Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

If you’ve ever been teased, overweight, or clinically depressed then you will likely identify with Darius. Both Darius and his father take medication for their depression and while it is something that bonds them, it also puts a wedge between them.

In this story Darius, an American teenage boy, travels with his parents and little sister to visit their family in Iran.  There he meets Sohrab, a neighborhood boy.  While immersed in Persian culture, playing soccer, and discussing father issues, the two boys become good friends.  Awkward teen boy moments include a sports shower scene with mention of foreskin, but discussions of Star Trek and references to Lord of the Rings keep the story light and humorous.  There are some sad moments near the end of the story but Darius and his family return home to America and we see that his relationship with his father and school life will be improving.

A lovely book that takes you on vacation to Persia, tasting the tea and admiring the architecture, while dealing with mental health issues and cultural differences with warmth and compassion.

The Doughnut Fix by Jessie Janowitz

The Doughnut Fix is about a family that moves from New York City, where everything is conveniently close by, to a rural country town up-state, where it takes a hilly, sometimes treacherous, bike ride just to get a dozen eggs.  Tristan, a 12-year-old boy, Jeanine, a 'gifted & talented' 10-year old, and Zoe, a 4-year-old girl are siblings that argue and pout like most kids.  There is some mischief, like when Jeanine gets stuck in a tree and Zoe clouds the basement in flour, but both episodes end with the siblings helping each other.

Country life in a big old house is a culture shock that is exasperated by their moving in November, after the school year started, and the school principal suggesting they wait until January to start attending their new school.  In order to pass the time constructively, their parents assign Tristan and Jeanine a project to work on.  Tristan’s project is to make doughnuts, but not just any doughnuts, he is working to bring back the town’s famous chocolate cream doughnuts.  In order to do so, he must first research what it takes to start a business, analyze his production costs, and present his plan to the grumpy old lady who owns the recipe.  He encounters odd characters and befriends a local boy along the way, not realizing until later that he actually likes his new town and lifestyle.

The tagline for The Doughnut Fix is “everything is less terrible with doughnuts” and maybe it’s true that a stressful situation won’t be so bad if we focus on doing something good. This is a sweet book (pun intended) for young teens, boys, girls, and anyone who appreciates sibling rivalry and family bonds.

Reviews: Galley Group - March 2nd

Reviews of soon-to-be published reads by Galley Group*

Kristen from Brentwood

Seven Days of You by Cecilia Vinesse

Sophia is leaving Tokyo to move back to NJ. She's leaving the only 2 best friends, Mika and David, she's ever had. She has one week left with them and with the place she loves. Throwing a wrench into her week...Jamie, Mika's best friend is moving back from the States. He left 3 years ago, right after a big blow out with Sophia. Like so many teen books there are love triangles galore! Sophia has a crush on David. David is dating Caroline. Mika is secretly sleeping with David. And Jamie has always liked Sophia! And during the week Sophia decides she likes Jamie. So much drama! Drama! Drama! Not as good as Jennifer E. Smith but close. 3 stars

Brian from Patchogue-Medford

A List of Cages by Robin Roe

Julian is a young boy who has a slew of problems. He lives with his uncle/godfather Russell where there is definitely more to that relationship than meets the eye. After losing his parents to a car accident, he moved in with Adam, a boy slightly older and Adam's caring mother. But now Julian is in a different situation and he definitely needs a friend. Can he get the help he needs before it is too late? This was a great novel filled with a very memorable cast of characters. I enjoyed all of the side characters, in particular Emerald and Charlie and Adam's other friends as well. This book deals with a very difficult topic in a very well written manner and is a book I think I will be keeping an eye on for award lists this year. 5 stars

Love and First Sight by Josh Sundquist

We meet a young guy named Will who is blind. Will has been going to a special school, but decides to go mainstream. When he starts the school, he is treated like an invalid which is the last way he wants to be handled. He stumbled upon a table of nice kids and becomes enamored with one of them named Cecily. But when Will gets the chance to have an experimental procedure that could allow him to see, will he jump at the chance? This book was just alright for me. The writing was so so, and there were a few scenes where the characters seemed to be a bit overwritten. It was a very quick read, but not a particularly memorable one. 3 stars

The Truth of Right Now by Kara Lee Corthron

High school is not an easy time and it’s very hard for Lilith, "Lily," who has returned to school after a suicide attempt. Her former best friends are acting weird and she absolutely cannot stand her lab partner Tara. But Lily encounters Dari, an African American student who was transferred to the school, and the two loners bond. Can the budding romance survive Lily's ongoing mental struggles? This book was pretty well written with some interesting side characters. I enjoyed the switching chapters and thought that the mother was very memorable as well, as well as Dari's extremely nasty father. This was a lot like other teen romance stories, but it kept me engaged throughout. 4 stars

Jocelyn from Westhampton

You’re Welcome Universe by Whitney Gardner

At Julia’s school for the deaf her best friend is slandered on a wall. OUr artist main character decides to paint a mural over the walled abuse only to be turned in by the friend she was trying to protect. Now expelled Julia is forced to go to a public school where she will be mixed with hearing kids as well. At the public school, she discovers the upsides to being deaf. This book has normal teenage angst, thoughts about fitting in, Julia finding herself, and whether or not she is her art. This is a great book that looks inward and seeing the world not just through the noises that you typically hear in normal communication. The book has a lot of elements - pictures, sign diagrams, text conversations, depth. Easy & quick to read with wide appeal. Light on male characters. 15+. 4 stars

