Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (December 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 320 pages Source: Publisher for review Rating: 5 of 5 stars Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart.
She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her"boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.
Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again? Review: This book embodies the strained relationship of a mother and daughter. Delilah is facing change as her mother moves her to her grandmother's house right after her death. They are faced with what to do with her belongings, along with the secrets they left behind eight years ago. Delilah feels like her world is falling apart. Her mother is constantly working and the death of her father right before her birth leaves her feeling like she has no parental connections. She has been rebelling by sneaking out with bad boy Finn recently and her mom's frustrations with her lead to a lot of heated arguments. The sudden move doesn't make Delilah feel any better.
Once they arrive Delilah stumbles upon a little boy from her past."Ricky", now known as Patrick, isn't so little anymore and Delilah can't help but notice. As they catch up Delilah learns about his life, his new love of music, and she tries to get a glimpse into what may have happened between her mother and grandmother eight years ago that had them leaving and never looking back. Patrick doesn't know the secret and it seems no one who does wants to discuss it. Her aunt Rachel tries to keep the peace but Delilah can't help but wonder what tore their family apart years before.
Sarah presents Delilah as a character who can be easily understood and connected with. Many families deal with similar situations with busy moms or family conflicts and Fixing Delilah does a fabulous job of exploring the issues surrounding these women.
Patrick and Emily, the girl Delilah meets in town, are amazing characters that help keep Delilah grounded throughout the book. The setting allowed the reader to relax and feel"cozy" within the lines on each page. As much as this was a story of helping Delilah find out the truth, it was one of allowing 3 women to bond and learn more about themselves by dealing with the past.
Fixing Delilah is the heart-warming story of love, loss, and finding your way home again no matter where that home may be. Obstacles may get in the way but the only way to heal is through acceptance and renewed strength. Sarah does a fabulous job presenting strong characters that each find their way into your heart as the story progresses. By the end, the book is more about fixing a family than just simply Fixing Delilah.
Find Sarah Ockler Sarah Ockler / Twitter / Blog / Goodreads
Pre-Order Fixing Delilah Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
Thanks to The Teen {Book} Scene for the tour opportunity!
1. Can you share with us something people would be surprised to find out about you?
Through Twitter and blogs, I'm such a chatterbox online that most people would be surprised to know that I'm pretty shy in real life. It takes me a while to warm up to a crowd and most social activities leave me a bit overwhelmed — I'd much rather hang out with a close friend one-on-one. Maybe it would be different if everyone in real life was as fun and awesome as book bloggers, but I think you guys are a rare breed.: -)
2. You share a lot of"high school memories" on your blog. Can you tell us your most embarrassing high school moment?
Um, that would be the time I decided to tell my crush how much I loved him. In writing. In a four-page letter. I think I may have casually thrown in the word"soulmate." His"I'm really flattered" response was mortifying enough, but when his whole football team got hold of the letter… let's just say I had to feign the flu so I could miss a week of school until the drama died down. Fortunately we didn't have texting or the Internet back then, otherwise I think my faux pas would've gone viral!
3. Twenty Boy Summer involves a secret first love and a horrible tragedy that follows. Where did you get the inspiration for this book?
I was inspired to write Twenty Boy Summer by the teens I met through my work with the National Donor Family Council, and organization that supports families whose loved ones have died and donated organs or tissues. I wanted to share a little bit of their stories, their fears, their hopes, and their courage. But as I was writing about the tragedy, I was also thinking about how life goes on, even when we don't want it to. So even though Anna and Frankie are reeling from Matt's death, they're also still dealing with everyday life stuff like clothes and makeup, boys, best friend drama. It's all part of life, and that's what I wanted to write about.
4. What advice would you give teens who are currently struggling with high school and first love?
This sums it up right here: you're not alone. And it gets better. Just like with bullying or any other struggle in high school, things do get better. Whether you're suffering from a broken heart, dealing with harassment, stressed about grades or family stuff, or just trying to figure out where you belong in this world, you *have* to struggle with that stuff — it's part of being alive and coming into your own. When you give up, that's it, it's over. But if you fight, struggle, question things, wrestle with the issues, if you can get through it, you'll come away stronger, wiser, and ready for things to get better. I don't mean to go all"After School Special," but I truly believe that. And besides, crappy high school experiences make for awesome YA books later in life!: -)
5. Fixing Delilah deals with complicated issues between a mother and daughter. What do you hope teen girls take from reading this book?
