Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Title: Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Author: Becky Albertalli

Release Date: 7th April 2015

My Rating: 5/5

Blurb:

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

In a Nutshell:

The Tales Compendium wishes to apologise for the excessive use of the words ‘awesome’ ‘adorable’ and ‘loved’ in this review.

My Review:

Over the past few months I have seen countless people rave about how awesome Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is. I’m so pleased to now be able to join in on the love fest because Simon lived up to my highly set expectations and left me in desperate need of more.

My first thought upon finishing was, “Well that was freakin’ adorable!”. I pretty much had a smile on my face the entire length of the novel. I love Simon’s quirky but cool music taste, his absolute love of Harry Potter, and his devotion to Oreos (they really should be in a food group all of their own!).

“As a side note, don’t you think everyone should have to come out? Why is straight the default? Everyone should have to declare one way or another, and it should be this big awkward thing whether you’re straight, gay, bi, or whatever. I’m just saying.”

There is such a wonderful cast of characters throughout the novel: Nick, Leah and Abby, Simon’s family, the Theatre Club kids and Nick’s soccer mates. Each character has something that draws you to them and I think there is someone for everyone to identify with. Each character could potentially fit into a high school cliché group/label yet they are all friends and I love that each person is recognised for who they are rather than their perceived differences. Or perhaps I’m reading too much into it. Either way, they are all awesome :D Yay for supporting characters!

“It’s Saturday, we’re in an empty, dark school, and we’re a bunch of theatre kids wearing pyjamas and jacked up on donuts. We end up singing Disney songs in the stairwell. Abby weirdly knows every word to every song in Pocahontas, and everyone knows The Lion King and Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. Taylor can improvise harmonies, and I guess we’re all warmed up from singing the Oliver! songs, because it just sounds really amazing. And the acoustics in the stairwell are freaking awesome.”

And then of course there’s Blue, who I was so smitten with when his identity was finally revealed. And I love that I didn’t pick who it was beforehand but when we learn who he is, he’s just perfect.

“He talked about the ocean between people. And how the whole point of everything is to find a shore worth swimming to. I mean, I just had to know him.” 

While reading, two-thirds of which was on a flight to Melbourne, I had to stop myself from laughing out loud and I was constantly putting the book down to take note of quotes and scenes I loved.

Speaking of scenes, I loved when Simon’s family were all together, doing their random family traditions like watching and commentating on The Bachelorette each week, or playing Facebook Scavenger Hunt over Christmas break. It sounded pretty fun actually, where someone picks a category, like a breakup, and then each person logs onto their account and the first person to find someone on their feed who has broken up, then gets to pick the next category.

The long running family joke that the three siblings are the chipmunks since their parents named them Alice, Simon and Eleanor (for those of you too young to know them, the cartoon chipmunks are Alvin, Simon and Theodore) was pretty adorable too.

“It’s actually warm enough for hoodies and pyjama pants and leftover ice cream cake and Scattergories.” 

An evening in the Spier’s household sounds like a pretty perfect evening I think!

As I said before, I didn’t want Simon to end, I was just so happy being in Simon’s world. What would make me really happy though is a companion novel featuring either Alice or Nora, Simon’s sisters. They both appear to have interesting stories to tell and I really wanted to spend more time with them.

Anyway, go read this book if you haven’t already because if you haven’t figured it out yet, here’s a hint: It’s awesome. Becky Albertalli, I’ll read anything you write.

The Tales Compendium wishes to apologise for the excessive use of the words ‘awesome’ ‘adorable’ and ‘loved’ in this review.

Nona and Me by Clare Atkins

Title: Nona and Me
Author: Clare Atkins

Release Date: 24th September 2014

My Rating: 5/5

Blurb:

Rosie and Nona are sisters. Yapas.

They are also best friends. It doesn’t matter that Rosie is white and Nona is Aboriginal: their family connections tie them together for life.

Born just five days apart in a remote corner of the Northern Territory, the girls are inseperable, until Nona moves away at the age of nine. By the time she returns, they’re in Year 10 and things have changed. Rosie has lost interest in the community, preferring to hang out in the nearby mining town, where she goes to school with the glamorous Selena, and Selena’s gorgeous older brother Nick.

When a political announcement highlights divisions between the Aboriginal community and the mining town, Rosie is put in a difficult position: will she be forced to choose between her first love and her oldest friend?

In A Nutshell:

A story about family in all its forms, friendship, growing up and finding yourself.

My Review:

Set in the Northern Territory of Australia during the 2007 Intervention by the Howard Government, through to the election of Kevin Rudd and his ‘Sorry’ speech, Nona and Me is an incredibly important and special book.

