Freaky Monday by Mary Rodgers and Heather Hach

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Thirteen-year-old Hadley Fox is the typical overachieving, overscheduled, and overwhelmed straight-A student. Though not yet in high school, she is already worrying about how she will get into Stanford. While Hadley is a traditional student, her English teacher Ms. Pitts likes to experiment with unconventional teaching methods. For this reasons, they have never gotten along well. Therefore, when she forgets to prepare for an oral presentation for Ms. Pitts' English class, Hadley completely freaks out. It was not until Hadley and Ms. Pitts switch places can they both understand each other better.

It was ironic how Hadley is an overachiever in terms of learning, yet she doesn't realize that Ms. Pitts is also an overachiever in terms of teaching, often staying up late into the night just to correct papers. Their issues are further juxtaposed, as Hadley's and Ms. Pitts' secret admirers are revealed to them in the same Monday. In addition, while Hadley had an important oral presentation to deliver, Ms. Pitts' also had an equally, if not more important, interview for the position of chair of the English department.

For such an accomplished junior-high student, Hadley does not really have a lot of respect for Ms. Pitts. This trait, along with her tendency to be a drama queen, annoyed me throughout the story. However, Hadley's obsession with academics reminds me of myself, and I can understand her reactions that result from her paranoia with grades and getting into college. Through her switch with Ms. Pitts, Hadley does learn to be a better person.

Though the novel is predictable and greatly resembles Freaky Friday, it was enjoyable to read about the troubles that Hadley and Ms. Pitts encounter while in each other's bodies. I probably would have enjoyed this novel more if the perspective had alternated between the characters, instead of focusing on Hadley's views, considering the premise of the novel.

Freaky Monday does have a great moral about not judging people until you have been in their situation. I liked the novel, but I thought it was a bit too simple, especially considering how everything eventually worked out to Hadley's favor. Overall, this was a cute, fun story to read. However, I wouldn't recommend this for anyone above the age of twelve.


*This was also reviewed for HarperCollins' Children.

Webs of Power by Darlene Quinn

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Darlene Quinn's Webs of Power ties the story of three women whose lives were all affected when Philip Sloane announces his plans to take over Consolidated department store. Paige Toddman, the wife of Consolidated's West Coast Division CEO, faces a life-altering dilemma when she realizes that she is pregnant. Her world threatens to fall apart as she decides that she would do whatever it takes to raise her child, despite what her husband Mark may wish for her to do. Meanwhile, Ashleigh McDowell who has to deal with issues at home while her fiancé Conrad Taylor goes oversea to manage his father's business. Finally, Viviana De Mornay engages in an affair with Philip Sloane in the hopes of becoming the wife of a powerful man.

What makes this book interesting is how it weaves details and insight about the retail world into the stories of the three women, while it easy to relate to the three main women. The trouble with weaving the stories together is that it sometimes is confusing to follow along with all the different characters. At first, I liked Paige's story the best and Viviana's the least. However, as the story progressed, Ashleigh grew on me, although I still held some dislike for Viviana for being so desperate for power. The characters all had strong personalities, making the readers guess at what they would do next. Overall, Webs of Power was drama-filled, which makes it unpredictable.


*Note: This was also reviewed for Book Divas.

The Leanin' Dog by K.A. Nuzum

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Dessa Dean's daymares started after her mother died. They are as bad as her nightmares, except that they happen while she is awake. With her mother gone forever and her dad busy hunting to provide for the family, Dessa Dean doesn't really have a friend to confide in, at least not until a dog comes into her life. She readily adopts this dog as her friend, helps her heal from her overwhelming grief, vanquishing her daymares and nightmares. With Christmas just around the corner, this is nothing short of a Christmas miracle.

The Leanin' Dog is a heartfelt tale of an eleven-year-old girl struggling with the death of her mother and the changes that come with it. Though she tries to hide her sorrows from her father at times, this novel shows that you don't have to deal with grief alone.

