STACKED

books

Double Take, Part XXI

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I made a very similar double take post before, but this one is an exact match.

Dreaming of Amelia by Jaclyn Moriarty will be published April 2010 by MacMillan UK.

Now for the doppelganger:


The Mermaid’s Mirror by L.K. Madigan will be published in October 2010 by Houghton Mifflin (I’m not 100% sure on the publisher on this one, but I’m going to guess it’s the same publisher as her first book Flash Burnout).

I hope someone catches this one. If you remember the double take of The Mark and The Girl with the Mermaid Hair, the publisher changed the cover of The Mark in order to avoid this double take. I ended up liking the new one better, actually.

Which one of these two do you prefer? I like The Mermaid’s Mirror just a little more — it is more realistic and the colors are very cool, where the other one looks a bit cartoonish.

Non-Fiction: Written in Bone – The Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland

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Once in a while you open a book that really surprises you. For me, this was Sally Walker’s absolutely absorbing non-fiction Written in Bone – Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland.

Written in Bone follows a team of archaeologists conducting a couple of digs. First, they dig into an area of Fort James, Virginia, followed by digs in Maryland. The team discusses in detail how the process of choosing sites to dig at works, followed by the methods they employ while preparing for and actually conducting a dig. In addition to the text explaining it, there are multiple pictures on each page to illustrate the processed exactly. At one point, the team unearths a few iron caskets that were sealed shut and it was their goal to try to extract some of the air sealed inside. This air, they believed, would give them an idea of what the air quality was in the 17th century. Besides being really interesting historically, Walker has included a number of photos of the process of identifying where the remains were within the casket, the drilling of the casket, and the extraction of air.

In addition to explaining the processes of a dig, Walker goes into great detail about identifying remains. We learn how scientists can take bones, as well as how they figure out what sort of work they may have done in their lives, whether or not they were wealthy, what their gender was, and even what ethnicity they may have been. Again, the use of illustrations and images illuminate the text. Walker makes a large point in emphasizing that all of these details are put together not only through science, but also through the historical record (which makes the geek in me so excited). I spent more time looking at the photos than reading, making this book one that may be short on words but long on memory and on reading experience.

When I first had heard about this book, I didn’t quite know what to expect. I am pleased with this and found myself really fascinated with what archaeologists do with human remains. I think that this book has a huge appeal, both to those interested in history and science, as well as those interested in the all-too-common “something different.” Oh, and boys will eat this one up! This is a book about people doing something and it gives boys tools to learn with (I mean, there’s also really cool images of skulls and bones, too).

The text is highly readable and the use of images enhanced it. An index, a historical time line of events, and a sizable list of further resources that include both print and web sources also make this a book that can be read and referred to again and again for reports. But what makes this one special is that it’s not just a report book — this is a strong, stand alone non-fiction for teens and adults.

My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent

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I like a good book in a series when I know I don’t have to read the books in order and the back story is loose enough that I get it within a few pages. Rachel Vincent’s My Soul to Save is book #2 in her “Soul Screamers” series and falls into that category.

Kaylee is a bean sidhe (banshee), as is the boy she has a serious crush on, Nash. The story opens with them attending an Eden concert, a well-known pop star, whose show was opened by a local rising talent, Addison Page. When Eden collapses on the stage and Kaylee realizes that her screaming talents didn’t foresee the death, she knows there’s something deeper going on.

You see, Kaylee’s talent as a bean sidhe is screaming when someone is nearing their death. Well, she does when the person who is dying has a soul. It is the soul being released that causes the scream.

Things go from bad to worse when she gets signs that Addison Page will be nearing the end of her short life, as well, and it’s up to Kaylee, Nash, and Tod — Nash’s dead brother who also happens to have paranormal attributes — to figure out what is going on and how they can stall the inevitable death of Addison and her younger sister Regan.

My Soul to Save is way outside my normal reading habits, and I didn’t find myself hating it as much as I’d expect. I think that Vincent does a good job of world building and she shares enough back story of each character to make them make sense to someone who doesn’t read much of this genre. There is a nice mix of adventure, mystery, and romance to make the story move along quickly, and the scenario is pretty interesting, given what Kaylee and company come to learn about why Eden died and why Addison and Regan are about to die, as well. There’s actually quite a bit of reality to this.

