Real

This is a very powerful middle-grade fiction story.  I liked it so much because the main character was likable and not likable, he was real.  Lost in the Sun is told from the POV of Trent, who has just entered middle school.  Entering middle school is bad enough, but Trent also is bringing with him a lot of baggage.  The winter before he shot a puck during a hockey game that hit a kid in the chest and the kid died.  It wasn't the fault of the puck, or Trent, the kid had a heart problem, but Trent blames himself.  He is full of so much rage against himself that he takes it out on the world.  This is also a story of friendship, as Trent becomes friends with a girl who has a scar on her face and is often the butt of jokes at school.  It is also the story of family, as Trent's dad has a new wife and she is having a baby.  Trent's dad comes across as a super-jerk, in my opinion.  He was super-easy to dislike has he is a seriously dualistic thinker and tells Trent that you only get one chance in life at most things, and of course, Trent, having had his part in the freak accident that resulted in the death of a friend, well, this man is just not a nice or smart man.  Also Trent can't read.  It is a book packed with things to discuss and it is also just a very compelling tween read.

Just turn your anger inside

anger turned inward is depression, of course!  And I have always turned my anger inward, thus, depression.  The Dance of Anger sounds like it is all about anger, but the subtitle is really what the book is about, which is, changing the patterns of intimate relationships.  I have seen this book many times and shelved it many times, but it wasn't until my very dear friend, Miss Christin encouraged me to read it that I did.  Once again, I felt much thankfulness for my dear friend!  This was an exceptional, yet really easy to understand for even someone like me.  I do want to read more by Harriet Lerner.  Good stuff here, for the day to day of realating to others and for those times when a relationship seems too overwhelming.

Ain't No Peace for an Angry Young Man

Great song.
After reading Inexcusable I was excited to find Angry Young Man, the new Chris Lynch novel, on the shelves of the local library.  AYM is short (less than 200 pages) and has a good cover, as you can see.
While I read Inexcusable in one sitting, it took me a bit longer to get through AYM.  This really isn't a reflection upon AYM, it's probably because Inexcusable was just so SO good.  AYM is a pretty depressing book throughout.  Set in a dying town, I don't remember if the name was mentioned, but I don't think so.  Apparently there isn't much work and most kids don't go on to further their education after high school.
This is the story of two brothers, Robert and Alexander, or Xan as he likes to be called.  It is told through the POV is Robert, the older brother.  Robert is a likable guy.  Making the best of things in his dying town.  He tells us that he has a girl friend, works part time and is going to school at the community college.  He is a good son and a good brother.  Not a perfect brother, but it is easy to forgive him.  If he was portrayed as being too amazing in the brother department, the book wouldn't work as well as it does.
We learn right off that Xan is troubled.  He was the boy always picked on, always on the outside looking in, always just a bit....off.   He is easily influenced and very emotional and as the story progresses, he comes under the spell of a potentially dangerous extremist group.
The end keeps you on your seat....it's almost like seeing a train wreck about to happen.
Great book.  I am looking forward to reading more from Lynch!