Book Review Fourteen: Twisted

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson, published by the Penguin Group.

So by now you may have noticed that most of the young adult books I read feature female main characters. In fact, it was strange to read Thirteen Reasons Why because most of it revolved around Clay Jensen. Twisted also featured a male main character: Tyler Miller, and it made me feel slightly uncomfortable. I suppose it's because I have more of a connection to females (being one myself) and when I read I immediately become that character. It's harder to feel like I'm inside the novel when it puts me inside a boy's head; I feel out of place and like a Peeping Tom. I think it's worse when there's a romantic interest involved because I feel like those are private thoughts and this boy won't like me knowing them. Ha, I know it sounds crazy, but that's how I felt whenever Tyler brought up his crush on Bethany Milbury. Poor Tyler, Bethany was his father's boss' daughter. Definitely not someone his family wants him dating, not even considering the degrees of separation their social statuses yield them.

I don't think I'll ever understand the way guys think and this book confirms that. Laurie Halse Anderson is AMAZING. She is in my top 3 favorite authors because 1] her style is unique and constantly changing, 2] she can write seriously about topics we've seen a million times and still make them fresh, and 3] she wrote Wintergirls which I LOVELOVELOVE. If you haven't read it, you must. It's a necessity. But back to Twisted. Main plot: Tyler is on probation and parole for doing graffiti on his school. He used to be "Nerd Boy" but since he was arrested everyone thinks he's a badass. That includes Bethany Milbury, a girl he has a crush on. They start spending time together, Tyler is infatuated with her until he decides not to take advantage of her when she's drunk at a party. Unfortunately, someone does take advantage of Bethany and Tyler takes the heat for it, even from his own father.

There are subtle implications of abuse from Tyler's father which kept me guessing throughout the novel as to whether or not he physically assaulted his family. For instance, "But it was not worth the nastiness that he would also inflict on my sister, who already had a tear slipping over the faded bruise from her black eye, and my mother, who was pouring herself the first tonic-free gin and tonic she'd had in weeks" (pg. 99). Although I know the black eye was a sports injury, it still sounds like the family is very scarred from the father. I wasn't sure if Anderson wanted to imply abuse but not show it, or if she neglected to explain either way for the majority of the novel as a message: physical or emotional, it doesn't matter; both forms are just as devastating.

Instead of making the novel just about Tyler and Bethany, Anderson went an opposite route after the scandal. She used that disappointment from Tyler to his father as a grounds for exploring the trust and love in the family. What's missing from Tyler's life isn't a girlfriend; it's his father's love and approval. Throughout the novel Tyler's innermost thoughts explore violence as a means of communication with his father. When he's angry he imagines doing the worst: "there was something in his voice that made me want to ram his head into the concrete foundation" (pg. 53). It seemed really unnecessary and brutal to me, but I didn't grow up in an abusive home. I remember when I was younger and my mom would throw one of her tantrums I would act out, I would scream and say I hated her, I would want to run away, but I never dreamed of hitting her. I think Tyler had a lot of pent up rage from being under his father's control but he was angrier about his mother and sister. He's a protector: he wants to protect the females in his family, and in the past he wanted to protect Bethany. When she was on crutches he picked her up and carried her to the bathroom as a sign of his compassion but also his strength.

Anderson's writing style is complicated and jagged, yet beautiful and smooth. She isn't afraid of literary techniques, such as the metaphor of the video game: Tophet to describe Tyler's voyage through hell, yet she doesn't force them down her reader's throat. She understands that she has to be rough in order to get one to feel the reality of the situation, yet she uses beautiful language and almost poetic short sentences to convey her point. Sometimes less really is more.

While Twisted may have been hard to swallow at some points, it was worth it to get a small glimpse into a teenage boy's mind.

Book Review Thirteen: Evolution, Me, & Other Freaks of Nature

Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande, published by Alfred A. Knopf.

The perfect time to read a new book? On vacation! There's plenty of time while traveling to sit down with a good book and just relax. For example, I read this book while at the airport during my layover. It was an amazingly quick read (which actually was unfortunate later on when I ran out of books!).

