Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume.

"A quick, fun read about a kid who's just trying to figure out how she fits into everything and every now and again, she asks God, for a little help. This brings back all the angst of being a Tween and though it was nostalgic, I'm glad I'm well past that part of my life."

4 Stars

Pros: It was definitely a reminder of what it's like to be a pre-teen, all the emotions, confusion and attempts to create an identity for yourself and figure out who you are.

Cons: I had to keep in mind that the MC, Margaret, was an eleven year old girl, so her reaction to everything, IE, everything was the end of the world, was to be expected though, it did get a bit tiresome.

Full Review

Margaret Ann Simon is an only child. She's used to her life in New York City. She visits with her Grandmother, almost every single day and she likes her life. Her parents decide to uproot everything and move to Farbrook, New Jersey and to Margaret, she just can't figure out why.

She doesn't know anyone. She doesn't know her school. She doesn't know if she'll be liked. Luckily, they've been in the neighborhood only a few days when she meets a neighbor, Nancy. Once the school year starts, she joins Nancy in her "secret club" the PTS (Pre-Teen Sensations.) It's Nancy, Margaret, Gretchen and Janie. And as the school years progresses, Margaret is glad to find that she has friends.

All through the novel, she has conversations with God, in her head. Her parents, whose marriage caused quite a falling out between their parents, are not religious and have not raised Margaret to believe in anything but she still talks to God. For the most part, these are short, simple requests, asking God for his help to have Margaret grow into herself, since puberty is just around the corner, to help her be kind to others, to help her with life in general.

And once her teacher assigns them a year long project on anything they want, she decides to study religion and see if she can't find one that sticks, find something that she can believe in and a place where she can feel truly close to God.

This was a quick, easy read and the overall message, that, everyone's different, don't believe everything you hear, be true to yourself and kind to others, is what I took away from it. I also now know that "I must...I must...I must increase my bust" was not originally from "Punky Brewster" but from this Judy Blume classic. You learn something new every day.

Comments

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick

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The Glutton by A. K. Blakemore

"Though dark, disturbing and at times, truly disgusting, Blakemore has created an unforgettable character in Tarare and his sad, sordid tale. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time for many different reasons and to me, that's a sign of a great read." ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ Pros: Tarare wasn't a monster, it just seemed that the world was against him/I liked Lozeau and his strange band of misfits/Dr. Dupuis seemed like a genuinely good person, or at least, he had his moments. Cons: Some of the timeline/people of the French Revolution were just white noise to me/Courville was a despicable man. Full Review: The Bottomless man, the Glutton of Lyon, Tarare the Terrible. The man who has many titles but who's name is simply, Tarare, is dying in a hospital in Versailles. Citizen Doctor Tissier has written to his friend, Dupuis, in hopes that he'll be able to cure this mysterious illness that plagues Tarare. For now though, he lays, chained to his bed and waits for...

Animal Farm by George Orwell

"A blithe and scathing commentary on equality, power, corruption and how everyone is created equal, but...some are more equal than others. Orwell hit the nail right on the head with this novel and it's no wonder it's a staple for most high school curriculums. " 3 Stars. Pros: Benjamin the Donkey is the smartest animal on the farm and it would have done all the others a world of good if they had listened to him in the first place. Cons: The fact that societies like this actually do exist is nauseating and terrible. It's not a con, per se, it's just a gut wrenching fact. Full Review: When the overworked and mistreated Animals on Manor Farm decide to rise up and overthrow their cruel master, they're successful. They rebel and now find themselves with an entire Farm to run. They rename it Animal Farm and are intent on creating a paradise, where work and play are equal, where productivity is key but relaxation is a must and all the lives of all the animal...

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