Teen Perspective: A Review of ONE by Leigh Ann Kopans

Leigh Ann Kopans provided me with a couple of ARCS of her upcoming novel One so that I could put them in the high school library where I teach. (Also, isn't that the most gorgeous cover you've ever seen?) Yesterday one of the boys in my class borrowed my copy, and today I had to fuss at him for reading it instead of listening to my lesson. Seeing my students unable to put down a book makes me supremely happy. 

Emily is also one of my students, an avid reader and one of my favorite people to sit around and discuss books with. Read her review and you'll know why.

 

 

 

 

Okay, this is my first time writing a review of this scale, for a book that hasn’t been released yet and all that jazz, and I have to admit, it was pretty freakin’ awesome.  One by Leigh Ann Kopans was gifted to me, and I devoured it in two days. The story opens with Merrin Grey preparing to switch from her former high school Superior High, alma mater of Supers (those with a genetic code that gives them Super gifts like flying, teleportation, and combustibility) to the much more normal Nelson High. Her problem, you see, is that she’s a One, only having half of the two gifts she needs to have a complete Super. In her case, she has the ability to float, missing another One that would allow her to fly. This inability leaves her outcast and bitter, the actual epitome of teen angst (which I shouldn’t have identified with as much as I did).

Almost immediately upon entering Nelson High, Merrin finds herself in the presence of the perfect and wonderful Elias VanDyne, another One like herself. Even though I normally detest insta-love, Elias was pretty fantastic, so I could let it slide just this once, especially since there was a far greater reason for their attraction than the fact that they both thought the other was the modern-day Adonis and Aphrodite.

Even though there were times when I actually wanted to reach into the pages and strangle Merrin, I could understand why she was scared and angry at points. Seriously, the girl had a ton going on, besides the fact that she was a sixteen-year-old outcast discovering the delicate beginnings of young love or whatever happens when you want to kiss a really hot guy who sort of completes you.

The conflict, although introduced a little bit too late, was really interesting to me, in which science exploration and the thirst for knowledge played the part of the antagonist. The last 25% of the book was impossible to stop reading, especially as Merrin risks so much to save those she loves.

So, yes I would recommend this book, especially to fans of superheroes who don’t get nauseous whenever happy love emotions are mentioned and know what it’s like to wish to fly.  

 

 

Check back later for an interview Emily did with the amazing Leigh Ann Kopans.

Add ONE to your Goodreads!

Childhood Revisited: Angelle T. reviews MICK HARTE WAS HERE

It was fifth grade in Mrs. Crockett’s class that I was given Mick Harte Was Here by Barbara Park. I wasn't the biggest reader at that time, only my precious Dear Dumb Diary books that were mostly illustrations. I still remember flipping it over and reading the description about a girl who has to deal with the grief of her brother Mick’s death. I had never read anything serious at that point in my life and the book seemed daunting.

Once we started, I couldn't put it down and finished the book so impressed. I saw reading in a whole new light. This book not only got me reading but shaped the way I read. First of all I have to thank Mrs. Crockett for letting us read this as fifth graders. This book definitely pushed the limits of my fifth grade mind. It talked about curse words, death, and even questioning God. I know that sounds inappropriate, but it wasn't at all. Barbara Park did such a great job of putting these harsh subjects out in a friendly way, through the voice of Phoebe, who is actually me in an alternate fictional universe (awesome). Even though she was fourteen, which seemed really old at the time, Barbara made her relatable to me, then and to this day, as I reread it as a totally sophisticated 16 year old. She didn't shove things down your throat. You didn't have to agree with the things Phoebe did or the way she thought during her time of grief. This was just her story that you happened to be reading. It was all up to your discretion.

I appreciate being challenged with this at a young age because it made me always look for things in books that made me uncomfortable but intrigued and showed me things I haven't experienced. As I was reading it again, it really dawned on me how Phoebe being such a strong female lead is parallel to all of the books I really love today. She dealt with things her own way and matured as the book went on. She was a dynamic character, which is something I look for in the main characters of the books I read today. This book challenged me to think in ways I never had. It showed me how reading can make you feel something. It was the first time I had ever cried while reading, and that was an amazing thing to me. Re reading it yesterday, I cried even more. I think being older and having experienced much more in life, her grief was something I could relate to and feel along with her. I had a whole new appreciation for the book and its messages. Don't get me wrong, this isn't just a sad book; in fact, it's pretty funny. Phoebe's dry humor in her time of grief kept her going, which I really related to and appreciated. It kept me interested the whole time, which is a pretty big deal to be able to keep a ten year old’s attention, but this book did it in a way that felt very natural.

