Book Review: Ultimate Game by Christian Lehmann

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Here’s a guest book review written by author Christina Hamlett

Ultimate Game cover imageTitle: Ultimate Game
Author: Christian Lehmann
Published: 2000 (originally published in French in 1996)
David R. Godine, Publisher

I’m clearly not the target demographic for Christian Lehmann’s gripping YA thriller, Ultimate Game. To begin with, I’m over 50, female, have never played a computer game beyond an occasional solitaire, have never seen “TRON,” and am daunted every time my husband upgrades our cell phones, computers, kitchen appliances or stereo systems. I often tell him, in fact, that he must never die because he’s the only one who knows where the “on” button is or how to troubleshoot pesky glitches when I can’t access my email. In a nutshell, if I were to find myself in the dark recesses of computer warfare such as the three friends in Lehmann’s novel, I would likely never be seen again.

The book is a fast-paced read (I finished it in one evening) and embraces two dark, very real themes. The first is the obsessive nature of virtual gaming and the insularity it breeds in young people whose time might be better spent reading books, playing outdoors and interacting with friends. Having interviewed a number of educators for magazine/newspaper articles as well as my own books, there’s a growing concern that communication skills are diminishing as students spend more and more time in front of their monitors or vigorously texting.

Secondly is the anesthetizing effect that violent video games and movies have on impressionable young minds. It’s almost as if they see it on such a regular and graphic basis that there’s a disconnect between the gore and horror of what’s on the screen and the realities of violence and bloodshed that exists in the real world. In Lehmann’s novel, it’s entirely plausible that the young pals would get caught up in their latest find—a single diskette with content that surpasses their wildest fantasies about daredevil deeds, destruction and death. It would make a good candidate for a book club read and discussion because of its undercurrent of morality issues and the underlying threat of becoming so obsessed with unhealthy pasttimes that you lose all sense of personal identity.

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Book Review: Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy by Carlos Eire

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Waiting for Snow in Havana cover imageCarlos Eire was born during the 1950s into a fairly well off family in Havana on the island of Cuba. The son of a judge, Carlos and his brother learned to expect special privileges that came from being the children of a well-respected and powerful man. But everything in his life began to change when Fidel Castro waged revolution and toppled the Batista government. In the early 60s, at the age of 11, he and his older brother were sent to the U.S. to keep them safe. They never returned to Cuba.

Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy is Eire’s memoir of those magical days he spent as a boy in Havana. He and his friends roamed the neighborhood freely, playing games, lighting off firecrackers, tormenting lizards, and generally living a carefree life.

Eire’s recollections paint a vivid picture of times in Havana both before and after the revolution. He tells of grand parties and palaces, and resisters he knew of who were imprisoned and tortured. He talks about a cast of larger-than-life characters he remembers, like his father who claimed to be a reincarnation of King Louis XVI of France and his cousin Fernando who  worked against the revolution.

We learn about how pervasive American culture was in Cuba in those days—Coca-Cola and  American movies were favorites. The tale is both enlightening and fascinating about the times, and it is also heartbreaking to read about the way of life that was lost forever for so many.

Like Eire, around 14,000 children were sent the U.S. during those days. Their parents hoped to bring them home after a short amount of time, or join them later. Most never returned, and many parents were never able to leave Cuba. This story is about that exodus as well. I recommend it for ages 14 and up as well as adults.

Author Christina Mandelski Talks About Making Cakes and Shares a Recipe for Fondant

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When I read Christina Mandelski’s book, The Sweetest Thing, I had a constant desire to make cake. But Christina says it’s a great inspiration to get book club members to try their hands at making cake as well. As someone whose “ugly cakes” have been famous with my friends and family for years, I could stand to have a few lessons myself. So I was happy when Christina offered to share a few thoughts about cake-making and a recipe with readers at Mother Daughter Book Club. Here’s her essay.

Let Them Eat Cake!

By Christina Mandelski

Hi there fellow book lovers—my name is Christina Mandelski, author of the young adult novel, The Sweetest Thing. I’d like to extend a big thank you to Mother Daughter Book Club. com for having me on the blog today.

The Sweetest Thing is the story of a gifted teenaged cake decorator named Sheridan Wells. She’s so good, that she’s become the go-to girl for cakes in her small Michigan town. Unfortunately for Sheridan, the rest of her world is a complete mess. You can read more about Sheridan’s story in the Mother-Daughter Book Club review here.

As the author of a novel about cake decorating, you can imagine that the number one question I get asked by my readers is: “Are you a cake decorator?”

And the answer is no, I am not. What I am is a big fan of cake artists. In fact, the idea for the book was born after watching the Ace of Cakes TV show with my own daughters. These days there are a ton of other cake shows and in our house we’ll always sit down to watch Cake Boss, or Cupcake Wars, or the Food Network Challenges (what those people do in eight hours is unbelievable!).

