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reviews_and_ramblingsAnd the Rainbow Award goes to...
1.
Amy Klobuchar; Edited by In This Together Media - Nevertheless, We Persisted
Nevertheless, We Persisted: 48 Voices of Defiance, Strength, and Courage
"Each story is powerful, well-written and offers it message without being preachy. It's especially powerful that the stories are from a mix of ages, races, and sexualities. Within its pages is a place for all."
Chris Tebbetts - Me Myself & Him
Me Myself & Him
"Fresh and creative approach to Coming of Age trope through use of parrallel stories and a Narrator point-of-view that is clever, engaging and very funny. Tebbetts has a laser-sharp ear for realism together with a heart for the sentimental. The author’s craft is well-honed and on top of that, it’s a page-turner!"
"I so wanted to share this with some of my students. Chris is a fantastic character and the split in timelines never feels contrived or hackneyed. Awesome read."
2.
R. Zamora Linmark - The Importance of Being Wilde at Heart
The Importance of Being Wilde at Heart
"I have never read a story written quite like The Importance of Being Wilde at Heart. Part haiku, part list, part prose, part conversations with Oscar Wilde... loved it. The setting and characters were natural, realistic, and the story was poignantly relatable. A work of art!"
"Absolutely charming first love story with the writings (and life) of Oscar Wilde as its blueprint and alter ego. The writer’s fresh and tender approach to gender, love, irony and lust makes this book read almost like a long poem. Moves along at a great pace, comes complete with a second-string of good friends, and credibly resonates with all the pathos, comedy and poetry of first love. The author knows his craft and certainly knows a great deal about Oscar Wilde. Highly recommended."
Chad Sell - The Cardboard Kingdom
The Cardboard Kingdom
"I loved it. These beautifully illustrated snippets of the everyday summer lives of kids with an amazing imagination made me laugh, cry, growl, and root for them. What starts with only a couple of kids roleplaying together grows into a true whirlwind adventure between a great many friends. Great costumes, fantastical masks, and brave plots prove that these kids have more in common than they initially think. They support each other in such wonderful ways, I was happy to read the whole thing in one sitting. There are characters for everyone: the boy who dresses up like a girl, the vocal girl who is told she's too loud for a good girl, the reformed bully, the prince and his rogue best friend, the bookish boy without friends, and so on. Something and someone for everyone to relate to. I was blown away by how much could be told with just a few pages and images. Couldn't recommend this higher."
"I loved this colourful, kid-friendly graphic novel. The stories are inventive, and will hold the interest of a young reader while opening their eyes to plethora of ideas and possibilities."
"I’ve never read a graphic novel before. I quite enjoyed the experience. I liked all the little individual stories that made up the kid’s summer holidays. Made me wish I had had a group of neighbourhood friends like that when I was growing up… it would have been fun."
Stefani Deoul - Zero Sum Game
Zero Sum Game (A Sid Rubin Silicon Alley Adventure)
"There is nothing I haven’t loved about this book. When there are a lot of characters I can find myself lost in trying to figure out who is who, or what not but the author made an awesome job in giving every character a clear voice, so much so that even the most peripheral ones where easy to understand ad remember. Another thing that I really loved about this book is the way the author was able to give a voice to the adolescent stage of life, it is clear from the start that we are looking at a group of teenagers, without it being demeaning or becoming a caricature. Now I want to read the first book in this series and this is actually the best compliment any reader could give to an author, being curios till the point to wanting to know about what they wrote before and becoming such a fan that ones want to wait patiently for the next book."
"There’s a zany brilliance about Stefani Deoul’s writing that makes this second book in the Sid Rubin Silicon Alley Adventure a pleasure to read. Although the story revolves around a small group of nerdy, needy and semi-nihilistic teen brainiacs who solve mysteries by virtue of their encyclopedic knowledge of video games, game theory and teenage angst, the superior writing keeps one going even when the subject matter is somewhat arcane to all but the most dedicated of millennials. Deoul’s use of the first-person POV is perfect, striking the exact right balance amongst the competing mood swings associated with young adult blasé, bedevilment and botheration."
Emily Skrutskie - Hullmetal Girls
Hullmetal Girls
"This is an excellent contribution to the scifi-genre with young adult characters. The world-building is outstanding. The plot captivating. The book is LGBTI-friendly without being itself LGBTI fiction at all."
