STACKED

books

The Snowball Effect by Holly Nicole Hoxter

|

The premise sounded perfect to me: a blue-collar town with a working class family struggling with a lot of tough issues. There’s romance, there’s drama, and what promised to be an intriguing road trip to turn things around. Your classic teen coming-of-age novel with a character you know will resonate with a lot of teens, The Snowball Effect is Holly Nicole Hoxter’s debut novel. But as much as 18-year-old Lainey Pike will be the person teens are drawn to, the situations in which she finds herself may ask a lot of your teen readers who are growing up reading the characters and situations of Sarah Dessen, Elizabeth Scott, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti.

Lainey’s mother has killed herself, and Lainey now finds herself with her adoptive special needs brother Collin and a lot of hurt and anger. While it’s true she’s angry at her mother for what she did, she’s more angry that this is not the first thing she’s done to disappoint: Lainey’s mom had been irresponsible forever and had caused a lot of mental anguish for her teen daughter…and the daughter who has essentially left the family to find herself in other parts of the country. But it’s that death that ends up bringing Vallery back to the family.

In the midst of this, Lainey begins to feel distanced from her long time boyfriend and mega hottie Riley. Actually, never once is he referred to as mega hottie, but for all intents and purposes, that’s how I see him. He’s into cars and sports, so let’s go with it. When she’s feeling this distance, Lainey runs into a guy by accident — Eric — and as you will probably guess, they begin to find themselves liking each other a lot. There’s a metaphor in the book about different flavored snowballs that speaks to the issues within the book, but I mostly found myself really angry that Lainey was so into herself and situation to think that snowballs only existed in the Baltimore area. Actually, they began in New Orleans and are alive and well in Texas. I digress.

Hoxter’s story focuses on the importance of cultivating relationships and letting past transgressions live in the past. I think a lot of what she says in her story is important and I think it’s done in a way that will not be like hitting a reader over the head. Rather, it settles at the end of the story.

That said, I did not find myself liking any of the characters. Although I read a number of reviews that Lainey is actually a great representation of people who have dealt with a lot of tragedy in their young lives, I felt like the other characters needed a lot more development. Vallery, who was supposed to be the older, wiser, and “motherly” sister in the situation, ends up getting very childish in the story, and not just because of the situational issues. Instead, I found she was written much more like Lainey’s friend than sister, and it never worked. And Collin’s role in the story just irritated me: I wanted him to disappear since he was clutter. While this works in the context for understanding what makes Lainey’s life tough perfectly, I felt like Lainey was developed strongly enough on her own that it was really unnecessary.

Riley and Eric were kind of one and the same to me, but this is not anything totally different from most books of this ilk. Riley does sweet things to win Lainey back at the end, and I did remember what his life’s interests were, so maybe he was a little stronger than Eric, who sold magazines and ate slurpees (or snowballs, but don’t get me started).

But here’s the kicker: I felt the entire last 1/3 of the book was not well developed or as coherent as the first 2/3. I thought the beginning slogged along a bit as we got to learn Lainey’s life situation, but this pacing was very important to the story. When we get to the road trip — another point of Vallery’s status as friend rather than caretaker/older, wiser person (which she states she is when she relocates to be with Lainey) — it just felt sloppy. Collin was kind of a prop here, and it was all too convenient that the road trip was to Orlando, where Lainey could conveniently meet up with her relatives. I just wish this were longer or were done differently. I think a lot of readers will find it to be too convenient a way to wrap up the story that is so clearly about difficulty.

The Snowball Effect may not have been my favorite read, but it was done well and was one of the stronger debuts I’ve read this year. I think that Hoxter may have found an interesting niche, too, by focusing on the working class lifestyle. Think about your standard realistic fiction fare: they’re almost all middle class or wealthier characters who never have to worry about a next pay check. Sure, the family lives are unstable and that is something to take with consideration, but I can’t remember the last time I read a story where the socioeconomics were so different. Most of the time it’s actually not even brought up, so to have it come up is refreshing. I work in an very blue collar area, and I believe these are the sorts of stories my kids could really, really relate to (and what do I know – the moments I felt were moments I needed to suspend my belief may be completely real to this audience). Again, the readalikes are easy to suggest. Call it the mega hottie effect.

AudioSynced: Thrillers!

|

One of my goals this year is to read every title on our state high school awards lists, the Lincoln List and the Read for a Lifetime list. I’ve read a healthy number, but certainly not all, so I set in to listen to one on audio I thought I’d have a hard time digging into in print form: Harlan Coben’s Hold Tight. Coben is a very popular author of thriller-mysteries, which is exactly what this title was. And if you know anything about me, it’s not really my genre. But thanks to a fantastic audiobook, I quite enjoyed it and would certainly go back for more.

