Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

4 Stars

Melinda used to be a solid “B” student with plenty of friends, but all that changed after she called the police and busted a party. Now she’s a Freshman in high school with zero friends and grades that range from mediocre to pathetic. She also doesn’t speak much. What caused Melinda to lose her voice and will she be able to get it, and everything else she has lost, back?

Wow, was this raw. I’m talking serious



There has been a swarm, it seems, of these books with a plot of “something horrible happened to the main character and now everyone around her is being awful”. This one did it a lot better than many of the others. In fact, the “something horrible” could have actually been omitted completely and the book still would have been effective. Let’s face it, some kids are assholes. It doesn’t necessarily take a life-changing event to turn a kid from average to exile when they are entering that horrible realm of high school. The emotion was so real and the passive-aggressive bullying was completely believable. Books like these and characters like Melinda motivate me to ALWAYS keep communication lines open with my kids so they will never lose their voice.

Side note: I almost fell in love with Laurie Anderson when she wrote this: “A couple of times a day, nearly every day for the last 12 years, readers have asked me when I’ll be writing a sequel to “Speak”... Here’s the thing: most sequels suck… Sequels are too often crass attempts to make money off something that worked the first time, but without the care and attention that made the first movie or book so special…”

Then she follows with: “But despite all of that, I’m seriously thinking about writing a sequel.”

Not like Ms. Anderson needs my advice, but seriously? Don’t even f-ing THINK about it. Writing a sequel to something this powerful will automatically make you lose all credibility and become one of the money grubbers you are blasting in your first statement.

 



Bad Monkey by Carl Hiassen

4.5 Stars

Searching for a book with a REAL cast of characters? Well, look no further friends ‘cause this one has them all – an ex-policeman turned roach-patrol food inspector, a beauty of a medical examiner, a timid sheriff, an evil stepmother, her new boyfriend and a greedy stepdaughter to complete the trio, a “Mary Kay Letourneau” and her (not-so) young boy-toy, a beekeeper, a voodoo priestess, unsavory restaraunteurs, grave robbers, part of a dead body and, dare I omit, one bad monkey.

The story begins when a routine boating accident churns up nothing but the victim’s arm. Andrew Yancy – Key West Detective demoted to food inspector – is ordered by the local sheriff to babysit the arm in order to avoid unwanted publicity on the department. However, when Yancy starts sniffing around, he begins to believe this accidental death really stinks – and the smell only BEGINS with the shark bait he’s been hiding in his freezer.

Of all the books in all the gin joints in all the world that have become a series – PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE let this be one. I haven’t had so much fun with a murder mystery in FOREVER. After reading all of the “hot” new psychological thrillers that have been inundating the bookshelves, “Bad Monkey” was a refreshing change of pace. So quick, so hilarious, so many characters! And I did it all from the comfort of my Hoveround Scooter ; )

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The Never List by Koethi Zan

3 Stars

Although they had made detailed lists and took every precaution imaginable to avoid getting in harm’s way, Sarah and her best friend Jennifer when they went away to college. They were held in a cellar as slaves for three years with two other girls. Four were kept prisoner – three made it out alive. Fast forward 10 years to their abductor’s probation hearing. Sarah thinks it will be impossible for her to even participate, but she has no idea how many demons from her past she will actually have to face before all is said and done.

The main problem I had with this book is it was written with the wrong narrator. I realize that most psych-thrillers aren’t realistic, but having the victims morph into supersleuths (one who must cure her 10 year case of crippling agoraphobia INSTANTANEOUSLY) in order to solve their own crime was SUPER far-fetched. I mean



Agent McCordy should have been the lead voice. It was his crime to solve – NOT the former victims. The book still could have been written in the first person and used flashbacks of him reviewing his files in order to tell us about the crime(s). The other girls’ characters could have had more depth that way as well.

If you can overlook how farfetched the story was and don’t mind the occasional eyeroll or muttering of “give me a break” through various sections, give this one a read. It was exciting - a real page turner with not a whole lot of breaks in the action and the subject matter was dark and intriguing.

 

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

5 Stars

(really, I'd give this one 10 Stars if I could)

(read back in March)

I read this months ago - before I ever started writing reviews.  I don't believe I've ever gone backwards like this and written a review, but I can't leave this one alone with NOTHING there.  It's one of my favorites of all time.  My first Neil Gaiman and boy was I hooked.  I love him like a fat girl loves cake.  His writing, his characters, his version of horror reads like a fairy tale.  In fact, the best way to describe "Neverwhere" is a dark version of Alice in Wonderland.  Prepare to be enchanted.

Go Ask Alice by Anonymous

3 Stars

(I think I might reevaluate this one - it might be overly generous)

I find this book to be one of the most difficult I’ve ever rated/reviewed. On one hand, the “shock and awe” propaganda tactics of the author writing this “diary” are so cliché it’s absolutely laughable so I want to give it 1 Star. On the other hand, it’s well written, I flew right through it and, although I’m sure the author would be horrified by this, I found it highly entertaining so I want to give it 4. I’m splitting the difference (kinda) and going with a 3 Star. As far as “modern classics”, you could do a lot worse than Alice if that’s the genre you are looking for.

Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby

3 Stars

Annie, Duncan and Tucker find themselves in a strange love triangle. Annie and Duncan have been a couple for the past 15 years, but Duncan’s obsession with former rockstar Tucker Crowe has always been an issue. Now after years of being a recluse, an acoustic version of Tucker’s famous album "Juliet" has been released fanning the flames of Duncan’s fanboy web postings – and making Annie question their relationship more than ever. Add in Tucker corresponding with Annie over the internet and this threesome just got a little more complicated.

Oh Nick Hornby, I adore you, but this was not one of your best books. The story was just a little flat and, although the last few pages give a smidge of redemption, it was just a little too little too late. Annie, Duncan and Tucker were just all too whiny for my liking (and this is coming from a girl who LOVED the story about a bunch of suicidal people that was written by the same author). To use the English vernacular – they were all three kind of wankers.

My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger

5 Sickeningly Sweet Stars

T.C., Alé and Augie are all sophomores who have been assigned an English lesson of journaling their "most excellent year". Follow along through these journal entries, chats, I.M.s, etc. as the three come of age and come into their own.

Obviously, this one isn’t ever going to win a Pulitzer, but judging the book for its genre – it is absolutely worthy of 5 stars. I don’t care if it’s completely cliché, the characters are too mature to be 14, the plot isn’t realistic. So what? Sometimes it’s just perfect to read something that makes you feel so good. It’s so saccharine sweet that I’m fairly certain I have a cavity and my face is going to hurt from smiling for DAYS. Steve Kluger, where have your books been all my life????