BookTalkTuesday

What level of dumb is an acceptable level of dumb? What qualifies dumb fun from just dumb? James Patterson walks that fine line between absolutely the dumbest book I've ever listened to and dumb fun. And because of some killer performances and delightful production values, The Method succeeds in what it sets out to do, which is to provide an off-its-rocker premise and raise the levels of insanity to an 11. The Method's premise is a simple one. An actor who can't seem to get a break goes full method acting for a new role. That new role is a Jeffrey Dahmer-like serial killer. So in order to go full method he--you guessed it--starts murdering people. What amazes me about the audio book is that it starts off tepid enough, and the initial encounters seem ho-hum. But it doesn't take long before the whole affair goes completely unhinged. Anything resembling the realm of plausibility is thrown out the window. The main character, Brent Quill, murders people openly, and everyone

For Lamb  is a triumph. It's not often a YA Book surprises you. But For Lamb trades in the thunderous action of what happens in so many historical fiction texts, and instead trades that in for a text that chooses to simmer instead. Like the pitter patter of rain, the text reverberates gently until it echoes, again and again until the sound is suffocating. For Lamb  grips you from its opening pages, and it never gives a second for you to let go. It begins with Lamb. And what I love about Lamb is she's not our typical protagonist. She's quieter. Nearly friendless besides her brother and mother. She is remarkable only in her singing prowess, and even that is subdued by her own shyness. Because of this, For Lamb  feels more psychological. Our quiet protagonist creates a world of introspection. We spend more time in Lamb's thoughts then in the action of the story, and the payoff feels powerful. But the scope of For Lamb  is far and wide. A wide range of characters also tell

This #BookTalkTuesday brings you The Windeby Puzzle by @LoisLowryWriter - a fascinating “What if…” to a puzzle that’s befuddled archeologists for over 7 decades #book #books #booktalk #BookLover #bookblogger pic.twitter.com/p99KHbRdDg — Daniel Valentin (@DanielJValentin) February 21, 2023

This #BookTalkTuesday brings you Simon Sort of Says by @erinbowbooks - a must read for teachers because it’s all too real. Middle schoolers will be charmed by Simon and the text’s wonderful cast of characters #book #books #booktalk #BookLover pic.twitter.com/RjDzvBvcks — Daniel Valentin (@DanielJValentin) February 14, 2023

It's only a matter of time before a middle school book becomes book of the year. I'm not saying What Happened to Rachel Riley? is that book. I'm also not not saying that either. It's not often a book surprises you, but like Courtney Summers and Tiffany Jackson, Swinarski tells the story through multigenre. Diary entries, passed notes, hall passes, e-mails and podcasts are just some of the elements that make up this wild and delightful text. Anna Hunt is an inquisitive eighth grade who moves into a new town. When she is assigned an un-essay (an essay where you can write about your essay in a multitude of forms as long as it's not a traditional essay), she explores the question that's been bothering her since she arrived to this town: What Happened to Rachel Riley? Immediately you will be intrigued by both Anna Hunt and Rachel Riley. Rachel Riley is a social pariah. A name so toxic no one dears utter it. What's also clear is that Rachel Riley was an "it&q

This #BookTalkTuesday brings you How to Sell a Haunted House by @grady_hendrix - the first great horror book of 2023. #book #books #booktalk #BookLover #BookTwitter pic.twitter.com/OWXBTZHMBn — Daniel Valentin (@DanielJValentin) February 7, 2023

Dystopian fiction is having a renaissance in adult fiction. From last year's  Our Missing Hearts to The School for Good Mothers,  we continue to see a leap in sophistication and scope for dystopian fiction. The question is, as new fiction separates itself from the didactic and often quite expository dystopias of yesteryear (see Brave New World, 1984 and Fahrenheit 451), how "in the dark" can the audience be about its world and society? I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself  certainly tries to push the boundaries of what the author is willing to reveal. What we know is society grants those who commit crimes or are considered deviants are granted a second shadow. A scarlet letter of shame that follows them around for everyone to see the error of their ways. The twist of this text is that Kris, who already has a shadow, loses her wife during childbirth and this newborn child is granted a shadow.  The story is less about these shadows and more of a story about grief. What happens