#26--Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Auggie says, early on, "I won't describe what I look like.   Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse." He is an average 10-year-old in many ways except that he has never been in public school because of a facial deformity he was born with that has required numerous surgeries and hospital visits over the course of his young life. But Auggie is about to enter fifth grade at Beecher Prep.

This story follows Auggie, his family, and classmates through the year and how different people react, or don't, to Auggie. There are immediate friends, bullies, and eventual friends throughout the course of the year.

This was one of the best books I read this summer because it is an amazing story. It doesn't matter that Auggie is 10.  This book is geared for all ages because of Auggie and how he handles himself, his detractors, and his family and their apprehension about sending him to school.

I would recommend this book to everyone! Some of my teachers are thinking about using this book in their classroom as a read-aloud with their classes, which I am really excited about. I will also be adding this title to my book talk rotation too!

Happy Reading!!

#22--Reservations for Two by Anne Patrick

I was looking for a shorter read on my kindle and this happened to be on the first page and the shortest of the options listed.  This was a quick, easy read.  It was also your typical Christian romance, with the exception of the ages of the protagonists.  In my experience, typical Christian romances place the main characters in their twenties or thirties, and every once in a while you may have a character or two who have slipped into their forties.  In this case, the two protagonists were both retirees who had lost their spouses within the last 3-5 years.

62-year-old Maggie lost her husband of 39 years three years ago and she has traveled to New Mexico, where she and Joe took their honeymoon, to get some closure, as well as some good hiking in.  65-year-old retired judge Carson lost his wife to cancer five years ago and since his only daughter isn't speaking to him, he decided to finally take the trip across the country that he and Emily had always talked about taking.  Maggie and Carson cross paths when she falls while roller-blading and he helps her up.  The owners of the B and B where Maggie is staying encourage the romance, on both sides.  Things move rather quickly and eventually Maggie and Carson set out for her daughter's home in Texas for her grandson's birthday in Carson's RV.  Maggie's daughter is none too happy about this situation, while everyone else (her older brother included) are happy for Maggie.

Like most Christian romances, this one has a happy ending and all the loose ends are tied up by the end.  A year from now I probably won't remember it, but it is a light read, if that is what you're looking for.

Happy Reading!!

#19--Tilly by Frank E. Peretti

I have yet to find a Frank Peretti book that I didn't like.  My fiance handed me this one several months ago to read, but I finally grabbed it for vacation--and it was the first thing I read after leaving the house!  This is a quick and easy read, while also being something of a tear-jerk-er at times.

The book opens with Dan and Kathy attending the funeral for a man they didn't know well as the only mourners other than the pastor.  After the graveside service, they are walking through the cemetery and they come upon a woman mourning at a headstone that simply reads "Tilly" with one date on it.  Despite Dan's warnings, Kathy approaches the woman and tries to comfort her and at the same time, find out who Tilly was.  The woman flees in fear.  For about a week afterward, Kathy is unable to function and spends most of her time in the bedroom, trying to figure out what happened, as well as how to talk to Dan about it, and other things on her mind.  At the end of the week, Kathy is sleeping and when she wakes up there are hundreds of children in her yard....children she doesn't recognize....making noise that she doesn't appreciate because she is trying to sleep.  She shoos most of them away, with the exception of one small girl.  This small girl asks to eat lunch with Kathy in her house.  Once Kathy hears her name, Tilly, she acquiesces.  As Kathy and Tilly spend time getting to know one another, Dan is on a mission of his own--to find out who the woman was and who Tilly is.

Both Kathy and Dan are able to get the answers to their questions and are also able to lay aside the guilt that had plagued them for a number of years for something they did.  In an effort to not completely spoil the ending, I won't say anymore, other than...this book is an example of forgiveness....forgiveness that we must give one another, the forgiveness that comes from God, and accepting that forgiveness once it is meted out.

Happy Reading!!

