Goodbye Rebel Blue by Shelley Coriell

Goodbye Rebel Blue by Shelley Coriell
Release Date: October 1

Amazon Listing
Goodreads Page

This review describes an uncorrected proof. The published version may be different.

My wife read this book. Here's what she said:

It's not every day that you hear about a teenager dying, and another girl choosing to complete her bucket list. Some teenagers just don't fit in with everyone else. This book is written for the ones who don't even want to fit in.

Shelley Coriell protrays the inner thoughts of the main character realistically. The main character begins her journey with as a selfish, self-centered teenager. She was really just mean and sarcastic, and it made me want to stop reading. Then, about 1/3 of the way through, I realized that Coriell set it up on purpose so that Rebel could redefine herself and learn more about herself as she fulfilled her classmate's bucket list.


I was especially put off that Rebel doesn't stop and think about death at the beginning of the book. She doesn't stop thinking about herself, even when she goes to the other girl's funeral. Most books have a flawed character with a few traits that are likeable, but in this book, there was nothing enjoyable about her until 1/3 of the way through the book. It felt like parts of the book dragged while I was waiting for Rebel to grow up.

I recommend this book to teenagers who want to see a character's inner thoughts and the changes they go through. There's also a heavy dose of romance that keeps the book interesting. Enjoy!

Get your copy from The Blue Manatee or your nearest independent bookseller!

"The President Has Been Shot!": The Assassination of John F. Kennedy by James L. Swanson

"The President Has Been Shot!": The Assassination of John F. Kennedy by James L. Swanson
Release Date: September 24, 2013

Amazon Listing
Goodreads Page


This review describes an uncorrected proof. The published version may be different.

My dad read this book. Observe his judgment:

I was in high school during the assassination. My family were not Kennedy fans, so I didn't feel as bad as some people did, but everyone felt bad.

When I picked up this book, I was concerned that it would only be written for Kennedy fans who still dream about the "lost Camelot" of the era. On the contrary, Swanson wrote this book in a fair, objective way. He explained why a lot of people liked JFK without going overboard. I would have liked some comments on the 1960 voter fraud in Chicago, but I can't disagree with anything that Swanson included.

This book is fascinating. It walks you step-by-step through the assassination. There are lots of things you think you know, but you've never understood until Swanson explains them. The pacing is expertly done; it keeps moving crisply through all the key events of the shooting, but dives into details when something interesting is happening. Swanson chooses only the most interesting side stories about LBJ, Jackie Kennedy, the Secret Service, etc. The details were explained clearly and compellingly. For example the explanation of why Oswald shot from behind instead of from in front is meticulous and convincing.

This book doesn't waste any time on conspiracy theories. Oswald did it. He acted alone. I'm glad to see that Swanson goes after truth instead of hyping up stupid theories, but I wish he'd spent more time shooting down some of the bigger theories. I wish he'd torn apart that idiotic movie, for example. That would have been fun to read.

I recommend this book to people who like knowing how things happen. It's got politics, murder, and history wrapped together. I enjoyed it, and I learned a few new things from it.

Go find your copy at The Blue Manatee or your nearest independent bookseller! 

Rock & Hard Place by Angie Stanton

Rock and a Hard Place by Angie Stanton
Release Date: September 24, 2013

Amazon Listing
Goodreads Page

 This review describes an uncorrected proof. The published version may differ.

My mom read this book! Check out her reaction:

Good vs. evil, cruel fate, a tragic accident, and a life out of control. It's Ivanhoe all over again!

This book is about a girl who is dating a pop singer against the background of her tragic personal life and his difficulty with navigating the path of success. It's not bad!

The theme of the book is making choices that will get you a positive outcome. The characters have a genuine feel, and they make you care about the theme.

The shortcoming of the book is a lack of realism. For example, the father character just kind of disappears. Where did he go? I think teenagers can handle something a little more grounded that this. On the other hand, it's refreshing to read a positive, upbeat romance novel that doesn't make you feel gross afterwards.

Young teens and people who enjoy realistic characters in an upbeat romance would appreciate this book.

Looking for a beach read in September? Go find your copy at The Blue Manatee or your nearest independent bookseller!

