Author: Schizanthus Nerd

Epic Fail – Cristy Watson

Spoilers Ahead!

Jared, Bree and Kenzie have been friends for a long time, until the events that took place at a party two years ago. Jared knew his brother planned this party with his Year 12 friends with the sole purpose of having sex with as many Year 9 girls as possible. Apparently these get togethers are a common occurrence. Jared fails to warn his friends and Kenzie is raped at the party. Jared’s guilt comes to a head when a photo of Kenzie from the night she was raped is posted on social media.

Before reading this book I’d never heard of a Hi-Lo book. For those as in the dark as I was, Hi-Lo are high-interest, low-readability books; basically books with more mature themes for reluctant readers if my understanding is correct. I love the concept. Anything that helps non-readers become readers is something to be applauded in my world.

I felt this book had potential as it addressed rape culture. It saddens and horrifies me that rape is so prevalent in society that it has its own culture. I’m not sure you can ever say that you enjoy a book where the central theme is sexual assault but in the context of a Hi-Lo book, I think the author did a good job.

I liked that this story is told from the point of view of a 16 year old boy. The majority of books I’ve read about sexual assault are told primarily from a female perspective. I like that at the end of the book the author listed some website resources. I didn’t really find a connection with any of the characters, although that may be in part because this was a quick read and as such there wasn’t the opportunity to get to know the characters as well as you do in longer novels.

I can understand Jared questioning why Kenzie never reported what happened to her. Until you’ve been there you don’t know what you’d do in that situation and there is no right or wrong answer. Some people report. Others don’t. I can understand both sides.

I appreciated the growth shown in Jared’s character throughout the book and how he kept trying to reach out to Kenzie. Jared talks about how useful the mediation training sessions he’s been attending have been but I would have liked to hear more about what he learned so readers could take something else away from the book.

I felt as though some of language attributed to the teens in the book didn’t work for the target audience or as examples of how young people speak. I’m not sure 15 and 16 year olds would be using terms like ‘young man’ used to describe a teenager in a video, or ‘compromising photos’ used to describe nude selfies or revenge porn. Also, some of the conversations read like they belonged in a pamphlet found in a counsellor’s office, not coming out of the mouths of teens.

It really frustrated me that while the author mentioned Kenzie was getting slut shamed on social media, the photograph in question constituted child pornography and no one did anything about it. While the focus is on Kenzie’s rape, there’s all of this blame from the characters towards Bree. Yes, Bree made really bad decisions, but… Maybe there are different laws where the author lives but where I come from a 14 year old girl is not old enough to legally be able to give consent so even if she was all for it, it’s still statutory rape.

I would have liked to have seen at least one person other than the victims experience consequences. Cam gets away with raping Kenzie. Seth gets away with physically abusing Jared, the statutory rape of Bree, and the production and distribution of child pornography. Who knows how many unnamed Year 12 boys raped how many unnamed Year 9 girls at their parties. Countless people in social media land do nothing when they see child pornography being distributed except shame the victim. Bree distributed child pornography and deserves to go down in history as being one of the worst friends ever. Jared’s father gets away with the blatant neglect of his son. No one at the school appears to even acknowledge the fact that Kenzie barely attends. I could probably go on, but that’s enough frustration at the lack of accountability.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Lorimer Children & Teens for the opportunity to read this book. I’d recommend watching Audrie & Daisy to anyone interested in a great documentary that complements the themes of this book quite well.

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Epic Fail tells the story of Kenzie, a 16-year-old half Native American girl, and her two best friends, who have grown up in a multiracial, mixed-income suburb. Two years after a party where Kenzie was raped, she is still dealing with the trauma. When photos of the incident appear on social media there are serious consequences for everyone involved.

This book tells a tough but realistic story about teen relationships and sexual assault and how social media plays a role in magnifying its impact.

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There’s a Dog on the Dining Room Table – Elizabeth Maginnis

Illustrations – Annie Dwyer Internicola

There’s a Dog on the Dining Room Table is an adorable children’s book. I love dogs so requesting to read this book was a no brainer for me but I enjoyed it even more than I expected to. The rhymes flow really well and the illustrations complement the words. I loved seeing the dog transformed as each scenario for why the dog is on the dining room table is explored. I can imagine children giggling as they see the dog dressed up and engaged in different activities. The illustrations are lovely and imaginative.

