Stealing Infinity? More Like Stealing my Time...

 Stealing Infinity 

(Goodreads)

I read this book because it was a gift. That isn't to say that it was a bad gift. I love being given books I have never read or would never consider reading. It broadens my horizons and keeps me from reading the same things each time. 

This book was a letdown. Not because it was a YA book, but because of so many little things. I will explain my main issues with the text individually to help illustrate my low score. 

Synopsis: 

Brooding and burnt out from the stress of her first 17 years, Natasha has given up on life. Grades in the toilet, Nat has very little going for her. This isn't any news to her. Her life hasn't been the same since her father decided to leave her and her mother all alone. Unable to deal with that abandonment, Nat's mom collapses into herself. Natasha is forced to help her mom pay bills, while also giving up on the life she imagined for herself. With no foreseeable future, Natasha has become a social pariah in her high school with only her best friend, Mason for company. 

That is until Elodie breezes into her high school. She is dressed in all of the designer clothes that Natasha wishes she could afford. Not only that, but she is kind to Nat. Mason warns her that Eoldie is a bad influence and will be Natasha's downfall. With nothing left to lose, Mason's warnings are forgotten and Natasha throws caution The unlikely friends skip school to go shopping for clothes Nat can't afford and eventually end up at a rather weird exclusive club. 

After being framed for shoplifting by Elodie, Natasha is faced with an impossible choice; leave everything she knows to attend an unknown boarding school or continue living her life with no future. Presented with the fact that her mother will be cared for and not worry about money while Natasha is at school causes her to begrudgingly agree. 

Whisked away by a model-level attractive boy, Natasha finds herself thrown into a quirky world of luxury. Designer clothes and coveted works of art are now part of her every day. Add in her gorgeous classmates who all could be models, and Natasha is struggling to figure out why she was selected for this school. Her benefactor is none other than Arthur Blackstone, a world-renowned billionaire and art collector. 

Yet, something isn't adding up. Where does all of this wealth come from? It isn't long before Natasha figures out the true purpose of Grey Wolf Academy, time travel. She and her classmates have been brought to this remote boarding school to be time-traveling thieves for Arthur. Not tasked with traveling through time to steal from kings and queens, Natasha wonders if something more nefarious is at work here. 

My Thoughts: 

This book does a decent job of looking at how morality can shift over time. It also shows how morals can be influenced by one's financial situation. Natasha has dealt with a lot in her 17 years. However, she is not the poster child for our students struggling at home. If anything, she is an example of what we do not want our students to do. Natasha throws her life away and does so willingly. 

It isn't that she throws her academic future away, she also acts as the poster child for the phrase "We accept the love we think we deserve." The love interest in this book, Braxton, essentially admits to stalking her. Most women would find that extremely offputting. Not Natasha! She falls for Braxton and falls hard. It is alluded to that they sleep together, adding to the toxic relationship between the two. Natasha admits that she hasn't been in a serious relationship... EVER! But it is okay for her to fall into bed with her stalker. As a teacher (former), I would be hesitant to hand this to anyone younger than 15. The last thing we need to do is idolize these kinds of relationships. YA Literature already does enough of that for us. 

My main issues: 

1) Over-explaining random aspects. 

2) Lack of true relationships

3) Romantic Relationships 

4) Writing Style

I will talk about these a bit later. First, we need to look at the discussions that this book presents. 

• What builds a trusting relationship? 
• What was your initial impression of Natasha? Braxton? Elodie? How did this opinion evolve as you read through the book?
• When a crime doesn't have any direct consequences, is it wrong? 
• When forced into a position that requires trust amongst all parties and you have none, how does it impact decision-making? 
• How far would you go for your family? Is there something you wouldn't do if it meant your family would have a better life? 

Suggested Student Age: 15 and up

Warnings: Alcohol use, kissing, sexual encounters (off camera), parental abandonment, attempted rape,  and sword violence

***** SPOILERS*******

Issue One: Over-explaining Random Aspects

This author clearly did a lot of research for this book. I am not saying this because there was a lot of well-placed information. This book is guilty of one of the greatest writing sins, information dumping. The first 5 pages are just an info dump about Numerology. This holds such a minimal place in the plot of the book.  Why was this necessary? Tarot Cards played a much larger role, but there was no information dump about them. 

