There I was trying to make my way through
Cosmic which is by the same author as
Millions and should have been just flying along but I wasn't. There across the room sat Jordan
Sonnenblick's new novel, the sequel to
Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie, saying "Read me!! No, read me, now!!" like some young
Labrador with a tennis ball. Well, Mr.
Sonnenblick did it again. I could not put this book down until I finished it.
DGADP was mostly Steven's story and now seven plot years later we get Jeff's story. Told in the classic Sonnenblick first person narrative, the reader will travel through Jeff's 8th grade year in his head.
It wasn't enough to survive cancer as a seven year old now Jeff has to survive being a survivor. With his best friend Tad, a two time cancer survivor himself, and Lindsey the new girl from LA, Jeff has loads to contend with not the least of which is passing the new all or nothing state standardized test that could keep him out of high school. A fast paced blend of narrative, IM's and emails, Jeff's realistic voice will carry you through an important story full of laughs and some tears. This is realistic/contemporary fiction at its best. A genderless story for anyone looking for a well written novel. If you have not read DGADP you might want to do that since it really adds to the whole experience but it's not absolutely required.
If you can imagine Percy Jackson mixed up with the southern California high school scene, you can get a sense of Tera Childs' two part series. Phoebe Castro, happy high school senior, pretty, unpretentious, serious athletic runner, is sure she has a cross country scholarship to USC all wrapped up until her widowed mom surprises her with an engagement and a move to Greece. The surprises just keep coming when Phoebe finds out that her soon to be step-father is the head master for a high school for the descendants of the Greek gods, complete with special powers. Adjusting takes on a whole new meaning for Phoebe as she leaves behind her dreams, best friends and senior year. New friendships, new step-sister, new country, new school, new romance - could it get any tougher for Phoebe? Yes, it will. In this fast paced, realistic fantasy full of believable characters and emotions, you will experience Phoebe's ups and downs, laughs and tears as she navigates a whole new world with help from her California pals, her mom and some unlikely allies. (Looks set up for Part 3 BTW)
