Book Reviews for Writers: Maintaining Enthusiasm from True Spirit by Jessica Watson

On May 15, 2010, after 210 days at sea and more than 22,000 nautical miles, 16-year-old Jessica Watson sailed her 33-foot boat triumphantly back to land. She had done it. She was the youngest person to sail solo, unassisted, and nonstop around the world.

Jessica spent years preparing for this moment, years focused on achieving her dream. Yet only eight months before, she collided with a 63,000-ton freighter. It seemed to many that she’d failed before she’d even begun, but Jessica brushed herself off, held her head high, and kept going.

Told in Jessica’s own words, True Spirit is the story of her epic voyage. It tells how a young girl, once afraid of everything, decided to test herself on an extraordinary adventure that included gale-force winds, mountainous waves, hazardous icebergs, and extreme loneliness on a vast sea, with no land in sight and no help close at hand. True Spirit is an inspiring story of risk, guts, determination, and achievement that ultimately proves we all have the power to live our dreams—no matter how big or small.

I'm a dreamer, like most writers are, so I love when I hear about people who are living their own dreams. When I first heard about Jessica Watson, she had just left Australia to begin her sail around the world. I followed her blog (who knew you could blog from the middle of NOWHERE with a satellite connection??) every week throughout her journey, and when she came home, I cheered. I bought her book, True Spirit, as soon as it was out.

And folks, it's AWESOME.

Jessica wrote the book herself, using her blog entries for parts of it, and it rings with her enthusiastic teen voice. That's what I want to talk about today: enthusiasm. Jessica was only 16 when she sailed solo, non-stop, and unassisted around the world. I remember thinking, how the heck can a teenager be able to do that? It wasn't an easy journey, even before she set sail. She worked her tail off for years, improving her sailing skills and finding sponsors. She had numerous set-backs, some of them big enough to nearly derail the entire project. But she never gave up. Why?

You can hear it in her voice. It's her enthusiasm. She didn't just work hard, she loved working hard. She relished every moment and didn't let herself dwell on her defeats. Partly because she was determined, but partly because she was so excited and enthusiastic about her goal. After reading this book, I think it's her enthusiasm as much as her hard work that helped her achieve her dreams.

So, my friends, what are your dreams? Are you enthusiastic about them, or just going through the motions? How do you maintain enthusiasm in the face of your own set-backs?

Check out my reader's reaction here.

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Book Review: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

I mentioned last week how much I LOVE Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly. And I still don't think I gave it enough credit.

Seriously, friends, this book is so packed with power, I've read it twice already. It had the same effect on me both times-- I felt empowered. This book is one of very few that really got inside me, ripped out my heart, healed it, and changed how I look at the world. It is truly my favorite book at the moment. Everyone should read it.

"Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present."

I literally loved everything about this book. It is a masterpiece of everything we as writers strive for.

The setting-- Paris-- well, how can you not love it? And this book gave a fabulous look at Paris now, and Paris during the French Revolution. I loved the history; whenever I learn something in a book, it gets bonus points. The writing itself is gorgeous and evocative while still remaining true to Andi's voice. The plot was fascinating and page-turning. I loved the mysteries of the past, and how they wove with the present. It was brilliantly executed, with multiple plotlines weaving expertly in and out of the story.

But most of all, I loved the characters. Andi, the protagonist, is...complicated. And depressed. You would think spending a book with a depressed character would be, well, depressing. But I grew to love Andi, and to want the things she wanted for herself as desperately as she did. Alex, the character in the diary Andi finds, is complex and fascinating. To watch both these characters change throughout the book is what makes it so incredible.

The emotional power of Revolution is staggering. On Jennifer Donnelly's webpage, she talks about her inspiration for writing this book. She wrote it to find answers to how we can live in a world that is so full of cruelty. This brilliant and gorgeous book helped me find an answer to that same question.

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Double Book Review: A Long Walk to Water and Between Shades of Gray

Recently, I've been trying to expand out of my typical reading palette. I managed to get my hands on two ARCs that helped with that. They were both historical, multicultural novels, and they were both wonderful.

Linda Sue Park's A Long Walk to Water is a middle grade novel based on the true story of a boy who escaped the horrors of Sudan, and returned later to help build wells for the people of his country. It is told through two points of view-- Salva, the Lost Boy, and Nya, a young girl struggling to survive after the war is over. It's beautifully constructed, with only small, pertinent details of each character's lives coming out. I think it will hit its target middle-grade audience well; there is a wonderful balance of history, conflict, and character in an easily-accessible style. For a quick, engaging read with an enjoyable mix of culture and story, you can pick this one up in bookstores now.

