Beach Reads!

Henderson, Laura. Flirting in Italian.

Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 12 June 2012

Violet is an art student in London who sees a picture hanging in a small museum, and the girl in the picture looks just like her! She manages to arrange to travel to Italy and study in a small Italian language course with Catia, who runs a sort of finishing school. This gets her near the castle from which this painting came, and also away from her very overprotective mother who looks nothing like Violet. Joined by fellow Brit Kelly and Americans Paige and Kendra, Violet settles into a routine of learning Italian and nicieties like flower arranging, going out with Catia's children, and falling for the handsome but wicked Luca. The housekeeper at the castle has an odd reaction to Violet, and she does bear a strong resemblance to the current owner's sister when she was young. When someone tries to lock Violet in a secret passage and she is late poisoned, it's clear that there are secrets that someone would like kept that way.

Strengths: The biggest need for books for girls that I have in my library is for romances, but it can be hard to find one that is intriguing and middle school appropriate. This was both. 13 Little Blue Envelopes is a huge favorite, so anything where girls travel does well. The relationship between the classmates is a nice touch.

Weaknesses: The whole mystery aspect of this seems weak to me. Why not just ask is she is adopted instead of planning a whole scheme to get to Italy? There is a bit of drinking, but never ends well. I don't see another book to this one, but the last paragraph hints at one.

Zeitlin, Meredith. Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters.

(1 March 2012)

Kelsey Finklestein vows that THIS year will be different. She will rock at soccer, and since her arch nemesis has moved away, she has a shot at Jordan Rothman. While she does okay at soccer, an older girl, Julie, has something against her, and she gets stuck playing goalie. Her nemesis' cousin has moved to town and threatens to take over, but turns out to be a nice person. Jordan is dating someone... one of her good friends! The school year continues with these ups and downs (a boy is interested in her, but is a horrible sloppy kisser), but Kelsey manages to get through them with the help of her friends.

Strengths: This reminded me of Ellen Conford books, and I was all set to give it to one of my students who likes both sports books and romance books.

Weaknesses: *Sigh* Too much talk of sex. Not a lot of doing, but just a lot more discussion than I was comfortable with. This was a real shame, because I was enjoying it.

Coriell, Shelley. Welcome Caller, this is Chloe.

1 May 2012

Chloe has a great life-- she's just been elected dance queen and has two great friends. Things start to go south when her friends are upset at how she treated them after being elected queen and stop talking to her. Her grandmother's Parkinson's is getting worse, and she may have to go into an assisted living facility. Worst of all, she has an annoying new guidance counselor who has denied her junior project (that had to do with soap opera vixens) and signs her up instead to help with the failing school radio station. Since her friends aren't talking to her, and have convinced most of the school that they shouldn't talk to her, either, Chloe figures that she might as well work with the radio station. She gets a call in program that ends up doing well. Can Chloe manage to pass her junior project, save the radio station, make peace with her friend situation, and maybe even find romance? You bet your vintage shoes.

Strengths: Light, fluffy, improbably-- this is a great beach read. I've not been buying as much girly lit since the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies went belly up, so I will probably have to buy this one.

Weaknesses: Not a lot of internal consistency (her friends won't talk to her, but everyone turns in to the radio program?), and a fairly high slappage factor. Yes, Chloe is enthusiastic, but she also is highly insensitive to those around her. I didn't care for the acerbic Clementine any more. And what WAS with the vintage shoes? What teen is going to spend $200 on a pair of shoes?

Guy Friday- Spy Guys

Cooper, Mark A. Jason Steed: Revenge

ARC provided by Sourcebooks.