Mena Reece is the main character in this novel. She is a religious character which is unusual for me. I'm not a religious person and haven't read a lot of literature with female Christian protagonists. I've read Does My Head Look Big In This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah which featured a Muslim protagonist (another book I highly recommend) and of course, The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank with a young Jewish protagonist. However, this was my first novel with a Christian main character; it allowed me the experience to learn about what it's like to grow up with faith-driven parents and knowledge of the Bible.

What was truly interesting about Robin Brande's portrayal of Mena Reece was her positive and negative experience with people of the church. First off, Mena is introduced as being a hated member of New Advantage High School. She lost her best friends, her parents are angry with her, her former friends' parents are being sued because of her, and she was kicked out of her church. However, we aren't told why. Once we finally do learn the reason for this (you'll have to read to find out!) it reinforces some Christian stereotypes by non-Christians: they're not accepting of popular culture, they are stuck-up, they believe homosexuals are sinners, and they are part of a pack-mentality. But what's nice about Brande is that she doesn't stop there, she adds a complex layer of factual information about Christians from Mena's perspective, thus allowing the reader to have a dual perception of Christians. Now the religion is multi-faceted and three-dimensional, there are rights and wrongs, but most importantly, it allowed me to make up my own mind about how I felt on certain topics and see how Mena's upbringing shaped her understanding of the world. She's not a bad individual, we all make mistakes, and I learned to respect her for her beliefs.

The character I really fell in love with in this novel was Casey Cooper. He's Mena's adorable yet brilliant lab partner. They become closer when they decide to do a science project together to get on Ms. Shephard's blog. There's a lot of science involved, as well as religion, mainly due to an evolution debate that becomes a catalyst for Mena to step out of her shell. There are jokes about gravity and Darwin, tidbits on natural selection and breeding, and a lot of arguments based around evolution versus a more conservative/faith-centered approach. Some characters will surprise you, while others, such as Pastor Wells, will simply astound you. He may be a villain in this novel but he doesn't quelch Mena's love for God or her connection to the Bible, which I absolutely respect.

Favorite quote: "He saw me. And his eyes changed. They went from being open and curious and ready to take it all in like they always are to suddenly looking all soft and sleepy..." (pg 164).

I recommend this if you're looking for an informative, yet mysterious quick read or if you're eager to check another Teen Book Festival title off your list.

Book Review Twelve: Thirteen Reasons Why

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, published by the Penguin Group.

The simplest way to explain the plot of this novel is this: Clay Jensen was in love with Hannah Baker. Hannah Baker achieved an unwarranted reputation in high school. Said reputation was caused by thirteen individuals. Hannah Baker listed thirteen reasons (the thirteen individuals) for committing suicide. She addressed those thirteen people on recorded tapes before she died. Those tapes were then sent out to the first person on her list with clear instructions to continue sending them on until all thirteen individuals knew how they affected her.

Clay Jensen may be the main character/protagonist in this novel, however, Hannah's point of view is clearly articulated as well with alternating passages between her and Clay. Hannah's tape will play in italics and then Clay's thoughts will interject to allow his point of view for the reader. Clay is such a likable character so it was hard for me, as the reader, to imagine that he did something so horrible as to make Hannah suicidal. Asher dealt well with this conflict; he created an aura of mystery by having Clay question what he did as well. Clay was in the dark, the reader was in the dark, and only Hannah knew what happened. However, Hannah insisted on telling her story in numerical order, therefore, Clay and the reader don't know when his story will come around.

The review by Kirkus calls Thirteen Reasons Why "mesmerizing," which, in my opinion, is dead-on. It was difficult to stop reading until I found out why Clay was on the tape, what number he was, what part he played, who the other people were, and why exactly Hannah killed herself. I wasn't happy with the reasons Hannah gave; they didn't seem severe enough unless you take into account a mental illness like depression. Another reason it's so "mesmerizing" is Asher's talent for language. His sentences are abrupt and to the point. He gives you simple, concrete images, yet they are rough and raw and grab out at you: "I unbuckle my seatbelt and lean forward. I clasp my hand over my mouth and squeeze to keep from screaming. But I do scream, the sound dampened in the palm of my hand. And Tony keeps driving" (pg. 214).

