Leaving Gee's Bend

Leaving Gee's Bend by Irene Latham 2010 ARC Penguin

Rating: 3.5/5

IQ "Mama always said you should live a life the same way you piece a quilt. That you was the one in charge of where you put the pieces. You was the one to decide how your story turns out. Well, it seemed to me some of them pieces had a mind of their own." Ludelphia pg. 161-162

Leaving Gee's Bend tells the story of ten year old Ludelphia Bennett who lives in Gee's Bend, Alabama in 1932. Ludelphia's mother gets very sick so she decides to leave Gee's Bend for the first time and go to Camden to fetch the doctor (since Gee's Bend doesn't have one). Camden is over forty miles away and Ludelphia is traveling alone. This book tells the story of her journey and her quilt.

I liked reading Leaving Gee's Bend and only had a few issues with this novel. First of all, the book developed too slowly and I thought some details were tedious. I expected Ludelphia to leave Gee's Bend relatively soon, but no. It took her more chapters than I expected to make up her mind and then head out. Also, I wasn't much impressed with her journey. I didn't think it was that action packed, it seemed rather quick actually. It went like this: she eventually left Gee's Bend, some quick action, oh and now we are in Camden. My other problem with Leaving Gee's Bend is how sharecropping is discussed. That's just it, it's not really discussed. The topic and evils of sharecropping are tiptoed around, never fully explained (like how it was almost impossible to get out of debt often because the sharecroppers were tricked and it was mostly poor African Americans who were sharecroppers). I was especially annoyed with the ending, it details such a rare occurrence, I would have liked to see more realistic behavior from the people the sharecroppers worked for. *SPOILER* Highlight to read: I mean, c'mon. Mrs. Cobb raids Gee's Bend because she thought the girls were witches? More often than not it would be because the sharecroppers hadn't paid back their debt and even then, they most likely would have just been buried under even more debt, not necessarily have had all their possessions taken away. Granted she could have used the girls being witches to justify raiding Gee's Bend, but still. I didn't like how it was handled. **Spoiler ends* Also sharecropping is never explained, why do people have to sharecrop? Especially for younger readers, they might finish this novel wondering why Ludelphia and her family even had to work for Mrs. Cobb and sharecropping doesn't sound so bad, so then why did they have such a hard time paying their debts? An older reader would know why, but this novel is marketed to middle grade readers and they may or may not know. A smaller issue I had was over quilting. Gee's Bend is known for its rich quilting history (not that I know anything about that). I didn't receive that impression from the book, it is apparent that the ladies of Gee's Bend really like to quilt, but why do they like to quilt so much? What is the significance? I think the author could have gone into a bit more detail on that and maybe explain why it has such a rich history of quilting (I still have no idea why). I also thought it was a bit odd that the Great Depression is never really mentioned, no one talks about having to tigthen their belts even more because of hard economic times. Finally, we don't learn much about any other characters except Ludelphia and Mrs. Cobb who owned the land the sharecroppers worked on. I suppose this is because Ludelphia goes on her journey all alone, but I would have liked to learn more about the people of Gee's Bend (Etta Mae, Ludelphia's brother, Ruben, her father, etc.)

I did like one part of the ending that explored an event that I knew absolutely nothing about, that had nothing to do with sharecroppping, more to do with the Great Depression. I thought it was really interesting. I did enjoy reading about Gee's Bend. I think Irene Latham does an excellent job of describing what Gee's Bend was like in the 1930s and how it's different from Camden (a slightly more modernized town than Gee's Bend, for example, until Ludelphia went to Camden she had never had a Coke!). I could see the orange dust rising from the bare feet of Ludelphia and envision her worn eye patch (Ludelphia is blind in one eye). A curious but good part of the story was to the effect of Ludelphia being blind in one eye. I thought it added an intriguing element to the story, (although Ludelphia doesn't have as much trouble as I would have thought since she's only able to see out of one eye). Ludelphia is a well written character, she is brave, determined and has the naivete of youth, an aspect which is handled well in this book (unlike some others were the naive child is just annoying). Ludelphia is easy to relate to and I love how the author relates Ludelphia working on her quilt for her mother to Ludelphia's journey.