Ruta Sepetys' YA novel Between Shades of Gray was...beautiful. I can't think of another word for it. Except maybe horrifying. And haunting. And moving. It's a story of World War II-- but it's a story of a side of WWII that isn't often talked about.

Lina, a teenager living in Lithuania, is taken from her home by the Soviet Secret Police and shipped to Siberia. She lives essentially as a slave with her family, relying on her art and her relationships with those around her to survive. Many of the circumstances around her are absolutely horrendous, but the primary feeling I got from the book is of hope. Hope that the future will be better, that people can be better than they seem, and that Lina will be reunited with those she has been separated from.

The book was beautifully written. The various of characters were realistic and relatable-- even the grouchy ones. There was much exploration of the different sides of human nature that came out in such horrific circumstances. It was both depressing and uplifting.

I couldn't put this one down. I connected with the characters so well, I was desperate to find out what would happen to them. The plot was tightly woven, and it brought me to tears multiple times. I loved learning bits of Lithuanian culture, and learning this often forgotten history of WWII.

I highly recommend this one-- and lucky for you, it comes out this month!

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Double Book Review: I Am Not a Serial Killer and Mr. Monster

I recently mentioned reading Mr. Monster by Dan Wells, and I thought maybe I should do an actual book review since I loved it so much. But since it is a sequel, I thought I should review the first book, I Am Not a Serial Killer, as well. So here's two for the price of one!

Here's the synopsis for IANASK:

I Am Not a Serial Killer is the story of John Cleaver, a 15-year-old sociopath who works in a mortuary, dreams about death, and thinks he might be turning into a serial killer. He sets strict rules to keep himself “good” and “normal,” but when a real monster shows up in his town he has to let his dark side out in order to stop it–but without his rules to keep him in check, he might be more dangerous than the monster he’s trying to kill.

When I read this book, I did it in one day. It was driving, and impossible to put down. I loved the premise, and the execution was brilliant. I can't even imagine the difficulty of creating a likable protagonist out of a sociopath, but Dan does it brilliantly. I love John Cleaver. I feel sorry for him. I rooted for him to win. I was terrified for him. This book took me through such a range of emotions, I was both exhilarated and exhausted when I finished.

The book is technically shelved as horror, and it has elements of horror in it, but I wouldn't classify it that way myself. The horror elements were brought in so flawlessly, they didn't even seem out of place in John's world. Even for people who don't like horror, this is a must-read.

Now, to Mr. Monster.

John Wayne Cleaver has always known he has a dark side but he’s fought hard to oppress it and live a normal life – separating John from Mr Monster to survive. But after confronting and destroying the vicious killer that was terrorizing his town, his inner monster is getting stronger and harder to contain. And now more bodies are being discovered...

With the police failing to catch Clayton County’s second serial killer John is going to have to use his secret knowledge of the first demon-killer to trap the second...but will he be able to avoid suspicion falling on him, and, in the face of extreme horrors, will he be able to restrain Mr Monster?

Mr. Monster is what John calls his dark side-- the side that wants him to kill and maim and destroy. Because he had to let Mr. Monster out in the previous book, John now struggles even more to keep him under control. Again, I finished this book in one night. It was even more gripping than the last book, because you can sense how desperate John is to keep Mr. Monster locked away. The situations John is placed in all but yank Mr. Monster out, raising the stakes even higher than the last book.

John's character is, if possible, even more expertly executed in this book than in the last. You can feel the subtle changes in him. Again, I went through an astonishing range of emotions with John (which is amazing, considering he's a sociopath). This is one of those sequels where I might actually like it better than the first book.

So, my friends, go. Buy. Read. You won't regret it.

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Banned Books Week Review: The Handmaid's Tale

Don't forget to enter the Hundred Awesome Followers Giveaway for your chance at awesome books-- plus free critiques!

So I'm assuming by now pretty much the entire writer blogging world knows that it's Banned Book Week. And I think it's also safe to assume we all think banning books is backwards and horrible. If you don't want to read something (or don't want your children to), fine. Don't read it. But don't prevent me from making the choice for myself!

