A message to us all

52 cards
4 suites
  Diamonds
  Spades
   Clubs
   Hearts
13 cards/ suite
     Aces
     2-10
     Jack
     Queen
     King

Picking up the cards leads to a full hand.
A deck may have a joker, but this is no laughing matter. This is no joke.
Will you play the game, the hand that you've been dealt?

*One thing about this book is that it does contain swearing, drinking, and references to sex. But teens are going to say or think the words if not hear them for certain. Drinking may very well happen, but his book does not necessarily glorify or demonize drinking; it is just there as it is in real life. And they are teens so references to sex are likely to draw them in not push them away. But parents may object. It does have so much more to it though. Actually it all combines to send its own message that is worth hearing and should be heard by young adult readers. Ed just delivers the message it is up to us to interpret and decipher it for ourselves.

Right away the main character Ed is dealt an interesting hand - he's in the middle of a robbery in progress in which he somehow finds the card up his sleeve and apprehends the culprit before he can escape. He's a hero, although he never thinks much of himself in general, in this moment. He is given many more moments to be the savior because of a card that is sent to him. He is the messenger, he is somebody who can help.

Ed is such a real and vibrant character. The reader gets sucked in to his life and how he views himself. He feels like he isn't going anywhere with his life, that he has let everybody down. This sentiment mirrors what many young adults go through at some point. Here is a character after their own heart who is also a diamond in the rough.

Originally I had not noticed that every section starts with an ace and then goes through the whole suite. I actually kind of like this because I can gauge what might happen. The whole plot is like a gamble, because we don't know what the other players hold in their hand. But that's how life is, a bit of a gamble each day with our own choices.

It is well written and engages the reader quickly in an increasingly fast paced dealing of the cards. Events unfold and make us play our own hands. What we are thinking, feeling, and reading all make us play the game as well. Even though Ed even points out that it is just a text on a page for the reader, but very real for him. There are delightful moments of hidden puns and extensive vocabulary. For example: "his real name's Henry Dickens. No relation to Charles". This was definitely an enjoyable read overall with an even better 'message'.

unlucky number thirteen

If you were going to die what would you do? If you were going to die by your own hand would that change what you would do? Hanahh Baker isn't going to stay and spend time with her loved ones, she is going to leave them. Why? Just listen to her. Her tale unfolds in 13 (unlucky) tapes that explain her reasons as to why she did what she did. And these are some of the last words of a dying girl, shouldn't that mean even more to us? Listen and learn so that this doesn't happen to someone else.

13 Reasons Why this book has an impact

Words are more powerful than we imagine. Well maybe as avid readers we might recognize the power of words as they are written and consumed. But the old saying "sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can never hurt you" is extremely false. We also tend not to think about the consequences of our actions - littering, spreading rumors, lying, bulling, teasing, etc. This book is powerful in how it shows the interconnectedness of everything, even though some might dislike the format that it is executed in. An important lessons for everyone to learn is in this book, and I believe receiving the message is the important thing. Our actions just like in science have equal and opposite reactions. The thing to remember is that we can't always control the reactions of others, but we can control our own actions.

Please Stop Laughing at Me - a nonfiction companion

This link leads to another powerful book about the hurtful power that words can have and the story of a 'survivor' of bullying. Hannah Baker became a victim instead of becoming a survivor. This book could have an excerpt pulled out of it to parallel what is going on with Hannah. This is a true story and the impact of this combined with Asher's text cold help to changes students for the better.

Ensnared and Consummed

"Engrossing" according to one of my favorite authors - Tamora Pierce. While the tale was a bit long it was indeed engrossing.


I would like to take this opportunity to discuss the appeal of cover arts and discover if what is inside is reflected on the exterior. While I do feel an interest in all of the cover arts to intrigue me to delve farther into the book, some may not depict the story line as well. The best image to reflect the story (in my opinion) would be the middle option.

The tale begins on the characters 16th birthday and her wedding day. (Personally I would prefer to think of her as 17 or 18 because 16 seems a bit young). Elisa sees herself as  overweight, unattractive, unintelligent, indvidual - especially compared to her sister. She is 'second best', the second princess but she is the bearer of the Godstone which is something unique. Though it is a blessing that she doesn't want because she doesn't think that she can do it. Elisa is so full of doubts about herself and her place in the world that readers can readily relate to. In the end, Elisa proves to herself and others that she can do it, that she is capable, that she is worthy. This is a powerful message that can hopefully play out in the reader's own life.