#14--The Duff (Designated Ugly Fat Friend)--Kody Keplinger

When I was at the YA Lit conference in Phoenix in January, the Phoenix Book Company was there with some books for sale.  I picked up a few titles and this was one of them.  I was intrigued by the title--and the fact that it was almost 50% off didn't hurt either!

Bianca, a high school senior, is our protagonist.  The story opens with her at a local club for teenagers, The Nest.  The only reason she is there is because her two best friends, Casey and Jessica, have dragged her there, again.  She is talking to Joe, the bartender, when Wesley Rush, the school "man-slut" approaches her as a way to hopefully get the attention of her more desirable friends. He has nicknamed her "The Duff--Designated Ugly Fat Friend" and she promptly throws her Cherry Coke in his face.  Unfortunately life at home is unraveling.  Her mother, who travels A LOT for her job as an inspirational speaker has had divorce papers delivered to Bianca's dad, an on-the-wagon alcoholic, from afar.     

As an escape from reality, Bianca and Wesley start having an enemies-with-benefits relationship that quickly escalates to them meeting up several times a week for a tryst.  Wesley's family is just as dysfunctional as Bianca's, maybe even more so.  His family is very wealthy and his parents spend much of their time traveling.  His younger sister lives with their grandmother--who despises Wesley, so much of the time, he is in his huge mansion of a home alone.  In the meantime, Bianca's father falls off the wagon when he realizes that the divorce papers are for real and goes on a drinking binge for several weeks.  Bianca doesn't feel like she can confide in anyone about this, so Casey and Jessica feel even more out of touch with her--they also don't know about her relationship with Wesley either.  However, Wesley has witnessed the destruction Bianca's father is leaving in his wake and protects her from his rage.  By the time Bianca discovers that she has feelings for Wesley, she has determined that she has to end their relationship because he could never love a "Duff".

This book was written by an 18-year-old....and it was somewhat obvious.  About halfway through, I was rather disgusted with the language used, unnecessarily most of the time, and the lessons that were being taught to high schoolers about making light of sex and how free they were with it.  I don't have my head in the sand....I know high school kids have sex.  However, it is not something I condone and I didn't like how this book made light of two teenagers jumping in the sack on a regular basis.  I almost put the book down, but decided that I wanted to see how it ended.  In the end, after Bianca tries, unsuccessfully, to move on from Wesley, they both solve some of their family issues and they end up back together.  I'm not sure how realistic this is....it tied itself up a little too neatly at the end, for all the mess that they made throughout the book.

This title will definitely NOT be going on the shelves of my library--and I think I will be giving my copy away.    On to happier reading this week, I hope!

Happy Reading!!

#13--Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip--Jordan Sonnenblick

I may have mentioned in the past that Jordan Sonnenblick has been a visiting author at my school....and we have been lucky enough to have him come TWICE!!

Curveball is his latest title to come out and it has been very popular with my students, so, since my goal was to read at least two books last week by previously visiting authors, I grabbed this one off one of my many stacks of unread books around my house.

At the end of his 8th grade year, star pitcher, Peter Friedman has a career-ending injury in his elbow.  After spending the summer in physical therapy after surgery, Peter isn't sure what his freshman year will be like since he is no longer an athlete.  His best friend, and pitching partner, AJ doesn't believe that Peter won't be back on the diamond come spring.  And he is working hard to get Peter back into peak physical condition, no matter what it takes.  Peter can't bring himself to tell AJ the truth--that he can never throw a ball again.

Fortunately, Peter also has photography--the passion that he and his grandfather, a professional photographer, both share.  When his grandfather realizes that he is beginning to suffer from signs of Alzheimer's, he gives Peter all of his high-grade camera equipment.  Peter has signed up for a photography class as one of his electives, and when he proves, on the first day, that he knows quite a bit about photography, the instructor sends him over to the advanced class....and within minutes, another cute freshman joins him...the only two freshmen in the class.  Peter and Angelika get paired together to work on projects, and Peter really likes her, but Angelika isn't interested in dating someone who can't be honest with those he cares about--Peter hasn't told AJ the truth, and he also hasn't told his parents what is going on with his grandfather.