I would recommend Leaving Gee's Bend to middle school students because I think it can lead to conversations about sharecropping (and subsequently racism as well) and quilting (why is it so important?). Also, Ludelphia is a good role model for all readers. She willingly sacrifices for her family and she makes mistakes, but then quickly works to fix them. Older readers will be charmed by her and will learn at least two things (instead of the usual one!) from this relatively quick read. 5th grade and up

Disclosure: Received from Penguin. Thanks Stacey!

Male Monday: The Last Summer of the Death Warriors

The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork ARC
Scholastic

Release Date: March 1, 2010

Rating: 5/5!!!!

IQ "He [D.Q.] wrote that the reason God created the world was because He was lonely. He wanted others to love Him, but He didn't want to force them into it. So in order to make sure that there were souls chose to love Him, he made the world such that He was kind of hidden. Then he put people on earth and gave them some clues about how to find Him. That way, some could choose to look for Him and some could ignore Him. And He could be sure that those who persisted in looking for Him truly loved Him." Helen pg. 114

*Deep breath* I'm trying to keep from totally raving about this book because that review would not be particularly helpful. Warning: This post may have random moments of gushing. First of all, this books is by the same author of Marcelo in the Real World. I love The Last Summer of the Death Warriors but I LOVE Marcelo in the Real World more (but I love them both let's be clear, Marcelo is just my first favorite). Anyway, The Last Summer of the Death Warriors is about Pancho and D.Q. Pancho's life is filled with death, his mother died when he was five, his father died in a work-related accident and his sister was murdered. Pancho has to go live at St. Anthony's (an orphanage), where he meets D.Q. who is dying of cancer. They are the same age (17), but view life vastly different but both in a very mature way. All Pancho wants his revenge, he wants to find his sister's murderer and kill him (or her) since the police refuse to do anything (citing a lack of evidence indicating foul play). D.Q. is writing the Death Warrior Manifesto, a guide for him on how to live life to the fullest, full of love and faith. He has very little time left. Finally, D.Q. wants to profess his love for Marisol to her, but Pancho is falling in love with her as well.

I don't want to compare Mr. Stork's two books, but I will say this, the main characters are WAY different. Not just for the obvious of Pancho not having Asperger's. Marcelo is brilliant and innocent, Pancho is smart in his own way and he has lost his innocence. Pancho has to repeat his junior year (who can blame him with all the family tragedy that has occurred) of high school and he doesn't always understand the conversations D.Q. has or the words he uses (along with other people in his life). He doesn't speak Spanish either, his father wanted his kids to speak English since they grew up in America. Pancho can read people really well though and that's a valuable skill. The romance was different too, because it was an interesting love triangle. You want Marisol (a teen who volunteers at Casa Eperanza, an outpatient home) to choose D.Q. AND Pancho, I hated that she had to choose because I grew to love both boys and see their good and bad qualities. Also, Pancho describes Marisol as "nothing to write home about" but she has an inner beauty and she's a wonderful person and I really felt for her and her struggle over which guy to choose. D.Q.'s relationship with his mother, Helen is messed up, its's been seen before but it's different too, because Helen really feels bad and wants to help D.Q. as much as she can, she just doesn't realize that her way might not be the best way.

Another thing I really like about Mr. Stork's work is that he writes about people with mental disabilities, a group of people that is all too often ignored in YA literature. Pancho's sister, Rosa has the mind of a ten year old, but she's twenty. She knows how to read, write and do basic arithmetic and she has a job, but she doesn't fully understand the ways of the world. I was so touched by the relationship between Pancho and Rosa because it was so genuine, he loved her, but he was also ashamed of her and how he treated her when he felt ashamed. Pancho would get angry at his sister over things she couldn't control or what she didn't/couldn't understand. He feels remorse for all this and it's part of the reason as to why he must find his sister's murderer and impart his own form of justice, he feels that he needs to show his sister how much he loves her. Her story broke my heart, it is told through her diary entries and Pancho's own memories, good and bad.

