Love, Stargirl Review

Love, Stargirl Review
Author: Jerry Spinelli
My rating: 3/5 stars

Summary:

Love, Stargirl is the sequel/companion novel to Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. The sequel follows the life of Stargirl after leaving Arizona. It's one long letter that Stargirl writes to Leo about her almost everyday life and her new friends in Pennsylvania. While Stargirl reflects on her time with Leo, whom she still has conflicting feelings for, she also has a new life in Pennsylvania with new people that impact her life in ways even Stargirl couldn't imagine.

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My thoughts:

To begin, I didn't even know there was another Stargirl book. I thought the first book ended with enough closure, but also with enough of an open end for the reader to make his/her own decisions. But, alas, a sequel has been written and published, and I could not help but read it.

Love, Stargirl just didn't touch me the same way Stargirl did. It's great that the audience gets to experience Stargirl's thoughts and life from her perspective, which make her more realistic; however, it lacks the wonderment of the first book, which is what originally enticed me the most. And since there was a lack of magic and wonderment, not much else carried me through it besides already being attached to the familiar story and characters and wanting to see it through.

One aspect that sort of bothered me is Stargirl's choice of friends. She ends up with an eclectic group of friends by the end of the novel, which makes sense because she attracts all types of people since she's also very "out there." But, the fact that she is best friends with a six-year-old boggles me. I guess since she's so different from everyone else, that's normal for her, but everyone else is okay with their friendship. When I befriended a girl in my neighborhood who was only a few years younger than me, I was met with concern from others. Not that I was a bad influence, but I was warned that my being older wouldn't be best for someone who was in a different "age group" than me at the time. Note: to keep this already long paragraph short, my feelings about Betty Lou are that I admire her as a character, but am still surprised that Stargirl also befriends someone so much older than her. Besides that, she spends time with a guy that would piss me off far more easily than he does her, and a hot-tempered girl that would anger and annoy me to no end. But, I guess Stargirl being Stargirl can handle all of that.

Characters and lack of wonderment aside, I enjoyed the book as much as a not-so-necessary sequel can be enjoyed. I was happy to spend a little more time with Stargirl, Cinnamon, Archie (my favorite), and also a bit of Leo. All in all, I was pleased with Love, Stargirl.

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Would I recommend Love, Stargirl?

My complicated answer is maybe. Yes, read it if you really enjoyed Stargirl since it's a sequel to it. However, if Stargirl was just okay to you, then maybe don't read it. But it's a short read, so it wouldn't be a huge waste of time either way. For me, I enjoyed it and am glad I read it. Again, this is a YA/middle-schooler-aged book, but I still appreciated it and I'm nearly nineteen!

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Resources:

For more information, visit this sound-effect and color-filled website.

Please help me get to Buffer Festival!

Hello friends! I feel weird making a GoFundMe for something not charitable or something to help others, but here we are. I really want to go to Buffer Festival this year and I am trying to raise some money to help me get there. My goal is a big one, but I hope to start saving some of my own money to contribute. If you are a student or unemployed like me, please don't donate if you can't. If anything, please just share my link. Thank you so so much. And thank you all for checking out my blog. I'm just a girl who likes books (and other things) and sometimes wants to blog about them. I'm happy that even one person has checked it out.

Here's my GoFundMe link: http://www.gofundme.com/bujsjc

If you want to know what Buffer Festival is, check it out! It's a YouTube gathering in Toronto, Canada and it's awesome!

Dad is Fat Review

Dad is Fat
Author: Jim Gaffigan
My rating: 4/5 stars

Summary:

Jim Gaffigan, comedian by day, father of five (yes, five) by ALL THE TIME. Dad is Fat is a brilliant and hilarious novel about parenthood and dealing with the joys, chaos, and frustrations of being a parent....of five....in a two-bedroom apartment....in New York City. Just let that sink in for a bit.
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My thoughts:

Dad is Fat really surprised me. I heard the book was pretty funny and an easy read, so I gave it a go. I was definitely not let down. The book is very amusing, but what surprised me is that there are some good tips and lessons to be learned from Jim Gaffigan. It's not all funny business for this comedian....okay, it is, but he uses his comedy skills to deliver some pretty great content. Also, it has one of the best forewords I've ever read in a book.

