Tag: YA novel

The Girl Who Fought Back: Vladka Meed and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Book Review

During the six years of World War II and the Holocaust, the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising stands out as a moment of hope among the darkness.

The Girl Who Fought Back: Vladka Meed and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, by Joshua M. Greene, was published in 2024. Greene tells the story of the late Vladka Meed, a young woman whose entire family was deported to the concentration camps. With nothing to lose, she joins the resistance. Because she can pass as a Christian, she can move between the ghetto and the rest of the city. But her mission is dangerous. At any moment, she could be found out, tortured in prison, or killed.

Though the main readership is middle grade, the impact of Meed’s story goes well beyond the intended audience. The part of the book that most impacted me was when the individual groups (with a variety of opinions) in the ghetto realized that internal squabbling was counterproductive. If they wanted to survive, they had to fight as one. It is a lesson that we still need to learn today.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

The Girl Who Fought Back: Vladka Meed and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising is available wherever books are sold.

The Rebel Girls of Rome Book Review

The secrets of our forebears past can (depending on the individual) be catnip to the younger generations.

The Rebel Girls of Rome, by Jordyn Taylor, was published last year. Lilah is a college student who recently lost her mother. Her grandfather, who is a survivor, has been mum on his experience during the war. Both are drawn to Rome via an heirloom that was believed to have disappeared decades ago.

In 1943, Bruna comes from a family of Italian Jews whose lives are slowly being squeezed into nothingness by the German invaders. When they receive the expected knock at the door, they notice that her younger brother, Raffa, has vanished into thin air. Her decision to find him leads her to join the underground, fall in love, and fight for what remains of her world.

I enjoyed this book. As she did in her previous novel, Taylor perfectly intertwines the present with the past. It is a reminder that even small acts of resistance can go a long way. The best part was the ending. I won’t give it away, but I will warn that you should have a tissue or two nearby.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

The Rebel Girls of Rome is available wherever books are sold.

We Will Not Be Silent: The White Rose Student Resistance Movement That Defied Adolf Hitler Book Review

Young people are often at the forefront of change and/or fighting against authority they believe is unjust.

We Will Not Be Silent: The White Rose Student Resistance Movement That Defied Adolf Hitler, by Russell Freedman, was published in 2016. The book introduces its readers to the White Rose movement and two of its members. Siblings Hans and Sophie Scholl were university students who became disenchanted with the Nazi regime. Instead of remaining silent, they spoke up, knowing what the potential consequences would be.

Containing archived material, the title is made for young readers. Though the prime audience is made of younglings, the message has a universal appeal. Anyone can step up to the plate and stand up for those whose voices are being silenced. It is a lesson that we in the modern era can still learn from today.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

We Will Not Be Silent: The White Rose Student Resistance Movement That Defied Adolf Hitler is available wherever books are sold.

P.S. Today is International Women’s Day. I can’t think of a better way to honor my foremothers and sisters for the collective work we have done on the difficult march to real equality. I would also like to thank the female Israeli scientists who are working towards our collective future and remember the Israeli women directly affected by October 7th (both survivors and victims ) who are being ignored by the wider feminist movement because of their ethnicity and/or religion.

Ghosted: A Northanger Abbey Novel Book Review

Ghosts can be more than a soul who has not left the mortal plane. They can represent parts of our past that would rather not deal with.

Ghosted: A Northanger Abbey Novel, by Amanda Quain, was published last year. In a nutshell, it is a YA gender swap modern reboot of Northanger Abbey. Hattie Tilney lost her belief in the supernatural a long time ago. Though she attends Northanger Abbey, which is supposed to be the most haunted high school in the US, she thinks that it is nothing more than a well-told tale.

After the death of her father, Hattie has become the defacto parent for her younger brother. Her older sister is out of control. Her mother has become a workaholic and is emotionally distant from her children. She is then challenged by a new classmate, Kit Morland.

Thanks to a ghost-hunting scholarship, Kit has been able to transfer to Northanger Abbey. She has been asked to help him get settled. Paired up on a year-long project, Kit’s goal is to prove that ghosts exist. Hattie’s job is to prove that they are a myth. Along the way, she starts to realize that opening up to others is not such a bad thing.

I liked this story. As with her previous book, Quain perfectly balances her tale with Jane Austen‘s original text. Switching the genders of the lead characters, along with their perspectives gave Northanger Abbey a fresh angle that appeals to both long-time Austen fans and newcomers.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Ghosted: A Northanger Abbey Novel is available wherever books are sold.