Catherine from Hauppauge

The Someday Birds by Sally J. Pla

An awesome book about a kid who is autistic and has two twin brothers who wreak havoc and a boy-crazy older sister. They live with their grandmother because their father is in the hospital with a head injury - he’s a war photojournalist who was injured. Charlie is a lovable character who progresses through life. It’s a road trip book! They are in California and the dad has to go to a specialist in Virginia. During the trip they discover connections between their father and his new 24 hour caretaker. Another aspect of the story is that Charlie loves birding. He and his dad had a list of “someday birds” and he’s checking off birds on the list as they travel across the country. The author weaves “bird” mentality into the story in an incredible way. Each section is a different bird that he’s about to discover. He finds a journal from his favorite birder at a store and discovers he lives near the hospital where his dad is, and is hoping to be able to return it to him in person. Well-developed characters with endearing relationships. Satisfying ending. Nothing objectionable content-wise, but young teen for concepts. 5 very shiny stars.

Jan from Longwood

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World by Shannon Hale

Set in the Marvel Universe, Doreen Green is in 9th grade and has the powers of a squirrel and a hidden squirrel tail. Her hidden tail makes her a big girl -- calls it her “badonk”. She has super strength, super hearing, a large bushy tale and tremendous agility, and of course she can talk to squirrels. She has moved to a new town, is sunny, optimistic, quirky, but has trouble making friends because of her large badonk. Doreen ends up making some great friends inc luding a classmate who is deaf and the local squirrels, including special friend Tippy Toe. When the bad guy emerges, the Micro Manager (MM), Doreen texts other Marvel heroes for help. At the climax, he kidnaps several squirrels as well as the toddler that Doreen babysits! The book is written in third person, but is footnoted throughout with 1st person snarky comments from Squirrel Girl herself. This title reads down - 5th + even though Doreen is in 9th grade. Will appeal to everyone, but especially Marvel fans. 4 stars for charm and cuteness, loses a star for being a bit overwritten and lagging in the middle.

Jessica from Center Moriches

See you in the Cosmos, Carl Sagan by Jack Cheng

This road trip book is for middle graders, but can absolutely read up. For those who are curious Carl Sagan was an astronomer who recorded sounds of life on earth on a golden disc that was sent into space on a Voyager mission. Alex, our main protagonist, is so obsessed with Carl Sagan, he names his adopted dog after him. Alex has an ipod that he’s spray painted gold that he talks into all the time recording the daily happenings in his life. He wants to send it into space like Carl Sagan did. Each chapter of the book gives you the dialogue, written out like a script, that is being recorded on his ipod. Alex is extremely likable, and mostly very mature (cooks for his mom, who is detached, dad is MIA, older brother lives away) with charming, immature qualities as well. Alex decides to go on a journey with his dog and his rocket to get on the train and get to the camp to get to the competition where he can send his iPod into space. WARNING: his dog goes missing on the trip, there are mysterious siblings, strangers on the trip, and mom has severe mental health issues that send her to the hospital. This book has both chuckle-out-loud worthy and heart-wrenching moments. A great quick read. 5 stars!

Khan from Port Jefferson

Perijee and Me by Ross Montgomery

Ten-year-old Caitlin, is dyslexic and is hiding it from her parents. While attending school she finds a little white blob on the island they live on. She names the little alien Perijee. Perijee is a combo between ET, Gremlins, and Godzilla.She feeds him and he starts growing. She brings him home and he starts destroying the house. Dad eventually calls the army who knocks down the house to try and get him, but he’s already huge and angry/scared. After beign taken to a special army camp for safety Caitlin knows that she is the only one who can stop Perijee from destroying their home. As she makes her way off the camp she meets allies and groups of people who want Perijee to be their god. Caitlin must figure out where Perijee is from and how to return him to not only his normal state, but also his home. 5th-8th grade that reads on a higher level due to astronomy talk. 4.5 stars

Optimists Die First by Susan Nielsen

Petula is both obsessed and afraid of death. While meeting with her school guidance counselor she says that she has done some research and it turns out that optimists die ten years earlier than pessimists. Hearing this her guidance counselor makes her join an art therapy group. She meets a group of kids who are all dealing with their own problems. We also discover more about Petula’s past and how her baby sister died when she was younger. Throughout the book the group of kids work together to help each other deal with their tragic pasts. 5 stars

*Galley Group is a group of young adult librarians that meet about every 6-8 weeks to discuss ARCs, or galleys, they have read in the interim. They discuss plot, age group, writing, audience, opinion, etc. The group was made to help with collection development and reader's advisory for our teen patrons. If you would like more information about Galley Group contact Derek!

First-Ever ARClub Meeting!

The first-ever meeting of ARClub was held today at the Bohemia Panera! We were a small group, but we were mighty! Check out the books we discussed below, and keep an eye out for them when they're published. Join us for our second meeting on Wednesday, March 29 @ SCLS at 10 am. Click here to register or email Patty. There will be refreshments and fun! At the bottom of this post is a picture showing ARCs currently available (you can also read and review your own). Email Darla to be sent a copy.

