The Hush (Johnny Merrimon, 2) by John Hart

The Hush by John Hart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellently narrated by Jeremy Bobb, this book follows The Last Child ten years later - Johnny Merrimon is a ghost living on the 6,600 acres, hiding from notoriety and remaining friends with Jack Cross. But there is something going on in the Hush and it manifests itself in lights, fires, lost people and dead people---all of which the sheriff wants to blame on Johnny. Now Jack is back, a practicing attorney but where he sees danger, fear and darkness in the Hush, Johnny will not entertain any of Jack's fears. What is going on in the Hush??? You won't believe it, I could not stop listening!!!

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The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When Greg and Tess McAvoy sail off to celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary, little do their friends know that danger and death will come calling to Nantucket and the group of friends known as The Castaways. As the friends find out about Tess and Greg's death; the grief overwhelms and cripples Deidre, Addison, and Andrea while their spouses are helpless. As the story progresses the reader finds out more and more about this close knit group of friends who take trips together, fall in love with each other and sleep with each other. A great beach read; I could not stop turning the pages.

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Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand

Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Vickie, Brenda, and Melanie come to Nantucket with problems, children and endeavor to enjoy the sun and beauty of Nantucket away from the stark reality that caused them to flee. Vickie and Brenda are sisters that inherited the small cottage (Vickie has 2 kids and lung cancer while Brenda is a disgraced professor who had an affair with a student), Melanie is Vickie's friend who runs from a husband who is carrying on an affair. As they struggle, Josh Flynn, longtime Nantucket resident becomes their babysitter, lifeline, and so much more to each of the women. I just loved everything about Josh; he was empathetic, kind, happy, friendly and what Vickie's boys needed as they went to the beach each day, made friends, and became grounded with Josh's special brand of babysitting. I could not stop turning the pages, loved this story!!!

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Fence (Fence, #6) by C. S. Pacat

Fence by C.S. Pacat
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An unexpected defeat has everyone on edge!!!
As a result of reading HeartStopper, the Fence series jumped up in my similar reads and oh am I glad I have read them, Nicholas gets into an elite academy where he wants to fence and beat his long lost brother who doesn't even know he is alive, and once he meets his teammates he wants to beat Seiji Katayama too! A great graphic novel series where the first three books tell the story and the other volumes rehash different important parts of Nicholas' quest.

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Fence #5 by C. S. Pacat

Fence #5 by C.S. Pacat
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What is Seiji hiding?
As a result of reading HeartStopper, the Fence series jumped up in my similar reads and oh am I glad I have read them, Nicholas gets into an elite academy where he wants to fence and beat his long lost brother who doesn't even know he is alive, and once he meets his teammates he wants to beat Seiji Katayama too! A great graphic novel series where the first three books tell the story and the other volumes rehash different important parts of Nicholas' quest.

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Fence Vol #3 by C.S. Pacat

Fence Vol. 3 by C.S. Pacat
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nicholas and Seiji face off!!!
s a result of reading HeartStopper, the Fence series jumped up in my similar reads and oh am I glad I have read them, Nicholas gets into an elite academy where he wants to fence and beat his long lost brother who doesn't even know he is alive, and once he meets his teammates he wants to beat Seiji Katayama too! A great graphic novel series where the first three books tell the story and the other volumes rehash different important parts of Nicholas' quest.

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Fence, #4 (Fence, #4) by C. S. Pacat

Fence #4 by C.S. Pacat
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If Nicholas doesn't win, will he lose his scholarship and place at the Academy?
As a result of reading HeartStopper, the Fence series jumped up in my similar reads and oh am I glad I have read them, Nicholas gets into an elite academy where he wants to fence and beat his long lost brother who doesn't even know he is alive, and once he meets his teammates he wants to beat Seiji Katayama too! A great graphic novel series where the first three books tell the story and the other volumes rehash different important parts of Nicholas' quest.

