#BookReview of Yes, No, Maybe So by Becky Albertalli & Aisha Said #atozchallenge

Set during a local election campaign, this is a cross-race, cross-religious romance with a strong political message.  Jamie is a shy, socially anxious guy who struggles to speak to strangers.  Forget about speaking in public.  So he's perfectly happy to be behind the scenes for his state senator's election campaign, stuffing envelopes, fetching coffee or whatever.  But everything changes when he's paired up with Maya to go canvassing door to door.

Maya isn't having a great summer.  Her parents are separating and her best friend is so busy working and preparing to go to college she seems to have forgotten she even has a best friend. Maya's mother suggests getting involved with the campaign might give her days some purpose and Maya grudgingly agrees even if it does mean hanging out with a childhood friend she hasn't seen in years.

As Jamie and Maya get more deeply involved in the campaign and what it means to them and the people around them, they realize that they have more in common than they might have thought.  The more time they spend together, the more they enjoy each other's company.  But no romance runs smoothly and things get more complicated when one person is Jewish American and the other is from an Indian Muslim background.

I enjoyed this book.  It was light and fun and Jamie was so adorably inept.  Yet under all the frothy romance there was some strong messaging about hate speech, politics and speaking up for what you believe in.  There was also some messaging around the power of social media to invoke change (and, as usual, create chaos for our happy couple).

I believe strongly that everyone who has the right to vote, should vote.  People have no right to complain about the political situation they're in if they didn't use their right to vote, even if their candidate didn't win.  Yet I felt this message was pushed a little too hard through this book.  The political campaign wasn't just the background for the romance at the forefront of the book, it felt like the reason for the book.  Like the authors were really, really intent on getting their political message across, at any cost.

Now I'm all for messages in books and for books to teach readers things, but I hate it when I feel like an author is bashing me over the head with their ideology.  Even if I'm on the same page as them.  So I didn't love this book as much as I wanted to.

But don't just listen to me.  Here's the blurb:

New York Times bestselling authors Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed have crafted a resonant, funny, and memorable story about the power of love and resistance.

YES
Jamie Goldberg is cool with volunteering for his local state senate candidate—as long as he’s behind the scenes. When it comes to speaking to strangers (or, let’s face it, speaking at allto almost anyone), Jamie’s a choke artist. There’s no way he’d ever knock on doors to ask people for their votes…until he meets Maya.

NO
Maya Rehman’s having the worst Ramadan ever. Her best friend is too busy to hang out, her summer trip is canceled, and now her parents are separating. Why her mother thinks the solution to her problems is political canvassing—with some awkward dude she hardly knows—is beyond her.

MAYBE SO
Going door to door isn’t exactly glamorous, but maybe it’s not the worst thing in the world. After all, the polls are getting closer—and so are Maya and Jamie. Mastering local activism is one thing. Navigating the cross-cultural romance of the century is another thing entirely.

#BookReview of Stick by Andrew Smith #atozchallenge

I've been a huge fan of Andrew Smith since I read Ghost Medicine, and I thought I'd read all his books.  So it was a surprise to discover this one I'd never heard of before.  So I quickly snapped it up for my Kindle and dove right in.

Stark (or Stick as he gets called because of his height) is fourteen and was born missing an ear.  Years of bullying about it have made him self-conscious about it so he rarely leaves the house without a hat.  His older brother Bosten does his best to protect Stick, but he can't be there all the time. And even if he can stave off the school bullies, there's no way he can keep Stick (and himself) safe from the abuse at home.

Luckily both Bosten and Stick have good friends with families who embrace them - Stick with Emily and Bosten with Paul 'Buck" Buckley.  But as they get older, the friendships turn into something more.  Stick discovers he likes kissing Emily and when her parents are out of the house, sharing a bath.

When Stick comes across Bosten and Paul kissing in the woods and realizes Bosten is gay, he knows this isn't going to go down well at home.  So he keeps Bosten's secret.  But Bosten's secret is exposed anyway, and the only way Bosten can stay safe is to leave home.

Unable to feel safe or whole without Bosten, Stick leaves too, unsure where Bosten is, but suspecting he may have gone to their aunt's, the one place they felt loved and accepted for who they are.  On the way Stick finds good people who genuinely seem to care about him and his well-being, and others who do terrible things.