Accomplished: A Georgie Darcy Novel Book Review

There is something to be said for the advantages that come with the upper classes. But that does not mean that life is all sunshine and roses.

Accomplished: A Georgie Darcy Novel was published in 2022. Written by Amanda Quain, the book is a modern YA retelling of Pride and Prejudice from the perspective of  Georgiana Darcy. After a series of mistakes nearly got her expelled from Pemberley Academy, Georgie Darcy is determined to prove that she has changed.

But her reputation and errors are still trailing behind her. She hopes that matching her brother with classmate Elizabeth Bennet will make some of those problems go away. But when reality comes crashing in, Georgie learns that she has to make her own path both in and out of the classroom.

I liked this novel. It’s a nice introduction for a young reader who needs a modern touch when it comes to Austen. There was enough of the original text to make a well-versed Janeite happy while also speaking to someone who knows nothing or next to nothing about her work. It is also lovely to give Georgiana Darcy the spotlight.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Accomplished: A Georgie Darcy Novel is available wherever books are sold.

For Love and Honor Book Review

The best part of any romance novel is the barrier that stands in between the couple’s happily ever after. It keeps the reader involved, eager to know how our lovers will get through the challenges ahead of them.

For Love and Honor, by Jody Hedlund, is set in England in the 1390s and is the third book in the An Uncertain Choice series. Lady Sabine is a teenage heiress who should have numerous suitors to choose from. But a skin condition has rendered her both unmarriageable and possibly a witch. Sir Bennet is the younger son of a noble family that is riddled with debt and anticipating an attack from a neighboring lord. His only option is to marry for money. He would like to marry for love, but his circumstances dictate otherwise.

Thrown together by her grandmother and his mother, the hope is that a wedding will be in the cards. As they start to fall in love with one another, their secrets start to bubble to the surface. If revealed, they could tear Sabine and Bennet apart before they can even get together.

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Yes, this is a YA romance. But it works on several levels and appeals to multiple generations of readers. The chemistry between the lead characters is not on fire, but it was enough to keep me reading. We can all relate to feeling insecure about our physical experience, regardless of age.

I liked that Sabine is not just a damsel in distress waiting to be rescued. She does everything she can to save herself, even when needing assistance to get out of danger.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

For Love and Honor is available wherever books are sold.

Best Movies of 2023

  1. Barbie: Barbie is part life lesson and part feminist tale. Narrated by Helen Mirren and acted to perfection by Margot Robbie, it is a reminder of why this doll continues to attract new generations of fans.
  2. Maestro: This biopic tells the story of Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) and Felicia Montealegre Cooper (Carey Mulligan). Written, directed, and starring Cooper in the title role, this movie is the story of a marriage that is both loving and complicated.
  3. Golda: Helen Mirren plays the late Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir. As the Yom Kippur War rages on, she must deal with both internal and external pressure.
  4. Rustin: Bayard Rustin (Colman Domingo) was instrumental in making the March on Washington a reality. But he was also gay and distrusted by his colleagues because of his sexuality.
  5. Fair Play: Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) are newly engaged. After she is promoted at the financial firm they both work at, their relationship unravels unexpectedly and painfully.
  6. Priscilla: Priscilla Presley (Cailee Spaeny) meets her future husband, Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi) when she is just fourteen. Director Sofia Coppola reveals the many imperfections in the supposed fairy tale marriage of the Presleys.
  7. You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah: Stacey Friedman (Sunny Sandler) is about to become a bat mitzvah. But before that day comes, she goes on a coming-of-age rollercoaster that anyone can relate to.
  8. Ordinary Men: The Forgotten Holocaust: This documentary reveals that many of those who participated in the Holocaust were not mythical monsters. They were average men who became murderers.
  9. Quiz Lady: Estranged sisters Anne (Awkwafina) and Jenny (Sandra Oh) must work together to pay off their mother’s debts. The solution is for Anne to compete on a Jeopardy-like game show and win the prize money.
  10. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret: This screen adaptation of Judy Blume’s classic YA novel follows Margaret Simon (Abby Ryder Fortson) as she leaves NYC for the suburbs and wishes for puberty to come.
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Bookish and the Beast Book Review

When it comes to romance, the partner whom we end up with may be the person we least expect.