One aspect of life that I love in literature is how every individual, no matter how small, can affect an outcome, a story, a life, a love, a success, a failure... we all change each other, for better, for worse, every day. Jenny, Marcus, Alex, Tony: they're all minor characters in the broad spectrum of Hannah's life. However, they influenced her so greatly, so negatively, that she contemplated suicide. They also were interlinked and ended up influencing more lives than just Hannah's.

Favorite Quote: "And when you mess with one part of a person's life, you're not messing with just that part . . . when you mess with one part of a person's life, you're messing with their entire life" (pg. 201).

I don't want to give away what Clay did or exactly where he fell on the list, but I will say that I love how Hannah included him, I love the way Asher kept me waiting and anticipating, and even the way he kept me frustrated. Hannah's reasons, in my opinion, were not justified. Kids in high school are teased, bullied, abused and victimized all the time. I'm not saying that's right, it's just a little fact of life. There's always going to be someone bigger or better or stronger out there who can make you feel worse about yourself, what you have to do is be strong, shoulder on, and find the confidence to keep going. Find something in life that is so worth living that no one else can take away from you. Hannah let those precious bits of life be stolen from her. She didn't give up enough of a fight and for that, I was disappointed. However, suicide is an important issue and many individuals need help for problems just like Hannah's. I hope this novel creates greater awareness of this struggle.

This novel is directly linked to Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. Jay Asher gave her a good blurb on her cover, therefore I picked up the book to read. It also covered the topics of death, fate, and choices. The characters in that novel were weaved together in such a fine manner that intrigued me, delighted me, and reminded me of Hannah's list. More to come on that book later!

Book Review Eleven: Keeping the Moon

Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen, published by Penguin Group.

Keeping the Moon is a novel about fifteen-year-old Nicole Sparks, nicknamed Colie, who goes to live with her Aunt Mira in Colby, North Carolina for the summer. Her mother, Kiki Sparks, is a fitness guru off on an international tour to promote her weight-loss line. Colie and her mother used to be fat, during what they call the "Fat Years" and now that they have both shed the weight they are dealing with their new identities differently. Kiki has embraced this new image and lifestyle and is determined to help others do the same. Colie, however, seems to miss the safety she had behind her fat, although the pain and verbal abuse she received during those years still haunts her. Losing the weight didn't mean losing the insults; kids traded the fat nicknames to slut and "Hole in One," rumors that are just that: untrue and hurtful.

In Colby she acquires a job at Last Chance, a small restaurant in town, and befriends Morgan and Isabel, two girls that are quite different and yet the epitome of what best friends should be. Colie has never had a best friend before, and therefore learns from their relationship with each other while creating one of her own. The relationship between the three girls becomes the focus of the novel as Colie learns what friendship and self-esteem really mean and how they can transform her from her perpetual state of self-defense.

However, just like in Sarah Dessen's other novels, all the characters play a major role, no matter how little their actual part in the novel. Norman, for instance, is a hippie boy who lives downstairs from Mira. He collects odd parts, antiques, useless junk, and above all else, sunglasses. He's an artist and a cook at Last Chance. He doesn't appear to have a lot of stake in the novel, and is mentioned here and there between the fighting and dancing Morgan and Isabel do, however he becomes increasingly important in Colie's life. He also is the one to show her what she looks like to the outside. I loved this character, just as I love all of the male characters Dessen writes. She creates a believable, eccentric male protagonist that has a bit of mystery and charm. He's always likable yet never quite says what he's thinking. He also always likes the female character but it takes her a while to come around or to achieve a certain milestone.

That's what there is to love about Sarah Dessen. Her novels aren't just a "girl meets boy, girl falls for boy, boy and girl are happy together" format. They're more "girl has problem, girl is in process of addressing problem, girl meets boy, boy helps her find herself, girl is happy with herself, girl and boy are happy together." That idea is especially portrayed through Aunt Mira in the book. Mira is overweight, she wears crazy outfits, she rides her bicycle all over town, and she also is a collector of broken items. However, Mira says, "I've always known who I am. I might not work perfectly, or be like them, but that's okay. I know I work in my own way" (pg 171). And that's really the lesson to be learned from this novel. As long as you're happy with yourself just ignore the comments that other people make. They make those because they can't understand you and that scares them. "Because it's so hard, in any life, to believe in what you can't fully understand" (pg 228).