Later in the book, they travel to 1745 Paris, France. There is easily a page of description about a fountain. A FOUNTAIN. Not only that but every piece of clothing that Natasha wears is described in depth. I don't care about every dress she wears. We could have shortened this 458-page long book by quite a bit. I understand that the author is trying to reel in teenage girls. However, it bogs down the writing and makes it feel vapid. 

Issue Two: Lack of True Relationships

Natasha is not truly connected to anyone in her life. Her father disappears/ leaves her family.  After that, her mother shuts down and cares very little about her. Given the chance to ship her daughter off to a boarding school in exchange for money, she jumps at it. Sure, she gets some "reassurances," but they are minimal at best. 

She is friends with Mason and Elodie. Elodie frames her for theft and attempts to kill her more than once. She actively works to destroy Natasha's relationship with Braxton. Elodie tries to ruin any possible friendships between Natasha and the other students at Grey Wolf Academy. Remember Mason now. He does absolutely NOTHING to stop Elodie from hurting Natasha. When Natasha is in a downward spiral, he just tells her to do better. She gets arrested and he just stands by looking disappointed. 

Natasha's relationship with Braxton is toxic and questionable. He stalks her and she, for some reason, finds this hot. Leading me to issue #3. 

Issue Three: Romantic Relationships

This book acts like a romantic relationship is the only thing that would keep Natasha at Grey Wolf Academy. Dude, you get to travel through time! You get to wear designer clothes and learn amazing skills. This plot wasn't any better when a half-baked romantic relationship was added. 

Braxton tells Natasha that he spent months researching her life. He is in love with her before even meeting her. He finds nothing wrong with his role in tricking/ framing Natasha. He thinks everything is acceptable because it worked towards his end goal, which is being with Natasha. Does Natasha get a say in that? Sure ..... Not really. 

It isn't even just about their relationship. With a minuscule student body, everyone dates and sleeps with everyone. It is a terrible cesspool of teenage hormones and nasty empty relationships.

Elodie acts as the queen bee, sleeping with every boy who looks in her direction. Not really a good example of healthy teenage relationships. 

Issue Four: Writing Style

This writing style is childish and reads more like a Wattpad fanfiction. If I didn't know any better, I would say this was written by a teenager. This does not read like a seasoned published author. I only finished this book because was praying the characters would get better. None of them did.  

When life gives you lemons...

 You do something else

I spent a long time thinking about how I would talk about the big change I made in my life. I started this blog during Covid as a way to keep myself busy and share my love of reading and my love for teaching. Only one of those things has survived. This was meant to be a blog for teachers by a teacher. 

There are so many books out there that students beg to read. How can we know if the book we put into their hands will land you in hot water? You research! That is where the problems come in. So many websites don't address age recommendations or triggers that might be found in a book. My aim was to discuss the book and the possible applications it would have in the classroom. Not only that, but I also wanted to help other English teachers as they wade through this weird world of teaching post-COVID. 

If you are a person in the education field, it is not odd to hear others say that the landscape of teaching has completely changed. I was in education for 7 short years. For most seasoned educators, they would laugh and tell me that I had experienced nothing but a blip. However, any young teacher who lived through COVID-19 can tell you that these years were nothing even remotely normal. Students are quick to anger and have no real concept of the impact their actions/ behaviors are having on school culture. Students are not afraid to destroy a teacher's career over bad grades or disciplinary actions. If you know, you know. 

This was a lot of what happened to me. Bad grades resulted in children turning to their parents to fight their battles. This was many a trip where I had to sit there and validate each grade a student received. I was exhausted after doing this nearly every week for a different child. I began dreading going to work because I was waiting for the next call down to the principal's office. I was spending 60-80 hours a week. I know that sounds crazy, but when you are working on things from your waking moment until you nearly fall asleep at the table grading papers, that is what your work week looks like. 

