Tuesday, January 26, 2016

2016 Hub Reading Challenge

Beginning now until June 23, you read 25 books consisting of graphic novels, audiobooks, from Award Winnning categories: Here is the link for all the information you need to participate.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi

The Water KnifeThe Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved this audiobook narrated awesomely by Almarie Guerra ; The Water Knife is an adult environmental cautionary tale about the effects of water drying up throughout the United States. Angel is a water knife from Las Vegas who ensures that his boss keeps the water coming for her "Arcolody" developments. But something is up and it will pit California, Arizona and Nevada against each other as they vie for the water that is dwindling to dust. As the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, circumstances will bring Angel, Maria (poor and surviving by her wits) and Lucy (hard core journalist who writes about those who have died because of the vanishing water) together in a climax that will call into question their humanity and allegiances. Awesome, I loved Bacigalupi's Ship Breaker and this book was just as thrilling a read!

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Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1)Illuminae by Amie Kaufman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a fantastic rip roaring good read! As Kady & Ezra break up (this is a big thing) little do they know by afternoon their planet, Kerenza, has been attacked and the ex-lovers (barely speaking & angry with each other) are fleeing for their lives. What I loved about this sci-fi action drama was the high octane super charged way the authors accomplished this first in a series- using Memos, hacked documents (IMs, texts, emails), interviews, pictures, graphics all pull this story into a hold your breath drama where 1 girl (great with technology, doesn't work well with others & super bad ass) and 1 guy (team player, fighter pilot and still in love with Kady) fight together & separately to save those on The Alexander, Lincoln & Hypatia from a mutating disease, AIDAN's insanity, and still stay alive. I could not stop following the Kady & Ezra communications (OMG!!!) I am so looking forward to the 2nd book in the series! Kaufman and Kristoff create a thriller where everything is crazy and Kady & Ezra are very strong protagonists the reader just keeps rooting for! Highly recommneded!

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Little Mercies by Heather Gudenkauf

a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18722887-little-mercies" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px">Little MerciesLittle Mercies by Heather Gudenkauf
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Little Mercies was an amazing audiobbok; narrated by: Kate Ruddand Tanya Eby! I read Gudenkauf's thriller, The Weight of Silence and could not put it down! The same was true with this thriller that combined a committed but harried social worker, Ellen with a parallel plot of a 10 year old child, Jenny. I could not stop listening as Ellen and Jenny's lives converge and both are being torn apart by life, family, and the system. The ripped from the headlines topics of foster care, abusive parents, death of a child are chilling, demanding empathy from the reader and society. I especially loved the author's interview following the audiobook which asks us to acknowledge and value the little mercies in life. A taut, emotional, worthwhile read.

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Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom

Not If I See You FirstNot If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have to admit, I liked Parker Grant more and more as I read this book. Losing your sight and mother at age 7 is very difficult for any child and as Parker grows up she creates The Rules and these rules govern her friendships, family, and relationships. Fast forward to high school where Parker has just lost her father, runs every morning, and reunites with the guy she blames for ruining her life. Lindstrom deftly portrays Parker's feistiness to the world but he does a superb job of fleshing out her insecurities, which make her wretchedly question many things she was so so sure about. How will Parker deal with her new reality of Scott, Jason, Molly, Trish, Sarah, and Sheila? Loved this book and the cadre of teen characters, the fierce friendships, the importance of friends and finding oneself!

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On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis

On the Edge of GoneOn the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for the ARC, On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis. If you are looking for a gripping post-apocalyptic read with diverse characters measured according to how “worthiness” On the Edge of Gone, is a rip-roaring action packed read! Denise is the tough but insecure protagonist, who does not let her autism stop her from proving her worth to gain a spot on the generation ship (bringing her mother along while still trying to find her sister, Iris) as a comet hurtles toward Earth. I loved the much needed diversity Duyvis brought to this raw book with biracial characters, transgender characters, and characters with disabilities. I saw this author speak on a diversity panel 11/15/15 in Philadelphia titled, Moving Past “Girl” Books and “Boy” Books: Representing a Rainbow, and I was so impressed. I immediately requested this title from NetGalley and I was so excited to read this scifi thriller. I even purchased Otherbound, too! Congratulations to Corinne Duyvis and the cadre of other authors celebrating diversity in culture and environment in their writing; YA readers need more authors to lend their voices; highly recommended!

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Monday, January 11, 2016

George by Alex Gino

GeorgeGeorge by Alex Gino
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I saw author, Alex Gino, speak at a diversity conference in Philadelphia on 11/15 at Friends Central School and immediately purchased the book! George is a boy who knows he is really a girl. With a very supportive best friend, Kelly, George struggles with how to get the part of Charlotte, the spider, in the school play. George confides in her mom and brother about being different and as a strong main character I was enlightened and rooted for George. Readers will enjoy the way this story unfolds, the family and friendships portrayed, and how "different" is good! With a new voice in diversity, Alex Gino has written a book All should read.

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Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick

Dangerous LiesDangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow if you like a great psychological thriller, Dangerous Lies will fill the bill perfectly! I read this in 2 days and could not put it down. A teen from Philadelphia is put into Witness Protection after witnessing a murder. Stella is tough as nails, used to being on her own and looking out for herself, but being sent to Nebraska for the summer, torn from her boyfriend and everything she knew and loved is one monumental adjustment! Living on the farm, posing as a foster child to retired cop, Carmina begins to feel like a new kind of home Stella is getting used to. Will getting a job and becoming friendly with neighbor, Chet Falconer, keep Stella's secrets from invading her new life? Highly recommended!

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Sunday, January 3, 2016

Scar Girl by Len Vlahos

Scar Girl (The Scar Boys, #2)Scar Girl by Len Vlahos
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group and Carolrhoda Lab for the ARC, Scar Girl by Len Vlahos. If you loved Scar Boys, you will love the band’s success while you will be tremendously saddened by the band’s secrets and those effects on each member. Vlahos does another stellar job of crafting a band story that is so much more than that- the energy created from their music vibrates and reaches deep into our souls as Johnny, Harry, and Chey struggle with problems they choose not to share with one another. All the while they are attaining monumental success as a band. What will happen to the Scar Boys? What will happen to each member of the band? This sequel crushed me to my core and I vote for another book, Scar Boys Rule! Highly recommended!

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