Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours by Jim Butcher

Any time a novel is written about a comic book character there is the potential for much cheesy-ness. 

In the hands of an author of Jim Butcher’s caliber, that potential is never reached. Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours is thoughtful and insightful while still containing plenty of action and mayhem. 

To start, this version of Spider-Man has Peter and MJ married, Aunt May in on the alter-ego, and Peter teaching high school science part time. I start there because there are so many iterations of the characters and their timelines that knowing that helps place it. If you have never read Spider-Man before, this caveat isn’t necessary. You will be able to jump right in.

As there always is with any good Spider-Man story there is a subplot that has Peter having trouble in his civilian identity. He is substitute coaching the basketball team for a week and the star player knows that he is really, really good. So good that he doesn’t see the need to play as part of a team. The coach asks Peter to work on this as the kid is good at heart. Oh, and then Peter finds out after school on Friday that if that kid’s immunizations aren’t up to date by Monday morning, he will be suspended and off the team. 

At home, MJ has gotten a part in The Scottish Play. The hitch is that the theatre is in New Jersey. To make the commute, she buys a car and tries to get her license. With no luck. So Peter tells her he will help her study for the test. 

Then the super-hero crisis hits: Rhino is on a rampage in Times Square. As he is about to swing into action former girlfriend and sort-of good guy The Black Cat (Felicia Hardy) tells him he is headed into a trap. He goes anyway, of course. After defeating the Rhino, he is attacked by a trio of “Ancients” who are siblings of Morlun, a villain Peter barely beat. They feed on the life energy of people with power derived from totemic sources. Animals. Like Spider-Man, Black Cat, and yes, Rhino.

The stories intertwine and seeing Peter work his way through these problems is what I read about Spider-Man for. There is a lot of soul searching, deducing, and cattiness in the finding a solution. And the not-help of Doctor Strange drives Peter to distraction. 

I heartily recommend this book. It is by turns, funny and serious, fun and thoughtful. Butcher’s take on these iconic characters was a joy to read. In fact, I read most of it in one day—it was hard to put down. 

The Me I Meant to Be by Sophie Jordan

Flor and Willa are best friends. Willa and Zach are best friends. Zach and Flor had been couple but were now broken up. Willa has been in love with Zach, her next door neighbor, since they were kids, but now that he and Flor were broken up, the Girl Code kicked in: you don’t date your friend’s ex.

The narration switches between Flor and Willa chapter by chapter, starting with Willa. The two points of view create an interesting dynamic. The readers get to see the story in a more rounded way with the two narrators yet keep that personal first person point of view. I found myself relating to both characters which upped the ante in the story’s main conflict. And each character had other conflicts that spurred in the story and made them seem more real. 

The main characters were well rounded and dynamic. They came across as real, complicated individuals, not just a cookie-cutter cop out to teen stereotypes. Although the tone occasionally got a little whiny for my taste, over all it was handled well. It definitely has a few big surprises that kept me reading to see where the story would go next until it reached it’s ultimate conclusion.

Bottom line: strong characters, interesting plot. I recommend this book.

I received a free ARC of this book through Netgalley.com in return for an honest review. 

Batman/Catwoman: The Wedding Album by Tom King

If you are looking for a wham bam action packed Batman adventure, this is not the book for you. This book is much more a character study of both Batman and Catwoman. When Bruce Wayne removes the cowl and prposes to Selina Kyle, using the diamond he stopped her from stealing on their first meeting, it leads to deep dives into the psyches of each of them. 

Through a mixed series of flashbacks, and separate focuses on each of the main characters, and numerous pages of guest artists portraying the couple, keeps the story moving along quickly. I have to make mention of the art, because I am usually much more of a story guy. The artwork in this book was amazing. The cast of guest artists outdid themselves. 

If you are looking for a book that takes you deeper into the minds and motivations of these two characters, I heartily recommend you read this book. 

I received a free electronic ARC of this book through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. 

