LAST IN A LONG LINE OF REBELS by Lisa Lewis Tyre!

LAST IN A LONG LINE OF REBELS by  Lisa Lewis Tyre! 

    

Lisa Lewis Tyre is a debut novelist and boy what a debut!  If you are looking for a great read for young adults or just want to recapture your youth with a book that has the ring of a Nancy Drew Mystery, Last in a Long Line of Rebels is a must read.

     

For the past thirty years, I have lived in houses that date back to the 1800s. Once I even tried to have a Historic Landmark Marker placed in front of one of my houses.  Let me just say, I was an adult and that whole process was a fiasco, so I could truly empathize with Lou's plight.  

After Lou inadvertently discovers that her Civil War era home might be demolished by the city she springs into action.  The thought of losing her home is unfathomable and her plan to save it is ingenious.  I was right there with our protagonist each step of the way.  Lou is outspoken and full of spunk.  No way is she about to take the news lying down.  The journey to save her home from being condemned is full of surprises because Last in a Long Line of Rebels is more than a story about saving an old house it also tackles the issue of intolerance that still exists in the world today.  

The novel is a coming of age story that allows the reader to make unexpected discoveries right along with the main character. Surprises abound the deeper into the novel the reader journeys.   Let's just say the further Lou digs into the past of her ancestors the more she realizes that one must continue to be vigilant in the fight against injustice or history can and will repeat itself.  Tyre's characters feel real and authentic and readers will be right there with Lou Mayhew on her journey of self-discovery.

Lisa Lewis Tyre’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, February 1st: Geo Librarian

Tuesday, February 2nd: Randomly Reading

Wednesday, February 3rd: All Roads Lead to the Kitchen

Thursday, February 4th: Life is Story

Monday, February 8th: Just Commonly

Wednesday, February 10th: Shooting Stars Mag

Thursday, February 11th: Musings by Maureen

Monday, February 15th: Peeking Between the Pages

Tuesday, February 16th: You Can Read Me Anything

Wednesday, February 17th: WV Stitcher

Thursday, February 18th: Tina Says…

Monday, February 22nd: The Things You Can Read

Wednesday, February 24th: A Chick Who Reads

Thursday, February 25th: Just One More Chapter

Monday, February 29th: Laura’s Reviews

Wednesday, March 2nd: Absurd Book Nerd

Thursday, March 3rd: FictionZeal

Monday, March 7th: View from the Birdhouse

I'd like to thank TLC for allowing me access to an advance readers copy (ARC) of  LAST IN A LONG LINE OF REBELS by  Lisa Lewis Tyre

Does  LAST IN A LONG LINE OF REBELS by  Lisa Lewis Tyre GRAB your attention?  Is it a novel you'd be interested in reading?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read!

Don't Forget To Be Awesome!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time, I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here

Book Tour: Six Weeks to Yehidah by Melissa Studdard

Book Summary Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Six Weeks to Yehidah

by Melissa Studdard (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, 170 pages

"The thing you would notice most was the rain, how the rain fell and fell and never seemed to stop. The sky was constantly swollen with it, then birthing it, swollen, then birthing again, and the hills, like greedy babies, suckled up all that rain. They shone and glistened green as the backs of frogs on bright green lily pads.

Annalise was ten then, old enough that she’d begun thinking about grown up things, like picking her own clothes out for school, yet young enough, still, to indulge in fanciful imaginings of enchanted trees and talking hills. Her best friends were the clouds that canopied her village and the verdant hills that hosted her most precious and outrageous dreams."

As spunky young Annalise travels from one adventure to another, she learns ancient wisdom traditions and gains deeper and deeper insight into herself and her world. Eventually she must make the most important decision she's ever faced -- whether or not to return to the self she has always known.

Published August 2nd 2011 by All Things That Matter Press

ISBN

0984651705 (ISBN13: 9780984651702) 

edition language English

My Review

Six Weeks to Yehidah by Melissa Studdard

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reading Six Weeks to Yehidah, the debut novel by Melissa Studdard, one cannot help, but be reminded of a few other books. In fact, the more I read, the more I began to formulate a recipe in my minds-eye:

Recipe for Six Weeks to Yehidah by Melissa Studdard

Directions: Take pen and paper and add the following:

A half tablespoon of The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

A pinch of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

A sprinkle of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

A smidgen of The Odyssey by Homer

A dash of A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

A teaspoon of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

A squeeze of Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment by Deepak Chopra

Mix vigorously and pour onto the page. Now read.

I must add that what Studdard has created is totally original and not a copy of any of the books mentioned in the recipe, yet certain aspects of Studdard's story do lend themselves to the comparison, but in a good way. 

Six Weeks to Yehidah is definitely different, and like the Chronicles of Narnia can be appreciated on many different levels.  Adults will see the deeper layers the book offers, while YA may simple enjoy it as fun fantasy. I will caution, it is one of those book that if you give up on it too soon, you will miss a real treat.

