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Elizabeth Fais

Category Archives: Book Reviews

6th YAppiest Giveaway WINNER! “The Infects” by Sean Beaudoin

10 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Book Reviews, Giveaway, Winner!, YAppiest, Young Adult, Zombies

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Elizabeth Fais, Sean Beaudoin, The Infects, Winner, YAppiest Giveaway, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombie Rules, Zombies

17 YA AUTHORS + DISNEYLAND = THE YAPPIEST DAY ON EARTH!

YAppiest Day on Earth icon


The 6th YAppiest Giveaway is for an author signed copy of The Infects, by Sean Beaudoin. A smart, irreverent zombie apocalypse tale with an ending you won’t see coming!

The Infects, by Sean Beaudoin

Sean Beaudoin autograph "The Infects"

And the Lucky Winner Is…

… Drum roll and zombie moans …

~oOo~

Liv

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

*** Tosses beaucoup buckets of blood red confetti! ***

~oOo~

I’ll contact you via email for your address.

Coming Up Next!

The 7th YAppiest Giveaway! for
Let the Sky Fall, by Shannon Messenger is just around the corner, so…

Stay Tuned!

For a complete list of YAppiest Giveaways, go here.

Book Covers for Giveaways

6th YAppiest Giveaway! “The Infects” by Sean Beaudoin

30 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Book Reviews, Humor, monsters, YAppiest, Young Adult, Zombies

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Apocalypse, Bloody Funny, Elizabeth Fais, Horror, Humor, Quentin Tarantino, Sean Beaudoin, The Infects, YAppiest Day on Earth, YAppiest Giveaway, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombie Rules, Zombies

17 YA AUTHORS + DISNEYLAND = THE YAPPIEST DAY ON EARTH!

YAppiest Day on Earth icon

If you couldn’t make The YAppiest Day on Earth, never fear! The YAppiness keeps rolling with epic read giveaways by each of the 17 authors.

This is the 6th YAppiest Giveaway! For a chance to win, see “Here’s How”. For a complete list of upcoming giveaways, go here.

“The Infects” by Sean Beaudoin

The Infects, by Sean BeaudoinThe Zombie Apocalypse is here. Just ask Nero…

Life’s been rough on seventeen-year-old Nero. His mother left him and his younger sister with his unemployed father, who insists that Nero pay rent. Hence his night job at the chicken factory, while trying to finish high school during the day. Then there’s the direct-dialog feed from The Rock (yes, that Rock) in his head, which doesn’t help his self-esteem. No wonder he can’t bring himself to ask Petal–the girl of his dreams–out.

Things can’t get much worse, or so Nero thinks, until a freak accident at the factory lands him on an Inward Trek wilderness outing with a bus load of other juvenile delinquents. Nero sinks even lower when he sees Petal on the girls’ juvy bus heading for the same patch of wilderness, because he knows it’s because of what he did. Nero’s nightmare turns into the real deal on their first night at camp, when his counselors turn into the flesh-eating walking-dead, and a few of his fellow inmates become late night snacks.

Zombies. Sure, Nero’s seen all the movies. But it takes witnessing the gory carnage up close to process the reality. Blood spurts and flesh flies as the survivors run into the woods, with a horde of not-so-shambling monsters on their tails.

Nero quickly realizes that these zombies are faster than the ones in the old movies, and can reason too. Thinking zombies are never a good thing. Drawing from their horror-flick savvy, Nero and his fellow survivors develop a list of Zombie Rules. Unfortunately, it takes more than zombattitude to keep ahead of the baddass biters.

Bloody Funny, with an Ending You Won’t See Coming

I was never a big zombie fan until NOW! The Infects won me over, with its quirky, irreverent characters slinging wickedly funny dialog as fast as the furious plot turns. In addition to the clever tongue-in-cheek dark humor, The Infects delivers characters we can’t help but care about and root for.

My problem with the old-school zombies is that they’re dumb as dirt, slow as slime, and about as cohesive. Oh, and they lack that certain je ne sais quois the other classic monsters have. Old-school zombies are all moaning and groaning rotting flesh, no smart surprises or witty repartee.