Renegade by Andres Grosso Ciponte and Dacia Palmerino

I never knew a lot about Martin Luther. Growing up Catholic, I knew he was the man who broke from the church and began Protestantism, the 95 Theses, and not much more. I was interested to learn more about the man and this book did not disappoint me. It made the historical figure into a real person. I felt the struggles he went through as he tried to reason his way to God only to discovery that it was faith that was needed, not reason. 

I was surprised by some of the aspects of his life. These are the things that made him a real person to me and not just an historical figure to be either vilified to sanctified. 

The artwork was fairly disturbing and graphic throughout much of the book. I would not recommend this for children. Given that, I found the artwork to be compelling and that it added to the story. 

I received a free electronic ARC of this book through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Adequate Yearly Progress by Roxanna Elden

 

There were times when I taught when I was certain no one else knew what I was going through. It is strange that in a profession where you are surrounded by other humans all day long, that I could feel so lonely and isolated. Roxanna Elden gets it. Maybe because she taught for eleven years. That perspective I only get when talking to other teachers, I got here in this book as well.

The essential loneliness of the job came through to me. So many characters going through individual crises all by themselves, even when surrounded by colleagues. Lena Wright, the African American, spoken word artist, English teacher who wants so desperately for her students to see the power of language, touched me. Kaytee Mahoney, the young, overly-idealistic TeachCorps teacher, caught between the perfection of her goals and the reality of her students, embodies many young teachers I knew. Hernan D. Hernandez, the laid back science teacher, who was always tongue tied in Lena’s presence, was the teacher who pretty much ignored the testing insanity and really taught his students. Even characters that in other hands could be seen merely as antagonistic were given depth. The assistant principals were pretty much cut outs, but I have worked with so many who fit the two in this book to a T to feel disgruntled there.

Told with wit and understanding, rotating to a different teacher in each chapter, this is the story of a school in Texas that has a new superintendent, a man who has never taught but has written a best seller about how to fix education, who turns their school on its ear. Insane initiative after initiative being forced down the teachers’ throats—I thought that the continually increasing number of things they were required to write out on their boards throughout the book was a terrific metaphor for all the foolishness teachers are saddled with. 

It was a story about people. Each in their own way a dedicated teacher. Each in their own way trying to survive another year in the classroom. Each in their own way reminding me of so many I have taught with.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who teaches, especially middle and high school. It was funny and sad at the same time. I think you’ll like it.

I received a free electronic ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Harley and Ivy Meet Betty and Veronica by Paul Dini and Marc Andreyko

I didn't know what to expect when I opened this comic. I mean, how much further apart could two settings be than Gotham and Riverdale? How could they ever be brought together? Well, Dini and Andreyko figured it out. When Ivy sees Hiram Lodge advertising that he is building a megamall, destroying a rare ecosystem in the process, she decides to take action. As the heat is on in Gotham, Harley agrees to go with her BFF to see what havoc they can cause. Add in Zatanna and Sabrina, mixed up spells, mixed up bodies, and the story is on. 

This was a lot of fun. The two totally different worlds are brought together in a believable way (once I could wrap my mind around Riverdale and Gotham in the same fictional universe). The more modern, realistic-looking Archie gang is used here to help sell that. The characters are who they are. The Archie gang has all the same quirks and obsessions they always have. Adding a slightly sweeter version of Ivy and Harley worked out pretty well.  There was some minimal character development and the plot moved along nicely. There were laughs and suspense. I enjoyed this book. 

I received a free electronic ARC of this book through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. 

The Stars Now Unclaimed by Drew Williams

Set in a galaxy with thousands of worlds colonized by the 17 sentient species, this sci-fi adventure novel has one heck of a tale to tell. Told from the first person point of view, the narrator is looking for a girl with a very special gift. She finds on one of the worlds heavily affected by the Pulse, a mysterious weapon that destroyed technology to varying degrees on every world it touched. And the residual radiation lasts there, locking each world into a certain level of technological advancement. 

This world has guns, but no electricity or combustion engines. Stuck in an agrarian 18th century level of technology, it's tricky to land there, find the girl, and get her off planet. But that is what the narrator does. She's been doing it for most of 100 years. It's not an easy job, but it is one she is very good at.