This book is memorable and utterly quotable, especially the Death Warrior Manifesto. D.Q. has immense faith, but it's not particularly religious (i.e. Jesus is not mentioned a lot, God is but mostly it's just about having faith in a higher being and a better life ahead of us). One of my favorite parts of the Death Warrior Manifesto is the no whining rule because it re-defines whining in a way I never really thought about "You know what whining is? Whining is that little voice inside of us that always complains about whatever happens. The voice doesn't have to be heard by others for it to be whining." D.Q. pg. 39 I've never considered that internal complaining is whining, I intend on trying to incorporate all parts of the Death Warrior Manifesto (living a life of gratitude and love) in my own life because they are valuable lessons and can enrich all lives. This story never becomes too depressing or cliche in the whole angry-teen-who-only-grunts or brave-boy-dying of cancer. I don't mean this in an offensive way, but it was nice to see a more original depiction of someone suffering from cancer, D.Q. is a great character and very brave, but he's also human, a saint with flaws. And Mr. Stork is one of the few authors that can make you feel slightly bad for a murderer.

The ending was unexpected. I was expecting something a little more dramatic, but I liked the ending. In retrospect, I think it fit well with the book. I was on edge the whole time, wondering if Pancho would follow through with tracking down his sister's murderer (D.Q. and Marisol are desperately working to change his mind), if D.Q. would be healed, and who Marisol would choose. Francisco Stork is an amazing author, his work will never cease to amaze me and I am in awe of his talent for bringing genuine, lovably flawed characters to life and writing stories that cause your heart to break and mend all on its own. The Last Summer of the Death Warriors is a reaffirmation of what is important in life and also provides a fresh perspective on the importance of never taking each day for granted. Alright, this review is long enough. But this is a MUST READ and is another book you will want to revisit. High school and up.

Disclosure: Received from Lyn and it's autographed!!!!! I was so ecstatic when I opened the mail and found this, I walked around with a grin on my face for the rest of the day. I just wish I hadn't waited so long to read this book. And no, I did not give this book a good review because it was autographed because truest me, I've reviewed some decent/just ok books that have been autographed (I just choose not to mention that).

New Crayons

New Crayons is hosted by Color Online. It's when I discuss what new books I got for the week. Crayons is a good metaphor for multicultural lit :)

This week at Reading in Color
Monday: February=Time To Show We Love and Understand Black People (aka my mixed feelings on Black History Month)
Tuesday: Gateway by Sharon Shinn 3.5/5
Waiting on Wednesday: Toads & Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson + I Need some Diverse YA/MG books (please comment with the name of the publishing company)
Throwback Thursday: Now and Zen by Linda Gerber 4/5
Friday: Blogger Spotlight: Gal Novelty
Saturday: Nothing

For Review

Year of the Horse by Justin Allen

Year of the Horse tells the story of Yen Tzu-lu, a child of Chinese immigrants unwillingly pressed into service by a gang of roughnecks bent on stealing a gold mine from a shadowy villain deep in the western wilderness. With Tzu-lu as our guide, we experience a landscape of legend, stand toe-to-toe with those larger-than- life heroes and villains of our shared American mythos, and learn the inescapable facts that have both enriched and plagued our nation from its inception.

Resonating with echoes of Mark Twain, Larry McMurtry, and J. K. Rowling, this is a book of fabulous adventure and deep resonance. Allen gives readers a picture of how America sees itself, and in so doing he offers up both a heroic vision of the past and hope for the future.
-There sounds like a lot will be going on in this novel so I'm interested to see how that plays out. I love how the author has such a diverse cast (most likely unrealistic for them all to be traveling together but I think it's great that the author is writing about the experiences of all Americans in the west, not just white Americans).


The Agency: A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee

This is a colourful, action-packed Victorian detective novel centred around the exploits of 'agent' Mary Quinn. At a young age, Mary is rescued from the gallows by a woman masquerading as a prison warden. She is taken to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. The school, Mary learns, is a front for a private investigation agency and, at 17, she is taken on as an agent. In her new role she is catapulted into the family home of the Thorolds to investigate the shady business dealings of Mr Thorold.

-This will be my first review for the Traveling to Teens book tours. And it sounds awesome! A spy novel and she's POC (I won't say any more than that since it's a bit of a spoiler).

