young adult fiction

Review of House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

August 4, 2019 by Roger Hyttinen Leave a Comment

House of Salt and Sorrows is is supposedly a retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale “12 Dancing Princesses” with which, unfortunately, I’m not familiar. Thus, I can’t comment on their similarities one way or another. But I found this book to be an utterly gripping story.

The story opens to a funeral and is told from the point of view of Annaleigh Thaumas. We learn that Annaleigh is one out of whom where once 12 sisters but tragedy (or, according to the villagers, a curse) has hit the family pretty hard resulting in the recent deaths of four of the sisters.

Shortly after the funeral, their Stepmother convinces her father that they all should stop mourning and dress in beautiful, bright clothing, attend balls, and enjoy life once again. Shortly after the girls receive new clothing and each a pair of “fairy shoes,” they discover a secret/magical passage that takes them to different towns wherever spectacular balls are being held. So each night, the sisters slip through the magical doorway and dance the night away, enjoying new adventures around people who aren’t aware of their so-called curse.

But then, another sister goes missing, and after a series of ghostly apparitions, Annaleigh suspects that her sisters’ deaths may not have been as accidental as everyone has believed. She then takes it upon herself to unravel the mystery, and it’s at this point that the story takes quite a dark turn, especially once Annaleigh realizes that she doesn’t know who to trust. She also begins to suspect that there may be something sinister behind the magic portal that whisks her and her sisters off to elegant balls every evening.

So first off, I loved how atmospheric this novel was. The settings have such an eerie and gothic vibe to them, and I felt that the author really did an excellent job of bringing to the reader a vivid and evocative sense of place. I thought the descriptions were moody, immersive, and utterly intoxicating, and I appreciated the lush attention to detail.

The story also has plenty of twists — most of which I didn’t see coming — which kept me glued the page throughout. The world-building was terrific with well-developed characters, plot, and sense of place, resulting in an ethereal and beguiling story. The author creates here an atmosphere of constant tension and unease as you begin to suspect, along with Annaleigh, that there is something seriously wrong with her sister’s apparent “accidents.” We then learn that not everyone is as they seem, and this is where the creep factor really begins to escalate. I actually found it a lot of fun to unravel the mystery along with Annaleigh and was definitely gobsmacked when I learned the truth of it all.

All in all, I loved House of Salt and Sorrows and finished it in just two sittings. It was a gripping and super spooky story, and while reading, I felt as though I’d been enraptured by an old-time dark fairy tale that, strangely, had a modern feel to it at the same time. A great book to read on a dark and stormy night!

A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.

Purchase House of Salt and Sorrows at Amazon

Purchase House of Salt and Sorrows at The Book Depository

Review of We Now Return To Regular Life by Martin Wilson

April 9, 2018 by Roger Hyttinen Leave a Comment

“We Now Return to Regular Life” by Martin Wilson is another book that made the Lambda Literary Award’s list of finalists in the Young Adult category and that has been on my wishlist, which I finally got around to reading.

The blurb is as follows:

Sam Walsh had been missing for three years. His older sister, Beth, thought he was dead. His childhood friend Josh thought it was all his fault. They were the last two people to see him alive.

Until now. Because Sam has been found, and he’s coming home. Beth desperately wants to understand what happened to her brother, but her family refuses to talk about it—even though Sam is clearly still affected by the abuse he faced at the hands of his captor.

And as Sam starts to confide in Josh about his past, Josh can’t admit the truths he’s hidden deep within himself: that he’s gay, and developing feelings for Sam. And, even bigger: that he never told the police everything he saw the day Sam disappeared.

?As Beth and Josh struggle with their own issues, their friends and neighbors slowly turn on Sam, until one night when everything explodes. Beth can’t live in silence. Josh can’t live with his secrets. And Sam can’t continue on until the whole truth of what happened to him is out in the open.

For fans of thought-provoking stories like The Face on the Milk Carton, this is a book about learning to be an ally—even when the community around you doesn’t want you to be.