The Infects changes all that, taking a traditional horror story, turning it on its head, then spinning it around just for kicks. As with any horror story worth its claim to the genre, there’s plenty of blood and gore. But The Infects dishes it up with such over-the-top style, that you half expect Quentin Tarantino to step into the picture. Similar to Tarantino’s filmatic style, The Infects succeeds in morphing a standard genre to create a new one. Hollywood, are you listening?

The Rock’s unsolicited commentary in Nero’s head is another genre-bender example that is flat-out hilarious. Better still …  there’s an honest payoff for The Rock in the end. Unfortunately, that’s all I can say without risking a serious spoiler. And you would hate me if I ruined the ending for you. It’s that good.

You’ll have to settle for this snippet from Goodreads:

…a savvy tale that’s a delight to read—whether you’re a rabid zombie fan or freshly bitten.

I’m the second one. Freshly bitten, and hungry for more. The jury’s still out on whether there will be a sequel, but I’m hoping so.

Want to win an Author Signed Copy?

For this riotously awesome book, I have a special treat for one lucky winner… An author signed copy of The Infects!

Sean Beaudoin autograph "The Infects"

Here’s how to win…

NOTE: The FREE giveaway of a copy of this book is open to residents of the United States and Canada only, due to shipping costs. My sincere apologies.

  1. Leave a comment on this blog by midnight, July 7th (1 entry).
  2. Tweet about this giveaway, including #yappiest in your tweet (1 entry).

I’ll tally the entries and choose a winner at random, then announce it on this blog on Wednesday July 10th. Good luck!

Stay tuned for more YAppiests Giveaways!

Book Covers for Giveaways


5th YAppiest Giveaway! “First Day on Earth” by Cecil Castellucci

15 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Aliens, Book Reviews, YA, YAppiest, Young Adult

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Aliens, Book Review, Cecil Castellucci, Elizabeth Fais, First Day on Earth, YA, YAppiest Day on Earth, YAppiest Giveaway, Young Adult

17 YA AUTHORS + DISNEYLAND = THE YAPPIEST DAY ON EARTH!

YAppiest Day on Earth icon

If you couldn’t make The YAppiest Day on Earth, never fear! The YAppiness keeps rolling with epic read giveaways by each of the 17 authors.

This is the 5th YAppiest Giveaway! For a chance to win, see the “Here’s How” rules. For a complete list of upcoming giveaways, go here.

“First Day on Earth” by Cecil Castellucci

First Day on Earth coverMal has a lot of reasons to be angry. His father abandoned him when he was eight, his mother is drunk and probably crazy too, and the cool kids at his high school are self-centered idiots who always make fun of him. All but one, that is. Posey.

In spite of all he’s been through, Mal loves life. That’s why Posey’s mother–the vet at the animal shelter where Mal brings the stray dogs, cats, and rabbits that he rescues–is so kind to Mal. It’s why Posey likes him too.

Mal can use all the kindness he can get.

He’s  learned to cope with being the parent to his dysfunctional mother. Just barely. He feels trapped and wants nothing more than to escape. Anywhere. He secretly hopes the aliens who abducted him when he was eight, will come back and take him with them. Permanently this time.

Mal remembers the abduction on the 4th of July, shortly after his father bailed on him and his mother. Though it didn’t take long for him to figure out that he shouldn’t talk about that experience to anyone. So many things about the three days he was missing can’t be explained any other way. But the doctors insisted he had a psychotic break, caused by the trauma of his father leaving. Mal’s memories of those three days are fragmented and fuzzy. So much so, that he begins to wonder if he really was abducted.

That is, until he meets Hooper in a 12-Step abductees meeting, and Hooper admits to being an alien. Mal has his doubts about that, until Hooper asks Mal to help him to catch his only chance at a ride back home.

A Must-Read for Anyone Who’s Ever Felt Alone

This small book, and seemingly simple story, floored me with the power of its depth. The heart of the story isn’t the aliens, or even whether they’re real or not. This is a human story, a metaphor for the isolation is intrinsic in the human experience. The characters all suffer from varying degrees of isolation. What’s beautiful is how they help each other to heal through their connection and interactions.

At one time or another most of us have all felt alone, on the outside of a group, a misfit, misunderstood, or outright invisible. To feel pain is human. What we choose to do with it, reveals our humanity. And in this, Mal shines as an example for us all.