Bought on Amazon (I couldn't resist!)

Taste of Salt: A Story of Modern Haiti by Frances Temple

Djo has a story: Once he was one of "Titid's boys," a vital member of Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide's election team, fighting to overthrow military dictatorship in Haiti. Now he is barely alive, the victim of a political firebombing.

Jeremie has a story: Convent educated Jeremie can climb out of the slums of Port-au-Prince. But she is torn between her mother's hopes and her own wishes for herself . . . and for Haiti.

Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide has a story: A dream of a new Haiti, one in which every person would have a decent life . . . a house with a roof . . . clean water to drink . . . a good, plate of rice and beans every day a field to work in.

At Aristide's request, Djo tells his story to Jeremie--for Titid believes in the power of all of their stories to make change. As Jeremie listens to Djo, and to her own heart, she knows that they will begin a new story, one that is all their own, together.

An Ocean Apart, A World Away by Lensey Namioka

While most 16-year-old girls are planning their weddings, Xueyan, known as Yanyan, has no interest at all in marriage. She is fascinated by medicine. In China in 1921, women rarely attend university, let alone medical school. Still, Yanyan is determined to become a doctor. But Yanyan’s feelings about marriage change when she meets Liang Baoshu.

An outstanding scholar and martial arts student, Baoshu is passionate and dangerous. He is determined to rid China of the foreigners who occupy it and restore power to the Manchu dynasty. Life with him would be an adventure. But when Yanyan realizes that being with Baoshu would also mean sacrificing her dream of becoming a doctor, she faces the most difficult decision of her life. And her choice leads to an entirely new adventure an ocean away in America—where Yanyan is the foreigner.

-Hooray for historical fiction about POC that's different! It's set in the '20s so it will be different from the whole 'Chinese immigrant working on the railroad in America' story (don't get me wrong, that's an important story but there are so many others)

M + O 4EVR by Tonya Hegamin

There are two constants in Opal’s life: her dad’s grungy green baseball cap, and her troubled pal, Marianne, whom Opal loves as a best friend . . . and even more. But nothing stays the same forever. When Opal receives the horrifying news that Marianne is dead, she suddenly must live her life and make decisions based on the needs of one person instead of two. Only with the help of her family and the story of Hannah, a runaway slave, can Opal begin to free herself from the weight of her memories, her ghosts, and her own truth.
-Short (176 pages) but looks achingly sweet. Yay for lesbian POC!


Fabulous by Simone Bryant

There's no such thing as being too rich, too popular or too fabulous…

Pace Academy is an exclusive private school catering to the rich, pampered and beautiful. And Starr, Dionne and Marisol are its ruling elite, with an endless supply of designer clothes, platinum credit cards—and drama….

Starr is planning a spectacular Sweet Fifteen party…but it may be unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.

Dionne stepped out of the hood and into Pace's inner circle, even though her parents are struggling to pay for their lavish new lifestyle.

Marisol is the daughter of a baseball star whose wealth and fame might just tear her family apart.

Now all three girls are about to learn that the price of being fabulous can sometimes be too high, even for the Pace-setters.

-The first thing that attracted me to this book was the cover. 3 African American girls in private school uniforms, it screams chick lit about POC. So I've decided to give it a try, after all POC deserve our own Gossip Girl, Private novels, etc. (as much as I hate comparing books to white literature, it helps get my point across) and Fabulous might help fill in that void.

I hope everyone else had a great week in books. My Haiti review week will start Feb. 15-21 when I review books about Haiti and list ways we can help.

Go Who Dat Saints!

Blogger Spotlight! Gal Novelty

This week I'm spotlighting Gal Novelty which was started by the awesome Ah Yuan. I love her blog so much. Her reviews are so well-written and through and she really goes all out. i would not want her to review a book of mine and not like it, lol. But if I wrote a book and she liked it, then you would definitely want her to review it! She's funny, sincere and helpful.

1 ) Explain about your blog. (i.e. what makes it special, why did you start it, where does the name come from, etc.)

