All the Things You Are by Courtney Sheinmel

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Carly Wheeler lives a charmed life. Her motheris a stylist for the soap opera Lovelock Falls, she lives in a nice house, and goes to an excellent private school. But when her mom is arrested and charged with embezzlement, everything starts to unravel. There are shocking stories about her mother's crimes in the local newspaper. Carly's friends start avoiding her. And her stepfather starts worrying about money. How can Carly put her life back together when it feels like she's missing all the pieces?

Review:

After Courtney Sheinmel’s Positively, Courtney and her books officially landed on my book radar, because she has such a knack for writing memorable and poignant middle-grade fiction. Thankfully, her newest release, All the Things You Are, did not disappoint.

In Carly Wheeler’s life, everything is nearly perfect. She has a best friend named Annie whose funny and one of a kind. She attends a diverse private school filled with lots of interesting and nice people. Best of all, her mom works on Lovelock Falls, one of the top soap operas, and because of it Carly and her friends are constantly meeting celebrities and wearing fancy clothes. However, everything changes when her mother is accused of embezzlement. Suddenly, everything is different. She’s dodging questions, her mom, who has always been there for Carly, seems to be drawing back into her own cocoon, and her best friend has betrayed her in the worst way possible. Worst of all, Carly still does not know what exactly happened with her mom…Did she really commit embezzlement? Will she go to jail? Will Carly ever be able to forgive her for turning everything upside down? Only time and more pages can tell in this one of a kind contemporary read.

One of the things I always love about Courtney’s books is that she always introduces likable and charismatic characters, Carly being one of them of course. Carly and her story managed to take a hold of my heart from the very first pages, because not only did I relate to Carly in some basic ways, as will any tween or teen girl, but also her story is one that is so innocent yet heartbreaking. I especially loved reading about the relationship between Carly and her mother. It was strong yet the impact of the drama and deceit weighed heavily on it, causing lots of drama that constantly managed to test it.

The premise of this story is also nearly one of a kind. I do not think I have ever read a book about embezzlement; much less, what happens after to the family of the accused after everything is said and done. It caused for lots of twists and turns as more info was brought into the story, and it allowed Carly and other characters to go from being sometime selfish and materialistic to being stronger people who realized that money is not everything. A coming of age that was unique and memorable to say the least.

Courtney’s writing was also fabulous. I loved what she did with the characters, and how will she brought their emotions and feelings across the page. Better yet, I loved how this story did not exactly have a happy ending; instead, it was realistic but hopeful.

Sweet and heartwarming, Courtney Sheinmel’s All the Things You Are is yet another fantastic addition to middle grade, one that will be sure to satisfy previous fans and bring new ones to the mix.

Grade: A+

All the Things You Are will be released June 14, 2011.

Source: Galley Grab

Positively by Courtney Sheinmel

Summary from Author's Website:

Emerson Price cannot remember a time when life was ordinary. She was four-years-old when she and her mom were diagnosed as HIV-positive – infected with the virus that causes AIDS, and eight when her parents divorced. Now she is thirteen and her mother is dead. Emmy moves in with her father and stepmother, but she feels completely alone. Even though everyone has always accepted her, no one – not her father, or stepmother, or even her best friend – understands what it’s like to have to take medicine every single day, to be so afraid of getting sick, and to miss her mom more than she ever thought she would.

When Emmy’s dad and stepmother send her to Camp Positive, a camp for HIV-positive girls, Emmy is certain she is going to hate it. But soon she realizes that she is not so alone after all – and that sometimes letting other people in can make all the difference in the world.

Review:

Positivelyis a touching, heart-wrenching, and breathtaking look into one girl's life that has been completely transformed since the age of four by three little letters- HIV.

Emmy, or Emerson, was girl who constantly awed me with her braveness and honesty towards the life she has been dealt. Since I know if I was the one dealing with all of her problems I would be hiding in the corner somewhere crying. But not Emmy; she goes far and above to make sense of her life, allowing her to create her life to be the best it can be, even when her weakness and freight gets in the way. Plus, her voice is one that just sticks with you long after you've finished reading her story. The other characters who were facing the harrowing trouble of being HIV infested were the same way; going far beyond to completely gain my respect and support with their braveness.

While the plot wasn't always the most exciting thing out there, Courtney made it magnificent with her writing. Since time after time she made the characters come to life and jump of the page. Further more, I seriously applaud her for giving us such a honest and blunt look into living with AIDS. Since not once did she sugarcoat it into being something that it wasn't.

In all, Positively is a book that I feel everyone should read no matter what age you are because it gives you such a great look in the life of one with HIV, and the message that no matter who you are and what you've been dealt with you can always make you life the best it can be if you try.
 
Grade: A+  

Positively is now out!

Source: Library.

Side Note: The Author's Note in this one of the best one's I've ever read because it was awesome to see what inspired her to write this book.