"Emily Skrutskie's Hullmetal GIrls is inclusive, diverse, delightful scifi that's refreshingly grrl power in a traditionally male-dominated genre. The characterizations ring true, and the gender and sexual identities of the characters are coincidental rather than fetishized or focused upon. It's simply one more aspect of who they are. The classic tropes utilized in the telling of this tale are no less enjoyable for being tropes. Overall, I deeply enjoyed this story and would definitely read more in this universe."
3.
M. Rose Flores - The End
The End
"I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written, fast-paced Zombie horror YA book and would recommend it to readers who enjoy YA post-apocalyptic books."
"This book is a fine example of a fresh take on zombie stories. Her writing style keeps readers engaged and the story is well worth the read. "
Mia Kerick - The Princess of Baker Street
The Princess of Baker Street
"I found this book compelling from the first age and I could not put it down until I'd finished. It's not an easy light fluffy read, I had tears streaming down my face. I really felt for the characters and for real people I've known who at times have been Eric and his friend. Thankfully all the characters get the correct ending for their stories. Note: I read the book without reading the blurb. I see the first paragraph in the blurb would imply this is primarily the story of a trans girl and readers expecting that may be disappointed. Although some of her story does emerge told through Eric's point of view, the book is not her story. The story is more about how other people in school react to her, firstly as a boy who doesn't conform to gender expectations and later as an out trans girl. I'd say this book is primarily about bullying and surviving school through that adolescent period. It sits well with other books that combine LGBT themes and bullying, such as James Howe's Misfits series. The bullying is severe and there is a suicide attempt. And it is Eric's story of survival both at school and at home, where he suffers neglect. It is a story that is very real, I can imagine there are kids living something similar in every school. Eric's thirteen years of age and navigating his way through life at a tricky age. From his point of view, all other kids around him could potentially ruin his life. He tries to fit in and avoid drawing attention to himself. To fit in and not be bullied. He's an average kid. Part of survival means not associating with the kid who doesn't fit in. I would recommend this book to young readers in general. I'd be happy for my children to read it. However, I would say it is targeted at general readers not specifically trans youth."
1.
Amy Klobuchar; Edited by In This Together Media - Nevertheless, We Persisted
Nevertheless, We Persisted: 48 Voices of Defiance, Strength, and Courage
"Each story is powerful, well-written and offers it message without being preachy. It's especially powerful that the stories are from a mix of ages, races, and sexualities. Within its pages is a place for all."
Chris Tebbetts - Me Myself & Him
Me Myself & Him
"Fresh and creative approach to Coming of Age trope through use of parrallel stories and a Narrator point-of-view that is clever, engaging and very funny. Tebbetts has a laser-sharp ear for realism together with a heart for the sentimental. The author’s craft is well-honed and on top of that, it’s a page-turner!"
"I so wanted to share this with some of my students. Chris is a fantastic character and the split in timelines never feels contrived or hackneyed. Awesome read."
2.
R. Zamora Linmark - The Importance of Being Wilde at Heart
The Importance of Being Wilde at Heart
"I have never read a story written quite like The Importance of Being Wilde at Heart. Part haiku, part list, part prose, part conversations with Oscar Wilde... loved it. The setting and characters were natural, realistic, and the story was poignantly relatable. A work of art!"
"Absolutely charming first love story with the writings (and life) of Oscar Wilde as its blueprint and alter ego. The writer’s fresh and tender approach to gender, love, irony and lust makes this book read almost like a long poem. Moves along at a great pace, comes complete with a second-string of good friends, and credibly resonates with all the pathos, comedy and poetry of first love. The author knows his craft and certainly knows a great deal about Oscar Wilde. Highly recommended."
Chad Sell - The Cardboard Kingdom
The Cardboard Kingdom
"I loved it. These beautifully illustrated snippets of the everyday summer lives of kids with an amazing imagination made me laugh, cry, growl, and root for them. What starts with only a couple of kids roleplaying together grows into a true whirlwind adventure between a great many friends. Great costumes, fantastical masks, and brave plots prove that these kids have more in common than they initially think. They support each other in such wonderful ways, I was happy to read the whole thing in one sitting. There are characters for everyone: the boy who dresses up like a girl, the vocal girl who is told she's too loud for a good girl, the reformed bully, the prince and his rogue best friend, the bookish boy without friends, and so on. Something and someone for everyone to relate to. I was blown away by how much could be told with just a few pages and images. Couldn't recommend this higher."