Kirkus Reviews sums this book up in one elegant sentence:

A simple, tender work that speaks to the alien in all of us.

WANT TO WIN A FREE COPY OF THIS Remarkable BOOK?

Here’s how…

NOTE: The FREE giveaway of a copy of this book is open to residents of the United States and Canada only, due to shipping costs. My sincere apologies.

  1. Leave a comment on this blog by midnight, June 21st (1 entry).
  2. Tweet about this giveaway, including #yappiest in your tweet (1 entry).

I’ll tally the entries and choose a winner at random, then announce it on this blog on Sunday June 23rd. Good luck!

Stay tuned for more YAppiests Giveaways!

Book Covers for Giveaways

4th YAppiest Giveaway! “Divine Intervention” by Martha Brockenbrough

31 Friday May 2013

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Book Reviews, YA, YAppiest, Young Adult

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

after-life, angels, Book Review, Divine Intervention, Elizabeth Fais, guardian angels, Martha Brockenbrough, YA, YAppiest Day on Earth, YAppiest Giveaway, Young Adult

17 YA AUTHORS + DISNEYLAND = THE YAPPIEST DAY ON EARTH!

YAppiest Day on Earth icon

If you couldn’t make The YAppiest Day on Earth, never fear! The YAppiness keeps rolling with giveaways of epic reads by each of the 17 authors.

This is the 4th YAppiest Giveaway! See the “Here’s How” rules for a chance to win. For a complete list of upcoming giveaways, go here.

“Divine Intervention” by Martha Brockenbrough

There is a great legend of the guardian angel who traveled across time and space for the human girl he loved, slaying those who would threaten her with a gleaming sword made of heavenly light.

This is not that story.

Divine Intervention by Martha BrockenbroughJerome Hancock is a total screw up as Heidi Devine’s guardian angel. I take that back. He’s not even an angel, because he was such a loser when he was alive. The arrow stuck in his head is proof of that. Technically Jerome’s in the Soul Rehabilitation Program for Nefarious Teens (deceased, of course), where he’s broken pretty much all the rules there too. He actually threw away his Guardian Angel’s Handbook: Soul Rehab Edition without bothering to read it. Messing up his after-life is one thing, but messing with Heidi’s in another matter.

Heidi is about as opposite to Jerome as two souls can be. She’s a high school junior with dreams of becoming an artist, but lacks the self-confidence to make her dream come true, partially because of Jerome. You see, as long as Heidi can remember there’s been a weird voice in her head. Jerome. He spews snarky comments at the most inappropriate moments, or sings Lynyrd Skynyrd songs. By the time Heidi reaches high school, she’s convinced she’s nuts. And the whole thinking you’re crazy thing? Yeah, not so great for the self-esteem.

These fractured souls blunder along, assuming they have all the time in the universe to sort things out. And maybe they would. Sort things out, that is. Except the unthinkable happens…

Heidi dies in a freak accident, thanks to Jerome’s slackitude. And what’s worse than costing Heidi her life, is that Jerome’s incompetence kicks Heidi’s soul on the fast-track to being lost forever … while ensuring his ticket to the place-that-shall-not-be-named.

Unless … Jerome can angel-up and set things right … for once in his after-life.

Humor, Heart, & a Lot of Soul = 1 Heavenly Read!

This story shines with tongue-in-cheek celestial wit and wisdom. But don’t let that fool you. The characters’ lives and after-lives are grounded in everything that makes us human. The predicaments Heidi and Jerome face stem from their personal weaknesses, and they must see through their character flaws to figure out what they did wrong (or didn’t do at all). Otherwise, there’s not a chance in heaven (or hell) at preventing Heidi’s soul from being lost forever.

