Go-for-Gold Gymnasts: Unexpected Twist by Dominique Moceanu and Alicia Thompson

Christina Flores is going to be an Olympic gymnastics champion someday. That's her goal and that's her mom's goal; every day each work toward it in their own ways. Christina practices her routines while her Mom watches them and points out areas that Christina should work on. There's a big competition coming up, and it could be one to put Christina and the other Texas Twisters on the radar for the next Olympic Team. Christina starts working extra hard...and ignores the pain that she feels in her foot. At this crucial point in her career, is her body going to let her down? And is she going to let down her mother?

I was anticipating the 'Do I want to stay in gymnastics?' plot in Jessie's book, but it also gets visited from a slightly different angle in Unexpected Twist. Since the first book in the series, Christina's been shown to be a little tightly wound - focused on gymnastics but almost to the exclusion of everything else. She, like Noelle, feels the pressure of a family who has committed themselves to her gymnastics, although where for Noelle's family it's more the sacrifice of money, for Christina's mom it's the sacrifice of a life outside of her daughter.  Even through to the book's resolution I was never quite sure why her mom has built her life this way: is she living through her daughter? Did she have a lack of support growing up? Is she doing it to fill in all the lonely space in her life due to her absent husband? But I guess it's not really a book about Christina's mom - it's a book about Christina and what happens to her when she starts to question how clear her vision of being an Olympic champion is. The book explores the area between how one person sees something and how different it is from how someone else sees the same thing; Christina and her mom have a big fight on Christmas because her mom thinks she's ungrateful while Christina just wants to show her frustration. She learns about controlling the things that are within her control and dealing with the things she can't. Christina hasn't always been sympathetic when seen through the eyes of the other gymnasts, so this glimpse into her life really rounds out the series. This is the fourth of four scheduled books, but there are some story strands started her that could easily carry the series through more books in the future.


Find it at IndieBound. 

Read it with:
Go for the Gold by Elizabeth Levy
Off Balance: A Memoir by Dominique Moceanu
The Go-for-Gold Gymnasts: Winning Team by Dominique Moceanu and Alicia Thompson
The Go-for-Gold Gymnasts:Balancing Act by Dominique Moceanu and Alicia Thompson
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens 

How to Watch the Olympics by David Goldblatt and Johnny Acton

In one sense, it's easy to figure out how to watch the Olympics: find a TV station that has the broadcast rights or stream it online, and you're watching the Olympics. But what exactly are you watching? How does one score points in a judo match? What's the difference between kayaking, canoeing, and rowing? What are the events that make up the decathlon? What about the heptathlon? What makes the modern pentathlon so modern? And what exactly is a repechage? With chapters for each of the sports (as well as the opening and closing ceremonies, medal ceremonies, past Olympic games, and discontinued Olympic sports), How to Watch the Olympics aims to be your go-to reference book during the 2012 London Olympic Games.

As a big fan of the Olympics, the cover of this book caught my eye as I was browsing in an airport bookstore. I initially hoped that it would be a critical socio-political at the games (with possible topics including American broadcasting strategy, the amount of money spent on the games, gender equality and inequality). Instead, though, it was a history-slash-introduction of the games and the sports on display, something I was also interested in checking out. As a young girl I latched onto a copy of one of David Wallechinsky's Complete Book of the Olympics and read it over and over until the pages started falling out. That was almost twenty years ago, though, and  as I often feel with reference books, I wondered about its use in a world where so much information is available online; as I sat on my couch with my iPhone and this book, how many times would I reach for each one? I didn't keep track, but there have been times where I was reaching for the book (particularly during the cycling events). While I do think that this book would only be enhanced in some kind of ebook form that would allow links to video footage, maps, and more photographs, it can easily stand without these things (and, in fact, has to - it's very clear that this is an "unofficial" Olympic book and as such does not have any pictures of the Olympic rings, flames, or mascots). The intended audience is the average Olympic watcher - someone who might know something about a few of the sports but has little knowledge of others. It strikes a tone somewhere between chatty and instructional (and uses a lot of British expressions along the way). It could be read through from beginning to end, but also works if you want to pick it up and dip into sections as needed. I'd really love to see a companion version for the Winter Olympics as well as updated versions for future Games.

Find it at IndieBound. 

