Archive for Adult fiction and non-fiction
April 10, 2013 at 6:46 am · Filed under Adult fiction and non-fiction, Ages 14 and Up, Award Winners, Booksellers Diary ·Tagged 2011 Printz Honor, A.S. King, Amy Sarig King, Ask the Passengers, Dust of 100 Dogs, Everybody Sees the Ants, Laurie Halse Anderson, Miss Megan, Please Ignore Vera Dietz, Printz honor, Reality Boy
I love books that stand on their own. I do. Sometimes I could care less what else an author has written. I’ve found a book I love, and all others can step aside.
But there are certain authors who I find fascinating because their entire body of work tells a unique story. So, in this blog series, I’ll be chatting about some of my favorite writers and their works as a whole.
A.S. King (Amy Sarig King)
Born: Pennsylvania, USA
Genre: realistic YA fiction (with the occasional magical twist)
Coming soon: Reality Boy (Oct. 2013)
Please Ignore Vera Dietz; Ember; 9.99; pub. Oct. 2010
Opening line: “Before I died, I hid my secrets in the Master Oak. This book is about my best friend, Vera Dietz, who eventually found them.”
First A.S. King I read! Reminiscent of Laurie Halse Anderson. A complicated, affecting examination of grief and guilt. This story grabs hold and stays with you. A 2011 Printz Honor Book.
Everybody Sees the Ants; Little, Brown; 9.99; pub. Oct. 2011
Opening line: “All I did was ask a stupid question.”
My favorite of King’s novels. Lucky Linderman is the ultimate underdog, victim of relentless bullying, undefended by his father, and dreamer of strange dreams involving his long-lost POW/MIA granddad. Lucky’s humor buoys this masterful book. I didn’t want it to end.
Dust of 100 Dogs; Flux; 9.95; pub. Feb. 2009
Opening line: “Imagine my surprise when, after three centuries of fighting with siblings over a spare furry teat and licking my water from a bowl, I was given a huge human nipple, all to myself, filled with warm mother’s milk.”
A close second to Ants in my mind. King is at her magically-realistic best here, managing to make a story about pirates, reincarnation, revenge, and true love work brilliantly. It’s far from fluff, but I’ve been recommending this as a beach read, simply because all you’ll want to do is lie in the sun and tear through it as quickly as possible.
Ask the Passengers; Little, Brown; 17.99; pub. Oct. 2012
Opening line: “Every airplane, no matter how far it is up there, I send love to it. I picture the people in their seats with their plastic cups of soda or orange juice or Scotch, and I love them.”
A delightful story about coming of age and coming out, but mostly about love in its many forms. King avoids the possible cliches of small-town life, instead focusing on protagonist Astrid’s tricky navigation of romance and family. Also, have I mentioned that A.S. King is awesome at naming characters?
Those who have been following this blog for a while will know this isn’t the first time I’ve fangirled out over Ms. King. I blogged about her love of indies back in July. Yeah, I’ve got a pretty big author crush going.
Read on, readers!
Miss Megan
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April 5, 2013 at 9:43 am · Filed under Adult fiction and non-fiction, Ages 3 - 6, Ages 6 - 8 ·Tagged 3-6, adult fiction, adult nonfiction, adults, art, Art Forger, B. Shapiro, Gardner Heist, Peter Reynolds, Susan Verde, Ulrich Boser
If you’re an art lover, or if you’ve been following the latest news in the Isabella Stewart Gardner case here, we have a few books for you.
The Gardner Heist: the True Story of the World’s Largest Unsolved Art Theft by Ulrich Boser. Written with the pacing of a novel, but including meticulous research, Boser recounts the crime, various leads pursued by art detectives, and eventually his own obsessive search for the lost masterpieces. This book showed why the largest unsolved art heist in history has captivated so many, and may light the fire of obsession in a new generation of readers and art lovers.
If fiction is more your style, The Art Forger is a must read for any art lover. Claire is a talented artist who has been unjustly blackballed by the art establishment. Then a successful gallery owner asks her to forge a Degas stolen from the Gardner museum in exchange for a one-woman show at his pretigious gallery. Almost immediately she suspects the stolen painting might be a forgery, but the more she works on her own forgery, the more entangled she becomes. This novel has so many rewarding twists and turns it is impossible to put down.
And for a new picture book to interest your little one in art (both the masterpieces and creating their own), try The Museum by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. A child makes her way through a museum and reacts to the some of the world’s greatest masterpieces. And, of course, is inspired to create her own.