After the suicide of his friend, Spencer Hill, Adam Baye has become more and more distant. Rather than handle it idly and face the potential same consequences as Spencer’s parents, Mike and Tia Baye — Adam’s parents — choose to install spying software on their son’s computer. They never thought of themselves as the type to distrust their son, but they didn’t want to take any chances here, either. A suspicious message appears a few days after the software is installed that worries his parents and prompts them to take action.

Oh, and Adam has now gone missing.

As any parent trying to put together the pieces in the death of her son, Betsy begins to seek an answer through Spencer’s networks. In browsing online, she stumbles into an online memorial set up by his friends; it is here she finds a photo taken the day Spencer killed himself. Adam may be in the photo, too, but it’s a little hazy and she knows she needs to talk with Adam to find out more. It is clear he had something to do with this.

Hold Tight weaves together many family lives into a fast paced story that never once left me a bored listener. I felt for the Hill family, but at the same time, the actions of Betsy left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I was at once able to sympathize and understand the Baye family’s spying decisions, but when things really get rolling and the mystery began to unravel, I got angry with them. It was too little too late and a clear violation of privacy.

What Coben does in his book that just worked so well for me was building characters you both love and hate at the same time. As a listener, I was able to hold contradictory thoughts about these characters and even with the story was over, I still feel the same way. Not only that, but Coben’s magic is developing a large number of plot lines and keep consistently interesting characters; he manages, of course, to make them work together in the end, but throughout the experience, I kept trying to anticipate how things would merge and it was never as expected. A true thriller.

Listening to this book was the right way go to. Scott Brick narrates much like you’d imagine a 40s radio broadcaster to read — there is mystery, a little jazz lilt, and a feeling like you’re in that smoky bar getting the facts first hand. He gives a semi-voiced reading, though the semi is very true: only a couple female characters have a different sound to their narration. It never feels weird nor do the transitions ever get confusing. I quite preferred this stripped down audio production, as it let the story tell itself. Brick didn’t need to make the story; he just delivered it. The sound and editing were consistent and seamless.

Hold Tight definitely will appeal to fans of thrillers and mysteries, but I think people who aren’t connoisseurs of those genres will find a lot to like here. There’s great writing, strong and interesting characters, and a lot of ethical issues with which to grapple. I never felt this got overly dramatic or stretched on too long. Quite frankly, when I got to disc 9 of 10, I really was concerned the story wouldn’t wrap up and I’d need to quickly seek out the second book in the series. Luckily, I was proven wrong. This is a standalone, powerhouse of a story.

As far as being on the state list for teens, I think this will be a big boy hit. But it might be a hard sell to many readers. I’d find it difficult to recommend this title to a teen I didn’t know well because there is a lot of violence, a lot of adult situations, and more that wouldn’t make me too comfortable to blindly recommend. For the older teen boys, though, those might be the exact reasons this will be an easy sell (not to mention Adam and Spencer are 16 or 17) and the bonus is that Coben’s written quite a few more books in the genre. Love one, look for more, right?

The Line by Teri Hall

|

Any reader or librarian can tell you that after paranormal fiction, the second most popular style of book to be published in the last few years is the dystopian novel. We can thank books like The Hunger Games for that trend.

But like any genre, there are some hits and plenty of misses. For me, The Line straddles the line there. For me as a reader, I was never once convinced and I had some other gripes, but for the upper elementary age audience, this might work quite well.

Rachel and her mother live on The Property, which is owned by Ms. Moore who runs a greenhouse in the backyard. The Property is close to The Line: a border which is meant to keep the Others in Away. That is, it protects citizens of the United States and detracts those from outside from ever venturing in. The US had been attacked from the outside before and this was its means of having total control of borders and of its citizens.

Rachel, being young — age never given — is curious and wants to explore. As she does more and more research through their version of the internet on this so-called Away place, she wants to see it for herself. But her mother Vivian will make this difficult by reminding her of her deceased father, the hierarchy of society in the US, and ultimately the story of why they are living on The Property.

But will Rachel listen to her mother or will she take her fate and curiosity into her own hands?

