Rich People Problems (Crazy Rich Asians #3) by Kevin Kwan

Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved the final book in the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy; you learn so much more about Nicky's grandmother growing up, the history of Tyersall Park, and more about the family members. I listened to this book as well and enjoyed Lydia Look's narration. I really did not like Kitty, Colette, Eddie and of course all of Eleanor Young's friends and in laws pressuring Nick and Rachel to have children. I am still in love with Nick & Rachel, loved Rachel's college friend, Alistair was given more time, and some of the new characters were just so much fun. I will be sorry to see this series end, but I won't miss the meanness of many, the judgements of many, but I liked how the book ended.

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Meet Cute complied by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this YA short story collection of romances; every story was awesome! My favorites were The Intern by Sara Shepard and The Dictionary of You and Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

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Resistance vy Jennifer A. Nielsen

Resistance by Jennifer A. Nielsen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a great YA historical fiction book; the plot and characters made compelling reading---how the Jews suffered in the concentration camps; but these brave resistance teens fight to save Jews by being couriers. The networking of the resistance groups was not one I was familiar with having read many Holocaust novels and nonfiction titles. This is a must read for teens studying the Holocaust in history; these brave teens and their stories were researched and show the heroism of these teens in the "face of almost certain defeat". Highly recommended.

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Fall With Me (Wait for You #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Fall with Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Jennifer L. Armentrout romances and especially enjoy this Wait For You series. Reece is a 25 year old policeman in the town where he grew up and 22 year old Roxy has been his friend since childhood and in love with him since she was 15. I loved the different problems and tension in this swoon worthy romance and romance readers will love the drama as Roxy and Reece find their way toward each other!

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Renegades by Marissa Meyer

Renegades by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I felt there was too much description and not enough action ( & I so loved the Lunar Chronicles) too little known about many characters and too much introspection from Nova and not enough thoughts, words, deeds from Adrian (Ruby, Oscar) and the other Renegades. With that ending though I am definitely going to read the 2nd one.

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Vengeful (Villains #2) by V. E. Schwab

Vengeful by V.E. Schwab
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG I listened to this 2nd book in the Villains series by V.E. Schwab and Jeremy Arthur's narration was superb! The voices he used for Victor & Eli were monotone, gravelly, but oh so powerful and Sydney's voice was so innocent. This book was so much more dark, I hade to put it down with Dr Haverty & his "research" on Eli----torture was more like it and it was definitely too much. I could not stop listening to this book as it leaped and bounded in time and characters - Eli was back, Sydney, Mitch, and Victor kept bouncing around from place to place as Victor becomes sicker and can't find a cure (all the while not telling Sydney) and June (new character we don't know her back story) is fixated on Sydney and leaning on her loneliness, June begins texting Syd keeping in touch over the years. I loved Dominic as he worked at EON and kept in touch with Victor. I so did not like Marcella but she was definitely vengeful and I was not happy with EON director, Stell - but there stories were integral and I just can't wait until the next book in the series!!!

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The Prince (A Wicked 3.5 novella) 1001 Dark Nights by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Prince by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved prickly, tough Brighton who has mastered fighting the fae after her mother was murdered and she was tortured (Brighton keeps thinking if 0nly she had fought back then, could she have saved her mother) and now is part of The Order, a human who keeps an eye on the summer and winter fae. But behind all of this, Brighton is getting rid of all who attacked her and her mother, one by one. But when the Prince seems to be everywhere she is and trying to keep her from her task, things get really tense. What will happen as she and the Prince begin to work together to uncover the disappearance of foundlings? I can't wait for The King! I just wish I did not have to wait so long, a great series!

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Pride by Ibi Zoboi

Pride by Ibi Zoboi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is getting slot of hype and oh did I love the way Ibi Zoboi took Pride & Prejudice and remixed it - Zuri has always lived in Bushwick, a suburb of Brooklyn with her Afro-Latino roots, she is fiercely protective of her family and neighborhood. Then across the street where an abandoned house has been turned into a mini mansion, which Zuri cannot condone---rich people moving into the hood, changes neighborhoods and not for the best. When the Darcy family moves in with 2 handsome boys, Zuri takes an instant dislike to Darius while her sister, Janae falls hard for Ainsley. I just loved the way Zoboi saw Zuri's neighborhood, family, friends, and her description of food, clothes, and places mixed culture, love , family, and changing neighborhoods to produce a MUST READ for all teens, adults, and anyone who loves retellings of classic fairytales will not be able to put down this real, humorous, culturally diverse must read! I loved the cover and even better ---the inside cover with Zuri and Darius facing off - awesome.

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You Won't Know I'm Gone (The Black Angels Chronciles #2) by Kristen Orlando

You Won't Know I'm Gone by Kristen Orlando
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really did not like the way Reagan vacillated throughout this book; I got tired of her inner anger raging always about getting Ramos, missing her mom (in the first book, Reagan wasn't always a fan of her mom, did her murder change Reagan?) and denying her feelings for Luke (I really like him, Reagan does too but she won't allow herself to give in to her true feelings- remember she has to kill Ramos herself) but I did really enjoy the drama, the endurance she got back in order to try to win a spot in the Black Angels she was once guaranteed and lost due to her behavior in Columbia. I liked her friendship with Anusha and Cam, her instructor Michael, hated Lexie) and hoped to see her relationship with Luke grow... The story was suspenseful, so much action, I am really looking forward to the 3rd book.

