Author Archives: Victoria Waddle

About Victoria Waddle

Victoria Waddle is a Pushcart Prize-nominated writer and has been included in Best Short Stories from The Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction Contest. Her books include a collection of feminist short fiction, Acts of Contrition, and a chapbook on grief, The Mortality of Dogs and Humans. Her YA novel about a polygamist cult, Keep Sweet, launches in June 2025. Formerly the managing editor of the journal Inlandia: A Literary Journey and a teacher librarian, she contributes to the Southern California News Group column Literary Journeys. She discusses both writing and library book censorship on her Substack, “Be a Cactus.” Join her there for thoughts on defiant readers and writers as well as for weekly library censorship news.

“Held”

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

Held by Edeet Ravel Chloe Mills is living every high school student’s dream. She’s in Greece with her best friend in a summer volunteer program. She and Angie rarely argue, but after a disagreement with Angie, Chloe decides to … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Human Rights Issues, Romance, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, Edeet Ravel, friendship, Greece, hi-low reading, human rights, infatuation, kidnapping, post traumatic stress disorder, prison, PTSD, reluctant readers, romance, Stockholm Syndrome, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

New Adult Nonfiction–Challenge Yourself!

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

Challenge yourself to read some serious nonfiction. Try some books that argue against what you believe. Find out who is behind innovations, medical discoveries, and other significant change. Learn, baby, learn.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

“The Bully” and “The Gun”

Posted on August 26, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

The Bully by Paul Langan Darrell Mercer moves from Philadelphia, PA to California in the middle of his freshman year of high school. Although his neighborhood in Philly is not the best–even dangerous sometimes–he has a lot of good neighbors … Continue reading →

Posted in bullying, Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Read 180, Sports, Young Adult Literature | Tagged Bluford series, book reviews, bullying, friendship, guy books, hi-low reading, high school, high school students, life skills, parent-teen relationships, poverty, Read 180, reluctant readers, school problems, teachers, Teen Issues, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

“Go Set a Watchman”

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee With the flap over Harper Lee’s new book still simmering among readers I know, I have to admit that I’m surprised at how virulently both professional reviewers and ordinary lovers of To … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Human Rights Issues | Tagged Adult books for teens, Atticus Finch, book reviews, child-parent relationships, coming of age, critical thinking, family problems, friendship, Go Set a Watchman, Harper Lee, Jean Louise | Leave a comment

“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews There really is a dying girl in this novel, so to say that most of it is a lot of fun seems weird. But it is fun. You should … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Grief, Humor, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, cancer, child-parent relationships, children of alcoholics, coming of age, creativity, death and dying, family problems, fiction, friendship, grief, humor, Jesse Andrews, JLG, Junior Library Guild, life skills, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, mental depression, Teen Issues, YA fiction | Leave a comment

Sci-Fi/Future Dystopias: “Oryx and Crake”

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood Snowman (as in Abominable), who was once known as Jimmy, appears to be the last human being on earth. His existence doesn’t seem much worth living–the environment is in ruins and he cannot … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Controversial Issue/Debate, Environmental Issues, Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Over 375 pages, Sci-Fi/Futuristic | Tagged Adult books for teens, biotechology, book reviews, death and dying, divorce, environmental destruction, family problems, fiction, future dystopia, genetic engineering, global climate change, global warming, grief, human rights, Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake, science fiction, technology | 1 Comment

“We Were Liars”

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart As the first grandchild of Harris Sinclair, Cadence has a lot to gain. The Sinclairs are east-coast old money whose family came to the U. S. on the Mayflower. Harris owns a … Continue reading →

Posted in Fable/Fairy Tale/Fantasy, Family Problems, Fiction, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Romance, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, E. Lockhart, family problems, mystery, parent-teen relationships, Teen Issues, We Were Liars, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Adult Books: Memoir: “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened”

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson Jenny Lawson grew up in Wall, Texas, a small rural town that it was her goal to escape. Just as in many such tales, we find that in adulthood, the author … Continue reading →

Posted in Biography/Memoir, Family Problems, Mature Readers, Non-fiction | Tagged Adult books for teens, autobiography, biography, humor, Jenny Lawson, Let's Pretend This Never Happened, memoir, rural life, Texas, Wall Texas | Leave a comment

Mystery/Humor: “Croak”

Posted on July 3, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

Croak by Gina Damico For no reason she can figure out, sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby is one crazy angry girl. Previously normal and a good student, the high school junior can barely get through a day of school without punching … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Young Adult Literature | Tagged Adirondacks, book reviews, Crtoak, Gina Damico, horror, humor, mystery, small towns in fiction, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Adult Books for Teens: Common Core: Nonfiction: “Missoula”

Posted on June 28, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer Missoula, Montana is a college town and just about everyone there loves the University of Montana Grizzlies football team. Yet in the early 2010’s, the team was … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Human Rights Issues, Mature Readers, Non-fiction | Tagged Adult books for teens, college, college football players, college towns, Common Core, human rights, justice, justice system, Missoula Montana, post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, rape, rapists, victims | Leave a comment