Read it with:
The Complete Book of the Olympics 2012 Edition by David Wallechinsky and Jaime Loucky
The Ball is Round: A Global History of Soccer by David Goldblatt
Gold by Chris Cleave
Inside the Olympics by Nick Hunter

Cover Kids: Chloe Mania by Suzanne Weyn

Chloe's been modeling for years - even though she's just thirteen. She's always booked lots of jobs, but she's worried that when she gets too old to model as a child model she won't be tall enough to be an adult model. Then a new opportunity comes her way: the TV show that she had a bit part on wants her back. This could be her chance to be an actress! Or a comedian! Or maybe even a music star. But Chloe's finding it hard to balance school, modeling, working in her parents' restaurant, and now acting. Even worse, the TV part seems to use a lot of stereotypes that Chloe's not comfortable with, an interview quotes Chloe out of context, and all of her friends are mad at her? Is this the price of fame?

When I was younger I had one of the books from this series. I probably picked it up from a yard sale or a book order or something (as I often did). I had Ashley's Big Mistake (the book immediately preceding this one in the four-book series)  and I loved the glamour of four teen (really, practically pre-teen) models all being friends with each other. I also was had no idea how to pronounce Chloe, so in my head I read it as Chlow. Anyway. This book picks up where Ashley's Big Mistake leaves off, with Chloe dealing with the doors that appearing on a TV show opens. I still find it a bit bizarre that the activity of one child model would be headline news, but really I guess it makes even more sense now in the age of Twitter and reality TV and everything else. I mean, Chloe becomes a really big star on the basis of...nothing. But there are positive messages about honouring your family and your commitments, what it means to be a good friend, and being true to yourself. If you loved these when you were younger (or discovering them makes you want to read them now), they're actually quite a good readalike for the America's Next Top Model novel series.

Check out Suzanne Weyn's website.

Find it at Amazon. 

Read it with:
Nicole's Chance by Suzanne Weyn
Tracey's Tough Choice by Suzanne Weyn
Ashley's Big Mistake by Suzanne Weyn

My Every Single Thought: What I Think About Being Single by Corinne Mucha

What does it mean to be single? Is it enough to say that you're not in a relationship? What does it mean when you're in a relationship? How do you meet new people? How do you deal with not wanting to meet new people? These are some of the questions that flow through Corinne's brain. Single seems like it would be clear enough: one thing. Is that it? How can that be an adequate answer? If you've ever pondered a future alone with books and cats - and you don't even like cats - then you might have already had some of these thoughts. But I guarantee you haven't experienced them like this.

I first discovered this book while browsing on the Buy Olympia website. I was hungry for some zines and bought it along with one by Ed Choy Moorman...and then it sat on the arm of my couch for a long time. Why? I don't know. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood. Maybe I was waiting for the day where I would get up from my other couch (yes, I have two couches; yes, I spend a lot of time sitting) with purpose and grab it and not want to let it go. I didn't just read this; I devoured it. I laughed, I thought, I said "ouch" when things got too close. I loved the idea of a single Barbie. I love the exploration of words that rhyme with "single" and the interview with the single sock. I loved the ending. I loved all of it. If you are single, you need to read this. Period. I love the humour, I love the art, and I love Corinne Mucha's voice.  I can't wait to get my hands on more of her work. Could this have been the best $5 (American) I've ever spent? Quite possibly...yes.

See more of Corinne Mucha's work at her website Maidenhousefly.

Read it with:
Freshman: Tales of 9th Grade Obsessions, Revelations, and Other Nonsense by Corinne Mucha
Stitching Together by Ed Choy Moorman
My Alaskan Summer by Corinne Mucha

Artistic Impressions: Figure Skating, Masculinity, and the Limits of Sport by Mary Louise Adams

If you were to ask a random person to name the sports that they thought were the most masculine, it is unlikely that figure skating would be one of the sports that they name. In fact, figure skating would probably end up near the bottom of the list. In contrast, when figure skating was first being developed, it was an activity that was only done by gentlemen and was used as a marker of how wealthy and powerful a man was. That changed in the 20th century and figure skating quickly became associated with not only femininity, but with young women (and girls). In the mid-90s there was a movement where a number of male skaters tried to separate themselves from the popular view of the sport and instead branded themselves as 'masculine' skaters. It was that period that prompted Mary Louise Adams to write this book on the historic origins of figure skating and how ideas of masculinity have always been intertwined with this sport.