(As you can tell, I recently started watching Schitt's Creek.)

The shortened version of this tale is that I decided for my own mental health and the health of my family that I would no longer be teaching. There is so much wrong with the education field in America and until some of that is fixed, schools will continue to lose teachers. I still love teaching and my students. However, I could not sacrifice myself for a job. 

Finally, I will still be working on this blog. I love sharing about the books I read and how they could be used in the classroom. I hope that you enjoy these posts and continue to read along. 

Twin Crowns: What do you do when you have two?

 Twin Crowns

(Goodreads)

I took a step away from doing this blog for a long while. A big part of me felt like I didn't deserve to make this anymore because I made a huge change in my life. I am no longer a teacher. This blog was created by me, an English teacher, for other English teachers. There are so many books out there that I had never read; having another teacher review them was something I always wished for. So, I decided to create something like that for others. After much thought and self-doubt, I worked my way back here. There will be another post about my journey out of teaching, but I felt you, the reader, deserved to know why I took a step away. 

ANYWAY...... ON TO THE REVIEW!

If you have readers who are suckers for "enemies to lovers" or "coming of age" stories, I have a book for you. This book by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber tells the story of twin princesses, Wren and Rose, who are far more different than their faces would suggest. Identical in every appearance, the two are raised in two drastically different worlds after the murder of their parents. 

Rose Valhart, was raised as the crown princess of Eana under her guardian, Willem Rathborne. According to Willem, on the night of her birth, both the king and queen were murdered by the witches. Since her mother, Lilith, was a witch, this was the ultimate betrayal of trust. Willem stated that the midwife witch was seen running away after poisoning the king and killing the queen. Raised on the stories of The Great Protector and his vengeance on the witch kingdom, Rose has a deep-seated hate for anyone who possesses magic. Prim and proper, Rose plans to marry the prince of neighboring Gevra. Upon her marriage, Gevra will send its troops to help eradicate the remaining witches in Eana.

Wren Greenrock was the princess who got away. The midwife witch that was said to be seen fleeing was, in fact, carrying Wren away from the violence. Raised amongst the remaining witches under her grandmother, Bamba's tutelage. Trained from early on to be a spy, Wren is tasked with one destiny; take her sister's throne. With the help of her best friend, Shen Lo, Wren infiltrates the palace and impersonates Rose. Where is Rose? Captured by Shen, Rose must cross the Restless Sands to find the truth. 

As the coronation draws ever closer, Rose and Wren are forced to face the truth of the past and decide what they will do with their future. Their decision will impact their people, both the witches and the nation of Eana. Throw in love interests that neither one should have feelings for and you have a recipe for a perfect Young Adult Fantasy novel. 

This book does a good job of looking at the same situation from multiple perspectives. Not only that, but it also talks about prejudice in a way that is manageable and easy to digest. In a world where discussing human issues in the classroom is questionable, this book allows teachers and students to look at it through the eyes of Rose and Wren. It also raises good discussion questions like: 

• Is there more than one side to history? 
• How do we know that the history we are being taught is the whole truth? 
• What are morals and can they change over time? 
• How does the person teaching a person the difference between right and wrong influence a person's moral compass? 
• How can we admit we are wrong with grace? Is there such a thing? 
• Is it possible for those closest to us to have different opinions than us? If so, how can we disagree in a healthy way? What is unhealthy disagreement? 
• Should you trust people just because you are taught to? Why or why not? 

Suggested Student Age: 14 and up

Warnings: Alcohol use, kissing, illusions of possible sexual encounters, death of parental figures, and sword violence

******** SPOILERS*********

This book was a mess from an adult standpoint. There were a lot of things that I struggled with. However, for teens this book is great. This is mainly because they overlook big issues in the story for the love story. 

This is not true when it comes to me. We are going to talk about a lot of the glaring issues present in this book. 