To keep this spoiler-free, that’s all I can share with you. Except maybe for my top five faves…

  • The earthiness of Jerome’s celestial existence is quirky and fun. He has to use the  Service Entrance — the back of a mall — to get in to heaven,  because only people who know what they’re doing go in the front door (of the mall). Jerome explained, “Heaven’s sort of trick. The entrance is different for everyone.” His heaven is the mall!
  • The celestial rules in the Guardian Angel’s Handbook: Soul Rehab Edition are enchanting. As is Jerome’s creative approach to swearing. He gets a sizeable celestial brain zap every time he swears, so he uses substitutes for the original four-letter words.  No chevy!
  • The problems and feelings Heidi and Jerome wrestle with are poignantly real, for teenagers and anyone who remembers anything about what it was like to be a teenager. I could totally relate to their internal challenges and was rooting for them all the way.
  • The relationships between the characters and their best friends and families. Heidi’s family dog, Jiminy, was a particular favorite of mine, because he showed us that no soul is too small to make a big difference.
  • The edge-of-your-seat suspense, especially in the final chapters when Heidi and Jerome are racing the clock (literally) towards absolution and salvation. How this unfolds is remarkable, with results that are sublimely satisfying and well-earned.

Want to win a FREE copy of this amazing book?

Here’s how…

NOTE: The FREE giveaway of a copy of this book is open to residents of the United States and Canada only, due to shipping costs. My sincere apologies.

  1. Leave a comment on this blog by midnight, June 7th (1 entry).
  2. Tweet about this giveaway, including #yappiest in your tweet (1 entry).

I’ll tally the entries and choose a winner at random, then announce it on this blog on Sunday June 9th. Good luck!

Stay tuned for more YAppiests Giveaways!

Book Covers for Giveaways

3rd YAppiest Giveaway! “Ditched ~ A Love Story” by Robin Mellom

15 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Book Reviews, YA, YAppiest, Young Adult

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Book Review, Ditched--A Love Story, Elizabeth Fais, Robin Mellom, Romance, YAppiest Day on Earth, YAppiest Giveaway

17 YA AUTHORS + DISNEYLAND = THE YAPPIEST DAY ON EARTH!

YAppiest Day on Earth icon

If you couldn’t make The YAppiest Day on Earth, never fear! The YAppiness keeps rolling with giveaways of epic reads by each of the 17 authors.

This is the 3rd YAppiest Giveaway! See the “Here’s How” rules for a chance to win. For a complete list of upcoming giveaways, go here.

Ditched ~ A Love Story, by Robin Mellom

YDOEG_cover3

Food, a cell phone, and my dignity … all things I did not have.

The sun is coming up after an all-night prom-apalooza, and Justina Griffith is lying in a ditch at the side of Hollister Road. She’s been ditched. Literally and figuratively.

What’s worse is that her hideously stained thrift-store prom dress holds the only clues to how and why it happened. The throbbing bump on her head isn’t helping much in the memory department.

Justina isn’t the type of girl who dreamed of going to prom. So she wasn’t expecting her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her. But he did … promising her the most amazing night ever. Ian, the one person who knew exactly when she needed licorice (for her low blood sugar), and always knew just the right thing to say…

Justina wonders how  “the best night of her life” turn out so horribly wrong? It takes reliving the night of shame–stain-by-stain–in a tell-all confession to a couple of been-there-done-that women at 7-eleven for her to figure out how she ended up dateless and ditched.

Surprising & Funny  = Positively Delightful!

This is so not your typical prom-night-from-hell story. Trust me. DITCHED is fresh and surprising in more ways than I can say, without committing serious spoilers. Which you would hate me for later. No doubt.

What I can tell you is…

Justina is as honest and funny as the map of stains she traces along her iridescent blue prom dress to unravel the mess of her life. Curry, chicken marsala, soy sauce, and butter all play their part … as do the french-fry-shaped bruise, the ripped zipper (fixed with old bong-cleaner wire), and her new Tinkerbell-on-a-meth-binge tattoo. “So cliche,” Justina tells her 7-eleven confidants, “go to prom and end up with a tattoo.”

Then there’s the wonderfully quirky supporting cast of characters:

  • The best friend: Hailey, who has a reputation for being wild, but knows how to spin it. Roll & deflect. That’s her motto.
  • The guy: Ian, her best friend and — as she only recently realized — serious boyfriend material. He looks out for her low blood sugar, is the boy of every mother’s dreams, and asks her to prom with Hallmark promises.
  • The mom: Seriously type-A and can’t help micro-managing Justina’s life — the  pride-parade-blue prom dress and dyed-to-match shoes were totally her idea — while making the best vegan curry on the planet.
  • The Mikes: Justina’s pot-head lab partners, and their girlfriends — Serenity and Bliss, from the wrong school and equally wrong side of town — turn out to be the best comrades-in-arms a girl could be dumped with.
  • The character arc: Justina’s inner journey is as comically cathartic as her outer one, but without the visible stains. Justina realizes her penchant for “assuming the worst” ensured just that … and then is brave enough to step beyond I’m-not-worthy to meet true love.

