Every Body Looking

Iloh, Candice. Every Body Looking. digital. 2020. Penguin Random House Audio. 

Moving and lyrical - this coming of age story set in verse is sensational and unforgettable. Burdened with heavy expectations at a young age, Ada struggles to figure out who she is underneath the mask she puts on to appease her parents and her peers. Her father is a Nigerian immigrant and her mother is an emotionally abusive African American woman suffering from many mental health issues. Her father has custody and raises her in the church - setting very high standards for how she should look and behave. All Ada wants to do is dance and draw - but she is an obedient daughter and always puts her elders first. Told in alternating timelines between public school and moving away to college - readers feel the anguish and inner turmoil as Ada struggles to peel back the mask that holds her in place. Flashbacks to painful moments from the past - being molested by a cousin - segue to painful moments in Ada's now -  suffering through a gynecology visit. Culture, sexuality, passion, and inner truth are discovered and fought for. Expertly narrated by the author herself - this coming of age story is one readers won't forget.  At times painful, but ultimately cathartic for Ada and readers alike; impossible to put down. - Erin Cataldi, Johnson Co. Public Library, Franklin, IN

Betty

 

I haven't ugly sobbed at a book in years. The last 100 pages were just a cry fest for me. This book has some of the most memorable characters - and this flawed fucked up family is so precious and wonderful that I wish I could know them in real life - I felt right at home in their insanity. Betty was born to a Cherokee father and a poor white mother in southern Ohio in the early sixties. As a middle child of of seven and the only one who inherited her father's "indigenous" looks she often gets into mischief and has trouble fitting in. She loves listening to her father's tall tales and making up stories of her own - in fact there are certain parts of her family's history that she wishes she could re-write. For some reason Betty becomes the repository for her family's dark secrets. Her mother confides in her an awful ugly, truth that she never even told her husband and her eldest sister tries to lie about something that Betty wasn't supposed to see. A very dark coming of age story filled with incest, dark secrets, brutal pet deaths, and depression. I will say though that light shines through particularly well when balanced by the all the dark. There are truly some amazing moments and it isn't all bad, there is a lot of heartbreak though. You want the best for all these amazing characters. A book I won't forget about and will definitely return to. 

The Meaning of Maggie

Poignant, hilarious, and deeply emotional; Maggie's "memoir" about the year she turned 11 is an absolute joy. Extremely book smart and filled with big plans for the future (she will be president!), Maggie is happy that she's one year closer to voting and to college. There's only one thing in her life that's not great - her dad (well and her two older sisters - honestly they're more obsessed with lip balm than with grades!). Her dad's legs have gone pretty much all numb and he relies on his family to wheel him about and move him from place to place. Maggie is sure she can find a way to fix him - she just needs to get a hold of the M encyclopedia to see what he actually has. This is a charming and heartfelt coming of age story that features the most adorably naive and nerdy 11 on the planet (she even has footnotes in her memoir/journal!). An eye opening look at how children react to illness and big family changes.

The Knockout Queen

A knockout. Literally. This unique coming of age story has many layers and complexities but the enduring friendship of two oddballs is perfectly captured on the page. Michael is a loner. His mom got out of jail and only reclaimed custody of his sister so he's living in his aunt's tiny house. He has no friends and is the loneliest gay kid in the world. Until his six foot three, intimidatingly awkward neighbor, Bunny takes a shine to him. They soon become thick as thieves. He finally has a friend in high school and he can go next door to Bunny's mansion anytime he likes. Things are looking up. Until the fight that is. The fight will transform their friendship and their futures and there is no telling if they'll be able to survive the consequences. Heartfelt, moving, hilarious, and deeply insightful. This coming of age story is one for the books.

They Could Have Named Her Anything

Jimenez, Stephanie. They Could Have Named Her Anything. 9 CDs. unabridged. 10hrs 57 mins. 2019. Brilliance Audio.  ISBN 9781721367283. $34.99.

