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.

“The Year of Magical Thinking”

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion While this is a book for adults, it’s also a book about grief—the psychology of it, the sense of loss of not just the loved one, but of oneself as well, of … Continue reading →

Posted in Biography/Memoir, Non-fiction | Tagged death and dying, grief | Leave a comment

“Thinking Fast and Slow”

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman The author is a Nobel Laureate in Economics (2002) and a psychologist by education and training. Thinking Fast and Slow just won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Current Interest this past … Continue reading →

Posted in Non-fiction, Over 375 pages | Tagged Adult books for teens, business, cognition, decision making, economics, employment, politics, Psychology, thinking | Leave a comment

“That Used to Be Us: Part V: Rediscovering America”

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Thomas L. Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V: Rediscovering America The authors reiterate that they are “frustrated optimists” who are inspired by “the number of people and small groups who are summoning … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Environmental Issues, Non-fiction | Tagged climate change, economics, education, politics | Leave a comment

“That Used to Be Us: Part IV–Political Failure” (back to our staff reading)

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Back to our staff reading–this is Part IV of fives parts of That Used to Be Us. Part I Part II Part III Part IV: Political Failure No one ever admits they do anything wrong. At least not on Capitol … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Non-fiction | Tagged climate change, economics, education, energy, politics, United States | Leave a comment

“Shine”

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Shine by Lauren Myracle “Bloody Sunday: Teen Brutally Attacked.” This is the headline from a (fictional) news article on the pages before chapter one. “Stunned residents of Black Creek, North Carolina, pray for seventeen-year-old Patrick Truman, beaten and left for … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Mature Readers, Young Adult Literature | Tagged hate crime, poverty, rural life, small towns | Leave a comment

Adult books for teens: “When She Woke”

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Adult books for teens: When She Woke by Hillary Jordan In a future United States, a scourge has caused pandemic infertility. Abortion is against the law, and when Hannah Payne is caught, she is imprisoned in the “Chrome Ward” where … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Faith-Based/Religious Element, Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Literary Read Alike, Mature Readers | Tagged Adult books for teens, future dystopia, Scarlet Letter readalike, The Scarlet Letter | Leave a comment

“Cloaked”

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

What makes Flinn’s fractured fairy tales so enjoyable is that they really incorporate magic. Elves, witches, magical articles like cloaks and rings—they are all at work in Cloaked. Johnny Marco works at his family’s shoe repair shop in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Fable/Fairy Tale/Fantasy, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Romance, Young Adult Literature | Tagged fairy tale readalike, fairy tales, magic | Leave a comment

Adult books for teens: “War”

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Adult Books for Teens: War by Sebastian Junger In the year between June 2007 and June 2008, the Korengal Valley was the most dangerous place for a soldier to be at war. The daily temperatures of one hundred degrees, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Controversial Issue/Debate, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Mature Readers, Movie Tie-In, Non-fiction, Over 375 pages | Tagged Afghanistan, Second Platoon Battle Company, soldiers, war, war stories | Leave a comment

“The Fault in Our Stars”

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Lucky me! I have another guest review by future teacher librarian extraordinaire Ms. Thomas. And if you follow reviews here, you know how I love John Green–so this is bonus day! The Fault in Our Stars by John Green Wise, … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult Literature | Tagged cancer, coming of age, death and dying, road trip | 3 Comments

“That Used to Be Us: Part III”–back to our staff recommended reading

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Victoria Waddle

Part I Part II That Used to Be Us—Part III: The War on Math and Physics Part III of That Used to Be Us starts with more bad news. Part I tells us that we underestimated the impact of globalization … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Environmental Issues, Non-fiction | Tagged climate change, economics, energy, politics | Leave a comment