Derek from SCLS

Lemons, by Melissa Savage

5/02/17 from Crown Publishers

This debut novel tells the story of Lemonade Liberty Witt, who has been taught her whole life that you should try your hardest to take lemons and make lemonade -- in other words, make the best of things. But this is the biggest lemon that Lemonade has ever been given - her mother has died. She has now moved to Northern California to live with her grandfather Charlie, basically a stranger to her. This is also the town where the famous Bigfoot video was taken, so everyone is obsessed with it. Her grandfather even owns a Bigfoot souvenir shop. Everything at her grandfather’s house is different - he has the wrong soap, the wrong breafkast, everything. Her first day there, she meets a little boy, Tobin, the founder and leader of Bigfoot Detectives, Inc. which he runs out of a garage to investigate local Bigfoot sightings. He stays at the grandfather’s house while his mom, a nurse, works. At first Lemonade and Tobin's personalities clash, but he takes her on as his assistant at the detective agency and they start to have a great time. Eventually we learn that Tobin’s father went to Vietnam where he became a POW and was thought to be dead, but one day they found out he was alive. When they went to meet him at the airport, he was gone - a double loss. Lemonade and Tobin's losses make them closer. The book is mainly about Lemonade dealing with the “volcano” of emotions inside of her. It’s about grief, finding your place in a new home, and finding family and friends during a hard time. Cute, funny, touching, and a tear-jerker. The author, who is a child psychologist by day, has a way of explaining Lemonade’s depression and anxiety that is real and relatable. Tobin is based on her son, who she lost when he was nine months old. This is her way of making her own lemonade out of her life’s lemons.

Four stars

Maeghan from Northport/Mastics-Moriches-Shirley

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
2/7/17 from Marvel Press

Maeghan got into this book because she’s already a big fan of Marvel's Squirrel Girl comics and wanted to see how it translated to the children’s novel form. She thinks it reads very true from the comics! Most of the book is told from Doreen’s (Squirrel Girl’s) point of view, with some switches. Doreen has just moved from California to an OK-sort of small suburb in New Jersey where a lot of juvenile vandalism like knocked over trash cans and graffiti is going on. The locals say it’s being carried out by the Skunk Gang, some kids from the next school over. Doreen was born with a squirrel tail that she’s always had to hide, but she loves it anyway and keeps it hidden under her clothes all day — which she gets made fun of for, but. The first person Doreen meets at the school is Anna Sophia, a Hispanic girl who is deaf. Anna Sophia is hesitant to be friends because she was burned by her last best friend who moved away and cut her off, but Doreen is enthusiastic about their friendship. As Doreen is coming into her powers (she has the proportional strength and speed of a squirrel - she can leap about 50 feet, run very fast, and is very strong), she discovers gathers groups of local kids who want to be “Squirrel Scouts” and help her, crossing clique lines. Everyone important in the story is a middle schooler, even the bad guys. Doreen has a great, humorous voice. All the chapters are in 3rd person, even Doreen’s, but there are footnotes throughout the entire book that are from Doreen’s first person perspective. The footnotes are goofy and add a lot from the story. There are appearances from other Marvel characters - she texts with some Avengers and some Guardians. 

4.5 stars

The Gauntlet by Karuna Riazi

3/28/17 by Salaam Reads

Maeghan heard about this book from Nova Ren Suma’s talk at the YASD luncheon, and while she hasn't finished it yet, she wanted to give it a shout out for an awesome beginning. The story starts on Farah’s 12th birthday. Her and her Bangladeshi-American family have just moved from Queens to the Upper West Side, and she doesn’t really know anyone yet, AND she’s the only girl who wears a Hijab in her class, which they harass her about. Her only two friends at the party are her besties from her old school, with everyone else basically strangers and their nannies and families. Her family loves games of all types. Farah tries to drown out the party by playing marbles with her little brother, who has ADHD and is a bit of a spotlight lover, even on his big sister's birthday. Her aunt tells her she has a gift for her upstairs - it’s a game! She catches her brother about to open it, but she and her friends chase him away. They decide, let’s play the game before little bro gets everyone in trouble! The box, which is covered in beautiful etchings, has a heartbeat when they hold it and feels like it’s alive. Something surely exciting is going to happen with this game! A must-read for gamer kids and anyone who you think would like Jumanji. (rating to come!)

Darla from SCLS

Flying Lessons and Other Stories, edited by Ellen Oh
Published in January by Penguin Random House

Flying Lessons is a compilation of short stories written by a diverse array of superstar authors, compiled and edited by Ellen Oh, the founder of We Need Diverse Books. Not a note falls flat in this collection, which includes contributions from Kwame Alexander, Soman Chainani, Matt de la Peña, Tim Federle, Grace Lin, Meg Medina, Walter Dean Myers, Tim Tingle, Jaqueline Woodson, and newcomer Kelly J. Baptiste, the winner of a short story contest to be part of the book. Baptiste's story, "The Beans and Rice Chronicles of Isaiah Dunn," was a particular favorite. It tells the story of Isaiah, a little boy whose family has recently suffered the loss of his father. Much of the responsibility of caring for his 5 year old sister has fallen on his young shoulders as his mother grapples with crushing depression, but all that turmoil doesn't darken his his strong and lovable personality. One day Isaiah discovers the secret short story his father was writing about a boy who becomes a superhero whenever he eats his mom's rice and beans, and his mission becomes to find the time to enter it into a short story contest. But this is just one story among many that leave a lasting impression.

