Door Stop Novels
Friday, August 1, 2025
Historical Fiction: My Name Is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende
Friday, July 25, 2025
Nonfiction: Searches by Vauhini Vara
If there is one topic that is currently nearly impossible to escape from, it is the discussion around artificial intelligence. Vauhini Vara's Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age leans into this, exploring the history, development, use, potential, and limitations of the technology, while also telling her own story as a journalist, editor, and sometimes user of AI.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a nonfiction book in which Vara begins by talking about her first experiences with the internet while at a friend's house as a kid. But before that, the books opens with the author conversing with ChatGPT, asking if it will give her feedback on book chapters that will eventually become part of the published product. This sets up what will continue to be a running theme of certain sections being a conversation between the author and the AI technology, with the latter often providing long and detailed notes on what Vara has presented, or a question that was asked. ChatGPT provides notes on chapters that evaluate the more problematic aspects of AI, big corporations, and even social media, with Vara at one point asking the application pointed questions, and pointing out what it got wrong. With a blend of memoir and journalism, Vara evaluates where we are with AI, and where we may be headed.
My Verdict: This is a fascinating and ambitious premise, with a novel approach to presenting information on something so many are already talking about. But somehow, the parts of this book that make it unique are also the parts I found to be the most cumbersome, and that is the sections that are simply large amounts of responses from ChatGPT. Its notes and feedback are often repetitive, boring, and hollow, and there are a lot of them throughout the book. The end of the book puzzles me as it is a collection of responses from a survey Vara sent out to women aged 18 and older, with questions on identity, family history, and of course, AI. Responses are seemingly copied and pasted, therefore amounting to another large section of the book that was not actually written by the author.
Favorite Chapter: Chapter 8: "I Am Hungry to Talk," is about Vara's time in Madrid and her experience learning Spanish. But the entire chapter is presented in both English and Spanish, with the translations appearing side by side on the page. Vara first wrote the chapter in Spanish, and the English is what was presented by Google Translate.
Recommended Reading: I recommend Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor, which features a story within the story about conflict between AI and its human creators.
Friday, July 18, 2025
Contemporary Fiction: The Imagined Life by Andrew Porter
Friday, July 11, 2025
Nonfiction: Tequila Wars by Ted Genoways
Friday, July 4, 2025
Historical Fiction: The Eights by Joanna Miller
Friday, June 27, 2025
Young Adult Fiction: Dear Manny by Nic Stone
When Dear Martin first appeared on shelves back in 2017 (same year as Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give), I had no clue that it would end up as the first book of a trilogy, and if the letter to the reader at the beginning of Dear Manny is any indication, neither did author Nic Stone. But here we are, and it could not feel more appropriate. I once had the pleasure of hearing Stone speak and having her sign two of my books, and I am thrilled to see her continue to tell stories, even difficult and challenging ones, aimed at younger readers. It is the perfect book for this last week of YA Fest.
The Situation: Jared Peter Christensen is being challenged. Sure, he is currently sitting in his Constitutional Law class, which is a class that is taught with the students and professor all sitting in a circle of bean bag chairs as they discuss, well, the constitution. The questions are challenging on purpose, as are the ensuing debates as the students' often opposing views are argued. But Jared also has to deal with a fraternity he is a part of, but does not particularly like; a father he knows does not approve of him, but whose approval he is not sure he wants; plus, the last few years have been pretty rough, beginning with the night his best friend Manny died. And now, it seems he has foolishly accepted Dr. Yeh's challenge by attending a meeting of the Undergraduate College Council, and becoming a candidate in the upcoming student elections.
The Problem: Enter Jared's next big challenge in the form of his opponent, John Preston LePlante IV. Like Jared, John Preston is a straight, white, wealthy legacy student, but his stance on the issues is incredibly different. Standing out and apart from him as an opponent should prove no problem, but when a third candidate enters the running, Jared is not at all sure what to think about Dylan M. Coleman. He has never met the guy and has no clue what he stands for. All Jared knows is that he has to win, and John Preston for sure has to lose. But in the coming weeks, Jared will have to wrestle with more than just campus politics. When he starts writing letters to Manny, Jared has to confront what really motivates him, what he actually stands for, and decide what kind of person he wants to be.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fiction novel set at an Ivy League university where Jared is a student with the protagonist of Stone's first book, Dear Martin. Justyce McAllister is now not only Jared's close friend, but his roommate as well, even though in that first book, the word 'enemies' would not have sufficed to describe how they felt about each other. In this book, Justyce is someone Jared trusts, almost looks up to, and serves as a grounding force while he works through everything that is happening, including the campaign. Like Justyce, Jared is confronted with racial injustice and inequities, while also having to look honestly at his own privilege, and what he is willing to do about it, and with it.
