Tag: #booksuggestions

2 New Books for Young People…or Anyone Really : )

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

The Otherwoods by Justine Pucella Winans

The Otherwoods is an incredibly engaging novel about a young person, River, who, in addition to trying to navigate the world as non-binary, also sees monsters….and spirits. For most of their life, River has been trying to avoid the portals that would suck him to a place where spirits and monsters rule supreme. Up until now, they have been successful in avoiding being drawn into these portals, steering away from any place that looks weird and definitely doesn’t acknowledge or making eye contact with any spirits or monsters at school or at home, which is almost impossible to do when one of them lives under your bed. When River’s crush gets sucked into a portal and “the Otherwoods”, River has to be brave and enter a world they have been spending their entire life trying to avoid. 

I found this novel almost allegorical, with the Otherwoods representing the real world filled with the “monsters” our LGBTQIA2S+ young people face. The character of River, their fears hurts, and loneliness creates empathy in the reader, and one can’t help but root for River’s defeat of not only the monsters but their insecurities. 

An important addition to any middle school library and classroom. 

Thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s and Netgalley for the free copy.

Tzia: the Book of Galatea by Mister Sanamon

A beautifully written fantasy novel about family, identity and discovery. Fourteen year old Theo boards an airplane to Greece with the hopes of finding her long lost family.  On board the plane, she encounters a strange old women who  tells Theo (through the wonderful use of caterpillar type creatures) about her heritage and about a quest she must take in order to save her world. This book reminded me A LOT of the Chronicles of Narnia. Descriptive language, a young protagonist, and a lion who will determine the fate of not only Theo but her ancestors, descendants and the mythical world of Tzia. 

A wonderful addition to any classroom library, a book club recommendation, read aloud or class study.

Thank you Netgalley and Hilverloo Publishing House for the free copy.

Two Great Middle Grade Books

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

The Umbrella Makers Son by Katrina Leno

Leno creates an alternate world called Erde, where a young boy named Oscar Buckle lives with his father in a city called Roan in the country of Terra. In Roan, it rains. In fact, it rains so frequently that they have forty-seven types of rain. Oscar’s favourite rain is a gentle “web”, which sounds perfect for sitting indoors with a cup of tea and a book and watching it fall gently from the skies. One type of rain you do NOT want to encounter is a Blanderwheel…a Blanderwheel has the potential to be violent enough to kill you.

Oscar comes from a long line of umbrella makers. You would think that umbrella making would be a perfect business to be in, especially in the city of Roan. Alas, business hasn’t been great because of the competition; Brawn Industries (the makers of cheap umbrellas that break after one use) seems to have an edge on the market. Oscar may have to quit school to work with his father to make ends meet. On top of the financial crisis and being pulled from school, Oscar’s best friend Saige is moving far and away to a completely different area of Roan.

The one thing that gives Oscar just a wee bit of joy is the Night Market, when Oscar has one final good time with his best friend and forgets about his worries, even if it’s just for a couple of hours. But the Night Market proves to be more than just an outing for Oscar; he is given a quest of sorts by a visiting Seer who asks 11-year-old Oscar to find out why the rain in Roan has become potentially destructive. Is it environmental? Industrial sabotage? Or is magic afoot?

 This novel has so much potential for cross-curricular use. The multitude of images and footnotes adds an element of “historical text” to this fantasy fiction. The graphics and glossary give an Environmental Science and design bent. 

This is a wonderful novel filled with a tonne of potential for the classroom.

Opinions and Opossums by Ann Braden

Ok, I loved this book. Our main character Agnes is of the age where she is starting to attend Confirmation classes; the only thing is, she doesn’t think she believes in the same God that is portrayed in the Old Testament, a God that “punished Saul because he didn’t kill absolutely everyone? Who got mad at Eve for taking a bite of an apple?” (Braden pg. 26). In fact she finds inspiration and strength more so in the words of Maya Angelou “tell your truth to yourself first” than she does in the Old Testament. And horror upon horrors, she might actually believe God is a woman and not the old white man with a long flowing beard!! However, it is difficult for Agnes to converse with anyone about this heavy stuff because it goes against everything she is being taught in school and at church. The only adult she feels she can actually be herself with is the neighbour lady, Gracy, who is a wonderfully odd duck in her own way (just wait until you read about her obsession with opossums!). There is also her friend Mo, who is struggling to articulate who they are to a world that seems set on the status quo.