That period in the 90s was also when I first became a big skating fan, so the skaters that she wrote about (Elvis Stojko, Alexei Urmanov, Kurt Browning, Viktor Petrenko) were ones that I was familiar with. It was interesting for me to go back and look at other books on skating with an eye towards gender roles and masculinity; Christine Brennan's writing on Michael Weiss in Inside Edge, for example, talks a lot about sex and sexuality. I also started thinking about how masculinity is portrayed on the ice today and what those ideas say about the concept of masculinity. The book was quite readable for a fan of skating and very well organized. It clearly stated what it was going to cover, so even though I wish there had been topics around pairs and ice dancing, it is not a fault of the book that it wasn't there - it just means that I want someone to write another book on those aspects! This is a can't-miss for fans of figure skating and gender studies.

Click here for more information on Dr. Mary Louise Adams.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Inside Edge by Christine Brennan
Figure Skating: A History by James R. Hines
Culture on Ice: Figure Skating and Cultural Meaning by Ellyn Kestnbaum
Women on Ice: Feminist Responses to the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan Scandal edited by Cynthia Baughman

Stacey and the Stolen Hearts by Ann M. Martin

Stacey is really excited about Pete Black's great Valentine's Day fundraiser. The Student Council will sell Valentine-grams for $1 and then hand them out on February 14. It seems like all of Stoneybrook Middle School has gotten swept up in the spirit and the fundraiser is a big success. But then the valentines are stolen while Stacey's on duty... and the list of suspects is a mile long. Even worse, someone is making the private messages very, very public. What's Stacey going to do?

As far as Baby-Sitters Club Mysteries go, this one was pretty enjoyable. It was a mystery that made sense to have thirteen-year-olds investigating it (I wasn't screaming at the book for them to go to the police). Plus, it has the late-in-the-series character of Cary Retlin, who I always enjoy reading about. (In this book he even has a secret basement lair!) There are some other plots going on, including the mandatory one involving children (this time it's a Valentine's Day party at the library) but even that didn't seem over-the-top. Stacey did have a few passive aggressive comments about her best friend Claudia that I probably wouldn't have picked up on when I was younger, but in general this was a good entry in the BSC series.

Find it at Amazon.

Read it with:
Karen's in Love by Ann M. Martin
Abby's Un-Valentine by Ann M. Martin
Stacey's Ex-Boyfriend by Ann M. Martin

Degrassi Junior High: Shane by Susin Nielsen

Shane has never been the kind of guy who stood out in a crowd. He was never all that popular or the best at anything. That's why he was so surprised when he started dating Spike. She was so confident and popular; everything seemed pretty great. Then Spike got pregnant and Shane's world turned inside out. He tried avoiding her (and the pregnancy) for awhile, but that didn't change anything. His deeply religious parents  barely speak to him, Spike doesn't want anything to do with him, and he has no friends to turn to. Shane feels like his life is out of control. Is there anything he can do to get back on track?

In many ways, Shane is a companion book to Spike, another book in the Degrassi series. Shane starts after Spike is pregnant and opens with him finally telling his parents what's going on. There are some continuity errors and inconsistencies between the two books (and a bit with the TV series), but nothing that really changes anything too much. Shane's story, though, isn't singly defined by his teenager fatherhood. After his daughter is born (when he's only fourteen), Shane gets a job to make more money and makes a new friend who's the classic definition of a bad influence. Shane lies to his parents, blows of his parental responsibilities, and starts experimenting with drugs and alcohol. While Spike has more of a hopeful optimism, Shane reads a bit more like a cautionary tale. Also, I find it very interesting to read about attitudes towards teen fathers and parenthood; more than one person, including adults, tell Shane that it's best for him to just forget about his child, to act like she doesn't exist and move on with his life, and that he's not responsible for any decision Spike makes because that's her life. I love exploring these concepts and how they're presented in books for teens.

Find it at Amazon.

Read it with:
Degrassi Junior High: Spike by Loretta Castellarin and Ken Roberts
Degrassi Junior High: Snake by Susin Nielsen
Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen

Ice Dreams by Lisa Papademetriou

Rosa Hernandez is still adjusting to her family's move from Miami to Chicago. She's not looking forward to cold winters with lots of snow - but she is looking forward to more opportunities to develop her figure skating. In her new skating class she meets some really great friends...and one girl who's practically an Ice Queen! Jacqui Darcy is really competitive and not always that nice. Rosa would love to avoid her altogether, but Jacqui's brother Anton is really cute! There's a big competition coming up that's putting a lot of stress on the skaters. Can Rosa find new music to skate to, win over Jacqui, spend time with Anton, and land her jumps?