My Verdict: Confession: I am, in general, not a person who looks for or enjoys confrontation. Facing and examining hard truths? Fine. Arguing about them with someone else? No, thank you. With that said, that mental exercise of readers putting themselves in the book and wondering how they would do? Pretty sure I would wither away in this one. If readers thought Stone 'went there' with Dear Martin, then for me, this book does something else entirely. But the things is, as uncomfortable as I often was, I am still glad I read it, and still looked forward to being able to read it until I finished. And, I am looking for reasons to gift it to those close to me. Yes, the book is challenging, but not in an obnoxious or heavy-handed way. It is simply honest, and having the focus be on Jared is a bold and brilliant move.
Favorite Moment: Witnessing the debate between the three candidates was both painful and fun. I will still avoid having to watch one between real political candidates, but the one in this book is worth suffering through.
Favorite Character: Justyce is not present in this book a whole lot, but when he is, it is during moments when Jared either needs a reality check, or simply someone to talk to. It is nice to see these two become close, real friends after everything that has happened.
Recommended Reading: For some reason, my mind goes to James by Percival Everett as a good follow-up. It is not even remotely YA, but it is a great story, and deserving of all of the attention is has received.
Friday, June 20, 2025
Young Adult Fiction: All Better Now by Neal Shusterman
What I love about Neal Shusterman's books is that they attempt to answer a seemingly impossible question, or maybe even a question we hope to never have to answer. His Arc of the Scythe series falls into the former category, as it asks what would life on earth be like if humans could live forever. His novel Dry falls into the latter category, as it asks what would happen if the state of California ran out of water. For his most recent book, All Better Now, and the third novel for this year's DSN YA Fest, Shusterman asks what would happen if another pandemic were to take place in the near future, only this time, the survivors of the disease experience utter contentment. Would people risk the odds of being one of the 4% of the population that is guaranteed to die from it for a chance at true happiness? And would the world fall apart as a result?
The Situation: The name they have chosen this time is Crown Royale. That is the name of the virus that is known to kill at least one out of every 25 people who contracts it. But here is the thing: The other 24 people, the ones who survive, have the long-term effect of being utterly content with their lives. Billionaires who only served their own interests before are now giving up their fortunes and disappearing to live their lives in peace and with generosity. Both small and large communes and collectives are popping up everywhere to take in anyone who needs help, whether sick or healthy, recoveree or uninfected. While there is a race to develop a vaccine, most recoverees are ready to argue against the need for one, seeing the virus as more of a savior than a scourge. And this divide is the beginning of a much larger war.
The Problem: Mariel is used to a life on the streets, with only her mother to trust, but when they unknowingly check into an Airbnb that is managed by Rón Escobedo, the son of one of the world's richest men, the two teens are started on a path that will put them at the center of the fight. There are those who wish to spread the virus as far and as fast as they can, and those who will do whatever it takes to stop it, no matter how questionable. Those with the most to lose from a virus that can eliminate jealousy and greed will live and act out of fear, claiming to help humanity while possibly dooming it as well. Families will be split, friendships will be tested. But both sides believe they are right. And both sides insist they are saving the world.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a work of young adult fiction set in different locations all over North America and other parts of the world. At the center of the story are Mariel, a tough young woman who has been living on the streets with her mother for quite some time; Rón, the youngest son of a very rich man for whom contracting the virus may mean a slightly higher risk of death; and Morgan, a smart and shrewd young woman who has been chosen to help find a vaccine, even though her benefactor has had a change of heart. This novel brings up many of the questions and arguments that were brought forward during the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, only this time the recoverees experience a happiness and joy that some are eager to embrace and willing to risk death for, while others find the need to shut it down as soon as possible. Greed, fear, ambition, joy, and even pity (on both sides, for the opposing side) are all there.
My Verdict: When Shusterman asks an impossible question like this, he carries it out through all of the difficult moments and takes the reader along for the ride, showing his work along the way. Every characters' motivations are clear, and both the villains and the heroes of this book (if there truly are any) remain three-dimensional. Even those who recover from Crown Royale, who no longer feel anger or resentment or the need for revenge, are not immediately good (or even better) people. They are simply different, with new goals and reasons for what they do. My only real gripe is with the ending, which does make sense considering the impossible question Shusterman is trying to answer. But with a book that is already over 500 pages, a few more chapters would have been nice, if only for clarity.
Favorite Moment: There is a moment when the selfish and almost monomaniacal Morgan is face to face with her worst fear, and is shown that she is not as secure behind her money and masks as she thought.
Favorite Character: Dame Havilland is a recoveree who was once a very rich and spiteful old woman. She will spend the entire book attempting to fix one of her biggest mistakes, and is as delightful in her new life as she was hateful and vengeful in her old one.
Recommended Reading: I recommend Dry, also by Shusterman, and for me, it is his most terrifying book thus far.