If I was reading this book to a child I couldn’t simply read the book and be done. I’d have to make it into a game where the child and I come up with our own explanations for why the dog is on the dining room table. I loved the introduction of a new character at the end of the book and I’d definitely be asking the child I was reading with for other reasons why that character could be where it was.

I really enjoyed this book and appreciated that it encourages children to use their imaginations. Thank you very much to NetGalley and Xist Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

In this cute rhyming story about an unexpected visitor a little girl wonders why there is a dog on her dining room table. She imagines a world of funny scenarios for the new visitor, but not everyone is happy about his arrival.

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The Dream Dragon – Kathryn England

Illustrations – Valeria Issa

Spoilers Ahead!

This story shows how what we experience throughout our days can show up in our dreams at night, in particular what we’re thinking about as we fall asleep. At the beginning of this story, the boy has a book about dragons on his bedside table and while he sleeps he is protected by a dream dragon.

The dream dragon wanted to be the boy’s main dream so it would be remembered in the morning. The dream dragon chased good dreams away and breathed fire on the bad dreams, until the boy learns about dinosaurs at school. The boy then has dream protectors in the forms of a T-rex, followed by a super hero, then a pirate. The dream dragon is sad that the boy no longer dreams of it, but at the end of the book a girl has a book about dragons on her bedside table…

Bedtime stories are powerful and this one would be a great tool to help children who experience nightmares. I love the idea of teaching children that the characters in their bedtime stories can be their own dream protectors, doing battle on the child’s behalf while they’re sleeping to help keep away bad dreams.

I liked the illustrations, none of which looked scary. The dream dragon itself is quite quirky and kind of adorable in an ugly cute kind of way.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Xist Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

A dragon protects a child’s dreams from nightmares in this picture book perfect for bedtime. Bedtime stories inspires a series of dream protectors for a little boy. The dream dragon keeps the nightmares away and is joined by dinosaurs, pirates, super heroes and more in the quest to keep nighttime safe.

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Holo #1: Consider – Kristy Acevedo

I received a copy of Contribute (book 2 in the Holo series) from NetGalley but I was so interested in the story that I went right ahead and bought Consider so I could read them in order. I am not disappointed!

I was hooked from Alex’s first anxiety thought bubble on the first page. I find that anxious people tend to be quite creative and Alex certainly is with her disaster scenario thoughts, like this gem:

“What if it’s an alien-powered vacuum cleaner and we’re the dirt?”

I love the way Kristy Acevedo writes!!!

The characters were developed well and I loved that substantial backstories were provided for the supporting cast as well as our lead, Alex. I particularly loved the crazy lady without a name and looked out for her throughout the book. Always listen to the crazy people! What can sound crazy can become profound once you know the context of their words. I have my own theory about who crazy lady is and hope to find out for sure in Contribute.

The characters were forced to tackle all of the scenarios and more that I would’ve considered (see what I did there?) important during an apocalypse. I loved that Kristy Acevedo wasn’t afraid of arguing from multiple points of view as Consider explored the comet’s impending impact on such topics as politics, religion, freedom of choice, and what happens to society when there’s a visible clock counting down the time left to make the decision of your life … stay and wait for the comet to go boom or walk through a vertex into the unknown. An impossible choice.

On a lighter note, I would definitely grow my nails for the nail polishes mentioned in this book. Their names are so clever and cute that I want to buy them all sight unseen, although I know my favourite would have to be Blue My Mind.

I highlighted and then highlighted some more throughout this book; sometimes a few words, sometimes a few paragraphs at a time. There was so much to love and I’ve already read most of my highlighted passages to passers by, prefaced with, “Hey, listen to this sentence!” or “Don’t you just love the way this author thinks?”

I guessed the ending around the halfway point but I enjoyed the book so much that I didn’t care that the end wasn’t a surprise. Regardless, hello cliffhanger! I’ve read reviews of book 2 that say it’s even better than book 1. I’m not sure that’s possible but can’t wait to be proved wrong.