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Fence #2 (Fence, #2) by P.C. Pacat

Fence #2 by C.S. Pacat
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

How will Nicholas live with his enemy, Seiji Katayama?!?
As a result of reading HeartStopper, the Fence series jumped up in my similar reads and oh am I glad I have read them, Nicholas gets into an elite academy where he wants to fence and beat his long lost brother who doesn't even know he is alive, and once he meets his teammates he wants to beat Seiji Katayama too! A great graphic novel series where the first three books tell the story and the other volumes rehash different important parts of Nicholas' quest.

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Fence, Vol. 1 by C.S. Pacat

Fence, Vol. 1 by C.S. Pacat
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As a result of reading HeartStopper, the Fence series jumped up in my similar reads and oh am I glad I have read them, Nicholas gets into an elite academy where he wants to fence and beat his long lost brother who doesn't even know he is alive, and once he meets his teammates he wants to beat Seiji Katayama too! A great graphic novel series where the first three books tell the story and the other volumes rehash different important parts of Nicholas' quest.

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The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh thank you so much to @maestraw for telling me about this Jennifer Lynn Barnes mystery with a kick-ass heroine! Avery is a teen with thrills in her veins who loves to play chess and cards and strives for a scholarship to get to college, a sister with a lose boyfriend and still grieving over her mother's death. Receiving a summons to a reading of a will(someone she does not know!!!) Avery and Libby jet to Hawthorne House with Grayson, one of the four grandsons who live in the house and have played their grandfather's games, created inventions, solved riddles, solved puzzles. Now Tobias Hawthorne holds her up as the sole beneficiary of billions, staying in Hawthorne House for a year while everyone lives there and sifting through clues, puzzles, books with maze-like halls with contraptions and hidden halls and tunnels. Avery is now guarded 24 hours a day, with a law firm at her finger tips and lots of lies, secrecy, and betrayal. But you know Avery is up to it!!! I loved her mind for games, figuring out puzzles, riddles and hanging in despite almost everyone distrusting her. I can't wait for Book 2, what an ending, it is going to kill me to wait!!! Barnes once again crushes the mystery, she is the queen!

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The Canton's Edge by Dusti Bowling

The Canyon's Edge by Dusti Bowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh did I love this Dusti Bowling book and a novel in verse at that!!! Nora's wonderful family has been ripped apart by a random restaurant shooting. As a way to escape their grief and celebrate rock climbing they did as a family, Nora and her Dad explore a canyon but little do they know, they did not prepare for a flash flood to whisk them apart! As Nora tries to find her father she battles scorpions, snakes, poisonings, and even her psychological torment known as the Beast that plagued her after her mother's death. I could not put this book down, I loved the spare yet spine tingling suspense of the language as Nora desperately looks for her father. Nora's journey makes her stronger, makes her want to reconcile with her best friend, return to school and live life like before, will she be able to survive and achieve this. This is a middle school book but YA would love this book as well! A must read!

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Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is so important now, with the wrongful arrest of Amal, his trial and conviction. In a hard hitting novel in verse, Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam, craft an all too real story of a young African American who is failed time and time again, jailed and stripped of his humanity and hope. I grasped onto his anger as he turns it into hope through art, drawing and painting, he begins to accept those he is incarcerated with and how together they must become peaceful yet powerful to right the wrongs of racial profiling and prison reform failures. A must read for all!

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Tempting Little Tease (Forbidden Desires, #4) by Kendall Ryan

Tempting Little Tease by Kendall Ryan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the first Kendall Ryan romance I have ever read, but definitely not the last! What I loved about Alessandra and Quinn was that they both immediately liked one another, there were no games and cute, real flirtation. Only problem, Alessandra is leaving in 3 weeks to move permanently to Italy. How will Quinn deal with that? And as the 3 weeks gets shorter and shorter, Alessandra is falling deeper for Quinn and questioning her resolve. Ryan crafts a romance where I could not stop turning the pages. A great romance and I can't wait to read more by Kendall Ryan!