The story follows Rosie who, for the most part, has distanced herself from her Indigenous family after her ‘sister’ Nona, left the community six years earlier. Trying to fit in with Selena and her older brother Nick, who have moved to town from Sydney, has led Rosie to ignore her upbringing. When Nona re-emerges in the middle of year 10, Rosie is forced to re-examine what exactly the word ‘family’ means to her and what she is prepared to risk losing for the cost of ‘fitting in’.

With tensions building in the community due to a government intervention, the death of someone in her adoptive family causes Rosie to reintegrate herself and partake in traditional ceremonies. In the process, she re-evaluates what, and who, is important to her.

A story about family in all its forms, friendship, growing up and finding yourself.

Nona and Me is a positive book that helps to combat the generally bad press that is showered over the Indigenous communities in Australia. While our protagonist, Rosie, is not of Aboriginal descent, she has grown up living in an Indigenous community in which she and her parents have been ‘adopted’ by one of the families. The novel shows Rosie’s perspective from being both inside and outside the community as she’s torn between two worlds, trying to figure out where she belongs. Included throughout the text are flashbacks of Rosie and Nona’s childhood, which helps provide a backstory, as well as contrast, to the novel’s present-day events. 

Nona and Me helps dispel stereotypes and emphasizes the importance of family and community. Just because a way of life might be different from the one you lead, doesn’t make it wrong. We are a world of many cultures and each individual is influenced by their surroundings. It is our differences that make us unique, and also bring us together. 

I was caught ‘off guard’ as to how much of a page-turner Nona and Me would be. In the blink of an eye, I was almost finished. It was surprisingly captivating and I'd love to see this become required reading or go on a recommended reading list in all high schools.

Thank you to Black Inc. for providing this review copy.

The Taste of Apple by James Laidler

Title: The Taste of Apple
Author: James Laidler
Music: Don Stewart

Release Date: 1st November 2010

My Rating: 3/5

Blurb:

Pedro Jones is lost. Abandoned by his father and forced into commission housing with his Filipino immigrant mother, the future seems bleak.

But when Pedro meets the 'mad' street busker, Johnny Lazzaro, and gets involved with the East Timor freedom movement, life takes an unexpected detour through the uncharted back-blocks of the human heart.

The Taste of Apple is the winner of the IP Picks Award for Best First Book 2010.

In A Nutshell:
The Taste of Apple is a verse novel set in Australia during the late nineties and comes with an accompanying CD featuring music and lyrics relating to the book. It is a story about finding out who you are, the issues of racism, government accountability and responsibility, and highlights the plight of the East Timorese trying to seek asylum after the Dili Massacre of 1991.

My Review:
Set in Australia mostly during the late nineties, The Taste of Apple is a book about finding out who you are, discovering the simplest life-lessons from unexpected people, the issues of racism, government accountability and responsibility, and looks at rising to a challenge no matter what kind of hurdles are thrown your way. It also highlights the plight of the East Timorese trying to seek asylum after the Dili Massacre of 1991.

The book, told entirely in verse, is set apart by six chapters, each chronicling different stages of our main character Pedro’s life, from age ten to eighteen.

For me though
life was closer
to a tattered old garment
on the verge of unraveling.
There was no “golden thread”;
just frayed edges,
and poorly stitched up seams.

Pedro is struggling, living in a low socio-economic area where he faces daily racism and bullying as well as the added pressure of not fitting in at school. After his father walks out on him and his mother, they move into a council flat. Here Pedro meets local busker and activist Johnny Lazzaro, who is a couple of years older than him. The two form a friendship as Johnny takes him under his wing, educating him about the plight of the East Timorese and life in general. They also spend hours upon hours busking, creating memories and trying to forget the troubles of their lives.

Through the information Pedro gains from his time spent with Johnny, and Paddy, Lisa and Sister McKenzie who are also seeking to educate people about the hardships faced by the people of East Timor, Pedro’s world opens up, and he becomes more world-weary and knowledgeable. By request of his mother, he also befriends five-year-old Evie and old Mr Santiago, who live in the building. Pedro and Johnny help them in the new community garden project behind their 22-story council flat, giving both Pedro and Johnny another avenue to direct their energy.

The garden hose
held by a five-year-old’s hands
can be a dangerous weapon;
capable
of spraying
more than water,
but laughter and mayhem in every direction

All these little things help give Pedro purpose and his depressing situation slowly builds into something more positive.

And that’s when it comes to me
from the spent ashes of my anger
like a phoenix rising

An audio CD also accompanies the book with music written by Don Stewart and words/lyrics by James Laidler. It is a mixture of spoken word and song that are substituted for parts of the story or that add to what is already on the page (eg: When Johnny plays a song on his guitar, you can listen to that song on the CD. Or, when Pedro writes a poem you can listen to a reading of that poem with accompanying music). While I don’t believe having the CD is essential to the story, it does add depth and provides a richer experience. I was particularly taken with track 7 titled Johnny’s Song and also really enjoyed Season’s Apart, God Bless the Grass and Richmond Town.