The Story

The book “We Now Return to Regular Life” revolved around one evil act: the abduction of 11-year-old Sam Walsh. So when the story begins, Sam has been missing for three years and assumed by most people to be dead. His childhood friend Josh, with whom Sam had earlier been bicycling that day, was the last person to see him. His older sister Beth, who assumed Sam was dead, is dealing with some heavy, heaving guilt from the day of his disappearance.

But now Sam has been found and he’s come home. Beth wants to know what happened to Sam but her family refuses to allow anyone to discuss the topic. All we know is that he was kidnapped and held captive for three years by a man named Russell, who did unspeakable things to the boy.

Unable to speak with his family, Sam rekindles his friendship with Josh and begins to confide in him about what he went through during his captivity. But Sam’s sister isn’t the only one who’s feeling guilty. Josh is holding onto a horrible secret about that day — a secret with which he should have gone to the police but didn’t and because of that, he’s been plagued with pain, confusion and haunting “what-ifs”. But since their reunion and as Josh and Sam grow closer, Josh finds himself falling in love with his childhood friend.

Of course, as a reader, we want to know where Sam was, what happened to him, and who he was with. The rest of the book alternates between Josh and Beth’s point of view as the story slowly unfolds. Through their eyes, we not only see their struggles but also experience the difficulty and the challenges Sam is facing trying to once again fit into everyday life.

What follows is a heart-wrenching depiction of what it means for the victim and the victim’s family to survive trauma and it’s not an easy journey.

Pros – What I Liked

I liked how each person’s point of view encompassed not only the present and how everyone involved is dealing with Sam’s return but also consisted of flashbacks to the day of Sam’s kidnapping and the subsequent days that followed. But not only are we privy to their emotions and perspectives on the kidnapping, we also get a glimpse of Sam’s recovery, through the points of view of Beth and Josh. In this way, I enjoyed experiencing the story all these different angles. Beth and Josh really made me feel like a part of their world as they struggled themselves with Sam’s reemergence and attempted to process their feelings and work through their emotional turmoil in the process.

I also felt that the dynamics between Sam, his sister Beth, their mother, and their stepfather Earl seem very realistic, and I could relate to each of them. There is a range of emotions experienced by each of them: guilt, anger, confusion, anxiety, uncertainty, and fear, rendering the story heartbreaking in places. So in essence, this isn’t just Sam’s story, but it’s also the story of those who are closest to him.

An even though we never experienced the story from Sam’s point of view, his desperate need to talk about what happened as evident and in opposition to those closest to him who couldn’t bear to hear it — and instead of supporting Sam, move away from him. Though Sam is hurting deeply, he isn’t willing to burden anyone with his pain, which I found heartbreaking. We really get a feeling for his struggle to find some sort of normalcy in his life after three harrowing years of abuse by his kidnapper, as he tries to get his life back.

I also really enjoyed the slow unraveling of the story. Each time we moved from one character’s perspective to the other, we learned a little bit more, like puzzle pieces slowly being snapped into place. I felt that the male/female, big sister/friend perspective also provided a nice balance to the story.

Cons – What I Didn’t Like

Though Sam was the main character and revolved around him, I didn’t get to learn or understand as much as I would have liked. I would have liked to have learned a bit more about how Sam was feeling and perhaps even know in more detail what he went through. In fact, I felt that each character has much more story to tell and some things are left unspoken.  I also found that the abrupt change in the point of view could be jarring at times — especially when the character was just beginning to open up and then we suddenly switch to the perspective of the next character — and to a different point in the story. I also found some bits of Beth’s narrative a tad boring, especially in regards to high school dynamics.

There was also a minor non-graphic sex scene that was a bit disturbing and mind you, I’m no prude. I felt that this story may have been better with this scene being left out.

Final Verdict

This is a powerful story packed with emotion and I really loved this book. I read a lot, and this year alone, I’ve have read some phenomenal books and without a doubt, We Now Return to Regular Life is one of those. It was a fast-moving, page-turning read and I felt the pacing of the story to be spot on.  But this is a dark and heavy story in places, the nature of which can make it disturbing for the more sensitive reader. It’s always difficult reading about the abuse of children whether it be fiction or nonfiction and this book is no exception. Thus, sensitive readers should be forewarned about child abuse, sexual abuse, and kidnapping triggers. However, I felt that the subject matter has handled in the most delicate way possible and the author didn’t give us any horrifyingly graphic scenes. That being said, though the book does handle Sam’s situation with sensitivity, it also does it with a sense of realism.  Still, this isn’t an easy topic to read about and was definitely an intense, gut-wrenching story and in my opinion, will be unforgettable.