There's a lot of really great stuff in Ice Dreams. There's a strong female protagonist with a Hispanic background being raised by a single parent (and she loves and respects her family). She doesn't always make the best decisions but she learns from her mistakes and apologizes when she's wrong. She learns a lot about family, success, friendship, and honesty - but all of this comes out organically and it never tips over into preachy territory. Plus, there's lots of figure skating details (which is a big plus for me!). This book is a "Candy Apple Book," but I don't think that that means that it's in a series of related books. I read it without having read any other Candy Apple Books, and I could follow it just fine.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Dream Big, Little Pig! by Kristi Yamaguchi
Sugar and Ice by Kate Messner
Babymouse: Skater Girl by Jennifer L. Holm

Degrassi Junior High: Spike by Loretta Castellarin and Ken Roberts

Spike is used to people looking at her because of her hair, but now people are starting to look at her for a different reason: she's pregnant. Only fourteen years old, she and her boyfriend Shane got carried away in a dark bedroom at a friend's party. Now she must deal with her changing body, classmates' reactions, an unsupportive boyfriend, and a disappointed mother. Will she be able to figure out what the best decision is for herself and the baby?

I remember the original Degrassi (Junior High and High) airing on CBC while I was growing up, but I didn't really get into it until I watched reruns after school in 10th grade. I love the drama of it all and the way that serious storylines, like teen pregnancy, are woven in with storylines about sexy dreams or walking naked through the cafeteria. Anyway. Spike picks up after Spike and Shane "did it" at Lucy's party and early on she discovers she's pregnant; it ends just after the birth of her child. Much of the book, certainly the main storyline, sticks very closely with the TV series; it's been awhile since I watched my Degrassi Junior High DVDs, but I think even whole bits of dialogue are straight from the TV scripts. Does the book stand alone if you haven't seen the TV show? Probably, although it definitely would be a different reading. What I like about this book is that it fills in a bit of background information that doesn't come through in the show, mostly about Spike's relationship with her mother. These books were out of print for a long time but then recently were available again, so if you have a fond memory for Degrassi or are curious about the series, give these books a look.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Degrassi Junior High: Shane by Susin Nielsen
Star in the Middle by Carol Larese Millward
Butterflies in May by Karen Hart
Degrassi Generations: The Official 411 by Kathryn Ellis

With You and Without You by Ann M. Martin

Liza O'Hara is really looking forward to Christmas. It's her family's favourite season and they all really get into the celebrations. Sure, she has terrible stage fright and she's just found out that she has to be in her class's production of A Christmas Carol, but there's probably a way around that. Then her father reveals some awful news: he's been diagnosed with a heart condition and he only has months to live. The idea of going on without him is heartbreaking, and Liza has no idea how the family is going to survive. But they still have one Christmas together to make a lifetime's worth of memories.

Ann M. Martin is probably best known as the creator of The Baby-Sitters Club, a series that has a place close to my heart. But she also has a number of stand-alone books, including Bummer Summer, Missing Since Monday, Slam Book, and Ten Kids, No Pets (and its sequel Eleven Kids, One Summer - so I guess it's not technical stand-alone, but it wasn't part of a larger series). One of my favourite of her non-BSC books has always been With You and Without You. It's a sad book (I can remember checking this out of my school library and crying during silent reading), but sad in that way that kids sometimes like; it's a satisfying sad because (spoiler alert) Liza eventually comes out on the other side of her grief. It's hard to think of children's books (this one is about the middle grade/young junior high level) that deal with the loss of a parent within the book - in many of them the parent has already died before the book begins. In the months following her father's death, Liza experiences sadness, grief, fear, anger, and guilt. How can she be happy while her father is no longer alive? Why don't her siblings feel the same way that she does? Is it okay to ever be happy again? Set around two Christmas - one with her father and one without her father - this is a touching story that really resonates with readers.

(Side note: it's hard to think that this book has been around for twenty-five years, and that the youngest child, Hope, would now be older than me. Time warp!)

Find it at Amazon. 

