Devil's Kiss

Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda 2009

Penguin

Rating: 4.5/5

IQ "What else can we do but fight?" [Arthur]

"Even when it's hopeless?" [Billi]

"Especially when it's hopeless." Arthur pg. 249

Bilquis SanGreal is fifteen and facing a life of violence and protecting the weak. Her father is Master of the Knights Templar and it's Billi turn to join them, she's the first girl to become a member. She is the youngest member and she often feels alone in a world of older men especially since her own father could care less about her. When Billi's childhood friend, Kay, returns from Jerusalem she thinks things will get better. But Kay has changed. He looks better than ever but he is even more committed to the Knights Templar. Billi is thinking of leaving the Knights, so she can't understand why Kay wants to stick with the Knights. Then Billi meets Michael, he's gorgeous and understands her better than anyone else. However, there's no room for boys in Bili's life, especially if they don't know about the Order. On top of all the confusing boy drama, one of the fallen angels is determined to bring all the lost souls back to God, no matter how deadly the cost.

I'm really tempted to write a long and gushy review for this book. There are a few flaws but this book almost gave me a heart attack and I loved it every minute of it. I was disappointed at the Michael storyline, I thought it ran predictable but it doesn't really matter because once the truth about Michael is revealed, the plot quickly becomes unpredictable. The real world seemed to take a backseat to all the monsters and the work of the Templars. Billi comes to school with bruises from all her fights and her teachers wonder about the bruises, but they never press the issue. Also her father was so cruel and I thought the explanation was too convenient (I happily accepted it though in order to move on to more mystery supernatural stuff). The pacing could be a bit off as well, sudden bursts of violence and terror, than a lull of calm intermixed with a dash of real life. I wanted it to flow a little smoother.

This book has one of the best beginnings. It sucks you right in because it starts with Billi being assigned to murder a child. That's all I'll say about that. My favorite part of the book was probably the violent paranormal aspect of it. The author isn't trying to make nice, "sparkly" vampires or friendly monsters. Oh no, his monsters are more true to their original self; completely and utterly terrifying. There are vampires (called ghuls), werewolves, fallen angels, etc. and all of them are downright nasty. The author doesn't tell us about the wicked battles occurring, he shows us and it's INTENSE. Another part of the book that is extremely well done is how religion is handled. Billi is half Pakistani and her mother was Muslim, but when her mother died, her white Christan father raised her. The Knights Templar are Christians but the book draws upon myths and other religions. It makes several mentions of events that occurred in the Bible and the author uses his imagination to fill in conversations mentioned in the Bible (for example what Moses and the angel talked about after the unleashing of the ten plagues). It's an interesting take and provides quite a lot of food for thought.

And the ending :0 I sort of called it but I wanted so desperately to be wrong. You can't fully predict the whole ending, only bits and pieces. My heart was in my mouth and I was on the edge of my seat towards the end. Finally, you have Billi. All the characters were great (tie for second favorite character goes to Elaine or Percival), but Billi is amazing. She is spirited, the weight of the world is on her shoulders and she acts her age. Sometimes she whines a bit and makes some stupid decisions and then has to clean up the aftermath. But she's a fighter, honest and stubborn. One of my new favorite heroines. Elaine is a straightforward, loving Jewish woman who works with the Templars. She has some amusing lines and cool powers. I'm eager to learn more about her interesting backstory. Percival (Percy) replaced Billi's father, as someone for Billi to look up to. He was in charge of teaching her how to use weapons, but he was one of the few Templars (there are only nine) who remembers that Billi is HUMAN, not just a killing machine. He looks after her (sidenote: he's from Senegal) and we love him for it.

Devil's Kiss is a mesmerizing tale with a valiant and realistic main character at its heart. The monsters are scary, the battle scenes intense, the mythology and religious aspect will make you think and the romantic tension between characters is believable. Each character jumps off the page, a force to be reckoned with, unwilling to remain a background character. This is one of those special books where each time you re-read it, you will find something new to think about. Upon finishing this book, I sent out several Tweets, some to Twitter in general raving about this book and a few to the author. I then immediately looked up when the sequel was coming out. Dear readers it's coming out in 2011!!! *faints* BUT it's already out in the UK! The sequel is the Dark Goddess and I suggest that you order both books together because I'm having a hard time waiting to read the sequel. My hope is that this review does not sound completely garbled and that I have persuaded you to at least look up a summary and other reviews of Devil's Kiss.

