Search Results for: maureen johnson

Girl Online

February 22, 2015 by Jennifer

I love awkwardly lovable teen characters (such as those featured in the YA novels of Maureen Johnson, see related links below), and Penny, the heroine of this novel is that. Girl Online is subtitled “The First Novel by Zoella.” I am not familiar with the You Tube vlogger Zoe Sugg, but the book didn’t need star hook to pique my interest. Penny’s honesty and humility drew me in from page one. Whenever she gets in a situation with a boy she likes, she inevitably says the wrong thing. Worse than that, a tumble she takes at school showing her underpants ends up broadcast on YouTube for all to see.

Three things save her from focusing completely on her humiliation. One is her anonymous blog where she is known as GirlOnline. She shares her struggles, her humiliations and insecurities. This is her goal:

I have this dream that, secretly, all teenage girls feel exactly like me. And maybe one day, when we realize that we all feel the same, we can all stop pretending we’re something we’re not. That would be awesome. But until that day, I’m going to keep it real on this blog and keep it unreal in “real” life.

The other thing that provides is an immediate respite is a trip to New York City. Her mother is a wedding coordinator. When a wealthy couple from New York City comes into her London shop with a last-minute request for a no-holds barred Downton-themed wedding at the Waldorf Astoria, the entire family takes an all-expenses paid trip to New York for Christmas.

The third thing that helps Penny keep her head on straight is her best friend Elliot. They have the kind of relationship teens long for. Their bedrooms share a wall of their building, so they tap secret codes and respond to any emergency (whether it’s real or imagined). Elliot doesn’t feel that he can be honest with his family about his sexuality or anything that is important to him, so he spends a lot of time with Penny and her supportive parents.

He’s invited along on the trip, which is absolutely perfect, until Penny meets a boy. The grandson of the cook at the hotel is perfect. She can tell him anything — something she only ever felt about Elliot — but because she’s busy helping her mom with the wedding and Elliot is out sight-seeing with her Dad, they don’t have time to talk, and Elliot has to read about her encounters with “Brooklyn Boy” on her blog.

That’s the first — but not the last — of Penny’s difficulties in the midst of this dreamy week.

I loved so much about this book. It was funny and sweet and magical with just the right amount of teen angst and drama, but it’s not completely lightweight chick lit for teens. Like so much wonderful YA lit does, it also touches on issues that are so real to many teenagers today such as cyber-bullying, anxiety and panic attacks. I especially loved this element, as so many teens suffer from mental illness and it is not often represented in an honest, healthy way in novels. The conflict with his parents that

CONTENT NOTES FOR PARENTS:

This is the kind of YA book I can recommend without reservation. It’s a solid teen read, featuring a chaste romance between an almost-16 year old girl and an 18-year old boy. There was no drinking or drugs or other unsavory (not to mention illegal) teen activity. I don’t think there was any swearing. If there was, it was mild and infrequent.

NOTES ON THE AUDIOBOOK:

Hannah Tointon read the book. Her British accent accentuated the sense of place, and her sweet delivery contributed to Penny’s likability. There were also interesting sound effect like a buzz for a text coming in and clacking of the keyboard as Penny wrote her blogs.

Listen to a sample of the Girl Online audiobook at the Simon & Schuster site.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

April 19, 2014 by Jennifer

I’m the mother of a teenager, but I also love reading YA just for me. I love remembering what it was like to be a teen.

In Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, we meet Lara Jean. She’s going to be a junior, and she knows this year is going to be different. Her sister has just left for college — in Scotland! — breaking up with her boyfriend, literally the boy next door, before she leaves. Lara Jean, Kitty, and her father have accepted Josh as a part of the family, so this changes thing for their family. The absence of Margot is even more felt in this family because she’s sort of stood in as their mother since her death years ago.

Lara Jean has never really had a boyfriend, but she’s certainly had her share of crushes. But when she decides that she’s “over” the boy or that it’s time to be over him, she writes him a letter and puts it in her special hatbox. When Peter Kavinsky — the “it” boy of her school — comes up to her with the letter, she’s dumbfounded. How did he get it? And does that mean….?? She rushes home to find all of her letters are gone.