There is something important I hope both teen girls *and* their mothers take away from Fixing Delilah, and it's this: there is an entire world inside each of us — our secrets, our hopes and fears, our dreams and wishes, our mistakes and shame, our life experiences. We can never know everything about another person, but we can assume that we have this in common: we're all capable of screwing up, and we're all capable of immense love. I hope that moms and daughters remember that and come away from Delilah's story with a new appreciation for one another, even when things aren't perfect.
6. Your books focus on new discoveries and secrets revealed over the summer. Why do you think summer is such a time of change and new beginnings?
Because most teens have summers off in between school years, it's naturally a time to reflect on the previous year and think about how things might be different in the coming year. On summer break, we're away from a lot of the people and pressures we're faced with every day at school, and having that distance often gives us a new perspective on how things are and how we want them to be. Returning to school each fall is like a forced fresh start — new classes, new classmates, new challenges — and we face it with the knowledge and experience we gained over the summer. We've all seen some of our classmates come back from a summer break completely transformed, often as if they're entirely new people. Summer just does that, I think.
7. Can you share with us any projects you are currently working on?
I'm currently working on a new young adult contemporary, but I'm not ready to share too much about it yet! I will tell you that unlike my first two novels, this one is set in the winter, and it features such things as cupcakes, ice skating, a pet hamster, and very adorable hockey boys.: -) I'll be chatting more about it soon, so you can visit my web site for updates in the next few weeks!
Thanks again for hosting me today, Jessica! I hope readers enjoy Fixing Delilah!
Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (December 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 320 pages Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart.
She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her"boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.
Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again?
Find Sarah Ockler Sarah Ockler / Twitter / Blog / Goodreads
Pre-Order Fixing Delilah Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository / IndieBound
Thanks to the amazing Sarah Ockler for the interview and The Teen {Book} Scene for the tour opportunity! USE GOOGLE to follow the other blogs on the tour and stop back by Tuesday, December 14th for my review of Fixing Delilah.
According to local lore, an old butcher once lived in the woods off Holland Road in Western New York, near the railroad tracks. He liked his privacy, and to frighten would-be tormentors, he cut off the heads of pigs and put them around his property on stakes — that's how he earned his nickname. Well, one night, a few boys decided to ignore the warning and give old Pigman a scare. Instead, the butcher caught them, decapitated them, and put their heads on stakes, jammed into the ground near the old covered bridge.
And Pigman was never seen again… at least, not while he was alive.
Don don don don… don!
Fast forward 60 years. I was 19 years old, and I just got my license. My first car was a 1985 Celica GT 5-speed with 130,000 miles on it, a rusted bumper, and a hole in the gas tank that prevented you from filing it more than 1/4 up. Not bad for $500, right? It took me a while to master the art of stick shift, but I didn't let a little bucking and stalling stop me from escaping my parents' house any chance I got. And rusty or not, that car could MOVE.
One summer night, my friends and I decided to investigate the notorious legend of Pigman for ourselves. We didn't have any high-tech ghost-hunting gear or infa-red goggles, but we did have that 1985 Celica GT, a full (well, as full as it could be with that hole) tank of gas, and the kind of courage you usually find in a group of bored suburban teens with lots of free time and some major Superman complexes.
The rules of Pigman Road, as it was then called, went something like this: You drive down Pigman Road, stop your car under the covered bridge, and turn off the engine. Then, in the pitch black night, you're supposed to call out the name"Pigman" three times, and try to start your car. If your car doesn't start, you die. It's that simple. Party time, right?!
(What can I say? We didn't have the Internet back then. We had to make our own fun.)
We all piled into a couple of cars and headed out toward the tracks. My best friend, her boyfriend, her brother, and I were in the Celica with me behind the wheel. Everyone else was ahead of us in the other cars. We all drove onto the middle of the dark bridge. Killed the engines and removed the keys. Sat in silence for a few minutes to amp up the dramatic tension. And then, the chanting began.