I just found another favourite author. Awesome job, Kristy! I’m starting Contribute immediately!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

As if Alexandra Lucas’ anxiety disorder isn’t enough, mysterious holograms suddenly appear from the sky, heralding the end of the world. They bring an ultimatum: heed the warning and step through a portal-like vertex to safety, or stay and be destroyed by a comet they say is on a collision course with earth. How’s that for senior year stress?

The holograms, claiming to be humans from the future, bring the promise of safety. But without the ability to verify their story, Alex is forced to consider what is best for her friends, her family, and herself.

To stay or to go. A decision must be made.

With the deadline of the holograms’ prophecy fast approaching, Alex feels as though she is living on a ticking time bomb, until she discovers it is much, much worse.

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Strange Alchemy – Gwenda Bond

Spoilers Ahead!

I admit it. I’m not a history buff. I first heard of the lost colony of Roanoke and the word ‘Croatoan’ while watching one of the later series of Haven, which is loosely based on Stephen King’s The Colorado Kid. I became fascinated by the mystery behind the disappearance of over 100 people. It was this fascination that led me to want to read Strange Alchemy. Before I started this novel I read some more about the history and the theories surrounding the lost colony.

I loved the first half of the book and enjoyed the alternating chapters showing Miranda and Grant’s points of view. Sometimes I find books with different points of view fragmented but felt the story flowed well from chapter to chapter. I liked both of the main characters who, for different reasons, long to be normal and not be defined by their reputations.

Almost exactly at the halfway mark the story seemed to fall apart for me. There was a lot happening to keep my attention and I still wanted to keep reading until the end but the explanations fell flat for me. I spent a lot of time questioning the characters’ choices and the series of events.

I don’t understand, if Grant hearing the voices of the spirits is supposed to be a gift, why he spends most of the book trying to push them into the background. I waited patiently for the author’s explanation of the word ‘Croatoan’ being carved on a post and it never came. I didn’t mind that some people had to die at the end but was it really necessary to hurt adorable Sidekick?

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read this book. I think young teenagers who are interested in starting to get their teeth into books that have a supernatural element will enjoy this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Gwenda Bond’s first book Blackwood has been reimagined and brought back to life with new vision. On Roanoke Island, the legend of the Lost Colony — and the 114 colonists who vanished without a trace more than four hundred years ago — still haunts the town. But that’s just a story told for the tourists.

When 114 people suddenly disappear from the island in present day, it seems history is repeating itself — and an unlikely pair of seventeen-year-olds might be the only hope of bringing the missing back. Miranda Blackwood, a member of one of island’s most infamous families, and Grant Rawling, the sherrif’s son, who has demons and secrets of his own, find themselves at the center of the mystery.

As the unlikely pair works to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony, they must dodge everyone from the authorities to long-dead alchemists as they race against time to save their family and friends before they too are gone for good.

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Do Not Take Your Dragon to Dinner – Julie Gassman

Illustrations – Andy Elkerton

Do you want to teach your children table manners and have fun doing it? Just add dragons! I love this book so much! I mean, come on! There’s dragons!

The rhymes make reading aloud lots of fun and the gorgeous illustrations complement the text brilliantly. Whether they’re being read to or reading to themselves, kids are going to love this book. They will be able to clearly contrast the rude behaviour at the beginning of the book with the good table manners shown at the end.

The illustrations are incredible! I really loved seeing the diversity of people (and dragons) shown at the restaurant. The colours throughout the book were beautiful and vibrant, and the expressions on the faces of everyone at the restaurant were priceless.

This is one of those books where everything works well together. You could take away the illustrations and still have a great story. You could take away the text and still understand the story from the pictures alone.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read this book. This book needs to be in libraries and homes everywhere! This is a book I’d still enjoy reading the 100th time. Did I mention the dragons?!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

We know you shouldn’t take your dragon to the library, but what about taking him out to dinner? After all, dragons need to eat too! But with fiery breath, flapping wings, and pointy spikes, that might not be a good idea! Rhyming text and diverse characters bring the importance of dinner manners to a new level in this colorful picture book by Julie Gassman.

