Circle 9, by Anne Heltzel

When your whole life has vanished and only one person knows who you are...don’t you have to believe him?

 Abby doesn’t remember what happened the night she woke up in soot-stained clothes, lying next to a burning building with an unfamiliar boy at her side. But her connection with Sam is immediate and intense. And she has no one else: no family, no home, not even a last name.

She and Sam start a new life, just the two of them, and Abby’s deliriously happy. Until memories from her past begin to haunt her—and suddenly everything she’s learned to love turns sinister. It’s only a matter of time before her reality cracks apart.


Circle 9 was a little hard for me to follow, at first. But I think with as much psychological....mess....as there is that difficulty ultimately lends itself to a riveting story.

Readers will be hot or cold on this story. There won't be much in between. It's very psychological and there's a lot more going on as you wade through the story. Character development is there, but scattered in bits and pieces, it's not chronological (the development) and it certainly isn't linear...but it works, and the disjointed feel is necessary for the overall story, which is definitely more sinister and sad than you might expect as you get to know Sam and Abby.

It's deep, emotional, and driven. This book is billed as a YA, but I think it could easily be a crossover to adult fiction for those enjoying psychological thrillers.

Disclosure of Material Connection: This book is part of the e-book collection for my local public library system. I was not solicited to write a review, nor am I receiving any compensation. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This Is Not Forgiveness, by Celia Rees

Everyone says Caro is bad, but Jamie can't help himself. She is totally different from the other girls.But he soon realizes there is more to Caro—much more. Consider: How she disappears for days at a time, or the scars on her wrists, or her talk of revolution and taking action. Jamie's also worried about his older brother Rob. Back from Afghanistan and struggling with PTSD, Rob is living in a world of his own. Which is why it's so strange that Rob and Caro know one another—and why their secrets feel so very dangerous.

With Caro, the summer should have been perfect ... but that isn't how things work out in real life, and Jamie is going to find out the hard way.



No holds barred. This book is really rather awesome. Rees doesn't sugarcoat, doesn't even provide hope. It just is what it is...and real life is that way, too.

It's really deep, with some intense undertones in the back story that shape the front line of the story, thought somewhere along the way you wind up not really sure which story is meant to be the central story line. It's so webbed and interconnected that there isn't just one main line.

NetGalley has this book tagged as "Family and Everyday Life." That's baloney. Short of the "boy meets girl" aspect, there is absolutely nothing "everyday" about this book. The effect of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on a family is harrowing, frightening. And all too vivid a story line.

Rees has, frankly, done it again. This story is in a different vein from other books I've read from her, but it's masterful.




***Note, the print release of this title isn't due in the US until October 2012, though it was previously released in the UK much earlier. However, in researching that publication date, I did find that you can purchase paperback copies of the UK print through Amazon-affiliated book sellers. Also, the Kindle version appears to be available.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Bloomsbury Children's Books through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Age of Miracles, by Karen Thompson Walker

"It still amazes me how little we really knew. . . . Maybe everything that happened to me and my family had nothing at all to do with the slowing. It's possible, I guess. But I doubt it. I doubt it very much."

On a seemingly ordinary Saturday in a California suburb, Julia and her family awake to discover, along with the rest of the world, that the rotation of the Earth has suddenly begun to slow. The days and nights grow longer and longer, gravity is affected, the environment is thrown into disarray. Yet as she struggles to navigate an ever-shifting landscape, Julia is also coping with the normal disasters of everyday life-the fissures in her parents' marriage, the loss of old friends, the hopeful anguish of first love, the bizarre behavior of her grandfather who, convinced of a government conspiracy, spends his days obsessively cataloging his possessions. As Julia adjusts to the new normal, the slowing inexorably continues.

There's always been some wonder and sometimes worry about the Earth and its rotation. What would happen if it stopped? How would it affect the people, animals, plants? How do you respond? How would the world manage itself? It's something to consider, but hopefully never to experience.

But don't misunderstand me, this is not a "science-y" book. There is just enough science as it fits into the story, but it doesn't overpower it. More important is the story of Julia, a teenager who faces the normal issues of high school and family dynamics, all viewed through a lens of 24 hours of daylight, every rotation of the Earth. She learns things about her family she never imagined, but always lurked below the surface in the "normal" world.