Debut author, Stephanie Jimenez, doesn't pull any punches in this arresting coming of age novel. Wealth, racism, and privilege duke it out in this powerful young adult story between two unlikely friends. Maria comes from a close knit family in Queens down on their luck financially and Rocky comes from the Upper East Side where she uses her money as a shield from family drama. Together they attend an elite girls school and find themselves drawn to each other. Their budding friendship is riddled with questions and boundaries as they navigate unexpected jealousy that threatens to tear them apart. What happens when you want something so bad that you'll stop at nothing to secure it for yourself? Family and friendships pale in comparison to the deepest unspoken desires of both Maria and Rocky and the choices they make will effect far more than their friendship. Brilliantly  narrated by Almarie Guerra, who gives the young girls authenticity and youthful naivete. Sincere, at times uncomfortable, and always authentic; this teen novel will appeal to readers of all ages.  - Erin Cataldi, Johnson Co. Public Library, Franklin, IN

The Catcher in the Rye

..... I don't understand why this is considered the classic coming of age story. It's centered on a privileged white boy who is a total douche canoe. He is soo unlikable; he bumbles about making a mess everywhere, full of self importance. Holden Caulfield finds himself getting expelled from yet ANOTHER private boys school and rather than wait out the rest of his term, he packs up his bags and resolves to spend some time in New York City cheering himself up before his parents find out and hit the roof. The entire story only spans a few days and is just Holden showing disgust and naivete at the adult world around him. Even though he tries to pass himself off as being mature, he's really just a young dumb kid. Ugh, what douche canoe. Skip this and read any other coming of age story. Please, do yourself a favor.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

I ADORED this book! It now ranks as one of the most moving coming of age stories I've ever read. It was poignant, heartfelt, and filled bits of humor and unique ways of looking at the world. Francie and her younger brother are no stranger to poverty. They've been dirt poor, but have found ways to find the beauty while surrounded by dirt. They live in Brooklyn, New York with a hard working mother and a lovable drunk father who is good hearted but useless. Francie is an odd child, she fiercely loves her family, loves learning, and is always questioning. She has grand dreams about being an author or a playwright and she loves to write. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is loosely based on the author's childhood in pre-World War I New York which doesn't surprise me at all. The voice of young Francie is so knowing, so delicate, and so well understood. A wonderful novel.

After Tupac and D Foster

A good story that lots of teens will relate too, but I was a little disappointed it wasn't longer or had a larger plot. It's a pretty simplistic story about how two young black girl's lives are changed when a girl named D. Foster walks onto their block. They immediately become best friends and the girls try to probe for details about D's mysterious life. All they know is that she has a foster mom and is obsessed with Tupac. Over the next two years they slowly learn more about her troubled past and that only makes them more committed to being her friend. They learn how to deal with boys, racism, broken homes, gays, developing bodies, and more. A good coming of age novel, I just wish there were a little more to it.

The Girls

A fascinating read that transports the reader back to 1969. Very reminiscent of the Manson murders this book shows how one young girl's naivety and thirst for adventure leads to her becoming involved in a cult. Russell is an enigmatic man and the women and children in his midst look up to him with something like hero worship. Showing a disdain for worldly goods and money the group travels around in a black school bus and dumpster dives for food and supplies. Fourteen year old Evie happens upon the group by chance and becomes smitten with the girls carefree and easy lifestyle. The ranch where Russell and his groupies stay isn't far from her house so she stays there most of the summer and gets caught up in free love, drugs, and communal living. Quickly emboldened by this new radical lifestyle, Evie has a hard time discerning right and wrong, how far is she willing to go down the road to violence? Looking back on her experience as a hardened adult she is able to see how the summer when she was fourteen shaped her into the women she became. A fascinating read.

Dodgers

Gritty, raw, and almost unbelievable. An urban coming of age tale that features several young black teenagers from the LA ghetto driving cross country to murder a judge for their boss. Their crew rolls four deep; East, the most level headed and obedient (also the story's protagonist), Michael, the oldest, yet least responsible, Walter, a fat geek, and Ty, East's younger hot headed brother. Together they must drive from California to Michigan, avoid getting busted by cops and somehow not murder each other on the way. Beautifully written and masterfully told this book will have wide appeal. Fast paced, and filled with strong, unforgettable characters this is one of the best debuts of the year.

I received this book for free from Library Thing in return for my honest, unbiased review.