I mostly started a blog on blogger because I have a deep fondness for novels, (YA and/or fantasy in particular) and I wanted to make an attempt to connect with the book blogsphere so I can share this interest with people. As for my blog name 'GAL Novelty', the 'gal' is in all caps because I am a female and proud. It's gal because while I don't quite feel mature enough to be called a woman, being called a girl feels like I'm being talked down to, and anyhow, there's just something short and sweet about the word 'gal' that I like (Er, I'd think of a Cool Acronym for it, but I lack in imagination and therefore suck). As for 'Novelty', the thing I really like about the word 'novel' is that it can both mean the long fictive prose noun OR if we make it into an adjective, 'novel' becomes a word used to describe something new and unexpected, fresh and different.The best kind of novels, imho, are the ones that let you see something fresh and different every time you do a reread, books that make you want to read over and over - Hence, the name 'Novelty'.

2) What 2010 debut book are you most looking forward to? And non-debut?

I can only talk about one each? T_T You're so cruel, Ari.
Okay, a 2010 debut I'm really really looking forward to is a YA title I just discovered yesterday called Crossing by Andrew Xia Fukuda. Mystery! POC protagonist! LGBT content! What's there not to love? Also, as it happens to be the only Asian lead YA debut novel of 2010 being published this year I plan on dishing out money for the first edition available. Gotta support. =D

As for non-debut, many many titles but I'm really looking forward to Loups-Garous by Natsuhiko Kyogoku. Kyogoku writes the craziest batshit stories evar, and I love it. =D

3) What are your top five favorite books?

1) Gullstruck Island by Frances Hardinge - It's FRANCES HARDINGE. Aka the best MG novelist evar (tied with Cynthia Kadohata) Also Gullstruck Island is basically my favourite multicultural post-colonial fantasy in the entire world.

2) The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya by Nagaru Tanigawa - Because this is basically the craziest, funniest SF evar with the most outrageous cast I've ever seen. Espers! Time Travellers! Aliens! Oh my.

3) Cracker: The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata - There's no POC protagonist, persay, but it is written by a Japanese-American, and I love it. I never ever like animal stories but if anyone can make me like one, it'd be Kadohata. This woman just really gets dogs. =D

4) Salt Fish Girl by Larissa Lai - I loooooove the surreal quality of this pseudo-SF, and the incorporation of Chinese mythology. Also! Lesbian romance in a SF novel! Very awesome.

5) Child of the Owl by Laurence Yep - My childhood book of love. Casey Young is the coolest, no-nonsense and most awesomely smart-alecky preteen ever. And I love the story-within-a-story aspect of this novel.

4) Talk about yourself =)

Okay, lemme see. I'm a relatively new undergrad gal running around a liberal arts college. To avoid being stressed out on school I like to dive head on into stories, be they in written forms like short stories or novels, sequential art like manga, or my precious, precious tv shows and movies. And I am a jumble of hypenates: a Malaysian-Chinese Canadian. (booyah, the diaspora is in my blood) I can't deny that my being a Malaysian-Chinese Canadian female affects my reading choices, and by proxy affects the kinds of books I'll blog about. I like looking for stories about women with agency in their storyline, and I like looking for stories that feature a multicultural cast. Little things about being Canadian affect how I blog, like how I will always spell words like neighbour and colour with the 'u' (It's just so weird to me without it) and when I refer to the prices of the books I buy I always use CND dollars. =P I'm also particularly sensitive when it comes to yet another Canadian story about a whitewashed narrative, because it's a narrative that's been handed out to me all my life that I'm tired of just accepting. Oh Canada, the Great Forever White North of Fail, why?

Hmm, little known fact: I can speak/read/write French. Not enough that I would say I'm completely fluent, but I can definitely hold my own in a conversation and can read French works with minimal use of the dictionary. In fact, I am wayyyyyy better at French than I've ever been in Chinese, be it in either Mandarin or Cantonese. (I've been told this makes me weird, but w/e) So if you wish to comment to me in French, I'm totally cool with that. (I hope you won't be expecting everything to be ~*grammatically*~ correct though. *is terribly lazy about grammar*)

I also have a bit of a melodramatic streak in me, and I believe some of it shows in my blogging. I'm always reacting to something and usually have something to say about everything down to the most mundane things. I either love or hate something, a middle indifferent ground is a concept rather foreign to me. Personally, I think life's more fun if you're interacting and reacting to it. =D

5) If you could have dinner with two characters from any book who would it be and why?

