by Laura Ford ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 29, 2021
A tender, engaging narrative intended to inspire positivity in the face of adversity.
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A small tabby cat with some special skills helps a reluctant young woman navigate challenging times in Ford’s YA novel.
Nineteen-year-old Wendy, who works as a web designer, has been recently losing her hearing. Doctors tell her that, eventually, the loss will be total, so she’s taking a class in sign language and practices lip reading to prepare for the future. The last thing she needs is to complicate her life by adopting a cat, but her parents insist that she take her recently deceased grandmother’s pet, which shares Wendy’s name.The humanWendy isn’t fond of felines; her parents raise and show champion purebred cats, which she feels has been their top priority throughout her life. That’s why they refuse to bring a “mongrel” cat into their home, where she might somehow compromise the award-winning Martha and Kiki. Wendy brings her to the local animal shelter, but they’re full up. Simon, a kindhearted shelter volunteer, suggests that she take care of the gentle little tabby until they have an opening. Soon, however, the new pet escapes from Wendy’s house and runs to the home of new neighbor Mrs. Matinka Budnick, where she evidently plans to stay; later, though, Wendy discovers the cat’s unique talents. The protagonist begins her narrative journey with a lot of emotional baggage, but Ford gives readers the opportunity to follow her as she embarks on some adventure and perhaps a bit of romance. She must start by learning compassion and building self-confidence, as spelled out in a note her grandmother wrote during her final days: “What will ruin your life is your attitude. You lose some things—but in life you will also discover some new things, wonderful things.” The plucky little tabby is the most endearing character in the book, and the charming and determined animal becomes Wendy’s fierce protector and loving guide. Overall, Ford’s uncomplicated prose and affirmative, directive messaging will be most appropriate for readers who are at the younger end of the YA range.
A tender, engaging narrative intended to inspire positivity in the face of adversity.Pub Date: July 29, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-52-559299-7
Page Count: 150
Publisher: FriesenPress
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Holly Black ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 2, 2018
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
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New York Times Bestseller
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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by S.A. Bodeen ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2008
A teen questions the world his father has created and finds some shocking answers. Fifteen-year-old Eli and his family live in the Compound, a state-of-the-art underground shelter designed by their billionaire father to withstand a nuclear attack and protect them for the “next fifteen years in luxurious comfort.” After six years of isolation, Eli still thinks about his twin brother Eddy and his grandmother, who were “accidentally” left behind the fateful night his father herded everyone else into the Compound and locked the door. Eli wonders why his mother keeps producing children, why his father stays in his locked study and why certain supplies are running out. When Eli unexpectedly connects to the Internet, he discovers his father has sealed them away from the real world. As his awareness of reality grows, Eli matures from a callow kid into a caring person who knows it’s up to him to save his family. Suspenseful and riveting, this debut novel raises serious issues about what it means to survive. (Fiction. 12+)
Pub Date: May 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-312-37015-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2008
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