REVIEW: Ghost Hawk by Susan Cooper

Title: Ghost Hawk

Author: Susan Cooper Website Facebook

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Release Date: August 27, 2013

Pages: 336

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: From Newbery Medalist Susan Cooper, a story of adventure and friendship between a young Native American and a colonial New England settler.

On the winter day Little Hawk is sent into the woods alone, he can take only a bow and arrows, his handcrafted tomahawk, and the amazing metal knife his father traded for with the new white settlers. If Little Hawk survives three moons by himself, he will be a man.

John Wakely is only ten when his father dies, but he has already experienced the warmth and friendship of the nearby tribes. Yet his fellow colonists aren’t as accepting of the native people. When he is apprenticed to a barrel-maker, John sees how quickly the relationships between settlers and natives are deteriorating. His friendship with Little Hawk will put both boys in grave danger.

The intertwining stories of Little Hawk and John Wakely are a fascinating tale of friendship and an eye-opening look at the history of our nation. Newbery Medalist Susan Cooper also includes a timeline and an author’s note that discusses the historical context of this important and moving novel.

First Thoughts: After seriously considering abandoning this book, ultimately, I’m glad I stuck with it. My advice? Get to the BIG twist (you’ll know what I mean), and you’ll get hooked.

After finishing this book, I’m left with some conflicted feelings. I went from not liking this book at all (almost abandoning it), to getting really engaged in it, to learning that it’s not really an accurate portrayal of Native Americans of the time period.

I had a really, really hard time getting into this book. Everyday my students commented on my lack of reading progress. They kept telling me it must not be the right book for me (think they hear that often?), and I agree that this is definitely not my kind of book at all. However, it came recommended by some trusted sources so I read on. I’m glad I did, because at the halfway point or so, I finally got engaged. There is a SHOCKING turning point that really changes the path of the story. For as much as I was stuck in the beginning, I flew through the second half of the book.

Even though this is a young adult book (even promoted for tweens), I don’t really feel it’s for a young adult crowd, or at least not a broad crowd. Its pacing is extremely slow (the reason I almost abandoned it) and there’s a lot of descriptive detail. I found the prose, in some places, beautiful, but that’s not always a huge draw to my student readers.

In doing some research after finishing the book, apparently, there are many issues about the portrayal of Native Americans. They are in no way represented in a poor light, but nonetheless, everything in the book is not historically accurate. Even though this novel is labeled historical fantasy, it’s hard to separate from the historical piece. I’m really disappointed in this, because I felt like the novel provided a lot of information. Admittedly, I don’t know enough about Native American culture, beyond what I learned in school. However, if you’d like to know more about the discrepancies and criticism of the book check out Debbie Reese’s blog here.

Final Thoughts: I’m not sure how to feel, even weeks after finishing this book. It was a REALLY slow start for me, but I ended up finishing the second half in one night. I think it’s worth a read for fans of this genre, but it’s not worth a trip outside your reading comfort zone.

Who Should Read It? I think this book has an audience in survival and wilderness readers. I also think readers of this time period of historical fiction will enjoy this story (remember it’s not factual). I know a few students I will recommend this to, but I don’t think I would do a whole-group book talk with it.

REVIEW:The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White

Title: The Chaos of Stars

Author: Kiersten White Website Twitter Facebook

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: September 10, 2013

Pages: 288

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Isadora’s family is seriously screwed up.

Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal.

Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all.

First Thoughts: Took me a little bit to get into the story (I have NO background knowledge when it comes to Egyptian mythology), but when I did, I couldn’t put it down. A fun read, in which I *gasp* learned a bit as well!

I was drawn to this book for two reasons: I really liked Kiersten White’s Paranormalcy series, and I heard it featured mythology. Other than that, I went into this book blind, really knowing nothing about it. When I started reading, I realized my assumptions were incorrect; yes, it’s about mythology, but it’s Egyptian mythology, not Greek, as I wrongly assumed. This made the book somewhat difficult at first because I know NOTHING about Egyptian mythology. I found myself rereading, flipping back to remember who a god or goddess was, and only reading for short chunks at a time (instead of my usual “finish the book in one day” reading), but once I got going, I really enjoyed it (and ended up finishing it during one curled-up-on-the-couch afternoon)!

