Review: A Shiloh Christmas by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

It's been years since I read Shiloh. In fact, I was probably in elementary school when I last read it. But the time span between having read Shiloh and reading A Shiloh Christmas did not at all affect my enjoyment of the book. It is a heart-warming holiday story about hope, family, holiday miracles, and friendly. And it is perfect for reading cuddled up with your own furry friend.

Summary: Christmas is coming and Marty and his rescued pup Shiloh are sure glad about that—for their town is sure low on love and understanding and they hope that the joy of the holiday will bring with it the generosity of spirit that’s so lacking. 

It’s been a year since Marty Preston rescued Shiloh from Judd Travers and his cruel ways, and since then, Marty and Shiloh have been inseparable. Anywhere Marty goes, the beagle’s at his side, and Marty couldn’t be happier about that. Even Judd has been working to improve his reputation. 

But just as townsfolk grow more accepting of Judd, a fire in the woods destroys many homes, including Judd’s, and Judd’s newly formed reputation. Doubt, blame, and anger spread faster than the flames—flames that are fanned by the new minister, who seems fonder of fire and brimstone than love and mercy. And why are his daughters so skittish around him? And what’s happened to Judd’s dogs? With Christmas right around the corner, Marty has a lot of questions, and how they’re answered might just take a Christmas miracle.

I was surprised how little the story is actually about Shiloh. There are many references to the original classic novel so the reader doesn't need to worry about remembering what happened in Shiloh. But the story is largely about a person's ability to change. We see how Judd has changed from his abusive ways, and in the end, we see the new minister is capable of great change, too. 

While a fire tests the community's strength and resiliency, the Bible-thumping new minister brings his own kind of fire to the community. He preaches about sin and the fires of hell, warning of a vengeful God to those who stray from His path, as was common in the South at this time. Marty's family does not take well to his way of teaching the Bible. Though religion is a major theme, the characters do not encourage the readers to accept this way of thinking. Especially when the readers learn that the minister is as fiery at home with his children and wife as he is at church. 

Yes, child abuse is a startling theme of the novel. Besides the heavy religious themes in the long-winded Old Testament sermons from the preacher, parents and educators need to be aware that there is emotional/psychological child abuse. HOWEVER, the novel is set during early 20th century West Virginia. Marty's parents comment that while the preacher's discipline methods are frowned upon, they are NOT illegal and they consider it to be in his right, so long as he does not resort to violence. That is the accepted social thinking of the time period. 

Due to the mature content, I'd like to be clear about what is in this book:

• The preacher never hits his children and has never hit his children. They never have marks or injuries to suggest physical abuse. The eldest daughter confirms he does NOT beat them
• The abuse all takes place OFF-PAGE
• The eldest child is locked in a cold shed with no coat and no bathroom, for an unknown amount of time
• They used to own a chair with manacles of some sort to restrain the kids (the eldest daughter managed to throw it out)
• The youngest was forced to put her feet in ice water as punishment
• The youngest was forced to put all her food in her milk and drink it as punishment
• The wife and children all show outward anxiety about defying the preacher. He is severely strict, limiting their social engagements with others

Overall, the content does not feel inappropriate for middle grade readers. It is NOT graphic or upsetting, I would advise it is best for ages 10 & up. As long as the reader can appreciate the historical cultural views and the fact that the protagonist's family sees this behaviour as wrong, I don't see it as being an issue.

A Shiloh Christmas is the fourth book in The Shiloh Quartet. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor is an award-winning author whose stories are very much worth the read. The book ends with a warm-and-fuzzy hopeful Christmas moment for the minister's family. In a Christmas miracle, it seems he has seen the error of his ways. It is the holidays, after all! 

I very much enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to anyone looking for a new children's classic for middle grade readers! It is a heart-warming holiday tale about friendship, about a heroic dog, and the lesson that people can change for the better.

4 Stars

Review: The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow

The Scorpion Rules was my second Erin Bow novel—and is easily my favourite. It is a dystopian and sci-fi hybrid, set in a world where AIs rule over humanity, and where the children of world leaders are used as pawns in the game of maintaining world peace. Gripping dystopian story? Check. Beautifully written? Check. Hooks the reader? Check—my subway rides were painfully short. I love Erin Bow's writing. From the nail-biting drama to the beautiful and sometimes haunting imagery, her stories and characters have a habit of sticking with you long after you turn the final page.

Summary: Greta is a crown princess—and a hostage to peace, held by the de facto ruler of the world, the great Artificial Intelligence, Talis. Greta and the other royal hostages are Talis’s strategy to keep the peace: if her country enters a war, Greta dies. Greta will be free if she can make it to her eighteenth birthday. Until then she is prepared to die with dignity, if necessary. But everything changes when a new hostage arrives, a boy who refuses to play by the rules and opens Greta’s eyes to the brutality of the system and to her own power. 