One of the things that I really like about Sonnenblick is that he brings back main characters from other books as peripheral characters.  If you hadn't read his other books, the characters wouldn't necessarily jump out at you, but they are nice surprises every time it happens.  This time around, San and Emily from Zen and the Art of Faking It make an appearance, and it was nice to see them again, a little bit older in this outing.

This book made me both laugh and tear up, which Sonnenblick tends to do--and is the mark of a great book, in my mind.

Happy Reading!!!

#12--Heaven Looks A Lot Like the Mall--Wendy Mass

Each year our PTO sponsors a visit from an author.  And each year, I buy as many of the author's books as I can get my hands on--for the express purpose to have them signed....and to hopefully read, someday.  Several years ago Wendy Mass was our visiting author, and I bought all of her books that were out at that time...and there were quite a few of them.  In an effort to get through more of our past authors, I decided to read two past authors' books last week.  Heaven Looks A Lot Like a Mall was the first one I picked up.

I wasn't completely sure what to expect of it, but the description sounded somewhat intriguing.....Tessa, a 16-year-old, has an accident in gym class that puts her in a coma.  While in the coma, Tessa has an experience, a la It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol where she is shown events from her past in an effort to help her change her ways.  All of the events take place at the local mall where her parents both work and where Tessa has spent much of her life growing up.  The story is told in verse....which I'm not usually opposed to, but other than the fact that this was a very quick read because of the verse, I don't really think it added to the plot.

Tessa is not a likable character....I found very little about her to be redeeming.  At the end of the story, it was obvious that Tessa had regrets, but I'm not sure how she will change and whether or not the changes will be believable...or if she will revert to her old ways of lying and conniving.

Overall, it was a quick read, but I'm not in love with this book.  I'm sure I have some students who would like it, but I would have a hard time selling it.  Of the Wendy Mass books I've read thus far, A Mango-Shaped Space is still my favorite.

Happy Reading!!

#11-Ten by Gretchen McNeil

OMG!!!  (This is not a phrase I use, if at all, so that is momentous in and of itself.)  I often lose track of time when I'm reading a good book.  But today I was almost late to school for meetings because I was so sucked into this book!!!  We got Ten a week or two ago and it immediately caught my attention when I was cataloging it because it sounded like a remake of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None (also known as Ten Little Indians), just with a modern twist and teenagers as the victims.  I love a good Agatha Christie story and And Then There Were None is my favorite....partly because I was in the play version in high school and partly because it was the first Christie I ever read.  I often tell my students who are looking for a good mystery that I've never been able to figure out who did it in an Agatha Christie book until she is explaining it to the audience....and I challenge them to try to figure it out before the end if they can.  So far, no one has been able to do it, but I'm still waiting for someone to be able to do it.

Anyway, back to Ten.  I read the first chapter last week and then life got in the way.  I was able to pick it up and read the next ten chapters over the weekend but had other things going on and wasn't able to get beyond that.  So, today after school and before having to get back for meetings, I decided to sit down and work on it.  I read more than 200 pages in less than 2 hours....that is how good this book is!!  Because I knew the Christie story, I had an idea that there was a pattern to the murders (in Christie's novel, the murders are based on the children's rhyme, Ten Little Indians--hence the original name of the book), but it took a little while before I was able to put the pieces together.  I also knew that the killer would be someone from within the group.  I did not figure out who the killer was or why he/she was bent on revenge until the end....just like a Christie!!

I refuse to say any more about this book as I don't want to give anything else away.  But you have to read this book!!!!

Happy Reading!!!

The original poem used in Agatha Christie's book and play.....

Ten little Indian boys went out to dine;

One choked his little self and then there were nine.

Nine little Indian boys sat up very late;

One overslept himself and then there were eight.

Eight little Indian boys travelling in Devon;

One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.

Seven little Indian boys chopping up sticks;

One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.

