A Heart in a Body in the World

The Bookworm says... Definitely! A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Caletti is wonderful and meaningful and heartbreaking and everything in between. Annabelle Agnelli, after a flashback inducing moment at a fast food restaurant, takes off running. She vows to run from Seattle to Washington D.C., and in doing so, she becomes a "reluctant activist". She runs from the tragedy left behind in Seattle, she runs from the memory of the boy she remembers only as "The Taker", she runs from the stares of her classmates in the hallways, she runs from the girl she was before. Above all else, Annabelle runs. Her Grandpa Ed follows her in his RV on her 2,700 mile journey across the country, where Annabelle sleeps after long days filled with running and endless thinking. As she runs for days through stretches of farmland, her memories haunt her and threaten to beat her, but she keeps running. With the help of her ever supportive brother Malcolm and two friends Zach and Olivia, Annabelle's run begins to attract attention from across the country; she is met at state lines by cheering crowds and greeted with free dinners other gifts in countless towns. People are listening and people want to believe in Annabelle, but she struggles to believe in herself. Still weighed down with guilt and shame about what happened in Seattle, Annabelle attempts to face her new reality and her new future, all while running forward.

From the first chapter, the reader understands that Annabelle once experienced a great tragedy that left her deeply traumatized. Then you discover that it was in the recent past. Then, Annabelle starts running. For me, one of the most amazing parts of this book is the way that you are taken on Annabelle's journey just by reading; as she crosses the United States on foot, discovering more and more about herself, the reader learns more and more about the tragedy that set her running in the first place. Integrated throughout the story are important passages that highlight the unique dangers of being a woman in today's society, and the novel as a whole does an excellent job examining the long lasting repercussions of these unique dangers, and all violence against women. Caletti's writing is impeccable, both in content and in style. The story is crafted to perfection, and I became truly engrossed in each and every character. I laughed, I cried, I shook my head, and I filled with rage. This book will make you feel, but it will also make you contemplate some very serious, very important issues. An incredible read, through and through.

"She survived something big, and when you survive something big, you are always, always aware that next time you might not."

DISCLAIMER: Review is based on an uncorrected proof. On-sale date is September 18th, 2018.

Words on Bathroom Walls

The Bookworm says... Yes! Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton follows a boy named Adam, who has schizophrenia. Adam begins a trial of a new drug that will ideally help him ignore his visions (such as Rebecca, Jason, and the Mob Boss, all of whom Adam sees and hears frequently), and it seems promising. Something else that seems promising is the prospect of a romantic relationship with Maya, a girl at his new school that he has become friendly with. His budding relationship with Maya makes Adam want to become someone he isn't- someone who doesn't struggle with seeing and hearing things that aren't really there. As his trial drug begins to fail, Adam does everything he can to make Maya believe that he is the "normal" guy she has grown to love.

Words on Bathroom Walls is composed completely in letters from Adam to his therapist, giving the whole narrative a much more personal tone. Against all odds, this book is hysterical, while also being touching and heartbreaking. Above all it is honest, both in terms of the experience of being a teenager and in terms of struggling for acceptance in the face of mental illness. From reading Words on Bathroom Walls, I am able to better understand my own struggles, and thereby the struggles of everyone around me (because, as Julia Walton reminds us, everyone struggles, whether they show it or not).

"If you can't trust your mind, trust your heart."

DISCLAIMER: Review is based on an uncorrected, advance proof. Tentative publication date is July 4th, 2017.

Me Being Me is Exactly As Insane As You Being You

The Bookworm says... No. Me Being Me is Exactly As Insane As You Being You by Todd Hasak-Lowy is not a very enjoyable book to read. Darren is forced to confront the fact that his dad is, in fact, gay, and may or may not have had past relationships with men. A divorce between his parents quickly follows. After that, life is confusion and chaos, shuffling between the parents. Somewhere in there, Darren finds time to sneak out to Ann Arbor to visit his brother, Nate. A certain girl named Zoey accompanies him, for better or for worse. Probably worse. 

This book... Is not good. It's approximately 700 pages of boredom in list format. Initially, I thought it would be great. The list format is very unique; the general plot (finding out your dad is gay, and has had past relationships with men) is reminiscent of Alison Bechdel's Fun Home. After about 200 pages I was bored, and it didn't become more entertained throughout the rest of the novel. I would not waste your time on this novel. 

"I know I barely talk and pretty much act like I'm not even here, but I'm totally here and have a million things to say, and me being me is exactly as insane as you being you."

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

The Bookworm says... Yes! The Disreputable History of Franke Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart is a terrific novel! At Alabaster academy, a prestigious New England prep school, there is a secret society called "The Order of the Basset Hounds". The club is known for causing trouble, throwing parties, general mischief, complete secrecy, and being all male. Frankie will not stand for being treated as an inferior from her boyfriend, her uncles, her cousins, or her peers because of her gender for a second longer. She sets off on a quest to find out the club's precious secrets, and get herself in. 

I absolutely adore this character that E. Lockhart has brought to life. Frankie Landau-Banks is the ultimate high school feminist, and essentially who I aspire to be in life. She's cunning, she's sneaky, she's clever, and she's efficient. The manner in which Lockhart writes is unforgettable; liquid sentences flow across the pages. I also picked up a new favorite vocab word- schadenfreude. Happiness or amusement at the misfortune of others. A truly wonderful book. 

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is a National Book Award finalist and a Printz Honor book. 

"It is better to be alone, she figures, than to be with someone who can't see who you are. It is better to lead than to follow. It is better to speak up than stay silent. It is better to open doors than to shut them on people."

More Happy Than Not

The Bookworm says... Yes! More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera is a great book!! Aaron lives in the Bronx projects, where two things are true; being gay is a crime, and miracles don't exist. Aaron is gay, but he is still very much in the closet and has a girlfriend named Genevieve. His father killed himself, his "friends" aren't his friends at all, his mom makes barely enough money to pay rent on their one bedroom apartment, and he may or may not have a crush on his one true friend. Everything is going wrong for Aaron and he wishes he could forget everything, but that's impossible. Until the Leteo Institute opens. Leteo specializes in relief of memory, or helping to forget. If Aaron can find the cash and confidence to go through with it, Leteo may be the unlikely miracle he is hoping for. 

Reminiscent of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, More Happy Than Not confronts race, sexuality, and economic class. Adam Silvera pushes deep into the world Aaron is trying so hard to forget, dragging out every painful detail. The questions Aaron asks himself are those that all teenagers ask themselves over and over again. Adam Silvera is a piercing voice diving into young adult, and let me tell you, you do not want to miss this book. 

"In that moment, I wish my existence were as simple as being set on fire and exploding in the sky."

Tentative release date is June 2015.