Karen Thompson Walker took a sci-fi story line and gave it a YA drama treatment. And you know, it works. It's not a sci-fi story with some awkward romance and family angst thrown in. No, it's really a well done YA novel with some sci-fi/fear-of-the-unknowable thrown in. I caught myself talking about the science, even looked up some of the what-if websites. It's got enough there to make a reader think, or not, whichever he or she chooses.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Random House through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Rape Girl, by Alina Klein

Valerie always wanted to be the smart girl. The pretty girl. The popular girl.

But not the rape girl..

That’s who she is now. Rape Girl. Because everyone seems to think they know the truth about what happened with Adam that day, and they don’t think Valerie’s telling it..

Before, she had a best friend, a crush, and a close-knit family. After, she has a court case, a support group, and a house full of strangers..

The real truth is, nothing will ever be the same..


Valerie's story is a ABC After School Special. I don't mean to sound trite, but it is. Those screenplays were written about very specific events that could possibly happen to anyone. In the end, everything wasn't okay, but it was better and hope wasn't so far removed.

This is a shorter story (132 pages). It's  quick read, would appeal to a reluctant reader, and would speak to the girl (or boy) who has, unfortunately, been raped. It's a very real and honest account of what someone in this situation might go through.

Valerie's story is very well done, and this is a fresh reminder that while it does get better, the most profound effects of rape don't occur at the time it happens.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Namelos through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Really Cool PowerPoint Trick

It's been several years since someone turned PowerPoint into a great way to do fun lessons and test reviews in the classroom. At one time or another, we've ALL participated in or created Jeopardy-style PowerPoint games.  (If you haven't yet, here's a template. Try it!)

On our campus, we've adopted SMART Podiums. They're pretty neat and have lots of potential, but some of us would rather create our own resources than hunt through all the things out there from others. And, honestly, there's not a lot out there for educators tailored really well to the Podiums...or at least not that I'm finding.

But, the bigger issue is that we don't have them available on all campuses. We do have what we call "presentation stations"--large televisions (I mean, large) connected to computer towers, DVD/VCR players, and image projectors (like ELMOs). No SMARTBoards are available to the teachers.

Sooo....we do a lot of PowerPoints. We just do. We've all received training, and many even create interactive ones (on the same premise as the Jeopardy idea). Today, while tooling around looking for other things, I found this AWESOME PowerPoint Trick.

This is how you WRITE or TYPE on a slide, while actively running the slideshow. Sure, old news to some, but I think it's awesome!

HEB: Summer of Read. Write. Win

This is BIG news, and I'm really kind of sad I only just found out about it. BUT...it's awesome.

HEB, that wonderful TEXAS grocery store, has long been a supporter of literacy in schools. Here's your students' chance to win one of 11 scholarships (grand prize being $15,000.)

Read about an influential Texan and write an essay about why that person has made an impact in Texas. Easy, easy stuff!

For more information and the application, go here.

And good luck!

Coming soon in reviews....

So, there's a lot of reviews on the horizon. Here's a taste of what's in my stack.

Sites to See, June 2012 edition

Open Culture has a listing of 500 FREE online courses from top universities. A lot of these could be great for sharpening a teacher's own knowledge/skills, helping students prep for AP courses, or adding some information to your lessons. Or maybe you're a nerd like me and just want to learn stuff all the time. :)

Google Art Project
http://www.googleartproject.com/   This one is so interesting. It's a digitized gallery of over 150 collections from 40 countries. Search by museum/collection, artist, or the image itself. THEN, create your own "gallery" for a specific purpose, like this one that represents math in art. Use this to add some dimension to a lesson OR have students create their own galleries depicting historical time periods or themes.



www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse 
Okay, I've know about Crash Course for a long time. See, I love John Green. I met him at TLA one year, and recommend his books to everyone I've ever known. John has put together a series of history videos in Crash Course. these are 10-15 minute videos that give a wonderful overview of basic history and has been steadily adding science videos as well. A few have some innuendos in them, so check them out BEFORE showing them in class.



http://thewallmachine.com/
Use this online app (free account) to put together a fake Facebook wall/conversation. Like this one, on Romeo Montague's wall. Hmmm....a check for understanding about literature or history? There's also a tiny little search button on the bottom right of the first page, where you can search for something that could be used as a focus or lesson introduction. Again, just check them out first.


