Tragedy Girl by Christine Hurley Deriso

Tragedy Girl by Christine Hurley Deriso
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Flux Books for providing an advance copy of Tragedy Girl by Christine Hurley Deriso. Anne’s parents have died in a car crash and as she goes to live with her aunt and uncle, she meets new friends. Having a locker next to handsome, kind, considerate Blake seems to be just what Anne needs in her new school. It seems Blake and Anne have pain and grief in common; Blake’s girlfriend, Cara drowned during the summer and it is these shared tragedies that pull them quickly into a relationship. But as Anne grows closer to Blake, with new friends Melanie, Lauren, Garrett, and Jamie- questions and accusations about Cara’s death prompt unease for Anne. What will the future hold for Anne and Blake? Teens will keep turning the pages as this plausible thriller unfolds. This book has all the elements – high school drama, romance, lies, mystery, and death. Recommended.

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Ms Marvel: Generation Why by G. Willow Wilson

Ms. Marvel, #8: Generation Why by G. Willow Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this graphic novel as part of the 2016 Hub Challenge and Ms. Marvel is one kick ass heroine living in Jersey City fighting to keep the bad guys out of her neighborhood. She fights against the Inventor alone but is aided by Lockjaw, a dog with super powers. As an inhuman she fights to protect and I can't wait to read more about this superhero (but also just a plain old teen in high school).

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I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up For Education & Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Malala- her voice- her convictions- her love of family - her goal to educate girls (well everyone) worldwide. Her story was brave, heartbreaking and one that must be read and heard by all. Malala's life in Swat was forever altered just because she stood up for educating girls. Now she cannot return to her homeland but she continues to advocate and speak out. I read this book as part of the social justice theme for the February twitter chat for #yearof ya on Tuesday 2/29 at 8PM EST - join me for this great chat!

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The Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh wow! The Glass Sword was just as chilling and The Red Queen and I could not stop listening to this audiobook, I was hooked. As Mare, Cal, Farley and Kilorn look for New Bloods from Julian's list - those like Mare that have special abilities - Mare reunites with her brother, Shade who I absolutely loved. Like Mare, he has amazing abilities- but I will not be divulging - you must read the book. Fleeing Maven and the Silver's was a taut race that kept Mare and her band jumping, crashing, and trying to outwit the Silvers. I rooted for Mare- she doubted herself constantly and made judgments and voiced concerns that did not sit well with her as well as others. Her relationships are tested sorely, she is miserable, and really questions who she is as she kills just like Maven & the Silvers to. I hate that I have to wait for #3 but it gives me lots of time to think about Aveyard's great characters (loved the New Bloods) the intricate plot twists and that darn ending!

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Ms. Marvel: Crushed by G. Willow Wilson

Ms. Marvel, #13: Crushed! by G. Willow Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this 2nd graphic novel I read as part of the 2016 Hub Challenge. Ms. Marvel meets a nice young man, who she thinks is her crush come true. Oh it would be so easy to believe he loves her as she is but her crush wants to her to join the bad guys lead by Lineage- Ms Marvel says "No thank you" and battles her way back to Jersey City. I will be reading more of this Ms Marvel series

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The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection by Kiera Cass
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So many of my students raved about this book, I can't believe it took me so long to read/listen to this book. I LOVED IT! Now I can't wait to listen to the 2dn book in the series. How would you feel if you were America Singer, one of a bevy of young women who may be chosen by Prince Maxon to be his wife and queen? Rather than being happy, America is conflicted because she is in love (secretly) with Maxon who is a member of a lower cast. With lots of drama, action, and heart pounding romance, you will fall in love with America, her world, and the contest known as The Selection.

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Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this as part of The Hub Reading Challenge (Top 10 Best Fiction) and oh this this series one I am going to enjoy- I didn't even realize I was at the end of the book. Talk about a cliff hanger ending, I could not believe it yet I am now hanging by a thread imaging Leigh Bardugo's next book---hurry up. I loved everything about this book; the characters with bigger than life personalities- Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Nina, and Matthias were oh so perfect and oh so fallible (I fell in love with them all); the settings of Ketterdam and Ferjda (The Ice Court) were mesmerizing and the thrilling plot with Kaz's crew going after a bad guy who makes a drug that is addicting and dangerous ---while so many, many things could go wrong had my heart racing and turning pages furiously. This is definitely a favorite series for me and since I have never read Bardugo's Grisha books---I am definitely going to now! Addicting is all I can say about this fantastic book I am going to be thinking about for quite a while. I can't stop gushing; a must read!

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The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley by Saun David Hutchinson

The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley by Shaun David Hutchinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book took me on many highs (his relationship with Rusty) and many lows (hiding in a hospital because he blames himself for his parents deaths). Andrew is a teen who is concealing so many things from everyone, including himself. He is gifted with pen and writes/illustrates a story about Patient F (who is really him). He has made many friends in the hospital, both staff and patients and it is his interactions with all of these people, especially Father Mike, Lexi, and Trevor that resonated most deeply with me. As he runs from himself, he learns so many things from everyone he meets in the hospital, and we are left to wonder, will Drew ever leave the hospital and what will he find in the real world?

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Half Wild by Sally Green

Half Wild by Sally Green
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to this book as part of the 2016 Hub Challenge Top 10 Amazing Audiobooks. OMG, Carl Prekopp's narration of this amazing audiobook was killer. I could not stop listening to Nathan, half white witch & half black witch, as he grows older, receives his wishes from his father, feared black witch, Marcus, searches for his love, Annaliese, and revels in his tentative relationship with Gabriel (who is in love with Nathan). This is part 2 of the Half Bad series by Sally Green and it is just as riveting as the first book!!! With a cliffhanger for an ending, I can't wait for the 3rd book in this series.

