This month was a sad, sad month on the reading front- only two books. I spent most of the month writing, not sitting on my ass doing nothing (although that sounds nice right now). Lucky for me, they weren't half bad.
Tell the Wolves I'm Gone by Carol Rifka Brunt
368 pages
After being cautious considering all the hype over this debut novel, I was pleased that it ended up being so good. June, a fourteen-year-old who is extremely close to her uncle, must come to terms after his death from AIDS. She ends up befriending his partner, a secret she must keep from her family, who blames him for the tragedy. Brunt's portrayal of the family dynamics and June's heartache is spot on- you felt for them all. The writing was also quite good- I look forward to her future books.
Verdict- Definitely read it. Brunt has a great grasp of plot, characters, and writing.
Vaclav and Lena by Haley Tanner
320 pages
While this one wasn't as good in terms of writing as the previous, I did enjoy it. The book begins when Vaclav and Lena are in elementary school, friends that work on Vaclav's magic tricks (he idolizes David Copperfield). Both from Russian families, they must learn to balance their traditional homes with American culture. Lena's aunt ends up neglecting her to the point where she is removed form her home, separating the two until they are teenagers, different yet the same in many ways.
Verdict- I enjoyed it- Lena's character will definitely tug at your heartstrings and I thought the magic motif was a nice touch.
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