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City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson

City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to and loved narrator, Pascale Armand's many voices in Anderson's oh so compelling thriller of lies, murder, gangs, African mining, and family ties. Tina has been nursing her hatred for Mr Greyhill for over 5 years; he killed her mother and she was going to ruin him. With best friend & tech wizard Boy-Boy Tina is determined to infiltrate Mr Greyhill's home, access his computer and finding the truth- destroy him financially & personally. But in his office at his computer she is startled to find a gun aimed at her and Michael Greyhill, her long time friend (who is supposed to be at boarding school) is aiming a gun at her. As she tries to figure out how to fool Michael, he proposes how he will help her find her mother's murderer (of course he does not think it is his father). Tina was so filled with hatred, anger, and the urge for revenge, you can't help but want this solitary girl to triumph in every way possible. But as the odds mount against her, Tina will find out who her true friends are, but will she be able to accept, survive the truth? Such a spine tingling story about family, the awfulness that is Congo, horrid business practices, militias goondas, killing and survival. Highly recommended, teens will love the spine tingling, break neck speed of this book!!!

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Love by Matt de la Pena

Love by Matt de la Pena
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I saw Matt de la Pena speak this August at the Ocean City Public Library; not only did he read this perfectly wonderful book, but he talked about his life, past and present; his parents and how they influenced him to become a writer. I have read Matt's children's books and his YA books and they are all must reads. His heritage is compelling and now I see it in all his books. This book, Love can be read and enjoyed by all age groups and the illustrations by Loren Long are beautiful, sad, happy and truly a joy.

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The Sexy One by Lauren Blakely

The Sexy One by Lauren Blakely
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was really in the mood for this light, perfect romance! Abby is a nanny to 5 year old Hayden but she is also a teacher of languages (French, Spanish, German, etc) and very very attracted to her Dad, Simon (he is also into Abby too). What I liked about both characters is that they were strong, real about what they wanted in life and love, but also no drama. The build-up of their attraction was a slow burn and once they began kissing, they were both honest that they wanted each other---just how to make it work. A great, quick read--I will be reading the next book about Simon's friend, Tyler too!

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Break Me Like a Promise (Once Upon a Crime Family #2) by Tiffany Schmidt

Break Me Like a Promise: Once Upon a Crime Family by Tiffany Schmidt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this Once Upon a Crime series (#2 book) and totally rooted for Magnolia Grace as she struggled first with Carter's sudden death and then her father's crime family demands to give a patient a kidney (remain with Alex through his journey to a new kidney). Maggie was one tough girl; going against everything to be a part of her father's crime family business of black market organs. This book kept me riveted because Maggie was difficult, grieving, insensitive, and against the new Organ Bill, which her father now seems to endorse. As Maggie comes to know Alex, she learns more about the patient side of the business, and decides to live again. Against all odds Maggie tries to return to the world of the living, fighting for the organ law and the patients. Awesome read!!!

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Rescued by Eliot Schrefer

Rescued by Eliot Schrefer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book as pat of the #yearofya twitter chat featuring middle school books taking place Tues 10/9 at 8PM EST. I have read Schrefer's previous two books in this compelling heartbreaking series and this book was so sad as it covers the loneliness of a child/teen and his pet/brother, orangutan Raja which his father brings back to the US as a pet for his young son, John. Both John and Raja are very sympathetic characters as life (his parents' divorce) and the horrors of endangered animals become the driving force as teen John breaks out of his shell to rescue and try to give Raja his life back in the rain forest.

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Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Debut author hits a homerun with her disturbing, humorous, delightful book flawlessly narrated by Cathleen McCarron. I was alternately embarrassed for and by Eleanor, I disliked her but wished her well---OMG, as the book unfolds Eleanor is a solitary soul who has opinions on everything, no friends, long time worker at a PR firm. It is when she sees a rock star and begins to imagine meeting him, falling in love, etc that Eleanor begins to make some changes (big, big, big) to her life and her appearance. It is her childhood and her weekly chats with Mummy that are particularly difficult to read but all the while tech assistant, Raymond, proves his worth as her first and ONLY friend. I loved Raymond, his mother, and the old guy both Raymond and Eleanor saved as he fell to the ground unconscious. It was so gratifying to see Eleanor's re-birth as a human being with feelings, insight and compassion. I could not stop laughing at her judgments, criticisms, and bizarre beliefs. I can't wait to see this as a movie----I will be excitedly looking forward to her next book---I would love even another Eleanor book, too!

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Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this totally awesome middle grade book for the #yearofya twitter chat being held 10/9 at 8PM EST. Meg Medina takes plucky 11 year old Merci Suarez and her close-knit family and treats the reader to the highs and lows of middle school (friends, sports & school clubs) through Merci's eyes (she and her brother are scholarship students at a private school and the dynamics of a close-knit family (3 families live side by side in little houses called Las Casitas). As Merci dreams of a new bike, trying out for the soccer team and joining the family painting business---troubling things are happening with her revered grandfather, Lolo, but no one in the family will answer her constant questions. I loved Merci, I loved her family, and rooted for her in school fraught with mean girls. This is a must read and Meg Medina's plot and her notes from the author about Alzheimer's disease broke my heart. I especially loved her quote in the Acknowledgments section, "Books happen in my life as the result of the time, talent and love of so many people."

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