It is an important book in this age where dialogue, introspection and independent thought are vital. This novel has the potential for some incredible classroom discussion. Short, impactful and funny.

Whalefall

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

by Daniel Kraus

Have you noticed that there have been a weird number of instances where paddleboarders or kayakers have narrowly missed being swallowed by a whale? What would happen upon ingestion? Would death be imminent? Would you be crushed by jaws or suffocated in the confines of the esophagus or stomach? Well, Whalefall is a novel where our main character, Jay, finds himself within the confines of a whale’s digestive tract.
Jay Gardiner believes that the only way can can reconcile himself with the suicide of his abusive father is to go on a solo scuba dive in the area where his father drowned recover his bones. Shortly into his dive, Jay spies a giant squid and is enthralled with the creature to the point of distraction. A sperm whale suddenly appears and swallows the squid sucking Jay into its mouth in the process. Once inside the whale, Jay realizes that he only has one hour left of air in his tank and, therefore, has to figure out a way to save himself before it’s too late.
Alone in the dark confines of the whale’s belly (one of its bellies), Jay is forced to confront the hatred he feels towards his father, the love he wishes he had, and the guilt that consumes him.
I read this novel in one evening. Very short chapters, a fast-pace, a sympathetic main character and a tonne of facts about the ocean, biology and the anatomy of whales make this an amazingly engaging read. This book is perfect for reluctant readers and/or as a read-aloud for junior and senior high school students. There is one chapter in particular where Jay has an emotional inner dialogue with the whale (or his father) that I would have two students read it aloud to the rest of the students (it is a truly emotionally raw and beautiful dialogue). . Kraus’s writing is wonderfully vivid and can be VERY descriptive regarding the gooey, bloody squishiness of the internal goings-on of a living being. And then, at times, descriptions are incredibly and poetically beautiful. For example:
It is the moon, pale blue, mottled, massive, dream legend. Rising. A ship of gods from primordial tar, yard after yard of wrinkled black bulk, a farce of size displacing the entire ocean. There’s an Omega shape in phosphorescent white, and Jay’s stupor permits the dull understanding that this crescent is a mouth, twenty feet of closed mouth and this obsidian skyscraper is no surfacing Atlantic. No colliding planet. It is a living thing. (Kraus pg 80). How amazing is this!!!

There’s a Trigger warning for mental, verbal and physical abuse and suicide.

This Is How You Lose the Time War

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

This novel is worthy of discussion. In fact, I feel like I need to write a paper on its theme and style. It is definitely not a “light” summer read, but worthy of time and attention nonetheless. One must sip it slowly to fully appreciate the beauty of its story.
This is How You Lose the Time War is a novel primarily written in letters. Red and Blue are two women on opposite sides of a “time war”. Red is from a side that supports and serves the advancement of technology, and Blue belongs to the side that supports the environment and a more “natural” side of evolution. Their jobs are to influence the future with actions that best serve their agenda. They meet from afar at certain times in history and eventually fall in love. Unfortunately, their only means of communicating this love is a series of letters they leave to one another. Their love story, of course, is forbidden because they are, after all, sworn enemies.
I really liked this book. The evolution of Red and Blue’s relationship is beautifully written.
Buy this book. Read this book. In fact, find someone to read it with you. Then talk about it.

A Court of Thorns and Roses

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

by Sarah Maas

Well, this was a perfect summer read for me.

Easy to read ( like gulping a lemonade or a Corona on a hot summer day), escapist (who doesn’t like faerie realms?), romantic (who doesn’t like a bad boy…or two?), and a kick-ass female protagonist who does more saving than being saved herself.
A fast-paced, spicy fantasy. I will undoubtedly be reading the rest of the series.