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Heartstopper: Volume 3 by Alice Oseman

Heartstopper: Volume Three by Alice Oseman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Once again, love this cover of the 3rd book in the Heartstopper series!!! Nick and Charlie are still discussing who to tell about their relationship and Nick is learning more about Charlie's issues with the bullying which include self harm, eating disorders, homophobia and tears, lots of them! The story grows immensely with the transgender relationship/friendship of Aled and the class trip to Paris is oh so good!!! I can't wait for the next in this sincere, wonderful story of Nick and Charlie!

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Heartstopper, Volume Two by Alice Oseman

Heartstopper: Volume Two by Alice Oseman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love the cover for this 2nd in the series; Nick and Charlie are so cute together and the angst they go through is real but adorable as Nick realizes he has true feelings for Charlie. When Nick tells/shows Charlie, your heart will melt because they really belong together, but first the friends and family have to approve, and will they? Charlie was bullied when he was outed and Nick remembers and wonders why he did not do anything to help. But now he is claiming his feelings and showing them to Charlie all the time and I so love the dog! Oseman also excels in showing the homophobic behavior as well as the affirming behavior. I can't wait for the 3rd comic/graphic novel in this series!

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Three Keys (Front Desk, #2) by Kelly Yang

Three Keys by Kelly Yang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just love Kelly Yang books! Three Keys, continuing The Front Desk series was superior in every way! Mia, Lupe and Jason traverse life and school and friendship drama all the while growing while suffering indignities simply because they are immigrants in an election year in California. The bravery of these three middle school students shows as they struggle to navigate life. Mia and her parents have been very successful running the hotel, but her parents are beginning to shows signs of wanting other things, like maybe returning to the kind of jobs they held before coming to America. Mia's mom wants to get a credit card while her dad is very much opposed. Mia's love of writing takes a hit when the English teacher, Mrs Welch continues to give her Cs on her writing assignments. Lupe's mom has to return to Mexico when her mother dies, what will happen when she tries to return? Jason wants to be Mia's friend but Lupe does not like him. Jason wants to be a chef but his father does not see this as a viable career option. Even worse for the three friends is the governor running for office again promising immigration reform, much to Mia and Lupe's shock! Yang is a gifted author who writes with honesty, sincerity and grit with well developed characters and plot. I could not put this book down, I loved every word and rooted for the families of Mia and Lupe, even Mr. and Mrs. Yao! A must read---as all Kelly Yang books are!!!

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I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes

I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This gorgeous picture book has positive self images throughout, an upbeat narrator with hopes and dreams and reality. With beautiful illustrations, this book could be read, enjoyed and learn more about social justice appealing to all ages children through adults; a must read!

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Black Brother Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED this must read book by Jewell Parker Rhodes! Brothers pictured on the cover, one light and one dark. Trey is the older brother, athletic, light skinned, and in a new prep school not having any difficulties being accepted. Donte is the younger brother, nonathletic (loves video games instead), and dark skinned and in the new school, targeted by a racist Alan who bullies Donte unmercifully (like he does others) and provokes an incident in school that lands Donte in jail. Luckily Donte has a fierce mom who is also a lawyer for Legal Aid and black while Dad is a geeky white guy and both see the injustice Donte is suffering, what to do about it? I could not put this ripped from the headlines book down; it hits on what is happening in our world today and in the past; this social justice book is a must read; students will love it and be sharing with other readers!!!

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Kingdom of Flesh and Fire (Blood and Ash, #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG, I could not put this book down!!! Armentrout's 2nd book in the series just got to me as Poppy and Casteel continue to fight, argue, flirt, until they stop pretending and get real and oh was it real. With an ending that was so so awesome, I can't wait for the 3rd book in this scintillating series. As Poppy grows to care for Casteel, she is always questioning why she believes his lies; but she does believe he has lied to her and his truth rocks her world. As she enters into an impossible accord with Casteel to get her brother back, to get his brother back, and destroy those who lied to her, confined her, and bullied her as the Maiden---the world begins to show how much it wants Poppy controlled. Question is will she be able to succeed? I loved the dynamics with Hawke/Casteel and Poppy and I am rooting for them in Book 3!!!

