Friday 22 January 2016

We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly, a true story


by Josh Sundquist



“When I was twenty-five years old, it came to my attention that I had never had a girlfriend"--the first line of this compelling and occasionally ridiculous true story.

Josh Sundquist has written a funny, awkward memoir about his dating (or not-dating) foibles, and has done so with a good balance of hope and frustration.  Sundquist, who is a Paralympic ski racer, YouTube star, and motivational speaker, knows how to endear himself to the reader in a way that doesn’t come across as false- even when some of his dialogue feels way too on-point witty for a teenager. Not all his sentiments about unrequited crushes are likeable, but who hasn’t had a slightly selfish thought about someone they like?

In We Should Hang Out Sometime, former romantic entanglements are revisited and analyzed. Sundquist isn’t blaming anyone for his lack of romantic luck, but it is more that he wants to try and understand why something so universally simple for other people is so difficult for him. An amputee cancer survivor from a young age, he revisits the stories of his romantic failures from comically scientific perspectives that include graphs, a hypothesis and follow up investigations. Even as he struggles with issues of fitting in and self-worth, his humour keeps the story flowing in an upbeat way.

Funny, easy to relate to, and genuinely very sweet, the book is a pleasure to read as you find yourself rooting for Sundquist to shake off his insecurities and fight for what he cares about. A definite feel-good memoir for anyone who has ever questioned their exact place in the world.

Friday 8 January 2016

A Thousand Pieces of You

https://yourlibrary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1207287101_a_thousand_pieces_of_you
by Claudia Gray  

Marguerite Caine is an artist in a family of scientists. Her parents are physicists that invented a device to travel to parallel-universes that they call the Firebird. When Marguerite’s father is murdered, all fingers point to one of his assistants: the quiet and awkward Paul, who immediately jumps into another universe to avoid being caught. And the chase is on. Marguerite, along with her parents’ other assistant, Theo, follow Paul to the different universes. With each jump Marguerite learns more about the two guys, and the truth about her father’s death.


Why yes, this book caught my eye because of the cover, but the plot was what sucked me in. Alternate universes are always fun to read about, and Gray did an amazing job building each world Marguerite landed in. One of the places Marguerite visited was Tsarist Russia (as shown on the cover, so it’s not a spoiler!) which was beautifully depicted by Gray. Unfortunately, that part was also a fault in the story -- it was oddly long and slow compared to the other universes Marguerite goes to. That’s because the adventure gets overshadowed by romance at times, but what’s a YA novel without a complicated love triangle, right?

Overall, it was a really fun book to read. I can’t wait to read the second book in the series, Ten Thousand Skies Above You.

Friday 1 January 2016

Book of the Month: January - Dorothy Must Die


Dorothy Must Die - Hold your copy now!


By Danielle Paige

We’ve all heard the tales. Dorothy, a simple farm girl from Kansas and her peppy little dog Toto, are whisked away by a tornado to a magical land called Oz. There she meets a strange assortment of friends, and in a deal with the Wizard of Oz she battles the Wicked Witch of the East and as a reward is sent back to Kansas. Or, at least that’s what Frank Baum wants us to believe…

Finally, we have the true tale of Dorothy who overthrew the Wizard of Oz and now rules with a fury that would make Alice in Wonderland's Queen of Hearts seem like a pacifist. What about Scarecrow, Tin man, and Lion? Scarecrow is a mad scientist experimenting on monkeys, Tin Man has knives for fingers, and Lion kills his foes by absorbing their fear. Magic is strong in Oz.

Along comes Amy, another girl from Kansas. She’s no farm girl, but rather she’s a strong-willed teenager from the local trailer park. One night Amy, along with her mom’s pet rat, is whisked away to Oz where she’s recruited to take down Dorothy and restore peace.

To do so, Amy will have to undergo rigorous training to use weapons and magic. Guided by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked, a trio of witches and an assortment of teens, Amy reluctantly takes on her task in hopes to get home.

This is a fantastic retelling of an age-old classic that both those familiar and unfamiliar with the original story will enjoy. It’s gritty, violent, and yes there’s a touch of romance without it being center to the story. Highly recommend.

There is a prequel (e-book only) called No Place Like Oz, and three sequels, The Witch Must Burn, The Wizard Returns and The Wicked Will Rise. Other books like Dorothy Must Die: Cinder by Marissa Meyer, The Ring and the Crown by Melissa de la Cruz, and The Iron King by Julie Kagawa.