Despite the challenges - some of them terrifying - Stick keeps going, certain that he'll find his brother and the safe, loving home he knows he deserves.

I loved this book.  Stick was such an endearing character and the relationship between him and Bosten was beautifully realized.  It was clear that the pair of them had stuck together through all kinds of indignities and horrors meted out by their parents.

The contrasts between their home with its rules and petty demands and the homes of their friends and most particularly their aunt were well drawn, and Stick's amazement as the differences felt very real.

There are some very obvious parallels between this book and my own Standing Too Close, so that may be why I responded so much to it (and hello, new comp title!)

But that aside, this is a powerfully emotional story with a spunky central character with a raw, real voice.  I definitely recommend it.

But don't just listen to me.  Here's the blurb:

Fourteen-year-old Stark McClellan (nicknamed Stick because he’s tall and thin) is bullied for being “deformed” – he was born with only one ear. His older brother Bosten is always there to defend Stick. But the boys can’t defend one another from their abusive parents.

When Stick realizes Bosten is gay, he knows that to survive his father's anger, Bosten must leave home. Stick has to find his brother, or he will never feel whole again. In his search, he will encounter good people, bad people, and people who are simply indifferent to kids from the wrong side of the tracks. But he never loses hope of finding love – and his brother.

#BookReview of Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D Jackson #atozchallenge

 

 

Here at Operation Awesome we don't usually review books, but for this year's #atozchallenge we decided to focus on the books we love to read instead of our usual mission - helping authors navigate their writing and publishing journey.  I'm delighted to be able to share this review of a book by one of my all time favourite authors.

 

I loved this book.  It was one of those stories I picked up to read a few chapters in the morning, and didn't put down until I had read the whole thing. It's about friendship and loyalty and deception and delusion and unfolds so delicately that the ending is a complete surprise.

Claudia and Monday have been best friends forever, so when Monday doesn't show up on the first day of school, Claudia is concerned.  As the days pass, with no sign of Monday, she becomes increasingly worried.  Especially since she can't seem to get her on the phone either.

Claudia has always depended on Monday, to champion her, to help with her schoolwork, and to run off the bullies who torment her.  Yet she remains gone.  And Claudia's mother doesn't seem as concerned about it as she should be, considering Monday practically lived in Claudia's room for years.

And April, Monday's sister, isn't any help either.

As Claudia searches for answers to her friend's disappearance, it becomes clear that no one can really remember when they last saw Monday.  Or where.  It's like she's vanished through a crack in the space-time continuum and left no trace behind her.

This book was real and raw and compelling.  The MC is flawed and has her own, real issues and problems to suffer through.  Her parents are protective and struggling with their own problems.  They are hard-working people who want the best for their daughter.  They stay in touch with their roots even as they forge their way to a better life and social class.

The ending was devastating, but I won't go into that here lest I ruin the book for you.  Just know that it's a complete surprise without feeling like it has come out of nowhere.  Once it has been revealed, the clues are all there through the rest of the story.  I'm almost tempted to re-read, just so I can enjoy those moments.

Highly recommended!

But you don't have to trust me.  Here's the blurb:

Monday Charles is missing, and only Claudia seems to notice. Claudia and Monday have always been inseparable—more sisters than friends. So when Monday doesn’t turn up for the first day of school, Claudia’s worried. When she doesn’t show for the second day, or second week, Claudia knows that something is wrong. Monday wouldn’t just leave her to endure tests and bullies alone. Not after last year’s rumors and not with her grades on the line. Now Claudia needs her best—and only—friend more than ever. But Monday’s mother refuses to give Claudia a straight answer, and Monday’s sister April is even less help.

As Claudia digs deeper into her friend’s disappearance, she discovers that no one seems to remember the last time they saw Monday. How can a teenage girl just vanish without anyone noticing that she’s gone?

#BookReview of Across A Broken Shore by Amy Trueblood #atozchallenge

For the #atozchallenge this year Operation Awesome are doing book reviews of some of our favourite books!  I'm excited to have the letter A to to be able to review a book from a former Operation Awesome member whose name also starts with A!