1) Wren is supposedly trained as a spy her whole life. However, on day one of pretending to be Rose, she throws caution to the wind and does whatever she wants. WHAT TRAINING?! She starts to build a relationship with Tor, the Gevran soldier protecting Rose's betrothed, Ansel. She constantly doing whatever she wants, so much so that it feels like she wants to be caught. Fully aware of the danger she is in just due to her skills as a witch, Wren behaves in such a way that calls her "training" into question repeatedly. She "forgets" so many of the various expectations placed on Rose. She also casts magic without caution. She even puts herself in compromising situations with Tor that would ruin Rose's engagement with Ansel. Wren acts like an idiot throughout the book, putting herself and Rose in danger because of her behavior. 

2) Tor is supposed to be this honest, loyal guard. However, he seems completely unphased by the relationship that Wren is building with him. He even encourages it! He swears that he and Ansel grew up together. They trained together and were like brothers. If that were true, why would he be so quick to betray him? I would have liked to see more of Tor being conflicted. He seems far too happy to fall into Wren's arms. However, he fully believes that she is the crown princess Rose. He knowingly betrays his friend because of a pretty girl. 

3) The only character that actually pulls their weight in this book is Shen Lo. Shen repeatedly saves Rose's life. Not only that but after she runs away, he travels across the desert alone to protect her....AGAIN! He clearly has feelings for her and I think Rose is just suddenly realizing that there is something other than an arranged marriage. She doesn't know how to have real feelings for a boy because she has never seen that as an option. Shen is signing himself up to get hurt. Rose, you better not hurt my little boy Shen. 

4) FINALLY. There is a prophecy that happens at the end of the book. In her dying moments, Bamba's sister (Sorry! I forgot her name and can find it nowhere) delivers a prophecy about the girls' future. Because she was a seer and locked up for many years, everyone thought she was dead. It is not until the girls try to rescue her that Willem actually slits her throat and kills her. This prophecy is just thrown to the side and never mentioned again. It was so important for this woman to utter this with her dying breath. Yet both girls act like it is nothing. I KNOW this was a plot device, but that is just lazy writing. Maybe make it an obsession in the next book. That would be an amazing use of something like a LIFE CHANGING PROPHECY. 

All in all, I really did enjoy this book for what it was, a rom-com YA fantasy novel. I will be finishing the series, only because I NEED to know if Shen makes it to the end. Stay tuned. I will be sure to bring you along for this wild ride as we see how Rose and Wren share a crown. Will they work together to help their people or will they pull their country apart? We'll find out when I review Cursed Crowns. 

The House in the Cerulean Sea: Remember to Live with Passion

The House in the Cerulean Sea

(Goodreads)

I have not read a book like this one in a while and I think every book lover should pick it up at one point in their life. This book felt like the most honest hug I have ever received. With big messages on complacency and acceptance told through a charming tale, The House in the Cerulean Sea is a must for High School classrooms. I strongly believe this will become a classic that will be taught in the next ten years. 

We start the book off in the rather grey world of Linus Baker, a minimally happy caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY). At 40, he feels like his life is less than exciting and follows a strict schedule day in and day out. He is well known for his in-depth reports of the orphanages on his caseload. You may be asking what I mean when I say "magical youth." Imagine a world where one can be born with superpowers. These people, like most of the X-men, were children once. These children are often more than most families can handle, so they end up in "orphanages" that DICOMY regulates.

Linus unexpectedly is called to meet with Extremely Upper Management. In all his time at DICOMY, he has never talked to or even seen Extremely Upper Management. This is cause for a bit of alarm, but Linus soon finds out that he is being recognized for his exceptional work. With the recognition comes a new assignment that is highly classified. With the knowledge that his career could very much ride on this new assignment, Linus packs up his grumpy cat and heads for an island that five rather unique magical youth inhabit with my mysterious caretaker. Forced to stay on their island for a month, Linus must determine if these children should be removed from this home and placed elsewhere. 

Things become a tad much for Linus to compute when he opens his new case file and finds out that the "antichrist" is one of the children at the orphanage he now must live at for a full month. Completely overwhelmed, Linus faints, only to find himself being shaken awake by one of the residents of the island, Zoe Chaplewhite. Linus learns that she is the island's sprite and it belongs to her. As a man well versed in magical creatures, Linus knows that he must tread lightly on the island of Marsyas if he doesn't want to find himself thrown into the ocean. 