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Hair-Pocalypse – Geoff Herbach

Illustrations – Stephen Gilpin

So, you think you’re having a bad hair day? Well, you haven’t seen anything until you see Aidan Allen’s hair! It’s got a mind of its own and no matter how much Aidan yells and screams at it, it just won’t behave. Can Aidan find a way to tame his mane?

Hair-Pocalypse is a fun picture book that teaches about hygiene in an entertaining way. I particularly loved the passage where needs are distinguished from wants. Although the focus is on hair in this instance, it is a great lesson that parents can apply to other circumstances relevant to their child.

The story is funny and engaging, and the illustrations are captivating. I loved the personalities that were captured on the childrens’ faces in the illustrations and the use of colours and detail to maintain your attention. Be certain to look closely at the pictures, as it seems the story may not be over for Aidan at the end of the book.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read this book. I want to this book to find its way into homes, schools and libraries. Parents are sure to see their kids in Aidan and kids are going to really like him.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Aidan Allen has angry hair. That’s right – angry hair. Hands down, he has the angriest hair anyone has ever seen. But why is his hair so angry? Why is his hair trying to ruin his life? Why is the sky blue? Two of these three questions will be answered in this comical tale of kid vs. hair. In his debut picture book, Geoff Herbach mixes his fresh writing style with over-the-top situations to help his character through a very hairy situation.

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A Loud Winter’s Nap – Katy Hudson

This book is so adorable! With a lovely story and gorgeous, detailed illustrations, it’s sure to be a hit with children and parents alike. While Tortoise just wants to go to sleep until spring, his friends want to include him in their fun winter activities. When Tortoise accidentally joins in he realises that maybe some tortoises do like winter after all.

I loved Tortoise’s teddy bear and I enjoyed seeing all of the different facial expressions of the animals in this story. This story would be fantastic to help teach children about friendship and could also be used to help them understand how people are feeling by their facial expressions.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read this book. I adore everything about this book and hope it finds its way into homes and libraries everywhere. I’ll be revisiting this book many times. It’s one of those books you read with a smile on your face.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Every year Tortoise sleeps through winter. He assumes he isn’t missing much. However, his friends are determined to prove otherwise! Will Tortoise sleep through another winter, or will his friends convince him to stay awake and experience the frosty fun of winter? Best-selling author Katy Hudson’s charming picture book, now in a board book format, will convince even the biggest winter grouche that winter can be magical if you have friends by your side.

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All Things New – Lauren Miller

If Parallel and Free to Fall were 5 out of 5 books for me, then All Things New has to be a 6. While Lauren Miller’s first two novels were exceptional, I found extra depth in All Things New. Anxiety, written well, by someone who understands it! Now, this is a combination you don’t see very often. Thank you so much for writing this book, Lauren!

Because Lauren gets it, Jessa’s internal voice is authentic. As someone who is all too familiar with this dragon and coincidentally has also experienced long term effects from a car accident, I went on this journey with Jessa. I empathised with Jessa recounting how it felt when her friends ditched her after her panic attacks started. I cheered internally when Jessa’s courage to let her walls down was rewarded instead of punished. I felt anxious for her when she was anxious for her friends.

I loved how real the supporting characters felt to me and cared about what happened to them. I admired Jessa’s father for how hard he worked to build a relationship with his daughter. I appreciated that Hannah wasn’t a cliché, that she got snippy when she was frustrated by something or herself. Mr I. … what can I say except I wanted to curl up on a comfy couch somewhere, probably next to a roaring fire, and listen to him explain philosophy to me all day. (By the way, I get so excited when a book I love includes references to other books. Oscar Wilde and Descartes are definitely getting added to my scarily high TBR pile.)

And frustratingly optimistic Marshall. I adored him despite myself and would like to put an order in for a Marshall please (albeit an age appropriate one for me). Maybe he’s got an older cousin? The banter between Jessa and Marshall was so much fun! Because I read a snippet of a review that compared this book to John Green’s The Fault in our Stars, I spent most of this book anxiously muttering, ‘Please don’t let Marshall die! Please don’t let Marshall die!’

