The Back of the Bookshelf

A Valentine's Day Special...

2010-02-14T18:23:00.000-05:00

So, because it's Valentine's Day (or, more accurately, Singles Awareness Day), I thought it'd be nice to post my top ten favorite couples in literature. So read these books if you're spending V-Day alone... at the very least, you can pretend these characters are your boy/girlfriend.

10.) Nick and Norah from NICK & NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST
9.) Adam and Mia from IF I STAY
8.) Liesel and Rudy from THE BOOK THIEF
7.) Susie and Ray from THE LOVELY BONES
6.) Ron and Hermione from THE HARRY POTTER SERIES
5.) Owen and Annabel from JUST LISTEN
4.) Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES
3.) Ever and Damen from Alyson Noel's IMMORTALS
2.) Shelby and Fletcher from THE QUEEN GEEK SOCIAL CLUB
1.) Remy and Dexter from THIS LULLABY

A Comment on Censorship...

2010-02-08T22:27:00.000-05:00

You know what irks me? Censorship--and, no, I'm not talking about the bleeps you hear when people cuss in rap songs or on Jerry Springer.
I'm talking about banning books. Because even in today's age, where anyeverything is accessible on TV or in the news, where kids younger than middle school are having sex, people still want to challenge books because they find the matter in them 'questionable' or 'offensive.'
So? So if you find the matter 'questionable', you don't have to let your children read the books. It's that simple.
But know this--the problems and issues addressed in those books, such as suicide, abuse, and drug use--those problems will not go away because you ban those books. Even though you close your eyes and ignore the problem doesn't mean it's not there--you just refuse to believe it is.
So the next time you protest that a book isn't 'age-appropriate' because it discusses topics that, frankly, make some people downright uncomfortable, know this: There are children out there who are sold into slavery, who are raped, tortured, who have suffered far more in their short lives than you ever will.
Do their problems go away because you close your eyes and choose to ignore them? I thought not.

I leave this rant thread with a poem by author Ellen Hopkins (you can read my review of her amazing book Crank here) that speaks incredibly eloquently on the matter of censorship.

MANIFESTO

To you zealots and bigots and false

patriots who live in fear of discourse.

You screamers and banners and burners

who would force books

off shelves in your brand name

of greater good.

You say you’re afraid for children,

innocents ripe for corruption

by perversion or sorcery on the page.

But sticks and stones do break

bones, and ignorance is no armor.

You do not speak for me,
and will not deny my kids magic

in favor of miracles.

You say you’re afraid for America,

the red, white and blue corroded

by terrorists, socialists, the sexually

confused. But we are a vast quilt

of patchwork cultures and multi-gendered

identities. You cannot speak for those
whose ancestors braved

different seas.

You say you’re afraid for God,

the living word eroded by Muhammed

and Darwin and Magdalene.

But the omnipotent sculptor of heaven

and earth designed intelligence.
Surely you dare not speak

for the father, who opens

his arms to all.

A word to the unwise.

Torch every book.

Char every page.

Burn every word to ash.

Ideas are incombustible.

And therein lies your real fear.

I AM THE MESSENGER by Markus Zusak

2010-01-08T16:23:00.000-05:00

I'm back! Did you miss me? And, I got a plethora of books for Christmas! So... so that means more reviews for all of you, my lovely (if few) readers.

I've read other work by Markus Zusak (The Book Thief, which was STUNNING) so I knew right away that I was in for a literary treat when I received "I Am The Messenger." I was not disappointed.

I Am the Messenger tells the story of Ed, a 19-year-old, utterly hopeless cabdriver who lives in Australia, who up to this point has done absolutely nothing with his life. He's in love with his best friend Audrey, who won't date him because she 'cares too much about him.' He lives in a shack with his dog, the Doorman, and has nothing remarkable to show for his life.

Until. Until he accidentally thwarts a bank robbery. And that's when the messages appear--the first card being a set of addresses and times. Ed realizes that he now has a purpose--his mission is to go help the people who are listed on the cards. But it's harder than he realizes--there's horror in the people's lives that sometimes Ed feels powerless to help. But amidst the pain of those missions, he finds hope--such as Milla, the old lady who likes to read Wuthering Heights, and Bernie, the old man who runs the movie theatre.

But there's an even bigger mystery behind all of this--who's behind all of the cards. And why, exactly, was Ed--a guy of no importance--chosen to be the messenger?

Filled with mystery, intrigue, coffee, cards, and a dog whose stench can be smelled a mile away, I Am the Messenger is easily one of the best books I've ever read.