I really enjoyed this book about a young woman defying her family's expectations and pursuing a career in medicine instead of going to the convent to become a nun.  Willa is a feisty heroine and the Depression-era setting is an interesting one, even if the desperation of that time doesn't always cut through.  The building of the Golden Gate Bridge and the dangers the men faced on it are well researched and described, as is the prejudice women doctors experienced.

At times I felt Willa's thoughts were repetitive and I got a little tired of hearing her bang on about how disappointed her family would be if she didn't go to the convent, and how she owed it to them because it was her fault her sister died before she had a chance to live.  But that's actually realistic, because who doesn't go over painful things in one's head over and over again?

As owners of a pub, Willa's family - large as it was - didn't not appear to be suffering as much from the depression as others, like the people living in the Hooverville camp near the beach.  I felt the book could have delved more deeply into the hardships of the Depression; there was never any real sense of desperation from any of the characters, even those living in the camp whose circumstances were desperate.  Perhaps Willa could see it, empathize with it, but not really understand it.

Overall, I enjoyed this one and would recommend it to anyone who likes historical settings and female characters bucking the expectations of the time.

But don't just listen to me.  Here's the blurb:

The last thing eighteen-year-old Wilhelmina “Willa” MacCarthy wants is to be a nun. It’s 1936, and as the only daughter amongst four sons, her Irish–Catholic family is counting on her to take her vows—but Willa’s found another calling. Each day she sneaks away to help Doctor Katherine Winston in her medical clinic in San Francisco’s Richmond District.

Keeping secrets from her family only becomes more complicated when Willa agrees to help the doctor at a field hospital near the new bridge being built over the Golden Gate. Willa thinks she can handle her new chaotic life, but as she draws closer to a dashing young ironworker and risks grow at the bridge, she discovers that hiding from what she truly wants may be her biggest lie of all.

Q: What Are You Reading? A: Young Adult Fantasy

 

So you want to write Young Adult Fantasy? It’s time to read some! But what stories are considered Fantasy? According to StoryGrid, Fantasy should have the reader suspend disbelief when encountering an imaginative world has a protagonist negotiating a core event or controlling idea, particularly with combining fantasy with other genres like thriller or horror. Check StoryGrid for more information.

 

What stories are considered young adult? Some resources are available about the differences between adult fiction and young adult fiction. Check them out here, here, and here.

 

Some examples of Young Adult Fantasy are An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir, Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo, Sabriel by Garth Nix, and We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal. Check out a list of more Young Adult Fantasy titles here, here, and here. Personally, I love everything by Sabaa Tahir and Leigh Bardugo.

 

Upcoming Young Adult Fantasy titles can be found here, here, and here.

 

Check out OA’s recent blog posts on how you can support #WeNeedDiverseBooks

Authors and Videos of Support #WeNeedDiverseBooks 

Support Black Lives Matter

 

This blog post is part of a series called Q: What Are You Reading? by Suzanna Anderson on Operation Awesome. Please note that this book list is not comprehensive. This list is a starting point, an introduction to Young Adult Fantasy titles. Suzanna reads a book and usually finds at least ten more books to read. Use this list as inspiration to check out titles at your local library, support your local bookstores with purchases, or wherever you get your books. Please do read, share, and write reviews (if you want to). Comment below what you’ve read and what you’re excited to read next!

 

What are you reading?

Q: What Are You Reading? A: Young Adult Horror

(Image Source)

So you want to write young adult horror? It’s time to read some! But what stories are considered horror? According to StoryGrid, horror is an allegory for the “horrific world we presently or could soon inhabit. It serves as a prescriptive or cautionary tale about how to best metabolize our darkest fears and survive.” Horror stories can also have a single protagonist or multiple characters in a mini-plot structure. There are impossible odds and possibly monsters. Check StoryGrid for more information.

What stories are considered young adult? Some resources are available about the differences between adult fiction and young adult fiction. Check them out here, here, and here.

Some examples are Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake, Slasher Girls & Monster Boys by April Genevieve Tucholke, Undead Girl Gang by Lilly Anderson, Shutter by Courtney Alameda, Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler, and Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake. Check out a list of more young adult horror titles here, here, and here.

Upcoming young adult horror titles can be found here, here, and here.