Six little Indian boys playing with a hive;

A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.

Five little Indian boys going in for law;

One got in Chancery and then there were four.

Four little Indian boys going out to sea;

A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.

Three little Indian boys walking in the zoo;

A big bear hugged one and then there were two.

Two Little Indian boys playing in the sun;

One got all frizzled up and then there was one.

One little Indian boy left all alone;

He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.

#3 Shelter by Harlan Coben

I spent a long weekend this January in Phoenix, AZ.  I was there to attend a conference for work about what is new in YA literature.  I've been going to this conference annually since I started working as a librarian and I look forward to it every year.  The presenter is Patti Tjomsland and she is amazing!  I have actually travelled from PA to FL, VA, and now AZ to see her present!

My mom went with me and we made a girls' weekend out of it.  We spent some time hiking and just relaxing.  One of the places we went to was Tempe Marketplace, a beautiful open-air mall that had live music each night of the weekend.  We actually ended up at the Marketplace twice because the day we tried to go to the Phoenix Botanical Gardens there was a marathon and every road we tried to take was blocked for the race, so we gave up and headed to the Marketplace, simply because we knew we could get there!  We both grabbed a book to sit by one of the fantastic fireplaces situated throughout....

 



At several different junctures, Mom needed to get up and move around....while I sat glued to my seat to finish this story!  Mickey has witnessed his father's death and since his mom has been sent to rehab after spiraling down after her husband's death....and now Mickey is living with his Uncle Myron, much to his chagrin and dismay.  Right before school starts, Mickey goes to a meeting at his new school for all new students.  There he meets Ashley, who he quickly falls for.  They spend the next few weeks getting to know each other, until the day Ashley just disappears.  Being tired of losing so many people in his life, Mickey isn't about to let her go that quickly.  He goes to great lengths to find out what has happened to Ashley.  There are all kinds of twists and turns in this story that I didn't see coming.  There is a second book in this series, Seconds Away, and I can't wait to read it!!  Fortunately, my library has a copy of the second title.....but it is checked out, so it may be a while before I get the chance to read it.  But read it, I will!

Happy Reading!!!

#2 Leap Day by Wendy Mass

Imagine only celebrating your real birthday once every four years....that is what Leapers do.  Leapers are those special few people who are born on February 29.  Josie Taylor is one of those special few, and today is her 4th birthday...but she is actually turning 16.  The story takes place over the course of Josie's birthday and is told from a number of different points of view.  It follows Josie and her friends and family from the beginning of the day to an end-of-the-day celebration at the lake where one of her friends tells her a big secret.  The author gives insight as to the future of some of the characters and what they will be like, but not fore everyone.  If you're going to explore the future of several minor characters, why not do it for all? 

Wendy Mass was our visiting author several years ago and this is the second of her books that I've read.  I am rather ambivalent toward this title, but really liked the other title I read, A Mango-Shaped Space. 

Happy Reading!!

#44--Why I Fight by J. Adams Oaks

I try to balance out my reading so that I read books that boys will like as well as books girls/both genders would like, which is why I picked up today's post...more than a month ago.  I finally finished it last night, simply because I forced myself to finish it.  I started out hopeful that it would be a good read, but after about a week of trying to plow through it (and it isn't a book big enough to warrant plowing-through), I put it down and read several other books in the meantime. 

After years of neglect by his parents, 12-year-old Wyatt finally has enough and when his shifty uncle comes to town, Wyatt eagerly joins Uncle Spade on the road.  Spade is a traveling salesman of sorts--he'll sell just about anything, and it doesn't matter if it's legal or not.  Eventually, as Wyatt gets bigger, Spade decides that Wyatt should train as a fighter--it will be easy money for Spade and he figures it will keep Wyatt out of trouble at the same time (not that Wyatt was ever a trouble maker).  Spade's only rule is "never fight for free."  After 6 years on the road with Spade, Wyatt finally has enough (he hasn't gone to school all this time because of all the traveling they did) and goes off to find his parents to confront them about how they treated him. 