I enjoyed reading about how Gaffigan balances being a comedian and being a family man. This is where I learned to steer clear of "family-friendly" things (read the book to find out why). He has always been labeled as such, but thinks that it's just a nice term for "annoying for adults." He is, however, a clean comedian, which I was happy to learn because it shows that his job isn't a way out of being a father. He incorporates his family in his job.

The format of this book contributed to its laid-back feeling. The chapters, or as Gaffigan writes, essays, are short and sweet, and usually involve a disaster, a lesson, and a whole lot of laughter. It's touching to learn about his huge family and all of the great stories he has to tell. They are all definitely book-worthy. Gaffigan often glides through the lesson or moral of each chapter/essay in order to deliver his comedic punch, but it still shines through each time.

The book may seem like a bunch of comedy sketches strung together, but it still feels like a story to me and he tells it so very well. And you know what lacks in most stories? Pictures. Hey, adult books (I'm not referring to the naughty kind) deserve some pictures every now and again. Dad is Fat includes many pictures of Gaffigan's family, which makes it much more personal and welcoming.
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Would I recommend Dad is Fat?

Yes, I would absolutely recommend it. It's a quick and amusing book that is delightful to read. It's also a mood-booster! If you enjoy non-fiction, comedians, humor, or books about parenting, then this is spot on.
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Resources:

To learn more about Dad is Fat (or to buy your own copy), click here.

For more information about Jim Gaffigan, click here.
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I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

A Little Friend

Hello all! I thought I'd share my other passion on my blog....photography!

Just the other day, this very little cutie was on my balcony and I couldn't resist capturing it on camera.
Maybe if you guys like this post, I'll share more photography. This is definitely not my best work, but I wanted to share these adorable pictures anyway.

By the way, I have a 500px page, where you can view my photography and perhaps buy a photo (whether it be a desktop picture or canvas framed or whatever). That would be amazing since I don't currently have a job; it would be like my own job, which would be amazing!

Thanks as always!

P.S. I don't know why the photos are all weird. In the preview window, they look normal. But if you click on them, they look just fine. Sorry.

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena Review

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena

Author: Anthony Marra

My rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: 

Eight-year-old Havaa's life in rural Chechnya is forever changed when her father is abducted by Russian soldiers. Their neighbor, Akhmed, finds Havaa hiding with her blue suitcase and seeks a way to help her. He reaches Hospital No. 6 where he and Havaa meet Sonja; after that, their lives are never the same. Marra shares a story of love among the inhabitants of this war-ridden place in this powerful and impactful novel.

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My thoughts:

While reading the first chapter of Marra's A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, I was transfixed by his writing and the impending story. The opening sentence itself had me hooked by being thrown into the story so quickly and in such a depressing but delightful manner. Throughout the first chapter, I was also captivated by the sophistication of Marra's writing style and language use, and I immediately recognized how Marra goes out of his way of the story to make descriptions and add richness to his story.

The novel is so full of war-tattered people and places, but Marra manages to slip in humor and happiness in the poor setting for his story, i.e., a character who mistakes the lyrics of a Bee Gees song for words from the Qur'an. Nevertheless, after a minimal paragraph of humor, the novel returns to its bleakness, reminding the reader that this setting may be mere fiction for most of us, but for some, it is very real and very bleak. We find our young character, Havaa, learning how to fire a gun, but that is only the beginning. For a frequenter of war, Chechnya is a real example of what happens to places and lives during war.

Reading this book all the way through gave me the satisfaction of finding out its ending as *spoiler alert* all books do. What I really mean is that Marra's story becomes many different stories throughout the novel, and they end up all connecting and converging as one. The agony of waiting through this long novel pays off in the end by the brilliance that sows it all together; so if you find the book slow going, read on! Marra bares the effects of war on the pages of his novel and it is truly an eye-opening read.

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Would I recommend A Constellation of Vital Phenomena?