Check out OA’s recent blog posts on how you can support #WeNeedDiverseBooks

Authors and Videos of Support #WeNeedDiverseBooks 

Support Black Lives Matter

And check out OA’s recent blog posts about horror giants Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King here, here, and here.

 

This blog post is part of a series called Q: What Are You Reading? by Suzanna Anderson on Operation Awesome. Please note that this book list is not comprehensive. This list is a starting point, an introduction to Young Adult Horror titles. Suzanna reads a book and usually finds at least ten more books to read. Use this list as inspiration to check out titles at your local library, support your local bookstores with purchases, or wherever you get your books. Please do read, share, and write reviews (if you want to). Comment below what you’ve read and what you’re excited to read next!

 

What are you reading?

July 2019 Pass or Pages Entry #4

Time for the Pass Or Pages feedback reveals! We're so thankful to our agent panel for taking the time to critique these entries. Shout out to the brave authors whose work will be on the blog this week. You are awesome!

Entry #4: LONG STORIES SHORT

Query:

“Long Stories Short” [CR1] - one story pieced together chapter by chapter through short stories shared from the point of view of a handful of key characters. These characters’ unique voices shows how everyone’s perspective is valuable; everyone’s story matters [KP1].

The novel is comprised of roughly 70,800 words. Each chapter is in short story format, from a different character’s perspective. Their stories reveal that all events in their life have a purpose if they listen and watch for signs around them [KP2] [CR2].

********** 

Kelly's Notes:
[KP1] What is the collective meaning or purpose of this collection though? What do they all have in common? Why is this important and relevant in today’s world? Who are the main characters? Why should any readers care?
[KP2] Query is not really grabbing me, because I’m not sure what your over-arching story is actually about. You need to explain what the purpose and importance of this story is and why you wrote it in short stories to begin with. What’s the story about? Who’s telling the story or a part of the story? What are the stakes?

Cortney's Notes:
[CR1] Title should be all caps.
[CR2] This query tells me nothing about what the actual book is about. What’s the overarching story? Wants of the characters? Conflict? Tension? I don’t have any idea what I’m going to see in the pages, which is an immediate red flag for me. If I don’t like the first paragraph or so, then there’s nothing else for me to hold onto or be interested in, because the query didn’t give me anything.

First 250 words:

Mom is on the left, Jess is on the right.  Once again, I’m stuck sitting on the couch during another one of their fights [KP1].

“Why don’t you ever listen to me?!” Mom yells.

“Why do you treat me like a child?!” my sister screams back.

Turning my head from side to side like I’m waiting to cross the street, I’m surprised I don’t have a crick in my neck. I feel like I’m playing monkey in the middle, which includes that same sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Flashbacks of pig-tailed little me, jumping up and down, praying that someone on the outside would take pity on me. That game wasn’t fun even when I was a kid.

“We can’t live like this, Jessica!” Mom continues.

“No one could live with a tyrant like you!” Jess screeches [KP2].

To many people, a battle between hot-headed redheads might be stereotypically humorous. For me, this argument is just another notch in the belt of fights between my sister and mom. Sometimes I wonder if they even hear what the other is saying when both raise their voices to see who can be the loudest.

“You’re just counting the days until you leave for college!” Mom runs her hands through her hair – a nervous tick during fights. It almost looks as if she’s massaging her head for comfort [KP3] [CR1].

**********

Kelly's Notes: 
[KP1] This sentence is a slightly bland statement. In order to really reel in your audience, I think you can find something a bit more purposeful and powerful they can relate to while sitting in the middle of a fight between family.
[KP2] Looking at dialogue tags, your use of them is rather repetitive which is slightly endearing in this usage, but it can also get old very quickly and actually pull you away from your readers due to a lack of fluency and natural voice.
[KP3] I’m not exactly sure what the main character wants or who she is yet, and due to your query being not quite ready, I’m going to unfortunately pass

Cortney's Notes: 

[CR1] Not the right place to start. Too much is going on and since I know none of the characters, this fight falls extremely flat. It doesn’t mean anything to me right now. And since the query didn’t tell me anything about the story, I have no idea where this is headed and don’t have anything else to hold my interest and keep me moving forward.

Results:

Kelly: PASS
Cortney: PASS