Chupacabra by Roland Smith

Chupacabra by Roland Smith
Release Date: September 24

Amazon Page
Goodreads

This review describes an uncorrected proof. The published version may be different.

Review by Casey:

Tonight is different, 'cause the Chupacabra is out for blood!

I thought that the author did really well with the story as well as a perfect idea to go along.

I wanted to know how Noah Blackwood found a way to create the Chupacabra.

I would recommend this book to people who like Action, Fantasy and people who believe in the paranormal.

-Casey

Invasion by Walter Dean Myers

Invasion by Walter Dean Myers
Release Date: September 24, 2013

Amazon Listing
Goodreads Page

This review describes an uncorrected proof. The published version may differ.

My dad read this book. Here are his ideological comments:

Walter Dean Myers wrote this book because of his family's experiences in Vietnam and Iraq. He wanted readers to understand that war is hell, and that we need better ways to solve our problems.

It's fine to write a book about how war is hell, because war IS hell, but then you've got to get the other side to read the book, too. How do you write an antiwar book about WWII? How do you square that with the facts that we were attacked at Pearl Harbor, and that Germany declared war on us? It seems like Myers is trying to write a Vietnam book set in WWII, and it just doesn't make sense. Vietnam was a different war, and it was fought for different reasons. WWII was not a war of choice, and the comparison is inappropriate.

In this book, all attempts to encourage the soldiers are portrayed as superficial or manipulative, which is a very shallow, one-sided presentation of the motives behind the war. It's true that the soldier in the trenches probably wasn't thinking about freedom or justice while he was fighting- he was thinking about his comrades. Even here, though, Myers fails to present the friendship of comrades in arms. When you talk to people who actually fought in WWII, they'll tell you that the friendships they made there are one of the greatest points of their lives. Myers does not get that across in this book; he only shows the cynical side of the soldiers' motivations.

I understand that Myers has a commitment to show the African-American side of history, but he strains it to a contrived level in this book. It is believable that the protagonist would run into his Black friend once during the invasion- the chaos of battle always defeats segregation- but it is painfully unrealistic that they would have three chance encounters. The way that these accidental meetings keep happening in the midst of the hundreds of thousands of disorganized soldiers at D-Day undermines the realism of the book.

In its defense, this book credibly depicts the horrors of war. Myers did his research, and he accurately portrays D-Day and the campaign across Normandy to St. Lo. The only historical error is that the grunts somehow know that Patton is coming. That was a top-secret maneuver, and there is no way they would have known about it. Even if they had known about it, they would have no cause to believe that Patton could cancel out the dominance of the German tank technology.

This book is unbalanced. It does not show respect to the historical causes of WWII or the motives of the people who fought in it. I do not recommend it.

Looking for a more positive review? Check:
Maci and Zoe Read Books 

Interested in reading this book? Want to argue with my dad? (Good luck on that!) Buy this book from The Blue Manatee or your nearest independent bookseller!

Fortunately, the Milk

Fortunately, the Milk by Some Guy
Release Date: September 17, 2013

Amazon Listing
Goodreads Page

This review describes an uncorrected proof. The published version is different, especially the illustrations. This review describes the illustrations of Skottie Young.

My brother read this book. Behold his wisdom!

The cover does not lie! This book is about a dad, dressed as Tom Baker and a dinosaur sidekick riding around and searching for a cup of milk. The book was written because Gaiman felt he owed dads a favor after negatively portraying fathers in another book. Gaiman succeeds in creating a heroic father figure and channeling the spirit of Roald Dahl all at the same time.

There's really not much I can say without spoilers. This book involves dinosaurs, time travel, sparkly ponies, and a heroic dad who just wants his kids to have milk in their cereal. It's fun, and it would make great bedtime reading. The book is very short, but it felt like it was exactly the right length for the story it was telling. The Skottie Young illustrations evoke the spirit of Quentin Blake while reinforcing and adding to the meaning of the text. I'd like to buy this book just to see the final version of the illustrations.

Warning: It looks like this book may be published with completely different illustrations! Why?

If you love dads, dinosaurs, sparkly ponies, and time travel, then go get this book at The Blue Manatee or your nearest independent bookseller!