Crank is Ellen Hopkins’ controversial, and sorely needed, verse novel. Kristina Snow’s life changes forever when her father and the boy she’s crushing introduce her to meth. Unlike Impulse, which is raw and shredding in its emotion, Crank is almost cold at times, brutally showing a girl on the edge of being a woman, who […]
Category: banned books
Review: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
July 13, 2013Many times in Wintergirls, the main character mentions feeling like a puppet whose strings are being pulled, which in turn is a fitting description for the feel of this book. Wintergirls is the story of Lia, who suffers from anorexia, depression, and a family who sees her as nothing but a burden. Her best friend […]
Review: 20 Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
June 20, 2013]Twenty Boy Summer, a YA novel about two girls struggling to come to terms with the death of their best friend, hits like a most beautifully wrapped ton of bricks. Frankie and Anna are best friends, journeying on a spectacular trip to California. Last year Frankie’s older brother Matt spend a dazzling month secretly dating […]
Dueling Reviews: Chosen by P.C. And Kristen Cast
February 1, 2013Michele says: Chosen is an interesting title for the third book of the House of Night series. So far the books are focused on super chosen one, Zoey Redbird as she struggles not to just to come to terms with a major life change, but also with realizing how much stands against her in life. […]
The Invisible Minority: LGBTQ Teens and their Literature
November 17, 2012I wanted to pass this excellent article on because literature really is a refuge for many LGBTQ teens. It’s important as an author, a librarian and a parent that books featuring queer characters are available. Article here. Tweet
Dueling Reviews: Betrayed by P.C. and Kristen Cast
October 2, 2012Dueling Reviews is a new feature here at RB where we read the same book and post multiple reviews of it at once. You are invited to add your thoughts in the comments, or hit me up at zombiemichele@gmail.com if you want to duel with me. Michele Says: Betrayed is the second book in PC […]
Dueling Reviews (or Not): Marked by P.C. & Kristen Cast
September 21, 2012Dueling Reviews is a new feature here at RB where we read the same book and post multiple reviews of it at once. You are invited to add your thoughts in the comment, or hit me up at zombiemichele@gmail.com if you want to duel with me. Michele says: “Hateful girls, totally cliquish drama-trauma, and the […]
Baby Be-Bop by Francesca Lia Block
March 19, 2012Baby Be-Bop is the last novelette in the Weetzie series included in the Dangerous Angels collection. Sadly, it’s also the weakest. Baby Be-Bop tells Dirk’s story. Cherokee’s maybe-dad and Weetzie best friend he’s the reason these books are often challenged or banned in school libraries, because he’s gay. On one hand I can see Baby […]
Missing Angel Juan by Francesca Lia Block
March 16, 2012*Apologies as I accidentally set this and the review for Baby Be-Bop to save as draft instead of scheduling it to be posted this week.* Missing Angel Juan is the best Weetzie book, in my opinion. First it’s the only one in first person. Second it’s another story from Witch Baby, who is my favorite […]
Cherokee Bat and the Goat Guys by Francesca Lia Block
March 12, 2012Book one (Weetzie Bat) was a modern fairy tale, book two (Witch Baby) was more akin to the Grimm tales. This tale (book three) still has that surreal fantasy-feel, but it heads straight for the Aesop’s fables section. Magic just seems to find Cherokee Bat. Maybe it’s because of how hard her mother Weetzie worked […]