Read it with:
On Christmas Eve by Ann M. Martin
Missing Since Monday by Ann M. Martin
Stage Fright by Ann M. Martin

The Next Sure Thing by Richard Wagamese

Cree Thunderboy sees himself as a blues man - but he also has a knack for picking horses. It's a talent that is noticed by Win Hardy, who has an interesting proposition for Cree. If Cree starts feeding Win winning information, Win will finance Cree's music career. It's an offer that Cree can't - or won't - refuse, but is it too good to be true? And when so much is riding on it, will Cree be able to pick the next sure thing?

Some of the details of the plot were a bit confusing to me; some of the story is told by having something happen and then having a character explain it later. It's a book that might benefit from a second reading, but I can definitely see readers being interested enough to give it a second reading. There is so much that I'm excited by with this book. One thing is that it has a Native character who is living a modern life. The fact that he is Native is not ignored (details about his family motivate him to get into Win's shady world), but the book is not fully about Cree being Native. He's also a friend, a blues musician, and a guy who's gotten in over his head. Richard Wagamese, an Ojibway author and storyteller, has crafted a very strong story. Another thing that I really love is that this is part of the Rapid Reads series, a book of original, high-interest books that are designed for adult learners to enjoy. The Good Reads series and the Rapid Reads series are such an exciting thing for Canadian adult literacy students. For more information about other Rapid Reads, visit Orca's website.

Check out Richard Wagamese's website.

I received a free copy from a LibraryThing Draw.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
One Fine Day You're Gonna Die by Gail Bowen
Orchestrated Murder by Rick Blechta
And Everything Nice by Kim Moritsugu

Murder, She Wrote: Majoring in Murder by Donald Bain

When mystery novelist Jessica Fletcher accepted a position as a sessional instructor at a small college, she had no idea that her life would be threatened by a tornado! Luckily, she's led to safety by others - but not everyone was so lucky. When the dust and debris is settled, one professor is discovered to have been killed. Everyone wonders why he didn't seek shelter, but only Jessica really believes that it was because he wasn't killed by the storm but instead by another person. As she tries to prove this theory, she runs into resistance from the college's Dean, who has her own motives for making sure the truth stays hidden. Will Jessica's quest for justice put her own life in danger?

As far as Murder, She Wrote books go, this one wasn't one of my favourites. The dramatic action (including the murder) happen very early on in the story before I had a chance to bond with or understand many of the characters (and yes, I know that in a recent review, I said that I liked that the murder happened early in another book, but this one just felt too early). The setting, the college, had none of the Cabot Cove regulars, which isn't necessarily a bad thing as there are other books that don't have them that I do like, but it also didn't have the fun place descriptions like other books set in London, San Francisco, or New York. There were scenes that seemed to have giant red arrows pointing at them that said "THIS IS A CLUE," and the solution to the mystery was reminiscent of Encyclopedia Brown. So, ultimately, not one of my favourites of the MSW series (but don't worry, there will be more Murder She Wrote reviews coming up!).

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
The Sixes by Kate White
Murder, She Wrote: You Bet Your Life by Donald Bain
Murder, She Wrote: The Maine Mutiny by Donald Bain

Murder She Wrote: A Palette for Murder by Donald Bain

After a grueling schedule of writing and teaching, famed mystery writer Jessica Fletcher is looking forward to nothing but rest and relaxation in the Hamptons. But she's barely been there for twenty-four hours before someone dies right in front of her! While indulging in her secret passion for art, the model -by all appearances, a healthy young woman- in Jessica's class silently passes away from an apparent heart attack while modeling. Compounding the mystery is that a year ago a promising young artist also died of a heart attack. Two identical deaths in two years is strange, but as Jessica discovers more about the circumstances, could she have uncovered some murders?

A Palette for Murder, first published in the mid-90s, has a quaint datedness about it. Jessica is worried about the media getting a hold of the information that she is participating in art classes with - gasp! - nude models. Would that be shocking these days? I can see it maybe appearing on something like TMZ, but then it would be quickly overtaken with an actual sex scandal or something. Also, she disguises herself with sunglasses and a turban, and in the days before camera phones, it kind of works. Anyway, the actual story was pretty enjoyable. Unlike other MSW novels, the murder takes place fairly quickly, so there are lots of pages for the twists and turns to fall out. And when Jessica is making an indignant speech on the first page, you know there will be more where that came from.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Murder She Wrote: You Bet Your Life by Donald Bain
Murder She Wrote: The Highland Fling Murders by Donald Bain
Murder She Wrote: Destination Murder by Donald Bain
Murder She Wrote: Provence - To Die For by Donald Bain
Murder She Wrote: The Fine Art of Murder by Donald Bain