Plot: 4.75
Characterization: 5
Writing Style: 5

Overall score: 14.75

An Apology, An Explanation, and Other Things

2009-12-28T13:55:00.000-05:00

For those of you who are still reading this: Yes, I am continuing with the blog. I shall have reviews of several new books up shortly.
I apologize for my absence--I got sidetracked with life and other things, and for those of you who have been following and eagerly waiting for a new book review, I am sorry. Rest assured, there will be new reviews up some time this week.
In the meantime, if you're looking for something to read, I'd recommend heading on over to http://www.inkpop.com/, a website run by the publishing company HarperCollins that showcases work by teen authors. If your work is good enough, and enough people 'pick' it so it ends up in the Top 5, at the end of the month the piece will be reviewed by HarperCollins' editorial board, and one lucky person will be offered a publishing contract. Likewise, it's also a good place to go if you want to read some new stuff.
(hint, hint: Guess who's got work on the site? Yup, me! http://inkpop.com/projects/6187/strung-along/)

Happy New Year, everyone! Keep on reading!

I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS by Maya Angelou

2009-10-12T14:31:00.002-04:00

I decided to take a break from the modern books this week and review Maya Angelou's autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. This week is a landmark for me, guys--not only am I reviewing a book written before 1990, it's also... nonfiction! Wow!

I'd heard of I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings but never thought to pick it up before. I decided to because NaNoWriMo is fast approaching and in some strange way, I thought the words of a classic author could give me the inspiration I so desperately need. Thus, the book was picked up.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings tells the story of Maya Angelou's life in 1930s in a small, rural community. She writes of her time living with her grandmother (Momma) in Stamps, Arkansas, where her grandmother ran a place affectionately named "The Store."

"Over the years it [the Store] became the lay center of activities in town. On Saturdays, barbers sat their customers in the shade on the porch... Customers could find food staples, a good variety of colored thread, shoestrings, hair dressing... Until we becamse familiar enough to belong to the Store and it to us, we were locked up in a Fun House of things where the attendant had gone home for life."

Angelou's autobiography reads more like a work of fiction--not in the bad sense, but in the sense that it tells a story instead of just stating facts. And Angelou certainly has an interesting story to tell, particularly in the case of Mr. Freeman. (I almost cried here, by the way.)

"I said No. The lie lumped in my throat and I couldn't get air... and [now] a man was dead because I lied. Where was the balance in that? One lie surely wouldn't be woth a man's life...If I talked to anyone else that person might die too." (pp. 85-87)

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a powerful story, conveying a wide range of emotions in its pages. Maya Angelou's story is one that deserves to be told, and will hopefully remain a classic work of literature.

Plot: (It seems unfair to critique plot because it's an autobiography, but oh well.) 5

Characterization: 4.5

Writing Style: 5

Overall score: 14.5

NICK & NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

2009-10-05T14:58:00.003-04:00

I love music. This is pretty evident if you've ever met me. So when I found a book that had the word "playlist" in it, I was ecstatic.

I'm pretty sure many of you have seen the movie "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist." I found it really enjoyable--and decided to read the book.

Let me start by saying the book is vastly different from the movie. It still follows two teens--Nick and Norah--and their journey around Manhatten, but instead of searching for the band "Where's Fluffy" all night, the band is found at the beginning of the story, and instead Nick and Norah spend the night cruising Manhattan.When Nick asked the girl in the flannel shirt to be his five-minute girlfriend so he wouldn't look desperate in front of his ex, he had no idea what he was getting into. Neither did Norah when she agreed. What follows is a tale of love, heartbreak, and a jacket named Salvatore and a car named Jessie.

To be honest, I enjoyed the movie "Nick and Norah's..." more than I did the book. Having Nick and Norah follow a band around all night made for a bit more interesting plotline than traipsing around New York. That being said, the characters are really what drive this quirky romance--from the queer guys in Nick's band who can't decide on a band name to Tris, the aforementioned ex. A slim work good for a quick read, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist is good if you're looking for a few characters to spend the day with.

Plot: 3

Writing Style: 3

Characterization: 5

Overall Score: 11

13 REASONS WHY by Jay Asher

2009-09-27T16:44:00.002-04:00

I've always been a fan of finding books that most people wouldn't think to read. You know--the book that maybe not everyone's talking about, that just keeps sitting on a shelf waiting for someone to pick it up. The novelist who's written their first book--the book that may not be a New York Times bestseller. So this week I'm reviewing a book that not everyone may have read--13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher.