Suddenly surrounded by color and things he had never expected, Linus's view on the world and magical children is turned on its head. The first child he meets is an ill-tempered female gnome who repeatedly threatens to kill him and bury him in her garden. Beard and all, she is quite a rarity. Then he is introduced to Phee, a particularly powerful forest sprite who Zoe mentors. These two young ladies introduce Linus to the rest of the children. He meets Theodore, one of the very few remaining wveryns left in existence. Theodore loves to collect small shiny objects and Linus is soon forced to forfeit many of his shirt buttons. Then he is introduced to Chauncey, a green blob with tentacles and two wobbly eye stalks. All Chauncey wants in the world is to be a bellhop. Sal is a shapeshifting were-pomeranian that changes into a small dog when frightened. Sal is slow to trust and if he bites you, he can change you into a were-pomeranian too. Last, but never least, Linus meets Lucy which is short for Lucifer. Lucy is a sweet 6-year-old boy that is struggling with the weight of who his father is and what that means for his future. 

This group of raggamuffins is looked after by one Arthur Parnassus who acts as a father figure to them all. He loves them and fosters their passions unless it means taking over the world and plucking out their eyeballs. Linus soon finds out that many of the things he thought were true about DICOMY are a lie! Arthur shares what it was like to grow up in an "orphanage" run by DICOMY, explaining the lack of funding and appalling abuse that often takes place in these homes for magical youth. Linus and Arthur also start to fall for one another. The real question is, will they both be able to save the home that Arthur has made for the bright young people, or will DICOMY get what they want in the end? 

Student Suggested Age: (depending on student maturity) 11 and up

I was really surprised that this book was categorized as "adult." 

Warnings: Religious themes (minor)

***** SPOILERS *****

Whew! I thought I would never get to the part where I get to genuinely spill my soul about this book.

 

This book is one of my new, all-time favorite books. The characters are so sweet and the reader goes on the same emotional journey that Linus does. I laughed. I cried. It moved me, dear reader. Linus starts out in a grey world where he feels like he is wasting his life away behind a desk. Ever been there? I know I sure have been. Linus is worked relentlessly by a system that squashes any sense of individuality. I mean this book feels like it might be speaking to me only here, but dang! T.J. Klune, you didn't have to make it that real dude. Forced on an assignment he is really questioning, Linus meets a group of beautiful people and learns that everything he has been told is twisted to make his job look good. 

Linus falls in love with each kid, just like teachers fall in love with their students over time. They became Linus's family. In a world where Linus had pretty much nothing, this ragtag group of people fills the hole in his heart. 

I was absolutely in love with the way that Klune represented a gay relationship. It wasn't a flash in the pan or forced. Linus and Arthur get to know one another and grow together over the month they spend on the island. Both find various ways to force each other out of their comfort zone. As a teacher looking for genuine gay relationships that my gay students can see themselves in, well done Mr. Klune. 

All in all, this book is about more than just magical children. It focuses on found family and moving past appearances to find the true person underneath. This book explores the dangers of complacency and that even the smallest person can fight for what is right. Never give up on your dreams and never give in when you believe in something. This book teaches some of the most valuable life lessons all in one go, you just need to be open enough to realize this book is not just about magical kids. 

The Cost of Knowing: A Heartbreaking Tale of Brothers

 

The Cost of Knowing (Goodreads)

Be prepared to get super attached to these characters. WARNING: I cried like a baby.


The Cost of Knowing focuses on two African American brothers struggling with the deaths of their parents. Not long after the car accident took their parents, Alex Rufus, a 16-year old ice cream shop employee, and big brother finds out that he has the power to see into the future. The catch; Alex has to touch the item and he can only see the futures of the things he touches. Most people would think this is an awesome superpower, but being forced to see the future every time he touches a person or item is distracting. At work, when he touches a scoop, he has a vision of himself scooping the ice cream. Things get intense when he touches his girlfriend's hand and sees the future where they are on the brink of breaking up. This power has a lot of drawbacks. Struggling through it, Alex thinks it is more of a curse than a gift and would love to get rid of it. This knowledge of what his touch causes makes him pull away from everyone he loves and extremely anxious. Alex thinks he has it under control until he touches a picture of his brother and sees his imminent death.