Disclosure: Received from the wonderful Book Fairy #3. And it's autographed. Thank you so very much!

PS I own the UK cover which is cool but I love the U.S. cover. Billi looks so fierce with the sword and I love the guy in the background (is it a knight? Kaye? Michael?). Which cover do you like better, the U.S. or UK?

*I will be out of town (on a service trip!) from July 24-August 1. I have no Internet access but I look forward to reading your comments and emails when I get back.

Male Monday: Saving Maddie

Saving Maddie by Varian Johnson
Random House

Release date: March 9th, 2010 (tomorrow!)

Rating: 5/5

IQ "And that was when I knew Dad was wrong. Because when Mom and Dad and everyone else saw Madeline, all they saw was the girl with the bad attitude and sexy body who didn't care about her faith or her family or even herself. The girl who threatened to sway me from the path of the righteous. But when I saw Madeline, I saw a girl who prayed before every meal. A girl whose eyes shone with sadness every time her father was mentioned. A girl who desperately needed someone to tell her she was good. I saw a girl who was asking-no begging-for someone to help her." Joshua pg. 145

Whew long quote there but it illustrates quite well the way we tend to view people and it also gives people a peek into the complicated journey of Saving Maddie. Saving Maddie is about Joshua who is a PK (preacher's kid) and a really good guy, abstinence, no drinking or drugs or smoking, he regularly attends religious retreats and he leads his church's youth group. He used to have a best friend named Maddie Smith, but she moved away years ago. Maddie has changed big time from the way Joshua remembers her; she's got an attitude, she's gorgeous and she's no longer a good PK. Maddie is not accepted by the church community especially when she shows up to church in a very provocative dress, Joshua's parents think Maddie needs to be saved and Joshua wants to be the one to save her. But as he spends more time with Maddie, Joshua begins questioning his own status as a good guy and whether or not Maddie can really be saved.

This is one of those books that you can't judge based on the cover. I really like the cover (although I wish it wasn't headless), but the book is narrated by a guy and that is not conveyed through the cover. I think the pink cover with a girl's purple lips on the front may be a turnoff to guys because they may think it's about a girl. They would be missing out since this is a great story for guys (and girls). Also, I see Maddie and Joshua as African American (according to this interview, some people have criticized Maddie as being too light). Maddie is described as having brown skin and I think that comes across on the cover, I don't recall if she's described one way or the other (dark brown skin vs. light brown skin). In the same interview, Mr. Johnson notes that Joshua is never identified as African American, though he sees him as African American. As do I. I think I thought of Joshua as African American because most of the people he interacted with were black (his friends, the elderly community, his church) and to be honest, the author is black so I thought Joshua would be too (I'm more inclined to imagine a book by an author of color to be about a POC, though this is not always true).

You may start this novel off thinking it will justify how you feel about 'judgemental, preachy Christians' or you may go into thinking that it will show that 'no one is too bad to be saved and the Christian way is the right way.' You would be wrong on both counts. Once again Mr. Johnson has taken a controversial subject (in My Life As A Rhombus it was abortion) and broken it down. All too often people think issues are only black and white, but there are always gray areas. Mr. Johnson deftly describes those gray areas with absolutely no judgement. His characters make their own decisions, they fall down and they dust themselves off and get back up. Their preconceived notions about religion are challenged and in some cases, verified but not in a way that is expected. Also it asks the question that is it worth saving someone else but losing yourself in the process (and I am also of the opinion that not all people need to be saved, so this book also brought up that point as well which I found quite interesting).