4.5 Stars, a must-buy.

Available ARCS:

Reviews: Galley Group - December 15th

Reviews of soon-to-be published reads by Galley Group*

Brian from Patchogue-Medford

10 Things I Can See From Here by Carrie Mac

Maeve is a bundle of nerves. She suffers from severe anxiety and always seems to imagine the worst possible situation. When she is forced to live with her father for the summer and his new wife, she immediately becomes upset. Her father is dealing with an alcohol issue, her stepmother wants to have her birth take place in her living room, and Maeve is dealing with her lesbianism. The character of Maeve is a very well written one with a lot of irrational thinking. As someone who has anxiety, I was able to relate to her completely and see how the mind can just start to race and think thoughts that one just shouldn't be thinking. Maeve does deal with a bevy of problems including death and feeling disconnected from her family. Overall, this was a good read that faltered a bit in the last third, hence the 3 star rating.
3 stars

Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard

In this teen novel, we meet the unforgettable Pen, a girl who looks like a boy. Pen lives with her parents who are very strict Portuguese immigrants. Her mother in particular is extremely spicy and doesn't like the fact that Pen isn't very feminine. Pen's brother Eddie gets in trouble, but she really looks up to him. Pen also hangs out with Colby, a real womanizer who spends his time looking for his next pursuit. When Colby sets his eyes on Blake, Pen doesn't want to help because she has a crush on her too. Will this romance really last? And will Colby, who is becoming more and more dark end up causing trouble for Pen? The plot of this book was somewhat predictable, but I truly felt invested in Pen and her storyline. She has an extremely strong voice and I really felt for her and her situation. This is a great addition in the LGBT lineup of teen lit.
4 stars

Life in a Fishbowl by Len Vlahos

In this novel, Jared, an adult has discovered he has a brain tumor. He's hesitant to tell his wife, Deirdre, or his two daughters Jackie and Megan. He realizes he only has a short time to live. So he decides to auction whatever life he has left off to the highest bidder on Ebay to do what he will. What follows are a slew of minor characters who the author attempts to integrate into the plot; a bored billionaire, a nun, a gamer, a TV producer. They all factor into the plot eventually but this was the part of the book I liked the least. The author also chose to personify the brain tumor, which was an interesting choice, but I felt like it was a bit too hokey. I think I would have enjoyed this novel a lot more if the book had only been told from the one perspective of the oldest teen daughter instead of jumping around. Overall, I enjoyed this but was a bit bored by it at times, despite the emotional punch it attempted to pack.
3 stars

Jan from Longwood

The Infernal Guard Book 1: Emergence by S.G.H. Singh

What this does is pull Indian mythology into a story with tropes along the lines of Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. It is a fantasy fully rooted in that culture. Our main character, Asha, lives with her grandparents in Miami. She is approached by a stranger who then tells her that she must go to India to fight an evil force. Although the story isn't brand new it is written in colloquial language that teens can relate to. This is great exposure to a different culture where they may not be a lot of representation in current YA lit.
3 stars

Darla from SCLS

Train I Ride by Paul Mosier

This is a fast but impactful middle grade/tween crossover novel. It tells the story of Rydr, a young girl whose already tenuous world is crumbling around her. Her mother died under circumstances that are mysterious to the reader when Rydr was younger, and she was sent to live with her Californian grandmother, who gave her the bare minimum in terms of love and care. Now she’s dead, too, and Rydr is being sent to live with an unknown great uncle in Chicago. As he’s her last surviving relative, if it doesn’t work out with him, she’s headed for the foster care system. Rydr’s anxiety is painfully real as readers follow her on to the train that will bring her to the great unknown of her future. Rydr finds unexpected family amongst the passengers on the train, and as she learns more about them she begins to understand the pain that lies within her as well. This unexpectedly touching hero’s journey is perfect for readers looking for a quick but poignant realistic fiction read. 

5 stars

Catherine from Hauppauge

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

The newest emotional read from Silvera is written in alternating chapters between now and back then: TODAY and HISTORY. It is a perfect way to tell this story. The reader sees an event and you then learn about how it came to be. Griffin, Theo, and Wade are best friends. Griffin and Theo come out to each other and start a relationship and Wade worries that he will be the third wheel. Theo moves to California and their relationship ends there especially when he meets someone else. While on the west coast Theo dies and so starts Griffin’s journey through grief.

4.9 stars (minus .1 for no tears)

*Galley Group is a group of young adult librarians that meet about every 6-8 weeks to discuss ARCs, or galleys, they have read in the interim. They discuss plot, age group, writing, audience, opinion, etc. The group was made to help with collection development and reader's advisory for our teen patrons. If you would like more information about Galley Group contact Derek!

Reviews: Galley Group - August 18th

Reviews of soon-to-be-published reads by Galley Group*

Kristen from Brentwood

Beware That Girl by Teresa Toten

Single White Female-ish but times two! But who is playing who? Kate is the orphaned, poor, scholarship kid at the elite Waverly School with one dream...Yale...she has nothing to lose but everything to gain. She needs a meal-ticket, the person that will help her achieve her ultimate goal and get everything she has ever wanted. She decides that best-of-the-best, super rich Olivia is that meal ticket. A quick, mutually benefiting friendship begins but both girls have skeletons in their closets and neither are what they seem. Add to the mix, the hot new male teacher, Mark, and drama ignites! Mark is pretty much charming the pants off every girl, and woman, at the school except Kate; she can see him for the psycho he is! Each girl has to deal with insane Gossip Girl-esque backstories, all while pushing each other away, only to pull back because they need each other to fulfill their own crazy needs...Kate needs Yale and Olivia needs to be sane. Neither girl is likable, it's hard to really root for either of them, or even pick a side of who you want to come out on top. Abuse, torture, and murder abound! Crazy read with a twisted ending. 3.5 stars

The Loose Ends List by Carrie Firestone

A book about dying, on your own terms and in the best way possible. Maddie's grandmother drops a bomb on the family at the beginning of Maddie's summer before college...she has cancer AND she's taking them all on an 8-week cruise, but this is no ordinary cruise! It's a Wishwell cruise...a cruise for terminally ill patients so they can live out their final days making their wishes come true before they die on their own terms. The trip is filled with stops in Rio, Iceland, Rome, and more! Along the way Maddie finds love and learns how to cope with losing one of the most important people in her life. 4.5 stars

