Synopses & Reviews
“Evangeline,” he repeated, calling at a whisper. “Evangeline.” He was not calling that she may hear, he was calling that somehow her soul might know that he was devoted entirely to her, only to her. “Evangeline, I will find you.”
Eva and Gabe explore the golden forest of their seaside Maine town, unknowingly tracing the footsteps of two teens, Evangeline and Gabriel, who once lived in the idyllic wooded village of Acadia more than one hundred years ago. On the day that Evangeline and Gabriel were be wed, their village was attacked and the two were separated. And now in the present, Gabe has mysteriously disappeared from Eva.
A dreamlike, loose retelling of Henry Wadsworth Longfellows famous love poem “Evangeline,” Anxious Hearts tells an epic tale of unrequited love and the hope that true love can be reunited.
From School Library Journal:
“Evangeline,” Longfellows tale of Acadian lovers separated on the eve of their wedding day only to reunite tragically after years of longing, provides the springboard for Shaws modern retelling. Chapters narrated by Eva alternate with those told by Gabriel. She tells the contemporary story of her growing awareness of and ensuing impassioned bond with an old childhood friend. Her love, Gabe, who is grappling with a family tragedy, scribbles in a notebook incessantly. It is not until they are separated that Eva reads the notebook, which turns out to be a close retelling of the original tale (Gabriels words that comprise the alternate chapters). This plot structure is quite seamless in execution. Evas voice keeps the book grounded in modern sensitivities. Like Longfellow, Shaw gives nature high importance through descriptive passages of his chosen Maine setting and pays homage in many other small ways from incorporating original lines into dialogue and transplanting subtleties of characters personalities. He is in no way, however, a slave to Longfellow, delivering both a couple of steamier scenes and potential for happiness in the end. The blustery landscapes and their intimate connection to the characters plight are reminiscent of Helen Frosts The Braid (Farrar, 2006) and even, at times, of certain scenes spent in seaside forests by a similarly thwarted vampire/human teen couple. It is this very power to evoke both admired historical fiction and hot teen literature that will prove this novels success.-Jill Heritage Maza
Review
"Any teen who's ever dreamed big or worshipped a star from afar will relate to this lightweight but nonetheless enchanting novel about identity and self-worth."
Review
"Audrey may be the center of attention in Shaw's story, but it's really about friendship, shared dreams, and the lonelier and less glamorous side of Holly Golightly."
Synopsis
Its 5:00 a.m. on Fifth Avenue, and 16-year-old Gemma Beasley is standing in front of Tiffany & Co. wearing the perfect black dress with her coffee in hand—just like Holly Golightly. As the cofounder of a successful Tumblr blog—Oh Yeah Audrey!—devoted to all things Audrey Hepburn, Gemma has traveled to New York in order to meet up with her fellow bloggers for the first time. She has meticulously planned out a 24-hour adventure in homage to Breakfast at Tiffanys; however, her plans are derailed when a glamorous boy sweeps in and offers her the New York experience shes always dreamed of. Gemma soon learns who her true friends are and that, sometimes, no matter where you go, you just end up finding yourself.Filled with hip and sparkling prose, Oh Yeah, Audrey! is as much a story of friendship as it is a love letter to New York, Audrey Hepburn, and the character she made famous: Holly Golightly.
Synopsis
Meet Mary: Shes beautiful, and her ski-star boyfriend is cheating on her.
Meet Crystal: Shes a townie, and shes cheating with Marys boyfriend.
Meet Sylvia: Shes nasty, and shes got something up her Prada-designed sleeve.
Meet Amber: Shes a flake, shes the barista at the hottest coffee shop in Aspen, and she serves up gossip even hotter than grande skim lattes.
Meet Peggy: Shes Marys best friend, and she has no idea how to cope with all these girls.
A modern retelling of the classic play The Women (which featured not one male in the cast), The Girls is a quick-witted, stylish comedy about friendship, love, and most important, gossip! An elite Aspen prep school sets the stage for jealousy and intrigue as the lives of many girls tangle into a wickedly fun mess (in which no boys ever appear).
F&P level: Z+
About the Author
Tucker Shaw was a writer and advice columnist for Alloy and has authored 3 novels, 3 gift/recipe books for Chronicle, numerous teen self-help books, and is currently the food critic for the Denver Post. He also appeared on the Today Show promoting his recent gift book Everything I Ate.