Mr. Wilson has written a very realistic, fast-paced and beautiful story about survival, family, friendship, and love that will touch anyone’s heart. This sucker punch of a book was most certainly an experience and well worth the read, in my opinion. I can understand why it’s a finalist for Lambda Literary awards. This is the kind of book that will seep into your soul.

There’s so much more I could say about this book. I could probably talk about it forever, but I’ll stop now before I get spoilery. All I can say is that I heartily recommend it and give it 4.5 stars.

You can check out the book here at Amazon or at The Book Depository

This review was transcribed from a video review on my “Roger’s Reads” YouTube channel

Review of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

February 10, 2018 by Roger Hyttinen Leave a Comment

Rather, it is simply the tale of how two people can be important to each other their whole lives, and then, one morning, quite without meaning to, one of them wakes to find that importance has been magnified into a sudden and intense desire to put his tongue in the other’s mouth. ~ Henry (“Monty”) Montague

I can’t begin to express how much I loved The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue. This is not just an LGBT romance – it’s a wild, funny, adventurous and often harrowing romp through 18th century Europe. This book absolutely wrecked me in the most delightful and unexpected ways, and I could gush on and on about how much I loved it.

The blurb is as follows:

A young bisexual British lord embarks on an unforgettable Grand Tour of Europe with his best friend/secret crush. An 18th-century romantic adventure for the modern age written by This Monstrous Thing author Mackenzi Lee—Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets the 1700s.

Henry “Monty” Montague doesn’t care that his roguish passions are far from suitable for the gentleman he was born to be. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quests for pleasure and vice are in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

So Monty vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

Introducing Henry (aka “Monty”)

The story takes place in the 18th century (around 1720, I believe) and revolves around Henry Montague, who is known as “Monty” by those closest to him. Monty, the spoiled, reckless and egotistical son of Lord Earl Montague, has a reputation for being a flirtatious self-centered “rake” and a rogue, much to the chagrin of his domineering father. In addition to heavy drinking, gambling and being overly “generous with his affections”, Monty is also known for bringing both ladies and lads into his bedroom — quite scandalous behavior for the 18th century England, especially given that sodomy was still illegal and severely punished during this time-period.

During the opening chapters, we learn of his contentious relationship with his father, but we quickly learn that there is more than what we see at the surface, especially Monty cringes and draws back every time his father lifts his hand. It doesn’t take a lot of detective work to see there’s some abuse going on.

There’s also a boy that Monty is especially sweet on, a neighbor who has been by Monty’s side for years. The only thing, is that this boy doesn’t know how Monty feels, and perhaps fearing rejection, Monty has no plans on telling him. As such, a good part of the story revolves around Monty’s longing for . . .

Percy

The mild-mannered sweet Percy, Monty’s longtime best friend and the object of his affection, is an adorable character. It’s worth mentioning that Percy is biracial and because of this, encounters difficulties that the privileged Monty doesn’t always understand or cannot relate to.

The two of them, though not romantically involved initially, seem to have a special relationship, though Monty finds it more and more difficult merely being in Percy’s presence and finds himself falling even more desperately in love with him. This quote by Monty (thought to himself) sums it up:

Oh, by the way, could you perhaps not touch me the way you always have because each time it puts fresh splinters in my heart?

The Tour

After a brief introduction to the characters, the novel begins to take off as Monty, Monty’s younger sister Felicity and Percy are about to embark on a Grand Tour of Europe. Monty considers this trip as the opportunity of “sewing his wild oats” and looks forward to a year of debauchery with Percy. His father has different ideas, however. He assigns a guide called a bear-leader to ensure that Monty doesn’t embarrass the Earl — and to make sure that Monty brings no lads to his bedroom.

