Long Time No Blog, and A Book Review Too!

A lot has happened since I last blogged! It's been almost a year! In that time, I've actually changed positions, and I've been working as a branch supervisor in a different system since late November. It's been a huge shift, and very demanding, and I'm now rather swamped with programming and other new, more demanding responsibilities. But I'm going to try to post at least once a week. I know how difficult it can be to come up with great ideas, and I want to share what I learn with anyone who might benefit from it. Every little librarian blog helps make public libraries better, I like to think :)

I recently joined Twitter (@briggiekittie). I don't post much, but I mentioned that I was writing a review of Brutal Youth, which I recieved as an ARC from NetGalley, and the author, Anthony Breznican, "favorited" my tweet! I don't know how often that happens, but I'm choosing to believe it's rare, and I'm just lucky/special. This is Breznican's first novel, so he's probably super active on social media right now. Or, me and my roughly 10 tweets were so darn impressive, he was just that excited to know me. I mean, look at that kitty cat in my profile picture? Who can resist?

I have been reading some great books lately, and I'll post more reviews shortly. But for now, here's my review of Brutal Youth by Anthony Breznican, a book which made me so very happy to be out of high school, had received high praise from some of my favorite authors (among them Gillian Flynn and Stephen King), and which was released today!
************************************
Brutal Youth is set in early 1990s Pittsburg, in a small, failing,and highly dysfunctional Catholic High School, St. Michael the Archangel. The tone is set in the prologue--a bullied student has reached the end of his rope, and has finally decided to fight back against the torment from not only his peers, but administrators and teachers who either turn away and ignore the hazing or encourage it. 

The story avoids the typical preachy, whiny treatment of bullying and instead presents a more realistic view of the social struggles of high school. Everyone, even the lowest on the ladder, is always looking for a leg up and trying to avoid becoming the next target. Nearly everyone in this school is capable of stepping on someone else to protect himself. Breznican uses humor to keep the overall feel of the novel light, as well as realistic. Even in the worst of times, high school has its laughable moments, and Breznican doesn't paint one dimensional, archetypal bullies or wimps. Use of a third person omniscient narrator, sometimes switching between several characters within the same scene, gives the reader unexpected glimpses into the minor characters in a way that helps develop the sense that everyone in the school is putting on some kind of act. 

Readers who enjoy YA (but perhaps find it occasionally too whiny) and who also enjoy Lit Fic will find this story blends the two quite well. 

Brutal Youth is available 6/10. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this novel.