123: The Callers

Synopsis

Kenneth Oppel meets Andrew Clements in this riveting middle grade novel that will capture fantasy and fiction lovers alike as it thoughtfully explores the power of summoning, other worlds, and consumerism versus necessity.

Arresting, fast-paced, and thought-provoking, this nonstop middle grade adventure turns familiar magic upside down and inside out.

In the world of Elipsom, the ability to Call, or summon objects, is a coveted, crucial skill, revered among its people as both a powerful tool and an essential way to sustain life. But despite an elite family history, a phenom for an older sister, a best friend who is set to join the Council of Callers, and his mother’s steely insistence that he learn to Call, Quin doesn’t have the gift—an embarrassment made worse when his mother gets his sister to cheat for him on his Calling exam. But everything changes in a moment of frustration when Quin, instead of summoning an object, makes something disappear. And what’s more, he quickly discovers that the objects Callers bring into their world aren’t conjured at all but are whisked away from another world and a people who for years have had their lives slowly stolen from them. Now Quin must team up with Allie, a girl who’s determined to stop this unfair practice, and decide whether he should remain loyal to his family or betray them—and save the world.

In a story that explores some of the most crucial topics of our time—our relationship to consumerism, the exploitation of natural resources, colonialism, and the consequences of wanting more than we need—magic is sought, and truth is found.

The Good

+That it is a story about exploitation and oppression & taking of other resources without thought for them that is not heavy handed.

+I appreciate seeing solutions to the conflicts in the story.

+The world and magic are interesting.

The Bad

I did not have as much fun as I thought I would with the story.

Thoughts

I. This felt like young adult for some reason at a certain point.

II. Reminds me of Grimworld in tone, I guess.

III. The story is left open for a sequel.

IV. Oppression

A. Naming/identifying beyond the oppressors.

B. Oppression & stealing and not giving back.

I won this on goodreads from Chronicle Kids

112: On Rotation

Synopsis

For fans of Grey’s Anatomy and Seven Days in June, this dazzling debut novel by Shirlene Obuobi explores that time in your life when you must decide what you want, how to get it, & who you are, all while navigating love, friendship, and the realization that the path you’re traveling is going to be a bumpy ride.

Ghanaian-American Angela Appiah has checked off all the boxes for the “Perfect Immigrant Daughter.”

– Enroll in an elite medical school
– Snag a suitable lawyer/doctor/engineer boyfriend
– Surround self with a gaggle of successful and/or loyal friends

But then it quickly all falls apart: her boyfriend dumps her, she bombs the most important exam of her medical career, and her best friend pulls away. And her parents, whose approval seems to hinge on how closely she follows the path they chose, are a lot less proud of their daughter. It’s a quarter life crisis of epic proportions.

Angie, who has always faced her problems by working “twice as hard to get half as far,” is at a loss. Suddenly, she begins to question everything: her career choice, her friendships, even why she’s attracted to men who don’t love her as much as she loves them.

And just when things couldn’t get more complicated, enter Ricky Gutierrez— brilliant, thoughtful, sexy, and most importantly, seems to see Angie for who she is instead of what she can represent.

Unfortunately, he’s also got “wasteman” practically tattooed across his forehead, and Angie’s done chasing mirages of men. Or so she thinks. For someone who’s always been in control, Angie realizes that there’s one thing she can’t plan on: matters of her heart.

The Good

+A representation of Ghanian-American suburban family

+Story is approachable.

+A representation of the divide between Black Americans and Africans (in this case Ghanaians) can see things (it did not go deep into it because that is not one of the main issues the story is dealing with)

~ specifically the divide that can come with Black Americans history with the medical community/field

+It gave what people say is a realistic romance because it had both main characters have issues that make sense to who the characters are.

The Meh/The Bad

Vibes

A. Contemporary Romance hybrid- It feels in vibe more realistic contemporary than romance, but it did not give itself fully to realistic contemporary elements either.

B. Slice of life- So we would go from situation to situation/get into situations without buildup or enough attention/resolution. The story really could have had a resolution to issues in relationship with the main characters, but it picked up issues —-> dropped them —> then in final portion wrapped things up quickly.

-It gave a bit of a slice of life vibe because of its going from one situation to another.

I won this in a giveaway from William Morrow on goodreads