I am a nerd; I love learning. This book quenched my desire for knowledge in a fun way. I learned so much about the Egyptian gods through the story alone, plus, it actually made me look up some myths and do some mini-research just because I wanted to know more. Why do we only teach the Greeks? I mean, I love the Greeks, but the Egyptians seem to have some crazy incestual family stories just like the gods on Mount Olympus. Although, not to give anything away, but I loved the bits of Greek mythology White wove into the story as well.

As for the characters, I started with mixed emotions but soon came to love and appreciate them. Isadora could be somewhat annoying at times, but isn’t that true for most teenage girls (I know, I was one). She is stubborn, hard-headed, and fueled by emotions (even when she’s trying to cut them off) - basically your typical teenage girl. Also, White’s representation of teenagers’ relationships with their parents is spot on - teenagers think parents are ALWAYS wrong, but then realize, that maybe they are actually right. Sound familiar? And as for the male lead, Ry (Orion)? So swoon-worthy - something every fun read needs. Seriously, those blue eyes? Dreamy!

I did feel like the end of the story felt somewhat rushed. There was foreshadowing throughout, and then it all just seemed to end in the last 20 pages or so. I wish White drew out the end a bit more, because once I got into the story, I was really into the story.

Final Thoughts: The further I got into the story, the more and more I liked it. Not a “must-read”, but definitely a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon curled up under a blanket.

Who Should Read It? This is a great twist on ancient Egyptian mythology. I think fans of mythology in general and fans of the Percy Jackson series should give this a try. It’s a fun read and yet it’s extremely informative when it comes to the Egyptian gods and goddesses, particularly Osiris and Isis...I learned A TON!

REVIEW: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Title: I Hunt Killers

Author: Barry Lyga Website Twitter Facebook

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Release Date: April 3, 2012

Pages: 384

Buy It! amazon

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?

Jasper "Jazz" Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could—from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret—could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

First Thoughts: Very Dexter Morgan-esque! I’ve always been intrigued by the concept of sociopaths and murderers (my guilty pleasure is anything on the ID channel - Snapped, Dateline, etc...), and this book did not disappoint! In fact, it might have made my dark obsession a little bit worse.

As a fan of all things dark, twisted, and sociopathic (my television choices are evidence of this) I knew I had to get my hands on this book as soon as I saw it on this year’s Abe Lincoln list, plus, it’s book trailer is pretty fantastic. Well, after reading it, I can say that it belongs on that list for a reason - so good!

I love the characters in this book, which is probably why I like the story so much. Jasper “Jazz” Dent is the perfect lead for this storyline. His conflicted feelings - sociopath or not -  make him seem so real. And, although I’m sure he would hate to hear this, he is heartbreaking; the way he was raised, the way the town looks at him, the way his Grandma weighs on his mind - seriously heartbreaking. Plus, everyone else can see the goodness in him except himself. How can he be a sociopath when he questions it with every move and decision he makes? Not only is Jazz a great lead, but he has the perfect sidekick in his best friend Howie. Loved him! He provides the perfect amount of humor to an otherwise dark book.

This book is definitely dark; I mean, the premise surrounds a boy who was raised by a father who brutally murdered 123 people. This book is not necessarily for the faint of heart. The descriptions of the murders are somewhat graphic and gory, although they are described in a very clinical CSI-like way. Plus, every few chapters or so, we get the killer’s point of view. It’s creepy to read how detached the killer is from what he’s doing - definitely a sociopath, unlike Jazz.

I will admit I had a hard time with the beginning of the book. I found myself having to reread a lot of the police lingo and crime-scene jargon, but after about chapter three, I could not put the book down (I even stayed up late on a school night to finish it - you know it has to be good for me to give up some much-needed sleep).

Final Thoughts: A fantastic and much-needed young adult crime novel! A thrilling page-turner that surprised me up until the very end.

Who Should Read It? Crime, mystery, and thriller fans - move this to the top of your To-Be-Read list.  It’s action-packed from the very beginning, features relatable characters, and is extremely hard to predict (even for a good predictor like myself). I had no idea it’s part of a series, but I look forward to book two - Game. And, boys, this one’s right up your alley (not to stereotype, because I also loved this book, but I always have a hard time recommending to boys).