"Pigman," we called in one voice."Pigman. PIGMAN!"
The other two cars started up and took off. From behind the wheel of that old Celica, my whole body shook as I jammed the key back into the ignition. Pushed in the clutch. Turned the key, praying it would start, praying we'd survive this ridiculous rite. The car started, and the four of us let out a collective nervous giggle as we started to roll. And then, poof. The car bucked and stalled. I tried to start it again, but it wouldn't turn over.
"Go! Get the hell out of here!" My friend screamed in my ear. My hands were slippery and shaky. My legs didn't work. I couldn't get the car to start — I just couldn't do it. Four young people in the prime of our lives were all going to die at the hands of some age-old legendary psycho butcher ghost, and it was all my fault. Seconds-that-felt-like-hours later, my friend's boyfriend crawled over to the front seat and shoved me out of the way. He pushed in the clutch, started up the engine, and squealed out of there as fast as we could possibly go in the ol' rustbucket, which, as it turns out, was over 110 miles per hour (kids, do NOT try this at home). None of us could speak. We kept waiting for a train to hit us, the car to skid and careen down the embankment, or a half-man half-pig monster to appear in the back seat with a big meat cleaver, sharpened for the kill.
Minutes passed, the tires rolling down the old dark road, finally slowing to a safer speed. Certain we were out of immediate danger, we pulled over and met up with the rest of our friends at the other, non-Pigman end the railroad tracks. We tried to laugh with them at our own expense, but it's hard to laugh when you're not even sure your heart's still beating. Eventually, encouraged by the friendly taunts and the safety-in-numbers thing, we relaxed. It looked like we might just survive the night after all. Pigman? What a silly little game for silly little kids! Eat me, Pigman! Ha. Ha. Ha.
Ha!
That's when we saw the flashlights bouncing out of the woods. Faster. There were footsteps. Shouts.
"Don't move," a deep voice ordered. A tall man approached the tracks, bright white flashlight blinding us to his appearance."IDs. All of you. Get 'em out."
Another man joined him, bathing us in light. It was one of the few times in our short, trouble-making careers that we were thrilled to be harassed by cops. We tried to explain what the hell we were doing out on the railroad tracks on Pigman Road in the middle of the night, alternately screaming and laughing. We tried to tell them about the legendary butcher and the stalled car and how we almost died, just moments before. It didn't look like they were buying it. But we weren't drinking or anything, and fortunately they hadn't clocked us speeding out of there, so the cops just returned our IDs and shooed us away. I figured they were used to that sort of things — chasing away stupid kids who come to test the Pigman legend for themselves.
Later, I learned that Pigman Road was not only the supposed property of the murderous butcher, but the actual site of a heinous train wreck in the 1860s in which 50 people were burned alive in a flaming train car. Apparently, police monitor the area constantly, many claiming that supernatural activity is rampant under the old bridge. Some think it's the ghosts of the people who died in the train accident. Others — perhaps the officers that tracked us down — believe that the legend of Pigman is real.
Pigman or train passenger ghosts, we survived the night. And the one after that and the one after that. We went back to college, back to work. On to marriages and kids and jobs and real life. And soon the legend of Pigman faded into our collective memories of the best of times, the worst of times, the creepiest of times.
As for the old Celica GT? Well, Pigman's curse or not, that car finally did die a painful death a year later when my friend tried to race it up the side of a mountain to impress a girl.
And now I drive an automatic, just in case.: -)
Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (December 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 320 pages Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart.
She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her"boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.
Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again?
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (June 1st, 2009) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 290 pages "Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it." "Okay." "Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?" "Don't worry." I laughed."It's our secret, right?"
According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.
Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.
Prize:
1 winner will receive a signed copy of Fixing Delilah OR Twenty Boy Summer. Winner picks!
Rules:
You must be at least 13 to enter.
Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
Contest is US ONLY and ends November 13th.
Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
The form must be filled out to enter.
- Thanks so much Sarah for the book donation and story! Find Sarah Ockler Sarah Ockler / Twitter / Blog / Goodreads
Pre-Order Fixing Delilah Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
Purchase Twenty Boy Summer Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
* Check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post.
*Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (June 1st, 2009) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 290 pages Rating: 5 of 5 stars
"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it." "Okay." "Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?" "Don't worry." I laughed."It's our secret, right?" According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in ZanzibarBay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie—-she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago. Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.
Review: I don't know why it took me this long to read Twenty Boy Summer but I'm so glad I finally had time to pick up this book. Part of the reason I pushed it up on my to-read list was because of all the controversy surrounding the book a few months ago. Why some people want to ban books I'll never know. I personally believe certain people need to simply get over themselves and stop trying to dictate what other people do.
But back to the story, Twenty Boy Summer is not anything beyond what teens do, and already know about, so I don't think people will be corrupted for life if they read this book. This is a powerful story of first-love, friendship, heartbreak, transformation, and finding joy beyond a tragedy.
Anna had a heartpounding romance with one of her best friends, Matt. Matt was the brother of Anna's other best friend Frankie. Matt and Anna kept their relationship private when they first got together and when Matt dies suddenly, Anna doesn't feel right letting Frankie in on the secret. She knows it will only hurt Frankie and she feels as if it would be a betrayal to Matt because he wanted to be the one to tell her.
After Matt's death, Frankie changes. She begins to rebel and Anna doesn't know how to reach her best friend anymore. Then Frankie and her family invites Anna to go on their annual California trip with them. It's been almost a year since Matt's death and it seems that this trip is a turning point for everyone in the family. It is a chance to see if they can really move forward. Anna agrees to go and Frankie tells her they will meet twenty boys while on the trip. Anna never really takes it seriously but she goes along with the idea anyway.
While we see Anna and Frankie exploring the shores during their trip, we also get glimpses of the Matt that Anna knew. She lets us in on their secret encounters and it provided just enough detail to help readers see the love between the two characters.
I felt so deeply for these characters. I could see how alone Anna felt and what an impossible situation she was in. I could see the pain behind Frankie's hard personality and the struggle felt by her parents. More than anything else, I could see how passionate Anna and Matt were about each other. Although we only see Matt in memories, they are vivid and charming.
The"Twenty Boy" part of the story is minor and, by far, not the point of this book. People who focus on the fact that these girls are meeting boys at the beach and partying, are not seeing the point of the story. These characters are dealing with pain in completely different ways.
Twenty Boy Summer is a story I will never forget. It is a heart-wrenching, honest portrayal of first-love and a devastating loss. Sarah Ockler tapped into the mind of a pained teenage girl and really brought her story to life.
Find Sarah Ockler Sarah Ockler | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads
Purchase Twenty Boy Summer Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler Published: Simon Pulse (May 21st, 2013) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 352 pages Rating: 3 of 5 stars Summary: When all signs point to heartbreak, can love still be a rule of the road? A poignant and romantic novel from the author of Bittersweet and Twenty Boy Summer.
Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one.
Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?
Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak… unless her sisters were wrong?
Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.
Review:
This was a really cute book. Something that is an easy read and can be devoured quickly. Jude has 3 older sisters and she's the only one still at home. It's the beginning of summer and Jude should be enjoying it with her friends. Instead, she's stuck helping her mom take care of her dad, who was recently diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease.
Jude definitely portrays being the baby of the family well. She feels the burden of being left at home, alone, and being her parent's last hope, in many ways. She's all they have left and she's really amerced herself into this job. She has a difficult time realizing the severity of her father's diagnosis.
Soon she think that if they are able to fix his old bike that maybe it will help him cope, or even get better. She finds a guy to help and it sure doesn't hurt that he's so hot: ) But there's a catch, he's a Vargas. Jude's sisters have had some bad history with his family. They've gotten their hearts broken one too many times and they don't want her to go through the same fate.
This book is"cute" in many ways. Even though it has a deep meaning based around family and dealing with a disease, it's a nice romance too. I just couldn't fully get into it. I didn't buy the fact that this"oath" was such a big deal. I also didn't really enjoy all the flashbacks and found that I started skipping a few.
My favorite part was getting to know Emilio. He was such a great character and I felt he made Jude a better person. Someone who could deal with what was going on around her instead of being in denial.
I think I've read all of Sarah's books and while this one wasn't my favorite, it's still a good book to check out.
