After reading and enjoying Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe last year, I couldn’t wait for The Inexplicable Logic of My Life to be released. On several counts, Sáenz’s book lived up to my expectations. The prose, though simple, once again was stellar! I love introspective characters, and after reading two books from Sáenz, I’m convinced that he’s a master at writing them. And while single parents are ubiquitous in YA fiction, Sal had an adoptive father who was gay, thereby expanding representation for non-traditional families.
THIS ONE SUMMER by Jillian Tamaki & Mariko Tamaki
Flip open This One Summer and you’ll be greeted by beautiful graphics. They’re art pieces in and of themselves. The illustrations are set in monotone though rather than black ink, dark blue has been chosen. This adds softness to the images fitting for the contemporary summer setting of this graphic novel. I could stare at the pages over and over again, allowing my eyes to feast upon the beauty. Sadly, that’s all that my two stars are for.
NOW I’LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING (Alice #25) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Closure is something that we often seek to come to terms with the end of something. Often it helps us resolve issues, so we can move on with our lives without dwelling too much on the past. Yet once in a while the time comes that closure is no longer necessary. It’s way past overdue…