The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (ISBN: 978-0-553-49668-0)
Okay, so I just reviewed Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon earlier this month, but I wanted to read her other book right away since I loved the first so much! Another beautiful cover, another story told in vignettes, I was just delighted to pick it up. I really did like this book too. As much as Everything, Everything? No... but it was still a really solid read. Natasha is a Jamaican American who was born on the island. Daniel is a Korean American who was born in the States. But both are dealing with the issue of straddling two worlds - parents at home who want their children to have respect for their culture, versus their own teenage inner desire to just fit in. They meet by chance on Natasha's worst day ever - she and her family are about to be deported because of her father's poor choices. Daniel, however, is having the kind of day where it seems like the universe is causing everything to come up roses. The initial spark of an interesting conversation, a bold proposal, a shared lunch, the confiding of secrets... all things culminate in a day that totally changes both of them forever. Can poetic Daniel persuade scientific Natasha to fall in love with him before she leaves the country forever? I won't give away the most important plot points or surprises - or even ruin the ending. But you know that feeling when you're getting closer and closer to the end of a book and you're worried that things are just not going to be resolved in the way you want them to? Then sometimes they just aren't. And you're a little bummed... almost like you spent all of those hours reading for nothing and you can't shake the unfinished feeling. That's how I felt with this book... until literally the last six words. Then all was right in the world. The. Last. Six. Words. It's a story you might like - especially if you love New York City, love stories that involve multicultural characters and references, or like a little bit of loaded-topic-exploring in your fictional reading material (aka: extramarital affairs, racism, immigration, birth order stereotypes, poverty, loss and grieving, drunk driving, etc.). Want to hear from the artist who created the beautiful cover for this book? Check it out!
And here's the author herself talking about this second book, the art, the format, the characters, and some of her difficulties in writing a book that takes place entirely within the span of 12 hours (with a tiny cheat at the end).
What shirts do you think Natasha and Daniel would wear? Why... these two, of course!
OR you could sport some band gear and wear this Temple of the Dog tee since it's while listening to "Hunger Strike" that Natasha first catches Daniel's eye. You know, it's whatever floats your boat.
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon (ISBN: 978-0-553-49664-2)
I have tried starting this paragraph four times, and I don't even know where to begin. The cover! The clever format! The emotional moments of this book which caused me to use up 7 tissues between 10:30 and 12:15pm! The twist! Basically I loved Everything, Everything and everything about it. I was told about this book by a number of people, and it's been creating buzz in both entertainment and literary circles. I finally got around to reading it and have had the story re-running through my head ever since. I'm not going to lie - I do like a smidge of romance in my books - but I am not a romance-a-holic. It's not my favorite genre, and there needs to be something else holding me to the story. Like in The Fault in Our Stars by the wonderful John Green. Is there romance? Yes. But is there a depth to the story and characters that also holds you there? Yes. So it is with Everything, Everything. It made me laugh, and cry, and feel all the feels, and surprised me as well. Madeline cannot leave her house because of a rare disease in which she's essentially allergic to the entire world. She lives in a home that boasts a hospital grade HVAC system that completely clears the air of all toxins, and people cannot enter the front door without going through a special airlock. Madeline's mother, who is actually a doctor, as well as an in-home nurse are her only companions. But all of that is disrupted when a new family moves in next door, and she lays her eyes on the mysterious teen aged son Olly. They begin communicating using a bundt cake (yes, don't ask) and window sign-language. Eventually, she's able to text and e-mail with Olly, and her longing for friendship and the outside world grow. I can't say more... because that would start to ruin important parts of the plot... and I would never, ever, ever do that. Librarian's honor. One of the more delightful features about this book is the fact that it's interspersed with all kinds of fun formats: diary entries, text chains, emails, microscopic book reviews, imaginative sketches (drawn by the author's husband!), and more. Madeline loves architecture and at one point designs a restaurant where an astronaut might dine. I could go on, but you should really read this book to see for yourself what all of the buzz is about. Speaking of buzz, there is also a movie. I haven't seen it yet, but here's the trailer from YouTube. BUT WAIT - stupid movies... stupid trailers... they include spoilers! If you don't want to spoil the book, stop watching at 1:37. That is all.
Here's another little tid-bit of my own - my own teaser video featuring me and my cat. There are no spoilers. But there is a cat.
Need a tee or two for this book? Try these! First, you might want to take Madeline's advice and...
Or perhaps you want to take Olly's advice and do more...
Burning Midnight by Will McIntosh (ISBN: 9780553534108)
This book falls into the genre of science fiction with a slight smidge of romance. The premise is that in the future, colorful marbles have started showing up all around the world, mostly concentrated in urban areas, and hiding in any number of places. People have hunted for and found these spheres in order to own pairs of matching colors. You see, when a person holds a matching pair of marbles to their temples, a magic ability transfers to the holder. Teal: fall asleep easily; slate gray: enhanced singing ability; cranberry: better looking; mustard: high intelligence. As you can imagine, the wealthy are willing to pay exorbitant amounts to obtain rare marbles, and thus increase their standing in the world. Sully is a kid growing up in New York with a single mom who has just lost her job, and finding and selling marbles is the only way they survive. Hunter is a homeless girl, alone in the world, with a knack for finding hidden spheres. So the two team up together to locate rare marbles. The end up finding something unheard of: a larger marble that's gold - the only one of its kind. This marble is special though - it actively helps the holder locate its pair. A marble entrepreneur wants the gold... the two teens want cold hard cash... but what do the marbles want? You'll have to read Burning Midnight to find out! I grabbed this book off of the "New Releases" shelf at our local public library because the premise seemed interesting to me. It took a while to get into the real crux of the story, but the ending is something I didn't see coming at all. For readers who enjoyed I am Number Four or The Fifth Wave or for anyone who has secretly wished for the magical abilities of Harry Potter's wand or Clary's stele, this book will be right up your ally. Don't trust me? Check out Mandy the Glittery Nerd's review!