Robot Dreams by Sara Varon

Dog and Robot have been best friends ever since Dog sent away for a ‘build your own robot’ kit. They love doing things together: going to the library, watching movies, going on trips. One day they take a trip to a dog-friendly beach. They have a blast playing in the water and napping on their towels. It’s a perfect day – but when Robot wakes up, he can’t move! Dog tries everything he can, but there’s no way he can get Robot home. As it turns from day into night, Dog reluctantly leaves Robot behind. Alone at the beach, Robot dreams of the future – and what could have been. Will Dog and Robot ever be reunited?

I was thoroughly surprised by this book. While I tried to guess what would happen next, it kept moving in directions that were completely unexpected. The panels that show Dog leaving Robot on the beach were incredibly sad and, despite the bright colours and style, very dark. Over the course of the next year, terrible things kept happening to both of them. But good things happened, too, even while they were apart. This might be a spoiler, but I ultimately found this book to be bittersweet. I never thought that I would describe a book about an anthropomorphized dog and his robot friend as being realistic, but I loved how things ended in this book – not too neat, but done in a satisfying way. I have read and loved Chicken and Cat and Chicken and Cat Clean Up, but they didn’t prepare me for just how much I would enjoy Robot Dreams.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Chicken and Cat by Sara Varon
Chicken and Cat Clean Up by Sara Varon
The Rabbi’s Cat by Joann Sfar
Fred and Pete at the Beach by Cynthia Nugent

The Curse of the Ruby Necklace by Francine Pascal

While looking for shells on the beach one day, Jessica Wakefield comes across a beautiful ruby necklace. She's immediately drawn to this beautiful object and even risks her life by diving into the ocean during a thunderstorm in order to retrieve it. Her twin sister Elizabeth can't understand Jessica's attachment to the necklace - it seems to have some mystical hold over her. Meanwhile, the twins also discover that a movie is being filmed at the old Keller mansion. This could be Jessica's big break! And Elizabeth is eager to get the scoop for the school newspaper. But before long the twins find themselves dealing with murderers, jewel thieves - and ghosts. Can they solve a decades-old murder...before it's too late?

At the end of Fahrenheit 451 (spoiler alert), citizens of the new society begin by recounting the books that they can remember. If I was part of that society, The Curse of the Ruby Necklace would likely be my book. I purchased this book (or, rather, my mom bought it for me) when the above paperback edition was new in stores. It then took up residence at our cottage, and I read it at least once a summer until I went to grad school. When I went back to the cottage this summer, this was one of the first things that I looked for.

I never really got into Sweet Valley High. I spent a lot more time reading their younger counterpart, Sweet Valley Twins. In this series, Jessica and Elizabeth were 12 years old and in grade 6 (which always bothered me, because at my school 12 years old generally meant grade seven). Elizabeth was best friends with Amy Sutton and worked on the school newspaper, got good grades, and was the Gallant to Jessica's Goofus. Jess was best frenemies with Lila Fowler, belonged to an exclusive club called the Unicorns (who sat at a table they called the Unicorner and always wore at least one purple thing every day), dated Aaron Dallas, and didn't care much about grades.

Little of that, though, is relevant for Curse of the Ruby Necklace. Other characters make only brief occassional appearances (except for their cousin Robin, who joins them in solving a mystery). It's really more about Jessica, Elizabeth, and the magical necklace that connects them with Lillian Keller, the young girl who died decades ago and the subject of the new movie being made. Lillian's cousin was blamed for the 'accidental death,' but Lillian has returned (in spirit form) to right the wrongs of the past and to help bring the real killer to justice. The necklace acts as a conduit for the three girls to have access to Lillian; it makes them moody, possessive, and have terrible nightmares. (Sound familiar? When I first read/saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, it made me wonder if J.K. Rowling had read The Curse of the Ruby Necklace.) Aided by the movie's Penny Marshall-ish director, the twins are driven to find justice for Lillian.

Like many series paperbacks, this book really isn't meant to withstand the number of readings that I've given it. Sure, the entire premise, as a ghost story, is basically implausible, but there are more mundane things that stick out to me as being unrealistic. (For example, a big deal is made of the fact that the girls are twins, and they're hired because of how valuable twins are for movie-makers dealing with restrictions on child labour. But Jessica and Elizabeth are the only twins on set, and they're only ever in scenes with other tweens...so how will having an extra "Luella" character ever make a difference?) It's best not to dwell on that, though, and instead just settle in and enjoy the complete ridiculousness that is The Curse of the Ruby Necklace.