Tahereh, who's sponsoring a banned book review fest, reviewed The Giver, which was my first choice for a review. Like her, I was shocked to find this book on the banned list. That was the first book that really changed my view on how the world could work. It was my first introduction to dystopian literature, a genre that has captured me completely.

However, I'll be reviewing another dystopia, The Handmaid's Tale by Margret Atwood.

"In the Republic of Gilead, formerly the United States, far-right Schlafly/Falwell-type ideals have been carried to extremes in the monotheocratic government. The resulting society is a feminist's nightmare: women are strictly controlled, unable to have jobs or money and assigned to various classes: the chaste, childless Wives; the housekeeping Marthas; and the reproductive Handmaids, who turn their offspring over to the "morally fit" Wives. The tale is told by Offred (read: "of Fred"), a Handmaid who recalls the past and tells how the chilling society came to be. "

This book is fascinating, horrifying, and eerily realistic. I was drawn into Offred's world, putting the pieces of it together and seeing how it came about. I loved it and hated it, but I could not forget it.

Now, here's the thing. This book is told from the point of view of a woman who's basically kept as a breeder. So, naturally, there is some sexual content. In fact, a woman's sexual role is in fact a large focus of the book, because it's a large focus of the society. If my child were assigned to read this in junior high or high school, I might not want them to read this. It would depend on their age and their maturity, and of course we would talk about it.

But that's the thing with banned books. I have a right to decide with my own child if this book is right for them at their age. That is my prerogative as the parent. It is not my prerogative to make that decision for every other child at a school. Or for everyone in my town who might not be able to find it at the library if it's banned.

Books should not be banned. Period. Make your own reading choices. Let everyone else make theirs. Three cheers for banning banned books!

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Book Review: The Scorch Trials

Okay, folks, here's my long-promised review of James Dashner's The Scorch Trials! (Here's a link to my review of the first book in this series, The Maze Runner.) Here's the cover copy:

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.

In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.

Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.

The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Thomas can only wonder—does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?

So. I loved The Maze Runner. It was exciting and fast-paced, and I expected more of the same in The Scorch Trials.

And boy-howdy, did Dashner deliver.

From the first page, the book doesn't slow down. I was riveted the entire book. What made it even more riveting was how much more Thomas, the main character, became real to me. The stakes are so personal to Thomas, yet still give the impression of affecting the world at large. Things build and build and just keep getting worse. Dashner is the king of "what's the worst I could possibly put my character through." I actually teared up at the climax! Poor Thomas...

I loved the new characters that came into this story as well, and I loved the continued characterization of the boys from the Maze. The world, again, was something unique and fascinating, and so well drawn I have a firm picture in my mind of what I think the Scorch looks like.

Overall, this middle book of the series did what few middle books manage to do: it stands on its own. And it does that while still being a perfect continuation of the first book, and leaving you on the edge of your seat for the last book. That's one problem with getting an ARC, I realized-- I have to wait that much longer for The Death Cure to come out!

I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for post-apocalyptic reading, or anyone who is just looking for a highly engaging and fast-paced ride. It's being released October 12.

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Book Review: The Maze Runner

Alright, folks! Everyone know what today is, right? Mockingjay release! And I'm as excited as anybody.

It is also the release of the paperback version of The Maze Runner by James Dashner. In honor of this, and in preparation for the review I'll be doing of the sequel, I'm doing my first book review today.

I've got to admit, I've shied away from book reviews simply because I don't know if anyone really cares what my opinion is on a book. But let's assume you do!

Here's the book jacket description:

"When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind."

The book starts out strong, with an enticing hook-- Thomas in a box, not remembering who he is. The introduction to the Maze is also intriguing. Things slow down a bit for a while as Thomas presses his new companions for information about the Maze. They pick right back up, though, and the precarious situation in the Maze grows more dangerous by the day. The middle to the end is particularly driving, and the end itself was satisfying-- and creepy.

The characters were interesting, and I found myself both liking Thomas and finding him annoying at points (much like some of his new friends). It wasn't annoying like, "ugh, I'm annoyed with the way this character is written," it was annoying like, "this kid just needs to shut up a minute." In other words, he was characterized well, with realistic flaws that could also double as strengths.

Overall, I enjoyed The Maze Runner as an interesting and driving post-apocalyptic novel with a unique setting. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre.

And, just so you know, The Scorch Trials is (in my humble opinion) SO MUCH BETTER. It's being released October 12, so look out for my review coming soon!

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