Lord Sunday--Garth Nix

I read this in April. I know this, because I wrote my review for the examiner in April. The review that I am going to copy and paste and put right here:

Title: "Lord Sunday"
Keys to the Kingdom series
Author: Garth Nix
Publisher: Scholastic Press, NY 2010
320 Pages

Garth Nix has finished his seven book Keys to the Kingdom series with the shocking conclusion "Lord Sunday."

"Lord Sunday" picks up where the cliff-hanging "Superior Saturday" leaves off with Arthur battling Saturday, Sunday, the Piper, and the Nothing that is destroying the House all while trying to hold on to the final speck of his humanity. As in the previous books Arthur’s main task is to find the lost Will and the special Key, but this task is more daunting since it is the last part of the Will and the most powerful Key that he must find in order to claim his place as Rightful Heir to the Architect and restore the Kingdom. Arthur is more powerful than ever and is no longer a mortal human, but even he needs help to accomplish this task.

Nix’s fans will not be disappointed in his final installment to the epic series. There are no loose threads—the fates of Suzy Turquoise Blue, Leaf, and the rest of Arthur’s friends and family are nicely wrapped up. The last chapters are mind-blowing and heart wrenching. Arthur must sacrifice everything if he chooses to save the Kingdom—and the people he loves—from oblivion. Readers waiting for answers to the big questions of the series will find them in "Lord Sunday. "

The Vast Fields of Ordinary--Nick Burd

The Vast Fields of Ordinary seems like your typical romance story. The main character is obsessed with a boy who is mean and verbally abusive but doesn't realize it until a nice sympathetic boy enters the picture. But this story is far from typical or ordinary.

Dade Hamilton is 18 years old and struggling with his homosexuality, his parents' crumbling marriage, and the disappearance of a young girl that deeply affects him. For most of his formative years he has been in "love" with Pablo--a boy who uses him sexually but hides their relationship from his girlfriend, friends and family. Pablo can't deal with his own feelings and lashes out at Dade all while demanding that Dade be willing and able to satisfy his needs. Dade finally decides he's had enough when he meets Alex Kincaid. Alex is slightly older and is also troubled--he sells marijuana--but is nonetheless the nice boy that Dade needs. Alex is caring and loving and shows Dade that he deserves to be treated with respect.

At the same time that Dade is finding himself, his parents are losing themselves. His father admits his infidelity, his mother copes with alcohol and pills, and neither one of them is truly there for Dade. But when he needs them the most, they come through for him. Their reaction to his homosexuality is both believable and genuine. They are surprised but not shocked. Disappointed but not devastated.

Nick Burd treats the homosexual aspect of the story realistically and with respect. Dade, Pablo and Alex are not stereotypes. They are real characters coming of age in a difficult situation.

The Vast Fields of Ordinary is a touching story of a boy's first real romance. This story could easily be boy-girl-boy. The fact that all characters are the same gender is not a HUGE deal. And that's kind of nice.

Albany YA Fic Examiner

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Along for the Ride--Sarah Dessen

The daughter of divorced parents, 18 year old Auden has always been an adult. As a young child she taught herself to stay awake at night to try to prevent her parents from fighting. She threw herself into her schoolwork and studied instead of slept. She had acquaintances but no real friends, choosing to focus on her future academic career instead of having fun with kids her own age. After she graduates high school Auden makes her first spontaneous decision and decides to spend the summer with her father and his new wife and baby. While there she meets the mysterious Eli and learns how to connect with her family and make real friendships.

I've liked Sarah Dessen since the first book I ever read of hers--Keeping the Moon. Her previous stories were good and Along for the Ride is no exception. Dessen has grown as an author and it's easy to see how her new role as mom is influencing her stories. Auden may be her oldest protagonist yet (but don't quote me on that) but she still has a lot in common with Dessen's earlier characters. She's lonely, confused and in need of real relationships, but not just romantic. There's also a level of romance in Dessen's books, but what really draws me to her is her focus on female friendships and how important they really are to teen girls and young adults. It's not surprising that Dessen has written a complex female protagonist, but it is surprising how equally complex and interesting Auden's parents were as well. Dessen's depiction of Auden's stressed out step-mom learning how to take care of a newborn was spot-on; her portrayal of Auden's dad as a selfish clueless but ultimately nice guy was also realistic.

There's a lot of substance in this book. Dessen's fans will not be disappointed. She may win over some new older readers--I've convinced my mom's book group to read it!