I haven't participated in this awesome meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish for quite some time. The meme is created to share top 10 lists with fellow bloggers on bookish topics. Today's topic is one of own choice. I wanted to do mine on literary crushes. I can't help but fall in love with some book characters. This lists focuses on my lesser known crushes. Here they are in no particular order:


2. Adam Wilde from If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Forman. I fell for him from the very first page he appeared. Adam is a singer, song writer, guitar playing, witty, smart, and all around gorgeous guy.  He is intense and flawed but has a beautiful soul.

3. Simon Lewis from the Mortal Instrument series by Cassandra Clare. I went to a Cassandra Clare signing earlier this year. She had asked who I preferred Jace or Simon. She did a double take when I told her I liked Simon better. Simon is a witty, loyal, sweet, and always around when you need him. He's a much more down to earth kind of guy.

4. Sam Roth from the Wolves of Mercy series by Maggie Stiefvater. Sam is the quiet, hopeless romantic who I adore. He has a love for poetry and constantly translates his feelings into lyrics.

5. Prince Greening Grandemalion aka Prince Po from Graceling by Kristin Cashore. While I still think his nickname is quite unusual (it's derived from the Po tree, because it's leaves are silver and gold, like his eyes), he gets bonus points for accepting Katsa for who she is and inspiring her to trust herself.

6.  Eldric Clayborne from Chime by Frannie Billingsley. Eldric could have easily run away from Briony as her troubles become larger and almost engulfing her, but refused and fought beside her to find the truth. Witty, smart, and incredibly charming, Eldric is hard to dislike.

7. Tucker Avery from Unearthly by Cynthia Hand. Tucker is the laid back, easy going kind of guy that always manages to bring a smile on your face. He is genuinely warm and will help take dateless girls to a school dance.

8. Samuel Cornick and Adam Hauptman from the Mercy Thompson series. Okay, I cheated and couldn't pick one of the two. Both are alpha males who care deeply for Mercy. Smart, sensitive, and a great sense of humor, I'd love to have either one.

9. Jay Heaton from The Body Finder, Desires of the Dead, and the upcoming Last Echo by Kimberly Derting- The epitome of a best friend turned boyfriend. He is protective, understanding, super sweet, and down right irresistible.

10. Calvin O'Keefe from A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle. *Sighs* My first literary crush from 5th grade. Calvin was cute, smart, and not afraid to embrace the weird.

So that's my list. Who's on yours? Be sure to check out Missie at the Unread Reader for her fun and fabulous meme, My Book Boyfriend, which she hosts every Wednesdays!

  You've probably sensed my frustration with the Absolute Boyfriend manga series. At first I thought it was cute and amusing, but after the first two volumes the storyline got crazy. I started disliking most of the characters, particularly our heroine, Riiko, who can't for the life of her make a decision. I'm happy to say that the fifth volume of this series was much better than the last two.

Description (from Goodreads): A miniature version of Night has returned to Riiko while his full-size body gets repaired—but now Soshi has decided to move in with them! Can a mini Night prove to Riiko that his love is just as real as Soshi's?

Review: When the fourth volume of Absolute Boyfriend ended, there was a brawl involving Night and Toshiki. Night was injured and taken to Kronos Heaven for repairs, only to come back as a miniature. Soshi has learned about Riiko's secret and how she 'met' Night. He has requested Riiko to make her final decision as to who she loves: him or Night? 
  Riiko is hardly able to make any decisions and is confronted by the reality that Night is and will always be a figure. The concept of dating and falling in love with a figure is what keeps me drawing back to Absolute Boyfriend. It is fascinating watching Night develop normal human feelings- the longing to be desired and wanted, feeling sad, insecure, jealous, etc. There are many parts of the story where I really do consider him as a human and not just a figure, mainly because his dialogue and the way he is drawn is so lifelike. 
  As for the dragging love triangle, it is clear that the mangaka, the writer and illustrator of the manga, is herself torn. There are good arguments supporting either team. Unlike the author, I've always sided with Soshi. In this volume things turn to the serious as Night and Soshi share dialogue and time together. It is clear that both want best for Riiko. We can only wait to see who Riiko will finally pick.

Rating: 3.5 stars


Words of Caution: There is semi-nudity and sexual themes throughout this volume. Rated OT for Older Teens.

