Esther's Ever After

Reality Scoop by Kimberli Buckley I love Realistic Fiction! This month I want to take a look at something totally different. Think about this… YA books can actually save lives! Yes, this is an ode to Realistic Fiction that shows us teen tragedy and hard luck circumstances. Whether or not you are someone with excellent grades and no drug record, chances are you know of someone who has struggled in school, struggled with friends and grades, probably smoked, maybe they experimented, maybe they even took risks. And if you didn’t know someone in real life, you knew a fictional character that experienced all of that, and it opened your eyes to hardships in life. That’s right, YA books teach us a lot and they say to us “You’re not alone,” you could also say that YA books mirror reality. And it’s because of this terrifyingly perfect, realistic depiction of teen tragedy that some of the best realistic YA books have been banned. Realistic Fiction is not only for escapism, but also a place ...

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson is a fast-paced novel, and the first installment in his Reckoners series. “The superheroes came, but they weren’t exactly what everyone thought they’d be. The Epics, as they’re called, have incredible powers, but with great power comes great corruptibility. Soon, the Epics takes over the world. They fight against each other, gaining territory and ruling the humans as their subjects. Some are smart and set up cities in their honor, a place where they can control the population and get them to do their bidding. Such is life in Newcago under Steeheart’s reign. It’s all David has known for the past 10 years. But while most people just try to survive in a world that is literally made of steel, David has other plans. He wants to join the Reckoners and avenge his father, whom Steelheart killed the day he came into town. The Reckoners are a group of humans led by the mysterious Prof. Their goal is to kill as many Epics as possible. And David is about to show the...

The fourth book that I have read from the YALSA Teens' Top Ten nominees is "The Scorpio Races" by Maggie Stiefvater. Here's my little review of it - Every November in Thisby there is a tradition called the Scorpio Races, a dangerous and sometimes de adly race where riders attempt to keep their evil, blood-thirsty water horses under control long enough to make it to the finish line. With four wins to his name, 19 year-old Sean Kendrick is sure to win on his bosses water horse named Corr. However, enter Puck aka Kate Connolly, who is desperate to win the race to save her family home. Not only is she the first girl to ever enter the race, but she intends to ride her own horse Dove, who is not an evil water horse. Things heat up in this epic tale of mythical creatures versus humans as Puck and Sean get to know each other and find a common bond. The Scorpio Races is beautifully written by Stiefvater. Told from the point of view of Sean and Puck in alternating chapters, t...

I am the Cheese by Robert Cormier This is an amazing book! I wasn't sure if I was going to like it because I really didn't like Cormier's classic The Chocolate War . However, this book has so much mystery around every turn in the story and its just the kind of psychological thriller that you can really get into. The main character Adam Farmer seems so innocent and true as he recollects his journey of riding his bike for several miles throughout several states in order to deliver a very important package to his father who is in a hospital in Vermont. With twists and turns the story takes on several points of view as Adam also is relating his story to a deep voiced man who probes him to tell his story. Never would I have thought that the story would end as it does and I was definitely surprised in the final outcome of Adam's tale. I really recommend this book to reluctant readers because it has so much grit to the story. I am now a huge fan of I am the Cheese and ...