13 Reasons Why tells the story of two teens--Hannah Baker and Clay Jensen. Before her suicide, Hannah mailed out 7 audiotapes, each detailing the 13 reasons why she decided to kill herself. On the list is Clay, the newest recipient of the tapes. In the novel, Clay follows Hannah's voice around town as she details the places--and people--that influenced her suicide.

The unique format of 13 Reasons Why is one of the reasons (haha, a pun!) that makes it so strong. Hannah's story alone is compelling, but having Clay react to it makes the tale even more powerful. The story shows how even the smallest actions of people affect others--things that you wouldn't think matter can make all the difference to someone. 13 Reasons Why serves as an effective reminder that no matter what you do, it has an impact on someone else--even if it's for the worse.

Plot: 4.5

Characterization: 5

Writing Style: 5

ALONG FOR THE RIDE by Sarah Dessen

2009-09-06T15:48:00.004-04:00

It's that time of the week again--another Sunday, another new book review! I'm taking the lighter fare this week and reviewing a novel by one of my favorite authors (who happens to be from North Carolina), Sarah Dessen.

Sarah Dessen is, in my opinion, one of those writers who should have this huge base of fans and be as popular as Stephenie Meyer. And her latest novel, Along for the Ride, should hopefully put her at that status.

Along for the Ride tells the story of Auden, the daughter of an English professor who pushes her towards academics, and a father who only cares about his latest novel.

Deciding to spend the last summer before she goes off to college with her father, his wife, and their new daughter, Thisbe, Auden heads down to the beach, expecting a routine of working during the day and not sleeping during the night. But that's before she meets Eli, a BMX rider and fellow insomiac, who begins to show her that there's more to life than school.

Along for the Ride is written in Dessen's usual style, filled with pitch-perfect teen dialogue and realistic, flawed characters. Along for the Ride gives its lesson without being preachy, showing that teen books can be good--even if they're not filled with vampires.

Plot: 4.5
Characterization: 5
Writing Style: 4.5
Overall score: 14

CRANK by Ellen Hopkins

2009-08-30T16:04:00.000-04:00

In honor of Ellen Hopkins' new novel, Tricks, I have decided to one of my favorite books of hers, Crank.

Crank tells the story of Kristina Snow, a girl who seems to have it all—perfect family, good grades, and generally a great life. But a visit to her dad changes things. There, Kristina meets the "monster"—crystal meth. The "monster" transforms her into someone else—Bree, who is fearless, in control, and the exact opposite of Kristina. And when Kristina returns home to her family, it is Bree who begins to take her place, finding new ways for Kristina to hook up with the "monster.'
As Kristina falls deeper into her addiction, she is desperate to get meth in whatever way she can--including a boy named Brendan, who turns out to be more "bad" than initially suspected.

Crank ends with room for a sequel, with Kristina vowing to quit the "monster" but saying that "it still calls my name." In fact, Glass, the sequel to Crank, was released in 2007.

Crank is loosely based on Hopkins' daughter's own walk with the monster. Strong and compelling, Crank doesn't sugarcoat anything nor does it try to glamourize the usage of meth. Hopkins' free-verse style is unique and satisfying for those looking for something a little different.

Plot: 4.5

Writing Style: 5

Characterization: 5

Overall score: 14.5

Recommeded for ages 15+ due to topics such as drug use.

Welcome!

2009-08-22T23:02:00.000-04:00

My name is Nita. Of what importance that is, I don't know, but I figure that you might like to know my name.
I started this blog because I was tired seeing teens my age having no desire to read. I realized the problem is that a lot of teens don't read because they can't find anything good to read. So I've started this blog to review books that we as teenagers might actually take interest in, books that might start teens reading.
I will review a book a week for 50 weeks (I'm taking a break on Christmas weekend and possibly during NaNoWriMo.) Most updates will arrive on Sunday, but if some reason they don't appear Sunday they will appear (at the latest) by Tuesday evening.

Here's how the system is going to work:
I give the title of the book and the author, and a short review of what I thought were the good and bad points of the novel. Below the typed review will be a rating system that will be based off of three things: Plot, Characters, and Writing Style, with an overall score of the book at the bottom. These categories will be scored based off a 1-5, with 1 being horrible and 5 being amazing. The overall score will be on a 1-15 scale.

Example:
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review review
Plot: 3.5
Characterization: 5
Writing Style: 4.5
Overall score: 13

Hope you enjoy the reviews!
Nita