If you like this book try: Girl Parts by John M. Cusik, The Silver Metal Lover by Tanith Lee, Absolute Boyfriend Vol 6 by Yuu Watase

  I picked up Heather Gudenkauf's debut novel, The Weight of Silence. I read her second book, These Things Hidden, which was a suspenseful yet disturbing read. You can read my review for These Things Hidden here. I had actually wanted to read The Weight of Silence first but I didn't get a hand on a copy of the book until now. 

Description (from Amazon): Seven-year-old Calli Clark is sweet, gentle, a dreamer who suffers from selective mutism brought on by tragedy that pulled her deep into silence as a toddler. It happens quietly one August morning. As dawn's shimmering light drenches the humid Iowa air, two families awaken to find their little girls have gone missing in the night.
  Calli's mother, Antonia, tried to be the best mother she could within the confines of marriage to a mostly absent, often angry husband. Now, though she denies that her husband could be involved in the possible abductions, she fears her decision to stay in her marriage has cost her more than her daughter's voice.
   Petra Gregory is Calli's best friend, her soul mate and her voice. But neither Petra nor Calli has been heard from since their disappearance was discovered. Desperate to find his child, Martin Gregory is forced to confront a side of himself he did not know existed beneath his intellectual, professorial demeanor.
  Now these families are tied by the question of what happened to their children. And the answer is trapped in the silence of unspoken family secrets.


Review: The Weight of Silence reads like a Lifetime TV movie. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a movie based on the book. Though not as suspenseful as her other novel, The Weight of Silence left something to be desires. I enjoyed the storyline, which hooked me right away. The story focuses on three families, Calli who is dragged into the woods behind her house by her drunken and abusive father in the early hours of the morning. Her mother Antonia, searches for her and gets support from the sheriff, who was her childhood sweetheart. Calli's older brother Ben is determined to find Calli as he knows the woods that they have explored as children. Petra is an only child and has a special connection to Calli and she accepts Calli and often speaks for her. She goes missing after seeing someone familiar from her window in the middle of the night and follows them. We don't know if Petra follows her best friend or someone else until the story unwinds. Petra's father Martin is determined to find his daughter and is driven by his emotion and almost destroys his own family. Sheriff Louis still has a fondness for Toni who married another man instead of waiting for him to finish college. Louis' own marriage unravels as this story unfolds.
   The story is told in alternating viewpoints of the girls, Antonia, Ben, Martin and the Sheriff. Most of these narratives are written from the first person point of view with the exception of the third person voice of Callie, who is selectively mute. I thought multiple narratives added suspense and drove the plot, however, it didn't really develop much of the characters who are fairly one dimensional. I also thought the voices sounded pretty much the same person. If the character name wasn't given on each chapter, I wouldn't have known it was a different character narrating. 
   The Weight of Silence is a quick read, however, I thought the author lost her focus by adding too many smaller themes into her story such as small town life, childhood friendship, first loves, alcoholism and its effect on a family, etc into her story. If she would have focused on a couple or at the most three of these issues, I could've become more emotionally involved with the story. Instead I found myself far removed from the characters and the situation. I should've been horrified with what happened to the girls but I left with the feeling of "Oh, that's too bad" which is probably what the author doesn't want.
  Readers who enjoy plot driven books would probably not mind the things I didn't like the book, however, I like to connect to the characters as well as the plot. Since I was interested to see how the plot unfolds and it held my attention, I would recommend it to readers who enjoy suspenseful reads.  


Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language, allusion to rape, and physical abuse. Recommended for strong teen readers and adults.


If you like this book try: These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf or The Murderer's Daughter by Randy Susan Meyers

 


  I had the pleasure of participating in the And Then Things Fall Apart blog tour sponsored by the Teen Book Scene. Much thanks to Teen Book Scene and Simon and Schuster for providing me an advanced reader's copy of the book in order to provide you with an honest review.

Description (from Goodreads):  Keek’s life was totally perfect. Keek and her boyfriend just had their Worst Fight Ever, her best friend heinously betrayed her, her parents are divorcing, and her mom’s across the country caring for her newborn cousin, who may or may not make it home from the hospital. To top it all off, Keek’s got the plague. (Well, the chicken pox.) Now she’s holed up at her grandmother’s technologically-barren house until further notice. Not quite the summer vacation Keek had in mind.
   With only an old typewriter and Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar for solace and guidance, Keek’s alone with her swirling thoughts. But one thing’s clear through her feverish haze—she’s got to figure out why things went wrong so she can put them right.