So the Tour begins not quite as exciting as Monty had hoped, being under the watchful eye of the bear-leader, and consists mainly of museum exhibits and evenings at the opera. But this changes one night when he’s invited to a high-society party at Versailles where he quickly makes an enemy of the Duke of Bourbon. The evening ends with Monty running naked through the gardens of Versailles being pursued by the palace guards.

And Then Things Get REALLY Interesting

Rushing away the next morning to avoid the inevitable fallout of Monte’s ungentlemanly behavior of the evening before, their carriage is stopped by Highwayman, the 18th-century version of bandits. Henry, Monty, and Percy manage to escape but they have no idea whether their bear-leader survived the attack.

With no luggage and no money, the trio makes it to a lively fair in the next town, where they learn that it is actually King Louis’s men who are pursuing them because of an “innocent” object that Percy stole from the Duke of Bourbon’s office the evening before.

Pirates, Alchemists, and Zombies!

Once the three are on the run, the adventure really begins as their days are fraught with peril and treachery. They get captured by pirates, encounter murderous alchemists, get arrested, end up on a sinking island and..yes, even encounter a zombie-ish character. But to go into any more detail would dangerously head into spoiler territory.

But let’s just say that the novel suddenly transforms into a nail-biting, page-turning, heart-in-your-throat wild ride at this point and we learn that nothing is quite as it seems; especially in regards to our main three characters, as there are quite a few surprises in store for the reader.

But It’s Not All Fun and Games

Though the book is a humorous and quirky romp, the story does touch on some serious issues such as racism, homophobia, PTSD, sexuality, mental health, disabilities, abuse, misogyny, privilege and the reckless misuse of power. The author flawlessly weaves these themes into the story, however, without diminishing the overall humorous feel or levity of the novel.

The Verdict

To start with, the characters were amazing! Each character went through a major transformation by the end of the novel and there were no cardboard cutouts here; every character was well-developed, realistic and compelling. It was a treat watching them interact and observing the sometimes tense dynamics between them.

The narration, told from Monty’s point of view, was exquisite and the author really did an excellent job of portraying the time-period of the novel and Monty’s social position (also his more-than-occasional daftness). Insufferable as Monty was at times, he quickly wormed his way into my heart.

The relationship between Monty and Percy was also expertly done and tender, with their romance evolving slowly along with their personal transformation throughout the novel. Felicity’s character was amazing – a strong and intelligent woman with a scientific mind for medicine, who was born a couple of centuries before her time. In fact, I’d love to see an entire book from Felicity’s point of view.

All in all, the Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue was a delightful beautifully-written witty story with excellent characters, perfect pacing, an ever-twisting and surprising storyline, lots of diversity and plenty of heart. This was a most exhilarating journey and one that I’m grateful I took. Recommended!

You can check out The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue HERE

Review of Goodnight, Boy by Nikki Sheehan

February 8, 2018 by Roger Hyttinen Leave a Comment

I was browsing the Young Adult section at my local library the other day and a book by the name of Goodnight, Boy by Nikki Sheehan caught my eye. I knew nothing about this book, but the description on the back cover peaked my interest. The blurb is as follows:

A tale of two very different worlds, both shattered by the loss of loved ones. Tragic, comic and full of hope, thanks to a dog called Boy.

The kennel has been JC’s home ever since his new adoptive father locked him inside. For hours on end, JC sits and tells his dog Boy how he came to this country: his family; the orphanage and the Haitian earthquake that swept everything away.

When his adoptive mother Melanie rescues him, life starts to feel normal again. Until JC does something bad, something that upset his new father so much that he and Boy are banished to the kennel. But as his new father gets sicker, JC realizes they have to find a way out. And so begins a stunning story of a boy, a dog and their journey to freedom.

Living in the Kennel

The entire story takes place in a kennel where a teenage boy named JC has been locked in along with his dog (Boy) by his stepfather. The entire story revolves around JC’s storytelling as he recounts his life story to his dog, Boy. The author’s use of internal dialog was expertly done and really added a distinctive element to the story.

We learn bit by bit that JC is an immigrant boy from Haiti who has gone through one horrendous experience after another: abuse at orphanages, surviving an earthquake and living on the streets to name a few. We learn through JC’s dialog what a tough, resilient and brave kid he really is, and it’s these qualities that allowed him to overcome every difficulty he’s had to face.

