Teen Book Review” Five Feet Apart by Rachel Lippincott, Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis

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I saw the movie before reading this book. The book Five Feet Apart is a novelization of the movie Five Feet Apart. The original screenwriters are Mikki and Tobias. This fact doesn’t make the book any less important. I loved the book. I read the book because I wanted to listen to the”voice” of the story. The novel is told in first person point of view as Stella and Will tell us their love story.

Why make a book if the movie was already made you might ask? Well, as you know many young adult fiction novels are being made into movies nowadays. The novels The Maze Runner, The Harry Potter series, The Divergent, The Sun is Also A Star, and Everything, Everything was all made into successful films.

Popular books have “build-in” fans who are almost locked in as supporters when books are adapted into films. Literary agents shop manuscripts to publishers and film production companies. I happen to be a fan of seeing book adaptations of my favorite novels.

Five Feet Apart tells the story of two teenagers, Stella and Will who both have (CF ) Cystic Fibrosis an illness that attacks their lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Stella and Will meet at the hospital where Will is part of a new clinical trial and Stella is being treated for an infection. After the two meet they fall in love. The only problem is that people will CF cannot have physical contact with another person with CF because they risk the possibility of getting an infection that might kill them.

The two try to stay away from each other but their love for each other is too strong. I loved this book and I think you will love it too.

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson – Book Review

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilderson tells the stories of generations of family secrets, struggles, and betrayals. The story is told with varying timelines one that focuses on Coventina” Covey” Lyncook. A Caribbean woman born in the 50’s who struggles with an overbearing father who’s deep in gambling debts. Covey and her best friend “Bunny” are talented swimmers. Her mother left her with her father and never returned home. Covey dreams of leaving her island home one day and going to the UK.

The second story focuses on Bryon and Benny Bennet, Covey’s grown children who are summoned by their mother’s lawyer. Her children have a strained relationship. After they are gathered together they discover that their mother has left them a recording that chronicles her life in the Caribbean, and United Kingdom. As they listen to the recording they learn about their mother’s tumultuous past and discover that they have a sister.

The story is rich in Caribbean culture, and generational struggles. It’s a mystery, romance, and the perfect book for anyone.

The book address LGBTQ issues, racism discrimination, and sexism. I loved this book and you will too.

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Teen Book Review: The Ballad if Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

This book is the prequel to the Hunger Games. The story focuses on the life of 18 year old Coriolanus Snow aka the future President Snow. Coriolanus along with 23 of his classmates are selected as mentos for the tenth Hunger Games. Coriolanus and his cousin and grandmother have fallen on hard times. His parents died years before during the war between the Capital and the districts.

Coriolanus is stuck mentoring a beautiful girl from District 12. At first he’s upset that he had to mentor someone from a lowly district as 12 but things changes ice he meets her. Like the Hunger Games trilogy this book will keep you wanting more.!

Teen Book Review: Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon

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I just finished reading Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon. Nicola Yoon is a master at creating the perfect teen love story. If you loved her previous novels, Everything, Everything and the Sun is Also a Star, you’ll love this book too! This story centers on the life of Evie, a young girl who was once a HUGE romance novel fan until she discovers that her father cheated on her mother. She parents end up getting divorce and the breakup leads Evie to give up on love.

One day while riding her bike home, Evie stops off at a “home library” in front of someone’s home. She picks up the book Instructions for Dancing. After getting the book things in her life starts getting weird. While at school, Evie starts seeing visions after seeing couples kiss. These visions enable Evie to magically see how each relationship starts and tragically ends. Vision after vision shows Evie doomed relationships. With the prompting of her best friend, Martin Evie sets out to solve the secrets behind her newfound powers. Her investigation leads her to enroll in dance classes where she meets Xavier, “X” the super hot grandson of the dance studio’s owners. Along the way to finding the truth Evie also find love along the way.

I really loved this book and if you are a hopeless romantic you’ll love this book too.

The Violin Conspiracy by Brenden Nicholas Slocumb

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All I can say is damn , this was an EXCELLENT book. It’s the kind of book you’ll read and then turn to page one when you’re done because you want to take the journey just one more time. A borrowed library book isn’t enough. This is a book you want to have on your shelf so that you could revisit its world again and again. This book doesn’t just tell a story. It uplifts the soul of any creative people who felt like they couldn’t “make it”. It reminds you of your dream and the passion behind it. It roots for the underdog. It speaks to you, the creative individual longing to have your dream fulfilled.

The Violin Conspiracy is the story of Ray McMillian, a violinist who dreams of becoming a professional classical musician. The odds are against him. He’s not rich like his peers who can take private lessons with the great. He doesn’t even have a decent violin and he’s a black man trying to make it in a world that feels his doesn’t belong. To make things worst his mother rejects this idea. She’d rather have him drop out of high school and get a job instead. After auditioning for a symphony Ray gets offered a full scholarship to study music.