First up I'd loooove to have Jacob from North of Beautiful as a dinner date. He's sweet and cute and thoughtful and won't laugh at me as I make a fool out of myself trying to eat and not oogle at the same time. And it'd be epic for Haruhi from The Suzumiya Haruhi series to be there as well, because she's so crazy and will probably make a big unforgettable adventure out of a trip to the restaurant. (We'll need a translator between us, but I think the epic adventure will cross over the language barrier. =D) Also I'm amused by the idea of how Jacob would react to someone like Haruhi.

Finally any advice to those who want to read POC? And to those who are just starting to blog?

If you choose to read POC, there are excellent blog resources dedicated to blogging POC books out there, such as Ari's blog right here, for instance. =D My personal favourite resource is the Writers of Color 50 books because there's an endless list of reviews and there are genre tags so if you're partial to a certain genre, like YA, you can click the YA tag and, lo behold, a million YA book reviews, just for you! Also, there'd be multiple reviews for the same novel so you can get different viewpoints and opinions on one novel in one place and can have a better judgement on seeing whether or not that particular book is for you.


And to those who are just starting to blog, what helped me a lot was by blogging side by side with a friend. I would have never gotten this far without ninefly prodding and encouragement. We went book shopping together, prod each other to work on reviews and be ~*productive*~, and text/call each other about their content. Blogging with ninefly got me rolling in the whole book blogging world and I appreciate it and am so proud to be her friend. Also, I would recommend commenting on other people's blogs. Most of the fun in blogging in general is with the interactivity, and that's how you'll make friends and acquaintances in the book blogsphere. I hope this advice will be helpful to you and good luck with your respective blogs!

I've added Crossing to my 2010 YA/MG Debut Author challenge list! I'll have to check out the books she lists especially Cracker. I've only read one other book by Cynthia Kadohata, but I really liked it (Kira Kira). I would love to have dinner with Jacob! I don't know Haruhi, but I'll check out the series. Thanks for the interview Ah Yuan, it's been fun! Everyone needs to go check out Gal Novelty, right now.

To be featured in the Blogger Spotlight, email me.

Throwback Thursday: Now and Zen

Throwback Thursday is the creative idea of Tashi at Taste Life Twice (I miss you guys!). In this meme, I review books that came out before 2007 (but it can be any old books you read from childhood)

Now and Zen by Linda Gerber 2006
Penguin S.A.S.S. series

Rating: 4/5

IQ “Knowledge shifts our perspective as surely as a climb up the mountain. Once we have observed and studied and climbed to the highest vantage point, we can shift our internal perspective. And then we have the responsibility to reach out and help those who can’t yet see.” Pg. 205

Now and Zen is about Nori Tanaka who is studying aboard in Japan as part of the S.A.S.S. (Students Across the Seven Seas) program. Nori is Japanese and she travels to Japan in order to learn more about her culture. Most people in Japan assume Nori is a native and expect her to know all about Japan, including the language. Many of the other Americans assume Nori is a native as well, especially Erik a really cute guy from Germany. He expects her to know all about Japan. Nori doesn't mind acting like she's a native at first, but her pretense is preventing her from really getting to know Japan and turning off her new Japanese friend and tour guide, Atsushi.

When you put this book down you will sigh with disappointment once you realize, contrary to what the book will have you read, you are not actually in Japan. Japan is now the number one Asian country I wish to visit. Linda Gerber does a wonderful job of describing the majesty of Mt. Fuji, the entertainment of karaoke clubs, the peaceful of temples and the hustle and bustle of Japanese transportation.