A good writing style paired up with great characterization creates a pleasurable story. Dessa Dean is well-defined and admirable character, and I liked how the novel was told in her distinctive voice – it really helped build her character. She's innocent, brave, and friendly; and her dog is just as lovable. She frequently and fondly reminisces about her mom, even though it saddens her. She never once tries to suppress her memories of her mother, and her dog certainly provides a great outlet for her emotions. Her growth is very apparent by the conclusion of the story. Clearly, Dessa Dean's character is the strength of this novel.

This was a decent read, but I didn't find myself hooked onto it; I never really did get into the story. It just didn't captivate me. Because of the mother's death, the tone remains slightly morose throughout the story. The ending was unsurprising and conventional, as I had already predicted what would happen.


Note: This was also reviewed for HarperCollins Children's.

Avalon High: Coronation #2: Homecoming by Meg Cabot

Genre: Fantasy/Arthurian Fiction

Ellie's terrifying nightmares about a psychotic and tyrannical Marco begins soon after she encounters him in the park. Recently released from the mental hospital, Marco seems normal and harmless enough. Will, Ellie's boyfriend as well as Marco's brother, thinks otherwise. He absolutely cannot forgive Marco for attempting to kill him and Ellie before. As if that wasn't drama enough, Will is possibly the reincarnation of King Arthur, while Ellie is the reincarnation of the Lady of the Lake. All of this is according to Mr. Morton, their civics teacher, who also believes that the world would collapse if Will doesn't embrace his destiny by homecoming night, the day of the Hunter's Moon.
Worrying about all of this leaves little time for Ellie to think about the fact that she's been nominated for homecoming queen and that mean-girl Morgan is trying to sabotage her chances.

Another light and easy-to-read novel, I just sped through the story pretty quickly. There wasn't much substance in it, so I feel like there isn't much to say about it. It was an enjoyable read and would have been more so if it weren't so predictable. Admittedly, I haven't read the first book, so I'm sure there are important bits and pieces I've missed because of that. I do love the legend of King Arthur; so naturally, I love how it was placed in a modern-day setting. The story does end with a cliff-hanger, leaving room for the next book in the series. Overall, it's a good read if you're on-the-go or just bored and looking for something light to read.

The Savage by David Almond

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Perhaps it's because of his father's death, but Blue Baker knows that real life doesn't play out the same way as fairy tales. Therefore, when he started scribbling his own story, he decided to write about a savage – a fearsome, wild being who lives off of terrifying and eating people. This was how Blue dealt with his grief. As Blue continued writing, he became more involved with the story – he even included himself, his sister, and the kid who keeps bullying him in it. What Blue didn't expect was for the savage to come to life as well as the events he had written.

The story mostly revolves around the savage, though I think it's interesting how it seems to be a wilder, angst-y version of Blue. There was a part where Blue seem to question whether he was the savage. I found the blend of Blue's and the savage's story really intriguing. The Savage reads more like a big picture book than an actual novel. The pictures were fiercely illustrated; it captured how I would have imagined the savage. Another interesting thing I noticed was how the savage was illustrated in blue most of the time, and the protagonist is named Blue. Perhaps that's just a coincidence though.

For such a simple story, there are some great themes and messages pertaining to grief and bullying. Though he's overridden with hatred for Hopper, a bully, Blue doesn't lose sight of himself. While writing about the savage, Blue refused to kill Hopper.

For a story about angst, grief, and hatred, this was a pleasant read. It is a VERY quick read though, as it's aimed towards children.

(Note: This was also reviewed for LibraryThing)

Tracking Daddy Down by Marybeth Kelsey

Genre: Fiction/Mystery

It doesn't matter that her daddy is a wanted criminal for robbing a bank. Billie Wisher knows exactly the type of person her daddy is, and she absolutely refuses to listen to the denigrating rumors surrounding him. Nothing anyone says will influence her adamant love for her daddy and that includes her mother; she readily defends her father against anyone. While her daddy is on the run, Billie is stuck at home with her stepdad Daddy Joe, who she resents. Along with her friends, Tommy and Ernestine, Billie sets out to find her real daddy to get him to confess to his crime. Despite some clues that may lead Billie to locate her daddy, this proves to be a difficult challenge.