Enter Melanie and The Stepfather

JC’s tells Boy about how he ended up in the United States with Melanie and her boyfriend or husband (I don’t believe their marital status is ever mentioned). We figure out pretty quickly that the “adoption” wasn’t an entirely legal one, meaning Melanie and her partner pretty much snuck the boy into the United State.

JC depicts Melanie in a positive light, and we can tell that he is quite fond of her. Not so much with the stepfather, however; though JC’s dialog, we get the impression that the stepfather resented the boy and made everyday life more difficult for him because of that resentment.

I did a bad thing

We eventually learn the reason how JC and Boy ended up in their current predicament. According to JC, he did a bad thing that upset his stepfather so much at the locked JC and Boy away in a Kennel (we do learn what the bad thing is – but I’m not telling!).

Melanie is away during this time so she’s unaware of what’s going on at home. JC’s stepfather visits the kennel with less and less frequency, and JC realizes that he has to somehow get him and Boy to freedom, as their life may very well depend on it.

The Verdict

I wasn’t sure at first whether this was the kind of story I wanted to read. It sounded heartbreaking and indeed, in places it was. But it was also so much more. Though the reader experiences a rollercoaster of emotions as we move through the story, it is also hopeful. No matter what horrors JC experiences, he never seems to get depressed or wallows in despair or self-pity.

It’s interesting to note that there was almost no dialog throughout the entire story — all of it was portrayed through JC’s thoughts and one-way discourse to Boy. In this way, the author did an amazing job of portraying JC’s excellent character voice.

The lack of two-way dialog didn’t mean that the book was difficult to read. On the contrary, the author’s clever use of white space (some pages only contained a couple of sentences) made the book not only readable but added extra intrigue and emotion that kept you turning the page.

Yes, as a reader you are shocked at the beginning by the horrifying conditions that the boy and his dog are living in, and you certainly can’t help but tear up many times throughout the book. It’s sad. It’ll tear your heart out in places. But Goodnight, Boy is also a beautiful, moving and hopeful story of an abused boy, his dog and their journey towards freedom. It’s a deep, engaging and original book that kept me interested all the way through, and I’m so glad I read it. Recommended!

Trigger warning: This book contains scenes of child and animal abuse and neglect.

You can check out Goodnight, Boy HERE

Review of Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda

February 6, 2018 by Roger Hyttinen Leave a Comment

“White shouldn’t be the default any more than straight should be the default. There shouldn’t even be a default.” Simon Spier

I’ve been hearing a lot about Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda over the past several months and it’s been on my wishlist for a while now. After learning that it’s going to be made into a movie called “Love, Simon”, I moved it to the top of my TBR list.

This is an excellent story about a teenage boy who has to deal with the aftermath of coming out to everyone at his high school when another student finds out his secret and threatens to blackmail him. Here is the blurb:

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

Incredibly funny and poignant, this twenty-first-century coming-of-age, coming out story — wrapped in a geek romance—is a knockout of a debut novel by Becky Albertalli.

Never walk away from your computer

Simon learned this the hard way. He walks away from his computer for just a moment, forgetting to close down his email program, which, unfortunately, gets into the wrong hands. Another student, Martin Addison, walks by Simon’s abandoned computer and discovers that Simon has been anonymously corresponding with a boy named “Blue” and the two have been discussing their lives, including being gay. Up to this point, Blue is the only one who knows that Simon is gay.

Simon and Blue met via an anonymous Tumblr post and since then, have been emailing each other on almost a daily basis. Though Blue goes to the same school as Simon, neither of them know the other’s identity, thus creating a safe atmosphere to discuss those serious issues that they can’t so easily talk about with anyone else.

Martin takes a screenshot of the emails and then blackmails Simon into getting his friend, Abby, to date him.

The Blackmail Begins

Holding up his end of the bargain, Simon invites Martin (who is seriously annoying, by the way) to hang out with him and Abby on several occasions, fearful that Martin will reveal Simon’s secret to the entire school. At this point of the book, even Simon’s best friend Leah doesn’t know that he’s gay and he wants to keep it that way — at least for the time being. Fearful that Blue would terminate his friendship with Simon if he found out that someone had taken a screenshot of their email, Simon keeps this new secret to himself as well.