The Invisible Hour

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

by Alice Hoffman

I had forgotten I liked Alice Hoffman’s writing. The Invisible Hour was THE perfect re-introduction to her storytelling. This is a novel about the power of books, a belief I hold near and dear to my heart because I have seen it manifested over and over again in my students. When Ivy is little more than 17 years old, she becomes pregnant and disowned by her parents. Being in such a precarious situation, she is easily convinced to join a cult where she is partnered with none other than the cult leader himself, Joel Jacobs. But when her baby Mia is born, she recognizes the prison in which she has placed her daughter and looks for ways to instil a sense of freedom in her daughter. This freedom includes finding sanctuary in the town’s library, where Mia falls in love with the writing of Nathanial Hawthorn; in fact, the first book she picks up is The Scarlet Letter, and in it is an inscription from Hawthorn himself that seems weirdly and intimately linked to Mia herself born over a hundred years after Hawthorn’s death?
When Mia is threatened with torture and imprisonment within the cult, she finds strength in Hawthorn’s words and escapes the only world she’s ever known.
This story has a little bit of everything: time travel, romance, and drama, but mostly it is a novel about how we can find strength and belonging in books, and I love this.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the free copy.

You can buy The Invisible Hour August 15!

Morgan is My Name

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

by Sophie Keetch

In High School, I loved Mary Stewart’s Arthurian Legend series. My favourite character was Morgan, sister to Arthur, apprentice to Merlin, sorcerous in her own right, but a minor character with the likes of Arthur and Merlin being the story’s focus. On the other hand, Sophie Keetch has written an entire book telling Morgan’s story. Yay!
The novel starts when Morgan is a young girl and her father, the king, is killed. King Uther comes to court and forces the Queen (her mother) to marry him and then pretty much dictates the lives of everyone in the land as most kings were wont to do in the middle ages. Ever the rebel, Morgan is sent to a convent where she is delighted to have the opportunity to study (her passion, anatomy and healing). But her stepfather king eventually interrupts her happiness and orders her back to court, where she has to stifle the powerful woman she is if she is to survive the politics of the land. But just how long will she be able to live a life dictated?
I loved and loved LOVED this book. I loved the characterization of Morgan. I loved the strong female characters presented. I loved the love story, the political intricacies and the elements of “Arthurian legend” woven throughout. What a great addition to my summer reading.
Keetch writes in prose that is accessible to every reader.
Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for the free copy.

Yellowface

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

by R.F. Kuang

Once you start reading this novel, you won’t be able to stop. It’s like being unable to tear yourself away from a car accident. Just when you think it can’t get any worse for the main character…it does, but only because of her incredibly stupid choices. There is not one character I liked in this novel, no one person I could attach myself to personally. Our main character June is horrid! There is only one moment (in a flashback) where I felt empathy for her but other than that, she is a self-serving, lying, incredibly cold-hearted individual. Now, this is probably because the entire novel is written from her point of view, so we get ALL of her thoughts and opinions, insecurities and self-talk uncensored. I got to thinking that if someone had access to the running commentary that takes place in my head on a daily basis, I’m not sure I’d be seen as all that sympathetic, either. This being said this is a novel about the publishing world. June watches her famous writer “friend” die and then steals her manuscript and claims it as her own. The entire novel is then the fallout of what happens when she does so. The book shows how social media can be used to create myths, glorify personas, manufacture stories, and destroy everything in its wake.
This was a fantastic book and worth not only a read but a good discussion over cocktails as well.