Overall, it wasn't a bad story.  My biggest problem with it is the structure....anytime there is dialog, it is difficult to know and keep track of exactly who is saying what....

I've discovered that anytime I read a book where it is set up in this way (no names attached to dialog), I struggle with the book.  I wonder how I would have reacted to this story if it had a traditional structure to it....  Oh well....another book is on the horizon....

Happy Reading!!

#43--Ungifted by Gordon Korman

Gordon Korman makes me laugh.  Everything I've read of his has, at some point, made me laugh out loud....sometimes even to the point of a snort :).  I grabbed this title off the new books pile last week and as soon as I finished The Fault in Our Stars, I picked up Ungifted, looking for a good laugh after a sobering, cancer-kid book.  And it didn't disappoint!  I found myself giggling through much of the first 100 pages yesterday and today there were even more giggles as I finished it.

Donovan Curtis is not known for thinking through his actions, which is what put him in detention in the first place.  Having been sent to the principal's office for a spitball incident with his two best friends, the Daniels, the PA microphone was too much of a temptation and he broadcast to the entire school "Our fans are great; our team is nifty!  We're going to get blown out by fifty!"  Not the best idea in the world on the day of the big game.  After sitting through much of detention, the Daniels help Donovan sneak out of the last ten minutes when the teacher leaves the room.  As he is running for freedom, he suddenly has the unstoppable urge to smack the statue of Atlas on the butt with a large branch....which snaps the single corroded bolt holding the earth on Atlas's shoulders, and sends it careening for the gym, where the big game is taking place.

As the globe is on a collision course, there isn't much Donovan can do to stop it.  Unfortunately for Donovan, the district Superintendent, Dr. Schultz, happened to be at the game and he caught Donovan, who he proceeds to haul off to his office for interrogation.  Fortunately for Donovan, Dr. Schultz is called back to the scene of the crime and he sends Donovan home for the night.  Little does Donovan know that Dr. Schultz has accidentally included Donovan's name on the list of students being recommended for the Academy of Scholastic Distinction. 

When Donovan gets the letter saying that he is being sent to ASD, he sees it as a golden opportunity to keep a low profile and out of Dr. Schultz line of sight.  It is apparent early on to his teachers and his fellow students that Donovan is not actually gifted, and no one is really sure why or how he came to be at ASD.  Over the course of the next month, Donovan makes friends and works hard at keeping his cover.  But what will happen when Dr. Schultz finds out where Donovan is hiding out? 

This story is told in alternating chapters between several different characters--something that Korman is rather adept at.  I typically enjoy seeing the same story from different angles from within the story itself. 

This title will definitely be added to the book talk rotation and I think that a few more copies will be making their way to the shelves in the library as well.

Happy Reading!!

#42--The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

 

 

Much like books with dogs as the main characters, books about kids with cancer can really only end one way....and The Fault in Our Stars follows that credo, just not in the way I expected.  My brother-in-law gave me John Green's The Fault in Our Stars several months ago and when I finally picked it up last week, I couldn't put it down (unfortunately life got in the way and forced me to set it down several times). 

 

Hazel has been terminal since she was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 13, but thanks to a miracle drug, Phalanxifor, she has had an additional three years she wasn't expecting to get.  Her mom, fearing that Hazel is depressed and without friends, forces her to go to Support Group--Hazel would much rather be watching America's Next Top Model (heck, she'd rather be doing a lot of things) than attending Support Group.  But at this particular meeting she meets Augustus Waters. 

 

Augustus and Hazel fall in love over the course of the story, as they are of the few who really gets what the other is going through.  One of Hazel's passions is the the book An Imperial Affliction by Peter Van Houten, an American recluse living in Amsterdam.  Augustus manages arrange for his "wish," provided by The Genie Foundation, to be used to take Hazel to Amsterdam to meet Mr. Van Houten.  This meeting does not go the way either of them had envisioned....all Hazel wants is to know what happened to the characters in the story after it abruptly ended.  I'll leave it at that....don't want to give away the end to all those who haven't picked this up yet--which I highly recommend that you do!