I don’t want to give anything away, but it leads to a funny comedy of errors and misunderstandings. Lara Jean is a sweet teen with that mix of insecurity and confidence that many teens have. This was my first Jenny Han novel, though I’ve been meaning to read them, but her characters reminded me of the equally lovable Maureen Johnson’s.

CONTENT NOTES (from a mom): This book is about a high school junior, so there is definitely some content that is more suitable for older teens, such as sexual activity, drinking, etc, however this is mostly just discussed in reference to someone’s character, but not described or glorified. The swearing is probably moderate — more than just a few mild swear words, but not as prevalent as some novels.

I’m glad to see that there’s another book coming out in 2015, P.S. I Love You.

The Madness Underneath

June 1, 2013 by Jennifer

I have an issue reviewing books that are in a series. I want to introduce you to the books, whether you’ve read the first one or not, but I don’t want to give too much away, in the event that you haven’t read the ones that came before. I’m very big on “no spoilers.” In fact, I avoid reading plot summary whenever I can. In fact, I usually read enough of a pitch or the back of a book or product description to see if I want to read it, and then I put it on my giant to-be-read shelf for it to wait its turn. When I pick it up, I don’t usually revisit the plot, preferring to just let it happen.

I have enjoyed many of Maureen Johnson‘s YA books (linked to some of my reviews), and I enjoyed the first in this Shades of London series, the Name of the Star. I love the London boarding school setting.

This second book delves more into the paranormal aspect introduced in the first one, where it was a bit more peripheral, but it’s still just a good clean story about teens — and in particular Rory Devereaux, transplant to England from the south.

There’s no doubt that The Madness Underneath is a ghost story. It’s set in a contemporary, realistic setting — which is my preference — but it’s definitely a ghost story.

Like many second novels in series, this one ends with a cliffhanger, ensuring that we’ll be back to see what Rory and her friends are up to. It wasn’t too annoying, and I sort of saw it coming.

NOTE ON THE COVERS (as in, don’t judge):

I don’t always comment on covers, but I’m not sure what I think of this one, which is probably better than the original one on Name of the Star (I actually don’t love the titles either). If I wasn’t a die-hard Maureen Johnson fan, I’m not sure that the title or the cover (or the description, to be honest) would have appealed to me. But trust me — if you like traditional YA in a realistic setting that is not overly profane in language or content, you should check this out.

AUDIOBOOK NOTES:

This was a fun listen. Nicola Barber voiced the characters well, differentiating each clearly, and giving the book the right tone, humorous in places and serious when needed. You can listen to a sample at the Brilliance Audio Site. I started the series on audio, and I’ll likely finish it that way too. It becomes a part of what I expect and enjoy.

Who Done It? edited by Jon Scieszka

March 2, 2013 by Jennifer

Can you imagine the most cantankerous book editor alive? Part Voldemort, part Cruella de Vil (if she were a dude), and worse in appearance and odor than a gluttonous farm pig? A man who makes no secret of his love of cheese or his disdain of unworthy authors? That man is Herman Mildew.

The anthology opens with an invitation to a party, care of this insufferable monster, where more than 80 of the most talented, bestselling and recognizable names in YA and children’s fiction learn that they are suspects in his murder. All must provide alibis in brief first-person entries. The problem is that all of them are liars, all of them are fabulists, and all have something to hide…

I would highly recommend Who Done It? to anyone who reads a lot of YA fiction, and especially those who are major fans of the authors. It is slightly long, with over 70 different authors’ takes on why they did not kill editor Herman Mildew (even though most of them are suspect in some way, and almost all admit to wanting him dead). But I can’t think of one entry that I would have deleted.

As I said, if you are a YA insider, then you’ll love the in jokes (In her entry Emily Jenkins, a beloved children’s author, pokes fun at someone who might use a pen name, when in fact she writes YA under the name of e. lockhardt), not to mention the personality-filled, 1st person, humorous accounts from any author you love. I also found myself looking up several authors whose work I was unfamiliar with, yet whose entry charmed me.