Now he is forced to embrace his visions in order to save his brother, Isaiah. As the two brothers struggle through their grief and discomfort of being the only black kids in the neighborhood, Alex must find a way to save Isaiah before it is too late. If he can't find a way, his vision might come true.

My Review:

This book was beautiful and heartbreaking. I am so glad I stumbled upon this book. The characters were real and really showed the struggle of young black men in America. As a teacher who has taught in a variety of situations, I struggled when it came to the characters. I instantly saw my students in them. Any teacher who has had a deep love for their students knows what I mean. This can make reading a book all that more difficult. I cannot even explain the number of students that I have had that shared many of the struggles these boys experienced. I am very excited to add this to my classroom library.

Many of my students who had read this book, upon my suggestion, have loved it. It was a great book to get your boys reading. *fist pump* As a teacher, my only thought was, “Heck yes! A book that finally got them reading” Middle school boys view reading almost like they view bathing. Safe to say, it is rough. Alex and Isaiah really give an honest look into the minds of 12-16-year-old boys. They have realistic worries and struggles. Throw in superpowers and you have a perfect storm. For anyone who experiences a teenage boy on a regular basis, you know that the hormones they have pumping through those little bodies are enough to drive them crazy. No teen needs special powers on top of that!

All in all, this book does a stellar job at talking about two other touchy topics: Racism and Grief. When a kid loses a parent, there are many different ways that they deal with it. This novel, by Brittney Morris, explores how teens deal with loss and the damage it does. Alex chooses to accept the situation but cuts himself off from everyone in his life under the impression that they would view his grief as a burden. Isaiah focuses more on the fear of losing others and never leaving the house. Both desperately need help, but refuse it repeatedly. In regards to racism, the book shares the ideas of “good black kids” vs “black thugs.” Alex and Isaiah are referred to by their white neighbors as “good black kids.” All of this comes to the surface as their Aunt Macky struggles to explain to the head of the neighborhood society that having a rap concert in the nearby park does not mean that it would bring in “black thugs” and drugs. Alex is fired up by the neighborhood’s perspective that all people who listen to rap must be drug-using, black criminals. He fights to end this stereotype and prove that no matter the color of your skin, you can be a bad person. Later, his opinions and ideas are proven to be correct.

Suggested Student Age: 14 and up (This is even a bit low)

Warnings: Sex (discussed), loss, racism, racial profiling, murder

***** Spoilers *****

In the whole book, I was praying that Isaiah would not die and that the future would change. I will admit that I cried when he did die. I cried like a dang baby when Alex realized he had failed. Maybe some of that comes from the fact that I myself am an older sibling, bent on protecting my sister, even as an adult. It also may be that I have lost students to senseless violence and seen the grief and trauma that follows. I knew the whole book that Alex had seen Isaiah’s death, but I refused to believe that this could possibly be the end for such a sweet 12-year-old boy. Nope, I was not going to accept it. I know that this is the reality of young boys of color and that destroys my soul. Imagine a poor teacher, crying in a ball, next to this book. An exaggeration, yes! A true representation of how devastating it was, you bet your butt it is! Definitely worth the read for someone who has never and will never experience this level of racial discrimination. Aunt Macky also acts as one heck of a parent to these boys. She is a strong, independent, successful black woman raising two boys and she is killing it the whole time. Not only that, but she too, is sifting through her own grief of losing a sibling. FINALLY, an accurate representation of black women. I am so sick and tired of Black parents being represented as absentee, drug addicts, or crazy. Is that the reality of some kids; heartbreakingly, yes. But I think that many people think that that is the only thing that they are. Very rarely do we see hard-working, devoted parents that want the best for their kids. It is time that we truly represent this long slept on group of people.