I really liked this book. Nori was such an easy character to relate to. She is Japanese so she's expected to speak the language and know all about Japan which puts her under a lot of pressure. She wants to live up to everyone's expectations but she really doesn't know anything about Japan because her parents don't talk up her heritage that much. I can relate because as a Panamanian, people assume I speak Spanish and know all about Panama. I know a little about Panama but my Spanish is deplorable. It's the ultimate second generation (and later generations as well) immigrant struggle, when you visit your home country you are viewed as the American and never fit in, but when you're in America, people look at your skin color and/or your 'exotic' (I despise that word to describe people) name and will never fully accept you as an American. We are stuck in the in-between. At the same time, Nori was annoying because she could be very pessimistic and cynical until you wanted to shake her and be like 'You are in Japan, which is amazing. Appreciate it!' I've never understood why people don't appreciate the gift of travel, I would love to see the world! She could be rather rude to the people around her and close minded, but that's an authentic teenager.

The writing is fast paced and authentic, with well developed characters in Nori, Atsushi, and Erik and there's some good plot twists. I would have liked to learn more about secondary characters like Amberly, whose troubled past is hinted at and briefly explained but it could have added an interesting new development in the story. Also I thought Nori's friend Val who is staying in America was a bit random and unnecessary but oh well. The author did a good job of developing a love triangle, both boys were likable and I could understand why Nori was torn between the two and why she dropped the one when some ugly flaws came to light (unlike other annoying YA main characters who hold onto their crush even if he's a jerk. Ugh).

A refreshing, light read with descriptions of beautiful and intriguing Japnese culture and history. Now and Zen also touches on the issue of spirituality (Zen Buddhism) and learning to look within and use our internal perspectives to help the world (the IQ says this so much better than I!) The ending is left open, but not in a cliffhanger way. I'd recommend this book to all who love chick lit, armchair traveling and Japan. 8th Grade and up.

PS I love the S.A.S.S. series, although my small quibble with the series is that there has never been one set in any African or Latin American country. European countries yes (England, Sweden, Italy, Austria, France, Spain, Ireland, Finland) and there was one set in Mexico. There's also one set in Australia. So for any future S.A.S.S. writers, how about you write about an American girl who goes to Africa (preferably African American, since usually the girl traveling to the country is of the same heritage). Or a Latina who goes to a Latin American country. I do appreciate that the series has books set in China and Japan. So far Now and Zen is my favorite in the series (I've read 2 others, the one about Mexico and Spain which will eventually be reviewed here).

Oh and I was interviewed by the Rejectionist! Check it out, I had fun with the questions and I love the snarky, insightful Rejectionist blog so it was an honor to be interviewed :)

Waiting on Wednesday: Toads and Diamonds + Need Some Diverse Publishing Company YA/MG Books!

Waiting on Wednesday is the wonderful idea of Jill at Breaking the Spine. In Waiting on Wednesday we book bloggers share what books we can't wait for :)

This week I'm waiting on


Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson
Macmillan

Release Date: March 30, 2010

Diribani never expected to meet a goddess at the village well, much less one who grants her a remarkable gift: flowers and precious jewels drop from her lips whenever she talks. Tana is happy for her beloved stepsister, yet when she encounters the goddess, she finds herself speaking snakes and toads. While Diribani’s newfound wealth brings her a prince, Tana is chased out of the village because the province’s governor fears snakes, though thousands are dying of a plague spread by rats. As their fates hang in the balance, each sister struggles to understand her gift. Will it bring her wisdom, good fortune, love . . . or death?

-It sounds like it may be a fairy tale retelling and I want to read more of those. And I LOVE the cover! I think it's really pretty.

You all know about my project to find the most diverse YA/MG publishing company. I will be working with Doret and Laura to find this out but it's a lot of work so I need your help. Please leave a comment telling me the name of a book with a diverse cast published between 2007-2010. Also it would be helpful if you could leave the name of the company (it could be the YA/MG division or the overall company name). Thanks! Oh and vote in my poll, it will be interesting to see if people have a good idea of what the most diverse YA/MG publishing company is.