This book taught me to appreciate a constant flow and quality story line in the books I read.  An aspect that really stood out to me when I read it again was how the ending wasn’t picture perfect because, well, that’s life. But that’s what made it a great book. I don’t think as a ten year old that I had ever read a book before that didn’t end in smiles and laughter before fading to black. This one was different. I have to believe that it shaped my perspective of books. I can’t tell you the last time I really enjoyed a book ending with everyone’s problems solved. After reading this book, a door was opened in my mind to what a really meaningful reading experience could be, growing as a person through the words of others, and that has made all the difference.

Angelle is a high school student who has participated before in my Teen Perspective reviews. She often sings lines from A Very Potter Musical, much to both the annoyance and amusement of her yearbook teacher (i.e., me).

Childhood Revisited: Emily P. reviews THE LITTLE HOUSE books

By the time I was six, I was already searching for chapter books to quench the burning desire I had to read books that would last longer than thirty minutes. And although I was already an advanced reader, I wasn’t quite ready to give up illustrations. So, my mom presented me with The Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder, launching me into a faithful obsession that would consume the next four years of my childhood. The Little House books were just amazing to my younger self, the story of a girl my age growing up in such a different time, but still facing the same struggles as I did, like getting along with a sister. By my seventh birthday, I had read the entire series, and a little part of me had grown up with Laura (which could possibly explain why I never did understand my parents’ use of the “you’re only seven” excuse). These were the books that taught me about family, and because of them, I was able to appreciate my family even more. Laura was always more than a drawing of a little girl or a “Half-pint” to me. She was another friend.

Most of the books I read in the latter parts of my childhood years were linked to The Little House books. I discovered that there were also books about Laura’s mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and daughter, and the hunt began for every copy. Sadly, we couldn’t find all of them in our bookstores, but I devoured those that we had found, almost as soon as I got them, always ready for another, much to my parents’ wallet’s dismay.

So, these were the books I chose to reread because they had taught me more than any other book ever has. The thing it, though, when I first read these books, I was Laura’s age at the very beginning of the series, and I connected with her more when she was six and seven. Now, at sixteen, I can relate to the latter of the series, and that pressure to do well in school, and that fluttering beginning of romance. These books are timeless, with lessons and meanings relatable at any age. Even now, after hundreds of rereads, Almanzo’s proposal still coaxed a little gasp and a grin from me.

That’s the beauty of all books, I think. That they can last you a lifetime, and still make you feel like you did when you were six years old, wondering how on earth anyone could live in a little house in a Big Woods.

 

Emily is a high school student who often contributes reviews to this blog. You can see why.

Teen Perspective: Review of PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER

It's time for another Teen Perspective Book Review. I've been wanting to read Perks of Being a Wallflower long before the movie was made, but like so many others in by TBR pile, it kept being pushed to the bottom as new ones were added to the top. When I saw they were making a movie out of it, I moved the book back up to the top. But then Angelle, my teen reviewer, pretty much hounded me until I put everything else aside and read it.

One of the great things about teaching teens is their passion. It is also why I write for teens. Angelle and some of my other students were so passionate about this book, were such advocates, that I just had to see why they loved it so much. And I appreciate their courage in recommending it to me. If they are anything like me, then they have a hard time recommending books that mean that much to them. If someone doesn't like a book that you feel speaks to you in such a way that you are changed when you come out the other side, then it feels like they have betrayed you. If they say ugly things about a book that is your heart, they are saying ugly things about you. (I feel like way about Fahrenheit 451. That books means so much to me, and when people criticize it, I feel criticized and my soul is sore.) Some books seem to be a letter written only to us.

I enjoyed Perks. It felt very much like Catcher in the Rye, and I adored Charlie. You have to. The character development was extremely well done, and the innocent yet stark way Charlie viewed life was great. But I'm going to keep my review short so that Angelle can talk about it. After all, this is her Fahrenheit 451.

October 15, 2012

Dear friend,

I’ve never reviewed a book formally before and I’m especially nervous because this book is so important to me, but I’ll do my best to do it justice. Ok here it goes. Let’s start with the basics. I was just a wee little sophomore when my friend and past reviewer, Emily, gave me Perks of Being a Wallflower, saying it was one of her favorite books.  I was so excited because Emily reads about 5 million books a week (seriously, this girl is Matilda) so I knew that it was something special. I had never read a book like this before. As most 15 year olds, I was reading lots of young adult books with mild subject matters, dreamy boys with cool names like Ashton or Jace, and most importantly, happy endings.  Perks of Being a Wallflower is the opposite of all of that nonsense and that is why it is so great. This book is raw and real, so be prepared for disappointment if you’re expecting a bubbly teenybopper novel.

