The Book Review Club (April 2012)
Well, it's that time again! The first Wednesday of the month. Which means The Book Review Club is up and running. Please scroll below my book review to find links to the rest of the reviews. It's quite a varied lot this month. Our goal is to add to your to-be-read book pile. And make it dangerously high. :)
IN THE PATH OF FALLING OBJECTS
by Andrew Smith (older young adult)
The cover is probably enough to get you to read this book:
What I loved: The relationship between the brothers was authentic. They loved each other, but there was some some very real antagonism. The characters acted and sounded like teens. There's a ton of conflict in this book. A ton. At times, my stomach actually hurt. It was that good. And I always love a book with mutiple viewpoints.
IN THE PATH OF FALLING OBJECTS is pretty violent. I wasn't bothered by it, but I wouldn't give this book to a younger teen to read.
Here's Andrew Smith's website.
And now, ta dum, onto the amazing reviews below. Please click through.
MIDDLE GRADE/YOUNG ADULT BOOK REVIEWS
Stacy Nyikos: JEFFERSON'S SONS by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (middle grade)
Staci of Life in the Thumb: THE LIGHT (MORPHEUS ROAD #1) by D.J. Machale (middle grade, fantasy)
Sarah Laurence: THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT by Jennifer E. Smith (young adult)** includes an author interview **
Cassandra of Misadventures of a Teenage Writer: DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver (young adult, dystopian)
Ellen Booraem of Freelance Ne'er-do-well: A MONSTER CALLS by Patrick Ness
ADULT BOOK REVIEWS
Patti Abbott: THE LIFE BOAT by Charlotte Rogan
Linda McLaughlin: CRUCIBLE OF GOLD by Naomi Novik (fantasy)
Alyssa Goodnight of the Writers' Road Less Traveled: PERFECT ON PAPER by Janet Goss (women's fiction)
Jenn Jilks of Cottage Country: NOT IN MY FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS by Terrence Rundel West
Scott Parker: GENTLEMEN OF THE ROAD by Michael Chabon (adventure)
NONFICTION REVIEWS
Kaye of the Road Goes Ever Ever On: STEALING SECRETS: HOW A FEW DARING WOMEN DECEIVED GENERALS, IMPACTED BATTLES AND ALTERED THE COURSE OF THE CIVIL WAR by H. Donald Winkler (historical)
Note to Reviewers: Any errors (broken link, missed review, etc), just shoot me an email or leave a comment. I'm out of town today, but will have access to the internet at some point. Thank you so much for your reviews!
The cover is probably enough to get you to read this book:
Two brothers. One psychopath. A beautiful girl. The road trip from hell.
In a nutshell: It's 1970, and Jonah (16) and his younger brother, Simon (14), are abandoned by their mother. They leave their ramshackle home in New Mexico to head to Arizona in the hopes of finding the rest of their family. They set off with a whopping $10, a backpack of clothes, and letters from their older brother who's doing a tour in Vietnam. Oh, yeah, they also have a gun. Jonah and Simon take a ride from Mitch and Lilly. Mitch is a psychopath. Lilly is pregnant and desperate. Things escalate from there. The book is interspersed with letters from the older brother. The story is fast-paced and told from multiple perspectives.
In a nutshell: It's 1970, and Jonah (16) and his younger brother, Simon (14), are abandoned by their mother. They leave their ramshackle home in New Mexico to head to Arizona in the hopes of finding the rest of their family. They set off with a whopping $10, a backpack of clothes, and letters from their older brother who's doing a tour in Vietnam. Oh, yeah, they also have a gun. Jonah and Simon take a ride from Mitch and Lilly. Mitch is a psychopath. Lilly is pregnant and desperate. Things escalate from there. The book is interspersed with letters from the older brother. The story is fast-paced and told from multiple perspectives.
What I loved: The relationship between the brothers was authentic. They loved each other, but there was some some very real antagonism. The characters acted and sounded like teens. There's a ton of conflict in this book. A ton. At times, my stomach actually hurt. It was that good. And I always love a book with mutiple viewpoints.
IN THE PATH OF FALLING OBJECTS is pretty violent. I wasn't bothered by it, but I wouldn't give this book to a younger teen to read.
Here's Andrew Smith's website.
And now, ta dum, onto the amazing reviews below. Please click through.
MIDDLE GRADE/YOUNG ADULT BOOK REVIEWS
Stacy Nyikos: JEFFERSON'S SONS by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (middle grade)
Staci of Life in the Thumb: THE LIGHT (MORPHEUS ROAD #1) by D.J. Machale (middle grade, fantasy)
Sarah Laurence: THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT by Jennifer E. Smith (young adult)** includes an author interview **
Cassandra of Misadventures of a Teenage Writer: DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver (young adult, dystopian)
Ellen Booraem of Freelance Ne'er-do-well: A MONSTER CALLS by Patrick Ness
ADULT BOOK REVIEWS
Patti Abbott: THE LIFE BOAT by Charlotte Rogan
Linda McLaughlin: CRUCIBLE OF GOLD by Naomi Novik (fantasy)
Alyssa Goodnight of the Writers' Road Less Traveled: PERFECT ON PAPER by Janet Goss (women's fiction)
Jenn Jilks of Cottage Country: NOT IN MY FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS by Terrence Rundel West
Scott Parker: GENTLEMEN OF THE ROAD by Michael Chabon (adventure)
NONFICTION REVIEWS
Kaye of the Road Goes Ever Ever On: STEALING SECRETS: HOW A FEW DARING WOMEN DECEIVED GENERALS, IMPACTED BATTLES AND ALTERED THE COURSE OF THE CIVIL WAR by H. Donald Winkler (historical)
Note to Reviewers: Any errors (broken link, missed review, etc), just shoot me an email or leave a comment. I'm out of town today, but will have access to the internet at some point. Thank you so much for your reviews!
Posts
Not sure if I would like this book or not, though it sounds very well-written. Sometimes I don't mind violence in a book, but psychopaths (and serial killers) kind of creep me out. Glad you liked it, though.
ReplyDeleteFor quite some time now, I’ve avoided books with violence - I can’t read them any longer. Wonder why?
ReplyDeleteAnd while thinking of your many YA recommendations, it occurs to me I don’t really know any young adults. Just one of those stages in life, I guess. ;)
Yikes, that sounds even a bit too scary for me! You do pick very interesting books. Thanks for hosting on the road.
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting!
ReplyDeleteStill love your header.
Well done.
This one might be too much for me too, but I can see how it would be riveting! You're a braver chick than I! ;)
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like it would be a little difficult to read. Looks likes some good books in the rview list this month.
ReplyDeleteLinda: I'm not always up for violence, but I really couldn't put this book down!
ReplyDeleteBeth: There's quite a bit of crossover between YA and adult books these days. Personally, I kind of go through stages of a few YA, then a few adult, then a few middle grade. I'm always interested to see what you're reading!
ReplyDeleteSarah: I'm loving the variety in this month's reviews.
ReplyDeleteJenn: thanks!!
ReplyDeleteAlyssa, I don't really think of myself as brave. Maybe I'm braver with books than movies.
ReplyDeleteKaye, it really may not be your cup of tea. I'm enjoying this month's reviews.
ReplyDeleteI just made note of six books, Barrie. Thank you, all.
ReplyDeleteHoo boy. This sounds great, BArrie, but like some of the others I'm not sure I have the guts. It does sound awfully tempting, though. Gah!
ReplyDelete