One thing that I disliked though was how Elisa in the end fits the ideal image. In the beginning she overate becase she didn't feel worthy and found herself in food. It was her comfort in a world that she felt she had no control over. Over the course of the novel though she ends up nearly starving in the desert and in this time she aquires the 'ideal' body image of beauty (aka skinny). She does discover that she is usefull, she is worhty, and that she has a purpose which does take away her need to compensate with food. But it just goes to show that it is still the pretty girls who are the ones in the 'fairy tales' getting their happy endings. Which is why I think the two outer covers are misguiding. I like just having the vauge face in the stone which gives a feeling of being trapped, yet waitig to shine and burst free. No ideal image of beauty on the front, just the face of a girl who is entrapped by the thorns and consummed by the fires of destiny.

This book does stress a religion which is not expressly defined as Christian (although it does have some similarities). It is a religion that does not exhist on our own world, but the fact that religion is stressed may cause some people to feel upset, uncomforatble, and who knows what else.

Political termoil comes with the terraine of the book leading to an ultimate standdown. This happens in real life, although minus the magic ammunitions that can be used by the enemy. A situation such as this is not too unfamiliar, but it it the reactions of those who decide to take things into their own hands that heat things up and add to the plot.

Of course, what would a 'fairy tale' be without a romance. A wedding happened in the beginning but it ends up being a secret one. Feelings start to stir in the heart of our heroine. Someone sees her for her. Not as the second sister, not as the second best, but for herself and the effort that she puts into things. We all want to be seen for who we are by another.

Even though it is a fictious world and situation, the characters have real issues. Self-esteeme, wanting to be loved, feeling adequate, and many others are fires in the night calling the weary reader to come and join. Within the circle of the fires light; we can all find warmth in a shared struggle.

Book Trailer: Girl of Fire and Thorns 

 "A well written captivating novel that siezes the soul and won't let go. Just the beginning of a tale that takes the reader to far away lands filled with turmoil and  Elisa's efforts to fufill her destiny."
~  Megan Christensen

Burning up with Fever

 I was burning up with a fever to reach the end you might say. I liked the essence of the primary sources at the beginnings of the chapters, although I am aware students may just skip those parts over. Something that I found intriguing was when I thought about the novel, it wouldn't work if the reader was going through the epidemic from a boys perspective. It is the very fact that it is a female protagonist that is having to cope with the loss of their grandfather, the absence of their mother, and their struggle to survive in a time where the world has seemed to change irrevocably that makes the reader burn through the book. Mattie does not get to grow at her own pace into adulthood, but is forced into it by the circumstances she is faced with. This can be an interesting concept all on its own, but I think especially to adolescents. Wondering where they are going, what might become of them, will I make the right choices that will lead to success - are thoughts that an adolescent might connect with in their real life to the fictitious life of Mattie.

The reading level for this is relatively smooth and easy, which aids the readers ability to burn their way through it. New twists and turns keep popping up in the plot very much like the occurrence of the fever itself. The text incorporates history, real events, and real people.

This text could be paired with some current events such as the swine flu (H1N1 virus) scare, the avian (bird) flu, or perhaps the general flu season.

Overall, I enjoyed and would recommend this book.

First off, I am an emotional reader. If a character dies I tend to outright cry. With that being said I will continue on with my review.

I really enjoyed reading this and found it interesting how the author set it up in that the book was written by Ponyboy for a homework assignment. I feel like the themes explored in this text can really hit home to a young reader. I know that I am still rather young myself, according to the current definition of adolescence I still am one. If I can connect to the text I feel like my future students could do the same. At first I thought that the text would feel outdated, but the themes are still relevant. The character's search for a place to belong, struggle against so many challenges, and are on a quest for answers. A sense of belong is sought amongst family, friends, and in society. Struggles range from wanting to belong, to the complicated issues of trying to just survive and keep going alongside of losing loved ones.

A controversies that I see that might come up would be the issue of gang fighting. When I was reading this though it brought to mind the Sharks vs Jets of West Side Story which is Romeo and Juliet and most have to read that in school. It may depend on the school district area to if this topic would b a hot button issue. The class issues might be a tad bit of a sticky topic as well. 

I most likely would not have picked this book out for myself, but I am glad that I read it. This book probably has a stronger pull for male readers, but I do think that it can appeal to the female reader population as well. As an adolescent I believe the appeal of this book may just lie in the title itself; for they tend to feel like they themselves are Outsiders.

Hello All!