 

I found myself both laughing and tearing up at different points in this story.  And this one is definitely going on my wish list for the library!!

 

Happy Reading!!

#41--Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian

When I ordered this book for the library last spring, it intrigued me, so I was rather excited to see it come back in last Tuesday when I was looking for a quick easy read.  It was a good escapist read for the middle of the week.  :)

Megan Meade is an army brat; she has lived all over the world, and she's tired of it.  She has finally found her place on the varsity soccer team at her latest school in Texas and even has a best friend.  When her parents come home and announce they are moving....to South Korea, Megan puts her foot down.  There is no way she is moving.  Her parents give her the option of going to live in Boston with her father's friend from med school, John McGowan, who, along with his wife, Regina, have seven boys....yes, seven.  Megan remembers them from the last time she saw them, about 9 years ago, and cringes.  But decides that living with seven boys has to be better than moving to South Korea, so she takes the plunge.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, however you want to look at it), the McGowan boys Megan remembers are all grown up--and they look like they could have stepped out of an Abercrombie ad.  Megan has to deal with the antics of the younger boys and her attraction for one of the older boys--who happens to be dating her competition on the soccer team!

Over the course of the first few weeks in Boston, Megan makes the soccer team, is able to pull Miller (the McGowan son who has Asperger's) out of his shell, makes friends (and enemies), gets grounded for the first time ever, and even saves the butt of one of her new "brothers".

Some of the timing in the book make the events a little unbelievable (like being able to befriend Miller in a matter of days), but overall, it was a cute, quick read.  There were even a few times when I found myself quietly giggling to myself.

Happy Reading!!

#40--Borderline by Allan Stratton

The weather today when I left school was wet, dreary, and downright miserable.  Which made me want to curl up with a good book.

Sami Sabiri is first-generation Iranian-American.  His father fled his homeland as a child and grew up in Canada.  Sami's dad is strict and has high expectations for his son.  Expectations that Sami doesn't find all that easy to live up to.  He is the only Muslim student at his private school, which he refers to as Academy Hell because of the bullying he goes through at the hands of Eddy, a football player with a father who covers a multitude of sins with his checkbook.

Sami's dad has invited him on a trip to Toronto that will be combined with a business trip, a nice father-son getaway.  But at the last minute, he has to cancel the plans for Sami to join him.  Not only does this make Sami mad, but it also makes him suspicious that maybe his dad is having an affair. 

Several nights after his father returns from Toronto, Sami is webcam-chatting with his two best friends, Marty and Andy (who lives across the street).  Andy reports to Sami that there are people dressed in black, with dogs, outside Sami's house.  Sami goes to investigate, thinking that Eddy and his cronies have actually followed through with their threats toward him.  Instead, the FBI bursts into the house and hauls Dr. Sabiri out of the house in handcuffs and separates Sami and his mom for hours, questioning them, and destroys their house and much of their belongings.

It takes a while for the Sabiris and their lawyer to find out where Dr. Sabiri is being held and what the charges are.  In the meantime, the arrest of a research director (Dr. Sabiri) at a lab that stores anthrax, smallpox, and other viruses and linked to an alleged terrorist group, the Brotherhood of Martyrs, is all over the news.  The only person linked to the terrorist cell who was not arrested was the alleged leader, Tariq Hasan.  Despite their strained relationship, Sami takes it upon himself to try to prove his father's innocence, at any cost.

This story had me hooked from the very beginning and I couldn't wait to see how it ended.  There were a few surprises in store that I didn't see coming, which is always a refreshing change.  This is definitely going on my list of recommendations for my students.  It is a ripped-from-the-headlines story that will hopefully make them think.

Happy Reading!!!