The Line has a premise and a conspiracy element to it that spoke well to me, but ultimately, I found that Hall’s writing relied far too heavily on telling me, rather than showing me, about this dystopia. Never once did I feel like I saw or discovered anything for myself as a reader. Instead, I was hand-held through explanations from Rachel’s mother and Ms. Vivian about this world and why things are the way they are. I was a total outsider and had to put my trust into their versions of the history, and never once was I convinced. But I had to be because there was no other way. It was a bit alienating and off-putting, so I never found myself wanting to care about Rachel, her mother, or Ms. Moore. It never mattered because it would just be explained away in a few pages.

Tension in the book never happened, again as a result of the telling-rather-than-showing writing employed. When we are introduced to a new set of characters about 2/3 of the way through the book, it was jolting, but I never found myself really wanting to know more about them. Rachel did, but since I was so removed from Rachel, well, you get the idea.

The language and writing in the book itself is simplistic, and Rachel seems to be very young. I believe this is the sort of book that would appeal to the crowds reading Lois Lowry’s The Giver, rather than the crowds reading The Hunger Games. I mean that in terms of age, not necessarily interest. This is a good thing, as this isn’t a bad book. It just doesn’t work particularly well for those expecting something akin to other well-known dystopian reads, as older and wider readers likely are. But I must also interject here that those younger readers may find themselves boggled with the political issues that arise in the story; they may not be mature enough to understand some of it.

Since The Line is the first in this series, I think that might have huge appeal for the younger readers, too. There’s a lot that’s laid out in book one that lends itself to plenty of opportunity for future volumes. I’m half wondering if this is the sort of book that requires reading all of the volumes at once to get a real appreciation for the story and style; it could be the case that Hall purposely makes the first book a tell-rather-than-show so she can pull a cord and switch the course in the next book. Time will tell.

I’m waiting on a number of loose ends, including the greater purpose and meaning of the green house on The Property in the next story. Rachel is forced to be a sort of apprentice in it, making her a god-like character. I anticipate this to play a large role in the next book, and it is certainly something I am eager to read more about.

Although certainly not my favorite book and though it has a number of faults, I do plan on picking up the second book when it pubs. I wish this volume would have been a one-off, with more depth and development that I’m anticipating in the next one, but because of what seems to be the intended audience (young readers), maybe this is a better route.

This Gorgeous Game by Donna Freitas

|

It’s not too often you come across a book that you read and wonder why no one has ever broached the topic before. For me, Donna Freitas (author of the fantastic Possibilities of Sainthood) has done that in her forthcoming title This Gorgeous Game.

Olivia is a good girl, who attends Catholic school. She and her family are devout, and they have deep respect for Father Mark, one of the most well-known and admired members of their church/school community. Father Mark is quite well known as a writer, and it’s through his first annual student writing contest that Olivia has the opportunity to be mentored by him and take one of his much sought-after college writing courses. For Olivia, it’s initially a dream come true.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t go as it should. Instead, Father Mark has begun to ask a lot of Olivia. He wants her to meet him at a bar to talk about writing, and he begins to call her, text her, and show up in the places she’s known to frequent. Olivia keeps being told she needs to give up her friendships and hobbies if she wants to be taken seriously as a writer and scholar, but what is truly terrifying to Olivia is the lengths Father Mark goes to get her alone with him.

This Gorgeous Game refers to the title of a manuscript that Father Mark has written. The story? It’s the story of an older man falling madly in love with a younger girl. This is when Olivia knows she needs to do something.

Freitas weaves a fantastic story of power abuse, both in the sense of an older man taking advantage of a younger girl and in the sense of a man of power within the church using that status to behave inappropriately. This book never once steps into sexual abuse, which is perhaps what makes it most terrifying and realistic. Instead, Olivia is constantly at war with what to do because she has no hard and fast evidence of Father Mark’s creepo habits. In the moments that she tries to talk to her mother and her sister Greenie, she’s brushed off because they are of the belief Olivia has an incredible opportunity to work with such a revered man, and since she is young, she doesn’t quite gasp that honor yet.

A very sweet romance emerges in this story between Olivia and a boy her age, too, and it is him who ultimately helps her speak out. There’s a bit of obvious symbolism within this itself, but it never once felt overworked. Rather, I think it is quite a service because it will give some readers of this book so much more to dig into. Although this book is not one I’d label Christian or Spiritual fiction by any means, the clean story, the symbolism, and the important messages are going to resonate with readers of those genres. Readers of realistic fiction or coming-of-age stories will find this a worthwhile and memorable read.

Quite frankly, this is a story I will not forget for a long time. I’ve read a lot lately that won’t stick with me, but This Gorgeous Game will: the story line, the characters, and the issues at stake here are all done expertly and without being overworked. Freitas keeps the story short and does not venture into a wham-bam ending. It’s a quite ending perfectly suited to the story.