Needless to say, I recommend this one. It's a quick delightful read, it has a lot of good self-image lessons for teens in it, and adorable relationships that are as realistic as they are complicated.

Favorite quotes: "...an electric solar system that pulled things in, turned them around, and gave them a new life all their own" (pg 186).

"You're not the kind of person who smiles for nothing, Colie. I have to earn every one" (pg 189).

Book Review Ten: Rules of Attraction

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles, published by Walker Books.

[I had a chance to read an Advanced Reader's Copy of this novel which was really exciting. It's not set to be released until April 13th! ]

This story was a sequel to Perfect Chemistry which I haven't read. Perfect Chemistry was the story of how Alex Fuentes, a Mexican ex-gang member, falls for Brittany, a cheerleader. Rules of Attraction is about how Alex's brother, Carlos (still affiliated with a gang) comes to live with Alex from Mexico and starts falling for Kiara Westford, an insecure goody-goody. It sounds like the two novels are very similar, Alex and Carlos are the same character type and Kiara and Brittany seem to have very similar backgrounds and moral beliefs. The only differences may be the external storyline about Carlos' setup with a drug lord.

Right off the bat I knew this novel was not suitable for younger teens or pre-teens. I would say 15 and older is a suitable age range due to underage drinking, marijuana use, sexual relations, drug dealing, and extreme cases of violence. The scenarios that are presented seem a little hard to believe at times. Some of it may be contrived just to assure that the characters are believable, whereas they may not be as believable together as they are apart. For instance, I believe that Kiara wouldn't drink but Carlos would, which is exactly how they are portrayed. However, I don't believe that Kiara would be so understanding about Carlos' drinking and just ask for the keys. I think she would have asked him not to, or to have a conversation about how uncomfortable it makes her. Maybe that's because I was uncomfortable with it when I was her age, or maybe it's because teens nowadays do a lot more drinking and drugs than I was subjected to when I was in high school. Other situations that weren't as believable were Kiara's father's willingness to accept Carlos into his home and his willingness to find a solution for Carlos' setup with the drug lord at the end of the novel. I didn't believe it would be that easy for Carlos but it was a nice ending.

Rules of Attraction is a very romantic novel once the two characters admit they are falling for each other. It's hard for them to stay together due to complications in their relationship and Carlos' unwillingness to stop being a jerk and to forget his past. He is fascinated with Kiara though, which I find very appealing.

"What kind of girl wears baggy shirts every day, has a gay best friend, stutters when she's nervous, tapes shower schedules on the bathroom mirror, makes stupid cookie magnets just to piss me off, works on cars like a guy, and gets excited about the challenge of putting a condom on?" (pg. 274). He may not be able to express his feelings to her very well, but the reader knows exactly how he feels at all times and that's very important.

The novel is written from both the perspective of Carlos and Kiara, with the chapters alternating whose voice the reader is connected to. In Carlos' perspective we get a great deal of Spanish language thrown in, for example: pendejo, gringos, and cachorro show up quite a bit. It's not necessary to be familiar with these words in order to understand him, however it shows how attached he is to Mexico and his heritage. Carlos is not only proud of where he has come from but he uses it as a crutch to his advancement in education and the social ladder. It's an interesting and accurate portrayal of teens who have had a rough life: they are proud of their own strength, however they doubt they can amount to much more, and don't see a value in "normal" futures.

The novel ends in a cheesy epilogue set 26 years in the future. It's slightly ironic and lovable, giving some teens hope that two people from completely opposite worlds can find love. Overall I liked the novel and enjoyed not only the main characters but the development of the relationship between Alex and Brittany, Tuck as the gay best friend, and Brandon, Kiara's adorable younger brother. There were some really good smaller scenes that built Carlos' character quite well, and some that actually surprised me about Kiara and how maybe she wasn't such a goody-two-shoes after all.