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Flamer by Mike Curato

Flamer by Mike Curato
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This debut YA graphic novel of Mike Curato is fiction and fact. He describes his bullied middle grade years and nervousness about high school. But the summer before high school there is camp which Aiden enjoys but also begins to see there are mean boys here too, and how he is going to be bullied because of the way he expresses himself. Teens will be reading this book and passing it to friends, it is a must read for all teens about acceptance!

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The Guest List by Lucy Foley

The Guest List by Lucy Foley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to MaryAlice Briggs-Dicker for this gripping mystery!!! Read it in one day, Will and Jules are egomaniacs getting married on a remote Irish coastal island. From the start, there are definitely those who love the island and others who are totally creeped out by it. As Will's friends from prep school arrive, things get out of hand and definitely interesting. You also have Jules' sister who doesn't want to be there and carrying alot of baggage. The wedding planner is handling most things with the perfection she is known for and wants the world to know about. Hannah is married to Charlie who is Jules' best friend and really begins to see another side to her lovable husband, what really happened at the stag party? A top notch mystery, highly recommended!

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You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie

You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to Sherman Alexie narrate this moving, gripping, honest book about his life, his mother's effect on him throughout his life, memories of his Indian upbringing and move from the reservation school to a white high school, his family (wife, Diane and 2 sons), his regrets, his accomplishments, and his health. Using poetry and essays and Alexie's poignant voice I was mesmerized by everything he had to say about life, his family, the world and the way he speaks in this memoir and love/hate relationship with his mother.

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Stuck-Up Suit by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

Stuck-Up Suit by Vi Keeland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved the whole story about Soraya and Graham! Both characters were strong-willed, with things in their past that traumatized them. Will those things make or break their getting to know onw another? I could not stop turning the pages as Soraya allowed Graham into her life and Graham kept coming back for more Soraya. There was sizzle, angst, definitely romance, and lots of surprises! This is my first Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward book and I will definitely be reading more!!!

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Check, Please!, Book 2: Sticks and Scones by Ngozi Ukazu

Check, Please!, Book 2: Sticks & Scones by Ngozi Ukazu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this 2nd book in the Check, Please series! Bitty is a junior and on the Samwell Hockey team and his love, Jack Zimmerman (fellow Samwell alum) has been drafted onto an NCAA men's hockey team, but despite it all, they keep their love alive with phone calls and texts, come out to family and friends, go to school, bake and play hockey. I just love the story, the characters, the illustrations in this 2nd & final graphic novel showing a real relationship between Bitty and Jack. It was the best story concerning friendship, acceptance, and relationships (romantic, family). I loved all the characters, their stories, the ice hockey, the baking---just a great great graphic novel series!

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Heartstopper: Volume 1 by Alice Oseman

Heartstopper: Volume 1 by Alice Oseman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this graphic novel about 2 guys in a British boys high school! Charlie is a levl 10, out and gay (the year before he was outed and bullied) still kissing a mean guy (Ben, I think) who has a girl friend and sends mean texts. When Charlie is paired with Nick, a year 11 rugby player, they quickly become friends--- while Nick, protects Charlie from Ben a few times. As Charlie falls for nice guy Nick, how does Nick feel? Loved this graphic novel so much, I have Vol 2 & 3 on order at the public library!!! Can't wait!

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Entangled Pursuits (Men of Action, Book 1) by Brenda Jackson

ENTANGLED PURSUITS by Brenda Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am so glad to see this great new series from Brenda Jackson! I will certainly be looking forward to more Men of Action books!!! We find out Toni and Drew dated for almost 10 months until Toni broke it off. At a wedding 5 years later both find they can't stop thinking about the time before, Andrew angry and Toni sad. Move forward to Virginia where Drew works as a detective and finds his new partner is none other than Toni, OMG! How will this work out?!? I could not put this book down, until I found out every last juicy detail about Toni and Drew, past and present and what I liked best is that Andrew was in prison with Shepp from the Granger series and the Protectors series, and Toni is college friends with one of Shepp's other prisoners wives! There is mystery, romance, honesty, and true love! I can't wait for the next book!!!

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