The adventure is complicated by the Pax, an interstellar empire lightly affected by the Pulse. A fascist police state they are intent on finding the girl for their own nefarious purposes. Attacking her world with advanced technology (that quickly gets burned out by the rads in the atmosphere) scarfing untold numbers to capture her and to take over that world. The Pax believe in peace through conquest. When the strong rule over the weak galaxy-wide, there will be peace.

The story is told with a certain amount of sardonic humor that lightens the tone and kept me reading. I found the beginning of the book to be a little slow, but Williams picks up the pace and continues to accelerate all the way to the end. The characters are fun, mostly likable, and their interactions are believable. As the plot picks up, the narrator brings in more people from her past to help her, finding more than a little trouble on the way. Epic battles are fought. There was some profanity in the book, so take care if that offends. A last stand is made. It was, overall, a good read for me. 

I received a free electronic ARC of this book through Netgalley.com in return for an honest review.

Jess Chunk, and the Road Trip to Infinity by Kristin Elizabeth Clark

I got quite caught up in this book; I almost read the whole thing in one sitting. 

I have not read a book from the pov of someone transitioning from one gender to the other. I liked that, while that was a very important part of the book, it wasn't the entire focus of it. 

Jess, the narrator, is transitioning from male to female. She has been taking hormones for the past 7 months, ever since she turned 18. Her estranged father had refused to give consent for her to do it before that. Now her father is getting married and she has decided, even after RSVPing no, that she was going to go. As herself. She had some vague plans to make him look at her and see her for who she really is. 

The road trip was the idea of her best friend, Chunk. Not surprisingly, given the nickname, Chunk (real name Chuck) is overweight. There is never an explicit mention of how overweight he is, but it was enough to get him picked on all through school. He is also brilliant, like over genius level. When he proposes the trip, Jess decides that it might be a good idea. And it would allow her to really start living as a female. Up to this point she had only come out to her mother and Chunk. 

There is a lot to this book. Some of the other reviews I read mentioned that they felt the author did a really poor job of representing fat people. I think that it could have been gone into more deeply, but that would have made this a different book. Jess has to confront her issues with physicality be it hers to other's. I believe that was what the author was aiming for. At least that's the way I saw it. 

Bottom line, I would recommend the book for older students.

I received a free electronic ARC of this book in return for an honest review. 

Batman and The Signal by Scott Snyder and Tony Patrick

The newest addition to the Bat Family is Duke Thomas, who chooses the name The Signal as his nom de guerre. Like many trainees before him his parents have come to harm, this time poisoned into insanity by Joker venom. But Duke is different. He doesn't want to work in the shadows, but in the light of day. And he gets that okay from Batman to do so. He takes on the dayshift in Gotham. The writing was good. I really liked the character development. This volume of Batman was all about the new kid. And he carried it well.

I received a free electronic ARC of this book through Netgalley in return for an honest review. 

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

This book reminds me of The Velveteen Rabbit. It has the same kind of gentle sensibility to it.  Edward Tulane is a ceramic rabbit that thinks very, very highly of himself. He goes through a series of adventures that teach him humility and love.  A wonderful, quick read. DiCamillo is an excellent author. She made me get all emotional more than once during the reading of this novel.

The Altered History of Willow Sparks by Tara O'Connor

What would you do if you found a book that was a narrative of your entire life up to the very second? What if you found a pen that let you change things in that book? That is the situation Willow Sparks finds herself in in this thoughtful graphic novel. We see how the changes Willy makes affect not only her, but all those around her, especially her friend Georgia Pratt. Georgia knows what Willy has found and why her life is suddenly changing. Changing and leaving Georgia behind her. Tight plot, interesting and realistic characters, and okay artwork. I'd say give this book a chance. 

Mandela and the General by John Carlin

I knew who Nelson Mandela was. I was alive during the time these events happened. I had no idea all this was going on. The fact that the peaceful change of government that Mandela accomplished was almost thwarted by an armed "white power" movement was new to me. I had never heard of this General Viljoen. But I am glad now that I do. Reading this book gives me some hope for the future. If a country as divided and fractured as South Africa could come together; if a man who started out hating Mandela and thinking he should get the death penalty came to admire and like him; if that is possible, maybe there is some hope for our future as well. Gripping narrative and interesting artwork. I'd say give this book a read.