Brian from Patchogue-Medford

Phantom Limbs by Paula Gardner

In this teen novel, we meet Otis who is dealing with a slew of problems. His former love interest, Meg, may or may not be moving back home after both of them had to deal with the loss of Otis' baby brother, which occurred at Meg's parents house. In addition, Otis' swim trainer, Dara, is dealing with her own set of problems after the amputation of her limb. The book is one part drama, one part romance novel as we are are given bits and pieces about what really happened to Otis' little brother. The book seemed to be a bit longer than it should have been, but it ultimately delivered a well meaning story that was engaging and rewarding in the end. 3 stars

Enter Title Here by Rahul Kanakia

Reshma Kapoor is one of the most interesting main characters I've read in a very long time. She is a high school senior who spends most of her time studying. She really really wants to get into Stanford University and decides one of the things that will help her out is to write a novel, which makes this very meta since the novel you read ends up being the one she published. The novel is told through a series of diary entries. Reshma is willing to do WHATEVER it takes to get into Stanford, and this includes some very shocking moments in the book. All in all, this was a great book with a strong unlikable main character who is honest down to a tee. 4.5 stars



Nickel by Robert Wilder

In this certainly interesting novel, we meet Coy, a 9th grader who has yet to enter high school (his district starts in 10th grade). He spends all of his time hanging out with his only friend Monroe (Roe) who has been dealing with some health issues. She has a rash on her face and she seems to be allergic to everything. Coy has his own share of problems: his mother is in a mental institution and he is trying to feel comfortable with his stepfather. The book is pretty well written and I did enjoy the plot. My major issue with this book was the language used. There was a HECK of a lot of slang, and a lot of it seemed to be a bit much. There are lot of terms used that I don't think most normal people insert into their normal conversation and the characters appeared to be much older than they actually were. Once you get used to the interesting way things are phrased, you can dive into the store which has some interesting side characters and a good plot overall. 4 stars


Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland

In this novel, we meet a teen who falls in love with another. The main character is described as having long hair and is somewhat nerdy. He falls for a girl who is described as often looking unwashed, walking with a cane and having greasy hair. In fact, a lot of characters are described as having greasy hair. This book moved extremely slowly and I felt that too many of the characters were cliches and extremely annoying. The sister who is Goth, tattooed, but happens to be a genius? What about the sleazy Australian best friend? I read about 60 percent, skipped about 100 pages and literally nothing really happened 2 stars

Khan from Port Jefferson

The Cresswell Plot by Eliza Wass

Castella lives in the woods with her parents and other siblings. Her father believes he is God and makes his family study the bible he wrote while their mother sits in the corner and does nothing. Castella wants to be a normal girl and she and her siblings have to figure out how to escape their father's grasp. This is a psychological cult thriller where the reader wants to know what is going to happen next. In certain places you want more details and depth, but you never get it. 3 stars 






Lucy & Andy Neanderthal by Jeffrey Brown

This is a mix of the movie The Croods and the Cartoon Network series Gravity Falls. Unfortunately this did not live up to Jeffery Brown's other works. The jokes fall flat and don't seem original. There are little skits throughout the book containing history alternating with paleontologists who present prehistoric facts. 2.5 stars

Jan from Longwood

The Lifeboat Clique by Kathy Parks

This is for anyone who is very sad about the latest season of Pretty Little Liars coming to an end, or wants their next 30 cc's of Kardashian. Former best friends Abigail and Denver had a falling out after an embarrassing video from a house party was posted on YouTube. In the middle of another epic house party a tsunami comes and wipes them all away. They are swept out to sea and the teen drama continues. The two former friends find them selves in a boat with other stock characters. This is just about the dumbest book I've ever read. A half a star for someone looking for a beach read. .5 of a star




The Zodiac Legacy: The Dragon's Return by Stan Lee

I did not read the first book in the series, but it doesn't matter since the first half of the book is a re-hash. There is a team of good kids and there are bad guys who have an evil compound. The book is spent with the two groups going after each other with a pepper of teenage drama thrown in. Hoping the final art advances the story a bit. It is just overlong, but does have appeal for those patrons who are looking for the next Percy Jackson. It scews very young since it over-explains everything. 3 stars

*Galley Group is a group of young adult librarians that meet about every 6-8 weeks to discuss ARCs, or galleys, they have read in the interim. They discuss plot, age group, writing, audience, opinion, etc. The group was made to help with collection development and reader's advisory for our teen patrons. If you would like more information about Galley Group contact Derek!

The Power of Three: a sort-of-review

The other day I finished listening to The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner, a debut novel about three teen best friends who are working to either escape or accept the confines their small Tennessee town has set for them in their senior year of high school. This novel has stuck with me. It is wonderfully written with tons of depth – thoughts on religion, fate, consequence, and more are handled well. I will admit to you now that there were tears involved in three different spots. I should also mention that I listen while driving to and from work. WARNING: listen with caution, especially while behind the wheel. I thought I was going to have to pull over on the shoulder of the highway one time, but managed to compose myself.

            

My two best friends & myself

Now, a few days later I can’t seem to shake my book hangover. I had a think about it on the way home recently and I figured out why – these characters have stuck with me. Dill, Lydia, and Travis are so different, but manage to fit together as a three piece puzzle of outcasts. I couldn't help but think of my two best friends and myself. When you are young you think your friends will be there forever, but sometimes that is not the case. Dill, who is the shamed son of a pastor who has been put in jail for child pornography, is also dealing with the fact that his best friend Lydia will be leaving to go to college in New York by summer's end. There is also a tragedy in The Serpent King that I won’t go into detail about (spoiler, duh!) that has a huge effect on the three friends. While I can say that nothing like the tragedy in the book has happened within my group of friends, things change. As we have grown, jobs and living situations take different shapes and, as a result, we have moved on... to live in different places, but are still on some sort of adventure together. 

