Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on their own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

Today’s Topic: What is the best book you read in November?

Well, I’m happy to say that October’s stretch of mostly not-good books was only a fluke. November saw many awesome books, thanks in big part to my lovely CP, Heather Howland, who sent me a box of some of her favorites. Those included: Sing Me to Sleep by Angela Morrison (poignant and romantic), Sweethearts by Sara Zarr (realistic and reflective), Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols(fast-paced and steamy) and What Would Emma Do? by Eileen Cook (one of the greatest teen voices *ever*!). I also purchased and read Dirty Little Secrets by CJ Omolulu (so fascinating) and The Mockingbirds, by Daisy Whitney (important and multi-layered).

But my favorite book of November was Boy Toy, one I purchased and few months ago, then subsequently passed over time and time again in favor of some of the more hyped books sitting on the shelf around it. I SO regret not reading it earlier and, to settle the score, I’m going to take a stab at hyping Boy Toy, by Barry Lyga.
 

 From Goodreads: A riveting and disturbing novel about a seventh-grade boy who has a very adult relationship with his female teacher. Josh Mendel has a secret. Unfortunately, everyone knows what it is. Five years ago, Josh’s life changed. Drastically. And everyone in his school, his town-seems like the world-thinks they understand. But they don’t-they can’t. And now, about to graduate from high school, Josh is still trying to sort through the pieces. First there’s Rachel, the girl he thought he’d lost years ago. She’s back, and she’s determined to be part of his life, whether he wants her there or not. Then there are college decisions to make, and the toughest baseball game of his life coming up, and a coach who won’t stop pushing Josh all the way to the brink. And then there’s Eve. Her return brings with it all the memories of Josh’s past. It’s time for Josh to face the truth about what happened. If only he know what the truth was…

Let me start by saying, I got the same feeling upon reading Boy Toy that I got when I finished reading John Greene’s Looking For Alaska and Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere. The three are extremely different books, but all three are unflinching in their realism and their portrayal of very difficult teen situations. All three authors manage to say what needs to be said, even if it’s ugly or uncomfortable, and they do it in voices that have stuck with me.

Boy Toy is the story of a now eighteen-year-old high school senior who was sexually abused five years earlier by his teacher, Evelyn Sherman. Over the years, I’ve seen real-life stories similar to the one written by Lyga on the news, and interestingly enough, focus always seems to be more on the abuser. What was she thinking? Just how sick is she? How much jail time does she deserve? I rarely see much said about the victims, the innocent minors whose lives are changed forever. Boy Toy focuses on one such victim and shows with unwavering realism just how disrupted his life has become. 

Boy Toy‘s characters are fabulous, and the main reason I loved this book so much. Josh, our protagonist, is something of a child prodigy and a very talented baseball player. He’s also the self-described school pariah, thanks to the lengthy and highly inappropriate “relationship” he had with his seventh grade history teacher. Five years later, (just as Mrs. Sherman is being released from jail for “good behavior”), Josh is still confused, totally scarred by what happened. He’s traumatized, harboring misplaced guilt, and unable to foster any kind of normal, healthy relationship with girls his own age. Thankfully he has, Zic, an awesome and incredibly loyal best friend, who often serves as comic relief. Then there’s Rachel, childhood friend and the proverbial “one that got away.” She’s suddenly back in the picture and intent on challenging Josh every step of the way.

I’ll be honest: Boy Toy made me squirm more than once, and rightly so. The subject matter is intense and unsettling. There are several scenes of fairly graphic abuse that very nearly upset my stomach. We’re in Josh’s head the whole time and he certainly thinks like an eighteen-year-old guy. The language is sometimes harsh, but to me it felt honest and completely in character. That being said, Boy Toy is for those who prefer upper YA. There’s no censoring here, and that’s my biggest compliment to this book.

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it on their own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

This week’s topic: What was the best book you read in October?

An easy question to answer this month because I’ve read a few books in October that, in the end, did not live up to their hype. Perhaps my expectations were too high, or perhaps they just weren’t for me, or perhaps, when compared to the one really AMAZING book I read this month, they just didn’t measure up.