Shaken — not stirred — with copious confusion…

This just-right blend of riotous comedy and heartfelt truth makes for a read so delicious you won’t want it to end. I haven’t read anything this funny since Meg Cabot’s When Lightning Strikes (1-800-Where-R-You series). And that’s saying A LOT.

Bet you want to win a FREE copy now, don’t you?

Here’s how…

NOTE: The FREE giveaway of a copy of this book is open to residents of the United States and Canada only, due to shipping costs. My sincere apologies.

  1. Leave a comment on this blog by midnight, May 20th (1 entry).
  2. Tweet about this giveaway, including #yappiest in your tweet (1 entry).

I’ll tally the entries and choose a winner at random, then announce it on this blog on Saturday May 25th. Good luck!

Stay tuned for more YAppiests Giveaways!

Book Covers for Giveaways

2nd YAppiest Giveaway! “BETA” by Rachel Cohn

30 Tuesday Apr 2013

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Book Reviews, Giveaway, YA, YAppiest, Young Adult

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

BETA, Elizabeth Fais, Rachel Cohn, YA, YAppiest Day on Earth, YAppiest Giveaway, Young Adult

17 YA AUTHORS + DISNEYLAND = THE YAPPIEST DAY ON EARTH!

YAppiest Day on Earth icon

If you couldn’t make The YAppiest Day on Earth, never fear! The YAppiness keeps rolling with giveaways of epic reads by each of the 17 authors.

This is the 2nd YAppiest Giveaway! See the rules below for a chance to win. For a complete list of upcoming giveaways, go here.

BETA, by Rachel Cohn

BETA  by Rachel CohenEarth. After the Water Wars. Scientific breakthroughs have restored the planet’s ecosystems, and provided the ability to create new ones. BETA takes place on a bio-engineered island paradise where only the fabulously wealthy can afford to visit, much less live. Bio-engineering made advances in other areas too, such as the ability to clone humans. Clones whose sole purpose is to serve humans…

Elysia is a sixteen-year-old clone, a trial teenage model called a Beta. She wakes up in a laboratory after being replicated from a human teenage girl who had to die for Elysia to exist. Or so she is told by the doctor who made her, along with the facts that she has no soul, no feelings, or desires. Everything has been programmed into her data chip, and clones that deviate from their programmed behaviors are defects that are expired.

Aesthetically perfect, Elysia is purchased as a companion for a wealthy family. Her life is idyllic, until she discovers she can taste and enjoy chocolate, something only a defect could do. Determined to keep her defect a secret, Elysia goes to great lengths to serve her human family. The island paradise is heaven on earth, still Elysia soon sees that the human inhabitants are filled with discontent. Then come the hushed rumors of turmoil among the island’s worker clones.

Elysia wouldn’t dream of fighting for her freedom, until the clone boy she falls in love with is taken away from her. Emotions she doesn’t understand consume her: rage, terror, and desperation. But if she’s to survive and find the boy she loves, she must be stronger than she ever thought possible.

A Spellbinding Tour De Force

This story is wonderful on many levels. I as hooked by the first line:

It’s me she wants to purchase.

Written in the first-person, Elysia — the Beta clone — takes us on her journey of awakening and self-discovery. We experience the island paradise through her eyes, as well as the self-centered family who buys her and their discontented friends.

BETA is a compelling love story where horrifying stakes unfold. Elysia lives in a world where clones are brutally tortured and murdered, if they show the slightest sign of individual thought or emotion. This makes Elysia’s defect experiences all the more dangerous.

To us, owning slaves is a repulsive, archaic practice. But this story puts a new spin on the age-old question: Is it right to own another living thing? Just because we *think* something doesn’t have feelings, doesn’t mean it’s true. Elysia, shows us that her subjugation is every bit as real and painful as it would be for any human.