            After seeing this group of three reflected in my own personal group of three I had a thought: What is it about this magical mix of two boys and one girl that works so well? Speaking of magical, look at everyone’s favorite wizard besties Harry, Hermione, and Ron! The mix of Harry’s being the chosen one, Hermione’s intelligence, and Ron’s… well… Ron-ness manages to roll together into a perfect trifecta of robed friendship. Even looking at the mythological friendship of Percy, Annabeth, and Grover in The Lightning Thief, you can see the same three pronged relationship. Percy is the chosen one, Annabeth the intelligence, and Grover is a mythological creature. The third prong was part goat and it worked!

  

One can argue that The Hunger Games can fit the bill. Granted Katniss, Peeta, and Gale had more of a love-triangle/frenemy/government uprising kind of relationship, but they were still on the journey together. Katniss is the chosen one, Gale is the militant intelligence, and Peeta is a very strong baker. By looking at these trends it seems there is a chosen one, a brainiac, and a wild card. They could be seen as evil YA stereotypes that authors fall on, but when I look at my own life it is true. It has to be based in someone’s reality, no? Plus, if the friendship of the three very different characters makes sense then why fight it?

            I see myself in these trios who grew up together, experienced incredible things, and who, for a point in time, didn’t want things to change, but indeed they do. Melissa, Vinny, and I are still close and have even been trying to figure out what the perfect tattoo could be to represent our 20 plus year friendship.  We haven’t landed on the design yet, but I will keep you posted. While I am not sure if we fit these three archetypes – which of us is the chosen one? – I know that the power of the three of us together has only grown since we formed our trifecta in second grade in Miss Ferraro’s class. It is wonderful when a book stays with you - when you have a mirror of some aspect of your life reflected back to you from the pages. So I raise my glass to the other two-thirds of my personal trio, to Jeff Zentner, his book The Serpent King, and to his three main characters: Dill the chosen one, Lydia the blogging brain, and Travis the staff yielding wildcard.

          Now that I have put my raised glass down, which is actually a tumbler with a mustache on it, I ask who are some of your literary trios? Leave your responses in the comments below!

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - First Thoughts

This past Sunday was the day Harry Potter fans all over the world had been waiting for finally arrived. Midnight releases ushered in the 8th and probably final installment of the boy who lived's story, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The book is a script for the play that began running the same day of the release, July 31st (happy belated birthday, Harry and JK!). We have avoided spoilers as best as possible except for the 22 photos that were released of the actors on stage in London. Now that Darla and myself have read the book (we both finished it in one day) here are our initial reactions. Light spoilers ahead!





Derek

I basically grew up with Harry Potter. From the time I was about 14-years-old I had discovered the series in the "What's Hot This Summer" section of my neighbor's Seventeen Magazine. She was ten. I immediately had my parents drive me to Barnes and Noble where I picked up the titles that had been released, books 1-3. After that I had my entire family read them and we all waited impatiently for book four to be released where it was said that, GASP, someone will die! We fought over the one copy we purchased (I remember multiple book marks) and were hooked until book seven. We even saw the first movie together as a family on New Year's Eve. Cut to present day and my love for the series still exists especially since that was the first series I had ever finished. Seven books! As a youngin' those books were clunkers. I felt such pride finishing them and of course fell in love with all the characters. When I heard about this new book I didn't have the same excitement I had when I was young. I felt that maybe I wouldn't get it. I would wait. As the day drew near I could feel bubbles inside of me telling me I had to read it. I was in Niagara Falls this weekend with family and at 11PM on Saturday night I jumped on a random WiFi network on my Kindle and pre-ordered the book. I woke up to it downloaded, ready for my ride home, keeping my fingers crossed that whoever's WiFi that was will not steal my identity. I read the entire play in the car. As a kid I remembered feeling bogged down by a lot of the detail Rowling put into the books. They were SO BIG and so much of it was fun, but not necessarily needed for the main story line (sorry to Hermione and the House Elf Liberation Front). We now join our threesome in their 40's with kids of their own. Since this is a play it is very base level. Everything is driving the story and the emotion of the characters forward. No dilly dallying. No extra bits of story lines here! Rowling evolves her characters into their new adult lives well. She also keeps her bit of humor in there too. I remember watching my mother read the first books and actually LOL-ing before LOL was even a thing - something about Harry stepping on Uncle Vernon's purple face. I had a few good chuckles in the car myself this time around. Magic is alive and well and there is plenty of it in there. Was it the best in the series? Probably not. Was it enjoyable? Yes! Was I happy to revisit these characters and places I loved so much as a kid? Absolutely! There is a bit of nostalgia in here. I was younger when I first started reading them just like Harry and his crew and now while reading Harry Potter and the Cursed Child I am older, just like Harry and his crew. Now you all know I have to go buy the physical copy to add to my collection, right?