What worked for me in this book was that Simon didn’t struggle with being gay. He knew he was gay and fully accepted himself. He never tried to deny who he was. What he did struggle with was how his loved ones might potential react to the news.

The Emails

I loved reading the email exchanges between Simon and Blue, especially once they began to become more flirtatious. There was a teasing yet caring tone to their emails, leading to an amazing build-up between the two of them that wasn’t rushed or forced. It was obvious that has the days and weeks past, the connection between the two of the deepened as their friendship moved organically into something bigger. These two characters really came to life for me as their relationship blossomed and I quickly became enamored with the both of them, wishing and hoping for a happy ending for the both of them.

As with any online relationship, there are the fears that crop up before we meet the person: Will they like us? What if they don’t find me attractive? What if I don’t find him/her attractive? All of these things run through Simon’s mind, making the situation all the more realistic, and I found myself having the same fears as Simon. As a ready, I wanted Simon and Blue to have their HEA.

Coming Out Slowly

As their relationship deepened (though it was still anonymous), they both decided that perhaps it was time to come out. First Blue to his family and then Simon to his friend Abby, leading them to discuss the fear and uncertainty they felt before finally letting the cat out of the bag. It’s apparent that it’s their feelings for each that gives them the courage to take the first steps in the coming out process.

Luckily for the both of them, Blue’s parents were supportive as was Abby. Simon still not quite ready to tell anyone else though. He wants to come out on his terms at his own pace, though he does plan on telling his own parents soon.

A Forced Coming Out

Of course, Simon’s secret gets out (I’m not giving out any spoilers here – we learn this fact in the blurb), and everything changes for Simon. Within one day, everyone at school learns that Simon Spier is gay — and given that we know Blue is a student at Simon’s High School, it’s not too hard to figure out that he’s learned Simon’s identity as well. In fact, during an email exchange, Blue states “I think I know who you are”.

Simon still doesn’t know the mysterious Blue’s identity, however, and it’s amusing to observe Simon as he studies the boys at his school, trying to guess which one of them could be Blue. He finally thinks he narrows it down to two boys. Now he just needs to figure out which one it is.

Now I will say that there are some clues as to Blue’s identity sprinkled throughout the book through the author does a great job of throwing us off track and making it difficult to guess. I didn’t quite guess the identity of Blue as much as hoped.

The Fallout

Coming out is never easy, especially when it wasn’t your decision. We see this in the aftermath: friendships are strained (possibly lost) for good and relationships are threatened. The author did a fine job of portraying the possible fallout for a high school student being forced out of the closet. It was also cringe-worthy seeing that someone could be as cruel as Martin (though not surprising — he was a right jerk).

Of course, Simon is devastated. Not only is he upset because his friendships are on shaky grounds, he feels robbed, resentful and violated. Coming out was something he wanted to do on his own terms, and because of his blackmailer, that decision was taken away from him . . .and then there’s Blue.

The Big Reveal

So do we eventually learn Blue’s identity? If we didn’t, it certainly would have been a frustrating book – the kind you’d throw across the room. Luckily, it didn’t come to that, and we do learn Blue’s identity — and wow! What a sweet scene!

I’m guessing that it’d be difficult for many people to read this scene without tearing up. I know I was reaching for the tissues (but it a good way!).

The Verdict

I loved this book on so many levels, and it completely stole my heart. This book expertly showed the struggles that not just a gay teenager but that most teenagers go through on a daily basis. The book is told from Simon’s first-person point of view, and I found him lovable, funny, witty, intelligent, likable and brave; and though somewhat flawed (as we all are), he’s an all-around great kid. But most of all, I found him true to himself.

I could relate to so much of what he was going through, and in this way, it felt that his character was genuine and believable. In fact, all of the characters in the book were well-rounded and realistic, and I enjoyed the dynamic between them.

Simon vs the Home Sapiens Agenda is a sweet, tender and heartwarming coming-of-age story about friendship, first love, coming out and the power of friendship and family that has an appeal to everyone, both teens, and adults. I can tell you that this particular adult loved it. Though the book does deal with some tougher issues such as bullying, betrayal, and misunderstandings, the positive aspects well outweigh the negative.