While I am not a cake artist, I did, however, do my research. While writing the book, I took a class at a local cooking school to learn the basics of cake decorating. I had a great time but what I took away from the class was this: cake decorating is HARD! It requires artistic ability and a great deal of patience (and I’ve not especially been graced with either). Still, I gave it a try…

Here is one cake I made for the class:

Cake with fondantIt wasn’t exactly Ace of Cakes material, but my daughters will tell you, at least it tasted good!

If you’ve read or are planning to read The Sweetest Thing for your book club, I’d encourage you to try to incorporate some cake decorating into your meeting. Fondant is fun and easy (think flexible, edible Play-doh) to make and work with.

If you want to give it a whirl, here’s a great recipe (you can also find it in The Sweetest Thing book club guide on my website). Make it before your meeting and store it in an airtight container. Make sure you have cornstarch when you’re working with the fondant, so it doesn’t stick to your surface.

You’ll need:

  • 15 oz. mini marshmallows
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon lemon extract
  • 7 cups (approximately) confectioner’s sugar

Directions: Grease microwavable bowl and wooden spoon with shortening. Pour in marshmallows and water. Microwave on high for 40 second intervals, about two minutes total. Mix should be soupy.

Immediately add corn syrup, lemon juice, salt and extracts. Sift in five cups of sugar, one cup at a time. Mix with greased spoon. Grease hands with shortening and knead in sixth cup of sugar in bowl. Grease work surface and take out mixture. Regrease hands and knead in the last cup of sugar. If too soft, more sugar may be added. Shape fondant into a mound and coat with shortening. Double wrap in plastic wrap and store in a plastic freezer bag, pressing out extra air before sealing. Allow to rest for at least two hours.

Bring the fondant to your meeting and maybe each mother-daughter team could try making their own bow (trust me, it’s easier than it looks!). Here’s the result of “fondant night” at the class I took:

Cake with fondant bowWanna give it a try? Here’s a step-by-step video that might help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vcVtBfgG8Y&feature=related

If you’d rather not mess with gooey marshmallows, why not encourage each girl and mom team to design a killer cake that represents a theme? Start a cake sketchbook like Sheridan uses in the book and see what you come up with (your only limit is your imagination!)

Christina Mandelski photo

Christina Mandelski, author of The Sweetest Thing

I’d love to see the results of your Sweetest Thing get-together, so feel free to email me pictures at [email protected], or post them on The Sweetest Thing’s Facebook page here.

And of course, no matter what activities you end up enjoying at your meeting, make sure cake is somehow involved—and have a piece for me!

 

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Book Review: The Darlings Are Forever by Melissa Kantor

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The Darlings Are Forever cover imageJane, Victoria and Natalya have gone to the same New York City school since day one, but now that they’re about to enter high school, they’ll all be headed to different places. Super smart Natalya got a scholarship to a prestigious school, artsy Jane was accepted into the performing arts school and quiet Victoria is headed to the same high school her sister graduated from with honors.

To quell their nerves at starting new adventures, they remind themselves that Jane’s grandmother had once advised them to do the thing they’re afraid of doing. That spirit of adventure carries throughout The Darlings Are Forever, a first in a new series by Melissa Kantor.

While I had a little difficulty remember details about each girl at the beginning, before long I was right there with each of them as they dealt with issues like making new friends, meeting boys, trying out for productions and testing the boundaries they’ve grown used to in many ways.

The issues that arise should resonate with many girls aged 12 and up: Can I welcome new friends into my life while staying close to old friends? How do you communicate to your parents that you’re growing up and ready for more responsibility? How do you find your voice to be your true self instead of what those around you expect you to be?

The Darlings, a nickname Jane’s grandma called them, manage to work out their issues in the end with just enough mystery left over to leave you looking forward to the next book in the series. I recommend it.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Hyperion. Please see my review policy for more info.

Book Review and Giveaway: Spinning Out by David Stahler Jr.

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Today I’m reviewing Spinning Out by David Stahler Jr., a book for young adults that I recommend for both guys and girls. As part of the author’s blog tour, I’m offering one copy to give away to a reader who comments here by midnight (PDT), Wednesday, July 20. (Please note: the giveaway is closed. Congratulations to Laura on winning.)

Here’s my review:

Frenchy and his friend Stewart are known for being goof-offs who pull pranks at school, and Frenchy expects his senior year to go by just like all the others so far. But Stewart has a different plan, and since Stewart is usually the one to come up with the ideas, Frenchy gets pulled along in his latest scheme: playing Don Quixote and Sancho Panza in the school’s production of Man of La Mancha.

At first Frenchy thinks this is just another elaborate prank Stewart has dreamed up, but as the production continues, Stewart seems to get deeper and deeper into his role and further from reality. He rails against the windmills set up outside of town, vowing to take them down. Frenchy begins to see signs that he is slipping away. Like Sancho, Frenchy has always liked playing the sidekick. Now he must decide whether he can step out of his comfort zone to help his best friend.

