2024 Reading Challenge - Update 2

Yesterday's book, Haunted Holiday, fulfills one tile. It is "A 2024 Release."

        I'm now one-third of the way through my personal Reading Challege. Hurrah!

"Haunted Holiday" by Kiersten White

Haunted Holiday (Jan. 23, 2024) by Kiersten White.

<This is the final novel in a pentalogy.>

<Spoilers included if you haven’t read the previous stories.>

The Sinister-Winterbottom twins are trapped in Aunt Saffronia’s spectral house, and Theo and Alexander must figure out how to escape so they can stop Essa and her mean-mustachioed henchman Edgaren’t (a.k.a. Van Helsing), save Wil + their friends and find their parents. Alexander decides to trust his gut and follow clues, which lead them to Siren’s Song Seaside Amusement Park. They find Marina Siren, but she isn’t the trusted adult they were hoping for. They locate their friends, but can’t get them out right away, discovering them in a maze of mirrors, though Wil isn’t amongst them, and neither is Mr. Frank. They are underwhelmed by the speed of a railroad velocipede; Alexander’s grateful it isn’t a velociraptor centipede (that’s fair, for that’d be horrifying to behold). They are appalled when Edgaren’t tries to lure them with churros, for nefarious churros should never be a thing. They are impressed by the giant battle robot, but are then disappointed when it doesn’t have an oven to serve warm chocolate chip cookies. More secrets will come to light, including who Essa is (she’s not a ghost), and mysteries will be solved. After all that, things might finally return to normal, or at least as normal as things can be since discovering you’ve been hanging out with a ghost aunt. And they’re still pretty sure Lucy’s a vampire.

        It’s a standing ovation for the final novel in the Sinister Summer series. If ever she wrote a spinoff series (perhaps beginning with LARPing at Camp [No Longer] Creepy), I’d be all for it before Alexander could shout, “Toilet alligator!” It’s a middle-grade gothic caper delight, brilliant in its comic writing and momentum-filled adventure. With this series, readers find that, behind every potential villain, is a person needing connection. To family and to friends. There’s also a little food for thought: What if sirens aren’t luring sailors to their deaths with their songs to be evil, but are trying to keep them away from hunting their innocent kraken bestie, who’s “just large and very tentacled?”
        Book 1: Wretched Waterpark
        Book 2: Vampiric Vacation
        Book 3: Camp Creepy
        Book 4: Menacing Manor

Rutabaga's Reads 2024: Part 2

I’m next out the compilation gate with a middle-grade post. In this entry, you’ll find mythology and a legendary, magical chocolatier.

Fury of the Dragon Goddess (Aug. 1, 2023) by Sarwat Chadda.

<This is a sequel novel.>

What would life be without Lugal (Mesopotamian word for war leader), the Mesopotamian god of madness, and his dear old mum, Tiamat, the great dragon goddess of chaos and mother of all monsters? Vacation. Definitely a vacation. Instead, Sikander (Sik) Aziz’s first time in London is anything but a vacation with his brother’s blemish-averse best friend, Daoud, his sort-of demon friend Rabisu and fierce, Kasusu-wielding Belet. They retrieve an ancient clay tablet, the mythic tablet of destinies, amidst a castle of chaos and fire. Sik unwittingly uses it to bring his brother, Mo, back, not initially realizing at what terrible cost. Sik’s troubles only increase alarmingly when the tablet is stolen and Belet’s taken, too. He tries to save her once and is alarmed when she doesn’t recognize him as the Sik whom she defeated Nergal alongside. She doesn’t remember Kasusu, either. Sik gets buried alive in concrete with no one but the ghosts of Bethlem Hospital (better known as Bedlam, a real place, and “a word now forever associated with uproar and discord,” p. 212) to keep him in mind-spiraling company, making it a very long two days. While Sik thinks someone else should take on the ancient gods of Mesopotamia, the fate of the world will, once again, rest on 14-year-old Sik’s shoulders.

            This follow-up to “City of the Plague God” packs in tidal waves of action and earth-shattering adventure of the Mesopotamian mythology sort, where readers encounter terms that are Arabic, Islamic and Mesopotamian (Per Chadda: While all Islamic terms are Arabic, not all Arabic terms are Islamic). “Fury” contains emotional range (not only fury, mind you, though there is that) and humanity amidst danger and chaos. Chadda doesn’t hold back, sprinkling in scenes containing xenophobia and Islamophobia and calling out Western theft of cultural artifacts with deftness that doesn’t take away from the action and adventure of the story. He also deftly and delicately explains the Muslim belief in one God (Allah) alongside the Mesopotamian deities: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger. Mama calls them djinn, and that works well enough. She sees them as spirits that decided to defy Allah and make mischief among humanity” (p. 135). For fans of mythology, this multitudes-containing epic tale written by a master storyteller is a must!