-Erin
The Gardner Heist: the True Story of the World’s Largest Unsolved Art Theft by Ulrich Boser; Harper Collins; $14.99
The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro; Workman; $23.95
The Museum by Susan Verde illus by Peter H. Reynolds; Abrams; $16.05
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March 20, 2013 at 11:30 am · Filed under Adult fiction and non-fiction ·Tagged adults, Anne Lindbergh, aviation, Aviator's Wife, Benjamin, Delacorte, flight, grownup books, history, kidnapping, Lindbergh, Melanie, Melanie Benjamin, relationships
I read so many books for children and teens, that sometimes I feel like the only grownup books I read are for book clubs. The Aviator’s Wife is a novel my book club will definitely enjoy.
Most of us know some aspect of the Lindberghs’ story, whether it is the aviation hero we learned about in elementary school, or the tragic kidnapping of their baby, or the darker, more unsavory subjects that were revealed in later decades. The Aviator’s Wife shows us yet another side of that story. Melanie Benjamin has crafted a thoughtful novel from the perspective of Anne Lindbergh that chronicles her rise to fame, her personal aviation success, and her tumultuous marriage.
This celebrity couple captivated the world’s attention, and Anne’s growth from a timid youth to fearless aviator to independent woman will captivate readers. The prose is precise, yet descriptive, and the pace is contemplative, but not too slow. The history, the emotional storyline, and the writing make The Aviator’s Wife a great book for discussion. All in all, it’s just an enjoyable read.
Erin
The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin; Delacorte Press; $26.00
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March 13, 2013 at 4:14 am · Filed under Adult fiction and non-fiction, Ages 10 - 12, Ages 10 and up, Ages 12 - 14, Ages 12 and up, Ages 14 and Up, Award Winners, Booksellers Diary ·Tagged A Brief History of Montmaray, Anne of Green Gables, Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Betsy-Tacy, Charles Dickens, Chime, classics, Code Name Verity, Daddy Long Legs, David Copperfield, Dodie Smith, Elizabeth Wein, Finnikin of the Rock, Flygirl, Franny Billingsley, I Am the Messenger, I Capture the Castle, Jane Austen, Jean Webster, Jepp Who Defied the Stars, Jerry Spinelli, Katherine Marsh, L.M. Mongomery, libba bray, M.T. Anderson, Markus Zusak, Maud Hart Lovelace, Melina Marchetta, Michelle Cooper, Milkweed, Miss Megan, Sherri Smith, The Book Thief, The Diviners, YA fiction
I love middle grade, but more often than not I find myself gravitating to the Young Adult section. There are just such fantastic choices available over there these days! Here are some of my all-time favorites.
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery; Penguin; 4.99; Ages 10-adult
Opening line: “Mrs. Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow, fringed with alders and ladies’ eardrops and traversed by a brook that had its source away back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place.”
For fans of: Daddy Long Legs; Betsy-Tacy
Jepp, Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh; Hyperion; 16.99; Ages 12-adult
Opening line: “Being a court dwarf is no easy task. I know because I failed at it.”
For fans of: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing; David Copperfield
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein; Hyperion; 16.99; Ages 14-adult
Opening line: ”I AM A COWARD I wanted to be heroic and I pretended I was. I have always been good at pretending.”
For fans of: I Capture the Castle; Flygirl
Chime by Franny Billingsley; Penguin; 8.99; Ages 14-adult
Opening line: “I’ve confessed to everything and I’d like to be hanged. Now, if you please.”
For fans of: The Diviners; Finnikin of the Rock
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak; Knopf (Random House); 12.99; Ages 14-adult
Opening line: “First the colors. Then the humans. That’s usually how I see things. Or at least, how I try.”
For fans of: Milkweed; I Am the Messenger
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith; St. Martin’s; 14.99; Ages 14-adult
Opening line: “I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.”
For fans of: A Brief History of Montmaray; Jane Austen
We try to always have copies of these books on our shelves! Come by and check them out sometime!
Read on, readers!
