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.
The Round House by Louise Erdrich Joe and his dad Bazil are a bit worried about Joe’s mom. She isn’t home on time and there’s no indication of where she’s gone off to. Worried enough that they borrow a car—she … Continue reading →
Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Human Rights Issues, Literary Read Alike, Multicultural
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Tagged Adult books for teens, American Indians, attempted murder, book reviews, coming of age, family problems, fiction, First Peoples, Indian reservations, Indian women, justice, mystery, National Book Award winner, Native Americans, Ojibwa Indians, race relations, rape, sexual assault
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Bang by Norah McClintock “Act normal? The guy died, and JD wants me to act normal?” Quentin—‘Q’—thinks he’s going to have the usual day with his friend JD. Q thinks about asking JD’s sister Leah out. He thinks about hanging … Continue reading →
Posted in Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Read 180, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged book reviews, crime, criminals in literature, hi-low reading, juvenile delinquents, murder, Orca Soundings Series, Read 180, reluctant readers, YA fiction, YA literature
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Picture This by Norah McClintock Ethan is living in his second foster home when he is enrolled in Picture This is a program for troubled teens. He’s learning photography skills and he’s good at it—creative and serious. So when … Continue reading →
Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Read 180, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged book reviews, foster children, gangs, hi-low reading, mystery, Orca Soundings Series, reluctant readers, YA fiction, YA literature
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Game by Walter Dean Myers “In a way it was like a bunch of guys in a game. They were falling behind every minute that passed, but they had lost interest in the score. It was as if … Continue reading →
Posted in Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Read 180, Sports, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged basketball, book reviews, hi-low reading, reluctant readers, sports, Walter Dean Myers, YA fiction, YA literature
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The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers “The war tried to kill us in the spring.” “Then, in summer, the war tried to kill us as the heat blanched all color from the plains.” ‘The war had killed thousands by … Continue reading →
Posted in Adventure Stories, Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged book reviews, death, death and dying, Iraq, Iraq War, post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, U.S. army, veterans, Veterans' Day, war, YA fiction, YA literature
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Such a Pretty Girl by Laura Wiess Fifteen-year-old Meredith (“Chirp”) is coming undone because her father, who sexually molested and raped her when she was twelve, is coming home from prison. It’s clear from the outset of Such a Pretty … Continue reading →
Posted in Faith-Based/Religious Element, Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Read 180, Romance, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged child sexual abuse, fathers and daughters, friendship, mothers and daughters, neighbors, rape, YA fiction, YA literature
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Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (Twentieth Anniversary Edition Audiobook) Ender Wiggins is a rare genius who may save the world from alien ‘buggers’ if he can prove himself in Battle School, and rise to the top command post. Of … Continue reading →
Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Movie Tie-In, Over 375 pages, Sci-Fi/Futuristic, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged audiobooks, book reviews, Ender's Game, movie tie-in, science fiction, YA fiction, YA literature
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The Beckoners by Carrie Mac Everyone calls April “Dog.” She’s been bullied all through high school. From being forced to eat a whole box of dog biscuits and retching in the hallway to being beaten within an inch of her … Continue reading →
Posted in Faith-Based/Religious Element, Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Read 180, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged bullying, gangs, girl gangs, high school students, YA fiction, YA literature
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The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey Another entry in the true horror category, The Monstrumologist starts with the gruesome discovery by a grave robber of a partially-eaten corpse around which is wrapped another corpse of a human-like creature. The grave robber, … Continue reading →
Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Over 375 pages, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged book reviews, grave robbers, horror, monsters, Monstrumologist trilogy, scary stories, YA fiction, YA literature
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Scowler is a great October read, one in a YA branch of the true horror family. So—this is NOT your love triangle with some supernatural creatures thrown in ala Twilight and its progeny. Scowler is Dark. Scowler is Disturbing. After … Continue reading →
Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Young Adult Literature
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Tagged book reviews, farms, horror, Iowa, meteorites, post traumatic stress disorder, psychopaths in fiction, PTSD, the family farm, YA fiction, YA literature
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School Library Lady 