#39--Eighth Grade is Making Me Sick: Ginny Davis's Year in Stuff by Jennifer L. Holm

As I was catching up on my cataloging this afternoon, this title caught my eye. The story of Ginny's 8th grade year is told through stuff--there are sticky notes, poems, journal entries, grocery lists, report cards, hand-drawn comic strips, homework assignments, bank statements, and STUFF. Over the course of the year, Ginny's family moves (twice), her mom has a baby, her older brother wreaks havoc, she writes lots of poems--for class assignments, her step-Bob loses his job, and Ginny survives 8th grade with her sense of humor still intact.

This was a cute and sometimes funny story and I think my students will like it. It was a quick, easy read and the graphics made it entertaining.  I may have to go back and re-read it, just in case I missed something.  :) 

Happy Reading!!

#36--Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

On the first day of his senior year of high school, Greg Gaines thinks he has survived the day intact and unobserved--about as good as he can expect from high school, so, not a bad day.  Within hours of getting home, his mom drops a bomb on him....a girl he knows from Hebrew school has cancer...and his mom wants him to spend time with her.  Can you say awkward?  Greg and Rachel aren't really friends, but there is no way his mom is backing down on this one.  Greg and Rachel start hanging out and eventually Greg's only other friend, Earl, enters the picture.  Earl and Greg are amateur filmmakers, but refuse to let anyone else see what they have created....until Earl offers their movies up to Rachel as a way to try to cheer her up.  Everything snowballs from there.

This is probably my least favorite book I've read all year so far.  It started out with promise--I actually laughed out loud during the first few pages.  But gratuitous use of off-color language pretty quickly turned me off....and I didn't really like any of the characters but Rachel by the end of the book, and Rachel wasn't really that fleshed out....so that tells you how much I really didn't like the rest of the cast.  I actually contemplated putting it down and not finishing it after about 75 pages, but decided to slog through it in the hopes that it would improve.  Unfortunately, that never happened.  :(

#35--In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth

Yet another book that I purchased several years ago to preview for my library has finally made it to my "READ" shelf!  (yes, that does say years)

In a Heartbeat is told in alternating voices: that of Eagan, an energetic and enthusiastic young figure skater who has died in a tragic on-ice accident and is stuck in the in-between and that of Amelia, a contemplative young artist awaiting a heart transplant.  Once Amelia receives her new heart, she begins to have new thoughts and experiences and desires that she never had before....she wants a purple lollipop (Amelia hates purple, but it was Eagan's favorite color).  Eagan's chapters are spent looking back on her life and thinking about things that were said and what was left unsaid.  Amelia's chapters are spent thinking about who her donor could have been and how she (Amelia) is different now with her new heart.  Will Amelia get to thank her donor's parents?  Will Eagan's parents be willing to meet Amelia?  Will Amelia's body accept the donor heart?

There is closure for both characters, but there are also strings left open to interpretation, which I really liked in this story. 

There are very few books written on organ donation for teens (at least, not many I could find in my quick search on Amazon), so this definitely fills a niche in YA lit, and it is worth the read.

Happy Reading!!

#33--Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

On one of the first teacher days back at school, my friend Kelly (also one of my LA teachers) came to me raving about the best book she read this summer....Between Shades of Gray (not that shades of gray!).  As it so happened, I had checked this title out over the summer and had not yet had a chance to read it.  So, on her recommendation, I pulled it out of the pile today and enjoyed some rays while reading.

On the night of June 14, 1941, 15-year-old Lina Vilkas, her mother Elena, and her younger brother Jonas are removed from their home in Lithuania by the Soviet secret police (NKVD) and deported to Siberia, for reasons Lina and Jonas don't know or understand.  As difficult as it is, she tries to mask her hatred for the Soviets.  The conditions are horrific, but Lina is determined to live, no matter what.  Lina must also hide the drawings she has made, depicting their ordeals and the people in the camps, both Lithuanians and the Soviet guards, as she could be executed if they are found.  Her art is how Lina hopes to communicate with others the truth of what happened to them in Siberia.  But will her hope keep them alive long enough?