Darla 

I was in 6th grade when I met Harry Potter. My first middle school friend had discovered the books and suggested I might like them too -- thanks, Victoria! I remember the day my mom and I went to pick them up at Barnes & Noble, the three-tiered cardboard display so demure compared to the bells and whistles that would accompany Harry's presence in the coming years. My friends and I fell in love and we fell hard. That year was formative for me in terms of my reading habits - it was the same year that, after seeing a cool-looking movie poster, I gave The Lord of the Rings a whirl. As with so many things when you're a tween, an unnecessary rivalry arose between people who liked Harry Potter better and people who liked The Lord of the Rings better. While I planted my flag firmly in The Lord of the Rings territory, it didn't really make me love Harry and the gang any less. Harry and I were the same age when I read Prisoner of Azkaban, and that does something to you when you're a kid. There's been a part of me ever since that knows it belongs at Hogwarts, kicking it with Hermione in the library. I was scared when I first heard about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, because I knew with certainty that the experience of reading it could never live up to reading the original seven. I had determined not to go to a midnight release party, because how could it possibly live up? But then my sister and I were in The Book Revue in Huntington one day and it turned out they were having a release party, and we signed up. I'm glad we did! It was heartening to see a new generation of kids, bleary-eyed with excitement over a book, stomping around in their Hogwarts robes and waving wands - and I was more than a little jealous that, being fans after the movies' success, everything they have is movie-accurate and officially licensed. Back in my day we had to sew our own robes, kids! (crooked seams, anyone?) I'm glad I picked up the book and read it, even though I didn't love it. It's missing that good old Rowling touch, and you can feel its absence throughout. I was holding out hope for an entirely new adventure, but in a lot of ways this play just re-hashes old Harry Potter escapades. Time travel shenanigans do not make for my favorite type of story, either, and Albus Severus fell flat as a character. But I did love a lot of things about it. Grown-up Hermione was perfect, and of the main trio, she is the most believably herself in adult form. I still want to be her friend. I also unexpectedly loved Scorpius Malfoy, with all his earnest, nerdy optimism. With kids like that in Slytherin, what's to hate? If Cursed Child comes to Broadway (and it almost certainly will), I'll definitely want to see it - the book describes stage effects that must be truly amazing to behold. How do you do Time Turners without CGI? Jo says that this is her last Harry Potter story, but I hope she's mincing words, and that the world of Harry Potter will be revisited even if Harry's not part of the story. Maybe in a few years we'll be back here on the blog reviewing the long-hoped for book about the Marauders? My fingers remain crossed!

What did you think of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child? Let us know down below!

Review: Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit

by Jaye Robin Brown

     Joanna, aka Jo, is getting ready to start her senior year of high school.  She does so in a new town where her father requests she masquerade as straight.  In a town where almost everyone attends the same conservative Christian church, it’s heartwarming to hear Joanna’s viewpoint of an accepting and loving god.  Joanna and her friends attend the weekly Christian youth group, go to house parties and do other typical teenage things. There is underage drinking and talk of sex, nothing explicit. This story is optimistic but not fake, not all of Joanna’s new friends will still be friends after she admits to being a lesbian.

     This story takes place in a small-town southern high school and is filled with typical teenage situations.  How will I make friends and fit in? How can I be myself and also behave the way my parents/friends/society expect?  Is that person flirting with me or just being friendly?  When mistakes are made, will I be forgiven?  Regardless of sexual preference, this book engages the reader and has you rooting for the characters to be happy together.  

Reviews: Galley Group - May 12th

Reviews of soon-to-be-published reads by Galley Group*

Kristen from Brentwood

Places No One Knows by Brenna Yovanoff

Suspend reality for a minute! Waverly can't sleep, she runs to the point of exhaustion but still can't sleep. Waverly is one of the popular girls at school... in a group that could easily be the next Plastics. Straight A student, involved in student council activities, cross country athlete... picture perfect. Marshall is a stoner, smart but doesn't apply himself, crumbling home-life, and a jerk for a brother. Waverly doesn't bother with anything that doesn't fit into her perfectly cultivated life... Marshall definitely doesn't fit into her life. One night, while trying to sleep she burns a candle that she found in a cabinet in her house... suddenly she is transported to a party where she finds Marshall tripping on acid. No one can see her bu him, but how? (spoiler alert... you never find out how ... she just does). And so begins Waverly and Marshall's night-time visits but during the day it's as of theydon't know each other. Marshall loves Waverly... Waverly is afraid - she's got a bunch of horribly judgmental friends... is Marshall worth it? As long as you can get over the non-explained sleep teleportation, it's a good romance. Drugs and alcohol use is a big topic, so suited more for older teens. 4 stars


The Incident on the Bridge by Laura McNeal

HATED THIS BOOK! Thisbe is depressed... the boy she was seeing but didn't really like (she has a crush on his best fiends) used her and then humiliated her in front of everyone at a party. What's a girl to do in this situation? Well... steal a car and his drugs (he's a weed dealer), and leave it on the Coronado Bridge hoping then when the cops find it Clay will get in trouble. Part one of her plans goes perfectly. She leaves the car and from there things take a turn. The Coronado Bridge is a known spot for suicides, the cops find the car but think the driver jumped. As a note: multiple narrators tell the story. WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE TELL THE STORY! We have to wait many chapters to find out that after Thisbe leaves the car on the bridge she gets kidnapped by a man who believes she is his sister reincarnated. Honestly, by the end of the book I was hoping Thisbe died just to have a little excitement occur! Bland, boring book with no real likable characters. 1 star

A Totally Awkward Love Story by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison

Boy and girl meet in the bathroom at a party, they have an instant connection, and then are swept away from each other. Hannah is taken with Sam even though she doesn't even know his name or know how to find him. Sam is taken with Hannah but sees her making out with a girl on a trampoline five minutes after meeting her. Sam ends up making out with Hannah's best friend. Therefore their connection is broken. It's a book about missed opportunities... so many chances for Hannah and Sam to get together but they don't and then they do... and then they don't... and then they finally do. Frustrating!!! Hannah, Sam, and all their friends are obsessed with losing their virginity. It's a running theme throughout the book. Sex, alcohol, and drugs appear multiple times. Nothing graphic on the page. 3 stars (not horrible, but not great either)