This Gorgeous Game will appeal to fans of Laurie Halse Anderson, Dirty Little Secrets by C. J. Omololu, and Nancy Werlin’s Rules of Survival. This is a book that would work well in a book club, both at the teen and the adult level. It will tug at your emotions, as Olivia is a very sympathetic and utterly innocent character. As soon as I finished this title, I wanted to talk to someone about it; it begs to be discussed.

Donna Freitas, without question, has skyrocketed to the top of my favorite authors list. Her writing is fluid and lucid, meticulous and well-plotted. The adults, aside from Father Mark, are not bad people in the story either. Instead, it is another adult within the Catholic school that becomes Olivia’s confidant. I read other reviews suggesting that characters like Olivia’s mother were unrealistic, but I disagree wholeheartedly. I believe her mother and her sister are “star struck” in a manner that is all-too-common, and that the situation as a whole is terrifyingly realistic….and timely.

This Gorgeous Game will publish May 25 by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

*Review copy acquired at PLA.

The Daughters by Joanna Philbin

|

The wonderful people at Little Brown send great books to review. They made me paranoid this week, though, as two days after posting my comments about the publicity for Joanna Philbin’s The Daughters, I not only received it for review, but I received the sequel for review, as well.

The Daughters is a debut by Joanna Philbin, daughter of Regis Philbin and the book itself seems written from some experience — this story follows three girls, Lizzie, Carina, and Hudson, who are all themselves daughters of famous celebrities. In particular, we get the story from Lizzie’s perspective as she deals with growing up with a world-famously beautiful model of a mother, Katia.

The girls are 14 and attend an elite high school, where all attendees are someone or are related to someone. When the school year begins, Lizzie runs into Todd — a boy she had befriended many years before he moved to England with his family — and he has moved back to New York City and will be attending school. Of course, romance blooms and fades, and we watch as Lizzie chases the boy and he chases her back. Will they end up together?

But this is more than a boy-and-girl-love-story. Lizzie has an opportunity to become famous herself through “ugly modeling,” since she has none of the looks of her mother. She forges permission from her mother, and her career begins skyrocketing before she can blink. It’s not what she imagined, and when she has to lie and cheat to maintain the lifestyle, she knows that it isn’t going to be good. That, and the fact that the world famous designer who wants to use her criticizes her for not being a size 2 or size 4.

The Daughters is incredibly clean: I don’t remember a single moment of swearing, and I believe that maybe there was a kiss discussed in the book. There are mean girls, a la books like The Clique, which makes me believe this will be a good sell to fans of that series.

What really bothered me throughout the book was that these girls were way too mature for 14-year-olds. Quite frankly, they were written as 17-year-olds and a lot of what happened required suspending a lot of disbelief — at one point, Lizzie leaves school in the middle of the day because her mom sent her a text message that she was in trouble and needed to be scolded and then she just returns to class. Weird. This required me suspending my reality quite a bit to let the stretches work. I didn’t want to give up the characters, either, so I let a lot slide by my reality radar.

But let me back up here a second, too. That will be the total appeal factor for the intended audience here. This book is perfect for the 12-13-14-year-olds. They are at the age they believe they are a lot older and more mature than they are, and I believe Lizzie and her crew are actually really good role models. They act too old, too, but there are consequences for their actions. This is sort of the realistic-fantasy that the age group likes to read about, and so I can see this working really well. Likewise, it’s the sort of book I wouldn’t have problems recommending since it is clean, the girls are mostly likeable despite their flaws, and parents won’t have a problem with what goes on. Sure, there are a lot of parties, but never once is there alcohol or any bad behavior at the parties; in fact, I don’t believe we ever hear what happens at them except that they happen.

Since there is at least one sequel, this is also appealing because fans will have more than one story to enjoy. And let’s be honest: the writer, daughter of a respected celebrity, is parent-friendly, too.

On a totally superficial level, another huge draw for this title will be the cover. It is so reminiscent of older books like The Nanny Diaries and will again appeal to the fantasy 12-14-year-old-girls will love. The New York setting, the technology-saturated worlds, and even the dialog will fulfill their fantasies without giving them wrong ideas.

Ms. Philbin, thank you. This was not MY favorite book nor the strongest written, but this will fill a nice niche. I suspect many parents will also be thanking you soon enough, not to mention the girls who will thank you for a positive story that combines clique aspects, body-positive aspects, technology, and the lure/drawbacks of fame and fortune. Here’s hoping that the second book meets these same high expectations.

*Review copy from publisher.