The minor characters never completely disappear, they reappear and we learn enough about them to feel that none of them are one-dimensional (I loved reading about the mom's character development). Joshua is such a great guy, especially because he can be really awkward and you just want to go 'aww'. It's also amusing for me (as a girl) to read about the issues guys deal with, because they do illustrate how confusing we girls can be. Maddie is awesome as well (after you read this book, I think every girl will secretly want to be Maddie in some way), she's comfortable in her own skin and presents a confident demeanor to the world but she has her own demons. Saving Maddie is not just about religion, it's also a unique love story. Unlike other books where people fall head over heels in love right away, this romance builds up slowly (if you can even call that). I thought it would be immediate since Maddie and Joshua are childhood friends, but it's quite accurate in portraying that both of them have grown up and moved on. It's quite a sweet read, because before they are attracted to each other romantically, they are friends and they have to rekindle that friendship as well (and of course there are other people in this love equation/square). The ending is also very tasteful and sly ;) The romance asks the question that if you really love someone should you save them? (especially if they are happy as they are and if you change them, they may lose the qualities you love about them).

Saving Maddie is an eye-opening, delightful story that will tear down assumptions readers have made about religion and love and build up the idea of being open minded and looking beneath the surface. I wish the book was required reading in my religion class (yet another YA book that has classroom potential!) because it addresses some important points. Guys don't let the cover turn you off, I think you will relate to Joshua and his struggles (not just with religion but with sex/drugs/alcohol/being a good guy) and I also think girls can relate to him. I hope to read more about Maddie and Joshua. Varian Johnson has proven once again that he is a fantastic author and he has sealed in my mind that he can do no wrong (I still need to read his first novel, Red Polka Dot in a Room Full of Plaid) This book is a must read and everyone will get something out of it (atheists and non Christians don't let the idea of Maddie and Joshua both being PKs turn you away, the Christian references is not overbearing or tedious) High school and up.

Disclosure: Received from publisher. Thanks Jessica/Random House!

Mr. Johnson is starting his blog tour here, it's a very insightful and entertaining interview. Visit Reading in Color tomorrow because I will have a guest post and it's Mr. Johnson's birthday! So something special must be planned :)

PS On a more personal note, I think this book left a substantial impact on me because I'm going through one of those tests of faith where I'm not sure where I stand on the issue of religion. I definitely started Saving Maddie with the intention that it would justify why I should move away from the Church (although I mean the Catholic Church and none of the characters are Catholic) because of 'preachy, judgemental Christians.' Well, I should not have made that assumption since this book has left me with some food for thought and it has helped me refocus and hone in on what I like/don't like about Christianity.

Off Color Male Monday: So Punk Rock

So Punk Rock by Micol Ostow, Art by David Ostow

Rating: 4.5/5

IQ "Instead, real life happens in drips and drabs. It gets portioned out in metered bites, some of which take more digesting than others. It happens frame by frame. Sometimes you get to linger, to soak in the surroundings. Some panels are more about ambiance than action, while others are pure cliff hangers. Real life is more like a graphic novel that way." Ari pg. 241-242


So Punk Rock is real life in graphic novel form! This novel is funny and the art is awesome and really adds to the hilarity of the novel. Ari Abramson wants to start an indie rock band, because he loves indie music and he wants to do something fun for once, that he wants to do, not what his parents want him to do. Ari's parents want him to go to Brandeis. They are constantly stressing him about his grades, forcing him to constantly work on improving his SAT scores (he's a junior but he takes practice tests, is enrolled in a test prep course and takes the actual SAT) and take as many Honors classes as he can. Ari attends Leo R. Gittleman Jewish Day School and he persuades his best friend Jonas to be bassist (and much to Ari's chagrin lead singer), Yossi Gluck to be the drummer and Reena Gluck to be back up vocals. Ari is lead guitarist. However, all four of them live in the suburbs and they don't really have a lot of credibility when it comes to be hard-core rockers. That and none of them (except Ari) know a whole lot about how to play rock music (or even an instrument in some cases). The result is a hilarious, bumpy, musical gig.

