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"Saying 'I notice you're a nerd' is like saying, 'Hey, I notice that you'd rather be intelligent than be stupid, that you'd rather be thoughtful than be vapid, that you believe that there are things that matter more than the arrest record of Lindsay Lohan. Why is that?' In fact, it seems to me that most contemporary insults are pretty lame. Even 'lame' is kind of lame. Saying 'You're lame' is like saying 'You walk with a limp.' Yeah, whatever, so does 50 Cent, and he's done all right for himself."— John Green

5.02.2012

Mini Reviews - iDrakula, Catalyst, & If I Forget, You Remember



by Carol Lynch Williams
3 stars
Review:
Elyse Donaldson embarks on summer with some big plans: write her first novel, read each book in her “to-read” stack, and make friends with her older sister Jordyn.  Of course some things are easier said than done.  Her summer slowly unravels.  Elyse’s Granny is rapidly descending into the world of Alzheimer’s and has come to live with Elyse and her family. Meanwhile, Elyse’s mother starts dating for the first time since Elyse’s father died.  All these changes are really shaking up Elyse’s big plans, and she doesn’t know how to handle it.  With a keen insight, Carol Lynch Williams examines the impact that loss of both mind and body can have on a family.
Evaluation:
In If I Forget, You Remember, Carol Lynch Williams captures a girl on the brink of development.  Elyse learns who she is, how she fits into her family, and how strong she really is by being able to overcome tremendous grief.  On top of this momentous coming-of-age, Williams describes the realities of Alzheimer ’s disease perfectly.  Granny’s decline is both heartbreaking and joyful has this family bans together to help each other.  Many times, the death of a grandparent is something teens faces well before any other death in their lives.  The book looks at this reality with honesty, and is a good source for teens going through a similar experience.
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by Laurie Halse Anderson
4 stars

Review:
Kate Malone is a straight A student, math and science geek, reverend’s daughter and caretaker of her family.  Everything in her life has its place: school, work, family; all compartmentalized to the maximum efficiency.  She sets up everything like an experiment, taking into account all the variables.  But then it all blows up in her face.  Having to take in the school reject, Teri Litch, puts Kate’s life into a spin.  Laurie Halse Anderson examines what happens when the hypothesis you had about your life turns out to be wrong.  So grab your lab coat and your goggles and be prepared to absorb Catalyst.

Evaluation:
Within Catalyst, Kate must deal with the ramifications of having the Litchs in her house, and with the problems Teri creates, all while awaiting reply from MIT, the only university she applied to.  With no safety schools, Kate experiences the pressure that many seniors go through.  Are they making the right decision?  Will they disappoint their families and themselves?  Laurie Halse Anderson tells a terrific story of family and connection, and what you do when your plan takes an unexpected turn.  
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by Bekka Black
4 stars
Review:
Mina Murray, Jonathan Harker, and, of course, Dracula are back in this re-telling of the classic story by Bekka Black.   Jonathan, a complete player, must travel to Transylvania to wrap up a business transaction for his job.  Meanwhile, his girlfriend, Mina, wait for him back in the states.  That is until she gets notice that Jonathan has had a psychotic breakdown, and has been committed.  All caused from a "blood disease", Mina hooks up with Abe Van Helsing, a pre-med student, to uncover a cure.  iDrakula takes the original epistolary form of Dracula and updates it for the 21st century.  Told through texts, emails, and iPad browses, this terrifying tale unfolds quickly and with the same violence as the original.  

Evaluation:
iDrakula is a fast-paced adventure, that is very visually ngaging!  Faced with the reality that  the man she loves is dying, both physically and mentally, Mina sets out to help.  This time around Mina Murray is empowered, as she takes matters into her own hands.  I love when the women in older books get a 21st century update, becoming the most kickass-women-powered versions of themselves.  This is a great introduction, but by no means a replacement, to the original story; one which I think many high schoolers would enjoy.  A fun lazy day read, Bekka Black brings the old into the new!

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