Ms. Richards' Reads: drug addiction

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Clockwork Prince

By Stephanie Richards April 24, 2018 // No comments

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Claire - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Description from the Publisher

True love is shrouded in secrets and lies in the enchanting second “steamy, steampunk drama” (Los Angeles Times) in the #1 New York Times bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy, prequel to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series—now with a gorgeous new cover, a map, a new foreword, and exclusive bonus content! Clockwork Prince is a Shadowhunters novel.

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when it becomes clear that the mysterious Magister will stop at nothing to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, tortured Will and the devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal and fueled by revenge. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa is drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa answers about who she really is? As their search leads to deadly peril, Tessa learns that secrets and lies can corrupt even the purest heart.

My Review

Oh, Cassandra Claire, you have done it again! You break my heart every time, and I love you for it. Once again we are taken to Victorian London to continue the story that began with Clockwork Angel. The character development in this book is excellent, most particularly Will, who grew SO MUCH in this book! Clockwork Prince is action packed from beginning to end and introduces readers to more characters in the Shadowhunter world. This book is humorous, and the plot twists are amazing. The love triangle between Tessa, Will, and Jem also continues and made me feel so many emotions. My heart is broken, and I cannot wait for it to happen again in the next book, Clockwork Princess.

Monday, February 26, 2018

Beneath a Meth Moon

By Stephanie Richards February 26, 2018 // No comments

Citation

Woodson, J. (2012). Beneath a meth moon. New York, NY: Nancy Paulsen Books.

Description

Laurel Daneau has moved on to a new life, in a new town, but inside she’s still reeling from the loss of her beloved mother and grandmother after Hurricane Katrina washed away their home. Laurel’s new life is going well, with a new best friend, a place on the cheerleading squad and T-Boom, co-captain of the basketball team, for a boyfriend. Yet Laurel is haunted by voices and memories from her past.

When T-Boom introduces Laurel to meth, she immediately falls under its spell, loving the way it erases, even if only briefly, her past. But as she becomes alienated from her friends and family, she becomes a shell of her former self, and longs to be whole again. With help from an artist named Moses and her friend Kaylee, she’s able to begin to rewrite her story and start to move on from her addiction.

Incorporating Laurel’s bittersweet memories of life before and during the hurricane, this is a stunning novel by one of our finest writers. Jacqueline Woodson’s haunting – but ultimately hopeful – story is beautifully told and one readers will not want to miss.

Realistic Fiction

Scholarly Review

Two years after Hurricane Katrina takes Laurel's mother and grandmother, she, her father, and brother move to Iowa, where she finds new friends and a boyfriend - and meth. Laurel's descent into addiction is brutally honest and narrated in her lilting, Southern cadence. Linking the large scale tragedies of Katrina and drug addiction, the novel tells an intimate and compelling story of survival.

[The Horn Book Guide Review, 2012]

My Analysis

This book is told from Laurel Daneau’s perspective as she becomes addicted to the “moon” (meth). The book is only 182 pages with larger print, so it was a fast read. I enjoyed the story of Laurel’s journey from addiction to sobriety with flashbacks to the story of how her mother and grandmother died in Hurricane Katrina. However, I felt like there was hardly any character development and that the book could have been longer. Because of this, the book didn’t hook me in like I thought it would based on Jacqueline Woodson’s reputation. I would have loved to read more about her relationships and to have seen more of her struggle.