I was fascinated by the concept of the internal world that we often hide from others, sometimes more so from those closest to us, being made visible to Jessa. I loved Jessa’s interactions with the other characters and watching some relationships growing stronger as others faded into the background. While life isn’t a fairytale in the end, Jessa has, through her experience, learned to see and be compassionate to the internal struggles of others and her own.

We spend so much time hiding our true selves from the people around us that sometimes I wonder how much we ever really know anyone. There are entire worlds playing out inside our heads and if only we shared those with each other I’m positive we’d find out how alike we all are. Sure, everyone has their own pain and their own struggles but when it comes down to it, pain is pain. We get so afraid of rejection that we hide behind our walls, thinking we’re protecting ourselves when really we’re preventing ourselves from bring able to give and receive the support and validation that comes with knowing you’re not alone in your experience.

I found a Hallmark card about a decade ago and bought every one I could find at the time, dispensing them in the years since to those I felt would benefit from or appreciate its message like I did. This book reminded me of the writing on that card – “Daylight will peek through a very small hole. That’s how hope gets through, too.” No matter what we’re going through, there is hope, even if the hope is that things won’t always be this way. OK, stepping off my soapbox now!

This was one of those books that made me sad that you only get to read it for the first time once. However, I’m sure there’ll be a second time coming fairly soon. If I did have the chance to read it for the first time again I think I’d highlight the passages that don’t resonate with me instead of the ones that do. As it stands, because I did the opposite, my highlighter would have run dry before I got to the halfway mark if I’d been reading a paperback. Instead I wore out my index finger constantly highlighting passages on my Kindle.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Three Saints Press for the opportunity to read this book. I’d recommend this to young adults and adults alike, to anyone who has experienced anxiety or anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of those who do, or to those who simply want to read a great book. I don’t care what you write about in the future, Lauren, but please keep writing. I’ll be reading anything you publish!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Jessa has always felt broken inside, but she’s gotten very good at hiding it. No one at school knows about the panic attacks, the therapy that didn’t help, the meds that haven’t worked. But when a severe accident leaves her with a brain injury and visible scars, Jessa’s efforts to convince the world that she’s okay finally crumble — now she looks as shattered as she feels. 

Fleeing from her old life in Los Angeles, Jessa moves to Colorado to live with her dad, where she meets Marshall, a boy whose kindness and generous heart slowly draw Jessa out of her walled-off shell and into the broken, beautiful, real world — a place where souls get hurt just as badly as bodies, and we all need each other to heal.

All Things New is a love story about perception and truth, physical and emotional pain, and the messy, complicated people we are behind the masks we put on for the world, perfect for fans of All the Bright Places and The Fault in Our Stars.

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A Bear’s Life – Nicholas Read

Photography – Ian McAllister

I adore this book! Written in a conversational tone, this book would be perfect for parents to read to their younger children and for older children to read to themselves. With enough information to capture your interest but without the information overload that leaves you bored, A Bear’s Life would be a fantastic resource to assist children writing school reports and will be sure to teach their parents new information as well.

Following a year in the life of British Columbia’s black bears, grizzly bears and spirit bears, the words are complemented by spectacular photography. You almost feel as though you could reach out and touch the bears in some of the images. The changes in layout and the scatterings of bear paw prints throughout the book work together, unlike some children’s nonfiction books where the layout on each page remains the same and becomes stale by the end. There’s a great balance between words and images, and there aren’t any pages that look cluttered.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers for the opportunity to read this book. I’d recommend this book to children and parents alike, and imagine it being used in classrooms, as well as public and school libraries. I’ll be looking out for more books in this series.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Black bears, grizzly bears, and spirit bears all make their home in the Great Bear Rainforest. A Bear’s Life uses Ian McAllister’s stunning photographs to follow these beautiful animals through a year in the British Columbia wilderness–catching fish, eating berries, climbing trees and taking long naps.

A Bear’s Life is the second in the My Great Bear Rainforest series.

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