What I didn’t like, though, was the sudden game change in the last couple of chapters in the book. New rules were introduced and it really killed the action that had been going on throughout, and it also made me question if Vincent didn’t know how to tie up the story. Again, reading with eyes of a person unfamiliar with the paranormal genre, I felt teased and ripped off a bit by the end. It could have been stronger, more consistent with the text, and left me feeling excited to read the other titles in this series. Instead, I felt cheated and am not entirely compelled to read more.

My Soul to Save is published by Harlequin, so you can expect some of their trademark embedded in the book. I thought it was tastefully done, and I thought it was woven well into the story line. Two teens have a realistic crush relationship, where it is part of their lives and not the entirety of their lives (I mean, tracking down the reason pop stars are dying DOES take up a little time in one’s day).

Overall, it’s a nice addition to the genre. For fans of the new Harlequin Teen line, this is a good one, and for those who read the prior title in this series, My Soul to Take, this will be a natural choice. I thought the standalone qualities made this a book that stands out just a little more from others. But, don’t expect great writing and prepare to feel fleeced at the end.

Lockdown by Walter Dean Myers

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Let me make an admission: I’ve never read a Walter Dean Myers book. So, I took a stab and read outside my comfort level on this one.

Reese is living in Promises — a juvenile detention facility — for committing the crime of stealing prescription pads from doctors and aided in the acquisition of drug deals. Since he’s been a good inmate, he’s given the opportunity to take a part-time job at Evergreen, which is a home for the elderly. The job is a privilege and gives him both freedom from his place in jail, and it is meant to teach him responsibility, obedience, and respect for himself and others. It is here he meets Mr. Hooft, an elderly gentleman who has a tremendous impact on Reese’s beliefs about who he is and who he can become.

Of course, it’s not that simple. About half way through the story, there is a big bomb dropped upon Reese, who has been getting himself in trouble trying to defend some of his buddies. When this arises, it is Reese who must decide what is important to him and how he can get himself out of Promises into a fulfilling life for himself and Icy — the sister he adores.

Lockdown was exceptionally well written, and the character development kept me wanting more. Although this won’t rank as one of my favorite reads, primarily because it focused on a topic I’m unfamiliar with and don’t typically seek out, this is a book that has definite appeal to many audiences.

One of the real challenges I had was with the secondary characters: I could not distinguish among the various juvenile inmates nor the adults in Reese’s life. I found that Reese himself was very well developed, and his sister Icy had a unique and memorable voice. Likewise, Mr. Hooft kept me coming back as a reader, as I felt the story he told Reese about his time in and immediately after the Vietnam War drew great parallels to Reese’s own challenges with keeping on the right side of the law.

Myers writes to impart a lesson, but I felt throughout the entirety of Lockdown that I was not bring preached at. I’m not the real audience for this title, but even the target group will not feel they’re being told how to be or act. Instead, the lessons are weaved well enough into action and actual story telling that they feel part of the plot rather than the entire plot itself.

If you’re looking for a book for a boy who lives on the fringes, has found himself in trouble before, or seems generally lost, this is an excellent choice. Likewise, this is a book that will appeal to both boys and girls and would make a perfect discussion title. Myers has certainly carved himself a niche in the young adult world, and he will have staying power.

Lockdown will be published February 2.

AudioSynced: A Tale of Two Audio books

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In trying to catch up on many wonderful books I haven’t had time to read yet, I’ve been listening to audiobooks more frequently — although I’m not new to them, I’ve been making an effort to really listen to them in order to better hone my sense of what makes an audiobook great and what, well, doesn’t. As you may recall, I’ve covered the basics of audiobooks.

Last week, I finished two very different audiobooks, and they were certainly a study in contrasts. Sarah Dessen’s Along for the Ride was named an Amazing Audiobook for Teens this year from the American Library Association, and it was an enjoyable, though lengthy, audio to sink into for a while. Rachel Botchan narrates the entire book, but she does shift her voice for a few of the main characters — a semi-voiced performance. As the ALA committee mentions, the entire book feels like Auden, the main character, is sitting you down in a coffee shop and sharing with you the details of the summer before she went to college. It is very easy to sit back and listen, and since it’s a classic Dessen-esque book, there’s not too much that happens that requires paying too much attention to details, as they are easily drawn, developed, and enveloping. I found myself drifting into and out of paying attention to the story, but I had no problems falling back into the narrative. Botchan is very even in her performance, and I didn’t have any issues with her narration changing, her tone shifting, nor did I find myself hearing any vocal slips (breathing, swallowing, or other unfortunate sounds).