In order for Elysia to change her destiny, she has to dig deep for the courage to fight back and go after what she loves. It’s ironic that in her decadent and corrupt world, Elysia–the Beta clone–is more compassionate and alive than the humans she’s come to know. We’re left hoping Elysia finds the boy clone she loves, and that the insurrection succeeds in winning clones their freedom. But we’ll have to wait for the sequel to find out…

Awesome, right?
Want to win a FREE copy?

Here’s how…

NOTE: The FREE giveaway of a copy of this book is open to residents of the United States and Canada only, due to shipping costs. My sincere apologies.

  1. Leave a comment on this blog by midnight, May 7th (1 entry).
  2. Tweet about this giveaway, including #yappiest in your tweet (1 entry).

I’ll tally the entries and choose a winner at random, then announce it on this blog on Saturday May 11th. Good luck!

Stay tuned for more YAppiests Giveaways!

Book Covers for Giveaways

Fireflies and Shooting Stars WINNERSSSS!

06 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Awards, Book Reviews, Chapter Book

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Ed Raarup, Elizabeth Fais, Fireflies and Shooting Stars, Lindsay D. Nery, The Tale of Enzo

Yes folks, that’s right.

WinnerSSSS! 

Plural.

As in ALL of you who left comments on my February 25th post featuring the sparktacular Fireflies and Shooting Stars “The Tale of Enzo”.

Cover for Fireflies and Shooting Stars

After reading your comments, Ed Raarup offered to contribute to the giveaway. Which means you will ALL receive a copy of Fireflies and Shooting Stars “The Tale of Enzo” signed by the author!

Is that awesome, or what?

Congratulations Tami, Ellen, Sherry, and Barbara! I’ll be contacting you shortly for your snail mail addresses. And a BIG THANK YOU! to Ed for his amazing generosity!

~***~

Tosses buckets of sparkly confetti!

*Sings the Fireflly Finale*

~***~


The One And Only Ivan ~ A Marvelous Story for Any Age

20 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Book Reviews, Middle Grade, MMGM

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Katherine Applegate, Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday, MMGM, The One And Only Ivan


The One and Only Ivan
by Katherine Applegate
Harper Collins Children’s Books

Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all.

Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.

Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home—and his own art—through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.

Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan’s unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope. [Book Jacket Synopsis]

A Life Changing Story

Ivan is a mighty Silverback gorilla who’s grown up in captivity, at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall. Not exactly the best conditions. Ivan accepts his fate by blocking out memories of the jungle he came from and creating art with the crayons and paper given to him by the keeper’s young daughter.

Stella, an elderly performing elephant in the cage next to Ivan, is different. She remembers her past and longs for a better life. Her festering rage fuels her hope for a better life. The days at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall are all the same, until the owner brings in a baby elephant named Ruby to help boost the failing business. Stella cares for scared and lonely Ruby like a true elephant mother, until an untreated injury threatens her life. As Stella’s dying, she asks Ivan to save Ruby from a fate of performing four shows a day, 365 days a year. Ivan says he will, to make his friend happy in her final moments, but he doesn’t know how he’ll keep that promise.

I admit it. I was totally crying my eyes out at this point, and wondering if I could even finish this book. Let me just say “I’m so glad I kept reading!”

Stella’s death forces Ivan to remember his painful past and realize his purpose in life … protecting his family. Through the pain of his epiphany, Ivan sees the way to freeing Ruby. He works tirelessly on new paintings to this end, and his plan is carried to fruition with the help of the keeper’s young daughter. Ruby isn’t the only one Ivan saves, however. His selflessness takes him and the rest of the animals at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall to natural habitats where they can be with those of their own kind. By the end of this story I was crying again, except this time for a totally different reason.

It would have been easy for Katherine Applegate to paint all people as villains in this story, but she doesn’t. She alludes to the injustices done to Ivan and Ruby when they were taken from their families in the wild, but she also mentions the people who helped them. Even the owner of the Exit 8 Big Top Mall is cast in a sympathetic light, showing us that he cared about the animals in his charge and was doing the best he could.

Children will love with Ivan and his friends, connecting with their genuineness.  Adults will be moved by the honesty, heart, and hope that shines through Katherine Applegate’s elegant prose.