The overriding theme of the book is self-discovery, and I applaud the author for tackling such a difficult message. There are too few of these types of books out there for young people to read. Luscious narrative fill the 170 pages, and adventures abound. If you take the time to read this novel you will be rewarded twofold.

I also want to mention that the author has created a teaching component for Six Weeks to Yehidah that can be purchased separately entitiled My Yehidah-A Journal into the Story of You, which sounds like a must if you are considering using the book as a teaching tool.  One Amazon customer reivew by Scott Lutz stated, "Within these brilliantly written and illustrated pages of mandalas, writing prompts, and drawing spaces, children can explore and expand their creativity, and tap into the limitless potential within themselves. Melissa Studdard and Cheryl Kelley have created a magical instrument to serve as companion to the bestselling novel Six Weeks to Yehidah. Pick up some brightly colored markers and get set for a journey of wonder and self-discovery along with the vibrant and colorful characters in My Yehidah."  I've added this item to my wish list on Amazon, and I encourge you to check it out as well.

Image credit:  Amazon

I want to thank Sage at Sage's Blog Tours for the opportunity to read and review this book.

More about the author:

Melissa Stud­dard is the author of the best­selling novel Six Weeks to Yehi­dah, and its companion journal, My Yehidah (both on All Things That Matter Press). Since its August 2011 release, Six Weeks to Yehidah has been the recipient of many accolades, including the Forward National Literature Award and January Magazine's best children's books of 2011. It was also named a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards and is a current finalist for the Readers Favorite Awards.  

As you might have guessed already, she loves anything related to writing and reading, whether it's sitting alone with a book and a cup of hot tea, or attending a large poetry reading or literary festival. She also loves travelling, meditating, going for walks, bicycling, practicing yoga, and spending time with family. 

She currently resides in Texas with her wonderful daughter and their four sweet but mischievous cats. 

Review of OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy

OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to win an autographed copy of OyMG by Amy Fellner Dominy back in April 2012 on the YA Reads for Teachers (And Any Other Adults!) Goodreads group. I was so excited to receive the book and join in the discussion on Goodreads, but alas, the last third of the book waited for my summer break to finally see me complete this charming YA novel. Well, having just completed OyMG, I wanted to share my thoughts.

OyMG is the story of a young teenager, Ellie Taylor. Ellie is a born arguer, and she has par-laid this talent into becoming a successful debater. However, Ellie has just finished middle school, and wants to attend the private and ultra-exclusive, Benedict High School, which is known for having the best debate team around. Not having the money to attend, there is only one way Ellie can make her dream reality, and that is to win the scholarship that is offered at the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts Summer Camp that is held at the school. The one fly in the ointment is that Ellie has been raised in the Jewish faith, although her father is Christian, her family embraces her mother's Jewish heritage. How will she handle the problems that arise at camp?

I'll jump right in, the concept of uniqueness is one that has always intrigued me. OyMG addresses this theme in a big way. In movies, we see memorable characters that are unique and different, and we love them. However, movies are not reality, and even though these unique characters are placed on a pedestal and admired for their unconventional, unexpected, and unorthodox qualities-think the French film, Amelie-this is not the way of the real world. I guess the question I keep asking myself is, does the majority of society really value this type of person? We tell children that everyone is unique and that this is something to be valued, but yet "sameness" and "conformity" is often what is expected, and ultimately more valued, especially at school. I don't want to explore why this is true, but rather state that it is and relate it to the novel.

The main character, Ellie Taylor, is faced with having lived her life as someone who is unique-different, but when her dream of attending an exclusive private school forces her to deny who she is, she is quick to conform. All the while, telling herself she still is the person she always has been, and this conformity is just a means-to-an-end. In other words, Ellie lies to herself. Ellie is lucky enough to have her parents and her grandfather in her life, each try to help her see that by denying who she is, she is selling out, and this choice has consequences. One of the consequences is that Ellie will never be the person she once was if she denies her heritage/race and her beliefs.

I truly enjoyed following Ellie's progress through the novel. It is an easy read, geared more to tweens, in my opinion. The main characters are believable. One of the most flushed out characters in the novel is Ellie's Jewish grandfather, Zeydeh, who truly helps Ellie value and accept herself-just as she is. The wealthy anti-semitic antagonist is painted in a manner that helps teenagers see how someone can appear ever so nice on the surface, but harbor deep seated prejudices. Throughout the arc of the story, young people learn that discriminators don't look different; it is their actions that make them appear ugly, and this is what sets them apart.

Happy Reading!

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10 Greatest YA Series of ALL TIME...What do you think?

Here is Flavorwire's recent post on the 10 Greatest YA Series of ALL TIME.  What do you think?  How many have you read?  

The Time Quintet by Madeleine L’Engle and Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol are the top two, see the article for the rest!  10 Greatest YA Series of All Time