Category Archives: Over 375 pages

A Face for Picasso

Posted on February 1, 2022 by Victoria Waddle

Ariel looks less and less like herself, a circumstance that makes her feel her identity is being stripped. Eventually, she describes her face as a mask she can’t remove. Continue reading →

Posted in Biography/Memoir, bullying, Human Rights Issues, Over 375 pages | Tagged book reviews, Crouzon syndrome, friendship, identical twins, memoir, parent-teen relationships, Teen Issues, twins, YA literature | 1 Comment

Parameters of the YA Novel: Is Bridge of Clay Still YA?

Posted on February 18, 2020 by Victoria Waddle

Bridge of Clay and YA Novels What are the parameters of the YA novel? Is Markus Zusak’s Bridge of Clay still YA? I asked myself this as I read this gorgeous novel. If you’re writing a novel that focuses on … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Grief, Over 375 pages, Young Adult Literature | Tagged Bridge of Clay, brothers, death, grief, Markus Zusak, siblings, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Adult Fiction: “Skippy Dies”

Posted on June 16, 2016 by Victoria Waddle

Skippy Dies by Paul Murray Skippy Dies has been described by more than one professional reviewer as ‘hilarious and horrifying.’ I would say that it is hilarious for a very long time, and then suddenly horrifying. This is true … Continue reading →

Posted in bullying, Faith-Based/Religious Element, Family Problems, Fiction, Humor, Mature Readers, Over 375 pages | Tagged Adult books for teens, book reviews, bullying, Catholic boarding schools, child-parent relationships, death, death and dying, family problems, friendship, grief, Ireland, parent-teen relationships, Paul Murray, romance, school problems, Skippy Dies, Teen Issues | Leave a comment

More Than Romance: “Love and Other Theories”

Posted on June 3, 2016 by Victoria Waddle

Love and Other Theories by Alexis Bass After freshman year of high school, Aubrey and her three best friends are on to an important reality: high school relationships don’t often last; in fact, given that high school students move … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Mature Readers, Over 375 pages, Romance, Young Adult Literature | Tagged Alexis Bass, book reviews, boy-girl relationships, friendship, Love and Other Theories, mean girls, parent-teen relationships, romance, school problems, Teen Issues, teen sexuality, YA fiction, YA literature | 1 Comment

Adult Books for Teens: Nonfiction: “Dead Wake”

Posted on May 28, 2016 by Victoria Waddle

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson The Lusitania, a British ship in the Cunard Line, was considered the most elegant passenger liner of its day. It was fast and luxurious, and a trip aboard was … Continue reading →

Posted in Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Non-fiction, Over 375 pages | Tagged Adult books for teens, American History, book reviews, Dead Wake, Erik Larson, history, Lusitania, nonfiction, submarine warfare, submarines, U-boats, US History, Woodrow Wilson, WW I | Leave a comment

Romance: “Forever for a Year”

Posted on April 19, 2016 by Victoria Waddle

Forever for a Year by B. T. Gottfred Fans of romance, teen angst, realistic fiction, child-parent relationship issues–this is your next read! Yes, all of you. I’m so glad I went to the Ontario Teen Book Fest and found … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Mature Readers, Over 375 pages, Romance, Young Adult Literature | Tagged B.T. Gottfred, book reviews, family problems, Forever for a Year, friendship, high school students, parent-teen relationships, romance, Teen Issues, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Nonfiction: “The Warmth of Other Suns”

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Victoria Waddle

Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson While I found The Warmth of Other Suns enlightening in many ways, I was truly astonished by the revelation that African Americans leaving the South during the early years of the Great … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Human Rights Issues, Multicultural, Non-fiction, Over 375 pages | Tagged Adult books for teens, African Americans, book reviews, Great Migration, Isabel Wilkerson, Warmth of Other Suns | 1 Comment

Nonfiction: “The Half has Never been Told”

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

The Half has Never been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism by Edward E. Baptist I was fascinated by Baptist’s argument that an important foundation of American capitalism, and an essential element in the economic success … Continue reading →

Posted in Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Human Rights Issues, Multicultural, Non-fiction, Over 375 pages | Tagged Adult books for teens, American History, book reviews, Common Core, Common Core standards, Edward E. Baptist, slavery, The Half has Never been Told | 1 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

Adult Books for Teens: “The Harder They Come”

Posted on June 14, 2015 by Victoria Waddle

The Harder They Come by T. C. Boyle A cruise to Central America and a stop in Costa Rica sound like a vacation dream for a middle class retired couple. After all, Costa Rica is supposed to be a … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Controversial Issue/Debate, Environmental Issues, Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Mature Readers, Over 375 pages | Tagged Adult books for teens, book reviews, child-parent relationships, Common Core, Costa Rica, death, drug addiction, drug cartels, drug dealers, family problems, grief, Mendocino, mental depression, mental illness, murder, parent-teen relationships, schizophrenia, school problems, small towns in fiction, T. C. Boyle, The Harder They Come | Leave a comment