The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees

***Spoiler Alert***


☆☆☆
Author: Douglas Rees
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Released: September 27, 2011
Pages: 304
Genre: YA, Romance, Realistic Fiction
Source: NetGalley


I wanted the role of Juliet more than anything. I studied hard. I gave a great reading for it--even with Bobby checking me out the whole time. I deserved the part.
I didn't get it. So I decided to level the playing field, though I actually might have leveled the whole play. You see, since there aren't any Success in Getting to Be Juliet in Your High School Play spells, I thought I'd cast the next best--a Fame spell. Good idea, right?
Yeah. Instead of bringing me a little fame, it brought me someone a little famous. Shakespeare. Well, Edmund Shakespeare. William's younger brother.
Good thing he's sweet and enthusiastic about helping me with the play...and--ahem--maybe a little bit hot. But he's from the past. WAYpast. Cars amaze him--CARS! And cell phones? Ugh.
Still, there's something about him that's making my eyes go star--crossed...


As I read this book, I kept thinking, 'Yes! This is going to make four or five stars! I am loving this idea, the characters, the flow!' Then, the book dove...hard. Let me explain.


What a great plot! Girl wants the role of Juliet (what actress doesn't?). Girl casts a spell to get role after bum audition (what girl wouldn't?). Girl gets hot Shakespeare from the past instead (what girl couldn't live with that?). It's a sweet idea!


Miranda was not my favorite female lead character. Her character seemed flat and it was difficult to get a connection. In other reviews, bloggers have suggested that it was the fact that the author is male, so writing this from a female's perspective was awkward. I kind of agree to that. He seemed to put his effort into the male characters more than Miranda's. He did a great job with Edmund! I really enjoyed his persona, his passion, and his spark! My favorite was definitely Drew, though. Such a sweet, head-over-heels in love boy. The best friend that was always there. I think these two saved the book for me.


The biggest downfall was towards the end. I was happy with the explanation of Edmund's time travel to be magic. Bringing into the factor science experiments, battery-water....blah blah blah. It lost me. Then I actually laughed at the whole phone app thing. Really? Magic was more believable. It got way too confusing and too quickly. It was quite the let down.


On the romance-side of things, I did not like the battle of relationships. Edmund was a player. Period. It's the time-period he came from. For Miranda to just take him later on seemed implausible. He's dirty in more ways that just needing a good bath. It was obvious from the beginning that Drew had been in love with her. The way it all played out did not make me happy. Miranda was seconds for Edmund and Drew for MIranda. Ick.


In all, I gave three stars just because this story has such good promise. It didn't make even a fraction more because it just faltered in the end. I would love to get your opinions on this story.

Bluefish by Pat Schmatz

☆☆☆☆.5
Author: Pat Schmatz
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 240
Genre: YA, realistic fiction
Source: Netgalley
ISBN: 0763653349

Travis is missing his old home in the country, and he's missing his old hound, Rosco. Now there's just the cramped place he shares with his well-meaning but alcoholic grandpa; a new school and the dreaded routine of passing when he's called on to read out loud. But that's before Travis meets Mr. McQueen, who doesn't take "pass" for an answer-a rare teacher whose savvy persistence has Travis slowly unlocking a book on the natural world. And it's before Travis is noticed by Velveeta, a girl whose wry banter and colorful scarves belie some hard secrets of her own.


One fish. Two fish. Red fish. Blue fish. As a teacher, I find that a cute and witty name for groups in a classroom. Just like any other creative name to keep track of the groups. But never would I have thought of using them as names for kids in certain reading levels. That is just too easy of a way to segregate students and it's down right harsh.

I can see how Travis links his deficiency to the name of a title of a Dr. Seuss favorite. That label has stayed with him throughout his school hopping no matter what the name of the group is. You see, Travis can't read. It is demeaning to a child and is in no way encouraging to them. I love that Schmatz defines this, but shows how one student was able to slowly overcome. To describe such a teacher as McQueen who defies the odds and uses literature to fight past demons is amazing. As you read, you see the walls in Travis' life begin to break down as he learns to trust a teacher and fellow classmates for the first time in years. He learns to channel his anger and forgive others. There are so many lessons to be learned in this novel and all were tied perfectly to the character and finished with such grace.

I found the novel easy to follow with such descriptive words that you truly felt like you were walking with Travis in his life. The is a switch in point of view between Travis and Velveeta during each chapter. At first, I found it confusing, but once I realized what the author was doing, I found it inspiring. When reading Travis' side, it was done in third person p.o.v. so the reader could sense his emotions, but not grasp fully. It was more the point of witnessing his change. We learned about Velveeta by seeing a close side of her reading into her journal entries of the day. Her summary of events, her confusions, and her struggles.

My final review: a great story for middle school and wonderful for group reading in the classroom.