Monday, November 29, 2010

The Last Good Place of Lily Odilon Book Review



I always love a good mystery and The Last Good Place of Lily Odilon by Sara Beitia is just that. Albert Morales sneaks into his girlfriend's house to spend the night, only to wake up later and find her gone. Since Lily has been known to be a bit on the wild side, Albert tries not to worry too much. But when the police show up at school, Albert becomes a prime suspect in Lily's disappearance. With the help of Lily's sister, Olivia, Albert uncovers a shocking secret and sets out on foot to find Lily. The chapters alternate between real time and Albert's memories of meeting Lily and their relationship as it progresses. Albert is a regular high school guy, with difficult parents who don't understand him or his relationship with Lily. With a despicable villain, a sketchy jock and building suspense, this is a satisfying mystery.

Monday, November 22, 2010

One Crazy Summer Book Review




It's 1968 and Delphine and her two youngers sisters are flying from Brooklyn to Oakland, California to spend a month with their mother, Cecile, who abandoned them years ago. Until now, all Delphine has known of her mother is the brief flashes she remembers and the negative things her grandmother and uncle have told her. Nothing can prepare Delphine for what she encounters when she arrives in California. Cecile's dislike and disinterest for her children is shocking to the girls. Instead of a summer at Disneyland and meeting glamorous movie stars, Delphine and her sisters are forced to spend their days out of Cecile's house and at a community center run by the Black Panthers. The summer turns out to be memorable and eye opening for both Delphine and the reader. A must-read!

Friday, November 19, 2010

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares Book Review



Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have teamed up again with their latest title: Dash and Lily's Book of Dares. It's Christmastime in New York and Lily is looking for someone worthy of sharing her first kiss. When Lily's brother Langston gives her the clever idea to leave a red notebook with a list of literary clues in The Strand (Lily's most favorite book store), she's hopeful she'll attract the boy she's been waiting for. Enter Dash (short for Dashiell), a bit of a grinch and certainly "snarly", who happens to be celebrating Christmas alone. Full of New York City landmarks, Christmas cheer, and memorable and quirky characters, this is the perfect read for the month of December. Fans of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist will find this to be more innocent and less edgy, but a fun read in its own right.

(Lily and Dash are named after a famous couple Dashiell Hammett and Lillian Hellman, both American writers.)