Torn Away

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate definitely makes my top three of this summer’s favorite reads.

It’s historical fiction based around Georgia Tann’s Memphis Tennessee Children’s Home Society which operated between the 1920s through the 1950s. The story follows the fictional Foss children’s story, with a focus on the eldest sister, Rill Foss, who later becomes known as May Weathers.

Rill’s family are river people. They live a simple life on their boat/”kingdom” named the Arcadia along the Mississippi River. Her parents, Briny and Queenie, go to hospital when Queenie has problems delivering twins (their sixth and seventh children). It is at this time when Rill (12 years old) along with her three sisters and toddler brother are abducted and brought to the Children’s Home.

Here they are subjected to inhumane treatment at all levels. I could barely stomach reading the vicious ways that the children were handled by Tann and her employees at the “orphanage.” Rill’s siblings begin to be adopted, and one sister disappears after most likely dying at the hands of staff. Rill and Fern are the final two siblings who are adopted into a musician’s family together. Rill attempts to escape with Fern to her old life, but by this time it’s too late and everything has changed.

Throughout May’s narrative, the reader also follows Avery. Avery turns out to be the granddaughter of one of May’s siblings. Avery works to find her connection to May (Rill) during the course of the story. These stories intertwine perfectly.

This was a book I couldn’t put down, but one that I didn’t want to end. I had to find out how everyone was connected. I only wish there were additional books for every other sibling in order to discover the details of each one’s life; I would read every single one. This is a great story with strong writing to bring every character alive.

A Family Ordeal

Fig by Sarah Elizabeth Schantz is the type of book that will frustrate you while also making you think and feel strongly.

Fig, short for Fiona, is the daughter of a schizophrenic mother. Fig herself is obsessive compulsive, along with some possible signs of schizophrenia. She is obsessed with her mom, which makes it nearly impossible for her to form any other close relationships. She blames her dad for her mom being taken away to psychiatric hospitals, and her paternal grandmother is bitter and cold toward Fig. She is ostracized at school for her odd behaviors.

The story follows Fig’s life from her point of view, from the age of six (when she first realized something was amiss with her mom) to just before she turns nineteen. During these years, we see the ups and downs of her mom’s behaviors, including the impact they have on Fig. Fig’s one and only true wish is that her mom will be normal again. She feels that she can make sacrifices to make her mom better. An interesting part of the story is her calendar of ordeals. Each day she must complete an ordeal, such as not touching metal, not speaking every third word, along with an assortment of other difficult tasks, all with the hope that the actions will cure her mom. She also begins obsessively picking her skin as a release.

Fig’s uncle Billy is (finally) the person who is able to get through to Fig in one of her lowest moments. He tells her she needs to stop self-harm and he gives her other outlets. This is what Fig needs to find her own interests outside of her devotion/obsession with her mother, and to realize that she is cared for.

Strong writing and imagery along with the sensitive nature of mental illness make this an engaging read. There is meaning behind everything: the chapter titles, the words defined at the beginning of each chapter, the omnipresent wild dog, and the flowers. I had to find out if Fig would end up like her mom, or if she would find a different path.

The Perfect Con

In Her Skin by Kim Savage was a recent teen mother-daughter book selection at my town library. This book was a wild ride.

Jolene has been raised to be a master con artist by her mother, and was being used in sex trafficking by her mother’s rotten boyfriend. Jo’s mom comes out of her drug-induced stupor long enough to realize it’s time to escape her boyfriend. He kills Jo’s mom once he realizes her plan. Jo escapes to a life of more cons and homelessness in Boston’s Tent City.

Jo discovers the perfect con to get out herself out of this life which is by impersonating Vivienne Weir. Vivienne was a young girl when she disappeared from her friend’s home while the wealthy parents “watching her” dined at a nearby restaurant. Jo is embraced into a new life as Vivienne by the very couple who were in charge when the true Vivienne went missing. Jo is attracted to their daughter Temple, but also knows to be wary of her once horrible secrets are revealed. Temple is not as perfect as one would assume. Jo becomes obsessed with Temple and they form a twisted relationship with hints of romance.

Secrets, lies and survival are the major elements of this story. Everyone is part of the deception in some way, and it comes down to who will come out on top.

Truth

The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity by Matthew Kelly was a Christmas gift to all parishioners of my church. I read this book in a day, and found the author’s straight-forward, repetitive style to be thought-provoking and true.

The book establishes that our world is suffering. I think we can all agree to this fact on multiple levels. People have become complacent in doing nothing, or sleepwalking through life. The “biggest lie” is that holiness isn’t possible. When people believe this lie, they will continue to sleepwalk through life.

Kelly stresses that holiness is in fact possible and attainable through performing Holy Moments. They are acts of pure beauty, love, and kindness that can ultimately change the world. Holy Moments are founded on a relationship with God; they are collaborative acts. Not only will they change the world, but they will create pure happiness for those creating them.

