Week 2, Assignment 1

Exercise 1: Reader Profile

This group of books represents the list of books that I either a) immediately recommend to people when they ask what I've read that's really good lately, b) think about often, or c) want to reread at some point when the stack dwindles down.

Station Eleven by Emily St. Mandel
Delicious Foods by James Hannaham
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia

The first thing that comes to mind about all five of these novels is the heavy emphasis on character. The characters (flawed, quirky, and odd are descriptions that suit all, though they're unique and individual in each case...seems contradictory, I know) are what drive each story. Rather things happening to them, they're the catalyst for action in each case...mostly.

Each of these books are also very well-written and, for lack of a better term, are genre-bending. Post-apocalyptic stuff isn't my bag, but hey, both Station Eleven and Ready Player One could be lumped in with that genre and I adore both of them, so maybe it's not as beyond my liking as I thought.

Basically, I'm willing to try anything once. I'm also willing to read whatever Entertainment Weekly gives an A and whatever my friend Jenny or my coworker Anne recommends.


Exercise 2: List of Appeal Titles

Instead of flip-charts, I used Post-Its. I. LOVE. POST-ITS. Anyway, I found that a lot of the titles I was bringing to mind could fit in a few categories, but that's okay. I know I could brainstorm some more titles if pressed, but for now I think three per category is sufficient, particularly since I see quite a few people who aren't doing these exercises under this assignment anyway. (Did I read the directions wrong? Oh, I guess I did. Oh well! I'm going to finish these up anyhow. I want to show off my cool Post-It notes!)

Exercise 3: RA Madlibs

In this fast-paced novel, Tim Pulver, known for creating action-oriented mysteries, crafts a highly believable story of war and its aftermath.

In this carefully wrought novel, Tim Pulver, known for creating finely tuned characters, crafts a wistful and dramatic story of war and its aftermath.

In this timely novel, Tim Pulver, known for creating scientifically-accurate thrillers, crafts a haunting story of war and its aftermath.

Exercise 4: Appeal Thesaurus

Oh my gosh! I can't wait to use these in my blog-writing!

Pacing: stumbling, relaxed, nail-biting

Characterization: cruel, peppy, unreliable

Story Line: action-oriented, formulaic, familiar

Language: revelatory, age-appropriate,

Setting: sprawling, futuristic, foreign

Detail: lush, numerous, varied

Tone: cautionary, cold, mocking

Learning/Experiencing: didactic, educational, high-interest


Week 2, Assignment 2

Am I cheating if I copy and paste some of my reviews for the Between the Covers blog here? No? Great! Special bonus: these are as-yet-unreleased blog reviews! Woot!

Writing for the blog definitely makes me tune into what appeals to readers; just because I don't like a book, it doesn't mean another reader in the system won't love it!

A God In Ruins

Where Life After Life focused on the time-bending reimagining of the life of Ursula Todd, A God In Ruins’ lead character is her brother, Teddy. We see Teddy come of age and go off to war, but this isn’t just a war novel. We are treated to every aspect of Teddy’s life: his marriage to girl-next-door Nancy, raising his daughter, Viola, and even his interactions with his grandchildren. His multiple triumphs and disappointments make it easy to root for his happiness.

The story isn’t chronological; rather it is told back-and-forth between different points of Teddy’s life, leaving the reader to make connections and judgments about events, waiting to see if those predictions are realized. Thanks to the richly developed characters and winning style, the novel is an engaging read. It is a wistful letter to the Todd family, and overall, to what it means to be a part of a family and part of our collective humanity.

Atkinson has said that she doesn’t view this novel as a sequel, rather as a companion piece to her previous bestseller. Those who enjoyed Life After Life will be glad to dive into A God In Ruins to catch up with the characters they loved; both of these novels are also an excellent fit for those who have just finished All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr and are looking for a similar great read.

Appeals highlighted: characterization, language

The Doll Maker

Detectives Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne are back and hot on the trail of serial killers in Richard Montanari’s The Doll Maker, the eighth installment of this series about his Philadelphia-based investigators.

A girl sits placidly on a painted yellow bench as if waiting for a train, a half-smoked cigarette in her fingers. A passing cyclist initially doesn’t think anything is wrong, but then goes in for a closer look. The girl is dead, and her elaborately staged scene around her is part of a sick puzzle designed by killers who call themselves Mr. Marseille and Anabelle. When Detectives Balzano and Byrne stumble upon an invitation to tea the next week at the murder site, they know they’re racing against the next death.

The next death happens, and this time it is two young people, but there’s something even more eerie waiting for the detectives: a doll designed to look exactly like the first victim and another invitation to tea for seven days from now. The victims seem random, but something about them triggers a memory for Byrne about a case that he worked long ago.

Full of twists and turns and heart-stopping action, The Doll Maker is one to read for those who want to be spooked enough to sleep with the light on. Readers who enjoyed James Patterson’s stand-alone The Postcard Killers, fans of a series like Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, those who enjoy a show like Criminal Minds will want to dive into the entire Balzano/Byrne series, starting with the first book, The Rosary Girls. 

Appeals highlighted: pacing, story line, tone

The Teenage Brain

“What was he thinking?” is the first line of The Teenage Brain, and anyone who has ever given birth to or even encountered a teenager at some point may very well have uttered that same question. Being a teenager is difficult, and interacting with a teenager can also be very hard. Luckily, Dr. Frances Jensen and Amy Ellis Nutt are here to answer that particular query: the answer is brain science.

                In The Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults, Jensen breaks down the tumultuous and terrifying teenaged brain, a long-neglected niche in the field of brain study. While more has been learned about the human brain in the last ten years than the whole of human history, the startling revelations of what actually happens to us in those years from 12 to 22 are just recently becoming well-known. While past research has been quick to blame “hormones” for every idiotic thing teens do on a day-to-day basis, Jensen points out, it is really the teen brain’s inability to deal with those surging hormones is the real culprit. As she explores the myriad of ways that teens are wired for impulsivity and poor decision-making skills, we get a better sense of why everything is a big deal to a teen. Minor inconveniences seem like life-and-death situations to teenagers because in their blossoming dendrites, they are!

              

  This book is written in such a way that doesn’t intimidate nor talk-down to the reader. Chock full of helpful information on everything from risk-taking, driving, sex, drug and alcohol use, video-game addiction, and the differences in the genders (and with plenty of great ammunition for winning that argument against your teen who wants to wear earbuds while studying), this is the perfect read for parents, educators, and everyone who enjoys working with young people in this age range.

               

  So the next time you think you’ve had it up to here with your teen, take a deep breath, remember this book and think that it isn’t personal; it’s just brain science.

Appeals highlighted: learning/experiencing, language