Miss Megan
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February 25, 2013 at 7:59 am · Filed under Adult fiction and non-fiction, Ages 14 and Up, Booksellers Diary ·Tagged 50 Shades of Gray, Between Shades of Gray, New Orleans, new teen fiction, Out of the Easy, Ruta Sepetys, scholarship contest, teen historical fiction, teen read, teen/adult crossover books
There was a lot of twitter last spring about Ruta Sepetys‘ debut novel, Between Shades of Gray. It also got some buzz for being commonly confused with a certain erotic series that skyrocketed to popularity around the same time. But they’re definitely not the same. Based on research into her own family’s past, Between Shades of Grey is the harrowing story of life in Stalin’s work camps.
So how does an author follow that? By leaving Siberia and heading to New Orleans, that’s how.
Sepetys’ new novel, Out of the Easy, follows Josie, a seventeen-year-old bookworm with hopes of heading to Smith College in the fall. But nothing is simple for the daughter of a prostitute in the 1950s, and when Josie is pulled into the intrigue of a local murder case, it seems like her dreams of escaping the Big Easy may never come true.
I read both Between Shades of Grey and Out of the Easy as advanced reader’s copies, and I can honestly say that they’re both memorable, striking novels that will stay in your head for a while. But, on the whole, I enjoyed Easy a lot more. The plot and several subplots are pretty basic, as it turns out, but that’s okay, because Sepetys has given us an excellent protagonist to drive the story forward. Josie is strong, plucky, resourceful, and extremely likable. I loved that she wasn’t afraid to use her considerable cunning to her advantage. She’s scrappy. I’m a big fan of scrappy heroines.
No, Ruta Sepetys definitely doesn’t shy away from difficult characters and situations. That’s why her stories are so engaging. Out of the Easy is the perfect pick for a lively book club discussion, or just some entertaining, dramatic solo reading. Check it out on our YA shelf!
Read on, readers!
Miss Megan
Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys; Philomel (Penguin); 17.99; Ages 14+
P.S. One of the main plot points of the novel follows Josie’s efforts to go to college out East. In keeping with that theme, Penguin is offering an Out of the Easy scholarship contest! Access full rules and a submission form here.
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January 11, 2013 at 7:03 am · Filed under Adult fiction and non-fiction, Ages 12 - 14, Ages 12 and up, Ages 14 and Up, Booksellers Diary ·Tagged After the Snow, Code Name Verity, E.M. Kokie, Elizabeth Wein, Jepp Who Defied the Stars, Jesse Andrews, john green, Katherine Marsh, libba bray, Margo Lanagan, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Michael L. Printz award, Personal Effects, Printz award, Printz predictions, S.D. Crockett, The Brides of Rollrock Island, The Diviners, The Fault in Our Stars, YALSA
The Michael L. Printz Award honors achievement in young adult literature. Since this is probably my favorite age group to read, I’ve had to make some decisions about which books I loved because they appealed to my particular taste, and which ones could be destined for award greatness.
Those few, those happy few, are…
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein; Hyperion Books; 16.99; Ages 13-adult
My favorite book of the year, hands down. I can’t rave about this title enough—it’s as close to perfect as any novel I’ve read in recent memory. Yes, there are a couple of minor flaws, but they’re nit-picky and unimportant and I don’t care. For sheer plot intricacy alone, Elizabeth Wein deserves recognition. For compelling characters that made me chortle with laughter one minute and weep (weep!) the next, I say give her the Printz. Give her the Printz right now.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews; Amulet Books (Abrams); 16.95; Ages 14-adult
I love The Fault in Our Stars, I really do. It deserves the scads of acclaim it has received. But what Earl has that I believe TFIOS lacks is a certain level of character credibility. Greg, Earl, and Rachel feel like teens I might actually meet, while Hazel and Augustus can only exist in the magical world of literature. Andrews is startlingly funny, and his conceit of writing various portions of the story in the format of a screenplay is brilliant. Absolutely deserving of an honor.
The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan; Knopf Books for Young Readers (Random House); 17.99; Ages 14-adult
Lanagan walks the fine line between fascination and repulsion with breathtaking precision. There’s an incredible amount of control here—what could be a straight up creepy story becomes an emotionally compelling narrative that refuses to play with black and white judgments of right and wrong. Multiple storytelling perspectives often serve to muddy a plot, and I won’t say that’s untrue here, but it also gives a multidimensional perspective on the strange, magical selkie brides.
Jepp, Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh; Hyperion Books; 16.99; Ages 14-adult
This is a book that we could see as a Newbery option, but it has crossover appeal for the Printz, too. Jepp is sixteen, and the issues he faces are often unique to young adulthood. It’s a coming of age story that involves finding true love and following—or fighting—fate. It’s got appeal for readers of multiple ages, but I consider it to be a more appropriate contender for the Printz. Fingers crossed for this wild card!
