Life: An Exploded Diagram

by Mal Peet

Clem, a boy born during a WWII bomb strike, grows up during a worldwide time of turmoil. He falls desperately in love with a girl named Frankie during the Cold War. While Clem and Frankie feel like “the whole world is against them”, major world events are happening without their notice. The historical events are often written as far off happenings, juxtaposing Clem and Frankie’s personal conflicts with those of history. A superbly written book about tension (of all sorts, Clem is a teenaged boy after all) that culminates when a national conflict and a love story collide. I am dying to talk about this book!

Story - 4/5 i love the mix of narrative and off-sides with historical characters
Setting -4/5 has me wondering where all the other  Cold War era YA books are!
Characters - 4/5 some great cameos and even the secondary characters are well developed
Snogging Scale - a 10! It is one of Clem and Frankie's  main goals
Overall - 4/5 - i really hope this book wins some awards!

Why We Broke Up

by Daniel Handler
illustrations by Maira Kalman

Synopsis 

Min Green is writing her now ex-boyfriend Ed, a letter and including a box on why they broke up. Each item is illustrated then explained unraveling why they broke up. 

Review 

Good gravy! This book is soooooooooooo good. I finished it and then had the (annoying but wonderful) what to read next conundrum. You know when the book you just read is too good and you can't imagine what will follow it. 

This book is the break up letter we all wanted to write (maybe some of you did, go you!). It is the perfect reflection on first love. Beautifully tragic because we know the ending. It all rings so true. I'm going to try and not spoiler you, so I'll be brief. I love Min (hugs Min), I totally understand the relationship because I even like Ed (stupid Ed), and most of all I welcome a romantic book about first love that isn't all rainbows and kittens. 

Story - 4/5 emotionally awesome 

Characters - 4/5 I love you I hate you 

Romance - 3/5 I want to give it 4/5 but you know, they break up

Illustrations and Idea - 4/5 LOVE 

Snogging Scale - 10 (we can talk about it after you have read it) 

Overall - 4/5 It broke my heart, but I loved it. 

Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey

One of my automatic "yes please" genres is time travel. I've recently read two great time travelish books.

Kerstin Gier's Ruby Red is the first book in a series. Gwen comes from a family of time travelers, but only some members get the gene. The first installment had some great time travel sequences, mystery and some romance. I can't wait for the second book in the series.








I loved this book! The cover drew me in (so pretty! and it actually goes with the descriptions in the book) and I was doubtful at first. I had read a few books involving ghosts when I started this book, but was pleasantly surprised to find this is more of a time slip novel. A sometimes complex (in a good way) time travel book. If you have any interest in time travel, even in the slightest, read this book.

In which I return from holiday

Just back from London, Paris and New Orleans. Brought home so many books I need a new bookcase (and had to buy an extra suitcase in London). Looking forward to reviewing some of them here!

Bloody Jack

So I've been obsessed with the Bloody Jack series for a while now. There are 8 (soon to be 9) of them so I am trying to pace myself. I could easily read one after another but then a) I wouldn't read anything else and b) I would be at the end, which would be sad... I'm not sure how many books are planned which is scary (will I have to keep reading to #23? Will this become some multi-generational epic that in no way resembles the books I liked in the first place? (doubtful) Will the author leave me hanging with no ending?) Please L.A. Meyer, give me an ending!

Anyhoo, Mary "Jacky" Faber is orphaned (all the good ones involve orphans don't they?) and instead of staying on the London streets circa 1790ish, she disguises herself as a boy and joins the Royal Navy as a ship's boy.

The original cover is good I think. Is that small child on the cover a boy or girl? There is action clearly. Also, pirates and some historical merit. The cover is a winner. Then they re-marketed them with the first book looking more like this.

Wind-swept haired girl's half turned face with a blueish tint? I get it, they are trying to appeal to the teen girl market. But the new cover is a deal breaker for me. Clearly she is a girl with that long hair, there appear to be ships in the background but she might be waiting for her lover who is lost at sea. She may be a siren or a mermaid in some new supernatural romance...I have no idea. Also, I'm not sure this is what Jacky is supposed to look like.

So now I am listening to book 3 (Under the Jolly Roger: Being an Account of the Further Nautical Adventures of Jacky Faber) and loving it.

There was some question about which section to put these in a the library work at. The ones we have are J but other libraries in the system put them in YA. Well after reading some, I'm confident they should be YA. Jacky gets herself in to some terrible situations, they are action packed and sometimes bawdy.

I'm eager to see how the rest of the series goes. Many, many times I find myself shaking head and saying "oh no Jacky, don't do that". This could get annoying, but for now I'm still hoping that things will turn out OK for Bloody Jack.

I'm back!

Master's degree completed! Hopefully I will be able to post more of what I am reading. My goal is to post short and sweet reviews or recommendations, among other thoughts about YA. So keep an eye out!