Want or Need?

Need by Joelle Charbonneau is a disturbing read about the extremes some will take to satisfy their own desires.

Kaylee is the main character of the novel. She has made herself into an outcast because of her manipulative and overbearing ways of trying to find a kidney donor for her sick brother. She has one true friend, Nate. He shows her the Need website, which promises to fulfill a need in exchange for a bizarre task along with posted photo proof. The tasks start seemingly basic, such as leaving cookies on a doorstep. Not so harmless when it’s discovered that the cookies are full of peanuts, proving fatal to the girl with severe allergies receiving them.

It becomes clear that there is a sinister hand playing the people of Nottawa against each other. When the teens involved realize their part in the deadly events occurring, most choose to stay silent rather than risk getting in trouble. Kaylee is determined to find the source of Need, especially when she realizes that her friend Nate has been kidnapped.

The ending reveals Need’s creator. I felt it was tough to imagine someone going to such lengths out of revenge and for the government purpose described. I found the book a bit dragged out in parts and hard to swallow in others. But the premise is definitely interesting and it makes you think about how far people might go for what they need/want. This very distinction (need versus want) is a repeated idea throughout the novel and an important theme.

Shivering Dolls

Frozen Charlotte by Alex Bell was a recommendation from my daughter. I consider this book both creepy and confusing.

It starts with a Ouija scene between Sophie and her friend Jay. Anything with a Ouija has an automatic creep factor for me! Sophie mentions her dead cousin Rebecca, and it seems that in doing so she brings Rebecca’s spirit into their world. Unfortunately, the Ouija also predicts that Jay will die that night (SPOILER- he does).

Shortly after this, Sophie goes to stay with Rebecca’s family (who she hasn’t seen in years), while her parents are on vacation. Her uncle hides away most of the time with his art and sorrow, her aunt is in a hospital for mentally disturbed patients, and Rebecca’s remaining siblings (Cameron, Piper and Lilias) seem weary of Sophie’s presence. It turns out that their home has been haunted/cursed by Frozen Charlotte dolls ever since the house was formerly an all-girls school.

Sophie makes it her mission to figure out more about Rebecca’s death. In the process, more and more strange violent events occur at the hands of these bizarre dolls which are kept in a case in Rebecca’s old room. Piper also wears a necklace of their body parts (weird, right??). It turns out that friendly, perfect Piper isn’t at all what she seems. Sophie and her cousins almost lose their lives due to Piper and the dolls.

The confusing points: why would Rebecca (who was killed and wants to share the true story of her death) injure an innocent waitress when she first appears and seemingly predict Jay’s death? Why are there so many of these little possessed dolls all over the place? How did they get possessed in the first place? Is Piper evil all on her own, or is it because of the dolls? Why hadn’t anyone gotten rid of them a long time before all this (instead of embedding them into the walls of the house)??

Since the creepiness started to get a bit muddled for me, I would say I can’t give this book quite as high of a rating as my daughter. But I can definitely see how it would appeal to teen girls who don’t mind creepy and somewhat gory subject matter.

Breaking it Down

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi joined my “must read” list after seeing the author speak during a panel discussion at Day of Dialogue in NYC (Spring 2018). This is a love story, a story of racial tension, and … break dancing.

Main character Shirin is of Iranian descent and wears hijab. The story’s post September 11 setting creates a lot of racial cruelty toward Shirin. She endures people’s ignorant, cruel comments on a regular basis, and even incidents of physical aggression. This treatment has hardened her to creating relationships, which isn’t helped by her parents constant moves to achieve a better neighborhood/life for Shirin and her older brother Navid.

Shirin is partnered with Ocean; a boy who seems genuinely interested in getting to know her. This creates a lot of inner turmoil for Shirin. She needs to decide if “dating” the school’s basketball star will be worth the trouble it may cause for both of them. For me, the story reads like a teenage girl’s diary. You feel the excitement and nerves associated with a first major crush. You also feel the outrage at the comments made by kids and adults.

A fun twist to the story is that Shirin and her brother have been obsessed with learning to break dance ever since watching the movie Breakin’ (Remember it well! Loved it!). Her brother starts a break dancing club at school. Hanging out with her older brother and his friends becomes her outlet and her way to make a mark on her school (talent show). Break dancing events show her that there are places/events where people of all races can be together with a common passion without judgement. She is able to let her defenses down.

Unfortunately, Shirin’s treatment isn’t just part of a story set during a sensitive time. My daughter told me (days after I finished this book) that a new student at her school wearing hijab was rudely asked by an older student, “What’s that on your head??” Stories like Shirin’s are necessary for erasing these behaviors by building cultural awareness and empathy.

Rocky Ride

I read Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt in one day. This book pulled me in with its simple, straightforward narration. The writing was simple, but told a great story with so many touches that I really appreciated (to name a couple- the farm setting, Jack’s mental tally of Joseph’s smiles).

