Art of the Novel class, she needs to share her writing, not just with the teacher but the whole class? Result: total and complete writer's block. Her best friend from her previous school comes up with a meet-cute list for pursuing a guy from school, in the hopes that real-life romance will re-ignite her talent. As you can imagine, that leads to some really uncomfortable situations! No huge traumas here, though; and no really horrible characters (though some are, well, shallow). A little bit about family managing with an older child with a disability, a little bit about different kinds of art. But mostly a big ol' raspberry enlightenment muffin of a romance. (Contrast that with the emotionally draining but also uplifting Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.) ...more
Ruth stopped talking when her sister died. Her mother, a US Senator, didn't come home. Her father, a professor of African-American studies, isn't copiRuth stopped talking when her sister died. Her mother, a US Senator, didn't come home. Her father, a professor of African-American studies, isn't coping well, and neither is her toddler sister. But that pales in comparison to their reaction to the news that her mother is now running for VP. And suddenly Ruth is getting handwritten scrolls from Harriet Jacobs, the ex-slave who wrote Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Harriet Jacobs says that Ruth, too, is a Scribe. What does that mean? How can Ruth navigate the family's new situation? How is Harriet Jacobs' life as a young enslaved woman connected with and contrasted with Ruth's?
Ok, so that's the plot. I loved it. The writing is amazing, lyrical and strong, and cathartic. The choice of layout for the scrolls drove me buggy, because the cramped handwriting font was hard to read -- but I've got old eyes; I don't know if young adults would be bothered by that. Ruth, her family, and most of the people in the book were characters I enjoyed spending time with, and I finished the book with pleasure.
If you hate terrible-things-happening-to-Black-people books, I would like to assure you that, despite sibling death, this is not exactly one of those. It's a family-under-pressure story, and it's got a Black focus, and it's about two black girls across time. There are incidents of racism in it, there are incidents of misogyny, and there are culture-specific references. ...more
Ambition, romance and princess parties? Who can resist? Kavya is academically driven and prone to speaking her truth (a.k.a. mouthy, or ‘besharam,� acAmbition, romance and princess parties? Who can resist? Kavya is academically driven and prone to speaking her truth (a.k.a. mouthy, or ‘besharam,� according to older ladies). But when Ian, her classroom competition, takes a job as a Prince at the Princess Party company she works for and they are paired up, it’s rivals-to-romance time. Fluffy, fast, fun read.
Look, I loved Kavya. I even liked Ian and the supporting characters. I admit it felt like there were some checklists of 'what would be cool in a teen romance book' going on, like the plot kept looking like it would get serious, and then never did-- but for a fun light read, that's ok. Yeah, it would have been a more interesting book if it dug deeper and the plot points fitted together better, and the suspense such as it was, was a little artificial. But we all deserve a little sunshine in our reads sometimes.
Who wouldn't love the princess parties, the staged ballroom event, and the interactions with the princess party patrons (now that was precious). I did get Kavya's struggles over independence, and I think as a teen I would have identified with her even more.
**spoiler alert** Charming and cute, with some serious moments. (view spoiler)[Please note there is a romance novel level sex scene. (hide spoiler)]**spoiler alert** Charming and cute, with some serious moments. (view spoiler)[Please note there is a romance novel level sex scene. (hide spoiler)]...more
This was WONDERFUL. First of all, it was set in Prague. There's not a lot of description of the usual Prague sights but the descriptions of the thingsThis was WONDERFUL. First of all, it was set in Prague. There's not a lot of description of the usual Prague sights but the descriptions of the things the heroine pays attention to (not the usual tourist stuff) is gorgeous and evocative. Then there's the fairy tale aspect, which is beautifully handled, as is the romantic interest. The conflict between parental expectations and personal dream thing is not as well fleshed out, but just enough to be a understandable motivation. Finally, I have to honor the inclusion of the heroine's religious/cultural background. In a story like this, set in the home of the Golem of Prague and the terrors of the Holocaust, Ilana's Jewish beliefs about the dead (and The World to Come) and her family's background of fleeing from terror are what give the story its shaping bones, though you don't have to be familiar with either to follow the story.