Fireworks
spangle the sky.
Explosions
glitter-weep
then die,
while I
stand 22 storeys high
thinking of nothing
but Johnny tonight.

This was my first verse novel and while I’m still not totally convinced it is a format that I enjoy, I did breeze through the book and was able to appreciate the story that was being told and the benefits of said format. As you can see from the quotes I have provided, the descriptive language used was captivating. I also believe this would be a good text for high school students to study, with plenty of issues up for discussion.

“Better you eat the apple, Pedro
than the apple eat at you.”

The Taste of Apple can be purchased from the IP website.

James Laidler's website.
The Taste of Apple on goodreads.

Second Opinions
Words on Paper
bean there, read that

Black Painted Fingernails by Steven Herrick

Title: Black Painted Fingernails
Author: Steven Herrick

Release Date: 1st June 2011

My Rating: 5/5

Blurb:

'How about we toss a coin? Heads, it's west and a lift. Tails, it's still west, but no lift.'

James is heading into the country on his first teacher-training round when a mysterious girl asks him for a ride. Sophie has him all worked out: 'You live with your parents and they bought you this car, and a very nice car it is too...' At first James can't see past her wild hair and attitude, but then Sophie trusts him with a secret she's been keeping too long.

My Review:
This is a story about a boy searching for freedom, and a girl returning from hers. I love Aussie fiction, road-trips, new friendships, awkward male leads and confident females, so this was already a book for me before I even opened the first page.

It is a story that heavily highlights the pressure parents can put on their children rather than letting them choose the path they would like to take themselves which I think is a common issue for teenagers, and parents, alike. There were times I couldn't wipe the smile off my face, at Sophie's self confidence, spunk and boldness and at James's embarrassment at being in an unfamiliar situation. I was also brought to tears at one point when Sophie returns home. It's times like these that I wish I was more eloquent so I could really describe what I want to; I'm just really in love with this book!

James is one of those awkward teens who doesn't have any luck with girls and plays life very safe. Whether this is due to his mother's over-protectiveness, his lack of confidence or both, it means that when Sophie appears in his life, she is sure to turn things upside down. Sophie is a free spirit who left home to get away from the pain of loving people who leave, and the mindset of the small town she lived in. She is the total opposite of James, and just what he needs to help him discover what he wants in life. And James might just be the kind of person Sophie needs to face her family again.

Black Painted Fingernails is told in alternating chapters. James's chapters tell the story as it is happening in present time, with an occasional look back at the past. Sophie's chapters look at her life and how she ended up sitting in the car next to James, heading home for the first time in three years. I believe it is done this way because the problems that James faces are current whereas Sophie's issues all stem from her childhood. Both James and Sophie are attempting to face their problems but without their chance meeting, it may not have gone so smoothly. There are also chapters by James's dad and his mother. They each have a couple of chapters set in present time which help the reader to understand the environment that James has come from but also shows teens the difficulty some parents have when their 'nest' is suddenly empty.

Black Painted Fingernails reminds me of Swerve by Philip Gwynne and Wavelength by AJ Betts. All three books look at males in their late teens struggling with where to go in their lives and what will come next. In each case, a girl helps show them the way.

This was my first Steven Herrick novel. He usually writes verse novels which are not something I am a fan of, so when I discovered that his new book was going to be prose, and a 'road trip' style book, I was ecstatic. I have read so many great reviews of his previous books and listened to Nomes and Nic go on about how wonderful Herrick is that I knew I would have to try him eventually. I was in no way disappointed with what I found and might just have to give in and try one of his verse novels.

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

Title: The Lonely Hearts Club
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg

Release Date: 1st May 2010

My Rating: 4/5

Penny Lane is sick of boys and sick of dating, so she swears off it all and starts the Lonely Hearts Club.

What Penny doesn't realise is just how many of her friends feel the same way and want to join her club. Even some girls she'd never have thought would care, want t o sign up. Then the unthinkable happens...

So what do you do when you are the founding member of an anti-dating club and you start to have feelings for a guy who obviously likes you back?

Elizabeth Eulberg's debut novel is fun, with a great message behind it, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!

Penny and her friends are sick and tired of wasting their time on lying high school boys who don't treat them right. The solution? The girls swear off boys, get together, have fun and support each other, much to the annoyance of the male student body!

This is a story about taking control, being yourself and not changing for a guy. A story about friendship, appreciating and supporting each other, major girl power and how strong girls can be together.

Penny and the rest of the members of the Lonely Hearts Club are great role models for girls and there are no overtly dramatic parts like, 'Oh my life is over because he doesn't like me. I'm going to crawl up into a ball and die!' It is a happy, fun book and although they certainly have their share of problems to deal with, they combat them as a group and have the best year in high school they could ever imagine. There is always something happening in this story, it's fast-paced and never gets boring.

