Suzanne Selfors

This book was shockingly good for being a twist on a Greek myth. The characters were well-developed and the reader will grow to know the main characters very well. The plot was interesting and unique; the fact that the author addressed bipolar disorder is a huge plus, especially because the author clearly did her research on the disorder and integrated it so well into the story. Anorexia also is mentioned and even explored in the novel, the main character's best friend, Realm, suffers from show more the disorder. The main character herself is a teenager with too much on her plate due to her bipolar afflicted mother and her withdrawn, sad best friend. Errol, aka Cupid, comes into the main character's life in an opportune time and gives her a chance to save her mother's amazing romance author reputation. The main character, Alice, also grapples with her growing attraction to a skater boy. The book has romance, action, and comedy/drama with a healthy dose of strong emotion; the author really portrays the emotions of the characters in the book to the point of where they are tangible to the reader. The ending is a satisfactory one, the reader will not be disappointed. This book is great for young adult/teens who still believe in star crossed romance. show less

This book features a corgi and a guinea pig. It was clearly written FOR ME. Pause for dying over the cuteness.

So. The book is told in two voices. The first is Gizmo, the evil-genius guinea pig whose loyal human servant, Elliot, has abandoned him to a terrifying creature - the human girl Jasmine! Who dresses him up and carries him in her pocket! The second narrator is Wedgie, superhero corgi and all-around nice guy whose most exciting thing to do is find things to eat, go on walks, and play show more with his humans. Wedgie is thrilled that there are new humans to play with! Gizmo is Not Pleased. Neither is Elliot, who wanted it to stay just him, his dad, and Gizmo. Instead, he's gotten a new little sister and brother, a stepmother, annoying dog, lost his pet guinea pig (Jasmine is taking care of Gizmo while they get him a new cage) and Jasmine's Abuela is from Peru - will she, possibly, EAT GIZMO??!!

Gizmo's humorous and villainous voice is matched by Wedgie's raucous enthusiasm and both are interspersed with dialogue between the family members. By the end of the story, readers will have laughed themselves silly and also gotten to grow alongside Jasmine and Elliot who both learn to compromise a little as they blend their families. Not Gizmo though. Gizmo never compromises! Well, maybe for a few new Loyal Human Servants, as long as The Elderly One is not planning to cook him!

The glimpses of the family, seen both in humorous black and white art and through the eyes of their pets, show a mixed-race family with a variety of skin tones as well as their own unique personalities. The parents are loving but a little distracted and kids will thoroughly enjoy being the ones "in the know" as they follow along with the silly story.

Verdict: Be prepared for kids to threaten each other with "the dreaded Biju Ting Ting Scalp Massager", laugh hilariously at the "pool of a thousand pees" and name all future guinea pigs furry potatoes. Also, beware the sequel when Gizmo returns with a new, villainous plan!

ISBN: 9780062447630; Published 2017 by Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins; Borrowed from another library in my consortium show less

Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors is set in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle. While being primarily a YA fantasy about Cupid, aka Errol, befriending the teenage daughter of a romance writer, it's also a serious exploration of single parenthood, mental illness, and terminal illness.

Alice Amorous is the daughter of the Queen of Romance. She should be living an easy life off the massive royalties her mother's books earn. Except, her mother's been hospitalized for a mental breakdown and the show more medical bills are draining the coffers. As her father isn't around, Alice is left in the care of her mother's tenants — who provide her last source of regular income too.

Now with the deadline for the latest book long since past, the publisher is demanding results. Alice feels her only chance to save her mother's reputation and keep her safe is to write the book herself.

In the middle of all of this is a strange skateboarding dude named Errol who needs her help on his own unusual quest. While Alice is trying her best to keep her life together, he needs her to believe in magic, curses and long forgotten about Gods.

I could write essays on the themes and motifs of Mad Love. It takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster, while forcing them to think on difficult subjects. The mother's mental illness and Errol's chronic pain are smartly rendered. show less

It actually made me tear up a couple of times, which middle grade rarely does. This was sweet, but not overly so and the characters all had unique quirks, but also very normal shortcomings. (I love the fact that Selfors allowed Leilani to be kind of mean in the way only an insecure eleven-year-old can be.) The book managed to be message-y without being preachy and sweet without being treacly and I appreciated it very much for both of those reasons.

And thank you for not killing the cat.