Review - Love Is The Higher Law by David Levithan

Title and Author: Love is The Higher Law - David Levithan

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: August 25, 2009

Paperback/Hardcover: 176

Genre: YA

Summary:

First there is a Before, and then there is an After. . . .

The lives of three teens—Claire, Jasper, and Peter—are altered forever on September 11, 2001. Claire, a high school junior, has to get to her younger brother in his classroom. Jasper, a college sophomore from Brooklyn, wakes to his parents’ frantic calls from Korea, wondering if he’s okay. Peter, a classmate of Claire’s, has to make his way back to school as everything happens around him.

Here are three teens whose intertwining lives are reshaped by this catastrophic event. As each gets to know the other, their moments become wound around each other’s in a way that leads to new understandings, new friendships, and new levels of awareness for the world around them and the people close by.

David Levithan has written a novel of loss and grief, but also one of hope and redemption as his characters slowly learn to move forward in their lives, despite being changed forever.

Review:

This was the first David Levithan I read and I’m glad I did. In this book Levithan tells the story of three teenagers living in New York on 9/11 and the effect the day had on them.

Claire lives close to the World Trade center and on the morning of 9/11 she’s in school. She helps taking care of the little kids and her brother in the elementary school as she waits for her mother to show up.

Peter is waiting for a record store to open so he can buy a cd when the attacks happen.

Jasper is sleeping.

Love is the Higher Law is about dealing with events that somehow or another change your life. I’m not American but I do remember where I was and what I was doing when I found out about the attacks. Like most people I saw the second plane hit the tower on life TV. In my opinion, it’s important to remember 9/11 so we can learn. History has a way of repeating itself, after all.

I found this book incredibly moving and captivating. The characters emotions are very raw and you can’t help experiencing the events of 9/11 and the aftermath of that day with them.

One think I really like was the three different points of views and the three different time periods (before, during and after) present in the book. Levithan is able to explore the after perfectly, giving enface to the necessity of moving on even after a terrible event.

The book is beautifully written. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in understanding the emotions brewing inside of people on 9/11.

Rating: Must Read

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Review - Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohen and David Levithan

Title and Author: Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohen and David Levithan

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: October 26, 2010

Paperback: 260 Pages

Genre: Young Adult

Summary:

“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Review:

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book and once I did, it did not disappoint me. This is a great holiday read and I loved the whole plot concept.

Lily encouraged by her brother leaves a red notebook on a shelf at the Strand, which is found by Dash. They start to communicate through the notebook and several dares they always manage to complete.

This book is the perfect holiday romance book. The story is sweet, funny and very well written. There are several moments well able to make you go “awww” and there’s also enough action to keep you interested.

Dash is a wonderful character. He’s sweet, funny, extremely intelligence, creative and maybe even a little snarky or, as Lily says, snarly. He’s a bit of a loner but, in my opinion, that only makes him even more interesting.

Lily is also a very well written character. She’s smart, a little dorky, sweet and somewhat naïve but in a cute way.

I loved both main characters and I have to say that the secondary characters were also great and added a lot to the story.

All in all, I enjoyed this book immensely. It is a funny, light and overall very enjoyable read I would recommend to anyone.

Rating: Must Read

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