As Simple as Snow

As Simple as Snow
written by Gregory Galloway



This is a reading that requires some backstory.  I actually read this book because it came highly recommended by John Green, and it's easy to see why.  It's extremely similar to Paper Towns.  Too similar for my liking.  Either book is great on its own, but knowing the connection somehow cheapened both in my mind.  The book has its moments of extremely insightful writing, but it did not keep my attention throughout the whole reading.  The entire time, I kept drawing connections between this book and Paper Towns, and not in an enriching way, in a 'wow, this is almost identical' way.  Words were brought together in powerful ways, but the story was lacking, leaving the reader with a fragmented string of beautiful thoughts.

Heist Society

Heist Society
written by Ally Carter



I read a few of the Gallagher Girls books, but could never bring myself to care much about them.  They seemed juvenile and formulaic.  I was discouraged to hear that Heist Society would also take place at a boarding school, but was glad to find that most of the story did not revolve around that.  It's certainly a fresh concept, revolving around the underground world of art heists (Which, let me just say that I'm not a huge fan of the title.)  The book set up some great mysteries to be continued in the future, and I'm excited to read the sequel.  This is another book where I was worried about stretching the story too thin in order to force a series, but I think (and hope!) Ally Carter manages to avoid that in the end.

Love is the Higher Law

Love is the Higher Law
written by David Levithan



I was 10 when September 11th happened.  It was difficult for a 10 year old to fully grasp what was going on.  Reading this story, written from the eyes of three teenagers who were affected by 9/11 in three different ways, allowed me a new perspective on the event.  The book was also set right in NYC, whereas my friends and I were in central Virginia when the tragedy occurred.  David Levithan crafts a touching story in a sensitive way, realistically describing what three typical teenagers would have gone through in the wake of a national tragedy that happened in their backyards.  He does his usual, incredible job of intertwining the lives of strangers, but as the saying goes, aren't we all strangers at the start?  I personally expected to read a tragedy.  I thought I'd be reading about three teens who all suffered huge personal losses, like the deaths of their parents or classmates.  Instead, I read about three teens who were able to find love and hope in a messy, confusing time and place.  I'm glad this is the story I found waiting for me.  

I got this book from...:Jefferson Madison Regional Library