After the Snow by S.D. Crockett; Feiwel & Friends; 16.99; Ages 13-adult
If the Chaos Walking series had a baby with Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, it might resemble this book. The voice of Willo, the central character of Crockett’s novel, is both strange and engaging. I was haunted by it. After the Snow divides readers into two camps: those who were put off by the voice, and those who found it arresting and creative. I belong to the latter, and I think this title is unique enough to merit some recognition from the Printz committee.
Others to watch: The Diviners, Personal Effects, The Fault in Our Stars, Ask the Passengers
Disagree with me? Comment and tell me which titles should have made the list!
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December 30, 2012 at 5:02 pm · Filed under Adult fiction and non-fiction, Ages 10 - 12, Ages 10 and up, Ages 12 - 14, Ages 12 and up, Ages 14 and Up, Ages 3 - 6, Ages 6 - 8, Ages 8 - 10, Ages 8 and up, Award Winners, Booksellers Diary ·Tagged A Greyhound of a Girl, Adam Rex, best books of 2012, Caldecott picks, Chloe and the Lion, Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein, favorite books of 2012, Jepp Who Defied the Stars, Jesse Andre, Jon Klassen, Katherine Marsh, Laura Amy Schlitz, Mac Barnett, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, newbery picks, Printz picks, Roddy Doyle, Sara Pennypacker, Splendors and Glooms, Summer of the Gypsy Moths, This Is Not My Hat
2012 was a good year to be a reader! Ask me my favorite book and I’ll probably hem and haw before making a decision—but if I have to choose, I’ll choose from this list.
(Instead of giving you a long discussion of the merits of each book, I’m limiting myself to a Twitter-style 140-character summary for each. Here goes!)
Chloe and the Lion by Mac Barnett, illus. by Adam Rex; Hyperion Books (HarperCollins); 16.99; Ages 3-8
This discussion of author/illustrator collaboration hilariously breaks the fourth wall. Lots to look at, lots of laughs. Top Caldecott pick.
This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen; Candlewick Press; 15.99; Ages 3-7
A little fish steals a big fish’s bowler hat. Text follows little fish, art follows big fish. Mayhem ensues. Klassen is a comic genius.
A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle; Amulet Books (Abrams); 16.95; Ages 9-adult
Poignant generational story about mothers, daughters, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers. Just the right length, great emotional impact.
Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker; Balzer & Bray (Harperteen); 15.99; Ages 9-12
This novel about an unlikely friendship is also a novel about two kinds of family: the kind we’re born into, and the kind we choose.
Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz; Candlewick Press; 17.99; Ages 10-16
A Dickensian orphan story with a magical twist. Hilarity abounds. Schlitz is the queen of engaging, descriptive prose. Top Newbery pick.
Jepp, Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh; Hyperion Books; 16.99; Ages 12-adult
A young court dwarf in the Spanish Netherlands journeys on a quest to find his fate. Fantastic storytelling. Marsh is a DC author!
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews; Abrams Publishing; 16.95; Ages 14-adult
A story of unlikely friendship without the usual cliches. A fresh voice that is hysterical and engaging. You will laugh and cry.
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein; Hyperion Books; 16.99; Ages 14-adult
Part spy thriller, part friendship story, with twists you’ll never see coming. Begs to be reread. Top Printz pick. Best book of the year.
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December 5, 2012 at 10:23 am · Filed under Adult fiction and non-fiction, Ages 10 and up, Ages 8 - 10 ·Tagged adult fiction, ages 8-12, Barbara McClintock, Ellen Bryan Obed, ice skating, Twelve Kinds of Ice
Let me be clear from the beginning: I am not a winter person. I do not know how to ice skate, and I’ve only been skiing once. So the fact that the sentences in this little book had me dreaming of walking through frozen woods and sliding over frozen ponds gives you an idea of the mesmerizing quality of the writing. Twelve Kinds of Ice is a hard book to categorize. It has the feel of a memoir, but also sounds entirely contemporary. It’s longer (and has more complicated vocabulary) than an early reader, but at 61 pages, is much shorter that your average middle grade novel. This would be a great book to give a teacher, as the lyrical passages could be used in writing lessons and it also makes a great seasonal read aloud.