Citadel

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

by C. M. Alongi

First of all, the cover of this novel is gorgeous. I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but in this case, it’s perfectly safe to do so. There is so much to say about this book. Our main character is Olivia, a beautiful silver-haired young woman called a “freak” by her peers. In fact, when she was young, some adults suggested she be thrown in the rising water because she would be a “burden” for her family and for the Citadel in general.
The Citadel is a city encircled by a wall to protect it from the demons that lurk in the woods beyond.
It is a fascinating place, primarily medieval in its beliefs, be it religion, politics, or societal norms, especially when viewing someone who doesn’t fit in with what is deemed “normal”, which Oliva is not. Olivia is non-verbal autistic but also brilliant, artistic and intuitive. When she comes face to face with a demon on an expedition outside the walls of the Citadel (while she is foraging for medicinal plants), she realizes that demons are just as misunderstood as she is.
The world-building in this novel is impressive. Immersive and intriguing. I also loved the secondary story that weaves along with Olivia, the story of Riley, Olivia’s best friend, trying to forge his own path in a society that is suffocating his individuality.
Citadel is a story about identity, acceptance, friendship, family, and, most of all, having the strength to pursue the truth.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for the free copy.

Death at the Party

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

by Amy Stuart

The story starts with our protagonist watching a man die. She pulls her phone out a couple of times, tempted to call 911 but pauses.

No, it would be better if he were dead.

We then flashback to that morning. Nadine Walsh, daughter, wife, mother, is making the final preparations for her mother’s birthday party that evening. Throughout the day we meet various people who will be attending the party. We are introduced to these potential partygoers (one of which is our victim)  through the critical lens of Nadine herself, so some of them we like, and the others,

well, we don’t like quite as much.

Is this because we are influenced by Nadine herself?

And just to make our reading a bit more uncomfortable, Nadine isn’t exactly the most sympathetic of characters until… well, I won’t spoil it for you.

I loved this book. It was perfect for a weekend read on my balcony sipping a cosmopolitan. A perfect addition to your summer reading list.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for the copy.

No Two Persons

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

by Erica Bauemeister

No Two Persons is an amazing story about the power of books. In this novel we trace the impact one story can have on numerous people.
The story starts with the author Alice who has always known she would be a “magician”and create new worlds using words. At first Alice doubts her ability to write. She is consumed by heartbreak after the loss of the one person who believed in her gift and who loved her unconditionally. However it is because of this heartbreak that she manifests her novel Theo. Bauermeister writes of Alice’s inspiration in such a beautiful way it has become one of my favourite parts of the book.Theo eventually becomes published and then the rest of the book is filled with individual chapters that tell the stories of varied individuals and their spiritual encounter with Alice’s novel. Each character’s story shows us that one book can weave its magic in everyone whether it be a famous movie star, a homeless teenager, or a middle aged caretaker. The power of story knows no bounds. I was also so grateful that such a beautiful story possessed a satisfying conclusion.
I would definitely reccomend this book to my High School Students. It would also be suitable for critical analysis, and for studying symbol, theme, character, and style. A highly reccomended mentor text.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the free copy.

The Sound of Gravel

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

by Ruth Wariner

I just finished watching “Shiny Happy People’ on Prime and found it fascinating! So I was looking for an audiobook similar in its subject matter. I did a bit of digging and found the memoir “The Sound of Gravel”, downloaded it and started listening to it on one of my runs. I got lost in the story and ran 3km longer than I intended. I returned home and continued to listen to the book until it was finished. It was SO good. I listened to it all day.
Ruth Wariner writes of her childhood growing up in a polygamist family where the ONLY way for a woman to enter heaven was to have as many children as possible, even if there was no nourishing food, running water, and heat to raise them. I was so angry at Ruth’s mother when I was listening to this story for a number of reasons that I won’t list here for fear of spoiling the narrative. Although I was angry and frustrated for most of it, Ruth’s intellect, resilience, and courage made it indeed a story of heroism, the heroism of a child.

Ever Since

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

by Alena Bruzas

The novel is a real and raw story centered around the dynamics between a group of friends the summer of their freshman year. It is about their friendships, their fallout, loyalty, betrayal, and forgiveness.
The novel deals with really weighty subjects: sex, sexual abuse, date rape, alcohol abuse, and emotional abuse.
The characters are diverse in ethnicity and gender identity.
Again, it is REAL.
If you’ve got a teenager in your life, this novel would offer AMAZING points of discussion around sexuality, friendship, victimization, healing, and empowerment.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for the free copy.