            Notable lines: “The desire to make the world a better place. That is the ultimate jihad” (p. 237). (A jihad is “a righteous struggle.”)

            Book One: City of the Plague God

The Spirit Glass (Sept. 5, 2023) by Roshani Chokshi.

<This is a standalone novel.>

Age 12 cannot come fast enough for Corazon Lopez, for that is the age that she can finally begin training as a babaylan, a rare mortal who guards the boundaries between the human world and the realm of spirits, under the teaching of Aunt Tina. When her magic awakens, she plans to bring her parents, Emilio and Althea, back to life, no longer needing to rely on the soul key that allows them to visit for a few hours every Saturday evening. A regular visit to the Midnight Bridge – a bridge between the human and spirit realms – brings an encounter with a vengeful ghost, who steals Corazon’s precious soul key. Aunt Tina tells her she must retrieve the key, so they can help the ghost move on, but the ghost refuses to rest. She’s looking for her “light.” With her on this quest is Saso (short for Samson), her companion anito. “They are the spirits of mountain rivers, streams and trees. The more powerful the babaylan, the more powerful and impressive the companion anito.” (Possibly the most impressive thing about Saso is his imagination. He says he’s a crocodile, but he looks like a small, blue gecko.) They also encounter Leo, a spirit guide who wants to write a ghost story. The spirit realm is imbalanced, and it must be restored, so says Librarian Bulosan, a kapre, which is “a tree giant who is often depicted as exceptionally hairy and fond of cigars.” Corazon will have to get two blessings and, at one point, calls on the assistance of a manananggal, depicted as beautiful (as opposed to hideously scary), and looks like a flying torso carrying Legs. Yes, her legs are named Legs. They must overcome insurmountable odds and right what is imbalanced.

Imagine my disappointment when I learned that this was a standalone novel and not the start of a new series delving into Filipino mythology! I didn’t think Chokshi could create a character more entertaining than Aru Shah, but she achieves that with this story that contains laugh-out-loud humor, but also imbues sorrow. Saso’s bloodthirsty personality is what had me in stitches. Just as magical transactions are known when they’re fair trades, a system of bargains and balances, so this story is well-balanced with comedy and tragedy. It’s a spellbinding middle-grade novel with an adventurous plot and excellent prose. Standalone though it is, it’s a new fantasy classic!

P.S. I want to live in a sentient house that sneaks pancit defiantly into my lunch bag!

 Wonka (Dec. 19, 2023) by Sibéal Pounder.

   Inspired by Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

   Based on the screenplay by Simon Farnaby and Paul King.

   Story by Paul King.

<This is a media tie-in novel.>

Before there was Charlie Bucket and Willy Wonka’s giant-yet-mysterious chocolate factory, before there were Scrumdiddlyumptious bars and golden tickets, there was a much younger Willy Wonka. A Willy Wonka full of magical, chocolaty dreams, where a “little orange man with the green hair” (an Oompa-Loompa) is real to Wonka but make-believe to everyone else, and chocolate creations such as the Hoverchoc, which will cause a person to levitate, exist. This Wonka is far from his chocolate factory. His reality is that he doesn’t even own a small kiosk, much less a storefront. He can’t with the Galeries Gourmet a.k.a. the Chocolate Cartel. Slugworth, Fickelgruber and Prodnose keep a record of their dirty deeds in a green ledger. It’s kept in a secured vault, guarded by a corrupt cleric and 500 chocoholic monks. The Chief of Police’s face isn’t clean, either. His face is stuffed with chocolate. To make matters worse, when Wonka neglects to read the fine print (Noodle, an orphan, did try to forewarn him), he winds up as a washhouse worker. It’ll take him 27 years, 4 months and 16 days to make up what the crooked Mrs. Scrubitt and Mr. Bleacher claim he owes in silver sovereigns. Wonka has company with others who failed to read the fine print: Abacus Crunch (Chartered Accountant), Piper Benz (plumber by trade), Larry Chucklesworth (professional clown) and Lottie Bell (switchboard operator). Wonka is full of dreams. How can he turn those dreams into reality?

            Although I’ve yet to watch the film of the same title, Willy Wonka is a classic character. When I spotted this movie tie-in novel at my local library, I jumped at the opportunity to be the first checkout. This origin story, written by Pounder, is a delectably fizzy blend of magic and mayhem, cocoa-filled dreams and hearty emotion with sprinkles of humor and dashes of cunning. The story’s adversaries are as easy to despise as lima beans (I simply don’t like them), while Wonka and his washhouse cohort are easy to root for. The storyline can be followed with ease, and the sugary magic is intoxicating. The worm water, on the other hand, I’d keep a great distance from. In fact, I’d eat lima beans instead. Happy trails as you live in a world of pure imagination!