I received a free electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

I enjoyed this. The demon Bartimaeus was a delightfully unreliable narrator.His high opinion of himself and occasional overestimation of his abilities lead to much merriment. I liked the way the narrative was traded between Bartimaeus's first person account and a third person account following his young human master, the apprentice magician Nathaniel. Not only is Nathaniel magically gifted, he is underestimated by Arthur Underwood, the mid-level bureaucrat/magician who was assigned to train the boy, whom he mainly ignores. This leaves Nathaniel with the tools and talent to get in a lot of trouble because if there is anything full grown about Nathaniel, it is his own arrogance and need to prove himself. In that respect he and Bartimeaus are perfectly matched.

The magic system devised by the author is similar in trappings to others I have read, but with a new twist to make it just different enough to work for me. Lots of twists and turns and just enough loose threads left to lead to the next book in the trilogy. It was a fun read. I am happy to recommend this book.

Big Nate Goes Bananas! by Lincoln Peirce

I taught middle school for the better part of 31 years and I see so much in Big Nate that is true to the middle school experience. Although in reality he is kind of dorky and prone to get put in detention, in his own mind he is the hero and the focus of all good things. While he's generally well-intentioned, he has a knack for trying hard (and not to subtly) to always get his own way. The fact that this rarely works for him never seems to slow him down. I laughed out loud more than once reading this. It was a fun time and a quick read. But one I would read again just for the laughs.

I received a free electronic ARC of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Posted by John David Anderson

Find your people. Make them your tribe and stick with them. I could have used a book like this when I was in middle school. It has realistic characters. The four boys in the group: Bench, Wolf, DeeDee, and Frost, are well written. They come across as real people not just cardboard cutouts. They are the oddballs who have found each other to form their own group. Then she walked into their lives. Rose is the new kid in school and decides to sit at their table at lunch. This forces the group out of their comfort zones and is the catalyst for much change. On top of this the school has just totally banned all cellphones. So the boys come up with a different way to communicate: they start leaving Postit notes on each other's lockers. This catches on and does not always go well.  It has a plot that the author keeps moving with hints of foreshadowing which pulled me along, making me think and predict where the story was going. The author was never completely predictable, though. He provided several twists and turns that I did not see coming. I like that in a book. Even better, this book has heart. I recommend it.

Dear Rachel Maddow by Adrienne Kisner

This book was written in the form of (mainly) unsent emails to Rachel Maddow. Brynn,the main character, writes to Rachel about the way her life has gone to hell. Once an honor student, now she is all remedial classes. She is no less intelligent, but after her brother's death and her breakup with her first serious girlfriend, what's the point? It's not like her mother or stepfather care whether she does well or not. Then there is the class election coming up. And there's a new girl she's interested in. And maybe there is a point to things after all?

The narrator's voice is strong and clear. I felt myself cheering for Brynn as she navigates all the pitfalls of her life. The characters mainly ring true The "villain" is a little too stereotypical, but no one likes him anyway. This was a fun book to read and I recommend it.

Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

If you ever need a little inspiration on your educational journey, I heartily recommend this book to you. Westover's journey is nothing short of breathtaking in its length and breadth. She grew up, unschooled in any meaningful way, in the back country of Idaho. Her father was a religious fanatic and an anti-government zealot. At 17, through the example of her older brother Tyler, she studied on her own for the ACT and on her second attempt scored a 28, which was enough to get her into Brigham Young University.

At BYU she discovered the real holes in her knowledge. Historical items that are background cultural knowledge for most of us were meaningless to her. This was not due to a lack of intelligence, but to a lack of being taught these things. I don't want to ruin the story by enumerating some of the shocking lapses.

She was also ignorant about medicine. Her family was against the use of medicine. They believed in being healed by faith. This included the lack of knowledge about the importance of proper hygiene.

It is a story of struggle and triumph. A struggle against physical, mental, and emotional abuse. A struggle against ignorance and stubbornness. A struggle against shame.

I believe that this book is important for educators and anyone who believes in the power of education. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.