"I loved this colourful, kid-friendly graphic novel. The stories are inventive, and will hold the interest of a young reader while opening their eyes to plethora of ideas and possibilities."
"I’ve never read a graphic novel before. I quite enjoyed the experience. I liked all the little individual stories that made up the kid’s summer holidays. Made me wish I had had a group of neighbourhood friends like that when I was growing up… it would have been fun."
Stefani Deoul - Zero Sum Game
Zero Sum Game (A Sid Rubin Silicon Alley Adventure)
"There is nothing I haven’t loved about this book. When there are a lot of characters I can find myself lost in trying to figure out who is who, or what not but the author made an awesome job in giving every character a clear voice, so much so that even the most peripheral ones where easy to understand ad remember. Another thing that I really loved about this book is the way the author was able to give a voice to the adolescent stage of life, it is clear from the start that we are looking at a group of teenagers, without it being demeaning or becoming a caricature. Now I want to read the first book in this series and this is actually the best compliment any reader could give to an author, being curios till the point to wanting to know about what they wrote before and becoming such a fan that ones want to wait patiently for the next book."
"There’s a zany brilliance about Stefani Deoul’s writing that makes this second book in the Sid Rubin Silicon Alley Adventure a pleasure to read. Although the story revolves around a small group of nerdy, needy and semi-nihilistic teen brainiacs who solve mysteries by virtue of their encyclopedic knowledge of video games, game theory and teenage angst, the superior writing keeps one going even when the subject matter is somewhat arcane to all but the most dedicated of millennials. Deoul’s use of the first-person POV is perfect, striking the exact right balance amongst the competing mood swings associated with young adult blasé, bedevilment and botheration."
Emily Skrutskie - Hullmetal Girls
Hullmetal Girls
"This is an excellent contribution to the scifi-genre with young adult characters. The world-building is outstanding. The plot captivating. The book is LGBTI-friendly without being itself LGBTI fiction at all."
"Emily Skrutskie's Hullmetal GIrls is inclusive, diverse, delightful scifi that's refreshingly grrl power in a traditionally male-dominated genre. The characterizations ring true, and the gender and sexual identities of the characters are coincidental rather than fetishized or focused upon. It's simply one more aspect of who they are. The classic tropes utilized in the telling of this tale are no less enjoyable for being tropes. Overall, I deeply enjoyed this story and would definitely read more in this universe."
3.
M. Rose Flores - The End
The End
"I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written, fast-paced Zombie horror YA book and would recommend it to readers who enjoy YA post-apocalyptic books."
"This book is a fine example of a fresh take on zombie stories. Her writing style keeps readers engaged and the story is well worth the read. "
Mia Kerick - The Princess of Baker Street
The Princess of Baker Street
"I found this book compelling from the first age and I could not put it down until I'd finished. It's not an easy light fluffy read, I had tears streaming down my face. I really felt for the characters and for real people I've known who at times have been Eric and his friend. Thankfully all the characters get the correct ending for their stories. Note: I read the book without reading the blurb. I see the first paragraph in the blurb would imply this is primarily the story of a trans girl and readers expecting that may be disappointed. Although some of her story does emerge told through Eric's point of view, the book is not her story. The story is more about how other people in school react to her, firstly as a boy who doesn't conform to gender expectations and later as an out trans girl. I'd say this book is primarily about bullying and surviving school through that adolescent period. It sits well with other books that combine LGBT themes and bullying, such as James Howe's Misfits series. The bullying is severe and there is a suicide attempt. And it is Eric's story of survival both at school and at home, where he suffers neglect. It is a story that is very real, I can imagine there are kids living something similar in every school. Eric's thirteen years of age and navigating his way through life at a tricky age. From his point of view, all other kids around him could potentially ruin his life. He tries to fit in and avoid drawing attention to himself. To fit in and not be bullied. He's an average kid. Part of survival means not associating with the kid who doesn't fit in. I would recommend this book to young readers in general. I'd be happy for my children to read it. However, I would say it is targeted at general readers not specifically trans youth."