Review: And Then Things Fall Apart is an intricate character sketch of a teen watching her world fall apart around her and unable to gain any control over any aspect of it. Keek is under house arrest due to chicken pox at her grandmother's house. She journals her thoughts, connects her life to one of her favorite books of all time, Sylvia's Plath's The Bell Jar, to explore her own thoughts, feelings in hopes of making sense of what they really mean on her grandmother's old typewriter.
  Keek's words and emotions flow onto the page. She neither writes in prose nor in verse, but mixes many different types of writing forms that best illustrate her frustrations and  feelings. She also compares her life to that of Plath's protagonist, Esther in The Bell Jar. The connections aren't over the top nor do they match exactly, however, they do convey the same spirit and are given enough context which will help readers understand even if they aren't familiar with Plath's work.
  Keek's voice is unique, real, snarky at best, making her an instant likeable character. Her problems with her boyfriend, feeling sexually inexperienced yet curious about her own sexuality as well as her family drama make Keek approachable. I couldn't help but feel as if she were in the same room talking to me as I read the book, a trusted friend who is ready to vent and needing a confidant. Not only is she serious, she is also quite funny and quirky, making jokes and even at times sounding delirious from being sick and stuck inside a house with her grandmother, her father living in the basement, and no means to contact the outside world except a land-line phone.
    Arlaina Tibensky's debut novel makes us realize why some of us love to read: to find ourselves somewhere in our favorite characters and books, to know that we aren't alone in our own troubles. Rarely are authors able to make 'stream of conscious' writing successful and not forceful, but Arlaina Tibensky is able to create a world for Keek in which she is given complete freedom to explore every detail nook and cranny about her life. Readers who enjoy character introspection and experimental writing will surely enjoy And Then Things Fall Apart.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language as well as frank discussion about sex. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Pull of Gravity by Gae Polisner or Paper Towns by John Green

  I'm really enjoying the ecclectic titles featured in the Rebecca Caudill list this year. You can find the book list at the Illinois School Library Media Association. This list is basically a reader's choice book award for Grades 4 to 8, which are selected by teachers, librarians, and of course, students. I recently finished The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas.

Description: Conn's life is forever changed when he tries to pick the pocket of the wizard Nevery. Instead of being hit with a strong jolt of magic from attempting to steal the wizard's locus magicalicus (all wizards have to have one that specifically belongs to them), Conn feels nothing. Instead of punishing the boy, Nevery takes Conn under his wing, teaches him magic, and enlists his help in finding the person responsible for stealing the city's dwindling magic supply.

Review: The Magic Thief is an enjoyable, fast paced, fantasy read that is sure to be enjoyed by younger and older elementary students. The book opens with Conn narrating his failed pick pocketing attempt with the wizard Nevery. This one encounter has altered his life for good, especially when Nevery realizes that his locus magicalicus (a stone that represents the wizards power and is only controlled by the rightful owner) doesn't harm Conn like it should. The curious wizard takes pity on the poor thief and employs the Conn as his servant, but the boy’s inquisitiveness and talents move him to apprentice status. Nevery can use all the help that he can get as he Nevery has recently returned to Willmet to save the city-state, which is faltering as its magic seeps away.
  What may seem like an ordinary fantasy book seem new is the smart alek voice of Conn and his amusing relationship with Nevery. We learn very early on that Conn doesn't have a great life as an orphaned, poor, street kid but definitely has the desire, drive, and smarts to rise above his destiny. He is able to view magic with a fresh pair of eyes and use his thieving skills as a way to understand how the magic is used. He is continually surprising his master, who seems to always be a few steps behind. As Conn becomes more enmeshed in his new life, he navigates through the intricate dealings of both the wizarding world and the political machinations of the Underlord.
  Besides Conn, the other wonderful character is Nevery. He is a renowed wizard who is grumpy and has a very dry sense of humor. His voice comes alive with his supplemental journals that alternate between Conn's narration. These journals are Nevery's observations as well as a testament as how he perceives Conn.
  While some of the plot is a bit predictable and a fantasy world that doesn't seem as lively as some of the high fantasy books targeted to the middle grade audience, the voices of the characters stand out and make the book enjoyable and I'm sure they will look forward to reading more of this series as new plot twists are revealed.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 4 to 8.

If you like this book try: Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage, The Wizard of Dark Street by Shawn Thomas Odyssey, The Magic Thief: Lost by Sarah Prineas (The Magic Thief Book 2)