It's great to have a story about real girls and high school issues with a main character who is likeable and who has a supportive family. Aside from Penny there is a fantastic cast of characters in this book, someone for everyone to relate to.

The Beatles are a continuing theme throughout the book. From the name of the book and the cover (which looks fabulous), song lyrics (a way of leading into chapters and also Penny's way of expressing her moods and feelings towards others), Penny and her sisters' names are taken from Beatles songs and Penny's own obsession with the Beatles (passed down to her from her hilariously obsessed parents who live and breathe Beatles, from the doorbell chime to the Walrus in her dad's dental office and their vegetarianism because Paul McCartney says so). I have read some reviews where readers who are not Beatles fans have found the Beatles-mania annoying. I am not a major Beatles fan (yes I know there is something wrong with me) but I had no problem with any of the references. I loved it and I think it works really well BECAUSE it is a continuing theme .

I don't think this would appeal to adults. It is very much a read for high school aged girls and those in their early twenties who still love YA books.

The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan

Title: The Last Thing I Remember
Series: Homelander Book 1
Author: Andrew Klavan

Release Date: 2nd April 2009 (Australia)

My Rating: 3/5

Charlie West is a good kid. He studies hard, trains in martial arts, has just gotten the number of the prettiest girl in his class, and wants to join the air force after graduation. At least, that's the last thing he can remember.

But he has woken up in a nightmare. He's strapped to a chair, and someone outside the door just ordered his death. By calling on his deepest reserves of strength and focus, Charlie manages a desperate escape . . . only to find out that this nightmare isn't ending. There's a whole year of his life that he can't remember, a year in which he was convicted of murdering his best friend and working with terrorists.

Now, with the police hunting him and a band of killers on his trail, he's got to find the answers to some of the deepest questions there are: Who am I? What do I stand for? And how am I going to stay alive?

There is plenty of suspense and mystery in this story which will continue into the sequel as things unravel. It reminds me of a cross between the Jason Bourne books and Gabrielle Lord's Conspiracy 365 series. The sequel, The Long Way Home, will definitely be interesting as Charlie tries to uncover the truth and clear his name.

Swerve by Phillip Gwynne

Title: Swerve
Author: Phillip Gwynne

Release Date: 31st August 2009

My Rating: 5/5

17 year-old Hugh has had his whole life mapped out for him. He is an almost nerd (a Ner or Erd) who happens to be one of the country's brightest and most promising cellists. Oh and he has an obsession with everything to do with cars.

A week before the most important audition of his life, Hugh's newly found grandfather decides it is the perfect time to go on a road trip to Uluru, and Hugh's driving...and driving his dream car all the way there, a 1970 Holden HG Monaro GTS 350 V8.

Suddenly, completely out of his sheltered and pampered life, Hugh and Poppy hit the road for an adventure that will open Hugh's eyes to a whole other world! Little does he know that Poppy has an ulterior motive ... one that would take both their lives in a direction they never expected...

I absolutely loved this story and couldn't put it down! The writing is fantastic and it was great to read another YA fiction book that is not fantasy/science fiction or teen angst-y. As Hugh participates in a sort of 'right of passage' road trip from Sydney to the Red Center, he discovers there can be more to life than following all the rules. Gotta love Poppy as well, such a great character!

Reading this book took me back to the YA books I used to read almost 10 years ago, from the fantastic work of Margaret Clark (Care Factor Zero, Back on Track, Living With Leanne, On Ya Sonya), Glyn Parry's Scooter Boy, Jaclyn Moriarty's Feeling Sorry For Celia and Guitar Highway Rose by Brigid Lowry and the books by John Marsden. These were the books that first got me interested in reading when I was 12 or 13 and they still remain some of my favourite books to this day. Swerve took me back to this style of writing and everyday teens living in Australia with their own issues and insecurities. I can't quite explain what made them so special, but they are.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Title: The Adoration of Jenna Fox
Author: Mary E. Pearson

Release Date: 1st February 2009 (Australia)

My Rating: 3/5

Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?

When I picked up this book I had a very different idea/impression of what the story was going to be about. Ultimately I really like the concept of 'how far is too far?', medical ethics and scientific developments. It is very different to what is around in the YA market at the moment. I was quite surprised with the ending concerning Allys. Also, Jenna's other classmates were introduced as though they were going to play a pivotal role but it just didn't happen. And what about Dane, 'Mister Mysterious' who never really gets explained. While I understand the story is about Jenna finding herself and her family, I think the storyline with her classmates should have lead somewhere. Still, this is a great novel that asks some serious questions and deals with plenty of issues (medical ethics and technology, identity, everyday teen struggles, independence and family).