I really liked the characters in this novel. Ari is the main character and his narration is humorous and honest. He makes fun of himself with ease and sees the hypocrisy/absurdity of others quite well which really engages the reader. Ari only asks Jonas to be in the band because Jonas is popular with the ladies and will help them attract fans. Jonas has never played the bass before and he demands to be lead vocalist, never mind the fact that he can't really sing. Jonas is a decent friend, but he can be a real jerk. He's the alpha male and Ari's the beta male and their friendship is a bit complex (Jonas is clueless to the resentment Ari has towards him sometimes). Yossi Gluck is a loner and "High Conservative" (which means that he keeps kosher and only eats in Rabbi-approved restaurants and on the Sabbath he doesn't drive, use electricity or anything else that involves work). Yossi's family has a ton of money and he owns a set of drums (his parents wanted him to learn how to play klezmar music, which is a Jewish style of music) so Ari thinks he's a natural for being the drummer. Although Yossi's conservatism proves to be a problem on more than one occasion. He grows as a character and it's nice watching his transformation from a very quiet, not really into indie music, reluctant, religious kid to a guy who is able to stand up for himself, stand up to his friends, appreciate the indie culture and still maintain his faith. Major props to him for sticking to his principles and he makes they most interesting friends in the most random of places. The guys don't want Yossi's sister to be in the band at first, but Yossi's parents won't let Yossi join the band unless his sister is also allowed to participate. They want both Yossi and Reena to get out their shells and they see the band as the perfect way to do it (they even allow the band to practice in their racquetball court aka the "rocking-ball court"). Reena proves to able to sing incredibly well and she soon becomes a welcome addition to the band and The Tribe is formed. I loved thier tagline "Not your Rabbi's music." All the characters are developed nicely, including the minor characters who only make brief appearances such as Sari (Ari's love interest), Ben (Ari's cute but annoying little brother), Larafromcamp (aka Lara, Jonas' girlfriend from Hebrew camp) and Ari's parents. The romances are cute and watching Ari go from being a nobody and not knowing who he is, to becoming a somebody and learning who he is through an indie rock band makes for an engrossing coming of age story.

Now I don't listen to rock music, so all the rock band mentions were completely lost on me (I recognized a few names of artists that Ari's friend, Jonas listens to. Needless to say, Ari looks down on Jonas' music taste, since Jonas likes whatever is on the Top 40 charts). As I write this review, I'm listening to Lou Reed to help me get into the mood of the book :) I also loved learning about Jewish culture. The book doesn't provide a too-detailed portrait of Jewish day school and I would have liked to learn a little more about it, but the bits and pieces I read about were interesting. I think it would be difficult to only eat kosher (Jewish dietary laws) foods. It made me laugh at how the school cafeteria only serves kosher food so there is an underground food service (for example if you know the right person you may be able to get a slice of pizza, for a price). Jewish slang and humor was another great part of So Punk Rock. They all use the term "kosher" which is slang for cool. I laughed at the self-decrepitating humor Ari uses and I think the book does a good job of knocking down stereotypes of Judaisim and the Hebrew people.

The cartoons are great and very much add to the humor and understanding of the novel. David Micol did an excellent job. Micol Ostow did a great job writing in a boy's point of view, it doesn't feel fake or forced, but very genuine and realistic. I highly recommend this book to Jews and non-Jews alike. It's So Punk Rock and you will laugh as you follow the characters on their musical journey navigating the perks and trials of being a Jewish, suburban kid in today's world. I received a delightful intro into the world of Jewish Day school and indie music and it's one I won't forget. 8th grade and up. Very kosher :D

Does My Head Look Big in This?

Does My Head Look Big In This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah 2005

Rating: 5/5

IQ "Because it's pretty hard to walk around with people staring at your "towel-head" and not feel kind of pleased with yourself-if you manage to get through the stares and comments with your head held high. That's when this warm feeling buzzes through you and you smile to yourself, knowing God's watching you, knowing that He knows you're trying to be strong to please Him. Like you're both in on a private joke and something special and warm and extraordinary is happening and nobody else in the world knows about it because it's your own experience, your own personal friendship with your Creator. I guess when I'm not wearing the hijab I feel like I'm missing out. I feel cheated out of that special bond." pg.7-8

Does My Head Look Big in This? is about Amal an Australian-Palestinian girl who decides to wear the hijab full-time. The hijab is a Muslim head-scarf and is only not worn around close family members. Amal's parents are worried that she isn't ready for the ignorance and prejudice she will face both at school and out in the world. The principal of her private high school doesn't understand her decision at all nor do her classmates.