The Scorpion Rules is a perfect balance of [believable] sci-fi and dystopian society. This is a YA novel, aimed at readers ages 14 & up. Parents and educators should be aware of on-page sex, violence, possibly disturbing scenes, and mature language (ranging from "hell" to the f-bomb). 

Most dystopian novels follow this formula: the corrupt "system" emerges after a long war and is maintained with violence. The protagonist has never felt loyal to the system and spends the book trying to hide his/her differences, while rebelling against it. While this is happening, there is a love triangle. Sounds like 95% of dystopian novels today, right? So I was surprised when The Scorpion Rules suddenly diverged from the formula that I was positive it was following. Surprised, but pleased, I should note. [[spoiler ahead]] The protagonist, who I was sure was going to fall for the "new boy," actually ends up in a sexual and romantic relationship with her best female friend. A break from the love triangle at last!

The Scorpion Rules finally gives the tired dystopian genre a story that is both fresh and that has real substance and merit to young adult readers. It is a beautiful love story, a tale of friendships and alliances, of murder and violence, of humanity vs. technology, of power and peace, and ultimately, good vs. evil. 

Erin Bow's writing, as always, is powerful and poetic. The Scorpion Rules is perfect for teen readers looking for their next dystopian/thriller fix. 

4 Stars

This novel has a pub date of September 22, 2015.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for sending me an ARC for review. 

Review: Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

Hyperbole and a Half is the funniest book I have read in a very long time. It is exactly my type of slightly immature, slightly sarcastic, and very witty humour and I identified a lot with Brosh's hilarious narrative voice. The book is essentially a memoir, told in a mix of small textual paragraphs and graphic novel-style. It discusses real life events that happened in Brosh's life, such as the struggles of training and living with her dogs, struggling with depression, familiar childhood antics and stories like getting dental surgery, the world-ending desire for cake, being lost in the woods, and so, so much more. As a human being, you will be able to appreciate and relate to what Brosh is saying and drawing.

DO NOT READ THIS BOOK IN PUBLIC IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST GRINNING AND/OR LAUGHING LIKE AN IDIOT WHILE READING. This is NOT a Go Transit Quiet Zone-type of book. You will laugh. You WILL love everything about this book. You have been warned.

If you, like me, slightly live under a rock, you will vaguely recognize the drawings from many Internet memes. The book partly draws content from the original blog by Allie Brosh called Hyperbole and a Half. There's plenty of new content, though, so if you are less embarrassing than myself, there is still much to love about this book.

I didn't know what to expect with this book--but it certainly wasn't to read about a book that was so down-to-earth, so relatable, and so entertaining that I now plan to happily harassing every person I know to read it. Now. Stop all reading plans and go buy this book. Thank you.

Allie Brosh is hilarious. She is the voice of reason as we question our motives in our most ridiculous or terrible moments. Why DID we repeatedly just not pay that bill or return that movie?

She is the friend we wish we had, making us laugh, making us cry, and making us appreciate the world for the good and the bad. She explores the dark and embarrassing corners of our own minds through her expressive drawings and her honest words.

I read this book in one sitting, but the chapters make it great to read it in chunks or return to our favourite stories again and again. The book is aimed at young adults--there is content that is inappropriate for younger readers (ie. swearing, serious subjects like depression, etc). It reads better for a young adult audience anyway--someone who is young, but has experienced enough of life to know just how bullshit the world can be. Fortunately, Allie Brosh has turned that bullshit into a brilliant book that will leave you smiling. All. Day. Long.

Five stars. Hell, six stars. This book is going on my favourites list!

(Note: I do not own these images. They were easily located in a Google search. They are here for personal use only, to further my point that Allie Brosh is absolutely hilarious). 

Review: Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am By Harry Mazer and Peter Lerangis

In Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am, Ben Bright makes a decision that not many people can understand: to volunteer to be a solider. When all of his friends are going to college, Ben has known that this is what he wants to do. I'm not a supporter of war, but I can appreciate his decision and his courage.

The book is quite short at just over 140 pages and is divided into "Before," "During" and "After" the incident where Ben loses his memory. The action moves quickly and the reader is spared the gory details. It is also interesting to note that as soon as Ben is injured, the protagonist becomes a minor character for the rest of the book. The story becomes about how his friends and family handle how Ben's decision to join the army and his resulting injuries from his time in Iraq have turned him into a shadow of the person he was before. It's quite heartbreaking.

Guilt, anger, fear, and hope are all working against Ben's family and friends as they attempt to cope with his condition. Arguably the decision to go to war and the risks associated are ones that will not only ruin your own life, but the lives of everyone around you. This is a story about a boy who made a very brave choice, but a choice that has devastating consequences.

The story ends on a hopeful note as Ben makes progress with his recovery, although the ending is rather abrupt. At the centre of all the devastation is Ben, and just as his near-death experience was the cause of a lot of dysfunction and despair, his recovery might allow for the damage to be repaired.

An interesting book, but the reader will have many unanswered questions at its conclusion. This YA novel is short, sweet, and to the point. It is an easy read and portrays the ugly realities of going to war.