Eleven-year-old Jason Steed inflitrates a young offenders' facility in order to befriend Andrew Cho, son of the Triad gang leader. At first he is harassed, but the he beats up the evil Watson and earns Cho's respect. When Andrew is released, Jason is sent into foster care near his house, and the two hang out. Jason starts to realize that the cereal being produced by Boudica, one of the Triad members, is highly addictive. Triad eventually finds out that Jason is a spy and blows up his foster home, killing everyone. Jason is sent to Spain with agent George Young's family and the daughter of a comissioner sympathetic to Chairman Mao, Joanna. The Triad is thorough and deadly, and attack the villa. Jason and Joanna manage to escape into the country, leaving such a path of devastation that the Spanish police accuse them of being mass murderers. They escape again, and Jason flies a plane to France, where they are picked up by MI6 agents-- who intend to kill them to end the wrath of Boudica and the Triad. Again, after a violent encounter, they escape, and go looking for Boudica to stop her. When will the madness end? Will Jason and Joanna ever return to their families? I expect there to be a sequel. The first book in this series is Jason Steed: Fledgling.

Strengths: Mr. Cooper has certainly listened to actual boys-- they are constantly asking for books with shooting and killing people. I actually had a boy search for the key word "violence" in the library catalog. The nonstop action and constant intrique and gore will make this popular.

Weaknesses: I was never able to locate a copy of the first book in this series, and they don't seem to be available in hardcover or even prebind, which makes them less than attractive for a school library. I found the fact that Jason was so young rather disturbing given the level of violence involved. Violent fifteen year olds seem more believable, especially when you add in the element of romance.

Happy Read Across America Day! I didn't make many plans, but next week I'll be reading aloud to the SSR classes.

Sunday Brunch-- Romance

Smith, Jennifer E. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.

Hadley doesn't want to fly to London, but that's not why she missed her flight by four minutes. She was just running late-- but try explaining that to her father, for whose wedding she now might or might not be on time. She's struggling to stay awake and occupied in the airport when a boy helps her with her suitcase-- and the two strike up a conversation. When they end up next to each other on the plane, they spend most of the long trip talking. Hadley is upset that her father moved to the UK to take a teaching job, fell in love, and left her and her mother. Oliver is more tactiturn, but she does find out that he is studying at Yale. When the

Strengths: Any book that ends up in London with a romance with a cute boy named Oliver... well, have to buy this one! plane lands, the two get separated, and Hadley realizes they never exchanged contact information. After struggling through part of the wedding and reception, she feels a desperate need to hunt Oliver down, and does manage to find him. How deep is their connection? What is the statistical probability of love at first sight?

Weaknesses: A bit more family angst than I personally like in a romance, and, well, this wasn't Before Sunrise (1995). *Sigh* I didn't quite feel the connection between Hadley and Oliver, and the fact that she actually hunted him down was somehow... wrong. True to life, but not as romantic as just bumping into him a week later on the Tube. Won't matter to my students!

Resau, Laura. The Ruby Notebook.

Sequel to The Indigo Notebook. Zeeta and her mother have lived in a different country every year for as long as Zeeta can remember. After a year in Ecuador, they are settling into life in Aix-en-Provence, France. Zeeta is very excited that her American boyfriend, Wendell, is coming to spend the summer with her, but she is conflicted when she meets the appealing Jean-Claude, who is traveling and working with a performing group. Complicating matters is someone leaving small gifts for her that she thinks may be from the father that she has never met. When Wendell arrives, he is a bit distant, and Zeeta is concerned that she will be like her mother, who has never been able to maintain a relationship for very long. With the help of an elderly gentleman, her new friends in the performing group, some mystical friends of her mother's, and Wendell himself, Zeeta is able to make some sense of the relationships in her life.

Strengths: This was a great book for describing travel, and the romances will make this appealing to my girls who go through a book a day.

Weaknesses: This felt more like adult fiction, with a slow, languid narrative. I also found the mystical qualities in some of the characters confusing. (Wendell sees visions, etc.) Still, I think I will order the entire series, including the new The Jade Notebook for my girls who can't get enough of books like 13 Little Blue Envelopes.

Brody, Jessica. My Life Undecided.

Brooklyn is really good at making really bad decisions. The latest-- having a huge party at her mother's model home and managing to burn it down trying to make fajitas while drunk with plastic vegetables-- results in her best friend, Shayne, dumping her, as well as 200 hours of community service at a nursing home. Realizing that she is incapable of making good decisions, Brooklyn puts together a blog (http://mylifeundecided.com) and lets the readers of her blog decide what she will do. Grapes of Wrath or The Old Man and the Sea? Try out for rugby? Brooklyn manages to abide by the decisions for the most part, even though her readers think she should be more interested in Brian (her new debate partner) and less interested in Hunter (very hot new student). Things don't go smoothly, but Brooklyn tries to move beyond her shallow past, stay out of trouble, and decide if her friendship with Shayne is really they way to happiness.