Books with Miss Bekkers gives this book 5 out of 5 stars. Bonus points for representation and a truly unique story idea.

Pride: A Study in Class and Following Your Dreams

Pride by Ibi Zoboi

(Goodreads)  

Today's post is in honor of Valentine's day! I figured I would review a new favorite of mine, Pride by Ibi Zoboi. I am going to say it right now, I know that Ibi Zoboi is going to become a household name in YA literature in the next 10 years.  This book is a must-have look at a classic story.

Enough of me singing praise for this book. (Hallelujah Chorus)  Let's get to the synopsis. 

Zuri Benitez is our main girl in this beautiful retelling of a timeless classic. Proud doesn't even begin to describe how Zuri feels about her Haitian- Dominican family and her hood, Bushwick, Brooklyn. Zuri is the kind of girl that will fight anyone who has something bad to say about her family or her neighborhood. Fiercely protective of both, Zuri doesn't really look too far past her street or her overcrowded apartment. Enter in Zuri's four sisters. Janae is home from college for the summer. She is the pride and joy of her parents, who came to America to have a better life. Janae is a quiet, sweet young woman who loves her sisters with her whole heart. then comes the thirteen-year-old twins Kayla and Layla. They cannot get enough of cute boys and believe that they are grown enough to make their own decisions. (z snap)  Finally, comes Marisol, a money-conscious hustler that is always looking for ways to make money and start a new side hustle. Everything is shaping up to be an amazing summer as the five fabulous Benitez sisters.

This quote from the very first page of Zoboi's book gives an amazing picture of the struggles those fabulous five are about the encounter. 

"It’s a truth universally acknowledged that when rich people move into the hood, where it’s a little bit broken and a little bit forgotten, the first thing they wanna do is clean it up. But it’s not just the junky stuff they’ll get rid of. People can be thrown away too, like last night’s trash left out on the sidewalks or pushed to the edge of wherever all broken things go. What these rich people don’t always know is that broken and forgotten neighborhoods were first built out of love."

Zuri's perfect world is suddenly shaken when a family moves in across the street from her apartment building. The Darcy family bought the house and renovated it, making it stick out like a sore thumb in Bushwick. Not only did they change the house, but they brought two cute sons with them. Enter in Darius and Ainsley. They are both very attractive young black men and Janae falls for Ainsley pretty quick. Zuri goes into protective mama bear mode and tries to keep her sisters from the people she is sure will destroy everything. Zuri is often self-centered in her protection, blind to the wants of those around her. 

Zuri soon meets Warren, a smooth-talking brother from the hood. He thinks his smooth-talking will win her over like every other girl in the neighborhood. He could not be more wrong. Zuri doesn't hesitate to put him in his place, but she soon finds herself drawn in by his charm and street smarts. 

All of this is what we see on the surface of who Zuri is. Underneath, she is a poet that longs to go to college far from home at Howard University. At an impromptu poetry reading that Zuri attends while touring Howard, she meets up with Darius. Tensions have been rising between the two and they start to admit that they like one another. Zuri begins to realize that class and money don't make a person good or bad. It is the content of their character. Much like the classic, Pride and Prejudice, which this book is fashioned after, Zuri and Darius have their fair share of spats. However, all is resolved when Darius helps Zuri get Layla out of a terrible situation with Warren. In the end, the gentrification of the neighborhood is not stopped and the whole neighborhood is forced to accept that change is a good thing. The Benitez family finds their strength within and not just in a neighborhood. Zuri understands that following your dreams does not mean you love your family less than you love yourself. She is forced to recognize that sometimes our first impressions of people are wrong and we grow by admitting those wrongs. 

Student Suggested Age: 14 and up

Warnings: Suggested blackmail, underage drinking, implied sexual pictures

***** SPOILERS *****

I don't have much for this section this time. This book is a fresh look at a timeless classic that any teacher should love to have in their classroom. Many of my African American female students have mentioned that they felt "seen" when reading this book. Too often books paint African American teenage girls as angry, with a nasty attitude. This book flips that idea on its head and shows that they love fiercely and protect the people in their life with everything they have. It also gave a voice to first-generation college students that struggle with the pressures put on them by parents that never had the opportunity to go to school. All in all, a great read that takes a classic and makes it relevant for a new generation. 