Rutabaga's Reads 2024: Part 1

Here marks my first chapter books compilation of 2024. It features three books from the same series. If interested, I’ve attached links to the previous posts at the end of the eighth novel’s write-up.

Mindy Kim Makes a Splash! (July 5, 2022) by Lyla Lee.

   Dung Ho, illustrator.

<This is the eighth novel in a series.>

Swimming in P.E. class. What fun! Or it would be, if Mindy Kim knew how to swim. She’s never taken swimming lessons and thinks she’s too old as a nine-year-old in a class with six-year-olds. But Mindy is determined to learn so she can:

                        “1. SWIM WITHOUT FLOATIES

                          2. LEARN TO SNORKEL

                          3. MAKE FRIENDS WITH MANATEES AND DOLPHINS.”

She’s also been challenged by Brandon, the meanest kid in her class, to a swim race. The bully’s challenge will push her to learn quickly, but will it be enough? Will she splash to success or find a belly flop in her wake?

            It’s another delightful tale from Lee with complementing illustrations from Ho. While I love that this series features a main character who is, specifically, Korean, it’s a wonderful series for any chapter book readers, including emergent readers. The text is mostly simple, though adults may need to be on hand for occasional words like harrumphed. Lee’s Mindy Kim series puts a little more positivity into this world, and as long as she keeps writing them, I’ll keep reading them!

            Mindy Kim Books 1-5: A compilation post

            Mindy Kim Book 6: Mindy Kim and the Big Pizza Challenge

            Mindy Kim Book 7: Mindy Kim and the Fairy Tale Wedding

Mindy Kim and the Summer Musical (July 4, 2023) by Lyla Lee.

   Dung Ho, illustrator.

<This is the ninth novel in a series.>

Auditioning for the community theater’s summer musical, Cinderella, is new and nerve-racking, but it helps that her friends, Sally and Lindsey, are auditioning, too. She remembers the lyrics of her chosen song, and Ms. Maria Kamper, children’s musical director at Sunshine County Community Theater, laughs when Mindy reads lines for both Cinderella and an evil stepsister. Mindy really wants to be Cinderella, and she’s horrified when she’s cast as stepsister. She worries that being cast as an evil stepsister means that Ms. Kamper noticed meanness in her during her audition, which means she might not be a good, big sister in the future. With her dad’s reassurances that she doesn’t look like a bad kid and that the stepsisters’ roles are the comic relief, Mindy’s ready to “make the best of being an evil stepsister” by being funny.

            Lee’s writing is so naturally inclusive of all ethnicities, and they’re fun to read. They’re also relatable for the age; Mindy and her friends have recently finished 3^rd Grade in this installment. Being cast as an “evil” character may sound dramatic to Mindy when we as adults know the evil stepsisters are actually comedic in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. She and the cast must also deal with a bully. The story is delightful and resonates with realness.

Mindy Kim and the Mid-Autumn Festival (Sept. 26, 2023) by Lyla Lee.

   Dung Ho, illustrator.

<This is the tenth book in a series.>

After Mindy’s harabeoji (grandfather) passes away, Mindy, Dad and Julie travel to Korea to be with her dad’s family for the funeral. Korea’s annual, traditional mid-autumn festival – Chuseok – falls during their visit. Chuseok focuses on honoring one’s ancestors. Mindy is excited to participate in this celebration, which she’s never experienced in Korea. They’re gathered in Korea for a sad reason, but Mindy wants to figure out a way to celebrate her late grandpa. Will it be in eating his favorite kind of fish (cod)? Or setting out his favored fruit (apples)?

            I think it’d be an adventure participating in Chuseok in Korea. While one might call it Korea’s Thanksgiving, it isn’t like our American Thanksgiving, though there is also a lot of food involved. I love that, with this book, Lee is introducing a traditional festival that many may be unfamiliar with. I would’ve gobbled up these stories if they’d been present when I was a child and am happy to consume them as an adult. The story is uncomplicated, but still deals in life lessons (coping with the death of a loved one) and has a cultural theme. This 10th story is as adorable as the first nine.

2024 Reading Challenge - Update 1

The book I posted about yesterday, Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop, is starting off my 2024 Reading Challenge strong. It fulfills three tiles!

            1. "A Book Set in a Country You Want to Visit": I have visited Korea once before. That was in 2009, and I'd so love to go back.

            2. "A Book Written by a Person of Color": The author, Hwang Bo-Reum, is Korean.

            3. "A Book First Published Outside the U.S.": The book was first published in Korea.

    With this one book, I'm already one-quarter of the way there. Happy reading!