Bookish and the Beast, by Ashley Poston is the 3rd book in the Once Upon a Con trilogy. It was published in 2020.

Rosie Thorne is stuck in her small town and hates it with a passion. With her mother recently deceased, she and her now-widowed father are drowning in medical bills. The only way to reduce the debt was to sell her mother’s beloved collection of rare Starfield books. In addition to dealing with the stress that applying for college, Rosie cannot get the mysterious Starfield cosplayer that she met at the previous Excelsicon out of her head.

Vance Reigns is your classic Hollywood bad boy and nepo baby. Though fame and money have provided avenues that are not open to other young men, there is a downside to this lifestyle. After one too many run-ins with the paparazzi, he is shipped off to a small town to let the fervor cool down. The only upshot is that the house he is staying in has a library. But just because it’s there does not mean he will use it.

In their first meeting, Rosie and Vance get along like oil and water. But as they are forced into each other’s company, they begin to see that there is more beneath the surface.

I loved this book. Out of all the books in this series, this is my favorite. I loved the cultural references that Poston sprinkles throughout the stories and the easter eggs related to the Disney adaptation.

Rosie and Vance’s relationship has a nice pace to it. Both are initially so caught up in their own worlds and drama that they are unable to see the value in the other. By the time they get together, it feels right.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

Bookish and the Beast is available wherever books are sold.

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The Princess and the Fangirl Book Review

Others who are older and wiser than us will sometimes say that we cannot understand another person until we walk a mile in their shoes.

The Princess and the Fan Girl, by Ashley Poston, was published in 2020 and is the second book in the Once Upon a Con trilogy. Based on the Mark Twain fable/fairy tale The Prince and the Pauper, the book follows two young women who look remarkably alike.

Imogen Lovelace loves the television series turned film adaption of Starfield with a passion. Her goal at this year’s ExcelsiCon is to get the keeper of the proverbial keys to revive the IP’s now-dead female lead, Princess Amara.

The actor playing Amara, Jessica Stone, would like nothing more than to leave the character behind in the rearview mirror. While she wants to be respected for her work, she loathes fame and constant attention.

When the script for the next film is released, Jess believes that she is responsible for the leak. The only way to find out the truth is to switch places with Imogen. While both believe that this plan will be simple to execute, they have no idea what they are in store for.

Though the narrative starts out a little slow, it picks up at about the halfway point. Instead of putting it down and moving on to the next book, I am glad I pushed through. It is a lovely story that just because we think we know someone does not mean that we actually know them.

My favorite part of the tale was that Jessica is out and proud. Moreover, her romance proves once more that love knows no bounds.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

The Princess and the Fangirl is available wherever books are sold.

Geekerella (Once Upon a Con Series #1) Book Review

There are two perspectives on fairy tales. The first is that these are antiquated stories that are out of touch with our current culture. The second is that with a little tweaking (with a nod to the original narrative), the tale can still feel relevant and modern.

Geekerella (Once Upon a Con Series #1), was published in 2017. Elle Wittimer’s favorite television show is Starfield (basically a version of Galaxy Quest). It was also her late father’s favorite show, they used to watch it together. With both of her parents gone, this Cinderella girl is under the thumb of her less-than-maternal stepmother. When she comes upon an opportunity to enter a cosplay contest that promotes a big-screen reboot of the series at ExcelsiCon, she eagerly enters.

Darien Freeman is a fanboy of Starfield and used to fan conventions on a regular basis. But his present status as the heartthrob of primetime teen drama makes that impossible. When he is cast as Federation Prince Carmindor, the lead male role, he jumps at the chance. Darien wants to prove that his acting skills go beyond what is expected of him. As ExcelsiCon gets closer, he meets a young lady who pushes him in unexpected directions.

This book is adorable. I completely got Elle as a character. Normally, there are two arcs for the “geek” girl. The first is that she is kept in her lane. The second is that her reputation (and physical appearance) are changed when she is suddenly seen by the popular guy (a la She’s All That). Thankfully, Elle is given room to move which is both organic and refreshing.

I appreciated that underneath the Darien is much more than he appears to be. He is not just the 2D prince who is the end goal of our female protagonist. He is fully human. He wants more than the image that the press and fans have given him. His want to succeed and grow as both a person and actor drew me to him and made me root for him.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

Geekerella (Once Upon a Con Series #1) is available wherever books are sold.

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