Strengths: This was a very fun, light read that is about the vicissitudes of high school life and romance while still being appropriate for middle school. Whew. Enjoyed tremendously even though the plot is a tiny bit similar to Notes from the Midnight Driver. Brooklyn does mature.

Weaknesses: The cover will date very badly, but this is offset by actual web site at the addressed mentioned in the book. I didn't quite buy Brooklyn as someone who would have a party in a model home and hang out with Shayne, and she did take to debate a bit too quickly for me to believe. Still a fun read.

Wonders and Wanders

Richards, Jasmine. The Book of Wonders.
Zardi enjoys her life in Arribithia with her grandmother, older sister Zubeyda and her friend Rhidan, a foreign orphan being raised by her family. Rhidan doesn't know his part, but when the two run into the sailor Sinbad in the port, he mentions that Rhidan looks like the people of the Black Isle. Zardi's father is an advisor for the sultan, who has banned magic from the kingdom, but not even this keeps the family safe-- Zubeyda is chosen to be the sultan's next "praisemaker" which will result in her being imprisoned and then hunted to the death. Zardi thinks that Sinbad would be able to help both with getting Rhidan back to his people and in overturning the sultan, so they hop a boat in search of him. They end up having many adventures, finding out about Rhidan's past, fighting magical creatures, and eventually getting back to the kingdom just as Zubeyda is being hunted. While things may be okay at home, Rhidan is still interested in the Black Isle, so the book ends with an elipsis...
Strengths: The setting and stories reminiscent of the Arabian Nights lends a fresh twist to this fantasy quest. Getting very weary of typical Celtic fantasy, but I can't think of anything with Sinbad, and this is quite well done.
Weaknesses: I felt that I was missing many of the Arabian Nights references.


Hubbard, Jenny. Wanderlove.
Publication date 13 March 2012. E ARC from Netgalley.com
Bria Sandoval has broken up with her boyfriend, her parents are constantly squabbling, and they don't want her to go to art school. She wants to travel, so books a trip to South America with a package tour that ends up being filled with uptight old people. She is jealous of the style of the backpackers she sees, and when one asks her to a party, she goes. There she meets the guy who invited her, Rowan, who travels around working as a dive instructor, and his half-sister, Starling, who does volunteer work. The two convince her to leave the tour, ditch half of her luggage in favor of one backpack, and follow them on their travels until it is time for her to fly home. When Starling is called away, she leaves Bria with Rowan so she can keep him out of trouble. Bria enjoys seeing the nontouristy side of South America but is concerned about Rowan's past (that might involve drugs), but not concerned enough that she can't be really attracted to him. In the end, Bria learns a lot about life, relationships, and herself.

From the Publicist: "Wanderlove is about celebrating favorite places, so Hubbard has turned the Wanderlove website (www.wanderlove.com) into a place to upload and chat about our own hidden destinations. There are already quite a few beautiful photos up there! She’ll be giving away three butterfly-doodled hardcovers of Wanderlove to participants. Anyone who submits an entry between now and March 5th, the day she gets back, will be eligible to win.

Strengths: This had really good travel features-- I'm half afraid to give this to my daughter who is a senior lest she think she can run off, not tell me where she is, and ignore my e mails. Of course, the other half of me wants to do the running off myself! Good for high school, if they don't mind a couple of f-bombs.
Weaknesses: Mainly personal. To me, all the characters had a fairly high slappage factor. Bria especially does a ton of whining, teeth gnashing, and handwringing over both the boyfriend and the art school. In the end, she decides that she HAS to be involved in art in some way even if she ends up teaching it, which given the current state of my school system made me want to shake her. (About 55 art, gym and music teachers are being considered for cuts. I've ranted about "following one's bliss" before. No bliss following. Employment first, then bliss following. Says the woman looking at starting her third career at 50.)