Jack is a sixth grader whose parents make the decision to foster eighth grader Joseph. Joseph is a very toughened individual who has been through a lot. He is still going through some tough situations adapting to the bullies at his new school. Jack and his parents are the heroes of this story to me. They are willing to take a chance and to stand up for this lost, angry boy. They earn Joseph’s trust and love which is why he decides to disclose his background to them.

Joseph’s dad is abusive. He met a girl (Maddie) who became the love of his life, but her parents were never aware of the relationship. Her parents are very wealthy and never around when Joseph would visit. She became pregnant which is when her parents took notice (obviously!) and completely shut Joseph out.

SPOILERS AHEAD! Maddie dies during childbirth and their daughter, Jupiter, will be put up for adoption. Joseph’s driving mission is to find his daughter. Joseph does eventually locate and maintain communication with Jupiter’s adoptive parents through letters. Meanwhile, his dad is causing quite a bit of trouble trying to get Joseph back. I’d like to say this book ended on a happy note after this, but it didn’t. In fact, the ending made me so angry!

This book is controversial because of Joseph’s age as a father. For me, it is tough to read about a kid going through life events that he should not need to worry about at this age. This book will bring out a variety of emotions and reactions in its readers. I know it did for me.

Flipping the Switch

OCDaniel by Wesley King is about Daniel, an eighth grader with obsessive compulsive disorder. Daniel doesn’t realize that his actions are part of a disorder until a friend (Sara) helps him. He is able to (mostly) hide his “zaps” among his friends and family; although, there are definitely signs to everyone that he is different.

There are many story lines, with the most important being Daniel’s behavior. He struggles in math because of his inability to write certain numbers. He also gets by on very little sleep because of his nighttime routine, which can sometimes take hours. Sara is the first person to give a name to what he is going through.

Next is the sports conflict. Daniel is the alternate kicker on the school’s football team, despite his preference to arrange Gatorade cups on the sidelines rather than play. His best friend Max is one of the team’s star players and he does his best to include Daniel. Daniel needs to step in as kicker during the playoffs and final championship game which creates a high amount of anxiety for him.

Third is Daniel’s relationships with two girls. One is his longtime crush Raya, who seems to like him back. The other is his newfound relationship with “Psycho Sara.” She has never spoken to anyone at school, except for when she suddenly begins talking to Daniel. Sara suspects her mother’s boyfriend of killing her dad and wants Daniel’s help to discover evidence to prove her theory.

Throughout the story, Daniel is writing his own novella, which provides some therapy for him. The book in some ways mirrors his feelings, with the exception that his and Sara’s characters are in a world in which everyone else has disappeared. They need to conquer the monsters to bring everyone back.

While reading, I couldn’t help but question how his parents never caught on to his behaviors? While they asked him about his moving around at night and even flicking the light switch, their questioning never went any further. I found myself thinking about my own parenting. Would I be able to catch these type of actions? The author explains that he went through similar experiences and that his parents also had no idea of what he was going through. This makes me sad for kids like Daniel and Sara. Kids who feel alone, afraid and uncomfortable around others. Daniel’s character is lucky in that he has a few solid friends that keep him grounded. In this way, his novella mimics his life; he realizes that the strength of someone who understands you can help you face whatever is scary or uncertain in the world.

Together they work to find enough evidence to support her theory. Also writing his own book through the story.

Pageantry

I am happy to support the author of my recent read, Like Vanessa, written by Tami Charles. Charles is a teacher turned writer, and I was fortunate to see her during an author panel at the JLG Day of Dialog in NYC. Charles’s book is loosely based on her own feelings, experiences and various people in her life that helped her as a pageant contestant.

Vanessa is the main character in this book. She is a tall, heavy-set, African American eighth grader who lives with her grandfather, her gay cousin and her dismissive father. Her father has closed himself away from Vanessa since her mother disappeared when Vanessa was very young. Vanessa’s mom was involved in pageants and Vanessa is enchanted with this life. She is fully supported in her dream to join the pageant occurring at her middle school by her grandfather, her cousin and one of her teachers. The story becomes a bit of a make-over tale as they all work to whip her into shape (physically, emotionally, etc) for the show. Her dad forbids her to join which creates some family conflict, especially when he finds out she’s been involved in everything behind his back.

Through the story Vanessa encounters struggles with her best friend, and also faces mean girls who stoop very low to wreck Vanessa’s chances of participating in the pageant.

This story is about growing up, but mostly, it’s about accepting oneself . While Vanessa feels proud that Vanessa Williams just became the first African-American Miss America, she doesn’t know if America will ever accept someone as dark skinned as she is in this role. She struggles with her appearance through much of the story, but ends the story with love for herself. She also reconciles with her dad and finds out what actually happened to her mom. Vanessa overcame her personal doubts, family issues and other obstacles to fulfill her dream. This should appeal to many teen girls.