Where the TBR pile never gets smaller

Angie Thomas, in The Hate U Give, wrote a novel that can serve as an entry point for adolescents and adults to understand the systemic issues facing people of color in the US.  Her novel is the story of one group of individuals in one moment in time, but it is also the story of far too many in multiple, on-going moments in time.  At the same time as the novel takes on the big issues of systemic…

Review: Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld et al.

Mix strange, difficult to control powers in with adolescent angst about fitting in, and a action packed plot and you’ve the basic recipe for an good novel.  Add in adult bad guys, less than great parents, and a whole lot of bad decisions and you’ve got Zeroes. Westerfeld, Biancotti and Canagan have created an ensemble cast of teenagers that have powers that seem more a burden than a gift.  There…

Review: The Paper Magician Series by Charlie Holmberg

The Paper Magician Series — Charlie N. Holmberg In The Paper Magician, set in an alternate turn of the 20th Century, Holmberg has created a unique magical world for the series.  Trained and licensed magicians work with only one particular medium among those available — all involving man-made materials. We first meet Ceony at the close of her education when she is to begin her apprenticeship. …