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Girl at War by Sara Novic

Girl at War by Sara Nović
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to this awesome book narrated by the mesmerizing, Julia Whalen, as part of The Hub Challenge. This historical fiction tale tells the harrowing effects of war on individuals, family, the world at large. Ana is a 10 year old living in Zagreb, Croatia when the Serbo Croatian War decimates her world and family. As Ana and her parents, ferry her very ill little sister to doctors who will get her to the US for the proper medical attention, Serbs at a blockade stop everyone on the road, march them to an isolated area, and destroy Ana's world. What I really liked about this book was the way the chapters were set up. First the reader sees Ana's carefree world become one of suspicion, violence and genocide. The next chapter, Somnambulist, finds Ana in college in New York and it is 10 years later. Ana has found her sister and been adopted by the foster family who cared for Rachel (Rahella is her Croat name). In school Ana tells everyone she was born in the US, never speaking about her life during the war. The next chapter, Safe House, is when she is asked to speak at the United Nations and Ana speaks about the war and being a child soldier. The final chapter, Echoed by the Trees, has Ana returning to Zagreb to find out about remaining friends & family and making peace with what happened to her family those many horrific years previously. What a powerful story told through the eyes of an innocent child who is devastated by the war but lives to tell about its effects on her and everyone else around her, highly recommended!

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Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have always enjoyed Jennifer E. Smith books; she has a great way with getting guys and girls together and weaving heartfelt romances in many ways. Clare and Aidan have been together for the past two years and now it is the night before they leave for college and some decisions have to be made - break up or stay together. At first I was not to sure I wanted to read this because quite frankly it seemed trivial (especially with all the heavy topic books I have been reading) but I love Smith's books and I grew to love Clare and Aiden, their friends, and their last two years as a couple who "dove" one another (you have to read the book). Aiden melted my heart with his steadfast love for Clare. Clare was a little too meticulous about their final night and revisiting special highlights, all the while being convinced they were breaking up. But I rooted for Clare and I was not disappointed! The ending is tremendous.

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Lumberjanes Vol. 2 Friendship to the Max by Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis

Lumberjanes, Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max by Noelle Stevenson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Read this as part of The Hub Challenge. Volume 2 of the Lumberjanes is Friendship to the Max and once again the 5 friends are still adding badges and adventures to their summer camp experiences! In this companion, the best friends are still battling a forest full of supernatural creatures but now the world may be at risk so the drama just gets deeper! But I did like that camp counselor Jen became more cool and a fast friend to her 5 charges. While making friendship bracelets, Jen makes Diane, another camper accompany her to the outhouse where dinosaurs attack and an old lady disguised as a spirit bear declaring there is ancient evil in their midst that must be vanguished! That is just the beginning of a rip roaring good time & battle for right and might. So funny and just as enjoyable as the first book, middle grades will love this graphic novel & band of scouts!

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Lumberjanes Vol 1 Beware the Kitten Holy by Noelle Stevenson & Grace Ellis

Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy by Noelle Stevenson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Read this as part of the Hub Reading Challenge! Knew I would love these adventurous gaggle of best girlfriends as they strive valiantly to get their badges, fight off a bear woman, yetis, zombies, gods, and sneaking away from their prim and proper counselor, Jen. The laughs and adventures between these girls are fun, scary, and exciting. They are loud and proud, each girl having her own personality and not afraid to band together & stay together. I loved how they talked, "what the junk?!" and their bout with poison ivy. A great beginning graphic novel series for middle grade readers!

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Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have always enjoyed Jennifer E. Smith books; she has a great way with getting guys and girls together and weaving heartfelt romances in many ways. Clare and Aidan have been together for the past two years and now it is the night before they leave for college and some decisions have to be made - break up or stay together. At first I was not to sure I wanted to read this because quite frankly it seemed trivial (especially with all the heavy topic books I have been reading) but I love Smith's books and I grew to love Clare and Aiden, their friends, and their last two years as a couple who "dove" one another (you have to read the book). Aiden melted my heart with his steadfast love for Clare. Clare was a little too meticulous about their final night and revisiting special highlights, all the while being convinced they were breaking up. But I rooted for Clare and I was not disappointed! The ending is tremendous.

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The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh boy, this was such a tough, but amazingly awesome read! One of the honor books for The Morris Award, I am reading this as part of The 2016 Hub Challenge. I could not put it down. Minnow Bly has a normal life until her father becomes enamored of The Prophet, Kevin, and her family becomes a part of The Community Cult that takes off for the wilderness and indoctrination begins-listen to the Prophet and do whatever he says. But the book does not begin with this; Minnow is in juvie, and Dr. Wilson, a forensic psychologist is trying to find out what happened the night The Community caught fire. As the reader wades into Minnow's life, we see she is inquisitive and her many questions are hated by those in the cult, especially The Prophet. Her father is a right hand man to the Prophet; he has 4-5 wives and 20 some children. Her mother is distant, bearing many children, and not stable at all. Minnow is very protective of her younger sister, Constance. As life continues in the cult, Minnow begins to see/understand the craziness and her growing friendship with an outsider (Rymanite), Jude, also adds another dimension to the tumult in confined Minnow's life. Author Stephanie Oakes does a superb job of blending Minnow's life in The Community, in prison and with Jude, creating a kalidescope of torture, hurt, and eventual release toward rediscovery. A must read!

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