What a fantastic book. I read this book as my first book in the read-a-thon, early in the morning. I was afraid I would wake up my entire family because of how hard I was laughing. Amal is hysterical. She has a very dry, tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. She calls people out on their BS and I love her for it. She's definitely one of my new favorite heroines. I really admired Amal for making such a big decision when the consequences were so great.

Honestly, before reading this book, whenever I saw a Muslim girl wearing a hijab, I would have just assumed her parents were forcing her and she must be miserable. I think a majority of the Western world feels the same way, seeing the hijab as a form of oppression. After reading this book, I realized the error in my thinking. Yes, some Muslim parents do force their daughters to wear the hijab, but often times the girls themselves want to wear it, as an expression of their faith. It's no different from a Christian wearing a cross or crucifix, or a Jewish person wearing a Star of David. And yet it's frowned upon by Western society to see young women wearing a hijab. I'm so thankful for America (other countries, like Australia) where people can practice freedom of religion. Also, I admit to doing a double-take when I see a woman wearing a hijab. Not out of hatred or racism, more so because I'm curious. Why do they wear it? Now I know and I'm so glad that I do. Next time I pass a woman wearing a hijab, I'll smile like always, and treat her as I would anyone else.

Does My Head Look Big in This?, also does a good job if explaining aspects of Islamic culture. The hijab, the food, religious holidays (like Eid and Ramadan) and the beliefs. I figured Muslims can't have sex before marriage, but I didn't know they couldn't have any physical contact with a member of the opposite sex. This proves to be quite a problem between Amal and her crush, Adam. It also provides a good glimpse into Australian culture. I've never read any books set in Australia so I really enjoyed reading the expressions Australians use.

The prejudice made my blood boil. It was interesting reading this book, since it's set in Australia. I know that (sadly) the prejudice Amal faced would be the same regardless of the country she's in, whereever Muslims are the minority. People called her "towel-head", "scarf girl" and still viewed her and other Muslims as terrorists. These examples of ignorance make me so upset. Amal is so witty, always ready with a comeback. For example, when the school president (Lana) asks her to give a speech on the topic of Islam and terrorism, she responds that she will, only if the student president gives a speech on the Ku Klux Klan or IRA, since they claim they are Christians. Touche. She makes her point and Lana is even a bit ashamed.

All the characters are extremely well-developed and three dimensional. Amal's best friends are hilarious and super loyal. Leila and Yasmeen are Amal's two Muslim best friends and reading the way they interact is such fun. They make fun of their more traditional parents and joke about Muslim stereotypes. They are no different from any other girls and I think many people make the mistake of thinking that Muslims are way different from them, more serious and religious. This book really reiterates the point that, as humans we are all the same. Also, Leila wears the hijab, but Yasmeen doesn't and I liked reading about why they chose to wear/not to wear it. The girls friendship is also a sad one, because you grow frustrated with their parents, especially Leila's. Leila is brilliant and wants to go to college, but all her mother cares about is marrying her off and her father doesn't say much. This was an interesting relationship because in many cultures, boys and marriage are last, they should not be the focus. Education first. Amal also has two good friends from her private prep school, Simone and Eileen. They are both a riot. Simone struggles with her body (sees herself as fat) and it's great to see her grow. Eileen is Japanese and she's very determined, but she's also pushed very hard by her parents. The budding romance between Amal and Adam is realistic and refreshing and I didn't see the end result coming.

I loved Does My Head Look Big in This? The book had it all; faith, self-esteem, romance and humor. I highly recommend this book and I honestly think this book (along with a few others) provides a strong reason as to why YA literature should be included in the classroom. Students need to read more books like this (that are funny and poignant), to help them remove their prejudices and respect our differences.

This is the UK/Australian cover. Which do you like better? I like this one better because it's nice to see a female poc on a cover and I like how Amal's two best friends from school are in the background. I also like how it's a picture of Amal wrapping her hijab and you get to see the full headscarf whereas on the US cover you don't get a full view of the hijab.

Wow this was a pretty long review!