See how it fits into the Sweet Valley Twins universe at wikipedia.

For a more in depth review of the book, I highly recommend 1bruce1's recap.

Find it at Amazon (used).

Read it with:
The Unicorns Go Hawaiian by Francine Pascal
Baby-Sitters' Christmas Chiller by Ann M. Martin
Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

It's Not What You Expect by Norma Klein

Carla doesn't know what this summer is going to be like. Usually she and her twin brother, Oliver, head to camp, but this year isn't like other years. Their father has just moved out and their parents aren't giving any explanation why. Now he lives in New York, has grown a beard, and might even have a girlfriend. Does that mean their mom is going to start dating? To keep themselves busy, Carla and Oliver and their older brother Ralph open a restaurant: he cooks and she's the maitre d'. It's a big success, but then they're distracted by Ralph's girlfriend's news - she's pregnant. Carla feels herself growing apart from her twin, and she's not sure that she likes it. Life, love, relationships - it's not what you expect.

(Some spoilers, but I don't think it will really impact reading the book.)

I've really read very little Norma Klein, and I'm trying to fix that. It's hard because her books aren't always very available. I had to request this book through interlibrary loan; my library no longer has any Norma Klein books in its collection. (You might be able to find some at second-hand bookstores or websites or book sales.)

Anyway, this was a strange little book. Two fourteen-year-olds run a hit restaurant with no adult involvement? It's amazing how believably this plot is set up. I was more amazed, though, by the frankness with which pregnancy and abortion are dealt with. Sara Lee, Ralph's girlfriend, decides to have an abortion, and it's dealt with with very little fuss or controversy; while the book doesn't go into the long-term affect that such a decision might have on her (it happens near the end), it does show her after the abortion in a very functional light, moving on with her life. I can't think of any recent middle grade book (and that's really what this is) that deals with abortion in such light; it even has the word 'abortion' on the back cover. There's also a very interesting look at different 'types' of mothers (and different 'types' of women) as Carla sees them, and at fourteen, she's just starting to wonder about her own role as a future woman. I've requested some more Norma Klein titles through interlibrary loans, and I can't wait to dive into them.

Find it at Fantastic Fiction.

Read it with:
Forever by Judy Blume
Taking Sides by Norma Klein
Learning Curves: Body Image and Female Sexuality in Young Adult Literature by Beth Younger

Karen's Little Sister by Ann M. Martin

In Karen's Little Sister, Karen's little sister (Emily Michelle) has been experiencing earaches. It's not fun for Emily Michelle and everyone at the "big house" (Karen's dad's house) is worried about her. But Karen's worry is mixed with annoyance and frustration, because everyone is paying attention to Emily and no one is paying attention to Karen. Meanwhile, Karen's mom and step-father agree that she can have a pet, and then she finds an injured baby bird. She cares for him, names him 'Magic Tastee' (after two of her favourite things, magic tricks and Mr. Tastee the ice cream man), and decides he's her pet. But why does everyone keep asking what she'll do when he flies away?

I describe my Murder, She Wrote books as comfort food, but The Baby-Sitters Club books are more like a Pizza Hut buffet lunch: deliciously cheesy, something you do every now and then, and it's not always as good as you remember it (but sometimes it's better) (although, I own a full set of BSC books and have a good deal of the Little Sister books, so I guess it's also like having a pizza buffet in my living room). Among Baby-Sitters Club fans, Karen doesn't always get a lot of love. I started out reading the Little Sister series before graduating to the regular series, though, so I'll always have a fondness for Karen and her Data-like resistance of contractions.

ANYWAY.

I think this might be the first appearance of Emily Michelle in the Little Sister books (she was adopted by Karen's father, Watson, and Kristy's mother, Elizabeth, in BSC #24). I'm not surprised that Karen has a hard time dealing with the appearance of a new sister. She's used to being her father's only daughter, and maybe even more than that, she's used to having a pretty large spotlight in which to be the centre of attention. At one point she says that she wants to go back to her other house (her mom's house) because she doesn't have a sister there, which is an interesting thing to say. She doesn't have a physical sister living there, of course, but how does she think of Emily when she's not around her? Has she really understood Emily to be her father's daughter? Am I officially thinking too much about the BSC universe?