Yes, what I've written in this review so far should speak for itself. This book may particularly interest readers of literary fiction, historical fiction, war stories, and readers with interests in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

If you would like to read an excerpt, click here.
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Resources: 

If you would like more information about the novel, click here.

The press release for A Constellation of Vital Phenomena can be found here.

For more about Anthony Marra, click here.

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I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Stargirl Review

Stargirl

Author: Jerry Spinelli

My rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Stargirl is not the average girl. She is, in fact, the least average girl you’ll meet. When she comes to Arizona’s Mica High, after being homeschooled, Stargirl opposes the rest of the student body’s boring, conformist lifestyle. She carries her pet rat with her, plays her ukelele and sings “Happy Birthday” to every single student, and did I mention her name is Stargirl? While the whole school is stunned by this wonder of a girl, the narrator, Leo Borlock, falls for Stargirl and all of her eccentricities….until her eccentricities make him and the students at Mica High uncomfortable. Leo encourages her become normal in order for her and Leo to fit in and be liked by the rest of Mica High. But what happens when Stargirl becomes normal?

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My thoughts:

Stargirl is uplifting and refreshing. It reminds us all to be ourselves. Stargirl expresses her individuality freely and happily. And yes, it does bother or, rather, shock the students at Mica High, but the respect for her individuality leaves a mark on the school as seen in the end of the novel.

When I read Stargirl, I tried to imagine how I would feel if someone like her showed up at my high school. Unfortunately, I feel like I would have been reluctant to like her at first (trust me, I’m not a terrible person). On the outside, I understand how many of the students thought she was weird or had something wrong with her. But I was always taught to accept people for who they are and to also not judge someone until you get to know them. After I thought about that, I understood that she is beautifully different. She is the Luna Lovegood of Mica High, and for any Harry Potter fan, she is a welcoming reminder of how awesome people like her and Luna are, and how little of them we find in the real world.

One aspect of novel the novel I found interesting was the time frame in which it was told. You can tell from the beginning that Leo is looking back on his time with Stargirl. It’s what makes this book interesting because ou’re itching to find out their relationship in present-day Leo’s life. I found that I wanted to keep reading and keep reading because everything in the novel had already happened and I felt as though I had to play catch-up.

Spinelli’s addition of Archie into the story is so wonderful. Archie is a retired, widowed man who teaches any person who wants to learn about anything at his unofficial Saturday school at his house. The group of students is called the “Loyal Order of the Stone Bone,” and they wear homemade necklaces with a pendant fossil bone as a symbol of belonging to the group. Archie is not only a mentor for Leo (and others), but he is someone that Leo looks up to and seeks advice from. Archie is a good complement to Stargirl because he is alittle odd and unconventional like her. Upon reading all of the parts with Archie, I instantly became jealous that I didn’t have such a person to admire and school to learn from.

Spinelli continued to awe me with his writing style. He wrote a short novel, but in that small space, he created memorable characters and used excellent word choice. Spinelli opts out of using the overused “butterflies in my stomach” phrase and comes up with his own: “My stomach had flies.” (Paperback, 77) Spinelli’s vivid imagery of his Arizona landscape caught my eye as well. Sentences like, “She faced the mountains, bathed in sun syrup….” (Paperback, 92) His story became one I could picture in real life and one that I became jealous of (see part about Archie); Stargirl greatly deserves the nominations and awards listed inside the front cover of my paperback edition.

The relationship between Leo and Stargirl was light-hearted and nerve-racking, and everything in between. I was impatiently waiting the romance that I knew was to come in the novel, and Spinelli kept us coming back in delaying their romance. But, as I read through Stargirl, I realized how little he focuses on their relationship. Sure, it’s important for the story, but it’s not THE story. In doing this, Spinelli urges the audience to focus on the importance of his novel - Stargirl's individuality and her willingness to freely express it.

What’s important is to not make people change like Leo made Stargirl do, and to not allow people to change you. Embrace your difference, embrace your individuality, embrace your Stargirl-ness.

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Would I recommend Stargirl?

Yes, I would recommend Stargirl to fans of YA and general fiction. It is for middle schoolers and young adults, but it can be read and appreciated at any age.