The Recovery

Review:

Six months after the fall of The Program, ex-handler Michael Realm is struggling with his guilt. After all, he was instrumental in erasing the memories of several patients—including one he claimed to love. With a lifetime of regret stretched before him, Realm vows to set things right.
- from the Amazon description

The Recovery gives us Michael Realm's story. It is a short story sequel to the Program series. It follows Realm as he tries to make amends to the people he feels he has wronged.

Good story, adds nicely to the world of the Program.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1363539/the-recovery

In a world before The Program....

Quinlan McKee is a closer. Since the age of seven, Quinn has held the responsibility of providing closure to grieving families with a special skill -- she can "become" anyone.
- from the book jacket

I loved The Program and The Treatment. Suzanne Young writes books that you can't put down and adds in twists that you don't see coming. The Remedy is a prequel to The Program but is about completely different characters. It takes place before the epidemic that brought about the Program in the first place and has an interesting, but creepy premise.

There is a company that provides you with a "closer" to come live with you and pretend to be your deceased child. This process is supposed to provide families with closure - families that are having a hard time accepting their loss. It is considered therapy. Usually, the parent has something they need to say to the child or they need to apologize for something that is making them feel guilty and unable to move on with their lives.

Quinn is on her longest assignment ever and she is having difficulties keeping herself separate from the dead girl she is impersonating. Her father works for the company and he pushed her to do this job, but why? And what are the mysterious circumstances surrounding the girl's death that aren't in the file?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The plot twists at the end totally floored me.

Recommended to:
Fans of The Program series and young adult fans who like dystopian novels.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1363516/in-a-world-before-the-program

Serial Reader

Review:

No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinised and studied, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinise the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water.
- Chapter 1, First sentence

So, I found this app called Serial Reader. It allows you to read classic books, one issue at a time. You schedule when you want to receive them. I receive one issue, every day at 8 am. This is supposed to make it easier for people to read the classics, I think. I actually really like it. War of the Worlds is the first book I read with the app. I wouldn't have read this book without it.

The book was kind of slow and unexciting, but I did want to see what happened. It was written in 1898, and I can appreciate the imagination of the author. But the book was slow moving and didn't have a lot of action. There was a bit of suspense, wondering what was going to happen and if people were going to die or survive. It just took so much time to find out the details.

Recommended to:
Adults who want to read the classics.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1361709/serial-reader

Ella Enchanted

Review:

That fool of a fairy Lucinda did not itend to lay a curse on me. She meant to bestow a gift. when I cried inconsolably through my first hour of life, my tears were her inspiration. Shaking her head sympathetically at Mother, the fairy touched my nose. "My gift is obedience. Ella will always be obedient. Now stop crying, child."
I stopped.
- First sentence, Ella Enchanted

Ella has to obey. She can ignore a request, but an order, she has to obey. This made her into a rebel, or maybe increased her naturally rebellious behavior. Ella is constantly in danger, and she cannot tell anyone about the curse. She spends her time trying to find the fairy that cursed her and trying to figure out how to get her to remove the curse.

This is a variation on the Cinderella story we all know. I didn't realize how much before I started reading. When Ella goes to the ball, she goes in a pumpkin coach with magical coachmen that all revert to normal at midnight.

I read this book as part of my graduate school project on strong female protagonists. Ella is for sure a strong person. She does everything she can to postpone her obedience. She knows she has to do what people say, but she doesn't have to do it in the way they expect. She tries to find ways to delay it as long as she can, even though it pains her to do so.

Recommended to:
Readers in grades 3-5 who like fairy tale princess stories.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1361695/ella-enchanted

El Deafo

Review:

"And being different? That turned out to be the best part of all. I found that with a little creativity, and a lot of education, any difference can be turned into something amazing. Our differences are our superpowers."
- Cece Bell, El Deafo

This is a graphic memoir about the author's own childhood. In the 1970's, technology was nowhere near as advanced as it is today. At 4-years old, Cece gets sick and loses her hearing. When she goes to school, she has to wear a big box (phonic ear) strapped to her chest to help her hear. So, in addition to feeling left out because she can't hear, she feels different because of the box. This novel tells the story of how Cece navigates the difficulties of growing up, navigating friendships, and trying to fit in.

The graphic novel is a great format for this story. Using rabbits is a perfect way to emphasize the hearing issue. The big ears provide a place to easily show the hearing aids, the wires and the box (phonic ear). The text bubble emphasizes Cece's difficulties. When she can't hear something, the fonts gradually fade out or the text bubbles are empty. When her well-meaning friend talks to Cece loudly, the fonts are larger and obviously represent a louder voice.

When Cece realizes the phonic ear gives her the ability to hear the teacher wherever she is in the building, she imagines herself as a superhero, El Deafo. She pictures herself in a cape and develops her alter-ego. El Deafo helps her through the tough times and keeps her strong.

This heartwarming story helps the reader understand what it must have been like to grow up deaf and the difficulties a child faces trying to fit in. I loved every minute of this story. Cece is a great character and I admire her resilience. The illustrations are colorful and cute, perfect for the story.

Recommended to:
Readers in grades 4 and up. I think anyone who reads this story will enjoy it. It is especially good for reluctant readers or kids facing difficulties.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1361677/el-deafo