Spinning Out by David Stahler Jr. is a gripping story that looks at teen mental illness from several different angles. Frenchy is the best one to recognize what’s happening with Stewart, because his own father committed suicide after returning from fighting in Iraq. Yet, even he is unsure if what he’s seeing is normal stress or something more. Stewart’s parents want to believe everything is okay. The school counselor doesn’t see the issue unless other problems surface.

Frenchy is a down-to-earth character with problems of his own. He’s smart, but he figures if he doesn’t try too hard, it will be easier for him to succeed. And he won’t have to disappoint others if he fails. His dad’s suicide has affected him a lot, but he puts on a happy face so others won’t feel awkward around him. He’s sensitive about his mom and how she’s coping, but he doesn’t say much about it.

Like a play, Spinning Out is divided into acts, starting with the exposition, going on to rising action, climax, falling action and dénouement. The organization helps move the story along while giving the reader clues as to what to expect in the next section. Be aware that the main characters spend a lot of time smoking marijuana for some of the book, and there’s lots of foul language. Even so, I really enjoyed reading Spinning Out, and I believe it is a compelling story that shines a light on some important issues. I recommend it for guys and mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 14 and up.

Publisher Chronicle Books provided me with a copy of this book to review.

Book Review: Really, Truly, Everything’s Fine by Linda Leopold Strauss

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Really, Truly Everything's Fine cover imageToday I’m featuring a guest review by author Christina Hamlett

Title: Really, Truly, Everything’s Fine
Author: Linda Leopold Strauss
Genre: UA
Marshall Cavendish Publishing, 2004

In Linda Leopold Strauss’ YA novel, Really, Truly, Everything’s Fine, the sins of the father are unexpectedly visited on a bewildered teen daughter just when she thought that all was picture-perfect in her quiet suburban world. Although she’s not so innocent as to believe that her parents’ marriage was made in Heaven, the young heroine has nonetheless put her father on a pedestal and is, thus, shocked beyond words to learn he has engaged in criminal behavior. Strauss’ title choice is a good one in that it aptly reflects what I believe people of all ages try to tell themselves when life has served them a less than idyllic situation. Not only must Jill weather the embarrassment of facing her peers at school, the annoyance of well-meaning teachers and neighbors trying to counsel her, and the ongoing frustrations of dealing with her unhinged mother but also the challenges of trying to protect her clueless little brother. Add to this mix a strange new friend whose path might never have crossed Jill’s if the latter had not begun to see herself as a kindred outcast rather than one of the “cool” kids who has everything under control. My only criticism of this book is that professional intervention came along much later than it should have. Nonetheless, it’s a good read for mother-daughter book clubs because of the discussions that its core themes about confidence, integrity and personal responsibility will generate.

Christina Hamlett
www.authorhamlett.com

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Girl Up: Mobilizing Young Women to Improve the Lives of Girls All Over the World

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I recently read an article in Time magazine about Girl Up (girlup.org), an organization that “aims to mobilize 100,000 American girls to raise money and awareness to fight poverty, sexual violence and child marriage. In the article, writer Nancy Gibbs talks about how educating girls can have such a huge impact on societies all over the world. Here are some of the statistics she quotes:

  • An extra year of primary school boosts girls’ eventual wages by 10 percent to 25 percent
  • Girls who stay in school for seven or more years typically marry four years later and have two fewer children than girls who dropp out.
  • When girls and women earn income, they reinvest 90 percent of it in their families.
  • Less than 2 cents of every development dollar goes to girls.

Girl Up is a campaign of the United Nations Foundation, and its website has great information about what they do and how you may be able to get involved. I encourage you to check out the site; you may even be inspired to get your mother-daughter book club involved in a project that may benefit girls around the world.

Book Review: How I Stole Johnny Depp’s Alien Girlfriend by Gary Ghislain

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How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend cover imageDavid’s dad is a therapist who lives in the small French town of Cornouaille. David knows not to get to close to the patients, but Zelda fascinates him. She claims to be from another planet, and she’s here on earth to find her chosen one. To her it makes no difference that in the process of searching she needed to steal food, and when she was caught she sent to security guards to the hospital.

At first David thinks Zelda is as crazy as his dad’s other patients, but as he gets to know Zelda better, he begins to believe her bizarre story. And he finds himself inexplicably drawn to staying with her no matter what sorts of mayhem she creates during her quest.

How I Stole Johnny Depp’s Alien Girlfriend by Gary Ghislain is funny, and thoughtful. After hearing the name I was skeptical as to whether I would like it, but David’s voice won me over on the first pages. At 14, he’s self-conscious of his small build, interested in girls but sure they wouldn’t be interested in him, and curious. He’s never rebelled against his parents before, so he surprised that he feels so compelled to break their rules over Zelda.

David and Zelda break a lot of rules as they blaze their way for Cornouaille to Paris, where his ice-queen mother lives, to St. Tropez. It’s a wild ride that will keep you turning pages, questioning whether aliens really do live among us, and cheering for David along the way. I recommend it for readers, including boys, aged 14 and up.

Publisher Chronicle Books provided me with a copy of this book to review.

 

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