Sometimes I feel like shouting, "Glory! Glory! Glory!"

that has absoultey nothing to do with Glory O'Brien's History of the Future, but her name, Glory O'Brien, of course, reminded me of the song Were You There?  And the last verse which reads, "Sometimes I feel like shouting, "Glory!  Glory!  Glory!  Were you there when He rose up from the grave?"  This version is by Marion Williams.  It doesn't end that way, but man....what a rendition.  WOW.  WOW.  WOW.
Glory O'Brien's History of the Future is a pretty "wow" kind of book.  A.S. King really has written terrific books.  I haven't read them all, but I really hope to do so next year.  I think that next year I might take an author-focused approach and also finish up my "Reading Road Trip" deal where I am trying to read a book set in each of the nifty-fifty.
Where does Glory O'Brien's History of the Future take place?  In Pennsylvania!  I think most of her books do.  Aaaannnywayyyy....I am rambling.
This book is a must for the Amelia Bloomer Project.  It is a very odd book, but odd in a good way, as in original!  It reminded me a bit of Grasshopper Jungle because that also had a main character who was writing a history, not of the future, but of the last days of Earth.  I don't know if this is sci-fi like Grasshopper Jungle and Noggin, because modern science doesn't give Glory and her friend their super powers, they come from drinking the ground-up remains of a bat.  But natural science is still science, right? So maybe? It is like GJ and Noggin though because while it definitely is paranormal, it doesn't seem way out there, it is very realistic.  Is this a new trend in YA fiction?  Paranormal fiction that is more normal?  GOHOTF also reminded me of Sure Signs of Crazy which I read just about this time last year.  Glory and Sarah both had mothers who ended their own lives and both are concerned that they will do the same.
There are just some really great characters in here.  And a very great father.  This was just such an exceptional book, even though Glory is not a very likable character and I don't think she is meant to be. Well maybe she is just like a normal person.  No one is likable all of the time.  Well, I actually do know a lot of people who are likable all the time!  Not me!  But I do know a lot of people who are!
Anyway...great, great book!  A.S. King, great, great writer.

Drew Me In...SPOILER

I have to say that I was put off by the title of My Soon-to-be-Sex Life.  Put off, but yet, drawn in!  So it must be a good title!
This is a not a book for those who are offended by swearing.  There is a lot of swearing.
It also isn't a book for someone who doesn't like to read about the possibility of teens having sex before marriage, as you can probably tell from the title.
But the thing is, this book isn't a bunch of smut.  Not at all.  There aren't any descriptive acts.  SPOILER COMING.  The main character, Charlie, is wanting to badly to lose her virginity, but she doesn't in the course of the book.
Judith Tewes does a really realistic job of looking into why some teens do end up having sex, and she does a really good, non-preachy job of it.  She doesn't condemn sex among teens, but she doesn't glorify it.
There is a lot, lot, lot to talk about here.  Family relationships, faith, what it means to be a Christian, Alzheimer's Disease, just a lot.
Also, it was very funny.  It moved quickly.  I do hope to read more from this author.

Thoughtful

After reading Losing It, I find myself thinking about it, a lot.  Usually I just blow from one book to another, even if the book is super good.  But Losing It has me thinking.  This is a collection of short stories from a variety of YA authors.  When I saw that A.S. King was one of them, I knew I wanted to read it.  All of the stories deal with losing one's virginity and each one is very different.  Most of the stories are set in places other than the U.S. and so that was a stretch for me, and I have admitted before that I am don't feel like I have a good appreciation for books set outside of the USA.  Naturally not all of the stories are of the same quality, but all are worthy of reading.  I especially liked Bali Rai's "The White Towel."   Interesting little book.  I will buy it for the library, but I don't think I will get it for myself.