Written by Ellen Bryan Obed, Twelve Kinds of Ice takes the reader through a winter season in the life of the Bryan family. Mom, Dad and children of various ages all look forward to the skating and the fun that different kinds of ice bring them. Streams become paths to explore on skates and ponds of black ice are where “We sped to silver speeds at which lungs and legs, clouds and sun, wind and cold, raced together. Our blades spit out silver. Our lungs breathed out silver. Our minds burst with silver while the winter sun danced silver down our bending backs.” The vegetable garden becomes a skating rink on a par with Boston Garden or Maple Leaf Garden and hosts hockey games and skating parties, finally culminating in a homemade ice show, complete with Dad’s clown act. All too soon though, there is a thaw, the ice melts and patches of mud show through, leaving only dream ice to sustain skating dreams until the following winter. This beautiful text is complemented perfectly by Barbara McClintock’s precise and energetic illustrations and I know that if I had read this as a child I would have pored over them for hours, deciding which character I wanted to be in each different picture. Twelve Kinds of Ice is a wonderful book not just for winter, but for the whole year.
– Cecilia
Twelve Kinds of Ice, by Ellen Bryan Obed, illustrated by Barbara McClintock, $16.99, Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
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December 3, 2012 at 8:36 am · Filed under Adult fiction and non-fiction, Ages 12 - 14, Ages 12 and up, Ages 14 and Up, Booksellers Diary ·Tagged Benjamin Disraeli, Charles Dickens, Dodger, gifts for guys, gifts guide, historical fiction, Nation, Oliver Twist, Sweeney Todd, teen/adult crossover books, Terry Pratchett
Some of my favorite YA picks are “boy books.” Maybe it’s because novels with male protagonists are rarer, maybe it’s because their voices feel fresher, maybe it’s because the author knows he (or she) has to work a little harder for his audience. But I’ve noticed that, when I compile my list of favorites at the end of the year, the YA category is dominated by guys.
I’m definitely adding Dodger to my 2012 list. It’s written by Terry Pratchett, so you know it’s brilliant. (Have you read Nation? It’s another one of my favorite boy-driven stories—though there’s a plucky girl to add to the interest, too.)
Don’t worry, this isn’t a retelling of Dickens’ Oliver Twist. Pratchett’s too smart for that. Instead, it’s an imagination of what might have inspired Dickens to write one of his most famous novels—or, rather, one of his most famous characters. (No, not the simpering little tyke who wants some more.) The resourceful, street-wise Dodger! In Pratchett’s vision of events, Dodger is a “tosher,” one of a collection of brave souls who scour London’s underground sewer tunnels for hidden treasure. During a pleasant evening of toshing, Dodger finds himself drawn to the aid of a damsel in distress, and, before he knows it, into a web of mystery and intrigue.
Within that web are familiar figures from Victorian history, politics, and literature. Most notable is Dickens himself, who becomes Dodger’s benefactor of sorts. But there are also cameo appearances from Sweeney Todd and future prime minister Benjanim Disraeli, to name just a couple.
Pratchett’s originality is what carries the day here, and it’s an engaging narrative that never ceases to surprise, entertain, and engage.
This hilarious, poignant novel is the perfect gift for anyone who A) loves historical fiction, or B) just plain loves a good story. And, really, isn’t that everyone?
Read on, readers!
Miss Megan
Dodger by Terry Pratchett; HarperCollins; 17.99; Ages 12-adult
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November 28, 2012 at 8:18 am · Filed under Adult fiction and non-fiction, Ages 10 - 12, Ages 10 and up, Ages 12 - 14, Ages 12 and up, Ages 14 and Up, Award Winners, Booksellers Diary, Poetry ·Tagged Behind the Beautiful Forevers, Bewilderment, David Ferry, Goblin Secrets, Katherine Boo, Louise Erdrich, National Book Award winners 2012, National Book Awards 2012, The Round House, William Alexander
The results are in! On November 17 at the National Book Awards Ceremony the winners in each category were announced. Swing by the store, give us a call, or email to reserve your copies! (703-548-4092 or info@hooray4books.com.)
Young People’s Literature: Goblin Secrets by William Alexander; Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon & Schuster); 16.99
Poetry: Bewilderment: New Poems and Translations by David Ferry; University of Chicago Press; 18.00
Nonfiction: Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Hope, and Death in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo; Random House; 27.00
Fiction: The Round House by Louise Erdrich; HarperCollins; 27.99
Learn more about the National Book Award here!
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