Gateway

Gateway by Sharon Shinn 2009 Penguin

Rating: 3.5/5

IQ "'Of course I'll want to remember.' She said. 'The idea of losing any of my memories is terrifying to me when I think about all the ways that could happen-if I have a concussion, if I have a brain tumor, if I fall into dementia when I get old. If I'm here, if this is real, I want to hold onto it forever.'" Daiyu pg. 83

The premise of Gateway sounded so interesting (Chinese girl trained as a spy) and while the end result was a bit of a let down, the book was still an enjoyable read. Daiyu is from China but she was adopted by American parents and now lives in St. Louis. One day, Daiyu comes across a vendor selling a beautiful black jade ring and when she learns that 'daiyu' means 'black jade' she knows she must have the ring, especially because when she tries it on, the ring seems to be made for her. After Daiyu buys the ring she walks under the Arch and is instantly transported to another city (Shenglang) in another world. In this world, the wealthy are the Chinese (the Han) and the lower classes are white (cangbai) and Black (heiren). Daiyu is brought to this world to send an evil prime minsiter, Chenglei to another world. Chenglei is a servant of the gods who creates suffering and chaos in other worlds and now he has taken over Shenglang. All the Han love him because he keeps him them rich and happy, but the lower white and black classes want to overthrow him. Daiyu is trained in the ways of the rich Han in order to infiltrate Chenglei's court and send him back to his orignal world.

The downside to this novel is the romance. It happens way too fast. Basically it consists of Daiyu being transported to Shenglang, meeting Kalen (who is white and therefore of a lower class which provides conflict later on), being comforted by him and BAM! They are in love. I had to go back and re-read a few pages to make sure I hadn't missed anything. There was no deliciously slow development of romance that helps you get to know both characters as they get to know each other. Nope, Daiyu and Kalen knew they were perfect for each other right away *sigh* This wouldn't be so bad if the plot had more action, but it doesn't. The whole plot is supposed to be about Daiyu taking down an evil prime minister but it becomes her constantly pining after Kalen interspersed with some lessons on how a proper Han girl acts. After a while I was just tired of it. Since Kalen is not developed that well I don't see why she's in love with him, he's sweet but he's nothing spectacular. The author attempts a love triangle, but poor Quan (whose a rich Han) never stood a chance. And I didn't really see what was wrong with Quan anyway except that he's Han and likes to drive fast. And how bad is that? I wanted some action, if not butt kicking of prime ministers then at least some interesting romantic action but it stays safe and predictable.

The good aspects of the novel were the descriptions of the new world Daiyu is in. I found the idea of iterations fascinating and they provided a nice stretch to my imagination. The idea that there are other models of the world out there in different dimensions that are all connected by gateways is an interesting thought. An iteration is a world that was created as a copy of the original model (the original model is not Earth but that's all we learn). "The Arch you know is more than a symbol of man's exploration of the western reaches of your continent. [...] It is a magical portal to worlds beyond worlds. Every iteration constructed by every god contains a doorway in that very same spot." (pg. 33) Sharon Shinn has created a wonderfully imaginative world that I didn't want to leave. I loved the idea of there being a non-white majority because it showed that rich people act the same, regardless of race, thinking only of themselves and their wealth. I also love the way the author has with words, she describes beautifully, like "As the barriers slowly ascended, water first began seeping out, then gurgling out, then pouring through in a great frothy frenzy, leaping and joyous as a fluid pack of hunting dogs. The sound built from a mild rumble, like a hundred faucets turned at full blast, to a whooshing roar as the greatest part of the pent-up water came gushing through. And then the noise became quieter, calmer, as the river found its level and the water slowly returned to normal." (pg. 77) The words leap off the page, I can hear the roar of the water. The writing is like that throughout the rest of the book, remarkably fluid. Finally, I could relate to Daiyu's struggle over whether to blindly follow what she's being told (that Chenglei is evil and must be destroyed) or to find out for herself. She realizes that she can't in good conscience banish someone who is in her eyes innocent until proven guilty and I think that is something we all struggle with at one point in our lives.

Gateway is an entertaining read. The synopsis is a bit misleading in describing Daiyu as training to be a spy, she really isn't. She spends most of her time thinking about Kalen and learning the ways of the rich Han, which is unfortunate because I think with more spy action, Gateway could have been truly great. The world Daiyu inhabits and the writing make the story. The world Sharon Shinn has created is well-thought out and the exquisite writing will keep you turning the page. Also, I think the cover is beautiful, such bright and pretty colors! 7th grade and up.