And now you’re probably wondering what that AMAZING book was.

It was FREEFALL, by Mindi Scott.

 
Here’s the Goodreads blurb:

Seth McCoy was the last person to see his best friend Isaac alive, and the first to find him dead. It was just another night, just another party, just another time where Isaac drank too much and passed out on the lawn. Only this time, Isaac didn’t wake up.

Convinced that his own actions led to his friend’s death, Seth is torn between turning his life around . . . or losing himself completely.

Then he meets Rosetta: so beautiful and so different from everything and everyone he’s ever known. But Rosetta has secrets of her own, and Seth will soon realize he isn’t the only one who needs saving . . .

There are a few reasons I was excited to read this book. One, I’ve been following Mindi Scott’s journey for a while now. Freefall is her debut and she’s from around the same area that I am, which for some reason makes her feel relatable. Two, Freefall is a “boy book” (in other words, the protagonist is a teenage guy and the plotlines are sort of male-centric, though that’s not to say females won’t be all over it!). I’ve read “boy books” before, of course, but none written by women–I was curious. And three, I love contemporary YA fiction, especially when it’s a little edgy, which Freefall certainly is.

First, I’ll comment on Seth’s voice because… it’s awesome. He swears, he drinks, he thinks too much about sex and not enough about school. He’s dry and funny He can be sort of insensitive, but at the same time, there are instances where he is intuitively sensitive without ever realizing it. He wants to be better, but he doesn’t know how. Seriously, had the name “Mindi Scott” not been printed on the cover, I would have assumed this book had been written by a teenage guy. The voice is that spot-on.

Freefall’s characters are very real. They have real problems and realistic relationships. They’re flawed–all of them, but that’s what made me want root for them. And they have motivations. Motivations that–gasp!–make sense. (This is one of the problems I had with some of the other books I read this month: a character would do something and I’d think–what?!).

And Rosetta and Seth together… I loved their interactions from the very first scene they shared. Their dialogue was natural and witty and it flowed well, plus, I could clearly see the things they grew to like about each other. Their relationship felt legitimate and sincere, not forced for the sake of the novel. I *got* why Seth wanted to be present for Rosetta, and understood why she wanted to be better for him. Oh, and they had a few pretty steamy interactions, too.

So, Freefall was definitely the book I loved best during the month of October. I highly recommend you check it out.

What about you? What was the best book you read this month?

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it on their own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

Today’s Topic: What’s the best book you read in September?

September was a bit of a slow reading month for me because I started a new WIP. I read Lucy Christopher’s Stolen (which was amazing–I mentioned it in this POST), Kody Keplinger’s The DUFF, and Sophie Jordan’s Firelight. I’m currently in the middle of Julia Hoban’s Willow.

But the best book I read this month, one of the best books I read all year, and now among my top five favorite books EVER was Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere. I know, I know. I’m a little late to the game. I remember seeing The Sky is Everywhere mentioned on more than one RTW August book list, but oh my God, I loved it too much not to mention it.

Here’s the Goodreads blurb: Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

First, I should admit I’ve become a bit of an impatient reader. When I hit a big block of exposition or background stuff, I usually skim over it so I can get onto the good stuff. Even books I really enjoy usually have parts I hurry through. Not the case with The Sky is Everywhere. I can honestly say that every sentence–every WORD–was crucial and beautifully written. Jandy Nelson’s metaphors were creative and spot on, her descriptions painted total and complete pictures, and her portrayal of grief and the crazy things that sometimes happen to someone immersed in sadness were entirely authentic. 

I always find it fascinating when an author puts a character in confusing or dismal or horrible situations, but still manages to make you wish you WERE that character. Lennie is flawed and selfish and rash, but still, there’s something about her you can cling to. And the rest of the characters… Joe, Toby, Sarah, Lennie’s eccentric family members… they are all individualistic and fully realized. You’ll want them to be a part of your life.

So yes, The Sky is Everywhere is by far the best book of my September. Check it out (and other responses from RTWers!) if you haven’t already!   

Oh, and here’s the trailer. It’s fabulous. 🙂