The whole book is written in letters from Charlie to “friend”, who is never revealed. The book starts with Charlie the day before he starts his first day of high school. Charlie is a really introverted dude with serious social problems. He has no friends after the recent suicide of his best friend Michael. He has a hard time connecting with other kids his age and would rather get lost in a book then deal with the things going on around him. It wasn’t until Charlie went to a football game trying to “participate” in high school life that he met Patrick, (possibly the best character EVER) who he knew as “Nothing” from shop class, and of course the one and only Sam. They took him under their wings, appreciating his quirky and shy behavior. Later on in the book they took him to his first high school party, where he met Mary Elizabeth, Alice, and Bob. It was at that party which Patrick finally coined Charlie’s wallflower status. “You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand.”

I absolutely love this book because it has REAL characters who I can really relate myself and people I know to. Charlie and his friends are those kids who wear “weird” clothes, listen to music they don’t play on the radio, and have their own ideas about how things should be. They don’t care what people think and I absolutely, positively, 100% love that. I guess I loved these characters so much because I see myself and my friends in them, which makes it so much more real to me.  Charlie is so pure because he’s crazy, really he is, but he doesn’t know it. Charlie has a right to be very sad but he isn’t; like everyone else, Charlie is just trying to get through life the best he can, despite his circumstances. You would think Charlie is a depressing character from hearing him described, but he really isn’t and I think that is why he’s such an interesting person. He’s hopelessly in love with Sam, who I like. Usually the main girl character annoys me because she is usually perfect and just kind of deals with the choice of which boy she should choose or something dumb like that. Sam is a real girl with real problems. Her past is a broken one, which made me really like her. She’s a very round character who has her own problems to deal with. Sam is not a damsel in distress begging to be rescued; she is a broken girl struggling against the current of life just trying to keep her head above water. Charlie finds Sam beautiful and I think part of her beauty is in her sadness. Patrick is Sam’s brother and my favorite person ever born, written, thought up, whatever you want to say. He is cooler than any of us will ever be and that is just the truth. I’ll let you take that in for a moment…. Ok and we’re back. Patrick. I LOVE HIM.  Let’s talk about it. First of all I want to thank Stephen Chbosky for making him a real person. Patrick as you may or may not know is gay (sorry to tell you ladies), but thankfully is not portrayed as a sassy best friend: purely there to give fashion advice, drink coffee, and make catty comments like most gay characters in books are. Don’t get me wrong, he’s hilarious, but he’s much more dynamic than the occasionally sassy comeback. I think my favorite part about Patrick is how unapologetic he is for being himself and I just love that so much! I enjoyed Mary Elizabeth for her spunk and stubbornness, which I can relate to.  I like Bob a lot too because he’s that simple pot head type who’s just nice to everybody. Over all I think Chbosky did a really good job making these characters intriguing. I say intriguing because it’s their faults that make them more interesting. I think we can all see aspects of our own lives in theirs.

I could write a whole novel just talking about how much I enjoyed this book and how important it is to me. It deals with issues like abortion, abuse, and self love, which are real issues teens deal with. I would DEFINITELY suggest this book to anyone, but especially teens. I’ve heard a lot of people say this book is too depressing which I STRONGLY disagree with. Anyone who has actually taken the time to read and UNDERSTAND this book for what it really is knows that this book is something beautiful, and just like Sam, there is a certain beauty in sadness. The best thing about this book is that it’s not obnoxiously sad. It doesn’t shove depressing situations in your face and force you to cry yours eyes out. I think Charlie’s social “wallflower-ness” helps to blatantly express what’s happening and he can honestly express his feelings almost matter of factly. I never felt like the book was supposed to make me cry. It was always the things Charlie said that I just connected with so much that I couldn’t help but to get emotional. This book doesn’t make you cry because you feel bad for Charlie, it makes you cry because you see yourself in Charlie and feel the pain with him. You feel the emotions of all the characters. They are all broken in some way and are just trying to find the missing pieces like everyone is. That’s why it bothers me when people say this book is sad because it’s not. This book is life. Life has some sad moments, some happy ones, but most importantly, infinite ones!

                                                                                                            Love always,

                                                                                                            Angelle

Review of THE RAVEN BOYS

Every so often I want to post a review from both mine and a teen's point of view.  This review of The Raven Boys will be the first Teen Perspective review.  I will post my review first, then a teen's review underneath that.  Emily, who is a voracious reader and talented writer, volunteered to be my first victim.  And her review is so much better than mine.  She is just one of the many reasons I love my job.