Unfortunately for this audio, I was quite disappointed in the editing. Many times throughout the story, I found it quite obvious where recording sessions were cut, spliced together, or otherwise pieced together to develop a cohesive audiobook. Although I’m not very seasoned in editing techniques, for me it was obvious when sound qualities would change, moving from an even sound to suddenly becoming quieter or louder. I felt the production could have been strengthened a bit, especially with such a good narrator and compelling story.

My other qualm with the audio of this title was that I never quite felt Botchan’s voice really matched Auden. Botchan sounded older and wiser than Auden, and while Auden always acted and felt older than 17, if the story were meant to sound like a reflection of a summer, given the growth and changes Auden has over that summer, I wouldn’t have wanted such a wise, intellectual, and almost snooty voice for the narration. I wish she could have sounded a bit younger or a bit less bookish — perhaps a bit more like Esther did (where Botchan did a fantastic job with a very memorable voice and character). On the plus side, her depiction of a Carolina accent was spot on without being over done or under done; rather, it was recognizable enough to better set the scene.

Contrasting Along for the Ride with the second title I listened to this week, and it’s clear that audiobooks really fall on a spectrum of listening experiences. My coworker suggested I listen to Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. She hadn’t listened to it, but read it, so she couldn’t speak to the quality of listening to it, but with a strong story line, I felt this would be a good bet.

I didn’t check the reader prior to popping in the first disc, but when I heard a very familiar voice, I was suddenly VERY excited to listen. Joel Johnston is the reader on Sonnenblick’s well-known middle grade novel; if the name’s not familiar to you immediately, he is also the reader on Gary Schmidt’s The Wednesday Wars and Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why. His voice is the quintessential young teen boy — perfectly wavering on the border of childhood and full-blown adolescence, with just enough innocence and experience to be utterly believable and charming.

Like Along for the Ride, Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie is semi-voiced, so just a few of the main characters have distinct voices throughout. Fortunately, this title features relatively few characters, and instead, the focus is on Steven and Jeffrey, a pair of brothers who will be experiencing a very challenging disease – one on the experiencing as victim side and one on the experiencing as brother side. It is a short audiobook at four discs at about an hour each, but the span of the story fits perfectly within those four hours.

With any book on audio, something that is essential is pacing. As I mentioned before, Botchan is very even in her performance of Dessen’s title, and it works there. Johnstone, however, has a way of pacing in his audio titles that allows him silent space. At critical moments, and even at moments where it is clear that a character would be pausing or thinking or needing a little breathing space, Johnstone gives those silences in his performance. In doing so, I never once felt myself drift away from the story; instead, he builds in space for the listener to step back for a moment or two and, well, “space out.”

Likewise, there are absolutely no quality or production issues in this book. If you’re a little unsure about these issues in audiobooks, think about it this way: if it feels like the reader never once stepped away from recording, then it was well produced. If during listening it becomes clear it was recorded over more than one session, then the editing could have been tightened. In Sonnenblick’s title, I felt like Johnstone was so in love with the story he was sharing that he never once stepped away.

One pet peeve of both of these titles is something that I have not experienced once during my current listening of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline: CD breaks. In both Dessen’s title and Sonnenblick’s title, there is never an indication when the disc ends; instead, the reader must pay close enough attention to know they’re listening to the same material again or have a good disc player that tells them their track has gone back to the start. Because I only listen to audiobooks in the car, this is frustrating, as then I am often not prepared with the next disc immediately. Productions like Coraline, on the other hand, incorporate music at the beginning and termination of a disc, making is very easy to know when it’s time to switch.

Next week, I plan on venturing into the world of non-fiction on audio. I haven’t tried that land yet, and I suspect that the narrator is going to be the absolute key on making the book work on audio. There are some fictional titles that have really terrible readers (I’m looking at Susan Beth Pfeffer’s The Dead and the Gone, where the narrator is way too old and way too flat voiced and emotionless) but the story is compelling enough to make you keep listening.

Have you listened to any of these titles? Any thoughts?
Have you listened to any others on audio that you either absolutely loved or hated? I’m building a nice sized “to listen” list, so I’d love your suggestions.