Tag Archives: Coming of Age

The Naming by Alison Croggon (The First Book of Pellinor)

Australian Literature September 23, 2009 Superfast Reader 4 Comments

Synopsis: A slave discovers that she is The One prophesied by the mystical race of Bards. Review: It really is all about execution when it comes to epic fantasy. I mean, that one sentence synopsis of The Gift could pretty much describe about a zillion other books, many of them truly dreadful. In fact, I was listening the audiobook of Mistborn at the same time, which has basically the same premise! So far, Alison Croggon is delivering a fine, fine tale. She admits to being…

The Boy Next Door by Irene Sabatini

African Literature September 8, 2009 Superfast Reader 5 Comments

Synopsis: A Zimbabwean woman strikes up a friendship with a white neighbor suspected of arson, and their lives become inextricably linked. Review: First-time author Irene Sabatini has a marvelous (or should I say, “lekker”) ear for the distinct vernacular rhythms of her native Zimbabwe. In The Boy Next Door, she chronicles a most unconventional love story that begins against the backdrop of the transition from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe. Later, the story settles amid an Africa in flux, dealing with issues of racial and national identity,…

Fade to Blue by Sean Beaudoin

American Literature August 28, 2009 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: Sophie Blue is so goth she’s roadkill, at least in her dreams, as she searches for her lost father and tries to find herself. Review: Fade to Blue is very, very hip and very, very stylish–so much so that it made me feel old because I didn’t really get it. I am kind of old, closer to middle- than teenage, so maybe that’s okay. The writing is fantastic, and the plotting creative, but I just didn’t click with it. I think many teens will,…

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

American Literature August 18, 2009 Superfast Reader 4 Comments

Synopsis: A 6-year-old wunderkind enters Battle School to train to defeat the aggressive, invading Buggers. Review: This was actually my first foray into audiobooks on the iPod. I am a huge fan of podcasts, but had yet to tackle a book during the time I spend pushing my stroller and nursing Superfast Toddler to sleep. I figured Ender’s Game was a good entrÃ©e, since I have read it before and it wasn’t terribly long, only 11 hours. Since it only took me 2 or 3…

Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford

American Literature April 7, 2009 Superfast Reader 4 Comments

Synopsis: Carter just can’t believe he’s still a virgin, but hopefully starting high school will change all that! Review: Carter Finally Gets It was really not for me. I am very sensitive now that I’m a mom and it was really hard to read about 13- and 14-year-old girls dressing like prostitutes. I just don’t want to read about children being sexually active as a comedy.

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

American Literature January 13, 2009 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: Orphaned Kira is tapped to continue her mother’s work as a weaver with mystical powers, but her glimpses into the world lead her to question everything she’s ever known. Review: Gathering Blue is Lois Lowry’s follow-up to The Giver, her dystopian look at a world without pain. Gathering Blue is a much lighter work, and feels like a bridge to the next book in the trilogy, Messenger. I wasn’t really blown away by this book so I’m not going to say much, other than…

Life After Genius by M. Ann Jacoby

American Literature December 15, 2008 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: A math whiz blows a huge presentation just days before graduation, and now he’s haunted by the ghosts of his family’s past tragedies and the very real threat posed by his unhinged rival. Review: The afterword says that M. Ann Jacoby toiled at Life After Genius for years. I’m hoping it doesn’t take her as long to get the next one out because she’s got a great writing style and brings a lot of intelligence and originality to her storytelling. The book is reminiscent…

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

American Literature November 28, 2008 Superfast Reader 4 Comments

Synopsis: After spending time incarcerated in a secret prison after a terrorist attack, a computer-savvy teen decides to fight back in the name of the Constitution. Review: I am so not cool enough for Little Brother. I’ve never hacked, coded, partitioned or flashmobbed. I don’t understand crypto and I’ve never touched an Xbox. I did learn BASIC programming when I was in elementary school, and one time I spent half a day typing in commands that I got from Mad Magazine, promising to render a…

Guardian by Julian Lester

American Literature October 28, 2008 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: A white boy in in 1946 witnesses a lynching. Review: While the subject matter of Guardian is powerful, the approach is heavy-handed, and I don’t think it has anything new to say about racial violence. It’s certainly no To Kill A Mockingbird, and honestly I would be disappointed if a teen picked up this book instead of that one, just because it’s new. The characters are thin to the point of caricature, and there is such a sharp distinction between the good guys and…

The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner

American Literature October 16, 2008 Superfast Reader 4 Comments

Synopsis: A wealthy young woman takes a job transcribing the diary of a victim of the Salem witch trials, discovering a powerful love story that changes her perspective on her privileged life. Review: Deftly interweaving the very different stories of three headstrong women, Susan Meissner has crafted a novel that delivers a powerfully moving reading experience. I found myself on the verge of tears many times, overcome by Lauren’s journey as she inhabits the world of Mercy, a young woman fated to die by hanging…

reading is my superpower

i read all the books