Summer of Sloane by Erin L. Schneider

Drama, drama, drama! The book opens with Sloane finding out that her best friend is pregnant... with Sloane's boyfriend's baby! Scandalous! In response Sloane breaks her boyfriend's nose and in the process breaks her hand. All on the day before she and her twin brother are set to leave or the summer to see their mother in Hawaii. Sloane's parents are divorced her mother remarried and lives in Hawaii where the twins go every summer. This summer Sloane decides she's going to focus on herself. She blocks out the cheating bff and bf, ignoring texts, calls, and even snail-mail letters. She meets a boy while there, but nothing can be easy. Finn has his own issues, including an overbearing, absent father. So much drama! Fast, quick beach read! 4 stars

Khan from Port Jefferson

The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl by Melissa Keil


The main character is a comic book artist who is getting ready to go off to college. There is a lot of profanity and sex jokes so maybe give this to an older reader. One of their long lost friends Daniel comes back to town and he is now a super buff actor. Nothing really happens in the first 150 pages of a 300 page book. The art is the thing that drew me in, but the writing wasn't great. It turns out that there group of friends pushed Daniel to flirt with her to make Grady jealous so he would want Alba more. 2 stars

Shadowmagic by Joshua Khan

This is Disney taking on a Game of Thrones teen experience. The books starts off with Thorn who is looking for his father who has been missing for taking the blame for Thorn breaking the law. The two main kingdoms are the Shadows and the Solars. Thorn is kidnapped and is forced to become a squire. There is also a princess, Lily, who is being forced to marry a boy named Gabriel from another kingdom. Thorn and Lily meet on their adventures and start to have back and forth twelve year old banter. Someone tries to poison Lily and the pair travel together to each solve their own life mystery. This will most likely be a series. 4.5 stars

Darla from SCLS

Midnight Without a Moon by Linda Williams Jackson

Rose Lee Carter is a 13-year-old African-American girl growing up in Jim Crow-era Mississippi. It’s the summer of 1955, and Rose’s mother is abandoning her and her younger brother to move to Chicago with her boyfriend and his young children. Rose is left to cope with her sense of abandonment as well as the temper of her grandmother Ma Pearl, with whom she will live, along with her brother and her older cousin, Queen. Rose’s grandparents are sharecroppers, but Queen, who has a light complexion, is allowed to relax and sleep in every day while Rose and her brother, who have dark complexions, are left to tend the fields. Rose’s town is rocked by racially-motivated crimes and murders that culminate in the lynching of Emmett Till and the subsequent arrival of the NAACP, which is not welcomed by all the members of Rose’s family. When facing the opportunity to move north, Rose must decide whether to escape to a better life and good education or stay and use her smarts to fight for her rights. 5 stars.

Every Single Second by Tricia Springstubb

12-year old Nella is dealing with a lot. She’s juggling four crazy little brothers, caring for her grandmother with dementia, an unspoken feud with her father, and keeping up with her scientifically-minded and adventurous best friend Clem, when her Catholic school is shut down. Thus begins a series of events that turn Nella’s world, as well as her whole town, upside-down. Things come to a head when the older brother of her former best friend is involved in what might be a racially-motivated shooting that divides the town. Told in chapters that oscillate between the past, present, and the point of view of a statue in a graveyard, this novel tackles a lot of issues, from class divisions and racial segregation to PTSD and the meaning of time. 5 stars.


It Ain’t So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas

It’s the late 70s, and Zomorod Yousefzadeh and her family have moved once again because of her father’s job - they’re from Iran and he is an engineer working with American oil refineries. They’ve settled in a new apartment in a nicer area of California than they’re used to, and Zomorod, who chooses the English name Cindy, has a hard time fitting in. Just when things are seeming settled, the Iranian Revolution begins. At first this means that people just ask Zomorod about her home country all the time (even though she doesn’t know much about the revolution herself), but when the hostage crisis begins, the interest of her peers and neighbors devolve into fear and intolerance. This novel starts out upbeat and punchy, but the pain and depression that settle upon Zomorod’s family pack an emotional punch. 5 stars.

Brian from Patchogue-Medford

Great Falls by Steve Watkins

Shane is on the football team at school and he lives in the shadow of his brother Jeremy who returned from a tour in Afghanistan. His brother is suffering from severe PTSD. The pair go on a camping trip and there is a rafting accident where one of them perishes. 3 stars

The Memory of Light by Francisco X. Stork

The main character tries to take her own life and ends up in a mental institution. In the institution she befriends three other teens who are dealing with their own problems. Sometimes it feels a bit like a self help book where the reader is really being educated on mental illness. 4 stars

Mayday by Karen Harrington

Twelve year old Rain is having dinner with his uncle at the start of the book. We flash forward to him being pulled out of school. The reader comes to find out the uncle has died. On the flight home form the uncle's funeral the plane crashes. He wakes up in the hospital and learns that his throat was pierced by a lap top, he loses his voice, and his face is scarred. The book manages to cover deep depressing topics but in a light manner surprisingly enough. 4 stars

*Galley Group is a group of young adult librarians that meet about every 6-8 weeks to discuss ARCs, or galleys, they have read in the interim. They discuss plot, age group, writing, audience, opinion, etc. The group was made to help with collection development and reader's advisory for our teen patrons. If you would like more information about Galley Group contact Derek! The reviews contained in this post were written from notes I took during the group's meeting.