Vocal Nation Anthems
http:/youtube.com/use/VocalNationalAnthems
With the Olympics coming up, we'll hear the national anthems for participating countries. This YouTube channel has more than 300 recordings of anthems, both with and without vocals.



In particular, the National Geographic channel. http://www.snagfilms.com/films/browse/category/national_geographic
75 full-length documentaries produced for and by National Geographic. These are AWESOME. Nearly no buffering time on our school network and THEY ARE THE FULL VERSION. Oh..and FREE. FREE. Let me say that again, FREE.
There's also an iPad app for SnagFilms, which makes me happy!

Cinder, by Marissa Meyer

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless Lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .


Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Let's start with the positives. It's an interesting story line, seriously. Futuristic, semi-dystopian, cyborgs as 2nd or 3rd class citizens, a moon monarchy (not just a colony, a monarchy). I like the bit of almost romance, the intrigue, the ups, the downs, the twists. I like Cinder, Kai, and the doctor. And it was more than easy to dislike the evil queen. 

I like that Cinder is a cyborg, and that this can cause real problems down the road, because she's considered basically trash. Because she is less than fully human. All Cinderella stories tend to run that theme. 

But I had several issues with the story.

First, there is a race of people living on the moon, the Lunars. What's their backstory? How'd they wind up on the moon? How did they become a monarchy? Why are the constantly at odds with the kingdoms and nations on Earth now?

Then there's Cinder. How did she become who and what she is? There's a hint of a wreck, a weird take over of her guardianship, but she really has no memory before age 11. Where'd those years go?

After researching both Meyer's website and other reviews, I got some answers to these issues.

• First, if you travel over to Marissa Meyer's website, you'll find in the "Extras" an article about the Lunar History
• Also, I discovered there's a short prequel, that tells a little more about Cinder. You meet her as she is first coming to New Beijing with Garan, her "stepfather."

Then I had a problem with the Cinderella aspect. I just didn't feel like it mattered. Sure, there were some similarities to the traditional story, specifically the Chinese version--namely, a stepmother, an unwanted/unloved stepdaughter, a prince, and a ball.....but it didn't add anything to the story for me. Frankly, I didn't feel like all the hype I'd read in other reviews about this future-ized version of Cinderella was particularly warranted. Cinder's story just happened to have a detail or 2 in common with it, nothing more.

All that being said, I did enjoy the book. I'd love to get my hands on a copy of the ARC for the second book in the Lunar Chronicles series, Scarlet (which will be published early February, 2013), but I'm fine with waiting.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I purchased the ebook of this title for my personal collection. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

FLOWCHART: Navigating NPR’s Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books

I love love love infographics. Especially ones that provide a visual for something I'm interested in. Like Books.

Definitely adding some titles to my list....and may well find a way to post this in my library.


FLOWCHART: Navigating NPR’s Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books

FREEBIE ebook of SCARS

Have you been wanting to read SCARS? Or have a copy for your e-reader? You can download SCARS for *free* today and tomorrow (June 5-6) on Amazon. In SCARS, Kendra must stop hurting herself—before it’s too late. I hope you’ll grab your free copy, and let as many people know as you can that they can
get a copy, too: http://www.amazon.com/Scars-ebook/dp/B0081IOLE4 

Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can still download a free copy and read it through a Kindle app on your computer, iPad or iphone, or Android device.

Read my review of Scars here

Plain Wisdom, Cindy Woodsmall and Miriam Flaud

Two friends from different worlds—one Old Order Amish, one Englischer—share the truths that bring them together.

With poignant recollections, unexpected insights, and humorous tales, the two women welcome you into their unique friendship.  You’ll also gain a rare glimpse into the traditions and ways of the Amish as Miriam recalls special occasions and shares family recipes throughout the book.

You know, it really doesn't matter what your culture is, your family, your friends, your beliefs, people are people. Women are women. And some truths ring true for everyone.

*Plain Wisdom* is the story of two lives, intertwined when a connection would seem to be unlikely in the first place. An Amish woman and an "English" woman just don't seem a likely pair for a friendship OR a book project.

This is a refreshing look at how simple faith and family can be--for anyone, not just the "plain folk." In a literary world that seems to have more stories of how someone broke away from the Amish church rather than an honest heartfelt account of how wonderful it can be, and how it really isn't *that* different at the core from the rest of America is uplifting.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this galley from Waterbrook Multnomah through the Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”