This book has definitely made my top reads list and is one of those books that gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling at the end. A truly satisfying read. I definitely give this book 5 stars!

You can check out Simon vs The Homo Spiens Agenda HERE

Review of Being Henry David by Cal Armistead

February 4, 2018 by Roger Hyttinen Leave a Comment

I stumbled across Being Henry David on book lover’s blog (Peter Likes Books, who also has a fun Book Tube channel) and the concept sounded intriguing, especially since I’ve always enjoyed reading Thoreau. I picked it up and loved it! Here’s the blurb:

Seventeen-year-old “Hank” has found himself at Penn Station in New York City with no memory of anything—who he is, where he came from, why he’s running away. His only possession is a worn copy of Walden by Henry David Thoreau. And so he becomes Henry David—or “Hank”—and takes first to the streets, and then to the only destination he can think of—Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. Cal Armistead’s remarkable debut novel about a teen in search of himself. As Hank begins to piece together recollections from his past, he realizes that the only way he can discover his present is to face up to the realities of his grievous memories. He must come to terms with the tragedy of his past to stop running and find his way home.

Who am I?

The story begins when a teenage boy finds himself in Penn Station in New York with no recollection of who he is and a nasty bump on his head. His only possession is a beat-up paperback copy of Walden by Henry David Thoreau. Shortly thereafter, he comes into contact with two homeless kids, and when they ask his name he tells them that it’s Henry David, which they shorten to Hank. At this point, he wasn’t comfortable telling anyone about his amnesia. Of course, we wonder right from the beginning: What could have happened to him to have caused his injuries and amnesia?

I liked the fact that the story is told from the first person point of view, so we get constantly know what’s going on in our hero’s head; we feel his stress, his fear and his confusion as the realization dawns on him that the only thing he remembers is now.

Off to Walden Pond

After a dangerous encounter with a drug dealer, Hank is on the run. We follow him to Concord, Massachusetts where he heads almost immediately to Walden Pond, embarking upon on a literal search for his identity. One of Hanks’ biggest fears through all of this is discovering that could be a monster – a terrible person who’s done horrible things to others. Because of this, he attempts to keep the new people in his new life at arm’s length, not daring to get too close to anyone.

This is a lot more difficult than it seems as the new people slowly become integrated into his life and his heart.

The Mystery Slowly Unravels

The entire plot of Being Henry David revolves around the mystery of Hank finding out who is really is. Bit by bit, the pieces begin to return, as snapshots of information flash in his mind. Through all of this, I found it fascinating how our hero reconciles his new life and the person he’s become (Hank) with the person he was.

I also love how the author adeptly intertwines the stressful and violent life stories of the two street kids into Hank’s new, somewhat privileged life in Concord, and how they become an integral part of the story in Hank’s search for self.

Bad Decisions Were Made

But it’s not all smooth sailing for Hank, especially when some especially painful memories begin to resurface. This leads Hank to make some extremely rash decisions that are not particularly in his best interest.

It is at this point where his old world and new world collide.

Verdict

I thought that the author did an excellent job of capturing the voice of this troubled, scared teenage boy who slowly recalls the events leading up to his memory loss. Right from the first page, the story grabs hold of you and doesn’t let go until the end. I felt that the pacing was perfect and the story heartfelt; so much that I found myself tearing up on more than a few occasions (but in a good way!). The story finishes on a positive note with a resolved and satisfying ending.

Being Henry David is a captivating coming-of-age adventure story with a brave, intelligent and at time reckless main character. The secondary characters were also well-developed, and you couldn’t help but love them by the end of the book. In this way, all the characters were believable for me as well as engaging.

Even if you’re not interested in Thoreau, there’s a lot in this story to enjoy — and you just may feel a desire to read some of his work by the end of this novel. After I turned the last page, I couldn’t help to wander over to my bookshelves and search for my old copy of Walden.

From what I understand, this is a debut novel for this author, and I can’t wait to see what she come up with next. Recommended for teens and adults!

You can check out Being Henry David HERE