Love Letters to the Dead

It started off a little soon, but I pushed on and then boy, was I hooked. Laurel receives a writing assignment on her first day of high school to write a letter to a dead person so she writes to Kurt Cobain. She enjoys it so much that it turns into a journal of sorts and she keeps writing to other dead people (River Pheonix, Janis Joplin, Heath Ledger, Elizabeth Browning, etc.), never turning in her initial assignment. She pours out her fears, frustrations, loneliness, and developing friendships. It's heartbreaking as she laments for her sister (who died tragically young), the divorce of her parents and the fear of being too broken. It is very reminiscent of Stephen Chbosky's "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" in that it is a coming of age story that will stick with you long after you finish it. Wonderful, achingly sad, and beautiful. I may have shed a tear or two at the end, a wonderful debut!

Calves in the Mud Room

An enchanting novella that sucks you in on the very first page. Wade has big things planned, the girl of his dreams has asked him to go to the dance with her. He can hardly believe his luck! That is until he realizes the calves are coming, and they're coming if he's ready or not. Growing up on a cattle farm you think he would be used to it, but with his grandpa not long in the grave, his mom useless, and his stepfather a mean alcoholic, he's on his own. The calves couldn't pick a worse night to be born, all his wants to do is woo his beautiful date. To make matters even worse he realizes that his mom has taken him the car and left him with the ancient pick up truck, he's going to be late but at least he has something to look forward to. Or does he? A poignant coming of age novella that will resonate with readers of all ages. It's easy to sympathize with Wade and his horrible home life, so the reader keeps rooting for him, and the damn inconvenient calves. A fast, absorbing read.

I received this book for free from the author in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

Growing Pains

A lovely coming of age book perfect for middle schoolers coming to grips with the complexities of their future and their families. Kendra doesn't have an easy life, her parents are always fighting about money, she is stressing about making the cheer-leading team, and she is having to make a decision about which high school she'll go to the following year. All of her troubles seem insurmountable and she has no idea how to handle the stress. Thankfully her best friend, her younger sister, and a cute basketball boy try their best to ease the stress. Teens will relate to the dysfunctional family dynamics, the school drama, and the hints of first romance. Set in New Orleans during the mid-eighties, there is a nice void of cellphones and social media which rids Kendra of twenty-first century struggles. Maddening at times, readers will appreciate how Kendra chooses to overcome her struggles and still try and stay positive when everything seems to be falling apart around her. A great middle grade-read!

I received this book for free from the author in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

Summer of the Mariposas

Fanciful and inventive, this coming of age novel tells the story of five young sisters as they test the bonds of sisterhood. Their summer is turned upside down when they find the body of a dead man floating in their favorite swimming hole. Juanita suggests they take the body back to it's family and three of her sisters think it's a fantastic plan. Odilia, the oldest, objects but is soon overturned by the excitement and vigor of her sisters. Along the way they encounter many unbelievable things, things of legend that will either make or break them. With the help of the Aztec goddess they try to do right by the dead man, their family, and themselves. Full of ancient lore, family values, and heroic quests this book will entrance young adult readers.

The Spectacular Now

Oh my God! Where has this book been all my life?! Why am I just now reading it?!? This is hands down the most honest look at teenage "romance." There aren't knights in shining armor. People have flaws, there is no perfect relationship. There is no happy ending, this is a real look at how many guys are... not perfect! Instead of the usual girl meets perfect boy (ie knight in shining armor) this is the story of a boy who isn't perfect. He's a funny likable guy and girls love him, but he's not a good guy and he knows it. The whole time you root for bad boy Sutter to turn his life around and be the boyfriend that Aimee loves and deserves. But life isn't always that cut and dry! People have real flaws to work with! Sutter is a high school student who drinks from sun up to sun down, he's always the life of the party. Girls love him, guys want to be him. He's so at ease with everything and takes nothing seriously. He has no life ambitions and just lives from day to day. Then comes Aimee a shy, quiet nerd, Sutter thinks that she can be his charity case and he'll give her the skills and confidence that she so desperately needs. But of course that's not how it works does it? They start to fall in love with each other. She brings out a new side in Sutter that he's not sure he likes.

Soo funny, witty, honest, and heartbreaking. I loved this book and the movie adaptation of it. Miles Teller was THE PERFECT choice to portray Sutter. A definite must read and a must see!