Check out some of the powerhouses featured (children’s and YA authors, but all writing in an adult/young-adult way):

Judy Blundell
John Green
Maureen Johnson
Mo Willems
Elise Broach
Lauren Myracle
Rebecca Stead
Libba Bray

All in all Who Done It? is a very fun read, either to sit down and read straight through, or to pick up here and there when you want a short reading fix.

The only disappointment is that you don’t really get an answer at the end, though the twist is clever in itself, and it hardly had read as a serious fact-gathering mission to that point, so I wasn’t surprised.

CONTENT NOTE: I was familiar with Jon Sciezcka’s GUYS READ anthologies (fantastic!), so I automatically assumed that this was a collection for that same middle-grade 9 – 12 audience. It’s not. It’s definitely young adult, with a bit of mild profanity and some sexual references (concerning affairs and whatnot, though there is no explicit sexual content).

The Name of the Star

December 20, 2011 by Jennifer

The Name of the Star is Maureen Johnson’s latest YA book.

The ONLY reason I got this audiobook was because it was by Maureen Johnson, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed her Suite Scarlett books. The blurb of this book said it was funny, so I trusted that somehow Jack the Ripper and foggy ghostly looking covers could be enjoyable in a funny way.

And it was!

Basically it’s a boarding school story. Rory is a New Orleans’ girl whose parents are living in Bath, so she opts to go to boarding school in London. She deals with the culture clash, Alpha girls, and everything you’d expect in the midst of some murders that are committed in the area, emulating Jack the Ripper.

A quick look at the description made me think that part of the story actually took place in 1888, but it doesn’t. It’s a contemporary story with a mostly realistic setting. That is, until the murder is captured on camera — or NOT captured, as the case may be. How can that be? I won’t spoil the plot twist, except to say that some paranormal elements come into play.

There’s a lot of humor, some romance, and some paranormal suspense. A great mix.

This is the start of the “Shades of London” series, but this novel stands fully on its own. I’m not sure where it will go next, but I do hope that some of the characters return.

AUDIO NOTES: This was well-read by Nicola Barber. It was pretty understated, and her British/New Orleans accents weren’t all spot on, but I enjoyed listening to it.

Jennifer Donovan loves listening to stories as much as she likes reading them. Audiobooks make her happy. She blogs at Snapshot.

Suite Scarlett and Scarlett Fever

August 18, 2010 by Jennifer

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson is a somewhat old fashioned tale. For one, the family lives in a hotel. Isn’t that just a perfect setting for a classic teen novel? Secondly, it’s a family story. Scarlett isn’t one of those YA heroines who spends time hanging out with friends, ditching school and going to parties. All her friends are off having summer adventures while she stays home to help her family run the hotel.

When she turns 15, she’s supposed to take more responsibility in caring for one of the suites. As it happens, the mysterious and headstrong Amy Amberson, a former actress, moves in and hires Scarlett to be her assistant.

She’s quirky, and her quirks give level-headed Scarlett an easy “straight man”. She plays the same role to older-brother Spencer, who is as silly as you would expect a physical comedian to be. Lola, her older sister is sweet and kind and is dating the stereotypical rich guy. The youngest sibling, Marlene, 10, experiences her own adventures as a cancer-surviving “Power Kid.”

This is a simple character-driven comedic novel.

Scarlett Fever picks up right where the first book leaves off. Summer is ending, and Ms. Amberson has moved out of the Hopewell hotel, but Scarlett is still working for her while also trying to balance school, and Ms. Amberson’s quirky new dog and new acting clients who include a young Broadway star who tries to befriend Scarlett.

The maturity level steps up a bit as more of the plot centers around Scarlett’s siblings who are out of high school, but it has the same warm (and funny) tone as the first book.

I look forward to reading more adventures about Scarlett and her family and the motley crew that tag along with them.