I like the idea of this book; it had a lot of potential. A bank robbery (or perhaps several), a chase after two criminals, and a little girl who just wants to find her daddy are excellent ideas to start off with. The strength in this novel lies in the voice and the writing style. It was easy for me to believe that Billie was an eleven year old girl; she definitely sounded like one. Billie's feelings are expressed successfully, and the writing remained consistent throughout.

Initially, I found the protagonist annoying and immature though her behavior is understandable. Perhaps it's because of her age but I felt detached from her. Billie incessantly whines about Daddy Joe, even though he didn't commit any major misdeeds. She's disrespectful, obstinate, and impertinent towards her elders; she constantly talks back. Her strong personality did prove to be a good quality; you've got to admire someone who can stand up for themselves, especially when they're so young. After all, it did help her maintain her loyalty for her father despite all the suspicions and accusations against her.

There isn't much character development; most of the characters are static. Though Billie does show changes in her perspective, there were characters that I would've liked to know more about, such as Tommy. The main plot revolves around Billie finding her daddy, though I wish the reason why Billie's daddy robbed the bank was elaborated upon; we're left to rely on the numerous rumors of the gossipy town.

This was overall a decent read; actually, for a debut novel, this was pretty good.

(Note: This was also reviewed for HarperCollins).

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Dragon Road by Laurence Yep

Genre: Fiction

As Chinese Americans, Cal Chin and Barney Young had troubles finding jobs during the time of the Great Depression. Therefore when they were offered a place in a Chinese American basketball team called the Dragons and a chance to venture out of Chinatown, they agreed to play. Cal's youth and unmistakable talent make him into an instant basketball star, but with Cal's escalating fame comes jealousy among his teammates. Cal then must make an important decision regarding the fate of his basketball team. Laurence Yep's Dragon Road is a story about determination, friendship, conquering obstacles, achieving dreams, but most of all, basketball.

Cal is slightly egotistic, impulsive, prideful, and full of angst; he does everything he can to win, even if it means resorting to dirty tactics. In fact, his basketball career started after being discovered for attempting to con a group of boys. Admittedly, I didn't like him initially; however, he does grow and mature by the end of the novel. He shows that everybody makes mistakes, yet you can learn and grow from them. His strong personality did help him deal with discrimination and other ordeals.

I felt like a fan watching Cal's basketball games as I read; Yep's descriptions are vividly written and real. What's amazing is that the descriptions come from actual memories and interviews of people who have lived during the Depression, although all the characters are fictional. Dragon Road is a unique story; sure you can find many stories on modern basketball, but it was fascinating to learn about how different it was back then. I believe that Yep captured the spirit of the era. Though people struggled just to survive on meager wages, they were still determined and hard-working. With Cal, even though he gained fame through basketball, he didn't necessarily gain fortune.

(Note: This was also reviewed for HarperCollins Children's.)

Francey by Martin Dubow

Genre: Mystery/Horror

Intelligent, wise, and caring, sixth-grader Francey could be said to have an old soul. This implication is supported when Francey begins to have horrifying nightmares that are actually the memories of a long deceased Susan Sebastian, a natural and gifted Rembrandt scholar. Francey soon realizes that she shares the same soul with Susan Sebastian as she begins acquiring artistic skills she didn't know she had before. The downside is that Francey is still plagued by intensely graphic nightmares about Susan's past lover, Edward Delaney, who was murdered by the evil and arrogant Lord Trumbull. Could Francey's nightmares be resolved before its stranglehold become too much for her to bear?

Francey casts some new interesting ideas about true eternal love. Perhaps there are souls so strongly connected that they meet again and again through reincarnation. The vivid descriptions, along with the mentions of classical artists and musicians, added spark to the story.

What bothered me about this book is that the main characters are almost too perfect. Francey is an intellectual scholar whose sophistication surpasses most adults; Francey's dad, Rick, is a prestigious architect who loves his daughter more than anything; and Francey's teacher is so obliging to help Francey that she even involves her little brother. I was also surprised that nobody doubted the truth behind Francey's nightmares.

Predictable but charming, this was a good light read.

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