Low Down: Junk, Jazz, and Other Fairy Tales from Childhood

A.J. Albany kills it in this memoir! Instead of being told in the usual narration form the author tells her story through a series of short memories and observations from her youth. Some are in chronological order, some are not, but together they all tell the haunting, enchanting, and wildly inappropriate childhood of young Amy Joe Albany, daughter of legendary Jazz pianist, Joe Albany. Her observations about drugs, sexuality, and music are stunning, startling, and amazingly ahead of her time. A great memoir full of stories that will stick with you. I can't wait to see the movie adaptation.

For fans of memoirs, coming of age stories, and jazz.

Labor Day

I soo longed for this to be a romance. After I saw this book featured on Buzzfeed's list of books getting turned into movies and saw the movie trailer, I knew I had to read it. The trailer with Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin looked beautiful and haunting and romantic. Which is what the book is, only... less on the romance.

The story is told through the eyes of thirteen year old Henry Wheeler, and explores one life changing labor day weekend that he spent with his mother and an escaped convict. He comes into their life by accident, but it appears that the escaped convict, Frank, is anything but what the newspapers make him out to be. He is thoughtful, handy, and considerate, and quickly steals Henry's fragile mother's heart.

This is more of a coming of age story then a romance, and it won't end the way you expect it to. But that's no reason for you not to read it. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I can't wait to see the movie!

American Dervish

This was a beautifully crafted masterpiece. The eloquence of the words, the power of the plot, and the wonderfully developed and flawed characters come together to form a twenty-first century literary marvel.

Told through the naive eyes of a young Pakistani American boy, Hayat recounts his youth and the summer that changed his life forever, the summer when his mother's best friend, Mina, came to America with her five year old son to seek refuge from her ex-husband. Through Mina, Hayat learns about his religious roots (something his parents never bothered with) and slowly falls in love with the Quran and Mina herself. But when Mina starts to fall for Nathan, a young Jewish man, Hayat finds himself at a crossroads and the decisions he makes will haunt him forever.

Pakistani and Muslim culture shines brightly in this novel. It's a real eye opener. A must read.

Side note, I listened to the audiobook version which is narrated by the author and I HIGHLY recommend it. Ayad Akhtar can switch in between accents seamlessly and bring to life Muslim culture with his Quranic recitations and chants.

Looking for Alaska

STUPID FEELINGS! Why John Green why?!? Why do you lure me in with your beautifully flawed characters, witty dialogue, and the wonder of searching for the great perhaps only to stomp on my feeble little heart?!?!?! Why?!?

That being said. I loved the shit out of this book. It was perfect. I loved every single character. They were perfect, and by perfect, I mean faithful representations of flawed human teenagers, invincible, convincing, and full of wonderment.

Miles Halter (aka Pudge) leaves behind his parents and exciting friendless life, to go to a boarding school in hopes of finding the great perhaps. He immediately becomes best friends with his roommate, the Colonel, and is introduced to an exciting group of kids, Lara (the exotic foreigner), Takumi, and Alaska, the most intoxicating girl he's ever met. Together they make the school year more exciting, pulling pranks, smoking cigarettes, reading, drinking, and questioning their lives. It's a wonderful coming of age story. John Green understands teenagers better that I did when I was one. His narration and dialogue is spot on.

An absolute must read. You'll laugh and cry (although not as badly as in "The Fault in Our Stars") and want to go read every single word ever written by John Green. Also, he mentions Kurt Vonnegut several times in the story, a fitting tribute to a fellow Hoosier author.

Navigating Early

This book was fantastic and I have a hard time believing it's meant for junior readers. Thematically, it's compelling and complex and interweaves stories within stories. 

Jack is uprooted from Kansas to a boarding school in Maine when his mother dies. While there he befriends another eighth grader the bewilderingly weird, Early, who convinces Jack that they need to go on a quest in the wilderness to find the great Appalachian Grizzly Bear and find Early's lost (ie dead in the war) brother. Jack and Early embark on an amazing quest that neither of them could have ever anticipated. Set during the end of World War II this book will move you. A truly fantastic journey of two young boys facing inner demons and harsh realities of a cruel world. An uplifting and inspiring read.