Note: I'm not usually a fan of novels in poetry format, but I'm making an exception for this one....more
The line that stood out to me in this one is that if your investments are promising 10% or more return, that should be a reason to be suspicious. (NowThe line that stood out to me in this one is that if your investments are promising 10% or more return, that should be a reason to be suspicious. (Nowadays financial firms expect 10-15% at minimum! Which should be reason to be suspicious.) Unfortunately, scams like the one Cherry encounters here are still rampant, if constructed a bit differently these days. Cherry's energetic involvement in dealing with it seems a bit more on the derring-do side than some of the other volumes.
The other highlight was the condition that Miss Wilmot was experiencing, a form of arthritis, is definitely treated a different way nowadays. Cherry's efforts to organize the junior volunteers seem a little outdated, but not much.......more
C'mon, it's Cherry Ames. One thing it shows is how far we've come in treating a bunch of diseases and conditions since these books were written-- and C'mon, it's Cherry Ames. One thing it shows is how far we've come in treating a bunch of diseases and conditions since these books were written-- and how different nurses' jobs are! The mystery isn't too bad, and it kept me in more suspense than most mysteries do. But the slice-of-career-life from the mid-20th-century is the real draw. Also, who can resist Cherry's cheery attitude? Not me....more
YA fiction about people who want to cook & small scale restaurant history? AND with diverse rep? Sign me up. Pen and Xander both carry different burdenYA fiction about people who want to cook & small scale restaurant history? AND with diverse rep? Sign me up. Pen and Xander both carry different burdens for/from their families, but they meet in Pen's father's restaurant, Nacho's Tacos. When Pen decides to finally be true to herself about what she wants (restaurant work, not her parents' dream future for her), she gets serious blowback and has to try to chart her own future. Xander is still thinking about tracing down his father, missing from his life for 20 years, but he's also working at Nacho's Tacos with the same people Pen has worked so closely with. Will they get it together? Will Pen find a way to pursue her dream? And what role will JP, the sinister loan shark who terrorizes the neighborhood, play in all this.
Ok, it sounds goofy. But passion about food and restaurant work is fun to read about, and the characters (even the ones who made me roll my eyes because I would have hated these guys at Pen's age) are vivid. Compare to Sous Chef: 24 Hours on the Line and the classic Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. The romance is well handled and delicate, and the other plot lines kicked me in the guts. So, yes, 5 stars. I love Pen and Xander and their friends and family....more
I love Lupe and her grandmother so very much! This is a great take on the superpower graphic novel. (Also I like her family.) If you have superpowers I love Lupe and her grandmother so very much! This is a great take on the superpower graphic novel. (Also I like her family.) If you have superpowers for only one year, what would you do with them? ...more
A nice combination of fairytales and a coming out/coming to terms one's gayness story. It's sweet. The trouble is, it's really told more from the persA nice combination of fairytales and a coming out/coming to terms one's gayness story. It's sweet. The trouble is, it's really told more from the perspective of the mom than the young man, and it isn't sure what it wants to be, at least to me. But a sweet story about how parents don't always jump to criticism and lack of support, and lyrical fairy tale retelling....more
A little young for a YA. Harriet is new to Chicago, and she is struggling with a summer at home (since both her parents are working long hours). The dA little young for a YA. Harriet is new to Chicago, and she is struggling with a summer at home (since both her parents are working long hours). The downstairs neighbor reaches out to her, but she's not sure that that's the company she needs, especially as she is struggling with chronic illness....more
Written in 1984. It's hard to remember families were still struggling with the new relationships between women and men, and especially mothers and famWritten in 1984. It's hard to remember families were still struggling with the new relationships between women and men, and especially mothers and families, in the 80s, but it's probably true. Eunice, the solid sensible middle child, struggles with the drama in her family as her parents fight. Stumbling upon a copy of Thoreau's Walden, she decides that moving out to live in the wilderness is the solution to her problems-- and she and her best friend start up a insult-card business to raise money. But nothing turns out quite the way she expects.
Okay, this dated, especially by the conflicts over, for instance, Eunice's brother going to counselling, but for what it is, it's solid....more
I love this series so much even if sometimes the seams show. Featured in this volune is Ivy Tunstall and her emotional life, but some other charactersI love this series so much even if sometimes the seams show. Featured in this volune is Ivy Tunstall and her emotional life, but some other characters turn up as well. Note: LGBTQ romance included, yay!...more
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