Audiobook review: I listened to Suite Scarlett as an audiobook from Brilliance Audio. At first I found the narrator to be a little overly perky, but part of that was because she was supposed to be reading a guidebook entry. The audiobook was well-done, conveying the nuance of Scarlett’s character (and all her siblings as well), and even though I read the second book, I still heard the narrator’s voice in my head.

Content note for parents: At first I planned for Amanda (who is in 7th grade) to hold off a couple of years in reading this book. In general, I found it to be a great book for high schoolers. The language is mild, and Scarlett is the kind of kid we want our kids to be — smart, studious, level-headed. But she is 15, and her brother Spencer is older (maybe 19 or 20?), and so there are some themes that are more appropriate for high schoolers. For example, there is no sexual content (beyond some kissing), but it’s clear that her other brother has used many of the rooms in the hotel to be with the ladies. There’s no detail at all, so the reader can draw her own conclusion.

In the end, Amanda listened to it (and liked it). The product recommendation is “7th grade and up” and for most kids who watch any sort of prime time TV or PG-13 movies, it’s going to be much tamer than anything that they have picked up there. For the most part, I’ve chosen the “I don’t forbid, I discuss” route of reading with my growing-up daughter.

The second book (which Amanda hasn’t read yet) has Spencer starring in a TV show as a young guy who made his fortune in the p*rn industry. In my mind, the book would be stronger without it, but he is supposed to be skeezy, so the end message is that p*rn is skeezy. . . .

But in general I really like Scarlett and her family. I like that there is some good mostly-clean YA lit for smart savvy high school girls to enjoy — a story that doesn’t revolve around hooking up or getting drunk or rebelling against your parents.

And because Carrie knew she wasn’t going to listen to the audiobook that Brilliance provided in our BookBloggerCon swag bags, she gave me her copy to give away to one of you! THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.

So please leave a comment if you’d like to win the Suite Scarlett audiobook (U.S. addresses only). I’ll draw a winner on September 1.

The winners of previous giveaways:

BusyBodyBook Planner: #24 Dianna
I,Q (the series) books 1 and 2: #18 Barb@1SentenceDiary, #11 Linda Kish.

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Jennifer Donovan loves going back in time, reliving her teen years via YA lit as her own daughter approaches them in real life. She blogs about their life in Connecticut at Snapshot.

Mailbox Monday — June 28

June 27, 2010 by 5 Minutes for Books

The Printed Page invites bloggers to share what books have come into their house each week.

We have really enjoyed jumping into this meme. It’s a fun way to chat about books (which of course we love), and gives our readers here a sneak peek of reviews to come. Check out other participants or join in yourself at The Printed Page.

JENNIFER

Sand in My Eyes — This looks like the kind of women’s fiction that I like that explores the relationships, thoughts, and actions of women.
The reviews on Every House Needs a Balcony: A Novel have been mixed. When you call it the “Israeli Kite Runner,” you are setting a pretty high bar. I’m hoping to like it.
Scarlett Fever — Maureen Johnson was the fabulously funny keynote speaker at the BookBloggerCon, and we received an audiobook of Suite Scarlett (review to come). This is the second book that picks up right where the first left off.
Champ and Me By the Maple Tree is a fun children’s book by the same guys who wrote The Cods of Cape Cod (linked to my review).

LISA

I received three books in the mail this week:

Dark in the City of Light by Paul Robertson–I am so excited about this book! I’ve read Robertson’s previous novels and loved them all.
Back on Murder by J. Mark Bertrand. What I can say? I love a good murder mystery and while I haven’t read anything by Bertrand I’m intrigued by the endorsements describing this as an “astonishing and powerful mystery” and “extremely well crafted.”
Reluctant Entertainer, The: Every Woman’s Guide to Simple and Gracious Hospitality by Sandy Coughlin. Okay, okay; true confessions: I am a reluctant entertainer. Here’s hoping this book will help me move from reluctant to gracious in the entertaining department.

Each Tuesday we have a different meme that you join in, from Kids’ Picks to What’s on Your Nightstand, to a Children’s Classics challenge. Join Us!

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