While visiting his grandmother Ray if gifted his great great great grandfather’s violin. Soon Ray discovers that the violin is a rare and priceless Stradivarius and his career takes off. One night in New York after a performance Ray opens his violin case and finds a sneaker and a ransom note demanding 5 million dollars for his violin. Without going deeper the story and ruining the best moments, and there are many of them. All I can say is you won’t be able to put this book down. You’ll fight sleep just to read one more page. Enjoy! You won’t be disappointed.

Teen Book Review: You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus

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I just finished reading You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen McManus. I don’t have to tell you this. It was incredible. The book tells the story of Ivy, Mateo and Cal, three friends who decide to cut school. Their day off ends up being a nightmare as they stumble upon a classmate’s body in a studio downtown. To make things worse someone identified the person of interest as a blond woman leaving Ivy as the main suspect.

There are lots of twists and turns as you read on trying to figure out who the killer is. This book like her others is told through the point of view of Ivy, Cal and Mateo. All their stories weave together bringing together the perfect balance of romance and mystery.

Check it out now! What are you waiting for?

Teen Book Review: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

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I just finished reading A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. I have to say this was an excellent thriller. If you love Karen McManus then you will definitely lover this book. This books is about a girl named Pip. It’s Pip’s senior girl and Pip has decided to investigate the murder of Andie Bell for her senior capstone project. The only problem is that digging up clues from the five-year old crime starts to make people in town unsettled. Andie was supposed murdered by her boyfriend Sal Singh who killed himself after confessing to killing Andie. Pip never believed that Sal killed Andie and she sets out to prove it.

This is a great thriller filled with twists and turns as Pip slowly uncovered secrets. It’s the perfect who done it book. If you love thrillers this one should be high on your list.

Teen Book Review: Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

If you want to read a book was unique and fascinating characters this book is for you. Turtles All the Way Down is about a girl named Aza. Aza suffers-from paranoid delusions dealing with her health. She spends her days thinking about how bacteria or viruses will one day kill her.

Aza’s best friend abs sidekick Daisy is always by her side although Aza seems to live in a world inside her head. The two team up to claim a reward after the town’s resident billionaire mysteriously disappears after embellishing money.

Aza and Daisy both find themselves in relationships with boys as they grow apart. This story focuses on mental illness and teen relationships. You’re going to love it!

NaNoWriMo – Tips

Okay, I know this post is a week late but better late than never. It’s National Novel Writing Month and I am taking another stab at writing 50,000 words for my new novel, Remembering Me. This year I am working with a writer’s group. We plan meet on Sundays to check in with each other. I usually write on Saturdays for two hours with my sister who is also a writer.

Do whatever it takes to help you stay on track. I’m trying to write 1,667 words a day every day for the month so I can have 50,000 words which would complete my novel. Good luck.

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Scholastics Arts and Writing Competition

The Scholastics Arts and Writing Competition is here! This national writing competition offers up 28 awards in art and writing competitions. There are many categories of writing so there really is something for everyone. I encourage you to take a chance and apply. Seniors can submit a writing portfolio. There is also a $10,000 Presidential Scholarship competition for seniors. Prize include gold, silver and bronze medals.

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Below are the categories for writing. I quoted the descriptions Scholastics had on their website to make things clear. Deadlines vary depending on where you live but it’s basically between December and January.

Critical Essay

Writing intended to inform or convince a reader about a specific idea or topic, such as art or media reviews, persuasive essays, opinion essays, etc.

Dramatic Script

Work that uses dialogue, action, and stage direction to tell a story, including scripts for television, film, or stage.

Flash Fiction

Limit 1000 words

Humor

Work that uses dialogue, action, and stage direction to tell a story, including scripts for television, film, or stage.

Journalism

Writing that informs and educates about newsworthy topics or current events, characterized by a presentation of facts or description of events.

Science Fictions and Fantasy Description

Writing that uses supernatural, magical, futuristic, scientific, or technological themes as key elements of the narrative. 500 to 3000 words.

Short Story

500 to 3000 words.

Novel Writing

An excerpt from a long-form prose narrative. Please submit an excerpt no longer than 3,000 words as well as the text of the completed novel in a PDF. Novel submissions must also include a brief summary of the entire novel. Please follow the instructions below

Personal Essay or Memoir

A non-fiction work based on opinion, experience, and/or emotion that explores a topic or event of importance to the author.

Poetry

Writing in verse. May include but is not limited to prose poetry, free verse, formal poetry, song lyrics, and spoken word.

Senior Writing Portfolio

A series of 6 distinct works that demonstrate versatility as a writer and diversity in writing techniques and styles. The works can come from one category or any combination of multiple categories.