There have been very few books written about this time period, so it is not a part of history that I was overly familiar with.  However, that makes me want to find out more about it, and more about the people who survived these horrors.  The author, Ruta Sepetys, is the daughter of a Lithuanian refugee who was fortunate enough to escape through Germany and into refugee camps.  She wrote this story as a memorial to all those who perished, and for those who survived Stalin's Reign of Terror.  This is a story that I would definitely recommend to anyone who is a lover of history!

Happy Reading!!

#32--Geek Charming by Robin Palmer

This afternoon I was looking for a light and easy read to sit outside on my swing with and enjoy the beautiful day.  And I also have a stack of books that I checked out over the summer staring at me, waiting to be read.  So I picked up today's read for both of those reasons. 

Dylan is the "it-girl" at her private high school.  Josh is a film geek who happens to be in the right place at the wrong time.....Dylan has accidentally tossed her very expensive designer handbag into the fountain at the shopping mall her dad owns, and she convinces Josh to go in after it for her, in return for being in his documentary for film school.  Dylan attempts to renege on this deal, but her dad makes her follow through on it.  Josh, of the F-list in Dylan's mind, will get to follow her around and film her for one month, in her A-list world. 

At first Josh considers scrapping the whole project because Dylan is driving him insane with her demands, but eventually, he realizes that she is human and decides he wants to show her whole story in the documentary instead of just the life of the populars, as he originally intended.  When Dylan's emotionally distant boyfriend of almost two years dumps her right before the Fall Fling--the social event of the semester--and her popularity tanks, it is up to Josh to try to save the day.

Will Dylan kiss the frog to get the prince or will she discover that a prince is not always necessary?

This was a cute story and it reminded me of the movies Can't Buy Me Love and Clueless.  Parts of it were predictable, but it fit the bill for what I was looking for today and I would read Palmer's other books based on fairy tales:  Wicked Jealous: A Love Story, Cindy Ella, and Little Miss Red.

Happy Reading!!

#29--They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti

During the summer I always have great aspirations to getting lots of reading done....as is evidenced by the piles of books I pack anytime I go anywhere.  However, life, and this year, the Olympics, gets in the way. 

I finished They Almost Always Come Home several months ago, but never posted it....so, here goes....

The story opens with Libby fretting over whether dead people wear shoes....it seems like a waste since no one will see them, but "no outfit is complete without shoes".  Every time her husband goes away on one of his Canadian wilderness trips, Libby tends to over-dramatize if he is even the tiniest bit late....but Greg has never been this late before, and he has never been in the wilderness alone...

When he doesn't return home within a few days of the anticipated time, Libby files a missing persons report....and waits, and waits, and waits.  Her father-in-law, Frank, and her best friend, Jenika (Jen), are there by her side.  During her agonizing wait for Greg, Libby waffles between wishing she had left Greg before his trip, to wishing he were home again and by her side.  Part of her indecision lies in the fact that their daughter died a few years ago, and then everything changed. 

Jen is convinced that God wants Libby and Jen to find Greg....Libby's not so sure about that.  She is convinced that Greg is either dead or he has found a convenient way to leave her.  The fourth day after filing the missing persons report, Frank announces that he wants to go up to Canada to take a look around...hoping to see something the authorities missed, or to find "his boy".  Much to his chagrin, Libby and Jen insist on tagging along--two inexperienced and anti-outdoors women--to the wilderness of Canada.  And they only have one week to find him.

Along the way, Jen, Libby and Frank come across clues that indicate they are on the right trail....empty sunflower seeds, Greg's paddle that he made in high school wood shop.  And Libby also has one of Greg's journals that she reads at night while questioning God the whole time.

Two-thirds of the way into the book, the perspective switches to Greg's side of the story.  I don't want to give anything away....but I loved his side of the story just as much as Libby's and the ending was fantastic as well. 

Christian fiction can sometimes come across as preachy or trite, but this one doesn't.  Will definitely be checking out her future works.

Happy Reading!!