[Second Look Review] When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds

Buy on Amazon or the Book Depository

Title: When I Was the Greatest

Author: Jason Reynolds (Twitter, Facebook, Website, Tumblr) 

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Genre: Young Adult- Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

Release Date: January 7, 2014

Source: public library

Synopsis via Goodreads:

A lot of the stuff that gives my neighborhood a bad name, I don’t really mess with. The guns and drugs and all that, not really my thing.

Nah, not his thing. Ali’s got enough going on, between school and boxing and helping out at home. His best friend Noodles, though. Now there’s a dude looking for trouble—and, somehow, it’s always Ali around to pick up the pieces. But, hey, a guy’s gotta look out for his boys, right? Besides, it’s all small potatoes; it’s not like anyone’s getting hurt.

“I felt good. I felt like, somehow,
we were all winning.”

In 240 pages Jason Reynolds paints an urban coming-of-age tale told through the eyes of a 15-year-old male. When I Was the Greatest is reminiscent of Of Mice and Men combined with a vanilla Guide to Recognizing Your Saints. The story is told in first person through Ali, "government name" Allen, an aspiring boxer who avoids fighting and captures the adventures of him and his neighbors, while exploring what family is over time. 

The character building is a priority in this story with the overall plot taking a back seat for the majority of the book. And honestly, it works. With a series of anecdotes, Ali's narrative guides us through the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn with his friends Noodles and Needles in tow. The secondary characters are authentic with their own splash of diversity and growing pains. Since the plot does take the back seat the pacing is slower, to a fault, with all of the action coming to life in the last 100 pages or so. In each chapter the storyline exposes more of each character's background, in turn testing the sacrifices necessary to be secure the bonds of family and friendship.

My one dislike is that everything is a little vanilla. Each chapter is almost too easy resulting in a gift packaged book and beelines for the first source of conflict resolution. However, this isn't enough to discredit the journey of young black males in the city and is an area where relative literature is lacking.

3.5 Stars: A modern coming of age tale with a classic literature twist. 

[Second Look] Roomies by Sara Zarr & Tara Altebrando

Buy on Amazon or The Book Depository

Title: Roomies

Authors: Sara Zarr (Twitter, Website) and Tara Altebrando (Twitter, Website)

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary Fiction

Release Date: December 24, 2013

Source: Public Library

Synopsis via Goodreads:

When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.

As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met.

This story was a nostalgic trip down memory lane and hit all the truth points along the way. The reality and uncertainty that comes with transitioning from high school to college is illustrated through duel point-of-views of two very different characters. Exploring topics on family dynamics, diversity and tolerance, romance, and lifelong friendships you laugh, cry and grow with the girls as they take their first steps onto a college campus. There are a number of YA novels that approach the college transition topic but I have yet to read one that challenges how much you change in the days after graduation to move-in day.

The story follows Elizabeth (EB) and Lauren (Lo) as they exchange emails throughout the summer and discover that sometimes you just need someone to listen. Someone you don't have to say goodbye to but hello. EB and Lauren have a number of questions as they navigate through the summer filled with questions about what is to come, however it's how each of them handles the hurdles that makes this story one of growing pains and aspiration. Just reading scenes about Lauren's family are enough to make you feel like you've run a marathon but that you'd also do it all over again. On the opposite end you can feel the pain behind EB's parental disjointedness as her mother seeks companionship and her father is absent. Both girls navigate first loves in two different fashions, but kudos for showcasing positive relationship building and sex positive scenarios.

With alternation chapters between their narration the pacing is on point to keep you flipping the pages as you read the east coast-to-west coast friendship grow and the transitions at home come to light. The flow from one point-of-view to the next is smooth and reads like two friends swapping stories over coffee. You can tell the authors took the care develop EB's and Lauren's personalities, writing styles and even means of communications. Lauren doesn't even have a smart phone and doesn't use technology extensively. (I really liked the challenge to being digital natives.) 

• I was once a residence hall director at a public university... this should be mandatory summer reading. CANNOT stress the importance of roommate agreements. :)
• I still work in higher ed so there were a number of scenes where I'm giggling because it reminds me of my afternoons with my freshman work-study staff gossiping in my office. 
• Life transitions are nerve-racking and it all happens so fast. As the book says, put down the phone, live in the now, cherish the time you do have with people and be prepared to move forward.
• WARNING: There were tears and feels but not where you'd think...

3.5 Stars -  Great gift idea for graduating high school seniors!

What concerns do you/did you have about moving away from home for the first time?

Have you ever had to "let go" of someone in your life as you moved on?

What are you looking forward to the most in college?

[Second Look] Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Second Look is an original feature showcasing books that

       have been sitting on the "to read" shelf for too long! 

Thirteen Reasons Why 
Author: Jay Asher (Blog, Facebook, Twitter)
Publisher: Razorbill - October 18, 2007
Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary, Thriller
13 Reason Why Project

Need help or know someone who does?

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

Thoughts/Review:

When I started reading this book I thought it would be about Hannah and her decision to commit suicide, and it is. More so, to me, it is Clay's story. This is about surviving a friend's death, understanding consequences when bystander intervention is absent and moving on. Asher has taken the time to highlight incidents that occur in most (if not all) high schools in the U.S. and abroad which further reaffirms issues of bullying in young people's lives. This book is also great for starting conversations with youth around bullying, social pressures, stress and suicide. 

I'll admit, when I finished this quick read I ventured over to Goodreads to mark it as "read" and read other reviews posted. I had a lot of mixed emotions and so I went for a walk... 

*Climbs onto soap box*

Below are some of my random thoughts for processing:

• Suicide does not need a valid reason. What I mean by this, is even if Hannah's thirteen reasons feel petty, they weren't to her and that's the point. Every human handles stress differently. Any one of these thirteen reasons have been someone else's one reason. For some people it's one bad report card for another it may be year's of abuse, and for another it maybe a life long struggle with mental illness. All equally valid reasons and with equal loss.
• It's not your fault. Clay says this often as he listens to Hannah's stories. He tries to replay events in his head to see when he could've reached out to Hannah and Hannah experiences/witnesses several incidents of her own, all bad things but none of them their fault. It's not even the "Baker Dozen's" fault. 
• We need bystander intervention training in schools/workplaces. You see this halfway play out in a scene with Justin and Bryce along with the effect of a failed intervention on Bryce's part. You also see this play out with Hannah and Jenny later on the same night. And you see plenty of characters stand by idly as things happen that should not. Hannah goes through great lengths in her tapes to explain why each of the situations are not acceptable and how they've built onto her snowball of non-escape.
• Move on. The last person Hannah calls out is Mr. Porter, her guidance counselor and English teacher. "Move on" is one of two choices he presents Hannah, which she uses as affirmation of her decision because she already knows that she cannot "move on". However, Clay uses the same advice to act as closure and spark a new hope. It's our ability to "move on" which allows each of us to wake up and start a new day. That doesn't mean forgive, forget, remain silent or become an activist. It simply means to finish today and begin tomorrow. Just move on. 

*Climbs off soap box*

The book was fast paced, thrilling and a page turner. Asher exhibits a really interesting take on writing with multiple points-of-view. It took me a minute to sort out the voices in my head, but I really enjoyed not having to wait a whole chapter until I could get input from the other POV. I'm looking forward to more writing from Asher.

Rating:

4.5 Stars - Read it in one sitting. 99% chance I'm reading Jay Asher's next book.