I think the Newbery Honor author of The Wednesday Wars, Gary D. Schmidt, describes the essence of this story best:

In cheering for Ivan and his friends, we cheer for our own humanity, and our own possibilities. Read this.

There is a real Ivan, a gorilla who now lives at Zoo Atlanta. Check out what Katherine Applegate says about the REAL Ivan here.

“The One and Only Ivan” Book Trailer

“The Aurora County All-Stars” A Summer Fun Home Run

30 Saturday Jun 2012

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Baseball, Book Reviews, Deborah Wiles, Middle Grade

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Aurora County All Stars, Baseball, Deborah Wiles, Middle Grade, Walt Whitman

The Aurora County All-Stars, by Deborah Wiles

House Jackson, age twelve, star pitcher and team captain of the Aurora County All-Stars, has a secret. For the past year while he was sidelined with a broken elbow, he spent every afternoon at the bedside of a mysterious old man the other  kids call Mean-Man Boyd–and he doesn’t want anyone to know. Now House is finally ready to play ball again, but his team’s biggest (and only) game of the year might be canceled, thanks to the very girl who caused his broken  elbow. It’s almost too much to bear. But in the standoff that ensues, House finds a courage he didn’t know he possessed–and discovers that just about everyone in Aurora County, Mississippi has a secret. [Book Jacket Synopsis]

A Line Drive Out of the Park – Fun For All Ages

This story is about baseball … but that’s just the surface. Underneath lies a rich tapestry of friendship, betrayal, courage, family, and acceptance that is spun through with the deep mystery of life–the symphony true. I am in awe of a story that seamlessly weaves profound themes (Walt Whitman, no less) with baseball, a old Pug dog, ballerinas, and small town eccentricities … served up with with laugh-out-loud humor.

When House is finally able to play ball again, full-of-herself Frances (Finesse) Shotz waltzes back into his life to ruin it again. She insists the ball team must perform in  her pageant (for the town’s 200th anniversary) … wearing costumes! The team is horrified, but the rest of the town sides with Frances and their one-and-only ballgame is doomed. Life couldn’t get more unfair. You’d think a best friend would be sympathetic of his team captain’s predicament. But Cleebo puts the responsibility back on to House:

You have to approach your problems! You never approach your problems, House. You don’t talk about ’em … and that’s what gets folks in trouble … they don’t approach their problems.

House is pissed, but his friend’s words force him to dig deep and find the courage he needs to tackle his problems head on. And the results are nothing short of staggering. House’s belief in Walt Whitman’s symphony true saves the baseball game, and the pageant goes on in all its flamboyant glory. But more important, House sees the way to forgive his best friend’s betrayal and forget the unintentional wrongs of the past. The trials of friendship and family will resonate with readers of all ages, as will the lessons of acceptance and forgiveness.

If you’ve read Deborah Wiles’ other books set in Aurora County, Mississippi, (Each Little Bird that Sings or Love, Ruby Lavender) you’ll continue to be delighted by the rich and quirky characters she brings to life with such ease. If you haven’t read them, you’re still in for a real treat with The Aurora County All Stars!


Do you have a favorite Middle Grade summer read?

The Savage Fortress

13 Friday Apr 2012

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Badass, Book Reviews, Sarwat Chadda

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Ash Mistry, Review, Sarwat Chadda, Savage Fortress

Here’s an Unexpected Castle filled with mystery, monsters, and heroes … Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress. Created by none other than Sarwat Chadda, author of the Devil’s Kiss and Dark Goddess series…

Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress

Varanasi … Holy City on the Ganges…
In this land of ancient temples, insense and snake charmers…
Where the monsters and heroes of the past come to life…
One slightly geeky boy from our time…
IS GOING TO KICK SOME DEMON ASS.

Debut Review ~ by The Book Zone (For Boys)

Ash Mistry hates India. Which is a problem since his uncle has brought him and his annoying younger sister Lucky there to take up a dream job with the mysterious Lord Savage. But Ash immediately suspects something is very wrong with the eccentric millionaire. Soon, Ash finds himself in a desperate battle to stop Savage’s masterplan — the opening of the Iron Gates that have kept Ravana, the demon king, at bay for four millennia! (Synopsis)

Click this link to read the review by The Book Zone (For Boys)

Want more? Check out the Ash Mistry web site!

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