On a different note, according to BSC #24, Emily's full name is Emily Michelle Thomas Brewer. Is that a little strange? I get that the 'Thomas' comes from Elizabeth's side, and it's her other kids' last name, and this child now shares a name with everyone on both sides of her family. BUT it was her previous married name (and as far as I know, she now goes by Brewer). So essentially, she's named her child with her second husband after her first husband. I'm not married, I've never been divorced and remarried, and I've never had and/or named a child. But is this common? I suppose it became her name as soon as she changed it...but still? And now I've definitely thought too much about this family.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Karen's Witch by Ann M. Martin
It's Not Fair by Anita Harper
Kristy's Great Idea by Ann M. Martin
Kristy and the Mother's Day Surprise by Ann M. Martin
Bye-bye, Baby! by Richard T. Morris

Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers

When Eddie's father committed suicide, he left a giant hole in her life. Eddie's mother is barely functional; she rarely gets dressed and has trouble with her own grief, let alone Eddie's. Eddie's best friend tries to be there for her, but he won't tell her everything that he saw on the night that her father died, and that's driving a wedge between them. So when Eddie meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father's, she's desperate to make some kind of connection with him as a way to keep her father alive. But as she grows closer to Culler, she could also be coming closer to a very dangerous situation.

One of my favourite parts about Fall for Anything was that I had no idea just how dark it was going to get. There were so many possibilities and they were all so possible and it kept me hooked and guessing. I was terrified that Eddie was going to get hurt (emotionally, psychologically, physically) but I knew that she had to hit some sort of bottom before she got better. I love Courtney Summers' writing - if you haven't read anything by her, pick up one of her books (three so far - check out her website here). Also, on a non-content note, I love the feel of her books - the actual, physical books. Well done with that, St. Martin's Griffin.



Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Five Minutes More by Darlene Ryan
The Mitochondrial Curiosities of Marcels 1-19 by Jocelyn Brown

What I Wore by Jessica Quirk

What's the secret to looking great? According to Jessica Quirk, it's kind of like a recipe. Based on her popular blog What I Wore, this book shows how a closet full of staples (and a few show pieces) can blossom into a magnificent clothing collection. What I Wore is divided into four sections that match up with the four seasons. The advice is practical and there are lots of tips for people who are working from a limited budget. I think this could be a great gift or resource book for someone who is just starting their career or transitioning from college to the workforce. As someone who is decidedly plus-sized, I'm not sure how applicable all of the 'recipes' are to me, but there were a lot of great ideas about how to manage my closet and build a solid wardrobe.

See more at Random House.

See more at What I Wore: A Personal Style Blog.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
What I Wore Today by Korero Books
Love, Loss, and What I Wore by Ilene Beckerman
Nina Garcia's Look Book by Nina Garcia
Wear This, Toss That by Amy E. Goodman
Oh No She Didn't by Clinton Kelly

Murder She Wrote: You Bet Your Life by Donald Bain

The first time Jessica Fletcher traveled to Las Vegas to visit her friend Martha, it was a happy occasion; she was there to celebrate Martha's wedding to a rich businessman that she'd met and fallen in love with. The second time Jessica traveled to Las Vegas to see Martha, it was under less than perfect circumstances. Martha's husband was dead - murdered - and Martha was in jail, accused of the crime. Jessica is sure of Martha's innocence, but it will take more than Las Vegas luck to convince the jury.

As I've said basically every time I've written about a Murder She Wrote novel, these are like comfort food for me. I don't read them expecting great plotlines or sparkling writing; I read them because I have a soft spot for Maine's mystery writer-turned-crime solver Jessica Fletcher. As far as MSW novels go, this one was quite enjoyable. Jessica does seem to make some stupid moves (like getting into a limo with a man that she knows is dangerous, without letting anyone know where she is or who she's with) that aren't so characteristically her, but she also comes through with some brilliant deductions. There are a couple of red herrings that disappear as the plot moves along, but there was enough happening with the story that I barely even noticed that they went nowhere. A solid Jessica Fletcher mystery.

Also, I'm not that familiar with Las Vegas: is that supposed to be a skull in the background, or is it just something that's cropped weirdly?

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Murder, She Wrote: Coffee, Tea, or Murder? by Donald Bain
Murder, She Wrote: Dying to Retire by Donald Bain
Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown