YRCA 2014 Nominee #8: Karma

Karma 

by Cathy Ostlere

Synopsis:

On October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi is gunned down by two Sikh bodyguards. The murder sparks riots in New Delhi and for three days Sikh men are targeted and killed in retribution for the prime minister's death. It is into this chaos that fifteen-year-old Maya and her Sikh father, Amar, arrive from their home in Canada. India's political instability is the backdrop and catalyst for Maya's awakening to the world. Karma is the story of how she straddles two cultures, endures personal loss, and ultimately learns forgiveness, acceptance, and love.

My Thoughts:

I like this story and I will definitely read it again. It is a romantic and historical fiction of two diaries following the lives of two teenagers. The novel is beautifully written in verse.

"Life is an illusion

And as it turns out, so is death.

What is real? What will remain when we all fade away?

Two things: Love. Forgiveness."

When reading this beautiful novel, you will not be able to put it down as you will want to find out what happens. At the same time, you will want to read the story slowly as to enjoy the descriptive and elegant language. The story stays with me even after I have finished reading it and I recommend it to everyone.

The friendship and the love between Maya and Sandeep provide happiness, love and acceptance instead of racism, hatred, and discrimination that surround that dark era of India.

The author, Cathy Ostlere, shows us a world of hatred and cruelty, different religions and cultures. It is a blend of how humankind is capable of very horrible things and also capable of love and forgiveness.

"We are a nation with a long history and short memories. We are a nation accustomed to pain."

Cathy Ostlere ends the story with a strong possibility of love, hope and peace. "And besides, who will show the world the possibility of love, if it isn't us?"

The book portrays the mystery and splendour of India. You will suffer from the poverty, cruelty, hatred and you will enjoy the beauty of India.

For your sake, I hurry over land and water:

For your sake, I cross the desert and split the mountain in two,

And turn my face from all things,

Until the time I reach the place

Where I am alone with you.                -Persian poet Al-Hallaj

I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced

I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced

by Nujood Ali with Delphine Minoui

Synopsis:

"I'm a simple village girl who has always obeyed the orders of my father and brothers. Since forever, I have learned to say yes to everything. Today I have decided to say no."
 
Forced by her father to marry a man three times her age, young Nujood Ali was sent away from her parents and beloved sisters and made to live with her husband and his family in an isolated village in rural Yemen. There she suffered daily from physical and emotional abuse by her mother-in-law and nightly at the rough hands of her spouse. Flouting his oath to wait to have sexual relations with Nujood until she was no longer a child, he took her virginity on their wedding night. She was only ten years old.

Unable to endure the pain and distress any longer, Nujood fled-not for home, but to the courthouse of the capital, paying for a taxi ride with a few precious coins of bread money. When a renowned Yemeni lawyer heard about the young victim, she took on Nujood's case and fought the archaic system in a country where almost half the girls are married while still under the legal age. Since their unprecedented victory in April 2008, Nujood's courageous defiance of both Yemeni customs and her own family has attracted a storm of international attention. Her story even incited change in Yemen and other Middle Eastern countries, where underage marriage laws are being increasingly enforced and other child brides have been granted divorces.

Recently honored alongside Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice as one of Glamourmagazine's women of the year, Nujood now tells her full story for the first time. As she guides us from the magical, fragrant streets of the Old City of Sana'a to the cement-block slums and rural villages of this ancient land, her unflinching look at an injustice suffered by all too many girls around the world is at once shocking, inspiring, and utterly unforgettable.

My Thoughts:

I wasn't sure what to write about this book and ended up reading quite a few book reviews to see what everyone else had to say about it thinking that maybe that would help me out.  And it did help just not in the way that I expected.  After reading all those reviews the main point I came away with is almost every reviewer didn't like how simple the language and explanations were. I guess I can understand why they would say that but I don't remotely agree with that idea.  This book tells the story of Nujood, who is 10 years old and uneducated of course the language and explanations are going to be simple.  The story actually feels as though Nujood is telling her story which is why this book is so powerful and shocking.  I think the story would lose something if it was told from an adult's perspective because for a fair bit of her story there wasn't an adult around and Nujood had to figure out what was happening on her own.  This book is heart wrenching but inspiring all at the same time.  Nujood is an inspiration to many and because of her other younger girls will hopefully be protect from underage marriages.

Prince of Thorns

Prince of Thorns

by Mark Lawrence

Synopsis:

When he was nine, he watched as his mother and brother were killed before him. At thirteen, he led a band of bloodthirsty thugs. By fifteen, he intends to be king…

It's time for Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath to return to the castle he turned his back on, to take what's rightfully his. Since the day he hung pinned on the thorns of a briar patch and watched Count Renar's men slaughter his mother and young brother, Jorg has been driven to vent his rage. Life and death are no more than a game to him-and he has nothing left to lose. But treachery awaits him in his father's castle. Treachery and dark magic. No matter how fierce his will, can one young man conquer enemies with power beyond his imagining?

My Thoughts:

I am starting to realize that I really am one of those people that picks a book based on the cover; with Prince of Thorns it was even worse. I saw the cover for book two (yes this is a series) and decided book two simply looked amazing and so in order to read it I needed to read book one hence Prince of Thorns. This book took me by surprise. The main character Jorg is 14 and quite frankly I would have never believed he was so young aside from the fact that he tells you he is 14 and Jorg is not one to lie about anything.  The author does an amazing job with Jorg.  Jorg is violent, ruthless, calculating, fearless, and full to the brim with a desire for revenge that borders on obsession but even though he is all those things and seems to have no regard for human live (aside from his own) you still are rooting for him to win and conquer the world and his own demons.  Prince of Thorns is a fairly quick read full of action, adventure, and violence with many twists and turns that leave you wanting more.  But be warned it is also a fairly dark book and if you are at all squeamish about blood or violence I do not recommend picking this book up.

Seraphina

Seraphina

by Rachel Hartman

Synopsis:

A new vision of knights, dragons, and the fair maiden caught in between . . .
 
Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty''s anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.
 
Seraphina has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered. While a sinister plot to destroy the peace is uncovered, Seraphina struggles to protect the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life. Seraphina''s tortuous journey to self-acceptance will make a magical, indelible impression on its readers.

My Thoughts:

I actually didn't pick this book myself; it was recommended to me by a coworker.  It had dragons so I couldn't turn it down.  After looking at the cover and reading the little summary I thought this would be an interesting but rather short and simple story more suited for younger audience than a high school student.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  First of all this is just the first book there will be more coming (unfortunately I haven't seen anything indicating when the next book will be available).  Second the world that Hartman has created is far more intricate than I was expecting.  The character development was quite complex and very well done.  You can clear see how each character is developed and the best part is it is completely believable.  There are so many topics discussed in this book from philosophy and art to love and religion and then there are even heavier topics just as what is means to be human (or a dragon) and how to be accepting (of others and of oneself).  This book I found was a little tough to get into but by chapter 5 I was in love with pretty much all the characters especially Seraphina and I can't wait to see what happens next in this amazingly detailed world.

Everyday

Every Day

by David Levithan

Synopsis:

In his New York Times bestselling novel, David Levithan introduces readers to what Entertainment Weekly calls a "wise, wildly unique" love story about A, a teen who wakes up every morning in a different body, living a different life.

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There's never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It's all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin's girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with-day in, day out, day after day.

With his new novel, David Levithan, bestselling co-author of Will Grayson, Will Grayson, and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to comprehend the complexities of life and love in A's world, as A and Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day.

My Thoughts:

Imagine waking up everyday with absolutely no idea what to expect.  That is A.'s life. A. wakes up and has to figured out if he (and I use the term loosely) is a girl or a boy, if he is short or tall, where he is now living in the world, and so many more things.  This has been A.'s life and he has learned to adapt to it.  He tries to live a version of the person whose life he has for the day as close to normal as possible and most of all tries to not interfere because his biggest fears are that someone will find out about him or that he will ruin someone's live permanently.  That is until he meets Rhiannon and all the rules that he made no longer seem that important.  After a full day with Rhiannon, A. starts to really think about what he is missing out on and decides that what he wants more than anything is a relationship with Rhiannon and for her to know the truth about him.  Telling Rhiannon presents its own set of problems, mainly that it is a hard truth to believe and it takes a few days of A. in completely different bodies to finally convince her of the truth. As A. and Rhiannon grow closer they are faced with Rhiannon's difficult to see A. through the varies bodies that he inhabits.  David Levithan's Every Day makes you question so many things.  On one hand you want A. to have a real life and be able to fall in love and stay with that person but on the other hand you want A. to stick to his moral code and not take someone's life away from them.  You want Rhiannon and A. to connect and be a couple but at the same time you are right there with Rhiannon questioning how you can love a physically different person every single day.  This book doesn't try to figure out how to fix A.'s life; it's not about the how or even the why and frankly if the author had tried it would have been a very different book.  This book is about hope and the many versions of love that are out there.

Tiger Lily

Tiger Lily

by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Synopsis:

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Peaches comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

My Thoughts:

First of all I am a huge Peter Pan fan always have been.  So when I saw this book I simply had to read it.  To me Tiger Lily always seemed very reserved, determined, and brave and it was always a little sad to see Tiger Lily replaced so easily in Peter's heart.  With Anderson's book I wasn't really sure what to expect since Tiger Lily is by no means a major character in Peter Pan.  I guess I though it would be a love triangle - Wendy, Peter, and Tiger Lily but it's not.  This book tells the story of Neverland before Wendy showed which is a much darker place than previously told.  You see how the lost boys came to be, why Captain Hook hates Peter so very much, and how Peter and Tiger Lily met. This story is told from Tinkerbell's point of view.  It was a surprise but a very effective and unique way to tell Tiger Lily's story. According to Tinkerbell fairies have no language and so she relies on emotions and actions to tell Tiger Lily's story.  She also tells us that fairies are fiercely loyal which is why Tinkerbell stays with Tiger Lily and also falls in love with Peter.  Tiger Lily is probably one of the loneliest characters that I have ever read and it is made worse by the fact that she has lived with it for so long that she doesn't even realize it. Tiger Lily is portrayed a smart, fearless, keen eyed character. She's the type of girl who doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Her tribe treats her like an outcast, believing that she is cursed but refuses to let her leave at the same time. Is it no wonder then that when she meets Peter in the woods, a soul as lost and broken as she is, that she is drawn to him and ultimately falls in love with him. Peter on the other hand is all too aware that he is broken and will do anything to fix it - including lie.  Tiger Lily and Peter are both searching desperately for something that they just can't name and think that they have found it in each other. But this is a story where good doesn't always win and love doesn't always triumph. This book is a love story but it is also a book about loss, loneliness, and a fear of change.  

Storm Front

Storm Front

Author: Jim Butcher

Synopsis: 

Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he’s the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things — and most of them don’t play well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a — well, whatever.

There’s just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry’s seeing dollar signs. But where there’s black magic, there’s a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry’s name. And that’s when things start to get… interesting.

Magic. It can get a guy killed.

My Thoughts: 

A wizard named Harry who battles dark magic. I know where this story’s going, except I didn’t.

The Dresden files follow the personal accounts of the wizard Harry (after Houdini) Blackstone Copperfield Dresden as he attempts to practice his craft in the city of Chicago for the benefit of those the system can’t help. All for a nominal fee of course.

Magic is dark and gritty fueled by passion and blood described in rich and visceral detail, the lure to take it too far intoxicatingly tempting.

Harry Dresden walks the edge of a razor blade balanced above a glass of lemonade as he openly admits his talents, yet hides the actual application from those around him. All the dark things that go bump in the night know who he is, what he is, and where he is, the only things keeping him alive are his wits and his magic.

Storm Front is a hardboiled crime noir detective story with a generous helping of humor set against a paranormal background. It does not aspire to be life-changing or profound. All it does is take you on a fun and exciting ride.