 

Mortal Engines: Fear the Machine

Mortal Engines

(Goodreads)

Calling all teens who love steampunk, I found the book for you. This book, by Philip Reeve, is an interesting look into a dystopian future where technology takes over. Even though it takes over, technology certainly doesn't advance or help humanity quite how we would normally think.

If you have students who love to tinker with electronics or mirror those kids from Stanger Things, this is one book you are going to want to put in your classroom library pronto. 

Long ago, in a history Tom Natsworthy knows very little about, humankind created horrible machines meant to kill one another. Not just kill, but obliterate all life. They were almost successful but after the "Sixty Minute War," Humans were forced to attach their cities to engines and roam the earth in search of resources. The war was such a violent and destructive affair that it was no longer safe for humans to live in one stationary place. So thus the idea of Municipal Darwinism was born. Now that cities were 100% mobile, it was survival of the fittest. If a smaller city was unable to outrun a large city, much like London, they were eaten up. The people and resources within the smaller city became the property of the bigger one. Only the strong survive. 

This book features a lovable dope, Thomas Natsworthy, a Third-Class Apprentice Historian with dreams of grandeur. His hero, Thaddeus Valentine is a famous archeologist and head of the Guild of Historians in the bustling traction city of London. Tom would do anything to simply be noticed by his idol. After getting in trouble for skipping out on his chores, Tom is sent to the "gut" to help sort all of the new materials that were brought in by the town that London just captured. When he bumps into his life-long hero, Tom is starstruck. This all ends in a flash as one of the newly captured residents, Hester Shaw, attempts to murder Valentine. Eager to prove his worth, Tom intervenes and chases after the would-be murderer. Before she throws herself down a garbage shoot, Hester tells Tom that Valentine is responsible for the horrible, disfiguring scar that mars her face, as well as the death of her mother. Tom is absolutely bamboozled. Valentine soon catches up to Tom and asks him what was said between them. Hesitant, Tom only shares that she said her name. Well, this earns him a one-way trip straight into the garbage chute, courtesy of Valentine himself. Tom finds out Valentine is actually a bad guy and mopes about it for a decent while. 

For some unknown reason, Hester decides to let Tom tag along as she tries (again) to kill Valentine and get the vengeance her mother deserves. Tom spends most of the book as a kind, awkward, idiot that Hester is pretty nasty toward. God knows how it happens, but the two manage to avoid a killer superhuman robot bent on a mission to kill or turn Hester into a robot. Not only that but they get swept up in a rebel movement that is hellbent on stopping Valentine from getting his hands on a superweapon.  All of this is a bit much for poor orphan Tom's brain to process. 

In true YA fashion, cool characters end up dead for no reason other than character growth and the idiot character magically manages to save the world. Kudos to this book for having a generally unlikeable character that never really changes. Hester starts out the book as a jerk and nothing really changes by the end. Tom is the one that changes and grows up. It is beyond me how these two polar opposite characters fall in love. Hint: it is awkward. 

Suggested Student Age: 12 and up

Warning: Murder, violence, death

***** SPOILERS *****

This book was a bit painful. I think the writing and ideas were cool. However, I hated the characters. I can get behind almost any book as long as it has good characters and a decent plot. This one had a good plot but terrible characters. Imagine Shaggy from Scooby-Doo wandering through a desolate wilderness. Add the female version of Squidward to it and you have Tom and Hester. It was about as enjoyable as one can imagine. (NOT) The sad part was that all of the characters that were interesting were the secondary characters AND most of them die. WHY?! They were honestly one of two reasons I finished this book. The second was that I disliked how cocky Valentine was and wanted to see if he ever got punched in the face. *Sigh* overall, I was let down by this book. Students enjoy it because of the nerdy technology aspects and because it is easy to read. Teacher, not so much.