My review of The Raven Boys:

First, a disclaimer: I am a Maggie Stiefvater fan.  I already knew, before I had this book in my hands, that I wanted to write a review for it.  And since I only blog about books I love, I started reading this book knowing I would love it.  So maybe I am biased.  But any of you who have read a book that you were sure you were going to love, only to discover that you did not, in fact, love that book, will know that going into a book with high expectations can often lead to bitter disappointment.  If I read a book I had no expectations for and love it, it is a wonderful find, a treasure.  If I dislike that book, there is nothing lost.  But to go into a book knowing that you’re going to love it and finding out that it wasn’t anything like you wanted and in fact you actually hated it a little bit can leave you off-kilter, like maybe everything you thought you knew was a lie.  The disappointment is palpable.  Raven Boys is the opposite of that.  This book is wonderful in the way that only good books can be.

It’s going to be hard to give a concise summary of The Raven Boys because it is about so many things.  It’s about Blue, who has been told her entire life that she will kill her true love if she kisses him.  It’s about the raven boys (boys who attend Aglionby school) Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Noah.  It’s about magic and friendship.  It has fast cars and psychics and characters who live and breathe enough to seem to be able to pass through the pages and into my living room.  (Like Persephone, who is probably my favorite secondary character.  The secondary characters is this story are amazing.)  The story is told in third person point of view, but I had to often remind myself of that, since while reading it I was very much in the characters’ heads.

One thing that I think is great about this book is the relationships.  Stiefvater does an incredible job of fleshing these characters out until we know their strengths and weakness, their tics and mannerisms, as if we had actually known them for years.  Then she weaves the relationships together and we get to know the characters even better through their interactions with one another – through what they say, and even what they don’t say.

Stiefvater is very good at world-building.  I am in love with the outdoors, particularly dense woods, and it felt as if I were walking in them as I read through this book.  But the world building was very organic in that you don’t really notice it.  The world-building is not the story, and it does not get tedious.  You just notice the story and the way the characters inhabit that world, and it is only when you look up from the pages that you realize you aren’t actually there.

I really like the fact that even though this is the first in a trilogy, it doesn’t feel like that.  Others may disagree with me, but I didn’t feel like this was an extended prologue.  Even if there wasn’t another story in the works (and of course I can’t wait to read the next book), I wouldn’t feel cheated.  I feel there was a story that was completed in these pages.  The characters’ stories aren’t finished, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of them in the next books, but I didn’t feel like I had been set up and let down. 

Maggie Stiefvater must have been sitting on a ley line when she wrote this book, because it is magical.

Emily's Review:

I feel like it has to be said that this is the first “official” review that I’ve ever written. Normally, my method of reviewing consists of clutching the book to my chest and babbling about my emotional state, which is more often than not, completely wrecked. That was how I felt after reading The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, but I’m going to attempt to write out some coherent thoughts because honestly, this book deserves them.

I went into this book with high expectations because I’ve read all of Stiefvater’s other works, and they were the epitome of actual perfection. So, I started The Raven Boys expecting nothing short of pure genius. And of course, it was delivered.

The book opens immediately with the life conflict of Blue Sargent, who, as the daughter of a psychic, has been told that if she kisses her true love, he’ll die. Not the obvious teenage dream, right? So, she lives her life cautiously, avoiding boys and dating and kisses altogether. That is, until she meets three raven boys, the town’s nickname for the boys who attend Aglionby Academy, known for being attended by the rich and the elite, and she is sucked into their journey through Welsh myth.   

Gansey is the leader of the small group of raven boys, beautifully broken and hungry for the discovery of Glendower, the Welsh King thought to be asleep somewhere in Henrietta, Virginia, the charming and magical town where this book is set. The quest for Glendower has not only consumed his life, but also the lives of his best friends, Adam, Ronan, and Noah, who are equally a broken as Gansey himself.

It’s probably insanely corny to describe The Raven Boys as magical and enchanting, but there aren’t really any other words for it. But the magic of the book isn’t just in the promise of a sleeping king or the taunting danger of true love; it’s in the characters and how you’re able to love and hate, exalt and pity them throughout the entire story, which I personally want to crawl inside and spend the rest of my life. It’s easy to forget that the book is told in third-person because each chapter brings you so deep into the thoughts and emotions of each character that it’s like you’re inside of their fictional brains.

As always, Stiefvater is able to write the supernatural without it being obnoxious and a stretch to impress. It’s almost believable, this possibility of magic somewhere hidden in Virginia.

I also want to thank the heavens that Stiefvater can write teenage boy-girl relationships and budding romances without it being WOW WE’VE ONLY KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR TWENTY MINUTES BUT LOVE LOVE LOVE CAN’T YOU TELL WE’RE IN TOTAL LOVE? BECAUSE WE ARE, WE LOVE EACH OTHER FOREVER, etc etc. Like, I got through this entire book without getting nauseated once. Hallelujah.

So, really, everyone needs to read The Raven Boys. Seriously. Everyone. Your friends, your mom, your mailman, the cashier at Wal-Mart. Everyone needs to experience the perfection. The fate of humanity depends on it.