A Tyranny Of Petticoats

A Tyranny Of Petticoats edited by Jessica Spotswood, 354 pages

“Crisscross America -- on dogsleds and ships, stagecoaches and trains -- from pirate ships off the coast of the Carolinas to the peace, love, and protests of 1960s Chicago. Join fifteen of today's most talented writers of young adult literature on a thrill ride through history with American girls charting their own course. They are monsters and mediums, bodyguards and barkeeps, screenwriters and schoolteachers, heiresses and hobos. They're making their own way in often-hostile lands, using every weapon in their arsenals, facing down murderers and marriage proposals. And they all have a story to tell.” I liked every single story in this book, although I definitely had a couple of favorites.  I love historical fiction and the stories in this collection were pretty impressive.  My favorite was probably High Stakes, which combined some fantasy with the history, and The Legendary Garrett Girls.  Both stories had a sense of the antagonist getting what they deserved in the end, which I love.  Teens who like historical fiction would enjoy this collection.

Dumplin by Julie Murphy

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
384 Pages


"Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all."

A good young adult book with a positive message.  The only drawback is the pacing is a little slow.  

Uprooted

Uprooted by Naomi Novik
438 Pages

"Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life. Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood. The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows-- everyone knows--that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn't, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her. But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose."

 An excellent fantasy novel,  I strongly recommend this title. 

Lisette's List

Lisette's List by Susan Vreeland
414 Pages


Lisette and her husband move in 1937 from Paris to a village in the south of France to care for the husband's grandfather.  The grandfather has 7 paintings that he earned by making frames for famous impressionists such as Cezanne and Pissaro.  As Lisette adjusts to the slower pace of life, the grandfather tells her the stories behind the paintings and the painters that painted them.  This increases her admiration for art.  When war looms large, Andre, the husband, hides the paintings to keep them safe.  He doesn't tell his wife where they are so she won't accidentally give away the secret.  When he doesn't survive, one of her list items is to find the missing paintings.  The book details the struggle of the french woman Lisette learning to grow and adjust to changing situations.

Vreeland has written other novels that take place around a famous painting or artist.  This one is less confined and because it isn't shoehorned to fit a certain situation seems much better than her previous novel.